Alignment in the movie "Man on Fire"

[qstor]

The recent threads on alignment got me thinking. When I was watching "Man on Fire" the other day. The movie with Denzel Washington, I wondered what alignment he was? Okay maybe I've been gaming too long

Not giving much away, in the move Denzel plays a bodyguard who's protectee, a young girl, was kidnapped. In the course of trying to find her, he kills people in cold blood and tortures while seeking information on her location. For some of the people he tortures, he then kills them while they are helpless. Part of me thought, Choatic good, while some of the scenes had me thinking he was more evily aligned on the axis.

But since at the point where he started searching for the young girl, he wasn't actually employed by the girl's father, I didnt think he was Choatic Neutral.

Just wondering...

Mike

 

[Mystery Man]

Chaotic Neutral

 

[BlackMoria]

He is a example of the the shortfalls of the alignment system. He can't be pigeon holed into any the standard alignment with ease, showing that real life people are more complex.

Yes, he tortures and kills people....but he doesn't do it for personal gratification or personal gain - the hallmark of evil alignments. Yet, torturing and killing other people is not good, based on our western civilization morals. So, what is he...?

If I had to decide, I would say True Neutral with a strong personal code of honor

 

[WayneLigon]

I'd go for the True Neutral as well. He's a pretty gray character and much of what he's doing is done for revenge. He's dealing with some very scummy charactets and doesn't hesitate to go right down to their level to get what he wants. He does a few evil things, a few good things; he doesn't travel one path to the exclusion of all others, so I'd say TN would be the best fit.

 

[Lasher Dragon]

I'd say quixotic neutral myself....

 

[VirgilCaine]

Evil. He tortures people, he kills helpless opponents. He does kill people, but they're probably evil or trying to kill him too, so it's not murder.

 

[Klaus]

True Neutral. His protective bent seems restricted to the girl (were it more widespread, he'd lean towards Good). He has no ill blood towards people not involved in the girl's kidnapping (which would skew it towards Evil). He doesn't seem to have a very strict code of conduct (Lawful), nor is he running things by the seat of his pants (Chaotic).

So, like the majority of people (as per the PHB), he's True Neutral. Very few people steer towards an extreme alignment.

 

[Lasher Dragon]

Evil? How so? I would think an Evil person would just not get involved... I mean, he puts himself in serious danger to rescue that girl. The Evil I know would chuckle about it, rip off the girl's family of the ransom money and leave town.

 

[focallength]

CG, he accomplished "good" through his means. regardless of societies restrictions. A vigillante, just because a person kills dosent mean he is N or E. Take a paladin he will whack you with out thinking twice, he just wont resort to torture or other less than honorable tactics. A CG person will do what ever it takes to "do good" (albeit without resulting to evil acts, killing of innocents)
Take Batman he will do anything (short of commit murder but this is a personal choice) to accomplish his overall goal of the destruction of crime (evil) but he is still a good person. A CN person (IMHO) is more akin to a Anarchist. A CN person would not have shown the passion creasy did in his quest to retrieve the girl. A CN persson sure as heck wouldnt have given himself up in place of the girl. A CN person would not have truly shown any interest in the childs well being (coaching her for her swim meet) A CN person would have done his job to the limit of his job, and when the girl was kiddnapped that would have been the end of his job. 'Sorry call the cops and the Embassy, thats their job and theyre better equipped to handle it'.
Creasy risked all to retrieve the girl including his life and the life of his friends a CN person would not have done that.

 

[Afrodyte]

Lasher> Sort of like all those people who said, "I'm just a professional."