Revenge- my thoughts

Revenge is a concept that is always debatable. Some feel it is a way to moving on, while others argue that it is a way of being trapped forever in the webs of your past. Regardless of the argument, revenge seems to always be a choice when one is betrayed.

Many films, books and TV shows have been based on revenge with the most popular story being that of ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ which was a book, movie and a TV show. In that story, Edmond Dantes is betrayed and it is by chance that he escapes imprisonment and finds treasure which allows him to seek vengeance against all those who betrayed him.

It is a story where despite our opinions of what revenge is, we find ourselves rooting for the hero, or anti-hero in this case. The characters in these revenge-based stories are always interesting, complex and challenging to write. Making their motive for revenge plausible and persuading readers to be emotionally connected to them is quite a tedious task.

When the TV show ‘Revenge’ began, we were introduced to a new avenger- Emily Thorne. Except she wasn’t who everyone thought she was. Through subtlety and devious ploys, she seeks vengeance against those who stole her childhood and tore her away from her father. Her only motive was to take down the Graysons (the family who plotted against her father) and clear her father’s name.

When the show began, I didn’t think that the story would take it forward to four seasons, but it did and despite a few filler episodes and insipid secondary characters, the show still had something that made me want to check out the next episode every week.

There were some pretty thrilling plot turns like when Emily finds out that she has a half-sister who is part Grayson, or when the woman she exchanged identities with makes an appearance. Then in season three Emily finally manages to deceive Daniel Grayson into marrying her so that she could take down Victoria Grayson- the woman who played a big part in betraying Emily’s father.

Season three took the story of revenge to a whole new level. After she fails in framing Victoria, she has to change all her plans and realizes that she can never be revealed to the world as Amanda Clark- the girl she really was. It was in this season that we were shown how heroes too can fail. Episodes went by and I waited for Emily to reemerge as the victor. In the thrilling season finale, I was glued to my seat as Emily not only came out victorious but finally completed her thirst for revenge.

What could be in store for the next season, I couldn’t imagine. Emily’s revenge was complete. She had cleared her father’s name and taken everything away from the Graysons. Buts as revealed in the season finale- her father was alive!!!

The show couldn’t get any better as Emily now realizes that even after taking her vengeance she cannot come forth with her true identity and that her half-sister would never forgive her for tormenting her family.

Yes, she could have come to the Hamptons and revealed that she was Amanda Clark and that she wanted a family. But it was through her act of seeking vengeance that she found out she had a half-sister in the first place!

In the latest episode, she finally comes to her father and reveals who she really is. What her father was up to all these years will probably be what the whole season is about. Hopefully, Emily wouldn’t be betrayed by her own father…..

Whether or not revenge will be considered as a justifiable action will be shown as the story progresses. Emily does regret losing a lot of lives and happiness in the process, but wasn’t that the only way for her- her only choice?