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Watch Watchmen’s director unpack the show’s complex villains: ‘Bad guys don’t know they’re bad’
The finale of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' groundbreaking graphic novel Watchmen solidified Ozymandias, aka Adrian Veidt, as one of the greatest comic villains in history. The panache, the ambition, the ruthlessness, and — above all else — the timing of the baddie are unmatched among antagonists who primarily exist to allow their heroes to fight another day.
** This story contains spoilers for the HBO limited series — so make sure you watch more than 15 minutes before reading! **
The world's smartest man had a twist-filled plot in the Watchmen sequel series on HBO, where he (played by Jeremy Irons) was a necessary component in combating the show's Lady Trieu (Hong Chau). After watching the critically acclaimed superhero series, fans had no doubt that Ozymandias was back (even if those behind the show were playing coy about his role) and that his particular brand of villainy was the perfect match for its central standoff.
SYFY WIRE has a spoiler-filled exclusive clip from a behind-the-scenes featurette from the home video release, focusing on the show's baddies (and why they were perfect for each other) and hosted by none other than executive producer/director Nicole Kassell (who won a Directors Guild of America award for her work helming "It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice").
Check it out:
"Bad guys don't know they're bad," Kassell explains. "I believe Lady Trieu definitely believes she's going to save the world. I think Veidt did, too."
Only a villain who thinks he's smarter than the gods could take down a villain who wished to attain the power of a god. Right? Probably. At least it makes sense in Watchmen's world of cynical anti-comic book antics. In fact, Veidt's eventual plot to stop Lady Trieu is "almost the most honest moment he's had" over his history as a Watchmen character.
And fans can relive the shocking magic of the show — oddball finale included — soon enough, as the HBO limited series hits Blu-ray and DVD on June 2.
