Consider the case of Benedict Arnold. Before 1780, Arnold was a hero of the American Revolution. He was a brilliant general, a patriot who bled at Saratoga. Yet, today, his name is a pejorative. Why? Because is always defined by the expectation of loyalty. The more you are trusted, the greater the rupture when you turn. Arnold felt slighted by Congress, bankrupted by the war effort, and corrupted by a lavish British spy. He didn’t wake up evil; he woke up entitled. He believed he was the one being betrayed.
In literature and cinema, "The Traitor" is often the most complex character in the narrative. While the hero represents the ideal, and the villain represents the obstacle, the traitor represents reality . The Traitor
Have you seen The Traitor? Do you think Buscetta was a hero or a traitor? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Consider the case of Benedict Arnold
Then there is the tragic traitor, epitomized by Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader. Here, betrayal is framed as a seductive fall from grace. It highlights a terrifying truth: that no one wakes up wanting to be a traitor. It is a slow corrosion of values, a series of compromises that ends in a catastrophic breach of trust. Yet, today, his name is a pejorative
History is littered with figures whose names have become synonymous with treachery. A Memorial to the Perfidy of the Traitor Aldrich Ames - WSJ