#he is the biggest baddest bitch in both a derogatory and affectionate sense <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[twisted-up-in-wonderland]

Okay… I am going to begin this by saying I love Vil. I agree that he gets a lot of hate he does not deserve.

But I actually do think I will challenge the idea that he doesn’t force his standards upon others.

Specifically, Epel.

And no, I am not talking about his accent. I understand Vil’s point in that and accept it.

But the fact of the matter is, even though Epel eventually came to see the power that being cute could lead him to have, Epel did not want that. I am specifically remembering Epel’s ceremonial robe vignette and the groovy image for it and…

Does that look like the face of someone who is happy with what he is being taught or being forced to learn? He looks m i s e r a b l e. And this is before Vil even enters the room and immediately targets him to begin his “training” to become a proper Pomefiore student. And that instant training is HARSH and PHYSICAL.

I understand that Vil is the Housewarden, but he does not do this with anyone else in the dorm, and forcing Epel to take etiquette lessons and the like? That’s not what the dorm is SUPPOSED to be about.

The Pomefiore dorm is supposed to be founded on the ideal of the Fairest Queen’s tenacity, not the Fairest Queen herself. So, with that in mind, Epel’s drive and determination to be more manly and tough no matter how hard it would be for him to achieve his goal would have fit the ideals the dorm is supposed to promote.

But everything I see suggests the entirety of the dorm (NOT just Vil) focuses on idealizing the Fairest Queen herself, not her tenacity, so they focus on beauty and royalty. To the point that Vil feels the need to harshly correct Epel, so that he is a “proper” Pomefiore student. Because Vil beat him in a fight at the welcoming ceremony and so Epel is under his thumb.

I honestly, truly adore Vil. I wish he had more love. Because he deserves it. But I also don’t think that just because I love his character I should ignore his flaws. It’s not an all or nothing thing. I don’t have to hate him and think he is everything wrong with Twisted Wonderland or love him and think he is flawless.

Vil is not terrible. He deserves to be a hero in many movies. He deserves his time to shine. He is not a villain. He is beautiful and talented and has worked hard to get to the top and stay there.

He also DOES force his standards on others at times and Epel can attest to that.

smth that like. i end up thinking abt a lot is the way vil is a character whose in-game experiences are really mirrored by a big chunk of the way fandom treats him.

vils beauty is smth that he’s been villainized for his entire life. he’s too beautiful, too gorgeous, and in the minds of many, that automatically equates to things like “mean/evil/cruel.” as if his beauty = villain

and that perception is one he struggles with. no one lets him play the role of hero bc a lot of the time, a hero is someone the audience roots for and relates to. but no one can “relate” to vil bc his beauty others him. neige has a beauty that is innocent but also attainable. that’s what makes him the perfect hero. for some reason, it’s almost unfathomable to most that someone beautiful who also cares about being beautiful could be smth other than a “mean girl” or a villain.

and the thing is, vil does care abt beauty! and that’s okay! valuing beauty is not inherently evil, and the way fanon (and when I say fanon, i obviously don’t mean everyone, there’s also a lot of ppl who see vil and actually understand the complexities of his character) twists that to “forcing his standard upon others” is honestly wrong. vil holds himself to such a high standard, but the “standard” he’s holding others too is being the best versions of themselves they could be.

his correcting epel on language usage is literally not smth sinister or classist. the EN translation didnt get the translation accurate. correcting epel was literally abt being aware that not many would be able to understand epel if he continued to speak in that dialect, and in other cases, seen as rude. he was preparing epel for future opportunities and circumstances. epels grandma literally switches her way of speaking when meeting the boys at Harveston, so it’s not smth that’s got zero precedent.

and in cases where vil is believed to be envious of others beauty it’s like—who doesn’t feel jealous at times? he mentions being a little jealous that silver does nothing with his hair and yet it’s so fine. that’s understandable! vil is someone who puts work in his beauty. he doesn’t just coast on what’s already there he exercises. he cut out mayo even tho he loved it bc he ended up breaking out. he holds himself to strict food regimens. he makes beauty products. so like-this envy? it’s healthy, he expresses it, and then he gifts silver self-made hair and skin products. bc his envy doesn’t manifest as wanting others to be less than him. it manifests as appreciation and wanting to see improvement. bc!! he’s a good person!!

ive seen fics and content where it’s like “he values beauty/his figure over the lives of others.” my dudes. this man literally sacrificed his youth and beauty to save idia/close the underworld. “Oh but he regretted it! and he got it back!” yeah he cried his heart out who WOULDN’T! and as for getting it back—learning a lesson or making sacrifices shouldn’t always hinge on like whether or not the character makes these sacrifices continues to suffer or whatever. like redemption (even tho he rlly doesn’t need to be redeemed) doesn’t only become valid if someone suffers or if suffering is constant.

vil gets relegated to roles like “the bitchy ex” or the “mean girl” or someone who is constantly cruel and vain and a bully when that’s literally the antithesis of what vil is.

so for that, i really really appreciate the content creators who write fic or make art where vil as a character is more than the villain he tries so hard not to be.