So i have a question about villains and how they're written in general. I've always been interested in villains and what happens 'after' the fact. After their punishment (assuming it's not fatal) and I try nto to write (in my RP's at least) 'throw away' villains who are just mindlessly evil. I like villains to have a grounded reason for their particular brand of wrong, as I feel it makes them more relateable and maybe even scarrier. It's easy to hate someone who is just evil for evil's sake but a person where you can see the logic as to why they do somethign seems a lot more of a character to me and feels like they are more of the world instead of just being a monster for the hero to defeat.
So my question is, does anyone have any advice or feedback they can give me on villains and how to write a villain that isn't just a paper cut-out? Villains like Kerrigan or Sylvannas (for those of you who know them) or even Harley Quinn. Sympathetic and you can see why they became the way they were.
Also seeing as I'm writing (or trying to write) a story that deals with the idea of villainy, i need the feedback.
On a side note i can't see any of my forum threads. Somebody suggested deleting my cache, which I did (twice) but I still can't see them. Any suggestions? >.>
Well...
I suggest you watch the Black Lagoon anime, and read the Black Lagoon manga.
One of the reasons I like the series Black Lagoon is that it is a show about villains, with characters that tend to be very fleshed out in their personalities and motivations.
You will also likely enjoy the series, because of the variety of different types of female characters that series shows.
bad dudes
I think I have my share of memorable villains. One of the things I do is establish why they are doing what they are doing? Most people don't believe they are being evil, they have their reasons (even if it's flawed). Take the not-so good pastor Nan. She is after the money. It is established. But she is also quasi-delusional that she is a pastor even though she is proven wrong an basic bible knowledge consistently. She justifies stealing money from the orphans because without her they would be in Juvie, so they owe her (though I never state that outright). To make a bad guy more believable, the writer must know why they act a certain way. If they are just evil for evil sake, they will be bland and one-dimensional. A complex villain can take a story a long way
Katie Leone (Katie-Leone.com)
Writing is what you do when you put pen to paper, being an author is what you do when you bring words to life
You're right
you've also given me the inspiration for my villain...i have to work on this more but thank you very much.
Villains
The most evil of villains aren't evil for evil's sake, they're evil for their own sake. Selfishness is a simple and solid motivator for most evil actions. One of my favorite over-the-top villainesses in comic books is Blackfire, from "The New Teen Titans". She had a few good stories in the 80s and I'd like to forget anything Lobdell may have done with the character. Her motivation was simple enough. She was considered defective from birth and denied the right to inherit the crown. This led to her hating her race as much as she felt they hated her, including her sister who was made a princess. This hardly made her a complex character but it was enough to lead to some enjoyable stories.
Aside from selfishness, insecurity and inferiority complexes a villain might simply think they are doing the right thing. A 'lesser of two evils' approach where the reader would disagree with their choices can work. Maybe the villain values their people more than others and is willing to conquer for their sake. From their perspective they are serving a noble cause but the reader, seeing all groups as equal, would quickly see the error in their actions.
Personally I like having characters do bad things not because they are evil but rather because they are ignorant, oblivious, short-sighted or stressed out. Some genres benefit from characters that are clearly good or evil but don't feel like it is always necessary.
my two cents
Well the villains in my stories for the most part are disposable. For LKM They're high level criminals or combatants(drug cartels, human traffickers, terrorists, serial killers) Lyssa doesn't really take prisoners for the simple fact those prisoners would be able to identify her. Those villains are pretty much cut and dry; they do it for the money, the power or they are mentally unstable. In PomPom Fortress the "villains" were bullies. They did wrong simply because they could and had been getting away with it. When I outline my concept I make a list. Protagonist, supporters(sidekicks), adults, Antagonist, supporter(henchmen), adults. I know I'm not alone in saying the hardest part in that aspect is always coming up with names. Once I figure out who they are and why they are there all the rest is minor details. After that its taking them from point to point. I doubt I was very helpful to you but that formula works for me. Good luck and remember to have fun most of all because it isn't worth posting if you don't like your own stories. Just my two cents, do what works for you, sugah.
quidquid sum ego, et omnia mea semper; Ego me.
alecia Snowfall
Villains
I have written a few. Some were paedophiles, as in the Ride books, where I tried to draw out their thought processes. Some were simply scum from a terrible background, such as Pierre Forgeron, who took his little daughter to watch while he.raped a girl. Some were psychopaths, like the Cunninghams, who are most definitely the worst fictional characters I have ever created or ever wish to create. I still shudder at the thought of them.
Others, like the IRA men in the Ride books, are simply there as bloody terrifying bogey men. They look at you, memorise your face, and never change their expression; and you pray to god you never meet them again.
In short, back story is the key. You don't need to put their entire history on stage, as long as you, the author, knows WHY, and keeps it consistent
villains motivation
I have been fascinated by Morpheus' villain "Imp". She is a villain because she is not allowed to live otherwise because she is different. I suspect that many real life villains at least start that way, trapped in a life they wouldn't otherwise choose by circumstances they may not have wanted.
Villains
No suggestion about the forum threads, because I haven't yet participated. However, regarding villains:
One thing about villains that I've seen is this: they're usually portrayed as "obviously evil". However, when as villain is not presented as such, somehow or other, how many people actively support the villain and the villainy? Well, obviously, they're evil or idiots themselves, right? Or maybe they're just deluded, but we aren't, because we'd never support the villainy. Right? \end{sarcasm}
All too often, I've seen stories that pretend to portray the villain's viewpoint, but in reality, it's the viewpoint of a sarcastic narrator sitting in the villain's head. Please try to avoid this. I try, on the rare occasions where I do go into the viewpoint of a villain.
Sometimes, one's upbringing omits a certain factor that promotes compassion and empathy, turning them into sociopaths. Other times, they are trained and indoctrinated into becoming vicious warriors. Battle fatigue, shell-shock, PTSD lead to villainous conduct. I've heard that every juvenile on death row either had his own head hit hard, or saw his mother hit hard by father. (I don't remember the details.)
Lead poisoning might be responsible for villains.
I really don't know what's in the mind of a person who would just as soon punch you out as look at you.
For bullies, there's always something enjoyable about seeing someone tormented and reacting badly to it.
Oh well, good night.
-- Daphne Xu
Daphne, you might enjoy this story
http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/50843/steel-ribbon
by Morpheus
the villain isn't truly evil, nor is she just out for herself.
Stupidity is a capital offense. A summary not indictable.
Villainy
A good villain sees himself as the hero of his own story, and either bad luck or a rigged system or some small-minded do-gooder keeps putting obstacles between him and what he wants, so it's only natural to push through those obstacles using whatever means necessary.