Character Archetypes: The Villain

Last month we broke down the main character of your novel and what they're like. In this post we'll be looking at the character that opposes them- the villain. Every story needs some kind of opposition to the hero, or else nothing happens. But what makes a good villain?

Who is the Villain?

Villain, antagonist, enemy, evil force, the bad guy of your story can have many names. The point is that they are against the protagonist, whether that is intentional or not. Sometimes your villain may not even be a person. It could also be the world he lives in, nature, or his own flaws. Every story will be different in what it requires. However, in this post we'll be focusing on the physical human antagonist.

Villain and antagonist are often used as interchangeable terms, which isn't strictly a bad thing, but they actually are different types of characters. A villain is someone with truly evil plans and intentions. An antagonist is just a character who acts against your protagonist. So Emperor Palpatine would be a villain, while Genevieve (from To All the Boys) is an antagonist. I'll be using both terms in this post, but it's good to know the difference between the two.

Types of Villains

• Anti-villain. This is a similar concept to the anti-hero (a good guy with questionable morals), but the other way around. They're still a villain and they do bad things, but we know why they do them and empathize with them even as we want to see them defeated. Kilmonger from Black Panther is a good example.

• Bully. A very class villain type from almost any real world story and some fantastical ones as well. As the name suggests, this is a character who bullies the hero, whether that is physically, mentally, or both. They're a staple in school stories.

• Tyrant. Ruler of a big country, this character has too much power and uses it to keep everyone in line. This is a classic in the heroic quest kind of story. Palapatine is a perfect example of this.

• Mastermind. While this villain doesn't look scary, they are razor smart, good enough to match or beat the hero without breaking sweat. They're always five steps ahead and in the end, you always find that you were playing their game all along. Moriarty is a classic version.

• Evil incarnate. You can find this villain a lot in good versus evil stories. They stand for everything bad and wrong in this world. They're big, bad, and willing to do anything to accomplish their goal. Think of Sauron or the White Witch.

• Female fatal. If you've ever watched any spy/thriller movies, you'll know this type. The incredibly sexy female that the hero is attracted to, but who is ultimately working for the bad guys. The hero's heart will be broken a bit by them, but they don't mind. (This trope is a bit problematic, but that's a topic for another post.)

• The Mirror. One of my personal favorites. This villain can be any of the other kinds, but the important thing is that they are a reflection of the hero. If their roles in life had been reversed, then they could have been each other. I love the internal conflict this adds to the story. Consider Megamind and Metroman for a good example.

Of course, there are a lot more types of villains out there. They come in all shapes in sizes. Check out these posts to learn more-

15 Types of Villains Screenwriters Need to Know

8 Villain Archetypes

Characteristics

• Cruel. Think of almost any bad guy and you'll notice they have a cruel streak. They like finding ways to hurt others, or at least don't mind if they do. This trait helps us hate them as much as the hero.

• Sharp tongued. The villain also often has a quick wit and quicker tongue. They don't mind cutting the hero down to size at every opportunity. (It's honestly super fun to write.) They can have some the best lines.

• Smart. Who wants a villain that can't tie their own shoes? While a dumb baddy might work for some stories, it's much better if the villain is smart and cunning. They have plans and traps that the hero walks right into. If the good guys don't have to work for their victory, what's the point?

• Skilled. Most of them are highly skilled in one area or another. The best ones are the type that have the same skill as the hero, because then the hero has to find a way to defeat them that pushes them to their limits.

• Relatable. This doesn't apply to every villain. But remember the ones that you love the most. Most of the time, we like them because we can see how they got there and how we might have made the same choices if we were them.

• Ultimately evil. We want people to like our villains. They're cool. They've got power and henchmen and all the odds on their side. But in the end, they have to lose because they're still using the wrong means to achieve their goal. Your villain shouldn't make us think that murder or bullying is good.

To Avoid

• The Mustache Twirler. You know who I'm talking about. He's the suit wearing, British bad guy twirling his mustache as he chuckles about his evil plan to the hero. These can work for comedic effect, but if you want us to take your villain seriously, don't make him like this.

• Too evil. There is a line to how much a villain can do. If they start doing horrendously evil things, then people won't enjoy your story, even if he does lose. You need to make him believable bad, but not so much that people don't even like him.

• Stupid henchmen. Why do they always have the bumbling sidekicks? If I was a villain, I would hire only the best to properly achieve my evil plan. So let's just stop making them, why don't we?

• World domination. Sure, no one wants a psychopath ruling the world, but why do they always want to do that in the first place. it sounds exhausting. There are lots of other evil goals out there besides taking over the world.

Writing a Villain

First off, remember they're still a person (if they actually are, you know, a person). They have hopes, dreams, favorite colors. Take time to make a fully round character and know their good parts and bad parts equally. I have a handy questionnaire if you need some help.

Also try to tie your villain into the theme of your story. It's a great way to take them to a new level. If your story is about overcoming fear, then maybe your villain can be evil because they're so afraid of losing everything, so they will do anything to keep it. Tying together your character arc, theme, and antagonist, is a great skill to learn that will leave people loving your story.

Example Characters

Thanos- Infinity War

Drago- How to Train Your Dragon 2

Principle Trunchbull- Matilda

The Evil Queen- Snow White

Loki- Avengers

The Wicked Witch of the West- Wizard of Oz

What is your favorite kind of villain? Do you have a favorite from books or movies? Tell me in the comments.

Suggested Posts:

Stop Making Bad Guys

Writing Villains Like Darth Vader