"i'm not going to live in it" is just the most complex reply ever said by a movie villain, he knows he's got no place in this world he trying to build but he still wants it to happen it another level of complex
@@stuartjenkins3039 He's a believer. He believes the Alliance and the order it brings are best for humanity and worth committing atrocities. But then he realized that it wasn't worth all the pain he caused and had his whole worldview shattered. In the end, he did the right thing and was redeemed
The funny part is, he does have a place in the world he's trying to build. You can't build a better "world" on the bones of murdered innocent's, it's a conundrum an impossibility.
@@tylerdurden4080 It becomes less evident the more you grow old and the more you become inundated in experience and wisdom. You only end up with more questions the older one grows. It is never that simple. I understand his point of view. I too, am a monster.
@@Voidwatcher yeah well maybe it's that way for you but not for me. I just turned 40, I went to Iraq twice, I'm raising a family. I have seen horrible evil and pure goodness. There is no question at all in my mind what is right and wrong.
There isn’t a single line of his in this movie that he doesn’t completely nail, but I REALLY love Chiwetel Ejiofor’s delivery of “of COURSE you care.” He’s only known Mal for a short time but he’s already seen through Mal’s cynic act to the wounded idealist underneath, and would like Mal to do him the courtesy of not pretending.
Well, seeing how it ends, he should've read Mal's medical history, because at the end this operative commited a stupid, lethal mistake that ultimately cost him everything. And don't get me wrong, not blaming the script or the movie at all, which was pure genious. Instead, it's even better for making the bad guy commit the most stupid mistake out of pride and self-righteousness, something evil people often do.
@@EGRJ especially not in the moment of a fist-fight - there's a good chance that, with the benefit of hindsight, he did think 'oh damn, that was in his file' 30 seconds later, by which point it wasn't much use to him.
I disagree. When he said "I do" and this whole scene is about he is an Ideologue. You can kill people and not do it out of hate for "them". He knows he is a tool to build a better world. He also knows that that utopia not for him. Your assumption of hate has no base.
"If I have to." The Operative always wanted the best for the galaxy, but he only saw a way of bloodshed to ensure stability. He is in a way an Anti-Villain. He knows he can't live in the better universe he will create because he knows he is a monster, but he does it for a hypothetical other. The problem is, you need more than just a hypothetical other to justify murder.
@@idleishde6124 anti heroes are actually doing good, in a way. They usually don't murder innocent people and especially not kids. The Operative is an outright villain. Believing in his cause doesn't make him an anti hero
@@idleishde6124that makes him a villain. The world of fiction is full of villains who believe they're doing The right thing, every villain is the hero of their own story.
You can *hear* the self-loathing in that statement. He despises the things he does, but firmly believes they need to be done, and he does them so someone else doesn't have to. In some ways, he is like a twisted Messianic/Christ figure, taking on the sins of the world to keep the world "clean."
No villain has stuck with me like this. He's so committed to the idea of making all of them better worlds and the "goodness" of that act that he's willing to drench his hands in blood so no one else has to.
He is a fantastically compelling villain specifically because he believes so strongly in something he himself will never experience that he is willing to engage in monstrous acts.
Agreed. I enjoyed Serenity and the movie/show, but this villain alone ended up placing Serenity in my top 3 favorite movies of all time. A truly terrifying villain once you understand he is willing to do ANYTHING to complete his objective. Every other movie villain that comes to mind has some form of code of ethics and morals they adhere to, even if misguided or illogical. This one is purely Machiavellian and is even willing to die for the cause.
Every time I rewatch the show/film I always wonder who the hell completely screwed up in not having this be an ongoing franchise. Complete screw ups is what I always think.
@@johnneails9747 If they make an animated series with Whedon at the helm, I will definitely be there to see if it's any good! Live action... No I don't think I could stomach that with them all so much older. Actually maybe I could haha. I love it so much
The operative was such a great villain. What a shame he only got one movie. Still it was a great way to show off Chiwetel Ejiofor's acting talent. Less then a year later, he played a very similar villainous character in the movie _"Children of Men"_, with equally superb results.
This was perhaps the BEST movie “villain” I have ever seen in a movie. He is a BELIEVER in the cause he serves despite recognizing he will never be a part of it. Purely Machiavellian, willing to do absolutely anything to complete his orders. It’s a difficult character to understand, but once you do, such a character is absolutely terrifying as they have no moral or ethical boundaries whatsoever.
Many despicable crimes have been done throughout history with the same reasoning. The Nazi germans were not frothing at the mouth villains, they were calm methodical and collected - and they honestly believed they were making a better world by eliminating everyone but who they considered pure. They did so even at the cost of victory, with inordinate resources devoted to the Holocaust even when losing to the Soviets. And the Soviets themselves, Pol Pot in Cambodia, many unbelievable acts of barbarity were committed with the same seemingly level-headed, calm and rational belief - that an ideal surpasses human life. In fact, if you hear anyone talk about 'better worlds' being more important to the lives of everyone, or anyone, this is reason enough to pause and question where such talk is going. It is human nature to want to improve the world, but it should never be at the cost of any human life.
Nothing is accomplished without sacrifice you will never change the world for better or worse without bloodshed and you are completely incorect the genocides throught history were carried out by frothing at the mouth fanatics
That look when dude says "you're not a reaver" .... Son, you don't know how close to being wrong you are... Some people are just one bad day away from eating society alive.
@@WNShadow814 Doesn't matter, the comic explicitly calls out the One Bad Day thing as bullshit. Yet people actually that that comment from the Joker seriously for whatever reason.
@@malcomalexander9437 I did give a reply but for some reason it has been deleted. Will go again The comic is wrong, most are one bad day away from flipping out. It is just a question of what it takes to make them flip. Some just need the wrong words said and others need to be driven harder. Take a happy well adjusted father and husband. If his home gets invaded by someone off their face on drugs and looking for a good time who cuts the throats of his kids than beats him down and violates his wife he would have had that bad day and would explode in fury. You can take the most mild mannered mother and give her grief. She might take it all in but if you then strike her child you’ll find just how far a mild woman can go. I strongly disagree with the comic that denies this. Everyone has the potential to react if pushed far and hard enough
@@WNShadow814 But that's different, Joker is saying that everyone is one bad day away from turning into a hyper serial killer/terrorist like him. Your example is two people getting mad at someone for harming their family and retaliating in defense. Joker is saying that one bad day will turn someone into him.
I watched Serenity in the theater...and of all the scenes in the movie I wanted to cry out at THIS was the one I failed on. When the operative says "You're not a reaver" you can see the lightswitch flip. Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. When they are large you are fast. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. ""And thus I clothe my naked villany, With odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ, And seem a saint, when most I play the devil." or...what if you did it the OTHER way round?
stimpsonjcat67 Someone who is stalking me sent me an email with this quote... if your quarry goes to ground leave no ground to go to... what does this mean ?
I think so often about firefly. When it came out it was hard to see but nowadays you'd have to be blind to not recognize that we are halfway towards living in the Alliance except that in the real world their plans simply don't work in addition to being evil.
Ranks as one of my favorite villains of all time. Vader was nowhere near this complex, just sported around theme music. The Operative and Agent Smith best baddies in geekdom.
There are some interesting parallels in attitude with Section 31 Agent Slone from DS9. The main difference is their ultimate Utopian society that they defend.
0:36 I always empathized with this part as an American Indian (Lakota Sioux). To this day, we remain the only group in America not allowed to exist, despite the USA constitution saying we should exist
He'll invade all your privacy. When you eat, when you sleep, when you crap, etc. He'll probably take pictures of you in your most private moments. No matter where you go, he'll be there.
The saying? He will not let up and will make sure you have no place to hide or flee. Your reaction? Cops, restraining order and if necessary have him roughed up a few times for good measure. For when? Yesterday
It means theyll burn the lands, and boil the sea. There will be no retreat left to hide in. Or, in other words, call the police, file for an ex parte restraining order/order of protection/order of no contact from the courts. If you hear so much as a peep from them again the sheriffs will then be legally obligated to grab him and put him in a little room that he's not allowed to leave. Also don't go out with dramatic dipshits. Find yourself a better class of asshole.
@trha2222 true, but they are not monsters in the way we think of Monsters.. They are something else entirely.. An evil without claws, fangs or violence.. An evil that works as a poison of the mind, of the very soul of a society.. A poison that saps the will for greater things from the soul of Man, and then call it "Equality"...
@trha2222 Liberals...or the current world of liberals, or rather leftists...are not really monsters. They are simply very misguided and/or naive people. Easily brainwashed into thinking a specific idea and then simply regurgitating said idea. I think, they have simply not been given enough guidance or tools to think for themselves. Rather they become tools instead. It is rather disheartening to witness.
"i'm not going to live in it" is just the most complex reply ever said by a movie villain, he knows he's got no place in this world he trying to build but he still wants it to happen it another level of complex
He's NOT a villain. He's a hero. He stands for LAW.
@@stuartjenkins3039 He's a believer. He believes the Alliance and the order it brings are best for humanity and worth committing atrocities. But then he realized that it wasn't worth all the pain he caused and had his whole worldview shattered. In the end, he did the right thing and was redeemed
The funny part is, he does have a place in the world he's trying to build. You can't build a better "world" on the bones of murdered innocent's, it's a conundrum an impossibility.
@@tylerdurden4080 It becomes less evident the more you grow old and the more you become inundated in experience and wisdom. You only end up with more questions the older one grows. It is never that simple. I understand his point of view. I too, am a monster.
@@Voidwatcher yeah well maybe it's that way for you but not for me. I just turned 40, I went to Iraq twice, I'm raising a family. I have seen horrible evil and pure goodness. There is no question at all in my mind what is right and wrong.
There isn’t a single line of his in this movie that he doesn’t completely nail, but I REALLY love Chiwetel Ejiofor’s delivery of “of COURSE you care.” He’s only known Mal for a short time but he’s already seen through Mal’s cynic act to the wounded idealist underneath, and would like Mal to do him the courtesy of not pretending.
Well, seeing how it ends, he should've read Mal's medical history, because at the end this operative commited a stupid, lethal mistake that ultimately cost him everything. And don't get me wrong, not blaming the script or the movie at all, which was pure genious. Instead, it's even better for making the bad guy commit the most stupid mistake out of pride and self-righteousness, something evil people often do.
@@Veridiano02 Mals medical history burned with his side of the war.
@@Veridiano02 Even if he had actually read the report, I doubt he could remember every detail.
@@EGRJ especially not in the moment of a fist-fight - there's a good chance that, with the benefit of hindsight, he did think 'oh damn, that was in his file' 30 seconds later, by which point it wasn't much use to him.
I love the way Operative says "I do". With just those two words, you can tell how much he hates his work, even if he does feel its necessary.
It's odd how he deludes himself saying "It must be done" so murdering people to get River back...fixes everything? No.
I feel that "hate" may be too strong a word, distaste is about as strong as I think he would feel.
@@nolansaylor7710 Seems pretty clear it's hate to me.
I disagree. When he said "I do" and this whole scene is about he is an Ideologue. You can kill people and not do it out of hate for "them". He knows he is a tool to build a better world. He also knows that that utopia not for him. Your assumption of hate has no base.
@@billyteflon1322 I said he hated what he felt he had to do, not that he hated the people he killed.
"I don't murder children."
"I do."
Such an underrated movie vilian.
"If I have to."
The Operative always wanted the best for the galaxy, but he only saw a way of bloodshed to ensure stability.
He is in a way an Anti-Villain. He knows he can't live in the better universe he will create because he knows he is a monster, but he does it for a hypothetical other. The problem is, you need more than just a hypothetical other to justify murder.
@@idleishde6124 anti heroes are actually doing good, in a way. They usually don't murder innocent people and especially not kids.
The Operative is an outright villain.
Believing in his cause doesn't make him an anti hero
@@VladtheInhaler sweet summer child
@@idleishde6124that makes him a villain. The world of fiction is full of villains who believe they're doing The right thing, every villain is the hero of their own story.
You can *hear* the self-loathing in that statement. He despises the things he does, but firmly believes they need to be done, and he does them so someone else doesn't have to. In some ways, he is like a twisted Messianic/Christ figure, taking on the sins of the world to keep the world "clean."
No villain has stuck with me like this. He's so committed to the idea of making all of them better worlds and the "goodness" of that act that he's willing to drench his hands in blood so no one else has to.
He is a fantastically compelling villain specifically because he believes so strongly in something he himself will never experience that he is willing to engage in monstrous acts.
Agreed. I enjoyed Serenity and the movie/show, but this villain alone ended up placing Serenity in my top 3 favorite movies of all time.
A truly terrifying villain once you understand he is willing to do ANYTHING to complete his objective. Every other movie villain that comes to mind has some form of code of ethics and morals they adhere to, even if misguided or illogical. This one is purely Machiavellian and is even willing to die for the cause.
And that's what evil is about. Evil doesn't care about you. Just to get what it wants. No matter the cost or who has to pay the price.
Every time I rewatch Firefly/Serenity I am blown away by how well-crafted the dialogue is. Absolutely exquisite.
Not what comes in films now.
Every time I rewatch the show/film I always wonder who the hell completely screwed up in not having this be an ongoing franchise.
Complete screw ups is what I always think.
@@johnneails9747 Agreed. It should have had six seasons and a movie.
There’s a “rumor “ that Disney+ is looking to bring this back, but as much as I miss this show I’m not sure I can get behind this…if it’s true.
@@johnneails9747 If they make an animated series with Whedon at the helm, I will definitely be there to see if it's any good! Live action... No I don't think I could stomach that with them all so much older. Actually maybe I could haha. I love it so much
one of the most chilling exchanges in movie history,,,i mean, dude flat out said "i'm a monster."
The operative was such a great villain. What a shame he only got one movie. Still it was a great way to show off Chiwetel Ejiofor's acting talent. Less then a year later, he played a very similar villainous character in the movie _"Children of Men"_, with equally superb results.
Pragmatic evil, just like Thanos
This was perhaps the BEST movie “villain” I have ever seen in a movie.
He is a BELIEVER in the cause he serves despite recognizing he will never be a part of it. Purely Machiavellian, willing to do absolutely anything to complete his orders.
It’s a difficult character to understand, but once you do, such a character is absolutely terrifying as they have no moral or ethical boundaries whatsoever.
The Operative works for Weyland-Yutani. “Building Better Worlds”
Many despicable crimes have been done throughout history with the same reasoning. The Nazi germans were not frothing at the mouth villains, they were calm methodical and collected - and they honestly believed they were making a better world by eliminating everyone but who they considered pure. They did so even at the cost of victory, with inordinate resources devoted to the Holocaust even when losing to the Soviets. And the Soviets themselves, Pol Pot in Cambodia, many unbelievable acts of barbarity were committed with the same seemingly level-headed, calm and rational belief - that an ideal surpasses human life. In fact, if you hear anyone talk about 'better worlds' being more important to the lives of everyone, or anyone, this is reason enough to pause and question where such talk is going. It is human nature to want to improve the world, but it should never be at the cost of any human life.
Nothing is accomplished without sacrifice
you will never change the world for better or worse without bloodshed
and you are completely incorect
the genocides throught history were carried out by frothing at the mouth fanatics
"So me and mine gonna laydown and die, so you can live in your better world?" This is how I feel about changes happening in the world now...
What makes a great movie villain?? A character with conviction who genuinely believes he is doing the right thing.
That look when dude says "you're not a reaver" .... Son, you don't know how close to being wrong you are...
Some people are just one bad day away from eating society alive.
I see you missed the point of Alan Moore's Killing Joke, because the comic outright states that Joker's philosophy is bullshit.
@@malcomalexander9437 and he is entirely at liberty to disagree with that comic and everything its characters said
@@WNShadow814 Doesn't matter, the comic explicitly calls out the One Bad Day thing as bullshit. Yet people actually that that comment from the Joker seriously for whatever reason.
@@malcomalexander9437
I did give a reply but for some reason it has been deleted. Will go again
The comic is wrong, most are one bad day away from flipping out. It is just a question of what it takes to make them flip. Some just need the wrong words said and others need to be driven harder. Take a happy well adjusted father and husband. If his home gets invaded by someone off their face on drugs and looking for a good time who cuts the throats of his kids than beats him down and violates his wife he would have had that bad day and would explode in fury. You can take the most mild mannered mother and give her grief. She might take it all in but if you then strike her child you’ll find just how far a mild woman can go.
I strongly disagree with the comic that denies this. Everyone has the potential to react if pushed far and hard enough
@@WNShadow814 But that's different, Joker is saying that everyone is one bad day away from turning into a hyper serial killer/terrorist like him. Your example is two people getting mad at someone for harming their family and retaliating in defense. Joker is saying that one bad day will turn someone into him.
Totally agree. An amazing portrayal.
I watched Serenity in the theater...and of all the scenes in the movie I wanted to cry out at THIS was the one I failed on. When the operative says "You're not a reaver" you can see the lightswitch flip. Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. When they are large you are fast. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. ""And thus I clothe my naked villany, With odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ, And seem a saint, when most I play the devil." or...what if you did it the OTHER way round?
stimpsonjcat67 Someone who is stalking me sent me an email with this quote... if your quarry goes to ground leave no ground to go to... what does this mean ?
@@annas6309 If someone is trying to hide from you, don't leave them anywhere to hide.
Maximum #29: the enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy. Nothing more, nothing less.
I think so often about firefly. When it came out it was hard to see but nowadays you'd have to be blind to not recognize that we are halfway towards living in the Alliance except that in the real world their plans simply don't work in addition to being evil.
“You’re not a reaver, Mal.”
Mal: Hmmm… gonna file that away for later.
Ranks as one of my favorite villains of all time. Vader was nowhere near this complex, just sported around theme music. The Operative and Agent Smith best baddies in geekdom.
Indeed. Where Vader was intimidating and imposing, he lacked depth like The Operative had.
I need to get out of this place. It's the smell.
@@JWilliamsLangley I hate this place...
There are some interesting parallels in attitude with Section 31 Agent Slone from DS9.
The main difference is their ultimate Utopian society that they defend.
Best bad guy speech ever!
How to make a great story...write your characters like human beings.
0:36 I always empathized with this part as an American Indian (Lakota Sioux). To this day, we remain the only group in America not allowed to exist, despite the USA constitution saying we should exist
Best bad guy ever. So deep and true. I really felt his honor.
You’re not getting a location trace on my ship
He must be another of kang the conqueror because their motto is sacrifice themselves or other for the greater good
Someone who is stalking me send me an email with this quote: if your quarry goes to ground leave no ground to go to... what does this mean ?
Anna S call the fucking police. Jesus.
It means they will destroy everyone you love - Scorched Earth
He'll invade all your privacy. When you eat, when you sleep, when you crap, etc. He'll probably take pictures of you in your most private moments. No matter where you go, he'll be there.
The saying? He will not let up and will make sure you have no place to hide or flee. Your reaction? Cops, restraining order and if necessary have him roughed up a few times for good measure. For when? Yesterday
It means theyll burn the lands, and boil the sea. There will be no retreat left to hide in. Or, in other words, call the police, file for an ex parte restraining order/order of protection/order of no contact from the courts. If you hear so much as a peep from them again the sheriffs will then be legally obligated to grab him and put him in a little room that he's not allowed to leave.
Also don't go out with dramatic dipshits. Find yourself a better class of asshole.
Arkasia brought me here
Shazzik pretty much
He will be SCAR!!! 💗💗💗
I was and am correct
😭
What if there is no perfect?
There’s almost no response for racists.
He is a necessary evil...
To quote another movie:
Sometimes the world does not need a hero, sometimes what the world needs. Is a monster.
@trha2222 true, but they are not monsters in the way we think of Monsters..
They are something else entirely.. An evil without claws, fangs or violence.. An evil that works as a poison of the mind, of the very soul of a society.. A poison that saps the will for greater things from the soul of Man, and then call it "Equality"...
@trha2222 I am simply a man who recognice the monsters in the world.
@trha2222 Liberals...or the current world of liberals, or rather leftists...are not really monsters. They are simply very misguided and/or naive people. Easily brainwashed into thinking a specific idea and then simply regurgitating said idea.
I think, they have simply not been given enough guidance or tools to think for themselves. Rather they become tools instead. It is rather disheartening to witness.
@trha2222 Who are "they" exactly? Be careful how you label people. It is very important.
Thanos