The Romantisization of Serial Killers on Episode

Yea I get what you mean now lol

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I’m glad. sorry lol it’s 3am kind of difficult for my braim to form up words

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whOOP-- :cowboy_hat_face:

jk my characters dont kill :crazy_face:

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I think you have it exactly right in the post title that the romanticization is the problem. Stories with dark themes can be wonderfully executed, but part of that execution requires the author to either want to scare readers or comment on the problems of society that led the character(s) down such a horrible path. Murder and assault are serious, not something that makes a character “edgy” and certainly not “attractive.”

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Yea it’s kinda sad a lot of people think that that’s okay. As if finding serial killers hot or attractive is just a “preference” and okay to portray in fiction. It’s not.

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Don’t forget that serial killer is completely different from some killer, they have serial in the name for a reason.

Most serial killers lack sympathy which is one of psychopath traits AKA mental disorder so yeah, you can’t just write whatever you want or romance between mc and serial killer without researching, you basically glorify mental disorder, yikes. They’re not gonna “feel that way” with just mc or have a normal cutie love life :fairy:‍♀ :sparkles:

Remember they lack sympathy which is one of the most important thing in romantic relationships and I doubt episode(13+) will be a good platform to write about this stuff since it’s rare to find stories that well written without glorifying

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Yeah it’s a lot like Stockholm Syndrome then.

I mean I think it’s stupid to seriously romanticize the mafia- and it can be harmful but tbh I haven’t seen it actually be harmful so idk. But then I said “Yes” they should be allowed to write whatever they want as long as it doesn’t break episode guidelines. It doesn’t mean it’s right- tho.
Like I get researching stuff for writing… but I also think it’d be interesting to explore serial killers in a way through the eyes of society and not realistically. But point being; if you are trying to portray it with some realism please do research.
If you aren’t make sure you make that known or something lol.
It’s also worth mentioning that a lot of epi writers aren’t writing with the intention of exploring the unrealistic side of serial killers and stuff… it’s late, my brain is being funny… So excuse me if none of which I’m saying makes sense.
Because I’ve gotten very mad at mafia stories before lol. There was one on here where a dude looked at MC for a second/was flirting with her for a little bit and the LI straight up killed him and there were absolutely no consequences. Or like, explanation of why besides, “Oh I’m just jealous because I can’t stand to see another man even look at you”.

I guess what I’m saying is there are tons of very talented writers out there who explore very dark themes while making some sort of statement about society- I think that’s fine.
But it’s annoying when you write a flat romance with no depth and just make the LI a serial killer for fun. And he’s labeled as a “bad boy”.

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Yea, I kinda hate this thread cause I don’t think I articulated myself correctly. I don’t mean serial killers in episode stories in general is a bad thing. I have a serial killer in my own story I’m currently writing. I was mostly talking abt toxic themes I’ve seen with serial killers (particularly serial killers as love interests), that romanticize this idea of a violent man who kills in cold blood (sometimes even for the MC) and it’s portrayed as something “hot” or attractive

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Lol it’s probably just me trying to go deeper into a topic that really isn’t that deep. Like, simply put, don’t romanticize the mafia like that but also it’s not against episode’s rules to do so, so do what you will.

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https://forums.episodeinteractive.com/t/lets-talk-about-aspd-sociopaths/547097?u=poppy77

Not all sociopaths are killers, normal people can be killers too, on my thread you can click on the link to understand them

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Romanticized: BAD
Deglamourized and sinister in nature: GOOD (An example of this is Taking Lives 2004).

Depends on their motive. If a serial killer kills just for fun, well that means the person is either insane or escaped a mental hospital. That person themselves went coconuts. Thus, in my book not only it becomes romancitizing serial killers but also romanticise psychopaths.
Let’s not talk about it toxic or not, it just doesn’t make sense for a sane person to fall in love with an insane person without being brainwashed.
If you’re writing a realistic story… Don’t.

Different story for people who kill with different motives. Now, technically assassins don’t fall into the “serial killer” category but illegally taking lives is still considered murder/manslaughter.
You can romanticise people, NOT their occupation (or what they do for a living because well… You get it…). You can fall in love with someone who’s secretly a killer. But don’t make them love the killer.

The problem with those, coughs toxic mafia stories is that the MC loves the LI for they are the mafia leader, not because the LI is someone the MC cherishes, despite being a mafia leader. You see, the LI should be a person worth loving, not the LI being the mafia leader, not the LI being a serial killer. Heck, not even the LI being a millionaire, or a teacher, a student, a bartender, argh you name it!!!

Because if you make the MC love the LI’s status instead of their person as a whole…

You make them no different from desperate h*es.

Thanks for attending my Ted talk. Nova out.

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I was literally going to say this, but I’m glad you did first.

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Not all psychopaths are serial killers, and being born without some emotions doesn’t make them insane, people romantize Mafia and get away with it, aren’t Mafias psychopathic? if yes then it don’t make a dinkus sense for anyone to say this and that about psychopaths

I’m not going to start an argument here but maybe you should learn how to read. Thank you.

I’m not starting an argument either, maybe you should learn how to understand, thank you.

I’m sorry but I’m going to say something :laughing:
Everyone is entitled to there own opinions, what the person said wasn’t wrong and what you said had nothing to do with what the person said.

was I against her opinion? just remember that psychopath is not another word for serial killer or a slang people should use AND i’m saying that not all ASPD are killers that hollywood and media portrayed them to be, tired of stereotypes.

Precisely.

I never said all psychopaths are serial killers, nor all serial killers are psychopaths. Only some are both because of their doings, killing people for fun.

My argument is, the characters should be loved for being the characters themselves, not being a killer or mafia leader or any sort of that. I hope that clarifies my point.

And, mafias aren’t psychopaths.