What Makes a Good Villain?

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No story is complete without an antagonist. From a school bully who does nothing more than irritate the protagonist, to a power-hungry villain who wants to take over the world, the antagonist's purpose is to add complexity to the protagonist's journey. But with such a crucial role, it's easy for an antagonist with the wrong traits to ruin the readers' experience.

So, what makes a good villain?

One thing to take note of is that the perfect villain depends heavily on their role and the story itself. A power-hungry overlord would ideally be manipulative and complex, but their second-in-command is often loyal and single-minded. For example, if Captain Hook and Smee had reversed personalities, we would be looking at a first mate, tired of being a second priority, determined to take over his naive master's position as captain. Which, as enticing as that sounds, would give us a story completely different from the Peter Pan plotline that we're used to. Because the setting of the story holds the heaviest impact on what kind of villain is most appropriate, a "good villain" doesn't need every single one of the following attributes.

So, in no particular order of importance, here are some attributes that compose a read-worthy villain.

1. Morally Gray. Have you ever read a book or watched a movie where you think for a minute about the villain's motives and realize that they actually have somewhat legitimate reasons to do what they do? Presumably, they're going about it the wrong way, but their motives may resonate with you. This makes the villain seem more relatable, and in turn, more human and believable. Although villains are typically evil, they'd lose their appeal if they were simply born with a thirst for blood for no reason. An example would be Thanos from Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War. Spoiler alert: In his quest to destroy half the universe and improve life for the poor, he kills his daughter Gamora to get to the Soul Stone (spoiler finished). And then we see during an almost-emotional moment that he really did love her, even if it clearly wasn't enough for him to abandon his scheme. His motive makes us think about a very prominent issue that we see in the world and what question we're doing about it. Will the protagonist come up with a better alternative to address the problems that created the villain's motives? Is the protagonist doing the right thing by defeating the villain, now that the situation isn't black-and-white? If you're looking to create a villain designed to make readers second-guess their morals, this is a strong option to consider.

2. Powerful. This one isn't always necessary, but if you're creating a villain who the protagonist needs to defeat in some way, don't waste the role by making that defeat an easy task. Part of the reader's engagement comes from an interest to see how the protagonist outdoes the villain in an unlikely situation. It's important to note that power doesn't just come from physical strength. Maybe they're cunning and difficult to outsmart. Perhaps they have a superpower or some other advantage that the protagonist lacks. Or they're just so cold-hearted and ruthless that you get chills down your spine each time they show up. That being said, you also don't want to give the villain too much power. This makes it way too difficult for you as the author to figure out a way for the hero to defeat the villain, and as a result, the defeat ends up being too easy or far-fetched.

3. Entertaining. Obviously, no one wants a boring character. But adding bits of humor and attitude and moodiness are critical towards making your villain, again, more human. In the end, the purpose of fiction is to entertain readers. A villain who manages to be both intimidating and hilarious is much more read-worthy than a villain who seems like they're doing nothing more than playing the role of an obstacle for the protagonist. A strong example is Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He's played plenty of tricks in the past to show us he's more than capable of getting what he wants, but we also see plenty of times where he banters with Thor, cracks jokes, and has his moments of petty, childish behavior. Overall, a villain who makes readers smile gives them one more reason to keep reading your book.

4. Manipulative. Manipulative villains are often the most enticing ones. They know how to sweet talk their way out of trouble, and they find others' weaknesses as easily as finding a pulse before exploiting them. An excellent example of a manipulative villain is Frau Gothel from Tangled. She preys on Rapunzel's insecurities (being "too weak" for the real world, "burdening" her with pleas to leave the tower, being "too naive" when it comes to Eugene, etc...) to make herself appear as the wise and dependable mother Rapunzel wants. On top of that, she deceives Rapunzel by "saving" her from the Stabbington Brothers, who she sent to kidnap her in the first place. It isn't until she reveals her true motives when Rapunzel realizes Frau Gothel is selfish and evil. Whether you put your readers in a position like Rapunzel's where they can't decide what to believe about the villain, or put them through a Tangled-esque rollercoaster of dramatic irony, conquering the challenge of writing a manipulative villain will keep readers invested in your story.

Again, these are only some of the attributes that make a read-worthy villain. Depending on the story, some of these may not be suitable for the villain you're creating. What else do you like to see in a villain? Comment below or send a request for a part 2!