Some say love is stronger than hate, but I think hate is equally as strong if not stronger, but – unlike love – is ultimately futile.
 

Some say love is stronger than hate, but I think hate is equally as strong if not stronger, but – unlike love – is ultimately futile. Hate can play a powerful role in stories. After all, villains are often characters that readers love to hate. Plus more often than not, the antagonist and protagonist will likely hate each other, for hate tends to target those who are in direct interference with each others’ goals.

People often avoid the “H-Word” these days, especially when you see “No Hate” slogans. But aren’t there times when it’s actually okay to hate? After all, how can you not hate a murderer? Or, if not the murderer, then at least the act committed? To love it would be insane, and to have lukewarm feelings about it would require not being human.

But can hate alone be enough for a hero (or even villain) to persevere? Sometimes. But what of after? What is left for the hero once the object of his hatred has been removed? How can he ever return to a relatively normal life? The answer is simple: nothing is left except to find something else to hate…unless he first finds something to love or at least learns to forgive.

And that is what makes hate, as powerful as it is, so futile, for it does nothing but lead to a downward spiral into an abyss if not blocked in time. That is what makes the Star Wars saga such a powerful tale thematically, for it shows how powerful hate can be while at the same time shows the redeemable virtue of love.