We have all borne witness to the atrocities committed by wicked individuals across the globe.Â
Countless examples of human cruelty haunt our collective memory, with some events being far worse than others. The song "Where Evil Grows" by The Poppy Family exemplifies this grim reality perfectly: Evil grows from the darkness where the sun never shines. It festers in cracks and holes and lives in the minds of all eight billion people who currently walk the Earth. If left unchecked, that evil can consume a person whole, leaving only a sad shell behind. However, no one has ever embraced evil more than the Emperor of Evil that we now know as Master Ebuka. Master Ebuka is a cruel and wicked excuse for a human being, infamous for his uncountable crimes. Every crime you can think of, he has committed it. He is a threat to every man and woman who has ever walked the face of the Earth, a menace that needs to be erased from existence. However, his path to infamy was not inevitable. Master Ebuka's plunge into darkness was a choice, one that has shaped him into the epitome of evil.
Thus unfolds the saga of the most abhorrent and vile entity humanity has ever encountered.
Whenever I ask a five-year-old child what they want to become in the future and they tell me they want to be a superhero, all I want to say is: "Try not to die a horrible death in the process." I know it's harsh, but that is the grim reality of being a superhero. Superheroes work 24/7, 365 days a year, with almost no breaks. Every time they stop one crime, a bigger one begins elsewhere. What's worse is that 'saving the day' nets you a grand total of £0.0! Even those working in sweatshops are paid more than superheroes. It is unimaginably obscene. Imagine saving London from being nuked and all you get is a worthless 'thank you for saving us.' To that, I say, "Can I eat these compliments? Can I fill up my car with these compliments? Will my landlord accept these bloody compliments as rent?"
Sure, many argue, "But Master Ebuka, these people are doing it out of the goodness of their heart." That is a rubbish argument and a terrible justification for taking over the police's job only to get no pay. Being a villain, on the other hand, is the best. As a villain, you rule through fear and uncertainty. If anyone opposes you, all you have to do is kill that individual, and everyone else will know you are not to be messed with. You are the puppet master who pulls the strings of crime, a ruthless figure that everyone fears. It is easier to hide your identity as a villain than as a hero.
My reason for this lengthy monologue on good and evil is that being good nearly destroyed my life. I saved one girl from death at a Dubai amusement park, and she went and ruined my life with one kiss. A downward spiral ensued where I gambled what was left of my money away, and a hacker stole the rest. I lost my mansion to a billionaire thief, and my life ended that day. However, I was not going to stand there pitying myself and wishing for death. I was going to save myself from total ruin through any means necessary.
"Being good has betrayed me. Let us try to live life on the other end of the spectrum and see what plays out."
Master Ebuka stole a digital watch from a nearby store and built a device that would save him from total ruin: a Time-Machine Watch. With this watch, he travelled through time. He journeyed back to the day his life had ended, intending to fix his future. Along the way, he came across a mystical gem known as a Chaos Emerald. This gem was useful for three important reasons:
1. It grants its full power to the first person who finds it.
2. It does not matter how immoral you are as long as you desire power.
3. It can freeze time indefinitely and warp you anywhere you please.
These factors would prove useful when Master Ebuka arrived on the day his life had ended.
I arrived precisely on time, just as my life was supposed to end. For a brief moment, I gazed at my past self with disdain. "Oh, look at you. So naïve, so foolish! Can you believe you were willing to throw everything away to save that idiot? Fear not, though; I'll save us from this mistake."
Summoning a Chaos Spear in my right hand, I unleashed it directly at the falling girl. It struck her heart, ending her life instantly, and I savored the outcome of her 'unfortunate' demise. In an instant, the events leading to my downfall never unfolded, transforming my tattered clothes into a sharp suit and a pink tie. Against all odds, I had succeeded! My theory of self-preservation had just rescued me from utter ruin. But now, I had to confront myself, who was undoubtedly displeased by my decision to extinguish the very person who would have been the catalyst for his demise.
"Why did you have to kill her? She was an innocent person," my past self demanded.
"Well, that 'innocent person' could have ruined your life and reputation forever if I hadn't stepped in. You can thank me for that later."
"I do not believe you. You must pay for your crimes!" my past self retorted, pulling out a pistol and attempting to kill me.
"Uh oh, that's not good!" I used the Chaos Emerald's Chaos Control to freeze time. "Pathetic. Heroes rage far too easily, giving me ample time to escape the line of fire. Now to show what happens to those who dare oppose me!" I began hitting him with rapid punches but stopped after a while to prevent myself from fading from existence.
"What the… what kind of powers do you possess? Who even are you?" my past self gasped.
"I am quite glad you asked. I am the bane of good itself; Master Ebuka. I travelled back in time to prevent a calamitous event that would have destroyed both my and your future. In other words, I am you from the future."
"What?! I have a question; how did this all happen and is there a way to change it?"
"Firstly, I became evil to save myself from a cataclysmic event that would have ruined me, and secondly, no, there is no way to change the course of your destiny!" I showed him the events of the near future that led to his downfall and then, I corrupted him with my evil charisma.
"No way! So, has this happened to me because I was good? Humanity must pay for this!"
"Exactly. There is no reason for humankind to mistreat us and still expect us to be good people. Let us return the wickedness that the children and adults of this planet have showered us with tenfold!"
Master Ebuka and his past counterpart travelled through time to corrupt every single version of himself they could find.
For example, driven by a desire to rewrite his own history, he sought out his younger self with a twisted scheme in mind. Armed with knowledge of the Chaos Emerald's power and a dark charisma that masked his true intentions, he approached little Ebuka one sunny afternoon in the backyard.
"Young Ebuka," he began, his voice smooth but laced with an unsettling undertone, "I have come to share something important with you."
Wide-eyed and innocent, young Ebuka looked up from his sandbox, his small hands clutching a toy shovel. "Who are you?"
"I am you from the future," Master Ebuka declared, bending down to meet his younger self at eye level. "And I have seen what lies ahead for us. Goodness will only lead to pain and suffering. But there is another path, a path where we embrace the darkness within us."
Young Ebuka frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Darkness? But I want to be good."
Master Ebuka smiled, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Being good has its costs, young one. People will take advantage of your kindness. They will hurt you and betray you."
Fear flickered across young Ebuka's face as he considered these words. "I don't want that..."
"Then let me help you," Master Ebuka said softly, reaching out a hand. "I can teach you to embrace the darkness as a part of yourself. Together, we can ensure that no one ever hurts us again."
Against the backdrop of a setting sun, young Ebuka hesitated. The weight of his future self's words hung heavy in the air. Slowly, he placed his small hand in Master Ebuka's, sealing his fate.
Now, Master Ebuka has sold himself to evil and would do anything for it. This was when things would take a very dark turn.