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Bodhi doesn't get enough credit as a villain.

MuroMuro Member Posts: 11
in Archive (General Discussion)
Anyone else feel this way? Replaying the guild war arc on her side leaves me with this impression. She's generally considered less of a chessmaster than her "brother," which is fair enough, but people seem to think this makes her inherently stupid. I think not.

Her major fuckup is toying around with you in the Spellhold Asylum, but let's be fair here... How was she supposed to know you'd transform into a monster and rip her to shreds? She never even planned on playing fair; she headed you off about halfway through.

Her strikingly successful campaign of terror against the much larger Shadow Thieves, her compelling mannerisms, and the frankly good points she makes about both you and the ST redeem her imo. I think she's smarter than she's given credit for.

What do you think?

Comments

  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    I'm not sure on this. Half the problem is that we all know vampires are evil and whatever she's up to is worse than anything a living individual might come up with. It keeps me from giving her a 'fair shake'. Maybe, it would have been good for her to not make clear who/what she was (the graveyard setting gives a lot away)... Anyway, I never failed to give her credit so much as refused to partake in her dastardly deeds...
  • AristilliusAristillius Member Posts: 873
    Oh? Ive never thought of her as stupid, as you said she had every reason to underestimate charname. I like her character in game, when playing BG2 she's always one of those villans I really get pissed off at (which is good). She's got style, and I love how she runs her guild to destroy the shadow thieves.

    However, she starts to self-delude herself right at the end before you kill her "oohh even though you killed all my vampires TWO times Im still going to kill you" a little more fear would have been approporiate at that point.
  • recklessheartrecklessheart Member Posts: 692
    I think Bodhi falls through the cracks because she isn't the main villain. But yes, she does very well for all of the points you have mentioned.
    You failed to mention the one point however that made her so cool to me as an evil, seductive villain. And that is: It was her influence that actually begun Irenicus' descent into evil and eventual banishment from Suldanesselar. She was the original corrupting influence!
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    Its because Irenicus is such an awesome and charismatic villain that bodhi is often overlooked
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    I think I'm going to be more neutral in one playthrough and really hear her out. First and only playthrough, I was LG and there was no way I was going to go that route.
  • ShinShin Member Posts: 2,345
    I always found her a great addition to the game and a worthy villain. While Irenicus may be the main antagonist and general "man with the plan", including a capable lieutenant or right hand of the main antagonist usually makes the story better. Also, getting to meet Bodhi several times throughout the plot, both on civil and hostile terms, adds to the build-up as well.
  • MornmagorMornmagor Member Posts: 1,160
    I'll be honest with you.

    I never liked Irenicus, except his voice actor. I was always like "Great i'm out of the dungeon, i get to avoid him until almost the end of the game!"

    Bodhi, i liked, although i would prefer that she had more dialogues and encounters with the main char.

    I always thought she would be the perfect villain for the "antagonist romance" i was thinking about. And no, i didn't read BG novel, nor do i care about Bodhi falling in love with Abdel there :p
  • ShinShin Member Posts: 2,345
    Mornmagor said:

    I always thought she would be the perfect villain for the "antagonist romance" i was thinking about.

    Yeah, I've thought about that aspect as well, usually feels like there's a bit of tension between Bodhi and the PC. Actually the Romantic Encounters mod (http://www.gibberlings3.net/romanticencounters/) has a component that enables a brief affair with her if you side with her against the Shadow Thieves.
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790
    edited November 2012
    Bodhi deserves as much attention as she gets. Why I think so? Well, she's not mysterious, she's pretty much one-dimensional, and even thought she apparently gave Irenicus ideas about trying to reach godlike powers, she never had any reason for doing so, whatsoever. That's pretty weak for major villain. I'm just not interested in her, but she should recieve credit as a minor villain, because she doesn't leave much impact on player. Even Sightless Eye gave me better impact, to be honest.
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    edited November 2012
    Nobody is going to like me saying this, but I felt like Bodhi was a much better antagonist than Jon Irenicus.

    Jon was alright all up until it turns out his entire motivation is a temper-tantrum against the elves. Then I definitely, definitely preferred Bodhi.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    I always feel like chunking Bodhi to pieces...so she must be a good villain, indeed!
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