Who's the villain in Wario Land 1?

[CM30]

I keep saying comments on sites like TV Tropes that it's all 'black and grey morality' with Wario being the 'villain' or 'villain protagonist'.

But come on, it seems fairly clear to me that of Wario and Captain Syrup, the latter is probably more 'evil'. For one thing, Wario hasn't generally attacked the Mushroom Kingdom, whereas it's at least implied Syrup had to get that Golden Princess Peach statue. And Wario doesn't have a personal island, army, etc. Nor does he generally set out to conquer places.

Who do you think's the more evil in Wario Land 1?

 

[warelander]

Captain Syrup, without a doubt.

While Wario's ambition of getting the statue back so that he can get a reward from it may not be nobel, he didn't actually steal it himself, making him a simple reactor rather than the instigator.

He is also less ruthless, when Syrup loses to Wario she throws a bomb to blow up her castle up with her nemesis still inside, but when Wario loses the statue to Mario he just shrugs it off and looks for an alternative way to get his castle.

Not to mention as CM30 pointed out, Syrup and her crew must have caused at least a bit of a ruckus in the mushroom kingdom, wheras Wario (during the duration of this game) never attacked anyone who wasn't part of the evil crew, making him far more of a anti-HERO rather than a villain of sorts, even if he just did it for his own gain.

 

[Vampfox]

Captain Syrup is the villain since we're playing the game from Wario's point of view. In terms of greediness I think that Wario and Syrup are even. That was one of my favorite things about playing Wario Land as a child. It was awesome playing a game where you're not trying to save the princess. Wario was just in it for himself.

 

[ShyGuyXXL]

Mario is the real villain.

Wario busts his ass off to get that statue, goes through hell and backwards (he literally gets chased by a wall of lava), beats up giant turtles, minotaurs, giant penguins, giant heads, giant birds, ghosts AND a genie, risks his life on multiple occasions... and then Mario comes along and is just like "Fuck-a you! Imma take-a dis! Bye bye!" and gives him NOTHING in return.

 

[Kamicciolo]

They were both villains really. Don't forget that Wario had not long been ousted from Mario's Castle at the time, and his entire purpose in finding the statue was so he could ransom it back to the Princess himself to make enough to build his own castle. Hardly the heroic motives :V.

It's fairer to say Syrup is the more 'active' villain, since the game is played from Wario's perspective and all.

 

[ChanceTime]

That's what I love about it; They're just as bad as eachother! Stealing from a thief is probably a bit less morally wrong than ram-raiding a small shop run by an elderly woman selling dreamcatchers and silk, but at the same time Wario had no intent on handing it back, he clearly intended to keep that shit for himself. It's definitely not really a case of good and evil, and with 1 in particular it did a great job of putting out who Wario was and leaving an impression that stuck.

If you don't think Wario's at least slightly worthy of being a considered a bad guy in it, just bear in mind he stole Syrup's whale. That whale probably meant the world to her. Granted she couldn't be bothered naming it anything better than Treasure N, but you know what? It had a face.

 

[Kamicciolo]

Hey if Ghetsis can name his kid N then Syrup is well within her rights to name her cuddly whale N. Fair's fair.

 

[ChanceTime]

 

[Melluh]

THE TRUE VILLIAN

Seriously tho Syrup was probably just going on her own pirate business until Wario came along and ruined all of her hopes and dreams. Is it so bad to steal a giant statue from a Princess!? I bet she just wanted one of her own :c

 

[ChanceTime]

Mel, post that first Ask response. You know the one.

 

[Melluh]

by the power invested in me in the form of giant fucking pictures that I dunno how to hide so they don't pop up in your screen...

ALLOW ME TO ELABORATE ON SYRUP'S DEFENSE

Syrup is just hoarding treasure to buy her own princess title and finally be invited to parties.

 

[CM30]

That's an interesting way of looking at it. But hey, if she gets in Mario Kart or Mario Party as a result... all the better!