I think perhaps one of the reasons that we are attracted to the bad boys and the monsters of stories is not only because they are attractive/alluring, or because they tend to be more interesting than the good guys, but because for all their mystery we already know what they are: bad boys and monsters.
You know from the start that Loki is probably going to kill you
so really it’s only a pleasant surprise if he doesn’t,
and you’ll have a really interesting time with him until that point. And there’s always that thought that they won’t kill you, that you’ll connect with them. that you’ll be able to reach that tender spot inside them and that they’ll keep you. and then you’re really safe. No one is as safe as someone who a monster decides to protect.
On the flip side, heroes do everything they can to make sure no-one sees their dark side. No one knows what terrible things tempts a white knight, and we often find out too late what demons a good man is hiding.
And maybe that’s why it confuses men; that they create these terrible creatures that should be frightening and yet we dream of them quite fondly.
The biggest mystery of the bad boy, is how good is he.
The biggest mystery of a good man, is what evil he is capable of.
That’s certainly a big aspect why monsters and villains are appealing to me.
Monsters and Villains 