I think the definition of evil can be boiled down to the denial of survival. Survival is intentionally broad because it encompasses everything by which one identifies itself at a certain point in time, including their life. With that being said, every philosophy can be considered evil if you are on the other side of the fence. Take any world organization, which includes governments, and you'll have someone proclaiming it to be evil.
That is why I never bought into the champion of good vanquishing the avatar of evil. The champion ends up slaying the avatar, which is a denial to the avatar's survival. If that avatar belonged to a group or a society of people, they may consider the champion's act a threat, a source of potential evil that must be crushed to survive.
What I try to do in my writings, is create people with opposing motives and goals. Look at the conflict through one lens, the other is considered evil. Look at it through the other lens, and the understanding is flipped.
That is why I never bought into the champion of good vanquishing the avatar of evil. The champion ends up slaying the avatar, which is a denial to the avatar's survival. If that avatar belonged to a group or a society of people, they may consider the champion's act a threat, a source of potential evil that must be crushed to survive.
What I try to do in my writings, is create people with opposing motives and goals. Look at the conflict through one lens, the other is considered evil. Look at it through the other lens, and the understanding is flipped.