Five tips for creating the perfect villain
There is nothing as appealing as a villain. Sometimes, these characters are even more beloved than heroes themselves. Their complex personalities, conflicts, and charisma attract the audience’s attention.
Villains are not plain evil. They are the result of conflicted feelings, needs, and desires. A well-created antagonist can boost the storyline and attract readers.
That’s why we decided to draft an article on how to create the perfect villain. These five tips can be useful when writing your next story.
The complexity of character
In creative writing, all characters are important. If well created, characters alone can boost the plot. In his book ‘The art of dramatic writing’, Lajos Egri sets out the parameters to build strong, realistic characters.
He writes that there are three basic aspects to consider:
- Physiological aspect
- Social aspect
- Psychological aspect
The physiological aspect involves the person’s physical aptitudes or defects. He argues that people’s personality and behavior varies according to their physiological conditions. The height, weight, limitations, chronic diseases, and other aspects can change a person’s attitude towards life. The social aspect reflects the environment where the person was born and raised, his or her values, religion, nationality, cultural surroundings, etc.
The psyche of a person also plays a vital role. This aspect delves deeper into the person’s history. Were his parents separated? Did he have brothers or sisters? Who was his first teacher? What are his tastes and hobbies? What’s his passion?
These parameters are also helpful when building a villain that everyone will fall in love with.
The five essential tips for creating the perfect villain
1. Give your villain a distinctive name
The name is the foundation of all things. The villain must have a name that stands out from the crowd. It must have sinister connotations and imply the dark side of his personality. A perfect example of this is Mr. Ripley, from Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley. The word ‘rip’, included in the last name, reflects the character’s disturbing nature.
2. Give your villain a dark past
People will relate more to your character if you tell his or her story. A villain is not born evil. He is the victim of a series of events that made him or her this way. Tell your readers about your villain’s troubled past and how he became who he is now.
Maybe he was bullied by his peers in high school or suffered from child abuse at home. Maybe he lived with an older sibling that was his father‘s favorite. Perhaps he felt neglected and grew into a revengeful and mean person.
A perfect example of this approach is Batman’s Joker.
3. Pinpoint the moment where your villain becomes evil
All the factors mentioned above contributed to your villain’s bad character. But it helps to show the exact moment where he surrendered to his dark side.
For example, he could be mistreated in front of someone he loves or witnesses a violent crime. There has to be a pivotal point in his story where he changes. This should be a traumatic event that justifies his later actions throughout the plot.
It’s important to remember that the event alone didn’t make him evil. It’s the sequence of previous incidents that lead to this event.
4. What are your villain’s beliefs and core values
Give your villain a moral code and his own view of life. These codes may be wrong or distorted, but they are vital for creating a realistic character. With this, readers will relate more easily.
Everyone acts a certain way for a reason. People act wrongfully not because they want to, but because it’s what they believe is right. Give your villain a clear purpose and desire.
5. Analyze different villains
Choose the villains that most attract you and analyze them. Examine each of them according to the above-mentioned points. Ask yourself why you like this character, why he acts this way, his motive, and his dreams, goals, and frustrations. Pay special attention to how the author describes him and his surroundings.
The 10 most interesting villains of all time
- The Joker (Dark Knight)
- Annie Wilkes (Misery)
- Mr. Hyde (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)
- Professor Moriarty (The Final Problem)
- Uriah Heep (David Copperfield)
- Darth Vader (Star Wars)
- Dr. Frankenstein (Frankenstein)
- Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs)
- Captain Ahab (Moby-Dick)
- Lady Macbeth (Macbeth)
Conclusion on how to write the perfect villain
All in all, the perfect villain is the one people can relate to. Focus on creating a realistic character that acts according to its moral standards. These don’t necessarily need to be “correct”, but they will help people relate to the story.
The perfect villain is to a plot what an engine is to a car. He will challenge the hero, make him question his beliefs, and ultimately change him. This is the perfect recipe for a fascinating story.
