I learned a long time ago that arguing over the internet is like competing in the special Olympics (even if you win, you're still a retard). So I generally try (some attempts being more successful than others) to avoid participation in any heated debates on forums or comment-sections. However, every now and again I will get the urge to circle the battlefield like a stormcrow, relishing in the carnage caused by and inflicted upon those who do not share my wisdom.

In case you didn't get that: I basically have a slightly sado-masochistic habit of reading through forum-threads with apeshit-crazy discussions that go absolutely nowhere until I either break down crying or can't breathe from an inability to stop laughing. I've noticed that these discussions tend to go nuts due to a general lack of knowledge regarding the subject in question on the part of certain posters.

Simply put: A lot of people on the interwebzzz simply spew out what they perceive as fact without having really "done their homework" on the subject of the discussion (stupid people on the internet? The deuce, you say!) even when that "homework" consists of looking up the definition of a single word.

So I thought it would be fun to look into the actual definition of a certain word that tends to cause controversy in discussions regarding fiction (what? You didn't think I was going to be discussing politics, did you?). Just a simple word, a basic word, a word that often has no place stirring up debate in the first place, yet causes quite a few misunderstandings.

Here's the one I'm talking about: VILLAIN.

First up, let's Google it! The first thing anyone will do these days when looking for information. And the Google-search is... utterly useless. Freaking wikipedia is at the top of the list. Next!

Second, the dictionary! I'm using the Concise Oxford Dictionary (fifth edition), it's from 1964 but it should hold up. The entry reads: ' Person guilty or capable of great wickedness' (1452) All right, that's a start, but it doesn't specifically mention fiction so it isn't exactly water-tight.

Now it's time to bring out the big gun: M.H. Abrams' Glossary of Literary Terms (ninth edition)! This should give me a clear answer. The definition of the term 'villain' can be found in the section regarding antagonists in the entry for ' plot'. And the definition reads:

'If the antagonist is evil, or capable of cruel and criminal actions, he or she is called the villain.'

There! That's it! That's all it is. If a character matches that definition they can be defined as a villain. It doesn't matter how you feel about the character. It doesn't matter how much you sympathize with the character. It doesn't matter how much you identify with the character. If they meet that simple criteria, they are a villain.

And yes, I know I'm a total smartass... I get it from my father.