Re: FF12
[quote author=pornography link=topic=340.msg28380#msg28380 date=1236483343]...and the reasoning behind the villain's evildoing.[/quote]
It took me a while to figure this one out, but I'm not saying that it's the full or real reasons; Vayne's father ordered him to kill his two older brothers. The two eldest sons of Emperor Gramis were against their father, in some shape and/or form. He sent Vayne out, with the specific orders to kill them. That undoubtably would put a knot into anyone's psyche, especially a very young person's. Also, the truth is not known to everyone - some believe Vayne just took it upon himself to eliminate his older brothers - but it is not so.
Vayne's whole life seems to have been pushed and pulled towards fighting, being a tool for the Empire's want and/or need to conquest and control. Again, please remember, he's a young man, and already considered to be an exemplary and powerful general. The Resistance, Rozzaria, even the Empire itself knows this fact, respecting and fearing it for what it is. Now, we don't have full proof that his 'whole life' has been set forth for war, but with some background details given in both writing and in game, I'm sure I'm not off mark.
This leaves why he was set to believe a course against the Occurians was the way to go. I don't know this one, and I haven't seen anything in the game to really hint at this. I will put forth a guess that it's 1) the work of Vanat, and her (?) opinions on the matter, that strongly influence him as well as 2) being an intelligent man, also a friend of the scientist, and head of Draklor Laboratories, Cidolfus Bunansa, he favored a future of life (especially Humes) making their own choices and future. These two guesses aren't inherently bad, I feel. It's just that it seems without the Occurians, who knew the most, if not everything about the powerful stones of Ivalice, no living creature would be really able to master control over such power. Again, that's a guess, as I don't know for sure.
Also, please remember that Vanat wanted the stones' destruction... Vayne's quest did complete that much.
Alright, this is long, but as I understand it:
Basically - the story is complex, and 'little things' amount to 'big things' when grouped with the other characters' events in the story. Truly, nothing can be left out, because it's most likely a reason to the climatic battle that takes place at the very end...
Reks was Vaan's older brother, but he died at Nalbina Fortress, when he came across his companions slaughtered by who he thought was Basch. Two years pass and we learn ti was not so, a ruse used by Basch's twin brother, Gabranth (Noah), who held animosity towards his brother for something that happened in their own home land of Landis. Basch was consequently deemed a traitor by the Marquis of Bhujerba and imprisoned by the Empire. Vayne either did not know himself, or he went along with this ruse for the purpose of conquest. To be true, I don't know why Vayne would go along, and so only can guess it's to put an end to the war. So going back two years, King Raminas of Dalmasca was killed; shortly before him and his agreement to surrender, his new son-in-law, the Crown Prince of Nabudis, Dalmasca's sister-country, was shot in the chest by an arrow and died. Dalmasca surrundered without terms, the Marquis of Bhujerba, Halim Ondore, oversaw it. Now, going to two years in the future again, Vaan is an orphan; so are a lot of the children, as well as his friend Penelo. While they're all somewhat looked after (Penelo mostly) by the Bangaa shop keeper Migelo, the children look up to Vaan (and again, Penelo) as something like leaders. Vaan and his friends feel there's really no way to live except to steal; without remore, they target imperial soldiers. Underground, hidden by in form and by a disguise of Ondore's making that she committed suicide, the Princess of Dalmasca, Ashe, lives - a part of the resistance, protected fiercely by Vosler, a loyal guard and knight of Dalmasca. Vaan gets it into his head to raid the palace on the night of the welcome fete for the new consul, who happens to be Vayne. During his raid, he runs into Balthier and Fran; the son of Cidolfus Bunansa, who we learn years ago, even before the war, changed and became obsessed with nethicite - and became influenced, if not possessed, by Vanat, and a Viera who left her homeland 50 years ago for the world beyond the forest...
The events just snow ball one into the other, one leading into the other.