At first glance, Re:Zero’s villains seem utterly disconnected from reality. They seem completely crazed, zealous, and filled with all the negative emotions and qualities the author could find.
Their motivations boil down to either insanity and impulse or just blind faith in the Gospel, making it hard to understand why they would be followed by other people.
Yet, despite their irrationality and crazed behavior, they manage to lead their organization and instill fear in the minds of a large number of people. This might seem like a strange thing, but this seemingly bizarre combination isn’t unique to Re:Zero; it can be seen even in our world.
The madness behind Re: Zero’s villains
The villains (specifically the Witch Cult and the Sin Archbishops) are a reflection of real-world figures who inspire loyalty through sheer belief rather than something rational and practical, unlike Subaru, who seems relatable as a modern person.
There are many who would want to believe they are meant for something greater and be it religious leaders or politicians, they invoke feelings of unity for a greater cause.
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byu/N0UMENON1 from discussion
inanime
Be it to reach heaven, cleanse the world in the name of God, or provoke a community to side with them, none of them are rare occurrences. The series might be proving a point about how gullible humans become when they see something they want to believe in.
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byu/N0UMENON1 from discussion
inanime
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byu/N0UMENON1 from discussion
inanime
Regulus Corneas, the Sin Archbishop of Greed, is a prime example; he is extremely unlikable. A narcissistic tyrant who justifies every action under the guise of self-righteousness, there is no remorse or guilt because he thinks he is sanctioned to do those things by God.
He mirrors political leaders who manipulate words and people to justify their actions and say everything is for the people. Regulus wants complete control and for his ego to be satisfied, a trait that many people who wield considerable power have.
The most unsettling aspect of Re:Zero’s antagonists is how they maintain a following despite their erratic nature. The Witch Cult, in particular, is filled with fanatics who act without questioning anything their leaders say, but do we not have that in reality as well?
The brutal reflection of Re:Zero’s world
We have terrorist groups who train child soldiers to fight in the name of religion. There are people who sacrifice themselves without a second thought because it is for a ‘greater cause’.
The Re:Zero villains seem to be eerily similar to their counterparts in reality, be they powerful religious fanatics or charismatic tyrants.
At its core, Re:Zero paints a brutal image of how power works in reality. Villains don’t need logical motivations; they just need to have an idea of what they want. The crazed ones are the ones who go to any lengths to achieve the things they want.
The absurdity of the Witch Cult isn’t a flaw in the writing; it is a reminder that there are brutal and insane leaders who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals, no matter how many sacrifices are needed to do so.
Re:Zero: Starting Life in Another World can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
