Who is the villain in the fly?

The primary antagonistic force and de facto "villain" in the 1986 film The Fly is Seth Brundle, particularly after his catastrophic genetic transformation into a human-fly hybrid, often referred to as "Brundlefly."

The Tragic Transformation of Seth Brundle

Seth Brundle, portrayed by Jeff Goldblum, is introduced as a brilliant but eccentric scientist. His groundbreaking invention, "telepods" designed for instantaneous teleportation, becomes the catalyst for his horrifying demise.

• The Accident: During an experimental teleportation, an ordinary housefly inadvertently enters the telepod with Brundle. The machine's computer, programmed to integrate separate organisms, merges their DNA at a molecular level.
• The Metamorphosis: This genetic fusion leads to Brundle's agonizing and grotesque transformation. He gradually devolves from a human being into a monstrous creature, losing his humanity as he gains insectoid traits.
• The Antagonist: While Seth Brundle begins as the protagonist, his mutation into "Brundlefly" turns him into the film's central source of horror and conflict. He is not a traditional villain driven by malice or evil intent, but rather a tragic figure whose deteriorating physical and mental state, coupled with his increasingly aggressive and monstrous nature, makes him the terrifying antagonist.

Seth Brundle Key Information

The character of Seth Brundle is central to the film's themes of scientific hubris, body horror, and the loss of identity.

Brundle's transformation explores the thin line between human and monster, leaving audiences to grapple with the tragic fate of a genius undone by his own ambition. More details about Seth Brundle can be found on his Wikipedia page.