A solid antagonist who can pressure the protagonist to take action and make difficult choices is central to most if not all, good stories. The challenge is designing a character who balances the narrative and compliments others. They have to fit into the world you’re building and be a compelling force. This blog post will give you some ideas for creating a cool villain or antagonist.
What Do People Look for in an Antagonist?
To start, it can help to start thinking about what you like about an antagonist. Think about all the villains or “bad guys” from movies or books that you remember liking, or at least liked hating. The most recognizable examples include Darth Vader, Voldemort, and the Joker. Why are these characters so ubiquitously memorable and interesting? Take Darth Vader. He was once a good guy. One reason is that we sympathize with what the villain is trying to achieve, or what he’s gone through/going through. Let’s take a look at some other reasons:
1. A relationship with the protagonist
Your antagonist needs to be defined in terms of their relationship with the protagonist. Without them, they can’t function in the story. We know that the antagonist’s goals or actions should interfere with the protagonist’s. They both want something that the other can’t have. Or maybe they are in pursuit of the same thing, and they can’t let the other person have it, for it would threaten their status or power. In any case, the antagonist has wants/needs that conflict with the protagonist’s.
2. External goals
Your antagonist should have goals that interfere with or run parallel with the protagonist. Darth Vader wants a power that the Jedi couldn’t achieve. But this means he had to destroy relationships and even kill in order to achieve that end. Obi-Wan is fighting for the Jedi order. He wants to establish and maintain peace in the galaxy. Obviously, Darth Vader can’t allow that, for then he wouldn’t be able to increase his power. The antagonist’s goal is usually the opposite of the protagonist’s.
3. A good backstory
A good backstory will make your antagonist relatable on some level. And the key here is not to let the audience know what they find so relatable or likable about the antagonist. You want them to feel some sort of conflict within themselves that doesn’t sit quite well. Something they can’t put their finger on. But, when your protagonist inevitably prevails, the audience should feel a small amount of remorse for the antagonist. Readers should be invested in the goals of the antagonist almost as much as the protagonist. This will raise the stakes and make the climax of the story more compelling and eventful.
What Purpose Does the Antagonist Serve?
The purpose of the antagonist is to antagonize the protagonist. For that reason, not every story will need one. Every story will, however, need conflict and an external/internal source of resistance against the main character. It’s often easier to achieve and maintain this level of conflict when you personify the antagonist. But there are many things that can create conflict within a story. So it all depends on your story and the parameters of it. You don’t have to try to create your own Darth Vader or Voldemort if you already have a built-in antagonist.
How Do I Start Building My Characters?
I recommend building your characters in terms of their goals, weaknesses, strengths, and personality. The personality part will help make your antagonist unique. Most of this will be achieved without much deliberation; when you start writing, you will often find that your characters’ personalities will shine through in the dialogue and action without you really putting much effort into it. In other words, you’ll discover your characters to a large extent when you start writing.
Here are some elements that you must include, with some prompts to help get you started:
Strengths:
Leadership
Communication
Delegation
Problem-solving
Creativity
Weaknesses
Insecurity
Short-sightedness
Selfish
Resentful
Lack of confidence
Personality traits
For this section, I recommend a small exercise. If you’re not familiar with the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, you can Google it and take it. For each of your characters, pretend you’re taking the test as them. Answer the questions accordingly and the result will tell you a lot about the type of character you’ve created. Here are some traits that you might find your characters possess:
Conscientious
Open to experience
Agreeable/disagreeable
Curious
Problem-solver
Logical
Imaginative
Ambitious
Quiet and mysterious
Introspective
introverted/extroverted
Altruistic
Charismatic
Free-spirited
Idealistic
Dedicated
Protective
Caring
Experimentative
Perceptive
The Bottom Line
If you’re stuck, don’t worry. A bad protagonist is often a symptom of a bad or poorly executed premise, which means the solution is often simple to implement, assuming you haven’t gotten too far yet. This means that it’s important for you to have an idea and outline that allows you to put your ideas onto the page without worrying about if your characters or story are good enough. If you’re struggling, sign up for our newsletter and get access to a free character-building worksheet.
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