I try to think with this approach of grace as well.

It’s uncomfortable for us to realize that the descent to mass murdering supervillain is simply the festering of frustration and helplessness combined with blame and opportunity to act that hatred.

It’d be fascinating to see what happens if he was set up with a lovely Jewish art teacher that believed in his ability to improve.

Seriously would people nowadays be streaming old archive footage of “Painting Happily with Adolph Hitler” (holy crap that was awkward to type) and would Bob Ross be citing him as an influence?

Would History Channel have any material?

Of course the “fun” part of this thought experiment is that evil seizes power wherever there’s opportunity, and some other maniac would have taken the role, inevitably.

People are absolutely responsible for their own actions, but also the truth is that a series of neglects and bad influences, especially in formative years, can program someone into a monster that just requires the catalyst to act on it before they cease to be human any longer…