| “ | Go to Bethlehem, and kill this child, to be sure that every newborn boy in Bethlehem…must die. Be certain that none escape. | „ |
| ~ King Herod ordering the massacre of infants. |
King Herod is the main antagonist of part 1 of the 1965 Biblical epic, The Greatest Story Ever Told. Like his theological counterpart, he was the tyrannical king of Judea who was willing to do whatever it took to secure his power and legacy as king, even if it meant murdering innocent children.
He was portrayed by the late Claude Rains in his final film role before his death.
What Makes Him Pure Evil?[]
- Upon finding out about the prophecy of the Messiah known as Jesus to be born, he orders the three Magi to find him so Herod may kill the boy to secure his power, manipulating the kind men into believing he wants to worship him. He then orders his soldiers to follow them behind their backs.
- Displays no love or care for his son, Antipas, beyond seeing him as a means to carry on his legacy.
- When he finds out about Jesus' birthplace in Bethlehem, he takes it upon himself to fulfill the prophecy of a woman named Rachel mourning her dead children-thus ordering his head officer to lead his soldiers on a rampage in Bethlehem where they will murder every young boy from 0-2 years old, in hopes he'll kill Jesus. Thankfully though, Jesus' father Joseph was informed of Herod's plans before the events, and took him and his wife Mary to Egypt.
- During the massacre of infants, the boys' family members are also killed by the soldiers in the process of trying to save them.
- Even Herod's head officer is stunned with horror upon being given the order, but follows through when Herod impatiently orders him a second time to carry on with his plans. This shows that his actions truly stand out even in the film's setting.
- In his last moments, he smiles with glee upon being informed that "no one was left alive".
- Since the film is stand alone from other Biblical stories, Herod easily passes the Heinous standards. What also helps is other villains in the film either have lesser crimes on their hands, or suffer too much from offscreen villainy.
- Even though Satan is shown to exist in the film, there is no evidence to suggest he corrupted Herod into his evil nature.
External Links:[]
- Herod on the Villains Wiki