i love how "fine, make me your villain" was darker and more dramatic than it was in the books. plus the way ben executed it makes it look like it really came from a misunderstood place when in the books it was just more of "whatever." in this essay i will

the quote was famous in the book fandom bc in the books he said it with a shrug while he was sitting relaxed, aka it was hot, whereas in the show u can really feel the vengefulness and frustration in ben's voice. he practically just got called a monster by someone who +

+ makes him feel like he's human, like maybe he deserves more love than he thought he would. his equal, his balance, his light — but he realized it was too late and you can sense how in denial he was in the scene. so he does what he does. retaliates.