How bad do you like the baddies? (1 Viewer)

[Weoooo]

This is something I've started wondering since I started looking around at people's RP profiles and stories, because the answer isn't always what I expected. KeiBree's post asks this question, and I was surprised to see answers that included single moms trying to make their way along side what I expected was the gamut of noncommittally mean girls, if it was answered at all.

So I got curious, and decided to make a poll. Now this isn't all the dimensions of Badness, considering culture and experience and the amount of evil actually being done are vital points too. But I don't think we need a 3 axis graph here or anything, this is just asking a question about a thing you like!

For me, it's the 5 in the middle. For me this whole thing is an interplay between the inherent vulnerability of the zako and their role as an antagonist. It's a Bad Girl/Damsel In Distress mix. So, if they're too awful and can't be sympathized with, it's not quite fun. Same as if they're not actually evil at all, and are a positive force in the world.

So go ahead, vote! Explain yourself, too, if you want to. Do you actually prefer a villainous protagonist, so the scale is flipped? Go ahead and talk about it! Or don't! You don't have to! You don't have to do anything!

 

[Tsukachan]

I like neutral evil zakos/villainesses, where they do the dirty work and being oblivious in the same time, with no idea of what they're into. Think about the mechanic girls from Fighters Club. They appear to be like your normal construction workers, but they're actually paid to work for the S. Boys gang as bodyguards and cannon fodders. They have no idea of what's going on to them, and only armed with tools and maybe some weapons provided by the gang (like one with the explosive drones). Afterall, they're just a bunch of weak zakos that fall easily to the protagonists

But on the other half, I prefer strong zakos, muscular or skilled. Think about a bunch of female wrestlers or martial artists who work as hitwomen or mercenaries for various criminal gangs and mafias. They're almost impervious to melee weapons, but probably bullets or tazers might take 'em down. AFAIK this concept haven't been explored deeply, and the lack of muscular zakos explains it. The protagonist will have to use stealth to take 'em out, or maybe must be par on them to tussle with them and eventually defeat them lethally or non-lethally

For the protagonist, I prefer lawful good protagonist. One that fights for what's right and for justice, and teaching those zakos a lesson. Preferably, the protagonist could be someone weak on the outside, but strong in the inside. Think of a schoolgirl or maybe a female cop that looks slender and weak, but she's actually skilled in martial arts, weaponry and others. She can take out the zakos all by herself, but she values them too. Whenever she finds a zako stronger than her, she will try to recruit her into her side, but maybe with a few wounds and scratches to the zako. If the zako refuses, she'll beat her out to death or KO her, leaving her body behind

 

[osw]

Prefer them to be evil if the person beating them up is heroic or neutral. Okay with chaotic good heroes fucking or torturing zakos after a fight, but not the other way. I think sexual punishment for morally evil zakos is okay. Don't like seeing morally good zakos killed, including good people who belong in the evil side. Sometimes I will still write about it, but I don't think it's fun.

 

[JoanCujoh]

Well I'm full with Tsukachan, but i'm gonna detail my thought about it

For me it simple, the zako are greedy, they gonna do everything for money, but since my stories happen in sort of B/Z-series or 60's batman kind of universe they never succeed at killing/shooting or anything else.

And for me a good hero (or protag in general) should never be more evil that the zako, that's why I'm kind of disgusted (or bone killed) when the protag start to rape the zako, it's just...no...don"t do that

also, since I'm into David vs Goliath kind of thing, like 1 vs 100 or little against big, my heroes are young against real (mature) woman and not little girl (I don't say you can't like seeing loli destroy, just not my thing...also I don't want to go to jail) which explain why my male hero is really effeminate (also because I like that but psssshhh) cause he look weaker against an enemy who will laugh at him and then 'What a Twist' the zako are getting obliterated with 'Panache' by the young and pretty hero, "The end"

And you can see that everywhere on my Deviant art page :p

 

[Gollot]

The brainwashed ones or clones. Totally under control.

 

[Tsukachan]

Well I'm full with Tsukachan, but i'm gonna detail my thought about it

For me it simple, the zako are greedy, they gonna do everything for money, but since my stories happen in sort of B/Z-series or 60's batman kind of universe they never succeed at killing/shooting or anything else.

And for me a good hero (or protag in general) should never be more evil that the zako, that's why I'm kind of disgusted (or bone killed) when the protag start to rape the zako, it's just...no...don"t do that

also, since I'm into David vs Goliath kind of thing, like 1 vs 100 or little against big, my heroes are young against real (mature) woman and not little girl (I don't say you can't like seeing loli destroy, just not my thing...also I don't want to go to jail) which explain why my male hero is really effeminate (also because I like that but psssshhh) cause he look weaker against an enemy who will laugh at him and then 'What a Twist' the zako are getting obliterated with 'Panache' by the young and pretty hero, "The end"

And you can see that everywhere on my Deviant art page :p

I see...you're a man of culture as well

 

[Neon-Dark]

In the Neon Dark universe they are lured to join by large sum of money on completion of contract, the zako are an essential part of the business model of the companies operating in the zone and are needed in large numbers for the company to be success. I imagine it would be more normal person just after payment, perhaps thinking the role involves security of some sort but not all out sacrifice for someone profits.

 

[Neon-Dark]

In terms of the skill level of Black Faction, Caterina Private Defense or Zuvic Tech Zakos it depends on the ability of the individual, the vast majority fall into the "Standard combat unit" type roles where they operate in small to large size groups to achieve a particular goal for their company. An instance where they would be utilized would be capturing Neon Dark (Ultra Valuable Mineral) From an Azologoth (Tentacle Monster like Saarlac) , it does not take much skill just eliminate the threat of tentacle & possibly lose one or two in the process. Then transport the Neon Dark back to base. An enemy force (Company) would try to seize the opportunity of a weakened/tired fatigued force in transit to eliminate them and steal the Neon Dark.

 

[Bad7]

I think my exact preferred zone is "wow. That's harsh . . . But probably fair." I like my zako to be human but still deserving of punishment. Evil, but eliciting sympathy due to patheticness/weakness

 

[Stuelpner_Karl]

For my zakos, it's a regular job. They enjoy the money, and sometimes the work itself, like acting important and bullying people. Sure they know what kind of boss they work for. Sometimes they don't like it, but "someone will do it anyway, so why can't I get this paycheck?"

They are not brainwashed and not forced. (Not even by poverty, though some are single moms, struggling a bit to make ends meet.) They live normal lives, have normal relationships, hobbies, quirks, etc. Often they are called to work on short notice.

The way the look or act (or even smell), the zako don't draw much sympathy from the heroes or the audience though. So when they get punished for their decisions, the audience will enjoy it.

 

[cyke70]

My favorite kind of zako is one I can feel sorry for her (or his) grim fate.
Young conscripts enlisted into an army of expendable troopers whose lives their superiors care nothing about and use up at will in order to pursue their evil plans. Neither good nor bad... just like anyone else. Simply unable to refuse to obey orders because indoctrinated, drugged or kept in line by ruthless discipline.
The "heroes" feel no particular compassion for them, since they simply stand in their way and need to be eliminated to thwart their masters' plots.
Summing up, my kind of zako pay the price of their superiors' arrogance and greed with their lives, which are insignificant to both the good and the evil faction.

A good example would be Harlock's enemies: the Mazone. The Queen's loyal soldiers are available in huge supply and the pirates simply slaughter droves of them without mercy, even when it is not strictly necessary or they are in full retreat, or unarmed. They are an alien race in service of a tyrant and that makes slaying them honorable and blameless.

 

[dinomoneymaiden]

I've mention before how I have a spectrum of sorts how I handle these, where the worse people zako appear to be, the worse punishment they end up with. So pure evil ones will generally be killed, the ones that are thugs but not purely evil will generally be be badly beaten humiliated and maybe with a injury like a broken bone or two or something of the like that they had to have treated, but will live to hopefully see the error of their ways someday (Doubtful though! ) , and the "good girls in a bad situation" are usually shown quite a lot of mercy and even relatively nice treatment if they're cooperative enough and surrender.

General favorites though? Got to be bullies and thugs. I like my zako as bad girls but often prefer less cartoonishly evil types, though I do love sprinkling in the occasional crazy evil bitch who can get a sexy painful demise.

 

[burom]

I like badness to scale with punishment, therefore I like mine bad.

 

[Stuelpner_Karl]

My favorite kind of zako is one I can feel sorry for her (or his) grim fate.
Young conscripts enlisted into an army of expendable troopers whose lives their superiors care nothing about and use up at will in order to pursue their evil plans. Neither good nor bad... just like anyone else. Simply unable to refuse to obey orders because indoctrinated, drugged or kept in line by ruthless discipline.
The "heroes" feel no particular compassion for them, since they simply stand in their way and need to be eliminated to thwart their masters' plots.
Summing up, my kind of zako pay the price of their superiors' arrogance and greed with their lives, which are insignificant to both the good and the evil faction.

I like this, but with a variation: In my imagination, this kind of young recruit, usually just 18 or 19 years old, isn't conscripted or drugged. They joined voluntarily, seeing it as a good way to pay for college. (Or for other stuff, but I like the idea that they have great plans, that they are the pride and joy of their parents and grand parents, who cherish great expectations regarding the future of their girl or boy.)

The fact that they are volunteers, and as future college students rather smart individuals who should realize that they are on the wrong side and try to build their future on the expense of poor oppressed people, makes their grim fate well-deserved. Nonetheless it's very tragic, creating the ambiguity I love.

 

[wj1905]

My favorite kind of zako is one I can feel sorry for her (or his) grim fate.
Young conscripts enlisted into an army of expendable troopers whose lives their superiors care nothing about and use up at will in order to pursue their evil plans. Neither good nor bad... just like anyone else. Simply unable to refuse to obey orders because indoctrinated, drugged or kept in line by ruthless discipline.
The "heroes" feel no particular compassion for them, since they simply stand in their way and need to be eliminated to thwart their masters' plots.
Summing up, my kind of zako pay the price of their superiors' arrogance and greed with their lives, which are insignificant to both the good and the evil faction.

A good example would be Harlock's enemies: the Mazone. The Queen's loyal soldiers are available in huge supply and the pirates simply slaughter droves of them without mercy, even when it is not strictly necessary or they are in full retreat, or unarmed. They are an alien race in service of a tyrant and that makes slaying them honorable and blameless.

View attachment 88932

Oh I love the Mazones. :) They are weird plant women but supremely sexy.
It does bother me how casually Harlock kills them in great numbers, though. They are shown to be individuals, not drones.

 

[Weoooo]

This is interesting data! I expected most people to like them to just be on the job, but I didn't expect almost totally evil to be more popular than just a meanie. I expected sort of a bell curve here, but that's not the shape I got. Maybe if I did a scale from 10 to -10 the results would be different, but you people aren't here for me to try and get stats outta you.

 

[Kargan3033]

I like my Zako that range from out and out demonic evil to good girls but doing what they have to do to survive because in the end they all fall to the anti hero who will decide how to punish men for their misdeeds.

 

[Neon-Dark]

This is interesting data! I expected most people to like them to just be on the job, but I didn't expect almost totally evil to be more popular than just a meanie. I expected sort of a bell curve here, but that's not the shape I got. Maybe if I did a scale from 10 to -10 the results would be different, but you people aren't here for me to try and get stats outta you.

Perhaps the circumstance is they are a wicked sort of person, evil in nature who seen the opportunity to participate in the line of work that suit them, so a combination of an evil person just on the job?

 

[sillyPon]

My favorites always fall somewhere between reprehensible and bully because it makes their ultimate fates that much more satisfying. Maybe I've got a justice fetish? lol.

But similar to what Karl said, as long as the girl joins the dark side of their own volition I can totally appreciate whatever happens to them.

 

[JulJul18]

My favorite kind of zako is one I can feel sorry for her (or his) grim fate.
Young conscripts enlisted into an army of expendable troopers whose lives their superiors care nothing about and use up at will in order to pursue their evil plans. Neither good nor bad... just like anyone else. Simply unable to refuse to obey orders because indoctrinated, drugged or kept in line by ruthless discipline.
The "heroes" feel no particular compassion for them, since they simply stand in their way and need to be eliminated to thwart their masters' plots.
Summing up, my kind of zako pay the price of their superiors' arrogance and greed with their lives, which are insignificant to both the good and the evil faction.

A good example would be Harlock's enemies: the Mazone. The Queen's loyal soldiers are available in huge supply and the pirates simply slaughter droves of them without mercy, even when it is not strictly necessary or they are in full retreat, or unarmed. They are an alien race in service of a tyrant and that makes slaying them honorable and blameless.

View attachment 88932

ah i like those girls too. they always seemed easy to take pity on though, on account of bursting into friggin flames on death D:
i just wish it was easier to find fan art of them (Like the humaritts from najica, among other things =-= seriously)