The Bad Guy: In most movies the bad guy is very easy to pick out, there is little confusion, and he often wears black. He’s making things happen – albeit bad things. He is powerful and until the hero saves the day, things are going pretty well for him. Quite often, he escapes at the end of the story only to return with a vengeance in a subsequent story. He is focused, seldom distracted by romance or a sassy heroin.
The Good Guy: Unless he is a super-hero, he is more difficult to spot and undoubtedly distracted by romance (sometimes by a young lady that ends up being his sister!). Heroes are often reluctant or lacking in power, they are “in the making” during most of the movie.
I think about such things to figure out why Connor is so inclined toward the bad-guy. Last year, Connor borrowed a Darth Vader action figure riding a black motorcycle (I did not know Darth had a motorcycle!). After watching a few Star Wars movies he quickly locked into the idea of Darth Vader as the ultimate bad guy. Toy Darth Vader has taken center stage at our home. Many good-guy toys in his collection end up “working for Darth Vader" during playtime. The Playskool's Little People in their Wheels-Go-Round-and-Round-School-Bus don’t stand a chance when Batman sides with Darth Vader!
This is probably not related, but this is my World of Wander… Connor’s favorite singer is not a bad-guy, but he is the “Man in Black” – Johnny Cash! Connor’s favorite color is purple, but perhaps its really black. Back to the current thread…
More often than not, I try to spin Connor away from the “Dark Side” while allowing him to be a kid with the freedom to think for himself. For example, I’ll tell him Schrek will not work for Darth Vader, he is not bad, he just has bad manners.
“I want a Darth Vader T-Shirt” he announced the other day. Am I worried? Just a little… For today, Vader Rules!
5 comments:
The scene Connor left in our entry tonight: Giant rubber snake is attacking a motorized robotic arm which has Darth Vader (on motorcycle) in its clutches. We should get a picture to document the creativity.
Cooper still loves the "bad guys" as well, but when push comes to shove in the real world, he makes the transition to the "good guys". The villains always seem to have that great personality that draws us in so that we can't take our eyes off of them. That "wouldn't it be cool if I could do this and get away with it" mentality.
That Vador motorcycle looks vaguely familiar...
Jack was a vader groupie for about a year, then he broke from the dark side to root for Obi Wan. My Dad says that these good guy/ bad guy things are not bad- they are an allegory for real life - God vs. the Devil. It will give you some teachable moments with Connor. I wouldn't be too worried yet. Vader is intriguing, but I bet for Connor, too... in the end he will choose the Force over the dark side : )
*sigh* The joys of having a boy... I can't wait. :)
Nice comments all around. Boys will be boys, there is no doubt there. The good vs. bad is all about learning boundaries - they really just like the action and doing "stuff". We have survived 4 boys doing this, with the youngest now 7! Amazing what they will put together with their toys to have a new game or just more action...
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