Moral Vigilantism In Alan Moore's V For Vendetta

Alan Moore brings forth a morally ambivalent protagonist in V for Vendetta, wherein a mysterious hero by the name of V exhibits moral vigilantism to combat the bigoted and totalitarian government that has overtaken London. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a hero is a “person admired for achievements and noble qualities” or “one who shows great courage,” a definition redolent of V’s valiant actions to overthrow the oppressive Norsefire regime, which serves as the villain that “opposes the hero.” To achieve his means of freeing society from the villain Norsefire’s tyranny, V makes a series of ethically equivocal decisions, including murder, torture, and revenge. However, despite utilizing violence in his endeavors, V is indeed a hero due to his vigilantism opposing corruption and recalcitrant actions responding to Norsefire’s breach of societal obligation in properly administering a justice system.
Moore’s characterization of authoritative figures within Norsefire advocates their role as villains due to their immoral motivations behind being officials; V’s opposition and movement to end their reign brings him forth as a hero and insurgent of society. The criminal justice system is responsible for delivering punishment to breakers of the law, and according to Professor Colin S Diver, the criminal justice system derives its authority with a reliable “moral credibility” (Diver 5). However, the Norsefire methodology of delivering justice is not one that exhibits a