Feedback How to make a good villain/antagonist to other writers

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

I am quite new in Chaos, and I have been loving interpreting both my Moff character (this account) and my Prophet of the Dark Side. Both of them, as you can see by their titles, are pretty much villains. Very different ones, with different beliefs, but still made to be antagonists of other writer's stories, no matter how developed they are.

Thinking about how to develop them actually got me curious as to what y'all think is a key characteristic -or a mere detail- of a good villain/antagonist. What do you guys think?

 

[Matsu Ike]

It comes down to what kind of vilain you want. Cause some of my favorite villains range. From a tactical villain like Thrawn who was reserved, coolheaded and planned... to a villain that just kills and goes for mayhem and destruction. Some will say the best villain is really the hero of their own story but star wars was and has always had a fair enough line of good vs evil. You can add to it in the middle but tragic heroes/villains like Ulic are difficult to write or see. Or deeply complicated ones like if you wanted to make a Jaime Lannister type. The type of story you want to tell will influence them.. the villain doesn't even need to be a technical person, there could be concepts, doubts, challenges... opposition to what they are facing. Realizations and discoveries. A person could embody this idea yes or be someone who is in the shadows stoking a fire of it. Influencing the events and using others as a shield like a puppetmaster or it could be something more then that.

 

[Marcus Dinn]

1. Let your character be evil. You should not feel fear or discomfort over writing a bad person. This is a game. It is fiction. It is not real. Don't break the rules or get in people's faces with the ugliness, but don't wuss out either.

2. Do not join an evil faction only to have your character be a nice guy. I don't care if you're trying to be "different". There is a difference between being nuanced and coming across like you're somehow morally superior or are seeking attention. Not only is it obnoxious, it kills the suspension of disbelief. Realistically your character would get killed if they acted that way.

3. Have plenty of motivation for doing evil. Maybe your character just wants to get rich and doesn't care who pays the price. Maybe they want vengeance. Maybe they think they're better than everyone else. Maybe they want to rule the galaxy or cause chaos for the sake of it. Maybe they just want their crush to like them back. There's a million ways to go about it, but you have to have a reason for doing things.

4. Don't be excessively self-indulgent. The best villains don't need to massacre millions in graphic detail for readers to consider them a credible threat. Know when to rein things in.

5. Don't chase clout or try to make your character seem more important to the faction/site narrative than they are. It just makes you look like a tryhard. Let others chase the spotlight while you do your own thing. Doing your own thing is cool. Always has been and always will be.

 

[Samuel Creed]

There are already some insightful responses, but I'd like to add that concepts of good and evil often vary depending on the character's perspective. For example, an imperialist might be fighting for what they believe is morally right but still be seen as evil by their opposition.

This seems to align with what Matsu Ike mentioned about being the hero of one's own story—please correct me if I'm wrong. Personally, I enjoy exploring how villains wrestle with the morality of their actions and how their decisions reflect their beliefs. It's interesting to challenge the traditional good-versus-evil dichotomy and delve into the characters' ideals and foundations.

Alternatively, you can take a different approach. One of my best villains was a zealot of the Knights of Ren during the First Order era. I found it easier to detach from my own views and portray him as an indoctrinated, religious extremist. Such a character can justify their actions through their beliefs, becoming a fanatic and using their ideology or a group's teachings to create chaos.

Ultimately, there's no single approach, but writing an "evil" character can be incredibly rewarding and complex.

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

Honestly I just enjoy it when villains are actually bad. It is always so confused (and it derails the thread) when I get into a thread with a "bad guy" who suddenly decides to help my character out. I understand people want to write shades of grey but I sincerely believe the bad guys should do bad things. Its easier to be a good guy when we have actual bad people around.