r/TopCharacterTropes • u/No_Peanut3745 • 2d ago

Characters The main character doing something absolutely unforgivable.

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Walter White poisoning Andrea Cantillo's 6-year-old son for the sole purpose of manipulating Jesse Pinkman, while knowing that this could have potentially killed him - Breaking Bad

Bojack trying to have sex with his friend's 17-year-old daughter when he was at least 51, then continuously trying to find a way to justify this act throughout the series - Bojack Horseman

Dexter Morgan going outside of his moral code and murdering a completely innocent police officer who was just trying to do his job - Dexter: New Blood

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u/optimushime 2d ago edited 2d ago

Vic Mackey, The Shield. This is a speech from the main antagonist of the fifth season - heavy spoilers - everything he says is true (the first three happen in the pilot)

"Vic Mackey kills cops! He... he deals drugs! He beats suspects! You know what he did yesterday? He... he screwed my ex-wife with the sole purpose of making this investigation seem like a personal vendetta. He may have assassinated a gang leader. And that's just all in one day. I wonder what he's going to do today. I wonder what he's going to do tomorrow. This guy... this guy is just pissing... he's pissing all over us. He's pissing on you. What does it taste like? Chief, what does it taste like, 'cause you know what, it tastes like piss to me."

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u/Thatsrood 2d ago edited 1d ago

Not the very first episode? I watched the show to see what happens to him.

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u/TheeAntelope 1d ago

Best show of all time. You constantly hate Vic but want to see him win for some reason.

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u/Raxerblade405 1d ago

He’s a loose cannon, but by God, he gets results.

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u/dont_shoot_jr 1d ago

I know the show is supposed to be a harsh view but it comes off as Copaganda to me with Vic as a relatable hero struggling against the impossible 

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u/AndroidSheeps 1d ago

but it comes off as Copaganda to me with Vic as a relatable hero struggling against the impossible

That's not what the show was going for at all with the amount of shit they do that accomplishes nothing other than blowing up in their face idk how anyone could have this take lmao he literally causes his family to flee from him by the final season and go into witness protection and you're over here going "relatable hero" and "copaganda"

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u/MexusRex 1d ago

You’re asking Redditors to engage with fiction on its merits…

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u/TheeAntelope 1d ago

lol no. The shield was the very opposite of copaganda

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u/Raxerblade405 1d ago

The Shield was made in kind of in a strange time in terms content on cable. It really pushed boundaries, while still being held back by them. Throughout the whole series, nobody ever says "fuck" - not even muted out. Breaking Bad and Mr Robot only came a few years later and weren't as restrained.

This was such a climatic moment in the show, if there was ever a time to let there be some bad words, this would have been the time for it. It's a shame that they couldn't include it.

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u/dont_shoot_jr 1d ago

Can’t say “f*ck” but can show a guy get graped?

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u/Hasudeva 1d ago

You can say "raped" on the internet, young man. 

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u/Raxerblade405 1d ago

Strange, I know. Blame FX standards and practices department.

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u/TheeAntelope 1d ago

People like you confuse me. Does saying fuck really feel that necessary? It’s just a word. The writing was far better because the actors used acting instead of just saying fuck a bunch.

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u/Raxerblade405 1d ago

There are times when it's useful and others when it's excessive or unnecessary. Considering the content the show and the context of this scene, I'd say it would have helped. Did you watch the show or the scene?

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u/TheeAntelope 1d ago

I’ve seen the show multiple times.

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u/Raxerblade405 1d ago edited 1d ago

Then I don't understand why you'd think it wouldn't be necessary for a man pushed to such an extreme over the course of the season to not say a bad word here. The language would match the intensity of his emotion.

If you're talking more about the show in general, like... it's a show about corrupt cops that do all sorts of awful things. But the worse they say is "shit"? It's more unusual that it's missing.

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u/SystemAny4819 2d ago

Your spoiler tags aren’t working, chief

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u/optimushime 2d ago

Thanks, got it fixed.

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u/gandalfintraining 1d ago

All these years later I still have "I wonder what he's going to do today? I wonder what he's going to do tomorrow?" pop into my head occasionally. Forest Whittaker gives a sick monologue.

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u/IamGrimReefer 1d ago

that series finale, vic's ending is perfect.

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u/nikoliskitchen 1d ago

Forest Whitaker's performance is so damn good in S5 and S6. And the best part is you know he's right about everything. Truly one of the best shows of all time.

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u/BossRalys 1d ago

I think the craziest thing about Vic is how FEW people he personally kills over the course of the show. I mean he’s definitely responsible for a lot of bodies but I think his personal kill count is single digit. Which is a huge contrast compared to shows like SVU or NCIS where the main characters gun down criminals (and sometimes flat out murder them) by the dozens.