Board 8 > Most Evil Fictional Character: Lord Voldemort vs. BOB

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Welcome to the 2023 edition of Most Evil Fictional Character, a single-elimination tournament to determine the most evil fictional character of all time!

Here's the bracket:

https://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=477621&tclass=

And here's the discussion topic:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80568652

And here are the rules:

-First and foremost, YOU MUST BOLD YOUR VOTE FOR IT TO COUNT. The reason for this is that these topics encourage a lot of discussion and debate, and it helps me to distinguish a vote from simple discussion if all votes are bolded. So, I state again, ALL VOTES MUST BE BOLDED FOR THEM TO COUNT. I reserve the right to be lenient in early topics if people just aren't getting it, but for the most part, IF YOUR VOTE ISN'T BOLDED, IT WON'T COUNT.

-You must vote for which of the two characters you honestly believe to be the more evil of the two. You can determine this via any method you like, use your own morals and judgement, read all the arguments made to determine your choice, or however you choose to make your pick, but you must only vote for the one you truly believe is the most evil. This isn't a death battle, or a popularity contest. You're voting ONLY for the most evil character out of the two choices presented.

-While on that subject, remember that because this isn't a death battle or a fighting tournament, do your absolute best to consider the two characters as if their power levels were equal (either the weaker character brought up to the level of the strongest, or vice versa, or both if you want to consider both possibilities). Therefore, just because, for example, one of the characters blew up a planet and the other one merely kicked a puppy, doesn't necessarily mean the planet killer is more evil than the puppy kicker. Consider the characters as if they have the exact same capabilities and what they might do in that scenario.

-You can make any arguments, debates, etc. you want in this topic. Discussion is STRONGLY encouraged, a fun debate about which of the two characters is most evil is exactly what these topics are for. Just don't make it personal, no insults or flaming, keep things civil even if you disagree. Also, no vote rallying, if you want to encourage people to vote for your character you need to at least make some semblance of an argument as to why, even if it's just "Character X did (really dastardly thing), I can't believe no one's voting for them!"

-Voting will continue for exactly 24 hours after the post is made. If there's a tie, there will be a new 24 hour topic. This will continue indefinitely until a winner is determined.

-YOU MUST BOLD YOUR VOTE FOR IT TO COUNT.

-

The following write-ups will contain untagged SPOILERS for Harry Potter and Twin Peaks. Proceed at your own risk!

LORD VOLDEMORT

Voldemort is the primary antagonist of the Harry Potter books and films.

Voldemort is the archenemy of Harry Potter, who according to a prophecy has "the power to vanquish the Dark Lord". He attempts to murder the boy, but instead kills his parents, Lily and James Potter, and leaves Harry with a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt. Nearly every witch or wizard dares not utter his name and refers to him instead with such monikers as "You-Know-Who", "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named", or "The Dark Lord". Voldemort's obsession with blood purity signifies his aim to rid the wizarding world of Muggle (non-magical) heritage and to conquer both worlds, Muggle and wizarding, to achieve pure-blood dominance. He is the leader of the Death Eaters, a group of evil wizards and witches dedicated to ridding the Wizarding World of Muggles and establishing Voldemort as its supreme ruler. In the First and Second Wizarding Wars, he commanded a veritable army of wizards and Dark creatures; committed countless murders and atrocities; and eventually succeeded in taking over the British Ministry of Magic. J. K. Rowling described Voldemort as "the most evil wizard for hundreds and hundreds of years". She elaborated that he is a "raging psychopath, devoid of the normal human responses to other people's suffering", and whose only ambition in life is to become all-powerful and immortal. He is also a sadist who hurts and murders peopleespecially Mugglesfor his own amusement. He has no conscience, feels no remorse or empathy, and does not recognise the worth and humanity of anybody except himself. He feels no need for human companionship or friendship, and cannot comprehend love or affection for another. He believes he is superior to everyone around him, to the point that he frequently refers to himself in the third person as "Lord Voldemort". Rowling also stated that Voldemort is "incredibly power hungry. Racist, really", and that if Voldemort were to look into the Mirror of Erised, in which one sees one's greatest desire, he would see "Himself, all-powerful and eternal. That's what he wants."

vs.

BOB

BOB is the primary antagonist of Twin Peaks.

BOB is an interdimensional entity who feeds on pain and sorrow. An inhabiting spirit, he possesses human beings and then commits acts of rape and murder in order to feast upon his victims. Bob is an interdimensional entity from the Black Lodge, a realm which exists on an alternate plane of reality. While "possessing" humans, he commits horrible crimes to elicit pain, fear, and suffering in those around him. During his investigation of Laura Palmer's murder, FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper first learns of Bob's existence in a vision, in which he encounters another entity named Mike. In this vision, Cooper learns that Bob was in life a serial killer who raped and murdered young women, with Mike as his accomplice. Mike eventually repented, removing his left arm in order to be rid of the tattoo that he shared with Bob. At the beginning of the second season, one of Bob's intended victims, Ronnette Pulaski, awakens from a coma induced by her torture at Bob's hands, at which time she identifies Bob as Laura's killer. Cooper and the Twin Peaks Sheriff department canvass the town with wanted posters of Bob. Leland Palmer, Laura's father, identifies the man in the poster as "Robertson", and says that he lived near his grandfather and used to taunt Leland when he was a child. It is later revealed that Bob is, in fact, possessing Leland, and has been "possessing" him ever since Leland first met him as a child at his grandfather's house. Under Bob's influence, Leland sexually abused his own daughter for years, and finally murdered her. Leland is also under Bob's control when he murders Leland's niece Maddy Ferguson, who looks just like Laura. Upon learning the truth, Cooper lures Bob into a trap by tricking Leland into allowing himself to be questioned. Under interrogation, Bob takes control and taunts Cooper before forcing Leland to bash his head repeatedly into the wall, sustaining fatal injuries. Cooper sees a vision of Bob taunting him shortly after Josie Packard has a sudden heart attack as he tries to arrest her. It is implied that Bob caused the heart attack by flooding her body and soul with terror, literally frightening her to death.

BOB

Catch you with my death bag

votes BOB

BOB vote

BOB

BOB with Voldemort's power does way worse.

BOB

Genuinely the most terrifying character I've been privy to watch.

I also note that BOBs writeup only has info from the first two seasons and does not cover The Return. Which means none of the stuff he does through Mr C. Im sure well discuss it in a future round!

Voldemort

Bob seems very randomly sadistic whereas Voldemort is basically Hitler

Its important to remember that BOB isnt just a violent sadist, he is also a malevolent spirit and personification of abuse here to inflict the maximum amount of suffering and evil. He is very much as oppressive as Voldemort just on a metaphysical level. And does a whole hell of a lot worse in terms of actions.

bob. though i wonder if id vote differently if harry potter was less kid friendly tbh. something about killing someone this violently and sadistically hits harder than most of what was in hp.

BOB vote

I don't know either IP very, but I feel like Voldemort is going to suffer the same as Chris did due to being in a kid friendly IP. Based on the write up and what I do know about Voldemort, I'll have to vote Voldemort.

Voldemort

BOB is horrible, for sure, and I think he does far worse objectively given Voldemort's power -- but I have to take intent into it. From what I can tell, BOB is a monster inherently born evil and requires misery for sustenance -- though obviously he takes it WAY overboard, which is why he's a great inclusion in the contest. Voldemort? He chose evil because he's a power-hungry eugenicist asshole who is all aboard for ethnic cleansing. He chose to be a monster and reveled in it.

This is a tricky one, but I'm going to go with Voldemort because BOB controls other people to do his bidding, which is something Voldemort could do as well by using the Imperius curse, though he usually prefers to use Avada Kedavra and insta-kill people, and has his underlings use Imperius on his orders instead. Voldemort also has ambition behind his actions, not just sadism.

I'm a huge Twin Peaks fan but it's hard to gauge BOB here. I think the series is so ambiguous and contradictory about what he is (the spirit of a former serial killer, or interdimensional demon born of the trinity test?), how real he is (an avatar of trauma repression, just 'the evil that men do?'), or even how in control he is (are his hosts innocent?) that it's difficult to make a conclusive interpretation/definition of him.

I suppose if we're defaulting to the most evil interpretation I'll give BOB the edge because at least Voldemort doesn't try to rape Harry Potter. But tldr makes a good point about intent, Voldemort is evil by choice...it's a tough one

Bob almost feels more like evil itself whereas Voldemort is just a really, really bad dude.

BOB i guess

BOB

caps