When readers talk about their favorite books, typically it is the hero or heroine of the story who draws most of the attention. The protagonists are the ones we root for and feel kinship with. We follow them through all their trials and watch them struggle against momentous odds.
We cheer when they finally achieve their goal and metaphorically save the world, or at least the day. In the fantasy genre, they can literally save the universe!
This is true of best sellers in all genres. Jack Reacher stands up for justice, despite the odds stacked against him in the thriller books by Lee Child.
Violet struggles to survive the violent school of dragon riders in the Fourth Wing fantasy series, and in the process exposes corruption at the highest levels of the Academy.
The Bridgerton siblings strive to fulfill their version of love and romance within the strictures of a Regency setting, where marriage is a business arrangement and protocol is more important than personal happiness.
We remember the heroes and yet in each of these popular books, there are one or more opponents who stand in the protagonist’s way. The reader expects the hero to grapple with their adversary and show their mettle in overcoming the opposition. Ultimately, there will be a rousing conclusion with the hero on top and the villain dealt their deserved comeuppance.
In the grand scheme of exciting stories, villains are essential obstacles, but not always the most memorable. It takes a particularly successful antagonist to stick in a reader’s mind once the final page is read and the book is closed.
So what makes villains exceptional at their job? Over time, there have been many literary villains who have contrived to remain in our memory, as well as those who have captured our imagination from motion pictures, television, and streaming media. Who wins the title of archest of the arch enemies today?
What Makes Someone a Villain?
Even though villains are, for the most part, evil, our question is “What makes them good at being bad?”
From Hannibal Lector in the thriller, Silence of the Lambs, to Iago in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, to Sauron in Tolkien’s fantasy series, Lord of the Rings, to Big Brother in Orwell’s dystopian classic, 1984, dastardly antagonists come in all shapes and sizes, and populate all genres of fiction.
But sometimes there is another side to the coin. It can be said that everyone is the hero of their own story, and this also applies to those who oppose the story’s protagonist. 
Is it fair to classify Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights as purely evil when he is returning the only kind of behavior he has known from the Earnshaw family?
Is it right to call the vicious velociraptors in Jurassic Park villains when they are only seeking their next meal? Better we should target those evil doers who released the creatures willy-nilly into the wild!
What about blatantly bad people like Mr. Hyde in Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Although he is outright evil, we learn his motivation to commit evil acts arises from the unfiltered tendencies within the good Dr. Jekyll. The tragic flaws of Dr. Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein are personified in the evil unleashed by his creation.
What Makes a Good Villain?
It is a funny question to ask: What does good mean when it comes to bad guys? All readers have come across those ruffians that we love to hate. Sometimes these kinds of villains are nearly as interesting and enjoyable as the heroes.
There are scenarios where a reader might even prefer to see the antagonist win, because their story goals are more compelling than the protagonist. Like their counterparts, the heroes of the story, villains come from all walks of life and may have all the trappings expected of any other character.
It is unlikely these memorable villains are just plain evil with no redeeming characteristics or rational motivation. One-dimensional representation seldom works outside of comic books.
Readers want to understand what makes a character tick, whether it is something unresolved in their past, the promise of wealth or fame, or simple, yet satisfying, revenge. The more believable and specific a villain’s incentive is, the more satisfying their downfall will be at the end.
In the movie version of Peter Pan, the narcissistic Captain Hook is proud of his status as the worst of the worst. He outright makes fun of those who make excuses for his villainy. “By carbonate of soda, no!” he shouts at the idea that he was merely a victim of unfortunate circumstances.
In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the infamous vampire is a brutal force of nature, draining innocent victims of their blood. But he is more than just an animal seeking nourishment. He tortures Jonathan Harker as well as feeds from him, locking him within the castle and luring his bride with letters Jonathan is forced to write, all to further Dracula’s demonic wickedness.
In many cases, it is the multi-dimensional criminal mastermind that gives the hero their purpose in the story. James Bond, in the long running book and movie series by Ian Fleming, exists to track down and neutralize the enemies of the Crown. Bond is suave, clever, and capable, which is important to the stories because his adversaries are similarly resourceful, with charismatic attributes that linger in the reader’s mind.
How to Write a Good Villain
How do you take a villain from a character who merely gets the job done to the iconic level of a Moriarty or a Darth Vader? How to achieve the top ranks on the “Villains We Love to Hate” scoreboard? And while you are at it, how do you keep them from overshadowing your main character?
Here are some tips:
Write in Three Dimensions
Like all engaging fictional characters, a well-rounded portrayal that imitates reality is as necessary for the villain as the hero.
Give Them a Life to Live In
Villains need a backstory, a goal, a motive, and consequences arising from their actions as they progress toward their objective in the plot.
Create a Strong Conflict in the Story
Often it is the villain who is responsible for the protagonist’s struggles and strife. The main conflict for the hero could easily be preventing the villain from achieving their goal. This can escalate up to the final showdown because both the hero and villain are competing for the same prize.
Give your Villain a Moment of Compassion
Villains are human too. Well, not always, but depending on the genre, they have vulnerabilities and disappointments in their lives. They celebrate their victories and hang their heads in defeat. Showing a villain in a private moment, whether tender or pitiable or intimate, can give the reader insight regarding their side of the story.
A well-rounded villain adds complexity and nuance to a plot.
Make Your Villain Passionate
Make your villain as passionate about their cause as the hero is about theirs. The villain can be made sympathetic to the audience by adding details such as a charming personality or a tragic past they must overcome.
The trick is to make sure they are not more sympathetic than the hero. Even if the reader feels for them, the bad guy intends to harm others and must be stopped.
On the other hand, a villain who is passionate about their vile and underhanded plan makes it easy for the audience to actively root for their demise.
Villain Character Ideas
To make your villain strong enough, brave enough, or ingenious enough to pose a meaningful challenge to the hero, try these suggestions.
- Give the villain at least one opportunity to win. Maybe even give them the first victory. The hero should only prevail over the villain after a hard-fought struggle, using every ounce of their inner resolve.
- Allow the villain to learn the main character’s greatest weakness and expose it for their own ends. The bad guy could pretend to be a friend or ally to gain the hero’s trust before turning traitor.
- It is the villain who causes the hero to face their greatest fears and forces them to succeed in the most dire of situations. The protagonist needs a reason to give their all against seemingly impossible odds, and it is often the bad guy who blocks the easy way, escalating the conflict.
- To keep a villain from overshadowing the protagonist, make sure both of them are growing throughout the story. People learn from their mistakes. They try, fail, and get better as they go along. Just when it seems the bad guy is going to triumph, our hero summons up one last ditch effort to out-maneuver, out-think, and overpower their adversary.
What makes a good villain is an antagonist designed to bring out the best in the protagonist while doing their worst to drag them under.
And what more can a reader ask than that the hero emerge victorious against a villain who did their absolute best to be bad, but failed to keep the good guy down?