It is the hero we know will prevail, but (sub) consciously people fantasize the villain to win. This is nothing new, though. We are as complex and conflicted as any antagonist in any story. And if you dig deep enough, you could even justify their actions sometimes. So, it shouldn’t be any surprise some antagonists are crafted better than their protagonist counterparts. A story is only as good as the villain. Villains are the true driving force between average narratives and spectacular storytelling.
In the following paragraphs, learn why villains get the audience to root for them as they destroy cities and hurt countless people in the process. Once you examine the reasons, you will agree that a well-written villain is absolutely mandatory for stories that call for a good versus evil plot.
Villains are Goal-Oriented Characters
Similar to heroes, villains are an extension of ourselves. While equal in ambition (somewhat), the bad guy operates with a genuine purpose from selfishness. The hero (re) acts because of obligation. Most heroes in the majority of average-written stories are simply present to stop the villain’s progression. The hero, unfortunately (and often) suffers from cardboard storytelling. Nonetheless, the hero is just and righteous, but pitiful when compared to the depth of the villain.
From the outset, the antagonist knows what he or she wants and already has a master plan in motion. The villain knows well-enough that people will get hurt, laws will bend and break, and morals will take a backseat while the mission unfolds and the result rests in their favor.
Their reasons vary. Though not all want a city or world domination (Bane or Loki), they sometimes take action because of past offenses afflicted upon them. Very rarely will you witness an antagonist who does the evil for no reason (The Joker). This is risky and typically does not work well within a story. Whether it is to simply prove a point or to enact revenge, the villain’s motives must be clear for the audience to relate.
A Villain’s Relationship with the Audience
This is the key right here.
If the villain fails to resonate on even a minuscule level of empathy with the audience then the writer has not done his or her job.
Heroes succeed because we want to see justice for the wronged. Antagonists are interesting because they can grab that part of a reader or viewer that will never engage in such acts. Even though people may ponder criminal acts, humans are generally moral and ethical creatures.
The villains are the real reason why we enjoy fiction. They represent who we wish we were if we could simply remove morality and guilt. But that is, for the majority of us, impossible. Fear of imprisonment and deep guilt tells us not to do bad. The villain does not live with such mental confinements. Therefore, the villain is an immoral and fantastical extension of a morally grounded audience.
While I believe this as genuine truth, it will be difficult to find someone who does admit their affinity for the bad guys. Still, these people enjoy villains because they resonate with audiences on a subconscious level. As much as they want to see justice served, they know, deep down, they relate to the antagonist. Furthermore, when the villain is relatable, the hero reminds the audience that morality will always win. A powerful villain, in a way, is a teaching lesson to a reader or a viewer.
When creating the villain, you should simultaneously create the hero, too. They should play off one another. They should like and dislike the opposite views. By doing so, you will see the ways to further the depth of the villain. A good villain will not only desire a goal, he or she will also do whatever immoral thing it takes to achieve that goal. A writer should have fun when writing the villain. Allow the villain to live as an extension of how you would obtain results without consequences. Because that is how a villain lives: directly disrespecting and disobeying the legal and moral expectations to obtain that goal.
Create the villain carefully and evenly. If the villain will rob a bank later, that doesn’t mean he will not pay for his dinner earlier on. The villain must know when to engage in those unethical actions. A good writer knows when to reveal a villain’s rampage and when to highlight his happiness. This careful depiction is necessary for the audience to relate with throughout the story. A reader might put the book down or walk out of a movie theatre if the villain is just a cardboard cliché. Regretfully, this happens all too often.
A well-written villain is why the following films were successful with audiences in their time and are still beloved:
- The Godfather = A story that follows an anti-hero commanding his father’s evil empire
- Goodfellas = A tale of Italian mafia soldiers who sell drugs and kill people
- Doctor Octopus (Spiderman 2) = Supervillain enraged that his wife died because of his science project
- Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs) = Smartass cannibal doctor who helps the FBI find another serial killer
- Commodus (Gladiator) = Spoiled brat who killed his own father because he didn’t have the power of Rome
- and countless more!
If you haven’t seen the above films, then do so. Pay attention to how the writer portrays the villain. The villain is more than just a bad guy in the shadows, twirling his mustache. They want things. They are selfish and they don’t care who they must hurt and betray. Accomplishing their goals come at no cost.
Read another of my articles to develop better characters. And if you are shaky about revising your first draft, read this article. Some of the best books I ever learned about villains come from my huge collection. Amazon has a great book about writing character arcs here and here.
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~M