Have We Been Viewing the Villain Wrong?
A collage of Black women villains in TV/Film to include Prudence Night, Marie Laveau, Reva Sevander, Bilquis, and Akasha
When I started my exploration of Venus and vengeance, it hadn’t occurred to me that the current transit at the onslaught is Venus in Scorpio. While this transit ends October 17th, the remnants of that energy still remains.
I’ve taken a deep dive into Venus’ affinity for rage and vengeance, and this isn’t to say that it isn’t an inherent quality of Venus or Libra but to recognize that a Scorpio transit can amplify this energy, as well as the curiosity ‘cause when I say I’ve done a deep dive… zooms in camera.
Recently, a TikTok graced my “for you” page from a creator I follow—Vanessa Aldrich.
I shared one of her videos on sexual chemistry and creative partnership, which was eye-opening. She shares that if we use that sexual chemistry to manifest creative success (think Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn) instead of trying to marry said person, we might get somewhere in our creative careers.
Honestly, she’s not wrong.
It’s all part of the sacred sexuality and sex magic chapters of the collective grimoire. However, this particular piece of content I’m referring to is specific to being the villain.
In my novelette days, I desired to create more villains of color because we need that in storytelling. Each of us along the melanin spectrum deserves to have the dualities of our existence shared in story form because we are multifaceted beings—not monolithic.
That being said…
Vanessa shared her insights on why being in our villain era can enhance our creative practice. You can find the video here.
Her breakdown left me in such deep reflection, that I sat with it for days before I created a response. And while I’m still in the exploration phase as I piece through my thoughts, I recognized a few things about villains that make them damn near superior to others:
They seek craft mastery above all else.
They are willing to sacrifice the menial for power.
They recognize discipline and consistency is the key to their success.
They understand that craft mastery is not just for themselves but for the greater good.
They are willing to put their ego aside to achieve the vision of collective progression and unity.
They allow their rage and vengeance to fuel their path to mastery.
It reminds me of the character Third Sister Reva Sevander, played by Moses Ingram.
Reva Sevander, played by Moses Ingram in the Star Wars series Obi Wan Kenobi.
The hatred she developed for Obi-Wan-Kenobi after being left to die from the Great Jedi purge of the Sith. The result: being trained in the ways of the dark side and pledging to rid The Empire of the Jedi. This became her life's purpose. Her studies and training—all of it fueled by abandonment and alchemized to become the most revered by Darth Vader, and one of the fiercest, most feared among the Order of the Sith.
Not to say you have to go un-aliving and terrorizing people, but what happens when we seek mastery and put that first? To invert our desire for worldly pursuits as the by-product of mastering our gifts, not the main goal? And when I say mastery, I'm not referring to perfectionism, but rather embodiment.
When we become masters of anything, it becomes part of us and infuses itself into everything we do. Mastering our gifts and talents gives it a life that allows it to exist. A fragrance that ekes from our skin and magnetizes all aligned with its frequency.
Mastery helps us prepare. Anticipate the needs of ourselves and the collective. Make it easy to share knowledge and wisdom that keeps us safe and progresses us forward.
Some may see the upholders of capitalism as villains, and if we look at it from that perspective, how do they always seem to be 100 steps ahead, and the rest of us are trying to figure out how we fit in? Consider the people who live along the opposite spectrum of the villain nuance, using their powers to oppress the collective. Minus the treachery and deceit, can you see the foundation of their dedication for what it is and apply it to yourself?
If you’re looking for something new, maybe this is your call to explore.
Stay tuned, as I unpack more of this exploration.
