41. Sympathy for the supervillain

In stories, the best bad guys are never going around gleefully declaring, "Oh I'm bad, I'm bad, whee what fun evil is!"  Although I suppose I should offer up Iago as a nigh-archetypal exception. To prove the rule, don't you know. But my favorite bad guys have been the ones that you can almost understand, almost feel bad for, even while you wait for Captain Superpants to swoop in and defeat them.

No, there's nothing homoerotic about Lex Luthor stabbing Superman in the back with a spear.
 Despite their faces. But you should check out the whole vid, especially if you like apocalyptic
 no-holds-barred superhero smash action. Watch it here.

Yeah, I just saw the Avengers. Great movie, though not enough screen time for anybody. I suppose I'd rather be left wanting more than being bored with too much. But here's a sonnet for the evil people, the ones who want a better world, it's just that no one else is really on board with their version.

I swear I have the best intentions here.

My plans are for the betterment of all.

Persuasion failed; that's why I turned to fear

when leaders wouldn't listen to my calls.

Complete control is almost in my grasp,

security within my hands encurled.

And once I've burned away all of the chaff

from ash shall spring the sprouts of my new world.

There's just one difficulty with my plan:

a self-appointed savior in a cape.

But he's no earth-bound god- he's just a man.

And men, like hearts and promises, can break.

Ambition- mine- shall bring the Son to heel;

my Will shall test the tensile strength of steel.