Board 8 > Most Evil Fictional Character: Iago (Othello) vs. Randall Flagg

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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.

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The following write-ups will contain untagged SPOILERS for Othello and numerous Stephen King novels, particularly The Stand, The Eyes Of The Dragon, and The Dark Tower series. Proceed at your own risk!

IAGO

Iago is the primary antagonist of William Shakespeare's classic play Othello.

Iago is one of Shakespeare's most sinister villains, often considered such because of the unique trust that Othello places in him, which he betrays while maintaining his reputation for honesty and dedication. Iago is a Machiavellian schemer and manipulator, as he is often referred to as "honest Iago", displaying his skill at deceiving other characters so that not only do they not suspect him, but they count on him as the person most likely to be truthful. At the beginning of the play, Iago claims to have been unfairly passed over for promotion to the rank of Othello's lieutenant in favour of Michael Cassio. Iago plots to manipulate Othello into demoting Cassio, and thereafter to bring about the downfall of Othello himself. He has an ally, Roderigo, who assists him in his plans in the mistaken belief that after Othello is gone, Iago will help Roderigo earn the affection of Othello's wife, Desdemona. After Iago engineers a drunken brawl to ensure Cassio's demotion (in Act 2), he sets to work on his second scheme: leading Othello to believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. This plan occupies the final three acts of the play. He manipulates his wife Emilia, Desdemona's lady-in-waiting, into taking from Desdemona a handkerchief that Othello had given her; he then tells Othello that he had seen it in Cassio's possession. Once Othello flies into a jealous rage, Iago tells him to hide and look on while he (Iago) talks to Cassio. Iago then leads Othello to believe that a bawdy conversation about Cassio's mistress, Bianca, is in fact about Desdemona. Mad with jealousy, Othello orders Iago to kill Cassio, promising to make him lieutenant in return. Iago then engineers a fight between Cassio and Roderigo in which the latter is killed (by Iago himself, double-crossing his ally), but the former merely wounded. Iago's plan appears to succeed when Othello kills Desdemona, who is innocent of Iago's charges. Soon afterwards, however, Emilia brings Iago's treachery to light, and Iago kills her in a fit of rage before being arrested. He remains famously reticent when pressed for an explanation of his actions before he is arrested: "Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word." Iago's actions ultimately lead Othello to commit suicide as well, from the overwhelming guilt of killing his innocent wife.

vs.

RANDALL FLAGG

Randall Flagg is the primary antagonist of numerous Stephen King novels, including The Stand, The Eyes Of The Dragon, and the Dark Tower series.

Described as "an accomplished sorcerer and a devoted servant of the Outer Dark", he has supernatural abilities involving necromancy, prophecy, and influence over animal and human behavior. His goals typically center on bringing down civilizations through destruction and conflict. He has a variety of names, usually with the initial letters "R. F." but with occasional exceptions, such as Walter o'Dim and Marten Broadcloak in The Dark Tower series. Randall Flagg makes his first named appearance in King's 1978 apocalyptic novel, The Stand, where he tries to construct a new civilization in the United States after a plague kills most of the population. In Las Vegas Flagg attracts people drawn to destruction, power and tyranny, using crucifixion, torture and other punishments on those disloyal to him. Flagg plans to attack and destroy a rival emerging civilizationMother Abagail's Free Zone in Boulder, Coloradoto become the dominant society in the former United States. He makes his second appearance in the 1984 novel The Eyes of the Dragon as an evil wizard trying to plunge the fictional medieval city of Delain into chaos. In this novel, Flagg schemes to throw the kingdom of Delain into chaos by poisoning the king and framing Prince Peter, the legitimate heir to the throne, for the crime. Flagg was a primary antagonist in King's epic series, The Dark Tower, who tries to keep protagonist Roland Deschain from reaching the Towerthe linchpin of existenceso he can claim it for himself and become a god.

Randall Flagg

I am not a King expert but the writeup doesnt cover the half of it. The guy just loves sexually assaulting people and causing whole civilisations to violently destroy themselves. Iago is interesting, but comparatively small-fry.

Iago

Troublesome, Evil Mother...

Iago

His treachery is made worse by the fact that everyone places their trust in him and considers him a friend, and his schemes come about because of a minor slight, disproportionate to what he does in response.

IAGO

This is definitely tougher than yesterday's match, Flagg is extremely evil no doubt, but under the same power rule, I think Iago takes it - from his betrayal of trust to his pure destruction of innocent lives and overall lack of remorse.

Randall Flagg

Much closer than yesterday's match. The deciding factor for me is that Iago at least has actual motivations for doing what he does, while Flagg is does awful things just for the sake of being evil.

Randall Flagg

This feels like a matchup that should be a third or fourth round matchup, not a first round matchup. Iago is more successful and manipulative, but i think Randall Flagg is more evil. I think even considering the limitations of their powers (or lacktherof) Randall Flagg just goes further.

Randall

definitely closer like others have said, and their brands of evil are of similar styles but on different scales. And I don't mean that strictly as "Randall has more power," but he has more ambition to commit cruelty. In Iago's position, I think he would've caused more harm than Iago managed to

Flagg

King did him so dirty in Dark Tower.

Iago

the og gaslighter