Top five worst fictional fathers.

[runespoor]

ganked from etrangere

1. Ozai (Avatar the Last Airbender)

Being the worst possible dad isn't a contest, but that man approached it as if he intended to make sure the competition would be destroyed for all times and never rise from the ashes of their humiliation.

Cases in point: back when they were at their happiest, Zuko was scared into thinking his father might kill him because his father ordered him to. This is Ozai at his best; from there, it all goes downhill into forcing his thirteen-year old son to duel him for speaking out of turn, permanently scarring him, kicking him out and on a wild goose chase. And Zuko got off easy. After all, at one point he does realize that his father is a horrible man and that, more importantly, he doesn't love Zuko.

And the worst part? Zuko is the one that got off easy. The favoured child, Azula, who was as intent as her brother on making daddy proud but more successful, got her reward in the shape of the title of "Fire Lord" that Ozai threw at her like scraps to a dog when he moved to "Pheonix King".

2. God (the Bible)

On the subject of distant fathers that demand sacrifices.

3. Chronos Ouranos (Greek mythology)

Eating one's children. That's pretty damn bad. Zeus gets a pass because I can't put the two of them on this list and Chronos Ouranos came first. That's okay, Zeus would probably be on the list of top five worst fictional husbands.

Edited because I am a moron and Etrangere was good enough to point out that I was sadly mythtaken.

4. David Cain (DC Comics)

Maybe it's just me, but I think the most terrible thing about Cain is that, unlike others on this list, he genuinely loves his daughter. She's the most precious thing in his life, or just about.

And he doesn't consider what he did to her abuse.

5. Slade Wilson (DC Comics)

Not sure about this one, but I'm suddenly out of convincing worst-fathers-ever (? how can it be, when the world of fiction is just made of worst-dads-ever?) and I was just telling etrangere how reallyreallyreally fucked up as a father Slade is.

He loves his children and he wants what's best for them, even if that involves joining the Titans, but he's never above using the hell out of them. He also did horrible things to them.

Bonus: Spencer Reid's father (Criminal Minds)

Leaving your wife because you can't take her mental illness is entirely within your rights. I respect your right to lead your own life, and I respect your right to get out if you're in a situation that is damaging to yourself.

Leaving your ten-year-old kid with someone you think can't take care of herself anymore?...

DIE MOTHERFUCKER.

Edited again because I had to add Hyuuga Hiashi (Naruto) on this list. I forgot him yesterday, but I don't know how I did it, as he's definitely one of the top five to me.

Hiashi is such a terrible father it pains me to have to select an adjective at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, and he in no way, shape, or form reaches redemption as far as Hinata is concerned.

Comments

[runespoor7.livejournal.com]

Aaargh, i can't read your comment or I'll spoil myself hopelessly, and I'm still hanging onto the hope that I'll get myselg in shape to read and/or watch the series. *cries forever* Please don't hate me? I'll keep this as a motivation if I think it can help me push myself into the series?

[gehayi.livejournal.com]

You should TOTALLY watch the series. Do you have HBO? Because if you do, you can watch it on http://www.HBOgo.com at your leisure (at least until the end of December)--and you can watch it with interactive bits. Videos, visuals, maps, interviews, the works.

And why would I hate you?

Also, why is Slade an awful father? I've never heard of him.

[runespoor7.livejournal.com]

Don't have HBO, or TV, much less American... *envies*

And why would I hate you?
Because you've taken the time to write what looks like an awesome comment and I just flounced that my delicate spoiler sensibilities won't allow me to read it without having the vapors.

OhSlade. I love him as a character, but as a father... He's this... vaguely anti-heroic super-villain called Deathstroke who's a mercenary for hire and follows his own code of honor. He had three kids. The first became a mercenary like Dad and was killed, dying in Slade's arms in a way that can convolutedly be construed as because of him. The second was kidnapped as a child to get back at Dad and when Slade shot the guy, his son ended up with his vocal chords cut; he grew up to become a Titan, and then he died. (and came back/evil/died again, but that's the gist of it.) (Side note: Slade's wife was extremely unamused with this development, so she promptly became his ex-wife and took his eye - she was trying to kill him at the time. Adeline = pretty awesome.)

The third one lived happily with her mother until Slade came back and bad stuff happened, and even then she found loving adoptive parents. Whom Slade then had killed so as to swoop in and pretend to be Rose's only chance at safety and revenge. Then he doped her full of crazy-making super-strength serum, so much that she popped her own eye out hoping to gain his approval (the saddest part is that she already had it). Then he proceeded to implant Kryptonite into her empty eye-socket.

He alternates between causing horrible things to happen to his children and using them for all they're worth to further his plans, and genuinely caring about what's best for them. He's an antagonist to the Titans, but he's also been a quasi-official ally. There's a lot of respect involved, and sometimes compassion. Slade's children have been on the team often; it creates bonds. Deathstroke knows all their secret identities. (I think he's an excellent foil for Bruce, but that's because I have a one-track mind.) He knows he's not good for his children.

This thread (http://etrangere.livejournal.com/381542.html?thread=4722278#t4722278) actually tells you more about Slade as a father, if you're not fed up yet.