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If there is one constant that is inevitable in any and all games, be they RPGs or otherwise, it is the presence of a protagonist. After all, without an avatar, there can be no interaction with the medium and without this precious modicum of interaction, however small it may be, there can be no such thing as 'gaming.' The essence of videogames being found in this interactivity, it is quite inevitable that we would need an avatar and that, being human in nature, we put that avatar in the role of the protagonist.
In the land of games, the world truly does center and gravitate around this one singularity, which we may perceive as an overt issue with egocentrism more than anything else, but that's for another editorial altogether. No, although it is hardly a pure necessity. It is still a staple of RPGs and other story-driven forms of entertainment, the foil to every adventure, the opposition to your every step, the languid rival to your every dream, hope and aspiration. I speak of the antagonist, the one who incarnates the ideological nemesis of the player's avatar. They are rarely spoken of in detail, and that is a shame, for their story is often as interesting, if not more so, than the protagonist's. This might have something to do with them being entirely independent entities and thus capable of having a self-generated background and personality, which allows for more depth and stronger thematic ties to the game's story itself.
They are many kind of villains for us to do battle with, be they homicidal maniacs who desire nothing but to bath in never-ending streams of tears, blood, and misery. Those who are slaves to their own bloodlust, such as Luca Blight of Suikoden II, or perhaps more complex fare of the overtly idealistic shape who's purpose is righteous but methods atrocious and blasphemy to the eyes of the protagonist or even poor fools twisted by their own despair into actions otherwise unthinkable. And still, they are possibly dozen other types of villains for the RPGamers to contemplate and try to comprehend, as they savagely beat the living snot out of them.
And that is where this editor takes issue, for why is that in any way necessary? It certainly isn't the only logical possibility. There is more than one way to reform something that isn't completely in line with one's own philosophical ideology, yet most so-called 'heroes' see fit to use the very means they despise to take down the foes who dare stand before them. This editor feels that it would be far more interesting if one were given the option to befriend their foes, join them and even change them. After all, why is it that no protagonist attempts manipulation? Or, more heroically, why is it that every antagonist that dares repent of their ways must find a quick death? This seems like a cheap way to cope with the whole situation. There is so much that could be told with a protagonist who is forced to deal with the antagonists in constructive ways. Compromise may seem like an unreasonable task upon the altar of the epic adventure laid before most players, but this editor feels there certainly is a fascinating story to be told here! What if the protagonist and antagonist where unable to resolve their conflict through violent means as is the norm and found themselves in circumstances forcing them to either underhanded tactics or other such unusual solutions? For example, what if the only way to take down a politician who, according to the protagonist, would stand only to harm society was to blackmail him into submission with some choice dirt? The moral dilemma is there; after all, would the protagonist be any better than their foe? Perhaps they would be even worse. Such choices may seem rather perplexing, but that is why they are fascinating. After all, why is it that protagonists never find themselves before a situation where they stand to lose no matter what they do, either they lose their moral high ground or, for example, they let an innocent be sent to jail!
Protagonists lack this fundamental realistic quality of being confronted with their own failure at holding impossible moral standards, and that is too a shame, just as their lack of reasonable dealings with any antagonist whatsoever disturbing and rather immature. Most protagonists are terribly young, but the RPGamers are older now, they are ready for older, more mature, protagonists who can deal with situations in alternative ways.
Protagonists truly are often the victim of pride and prejudice. That alone would make for an editorial, but this is about the antagonists, and so this editor will say that their wish lies in antagonists being more profound and more involved, requiring more than brute force to undo. Now is the time for foes who shall involve us, RPGamers, in subtle duels of wit and dangerous games of power through thick and stubborn bureaucracy and political unrest. In other words, for once, perhaps it is time for us, weary travelers, to lay down our sword and see if indeed the pen is mightier.
Could it really hurt to be given this small choice?
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