Villain - Justin

About the writing

I chose to write my monologue from Magneto because I find something sympathetic about him. His fight can be viewed as a fight against bigotry and therefore the line between hero and villain becomes a question of method. Truthfully Magneto has been on both sides of the line, but I think the most interesting villains always do. The most interesting villains have us wanting them to win, at least a little, and have us questioning our own principles and goodness.

This one was written by selecting a slightly altered version of the present and trying to hear the lines in Sir Ian McKellen’s voice. It helps tremendously with word choice when I imagine the actor that playing Magneto saying the lines.

Magneto- Monologue

My dear Charles, you still suppose reason is possible with these people; these slightly evolved primates? Don’t you remember all we’ve seen before? Does the idea of registration not remind you of anything? Not just the Nazi’s, no; they were no better here in the “land of the free.” Slavery, relocation of the natives, Japanese internment camps. The only thing that they need to strike out is to view a group as different and to lack understanding. And Charles, a lack of understanding should be printed on the national seal.

Honestly, Charles, I don’t wish to destroy or enslave all of them, but you must realize that the time has passed when we can simply talk. You could’ve swayed the last election with a little effort of that brilliant mind of yours, but you refuse to use you gifts, your power in these dealings. You insist on not infringing on their free will. It simply won’t do. Look at the news; the loudest idiot leads the poles and on what agenda? The one where mutants, where we are registered, tested, and categorized for the sake of national security. It doesn’t take much imagination to see that the idea of what constitutes a dangerous mutant will be expanded until they have us all locked up. How far are you willing to let them go before you start to resist? How long before you realize that the peace you so desperately want must be paid for either by your interference or by blood?

You could be President with the slightest effort. You could have the congress pass every reform needed for true security and peace and use your platform to educate the rest of the monkeys about who we are. Peace could be ours without you even breaking a sweat. Ah, but your principles. You sit there and imagine that yours is the more principled path, but you forget how long we’ve known each other. I don’t need your powers of clairvoyance to read your mind. Principle isn’t what holds you back; it’s fear. You’re afraid of your power. You’re afraid that once you started molding thoughts and getting results you would be tempted to be dictator. Tsk, tsk Charles. I can take down a building, I have, but that doesn’t mean I wreck every bit of architecture that offends my sensibilities. The virtuous professor that fears his own lack of self-control, sad indeed.

The only principle that matters here is survival. You could have taken care of this but you didn’t and now I have to. I stayed quiet while you tried to housebreak and educate these monkeys, you’ve failed. They are still throwing their feces at anything that spooks them, which is anything more complex than a banana. Now it’s your time to be quiet while I tend the zoo. I may not do it with the same finesse that you would be capable of, but I will not fail. I’m not afraid of my power and I have plenty of talented friends who can get most of this done with the littlest notice, they only ask permission to whip any monkeys that continue to hurl feces and refuse to recognize their place. They are angry with the treatment they’ve received. They should be angry at you for not stopping this tide of bigotry sooner. I would be if I weren’t so disgusted by you crippling weakness to take action.