Not every villain begins as a monster. Some start as protectors.
Rond Savage, the antagonist in Starborn Alive, was not born ruthless. He grew up learning lessons no child should have to learn—in solitude, surrounded by the silent indifference of a system that catalogued weakness rather than offered care. His character was shaped by fear—of weakness, of chaos, and, later, of watching humanity collapse under its own divisions.
While other children hoped for comfort, Rond watched. He learned that the world did not protect the vulnerable—it passed them by. And in that silence, he discovered a truth that would shape his entire life: control is never given. It must be taken.
That belief drives everything he does. Rond sees chaos as the greatest threat to humanity, and order as the only way to ensure survival. His charisma and authority make him a natural leader, but his fear of weakness makes him ruthless. He justifies every sacrifice, every broken alliance, as necessary for humanity’s future.
For a long time, he holds back. Rond is not without a conscience, but in the end, he sees only one path forward. One solution. And it drives him to act.
This is what makes him both dangerous and compelling. Rond does not see himself as a tyrant—he sees himself as a savior. And perhaps that is the most unsettling kind of villain: the one who believes his cruelty is not cruelty at all, but duty.
In Starborn Alive, Rond Savage embodies a timeless question: how far should we go to preserve order, and at what cost?