I'm working on a project with my friends and I'm in charge of writting the script. Everything was fine untill we notice we don't have a villain! Actually we do, sort of. Some bad stuff happens and there is a big plot going on and our characters already noticed. But we didn't plan this misterious villain through ( he's a mistery even for us haha)
So, how can I make a believable villain? There are some things missing. Any tips "How to start to planning your villain"?
For me personally, the most important part to my villains is giving them a story. Give them a reason for their actions, and in exploring that you may come to find where they fit into the plot. You may want to start with what would the characters react the strongest to or what sort of powers or skills would give them the most difficult time to deal with. A strong motivation for a complex character can heighten what you can do with them personally and in developing the adversity between the protagonists and them.
You want your villain to be easily relatable, and to have the little quirks that every human being has. You have to give your readers at least something that they would like about this character, don't make him 100% evil, because that's not at all realistic. Give them hobbies, fears, loves, DO NOT make them unable to love unless it makes sense in your story. REAL VILLAINS CAN LOVE, don't forget that. Complicate your reader's opinion on them by giving the a child that they love, or maybe a partner or a family that they'd do anything to protect. Give them a believable cause that your readers will even fond themselves rooting for at times, and blur the line between good and evil.
Here's a thought, make him/her a friend with a motive that reveals itself part way through possibly splitting the group!
Thanks, those are great suggestions! I'll talk with my friends and see what we can do about it
happy to help :)
First, villains are people. Do not have a flat villain. Flat villains make flat films. They are only acceptable when used for ironic effect. They need motives, a background, and a system of self-imposed laws. Certain people don't do certain things. Only totally evil characters can avoid these, and those types of villains only work in horror and violent drama stories.
One of the best things you can do is make the villain relatable. Not like 'Okay, I'm would do that' kind of relatable. They are the villain. No. You want the audience, the ones who read into the story, to find the reason and the factors for the villains actions, and put themselves into the villain's place. You want the audience to look at them and say, "That's me." One of the reasons I like characters like Loki (MCU) is that the audience can understand his hatred for being the unloved, second-born, second-favorite child. They understand the bitterness behind him. That is one of the best ways to run a villain. Then the audience gets attached, and you can bend them by bending the villain. Look to Tumblr, and the fandom section's devotion to villains. We will find everything good about them. Do the fans of your story a favor and leave them some easter eggs. Leave tidbits of information that would come up with any character. Little mannerisms are the cutest things. Make the villain your masterpiece, the epitome of your writing skill.
As for introducing your villain to the story, it's good to tie them into the environment before we see them take center screen. Some authors can pull off a prologue being about the villain, showing their personality and/or power. This is harder in books than it is in films, as it's hard to pull off the 'Gas Explosion in London Apartment' in the background television thing that fans will go back and look at/for.
But villains should always have a good entrance. As good, if not better, than the protagonist's.
Your villain's morals shouldn't be black and white. They should be grey. Make your villain relatable. Make your villain mirror the protagonist. If the protagonist chose differently, they could have become the villain. The more relatable your villain is, the scarier they are. Make your villain's motives understandable. GIVE THEM MOTIVATIONS!!!! Make them think what they're doing is right, and make them try to explain to the protagonist and the protagonist actually UNDERSTANDS AND MAYBE EVEN WANTS TO JOIN THEM. Make your readers frustrated and fall in love with your villain. Make your readers have pity on your villain. MAKE YOUR VILLAIN REAL.
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Hope this helped <3
-Aiza
I agree with aiza. However, your villain doesn't necessarily have to believe they are doing right. They could just believe that what they are doing is justified or fair, e.g. revenge.