Writing Great Villains: 3 Questions That Will Transform Your Antagonists

Writing villains can be a blast! The villain is one of the main elements of many stories that helps propel the protagonist into and through their journey. I prefer stories with a clear distinction between good and evil, but individual characters often have elements of both that they struggle with throughout the story. Villains are the same. Whether they completely buy into evil or get redeemed in the end, villains are people too and are fraught with flaws and failings. Over the last year, I have learned a lot about writing deep characters, and today I am going to share three seemingly simple questions that will help transform your antagonist into a compelling villain.

When Was the Last Time Your Villain Was Shown Genuine Love, and How Did They Respond?

Many times, we ask ourselves, why is my villain a villain? Was he or she rejected as a child? Was he or she raised to be a villain? Is he or she a psychopath? Answering those questions is a good start. But getting specific can help you truly understand what makes your villain tick. This particular question about when they were last shown genuine love and how they responded can help you understand how your villain relates to others, what they fear, what they know about people and social interactions, what they know about themselves, and more.

If you want to take this question to the next level, pair it with “What does this say about_____?” and fill in the blank. For example, if your male main villain was shown love yesterday and ignored it, what does that say about his emotional state? What does it say about his desires? What does it say about his needs? What does it say about him in that moment versus the present moment? Go deep and take notes.

What is Something About Your Villain that They Don’t Like About Themselves?

We all have things we don’t like about ourselves, and often those aspects of ourselves are what drive us to change. I don’t like that I can’t play the piano as well as I could in high school. So, I decided to take it up again and start practicing. Your villain probably has something they don’t like about themself. Do these things that your villain considers flaws impact their behavior? If your villain doesn’t have anything they dislike about themselves, that too is important information.

If you want to take this question to the next level, ask why they don’t like it or why there is nothing they don’t like about themselves. I also advise asking what they plan to do about it. This decision is where the action comes in. Villains often act on what they don’t like. The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera doesn’t like being an outcast and alone. These things drive him to action. They drive him to fall in love with Christine because he seeks companionship and acceptance, and his shock when she finds out he is disfigured drives him to act in other ways that move the story to a climactic end that I won’t spoil here. So, what does your villain not like about themselves, and how does that drive them to act?

Do They Believe in a Higher Power, Or Do They Think They Are the Highest Power?

Another thing that drives action is what characters believe about who is in control. Many villains believe they are the ultimate decider; they act based on what is often called a “god complex.” Think Loki in the first Avengers movie. Another example of someone with a god complex would be Kelsier from Mistborn. While the debate is still out on whether he is a villain, he behaves like one. His mission is to do as he sees fit, and he does not feel remorse for killing. Villains who think they have the final say often use more direct methods and are usually more violent, believing that the ends justify the means since they decide what is right and wrong.

Villains who don’t believe they have the final say tend to be harder to categorize as villains because we want to empathize with them. As with all villains, they are driven by a personal affront or an internal struggle. But those who don’t believe they are their own source of ethics are sometimes forced to do what they don’t want to do, and many believe that they will face consequences. A good example would be the Winter Soldier. He kills, but he is wracked with guilt, especially after he is reunited with Steve. But he still poses a threat to many main characters, as he does in Civil War. While the two types of villains can mix, finding out what your villain believes about who has the ultimate say in things can help build a villain who makes things very hard for your hero and creates a story not easily forgotten.

Keep Asking Questions

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of questions to ask about our characters, and I encourage you to keep asking those questions even after you publish your story. You don’t need to have all the answers, and sometimes writing and publishing are part of the process of learning about your characters. But keep asking questions. And as always, have fun and happy writing!