Color psychology in games and film: The impact the colors blue and red have on our perceptions of good and evil (2024)

In Disney's "The Mandalorian" series, the opening introduction shows dynamic imagery of helmets glistening with flashes of blue or red, seemingly representing good or evil character elements in the story. In wargame design, we paintfriendly forces as blue and the opposing forces red. Why do we often use the colors blue and red when pairing good versus evil?

Throughout history, different civilizations have associated colors with various symbolic meanings. Two colors commonly associated with good and evil have been blue and red. While the use of these colors varies across different cultures and periods, the pairing of blue and red have had a significant impact on human psychology and the way we perceive the world around us.

On their own:

• Blue is often associated with calmness, serenity, and spirituality. Blue is the color of the sky and ocean, and it can represent purity, truth, and clarity. Alternatively, it can represent sadness or coldness, death, illness, and disease.
• Red is often associated with passion, love, and vitality and can also represent anger, danger, and aggression. Red is also associated with evil, blood, and death. In ancient Egypt, red was the color of Seth, the god of evil and chaos. In Christian culture, red is associated with Satan and the devil, often depicted with red skin or wearing a red cape. The color red is also associated with fire and Hell, and thus sin and punishment.

When put together:

• The association of blue with good and red with evil can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophy. Plato believed that red represented the passionate, irrational part of the soul, while blue represented the rational, intellectual part. Aristotle associated red with courage and strength, and blue with wisdom and contemplation.
• These ideas were later adopted by Christian theologians, who associated red with the flesh and blue with the spirit.
• These concepts carried over into 20th century film culture. In many superhero comics and films, the hero wears blue and the villain red, implying the hero is calm and rational while the villain is driven by passion and irrationality.

Some film examples include:

• In "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope" (1977), Luke Skywalker's blue lightsaber is paired with Darth Vader's red one.
• In "The Lion King" (1994), the blue sky symbolizes the peaceful kingdom of Simba while the red fire represents Scar's destructive and oppressive rule.
• In "Avatar" (2009), blue is associated with the Na'vi, native inhabitants connected to nature while red is associated with the humans who exploit the planet's resources.

The association of blue with good and red with evil is a complex phenomenon that has evolved over time. It's interesting to think the opposing side of a conflict or a villain in a film might see themselves as the heroes of their own story and thus see themselves as blue and their opposition as red. In games for playability and films for simplicity, the binary good-versus-evil color coding can be a helpful mechanism. In real life, however, it is more important to strive to understand each other first, rather than succumbing to the simplistic dichotomy of good versus evil. By recognizing our differences and seeking common ground, we can build bridges of understanding and empathy, leading to a more peaceful world.