A Question of Literary Theoretics Regarding Evil Overlords and Such...

[sboydtaylor]

So I've been thinking about this one issue pretty deeply for well... about 2 hours... which means I've hit on a question that isn't going to let me go

Comments

Examples to the contrary

[trexr1]

What about Flash Gordon? Ming the Merciless had already taken over the Universe and was simply wiping out small pockets of resistance. Like Earth

Re: Examples to the contrary

[pure_doxyk]

IAWTC -- I thought the same thing. (Though I'd forgotten Order of the Stick, heh.)

Though there are examples of wannabe-female-overlords, all the ones I can think of occur within the context of a monarchy: The stepmother, the usurper, the dowager, looking to take away the King's (rightful) power.

And while I can think of many male baddies whose reasoning was "because I will do a better job at managing this place than anybody else" (i.e. Dr. Doom and his many spinoffs), I can't think of any female up-and-comers who were doing it because of a persistent I'm-a-better-caretaker delusion. Which is funny, since you'd think women would be MORE likely to bank on their life-management skillz. (Then again, maybe the women know how hard it actually is to raise a person, and thus have no interest in mothering whole worlds or countries?)

Yes, thank you for the great question!

Re: Examples to the contrary

[sboydtaylor]

Well, another facet to this is that all the Evil Women Tyrant Queens are either the Dowagers you mention or -- if they aren't usurping a male rightful (and thus divinely chosen) king -- they are witches. Perhaps the evil witch part is based in the overthrowing of the Female Divine and the Goddess Cult -- because it usurps the power of the (male) Christian God?

And perhaps the evil male overlord can never win because no male can overcome or truly threaten the will of the Christian God?

It'd be sad if it's all subconsciously tied up in religion, but that's what seems to be most likely.

Re: Examples to the contrary

[pure_doxyk]

It totally could be -- unless it's even more petty than that, and the message is just "no woman, and no-one not in the 'chosen' group or caste, has the right to power, and if they try to take it, they must be an exceptionally evil power -- either due to their own effort, or because some type of demons are assisting them, as with witches".

It's hard to separate religion from misogyny, now that I think about it... ;)

[selfavowedgeek]

RE: "Evil Overlords (male) always fail when trying to take over the world."

'cause they won't ask for directions?

[sboydtaylor]

FOLOL! :)

[trexr1]

Nah. It's because they haven't had a woman loosen the pickle jar lid yet for them first. And they're just getting REALLY frustrated when they can't open it to try and impress the world. Pickles are key to world domination. I'm just sure of it.