The BAD Guys
Ok, now we get to what is inarguably your MOST interesting, MOST important character in your story. The “Bad Guy” Also Known As (AKA) The Villain, The Antagonist, The Asshole, The Prick and sometimes “Snidely Whiplash”. Why is he so important? In the words of the immortal George Lucas “Without Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker was JUST a plow boy on a speeder.” Hell even Disney Corp. realizes the importance of the bad guy when they did there Salute to the villains.
In short, this guy (or gal) is the REASON for your story. Without a “problem” your story consists of “Once upon a time and they lived happily ever after” So now What goes into a GOOD bad guy?
Well much like no GOOD guy is 100% good, no BAD guy is 100% BAD.
· Bad guys CAN have meaningful relationships
· Bad guys CAN self-sacrifice
· Bad Guys Can keep their word
· Bad Guys CAN empathize and be kind
Now, yes likewise the villain may have superficial relationships, they may be (at times) self-centered, they may go back on their word and they MAY be unfeeling. That is what keeps them so INTERESTING, they are capable of doing things that the Hero or heroine might only reluctantly do occasionally. However Making your villain kick EVERY puppy he sees, and go back on EVERY deal he makes is KICKING your reader in the head and saying “I’m gonna MAKE you hate this guy, you have no other choice!
Some of History’s GREATEST villains were rogues who you could not really TELL HOW bad they were.
· Long John Silver
· “Garak” (Deep Space nine)
· “Loki” from “Thor”
· Dr. Doom.
Now, in order for your villain to WORK…the reader MUST be able to “relate” to him, meaning the reader can understand WHY the bad guy does what he does.
· Revenge
· Misguided
· Desire / passion
· Vanity
You would do well to remember; MOST bad guys do not SEE THEMSELVES as bad. From their point of view, what they do is justified, even if their logic is flawed. This could include the simple logic of, I just LIKE what I do.
Whenever is appropriate, the BAD guys must ALSO blend in, and do not normally live is "the halls of Doom" in some swamp somewhere.
A final word here, Sociopaths, sadists, megalomaniacs, and homicidal maniacs, are the EXCEPTION to the rule. Yes, these are bad guys, and they have a very prominent place in stories, not EVERY villain is this archetype. Personally, I have had Batman’s “Joker” till I am nauseous. Remember, CUNNING always trumps brute force, and while I do not agree 100% with it, you’d be wise to check out “101 things I’d do if I were an evil overlord”
http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html