Moral Event Horizon

Moral Event Horizon

The Moral Event Horizon (MEH for short) is a moment for a character where they committed an act of evil so heinous that it renders them irredeemable. The act is committed by villains who have caused major problems within the story and are not likely to be redeemed for their actions. This is a point where a character could become Pure Evil (Rank 1 -) due to their actions and how it has effected those around them.

Some redeemed villains may have had a single or multiple moments where they have crossed the moral event horizon. But eventually, saw the errors of their ways, made amendments and put an end to their villainy. Despite their redemption, their MEH moments still stands out in their character history.

Based On

Event Horizon

The Moral Event Horizon is based upon theory of the event horizon in black holes.

A black hole is a point in spacetime where gravity is so powerful that not even light can escape from it. Any thing that reached the event horizon, has reached the point of no return, and at that point any information that reached it cannot escape. Anything that passes the black hole is bound to reach the singularity. The singularity is a theoretical place within the black hole that is stated to be infinitely small, infinitely dense, and has no volume. This is the place where all information from a black hole falls into.

Comparisons

• Event Horizon = Moral Event Horizon: Because this is the point of no return for a character who has committed a notably heinous act, similarly to how it is the point of no return for a celestial body that passes the Event Horizon in a black hole.
• Singularity = Pure Evil: Because a singularity is stated to be infinitely dense, infinitely small, and have no volume similarly to a pure evil character that is absolutely evil, completely depraved, has no signs of human decency and compassion.

What makes a character's action cross the MEH?

• The action depends on how serious of a crime it is in the story it took place in.
• The action had a profoundly negative outcome on the setting of the story.
• The action is portrayed as the moment that shows that the villain crossed a line.
• The character targeted someone innocent and or defenseless and harmed them in a way that evokes outrage from the audience and outrage from characters within the story.
• The character's actions are largely irreversible and leaves a permanent grim mark on the setting of the story.

Gallery

See also: Moral Event Horizon/Gallery

Notes

• All Pure Evil characters are beyond the Moral Event Horizon. They constitute the singularity beyond the Moral Event Horizon for their actions and characteristics.
• All Near Pure Evil characters are beyond the Moral Event Horizon for the actions they have committed.
• Due to how heinous Inconsistently Heinous characters are, these characters have also crossed the Moral Event Horizon at some point. Some of them may have been redeemed, but their worst actions had them cross that point.
• Some Villainous Benchmark characters also crossed the Moral Event Horizon. This depends on the severity of the crime and its impact on others.
• Not all villains have crossed the Moral Event Horizon. The character may have been heinous to be a villain but did not have a notably terrible moment where they crossed the Moral Event Horizon.