There are much more than three types of villains I’m going to discuss in the following few blogs, but many infamous villains can be sorted into one of these categories. There’s also some overlap, and many villains can fit into more than one category. Sympathetic villains have two subtypes, but each one has something in common. The evil acts are something that many people would do, given the situation. The Villain Who Cares too MuchSometimes villains are justifiably selfish in trying to protect themselves and the people they love. Due to circumstances out of their control, they have to make tough choices that have bad outcomes. Many people look at the situation and realize they would do the same thing. A sympathetic villain might sacrifice a handful of people to save their child, or they may unknowingly commit evil acts, either out of carelessness or ignorance. The antagonist in my latest book, Tripping the Multiverse, is, at first, unaware that her actions are causing rifts in multiple universes. After she finds out, she lies and conducts dangerous experiments, attempting to undo her previous mistakes. The Villain Who has a Good Point, ActuallyAnother sympathetic villain is championing a noble cause but often uses underhanded or even vile tactics. Magneto, the arch-villain from the X-Men universe, is a prime example. He’s right. The mutants are being abused and oppressed. This sympathetic villain’s hallmark is access to power and the drive to use that power as a means to an end. Sympathetic Villain versus AntiheroSympathetic villains and antiheroes have a lot of overlap, especially with villains who are acting justifiably selfish. The difference between the two is in character development. The antihero, eventually, makes better choices and turns towards the light, with maybe a few slip us here and there. On the other hand, at some point, the villain must purposefully make a wrong choice. Perhaps the power gets to them. Maybe they were ignorant of the consequences of their actions but chose to carry on with the knowledge that they were harming others. Sympathetic Villains in LiteratureThe titular hunchback in Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, Quasimodo is a genial, kind-hearted guy until his love for Ezmerlda drives him insane. The poor man has spent his life deformed and under the thumb of the much greater evil, Claude Frollo. Since Quasimodo committed most of his evil acts at the behest of Frollo, we can conclude that Frollo is the true monster here. Draco Malfoy from the world of Harry Potter lived his whole life immersed in a world of people committed to Lord Voldemort. He, arguably, didn’t know the difference between right and wrong because his parents raised him in the equivalent of a twisted cult. The Anti-Vampire coalition in Charlaine Harris’s series The Southern Vampire Mysteries (adapted into True Blood) has a point. Throughout her novels, many characters and a few groups form against vampires, citing that vampires are inherently dangerous to humans and their nature can’t be mitigated through medication. Spoilers - the anti-vampires were right. Other Blogs in this Series
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There are much more than three types of villains I’m going to discuss in the following few blogs, but many infamous villains can be sorted into one of these categories. There’s also some overlap, and many villains can fit into more than one category. The Evil Genius Subcategories of evil genius include the mad scientist, the hacker, and the magic adept. Sometimes they are the ones who make the murderous technology used by criminal organizations, or they could be the designers of doomsday devices. On the other hand, their area of expertise might be politics or manipulation, leaving them the leaders of cults or malevolent armies. Evil geniuses are a fun addition to a story, and they make worthy foes, but they can be tricky to write. High-intelligence characters take a lot of research to write. Chances are, you’re not an expert hacker or an accomplished bioterrorist. But, you’ll have to think like one and have their knowledge to write the evil genius. I suggest reading at least a few books in the antagonist’s area of expertise, particularly ones by experts in their field. Not only will this give you a good knowledge base, but you will also get to know how someone in that field thinks and moves through the world. Weaknesses Nothing is more annoying than an easily foiled supposed genius. A genius should be more intelligent than all the other characters. Your protagonist can’t outsmart them; they’re going to have to find a weakness. Like every other aspect of the character, your antagonist’s weakness should make sense to their character. You should know or write it into your backstory notes, even if it doesn’t make it into the story. Maybe your evil genius is physically weak from a childhood illness, which leads him to focus on science above all else. Perhaps your studious wizard is socially inept after living as an outcast, so he can’t read people to tell when they’re lying. Both the genius’s strengths and failings should match the character. Evil Genius in LiteratureTywin Lannister in Game of Thrones built an empire on his political and financial savvy. He was also a solid military strategist. His weakness was his cruelty, particularly to his family members, whom he kept physically close. Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series was of the master mage family of evil geniuses. He had the same weakness that any litch has, the vulnerability of his phylactery. The Sherlock Holmes nemesis Professor Moriarty is the brilliant boss of a criminal empire. His only real weakness is the existence of Holmes, who is the sole match for his intelligence. Moriarty and Holmes offer a notable exception to the rule that the protagonist should not outsmart the evil genius. More Blogs in this Series: |
Alison Lyke
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