That'll do it.

...

And I kind of hate it already :lol

Well Olteca claims to be the official Demons, but hey, I'll gladly accept George as the new official Demons! He could even be the new official Jeanne and he'd still be awesome!

Olteca is human though, right? He doesn't have his Driver or his Giftex form, so Kamen Riders can't in good conscience kill him when there might be a way to spare his life. After all, Ikki's and Daiji's agreement to share the burden only applied to Giftex, before Ikki obtained Volcano Rex's power to save them. Regarding Olteca's capacity for redemption, I can still see it happening, especially now that his tragic backstory has been elaborated on. His father was an a**hole for sure. However, Olteca's redemption must ultimately come down to whether or not he shows genuine remorse for his sins and a willingness to atone for them (without acting OOC like Mitsuzane). It's maybe not something I would have considered before, but if even a guy like Adel could be forgiven for everything he did, then there might still be hope for Olteca. It's the same for Gai, his tragic backstory is what turned him to evil, but his redemption only happened when he remembered why he wanted to become president of Hiden in the first place, cause he truly loved Hiden Intelligence from the bottom of his heart. Maybe Olteca loves something as well.

She did name the sento Shiawase Yu after all, so it makes sense that she would value people's happiness over telling the truth. I'm not defending her decision to keep Genta's origins secret from her kids, but I guess I can understand why she did it. I think she's still a great mother, as the voice of reason who helped a lot with their development, like Ikki needing more happiness and love. She even forgave Vice for trying to eat her. It's all thanks to her saving Genta from his past that the Igarashi family has been able to enjoy a happy life until now.

No offense but this is an even more blatant double standard between minor and major characters. If it's minor character doing fucked up things like Olteca's dad; then Burn Him Down? But if it's a major character doing fucked up things like Olteca here, far excessing being an asshole his father did; then it's not ok to fully condemn him? While it's true that Kamen Rider can't kill him if he's only human, it's due to them being living being (and human being weak thus it's not necessary) and not because there's good in him as a human? If it's acknowledged that paying evil unto evil is wrong, while the "paying evil" part is wrong but the "unto evil" part would still be there? No need to elevate someone (even a bit, if it's regarding Olteca, of treating as redeemable... while he goes escalating his crime further by stamping a child) to justify not killing them (it also happened in Tennoji for Blade, after he's reverted back to normal human, he had no redeeming qualities with others not being pleased of him being finished by Kanai, due to human but not due to there's good things about him, not about forgiving).

What I perceive as double standard here aside, I'd hope that this shows that tragic backstory here also can be used to flesh someone (him) out, to show where you can see how a character got to where they are, without downplaying their crimes or the consequences (as if those can be written off just by a sob story or something). Also without Olteca being killed if he's a human but putting him in a position that he can't harm anyone (he's teased to get upgrade next episode anyway).

Talking as if Adel is worse than Olteca or something.... Maybe he gets forgiven because though he did some horrible acts, he didn't reach Olteca's or other irredeemable villains levels' yet? Those irredeemable villains being people like Daguva, Ouja, Kitazaki, Minami, Mishima, Maki, Ryoma, Banno, Masamune, Evolt, Namba, Swartz... People actually like if a redemption story is handled well, such as Alain's, the complaint about Gai is about how forced, late, and rushed his 'redemption' was, not about a redemption going on. Actually I quite wonder if the 'redemption' is related to executive meddling or such, and they wanted to make Gai as despicable as they want, with ever escalating crimes in scale and spitefulness, and likely intending to make him as an irredeemable villain. While KR should strive to be heroic and teach good morals (a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶v̶i̶l̶y̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶a̶g̶r̶e̶e̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶e̶s̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶R̶e̶v̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶e̶p̶.̶ ̶2̶3̶ ̶d̶u̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶x̶i̶c̶ ̶i̶m̶p̶l̶i̶c̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶r̶i̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶m̶e̶), if they want to make Gai redeemable it can be done better not just on the redemption part but on the whole show run.

I never said that Olteca's father should be burned down or anything like that though, just that he's an a**hole. I don't think he deserves to die either. If anybody does wish death on him, then yeah, I agree that would be a double standard. Same goes for Gai's father scolding his son for any imperfect results. They're terrible parents, but I think they should still be allowed to live, at least. For not killing humans, yeah, the goodness of humanity isn't applicable in this scenario, but it's just the innate value of Olteca's human life in general that Kamen Riders typically fight to protect. I admit, at this point in the show, the "unto evil" part of the equation is still in effect, as Olteca has yet to show any sign of changing. So my talk of his potential redemption is a hypothetical and separate topic.

In Tennouji's case (I like how I can talk about that now), it's not really fair for the Riders to project moral standards from their own human culture on to an Undead with no inclination to care about human life. I guess it could also be argued that Tennouji stopped being a human when he merged with an Undead.

I mean, Adel did commit patricide/regicide, attempted fratricide, frame his brother for patricide/regicide, murder Ryu and brainwash a lot of people in to submission, including his sister. If his acts don't put him on the same level as Olteca then he can't be that far behind. Like where do we draw the line? Is it quantifiable when a villain becomes irredeemable or is it a matter of personal perspective?

Sakuragi Nachi did say he wanted Gai to become hated on the same level as Kusaka and considered such hate to be praise. Even after his redemption, it's not like he's suddenly a totally different character as his big ego mostly stays the same, but now he's good and willing to admit the error of his ways. The characters still take a while to warm up to him after his apology, so they really make him work for that forgiveness the same way the viewers do. There were some hints to his tragic backstory, like him often calling Isamu a stray dog, which is symbolic of his affection for Thouzer and how Gai himself had strayed from his dream. Unfortunately, it was probably rushed due to you-know-what screwing up the production that year.

Burn Him Down was more of an emphasizing but I probably could've picked a better word yeah, my main point was about how if it's a minor character then their actions are (properly) emphasized more mercilessly and if it's major character then no matter how severe their actions, far more than said minor character, it's about emphasizing pity for them instead (actually there's an implication that Olteca's father abusing the mother too for "they're" terrible parents part). Granted that minor character would have less fleshing so their story isn't known, but still it gave me that vibe before (but you'd view it as separate topic for the redemption) to talk about pity for Olteca here or implying he may love something, compared to more merciless take to his father.

There are many other villains that aren't on irredeemable level in the franchise too, but still really nasty, like Tiger, Orchid Undead, TheBee Kageyama, Kai, Saeko (.. both Lucky Clover and Sonozaki), Kazari, Ora, etc. I'd think Adel's at best (worst) there, but not outright on the irredeemable ones like Banno's level (and Olteca's). To me targeting family there is terrible but it'd feel like targeting specific people that stands in his way (to usurp the throne) rather than indiscriminately which I feel is less worse. And yeah he did brainwash a lot of people, but to me it'd be scale-based (his power allowing him to affect more people), and it's like those villains who has ruling the world as a goal (though in Adel's case, becoming the world), and that's a mainstream goal but it won't make them irredeemable by default.

But otherwise, this is overall YMMV, but there are places where you can discuss drawing the line, or the villain quantifying, something like TVTropes' complete monster cleanup or similar one in pure evil discussions of villains wiki. I won't use personal perspective though.... because that can likely focus on deeds committed on major characters more (and yeah... family tend to be major character like Adel's above) or tolerate entertaining bad deeds that are actually worse than the more annoying bad deeds (like mass murdering which can ooze strength, compared to someone being a smug and making their face punchable). Personal perspective also can place annoying assholes as much worse than villains.

He had the 1000% sthick but it doesn't necessarily mean ego to me. He significantly acts more humble and submissive. He had moments of being surprised in his new position (basement) but it won't be ego as he didn't lash out or put down others around him for that (actually he never displayed ego anymore to others). I'd think while the redemption is terrible, how other characters process it is handled well (the one something that I like better there) as they don't minimize Gai's crimes, but that'd be praise for Aruto, Fuwa, and Yua instead, not about the series or Gai's redemption.

But otherwise, Olteca's father did much worse to him than Gai's father did (Gai's father is the Asian parents' bad stereotype, overly harsh but relatively more 'normal'/'mundane'), and it's used as Olteca further escalates his crimes instead here. If it'd be rushed at that point then just don't do it (the redemption), or the mistake is the production not bringing that up at Gai's buildup instead of him at late. And like human Olteca here, it doesn't need to be done by killing Gai to finish the job even if he's not redeemed. Even as a 'lesson' as per KR teaching morals, it would be a bad idea to use Gai's one as an example. Non-believable ones can instead drive them away the concept of redemption as it'd seem too ridiculous. A redemption done well would be praised like Alain's, no one criticizes that despite Ghost's reputation (Adel's "redemption" also can get criticism like Gai's at times btw, but again, not for Takeru or his family's characters there).

Sorry if I was unclear, by "they're", I was referring to Gai's and Olteca's individual fathers. Nothing against Olteca's mother. Gai's father would've preferred a super genius son like Olteca who could actually get those 1000% results. I think it's possible to pity Olteca without condoning his evil actions, as he only turned to Deadmans for a similar reason as Julio, to find somewhere he would be accepted when society rejected him. But it's like you say for Aguilera, a tragic backstory isn't a free pass for redemption. Characters still need to show through their actions that they're capable of changing for the better. My other beef with Olteca's father is that his physical abuse shows he doesn't truly love his son or respect his genius, beating him out of jealousy and spite. If a person doesn't receive love, then it's harder for them to give it, which explains why Olteca always acts so cold. He was denied that affection as a kid. Unless we consider his mother, but we don't have enough information yet.

I don't think Hikaru belongs in the same league as those other villains you mentioned, considering how she had a selfless and honorable side as well, compared to someone like Saeko who was only concerned with her own survival and even threw away her humanity. Adel was considered irredeemable in-universe though, since Onari claimed he shouldn't be forgiven for murdering Ryu. But Takeru's kindness was able to reach Adel's heart and show that he could still change and seek forgiveness, even after everything he did. I wonder if Takeru would react similarly to Olteca, trying to appeal to his heart.

I'd also put Gai's father in a higher moral position than Olteca's, for wanting his son to be successful and only expressing disappointment without resorting to aggression. He still sucks though. Even though Gai's redemption was a little rushed, I personally think Episode 38 gave it solid execution, at least. I think Sakuragi really sells that emotional scene with his powerful acting. I appreciate how post-redemption Gai feels like the same character, like a wiser version of himself who acknowledges his own fallibility, without losing his air of confidence and charisma. But I guess it's subjective whether or not his redemption was actually good. Sure, it doesn't compare to Alain, but that's like the golden standard for strong redemption arcs.