Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-33754845-20190916192846/@comment-43757330-20191202192151

Yeah, but that being said, some villains just don't want to be redeemed. Could Adam have been redeemed? Sure, but it would have made no sense considering he was completely consumed with rage and that choice would have been out of character for him.

Could Tyrian be redeemed? Sure, but do you really think he wants to be redeemed? Does Tyrian strike you as the type of person capable of enough introspection to realize that he's on the wrong path in life, and subsequently turn over a new leaf? Of course not. He's a psychopathic maniac, and that's all he's ever going to be.

Could Cinder be redeemed? Sure, but she doesn't seem to want that either. The closest thing to redemption Cinder is capable of is turning against Salem out of spite (if Salem were to wrong her in some way), not out of desire to be a better person.

Now, Hazel and Emerald are both prime candidates for redemption, because I could easily see them wanting it. Hazel is only evil out of pain, and if that pain were to subside or be redirected at someone more appropriate, he could be redeemed. And Emerald is currently in the grips of a crisis of conscience, so obviously she could be redeemed.

Redemption is nice, but it only works if it doesn't betray the character's estabilished motivations. Otherwise, it's just a plot contrivance.