For you what makes a Villian, a good villian

[Indicterra]

In world of Novels, movies and stories we have seen several types of villains, they are for the most part an inseprable part of the story,

But unfortunately 90% villains are being villain for the sake of being villain, one dimensional characters who are there just for MC to stomp on, and their reason for being the bad guy is more pathetic as most of the times it would be their egos or they have a shitty attitude in general, or just wanna conquer/destroy the world.

that's just one side though, there are also times when villains stopped being just a villain but something more, there are times when villains character is so well done that you even as reader get freaking terrified of him (for me personally it's Amon from LOTR, Mf terrorised my nights, would like to hear who is yours)

There are villains with ideals, morals and his unique way of conduct and ambition

Villains who is actually not a villain if we look at it in broader way, but actually a dude who thought he was doing the right thing for greater good. (Thanos for example)

Villains who are actually villains but is so damn freaking cool you can't help but mark the guy to your favourite list (do you have one, the do share the name)

That brings me back to my question what makes a Villian, a good villian or a compelling one

So that brings me to my main question, for you, what makes a Villian, a good villian

 

[SailusGebel]

Absence of sobby backstory.

 

[Corty]

My favorite villains are those that are nothing but 2D villains, being evil for evil's sake and with the sole motivation to be people for the MC to kick their teeth in.

 

[Tsuru]

Simple
very simple

the very nutshell version
1) Charismatic evil
2) VERY UNLIKEABLE / hating them hard / want to kill them / want to see MC make them suffer / want to see them agonizing while dying

but stupid people began to overload nowadays villains with the cliche "sad backstory" bullshit. If i could i would do a BATMAN-PUNCH in their faces

ps : bleach author's series is/was lower popularity compared to Naruto/OP/DBZ but he is a chad for his decision of : "i will never write a backstory for EIZEN" + "i dont want to use this cliche". RESPECT

 

[Indicterra]

My favorite villains are those that are nothing but 2D villains, being evil for evil's sake and with the sole motivation to be people for the MC to kick their teeth in.

Demn, I found my opposite end

 

[Corty]

Demn, I found my opposite end

I like being entertained. And sometimes the simplest thing of the hero beating the evil guy is the most entertaining.

 

[Aaqil]

What is a sad villain, if not a sad, somewhat chunni fella,

 

[Allemite]

A reasonable villain, to the point where you would want to strangle the MC for being too naive to even go against them. I just enjoy reading logical thought processes, even for side characters and villains.

 

[TotallyHuman]

a good author.

But honest, you can write a good antagonist easy if you put some thought to your setting, but a good villain? That's difficult.

I guess they have to be desirable. You'd want to be them, at least to an extent.

They'd have to be powerful and smart and resourceful and driven and attractive and charismatic and being able to do whatever they want - to hell with consequences. But they would have to have higher than base needs (like aesthetic satisfaction or plunging the world into zetsubou), rather than something small and mundane (or have base needs exaggerated to an art, like exaggerating gluttony to wanting to eat the entire Universe).

You'd want to be them, or take at least some parts of them as a goal.

Like you'd want to be me. Not that this great witch is a villain, of course.

But adding a villain is a step this great witch avoids if the protagonist is not the villain or on the villain's side. Because the villain, by definition, is evil. If you add a villain you make the story black and white. Supporting the villain makes you evil and if you oppose it, you are good.

Which is nice and all, but most protagonists are very mediocre people with a mentality that the Sondheim's witch would describe as "you're not good, you're not bad; you're just nice". Which, when you add a black and white mentality and try to force this middling thin position into not just the good side, but the very center of it, ends up a farce. Though it can work of you make your protagonist grow from the villain. Like in Danganronpa.

In fact, only (some very specific) utopian fiction can pull it off without making this great witch gag or roll her eyes.

DO NOTE it's not the same as adding an antagonist.

If you make your protagonist evil, however, it allows your story to not be black and white, but a pallette of grey, some parts darker than others. You can even make the whole world grey without a speck of white. You're not showing the reader (somewhat obnoxiously) what is good, you're engaging them in a debate on what is good through showing counter examples.

And that is interesting.

 

[SORAhasGONE]

Tenacious. Not just in physical battle but in tactical maneuvering too. Resourceful to the point you'd think "you can do that?" And most importantly, have proper standards that he adhere to and keep up. Not a villain just for the sake of it, but has a great reason to be one, be it protecting someone/something, changing something, proving something.

And of course, cool factor.

 

[whitesculptor]

Monster antagonist is my favourite

 

[Voidiris]

The villain that is a main character.

 

[owotrucked]

someone like @RepresentingEnvy

 

[Voidiris]

someone like @RepresentingEnvy

That would be one epic villain.

 

[Syringe]

A memorable villain is the best kind of villain.

 

[Kalliel]

A villain whose reasoning are reasonable.
I once read a manhwa named 'Duke Pendragon'. It was good at first, until they introduced the Viking-looking villain dude, which was just unreasonably strong and annoying for the sake of being strong and annoying. Seeing that dude just made me frustrated.
And apparently, according to spoilers, that guy lived for a very, very long time afterward, which made me drop the story right away.

 

[TotallyHuman]

Not a villain just for the sake of it, but has a great reason to be one, be it protecting someone/something,

that's an antihero or just an antagonist

 

[SsemouyOnan]

Villains who are literally just doing what they love, y'know, things like playing the piano and destroying the environment.

 

[Tsuru]

You know you did well, when you get even chinese otakus loving your work/character(s)
and even creating nowadays dozens of fanfics around it as fulltime writing job

ps : i miss line-eyed/closed eyes characters. Sure unrealistic, but they had their own charm (and jokes)

 

[WalkerSung]

In world of Novels, movies and stories we have seen several types of villains, they are for the most part an inseprable part of the story,

But unfortunately 90% villains are being villain for the sake of being villain, one dimensional characters who are there just for MC to stomp on, and their reason for being the bad guy is more pathetic as most of the times it would be their egos or they have a shitty attitude in general, or just wanna conquer/destroy the world.

that's just one side though, there are also times when villains stopped being just a villain but something more, there are times when villains character is so well done that you even as reader get freaking terrified of him (for me personally it's Amon from LOTR, Mf terrorised my nights, would like to hear who is yours)

There are villains with ideals, morals and his unique way of conduct and ambition

Villains who is actually not a villain if we look at it in broader way, but actually a dude who thought he was doing the right thing for greater good. (Thanos for example)

Villains who are actually villains but is so damn freaking cool you can't help but mark the guy to your favourite list (do you have one, the do share the name)

That brings me back to my question what makes a Villian, a good villian or a compelling one

So that brings me to my main question, for you, what makes a Villian, a good villian

I like Gu Changge.