Board 8 > Most Evil Fictional Character: Emperor Palpatine vs. Wicked Witch Of The West

(+) Yeah! (+)

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 the Star Wars franchise (films and other media) and The Wizard Of Oz. Proceed at your own risk!

EMPEROR PALPATINE

Emperor Palpatine is the primary antagonist of the Star Wars film series.

Darth Sidious, born Sheev Palpatine and also known simply as the Emperor, was a human male Dark Lord of the Sith and Emperor of the Galactic Empire. Rising to power in the Galactic Senate as the senator of Naboo, the secretive Sith Lord cultivated two identities, Sidious and Palpatine, using both to further his political career and deceive his way into accomplishing his goal. He orchestrated the fall of the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order through the Clone Wars, and then established his reign over the galaxy which lasted until his death at the Battle of Endor. Born on the Mid Rim planet Naboo in 84 BBY as the High Republic Era ended, Sidious possessed a strong connection to the Force, and was secretly trained in the ways of the Sith by Darth Plagueis. He eventually betrayed and killed his Sith Master, in order to train his own Sith apprentice, Darth Maul, for the Rule of Two limited their ranks to two Sith Lords at any given time. As a result of the Invasion of Naboo, a crisis orchestrated by Sidious, the Senate elected Palpatine as Supreme Chancellor. The Separatist Crisis and the Clone Wars were masterminded by Sidious and his new apprentice, Darth Tyranus, in an effort to achieve galactic dominance. Following an attempt to arrest the chancellor, the Great Jedi Purge commenced with Sidious enacting Order 66. With the Jedi all but extinct, Sidious installed the New Order in the Republic's place, declaring himself Galactic Emperor and bringing an end to the millennia of democracy. Shortly after betraying and causing the death of Tyranus, he took on a new apprentice, having lured the Jedi Knigh tAnakin Skywalker to the dark side and transforming him into Darth Vader. Among Sidious' most effective traits was his deeply manipulative nature. He enjoyed the rush manipulating others to his will gave him. Sidious saw his allies as pawns that he could use for his grand plan, and was more than willing to dispose them if they no longer served a purpose. He kept his allies as long as they served his purpose, but cut them loose when their purpose was over. He never actually cared for any one of his allies. He betrayed countless allies, including Darth Plagueis, Maul, Dooku, the Separatist Council, and Vader. To those who had been at his nonexistent mercy, Sidious was known to be exceptionally sadistic, and he often took visible pleasure in torturing others.[ He was similarly quite bloodthirsty as well, and frequently reveled in combat to the point of laughing while he fought or killed. He was also noted for his lack of forgiveness, as even Darth Vader, who was well known for summarily executing officers who failed him, considered Sidious to be even less clement than himself. His passion to inflict pain on others and his hate were a priority to him over his own well-being: while he could have used his own powers to save himself from Darth Vader during the Battle of Endor, Sidious' hate was so strong that his only thought was to harm Vader as his apprentice carried him to his first death.

vs.

THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST

The Wicked Witch Of The West is the primary antagonist of The Wizard Of Oz (the film and the novel).

In the 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz, tthe Wicked Witch of the West is a green-skinned witch dressed in a long black dress with a black pointed hat. She demands the Munchkins reveal who killed her sister, not long after Dorothy's arrival in Oz. She actively seeks revenge against Dorothy for killing her sister, even though it was "accidental". However, as soon as the Witch is reminded of the ruby slippers, all interest in her sister's death vanishes and all she cares about is obtaining her slippers, which will enable her to conquer Oz. She is more menacing than her literary counterpart, making Dorothy too afraid to ever lose her temper with the Witch. She makes sure that Dorothy knows her power when Dorothy meets the Scarecrow by throwing a ball of fire at them. Before Dorothy and her friends get to the city, the Witch casts a sleeping spell over a field of poppies through which the group must pass. Glinda remotely counteracts the spell with snowfall. The Wicked Witch then flies on her broom over the Emerald City, demanding that the citizens of the Emerald City surrender Dorothy to her. She was described as being so cruel that the blood in her body dried up and that when she was struck, she did not bleed. In the novel, she also owns slaves to do her bidding.

Palpatine

Success gives a lot of value in being evil.

The House that landed on the wicked witch of the east. It surely knew what would happen.....

Palpatine

ZeeksFire posted...

Success gives a lot of value in being evil.

This. The Wicked Witch was bad, yes, but she didn't murder billions of people.

Palpatine

Canonically resurrecting himself within a Fortnite event is one of the most evil acts by anyone here.

RySenkari posted...

Darth Plagueis

Darth Plagueis? Who's that?

Anyway Palpatine doesn't have an entire musical dedicated to why he wasn't actually that bad of a guy

palpatine

Bit of a mismatch lol

Johnbobb posted...

Anyway Palpatine doesn't have an entire musical dedicated to why he wasn't actually that bad of a guy

you read my mind! palpatine, absolutely. looking forward to having defying gravity stuck in my head all fucking day

Palpatine

The Witch getting a facelift in Wicked doesn't do her any favors in this contest

Johnbobb posted...

Anyway Palpatine doesn't have an entire musical dedicated to why he wasn't actually that bad of a guy

This

Palpatine

To be fair Palpatine NEARLY got a TV series like that about 15 years ago. It wisely never saw the light of day. Regardless I dont think Palpatine is top tier in this tournament but for that reason I dont especially see why the Wicked Witch is here at all.

Palpatine

You guys know that Wicked isnt actually canon, right?

But meanwhile, Palpatines Fortnite appearance sure is lololololoololol

(For the record that's not WHY I'm voting Palpatine but it IS funny)

I mean, what is canon in the case of The Wizard of Oz? Though I think the point is more that the idea for Wicked came from somewhere in the original text.

redrocket posted...

You guys know that Wicked isnt actually canon, right?

But meanwhile, Palpatines Fortnite appearance sure is lololololoololol

I mean as said thats still pretty evil...

Besides Palpatine kinda takes it anyway even when not taking Wicked into account.

LightningStrikes posted...

I mean, what is canon in the case of The Wizard of Oz? Though I think the point is more that the idea for Wicked came from somewhere in the original text.

Wicked is directly based on a book published in 1995, which was definitely a reinterpretation of the original books.

I mean, ultimately the whole premise for the book Wicked came about precisely because The Wizard of Oz didnt really do the work to establish the evil of the Wicked Witch and her evil nature is just accepted as a given by the narrative. So its not that Wicked is canon, more the fact that Wicked can exist is contrary to the idea of the Wicked Witch as a supremely evil character.

Palpatine

The Wicked Witch would've traded Toto for the ruby slippers. Her first thought wasn't just to kill Dorothy, even though she kind of knew the slippers wouldn't be hers unless she did. That her first thought wasn't murder makes this an easy choice imo.

Palpatine

Ol' WWW's worst crime so far as we know is wanting revenge for the death of her sister.

Johnbobb posted...

Darth Plagueis? Who's that?

Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise? I thought not. Its not a story the Jedi would tell you. Its a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midichlorians to create life He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying. The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. He became so powerful the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. Ironic. He could save others from death, but not himself.

Palpatine has got this one. He succeeded in taking over the galaxy far far away and could easily do the same to Oz if he and the Witch switched places. He could use his political skills to usurp the Wizard. After all, he is the Senate.

If Palpatine were in Oz, he wouldn't be content with letting the Munchkins and the Emerald City live in peace, or Glinda to watch over them. He would actively make things worse for everyone but himself.

Meanwhile, if the Witch were in the Star Wars galaxy, with Palpatine's powers and resources, she'd be dangerous but her influence probably wouldn't be that far-reaching. She'd make for an interesting Sith though.

Palpatine takes this whole thing.

Palpatine