Why the Good Guys Only Win in Movies:

And Why It Matters That They Don’t Always Win in Real Life

In nearly every Hollywood blockbuster, there’s a familiar formula: the hero faces impossible odds, suffers losses, but ultimately prevails. The good guy wins. Love triumphs. Justice is served. Evil is vanquished with a final punch, speech, or explosion.

It’s an appealing narrative. One that gives us hope, purpose, and a sense of moral clarity. But the truth is far more complicated — and often far darker.

In real life, evil doesn't always lose.

History is Full of Moments Where Evil Triumphed

Let’s start with one of the most infamous examples: Adolf Hitler . He wasn’t stopped early when he began his rise. He wasn’t arrested for his crimes against humanity as they unfolded. Instead, he was appeased, elected, and allowed to wage war on an entire continent and exterminate millions of innocent people before being defeated. Millions died because the world waited too long — and evil had its way.

Or consider Joseph Stalin , who ruled the Soviet Union with an iron fist, purged millions of his own pe…