What Makes a Great Villain?

What Makes a Great Villain?

What Makes a Great Villain? – The personalities discussed below may seem dissimilar on the surface, but all great villains have a few traits in common.

Obsession

Obsession

Probably the most blatant trait shared by all villains. The four main obsessions of villains are usually power, fortune, sex, and vengeance.

The best villains have a well-kept secret

The best villains have a well-kept secret

The best villains have a well-kept secret that they have worked hard to keep hidden their entire lives, possibly even from themselves.

An injury

An injury

The secretiveness and obsession of evil stem from this. This wound might be either physical or emotional, but frequently it’s both.

A personal connection to the hero

A personal connection to the hero

At the beginning of a story, the villain’s entrance on the scene and the hero’s call to vanquish the villain might be both utterly arbitrary.

A match that is worthy of the hero

A match that is worthy of the hero

The hero facing out against the antagonist should initially seem absurd at the start of the story.

The villain believes they are the hero

The villain believes they are the hero

Rarely do villains consider themselves to be villains. They believe they are heroes instead.