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[i-like-mangoes]

Making a villain

You know the saying ‘Villains aren’t born, they are made’? Well, how do you pull it off? (There are some sensitive topics here, so TW for any and all mentions of neglect, abuse and torture)

Sow the seeds early

Repeat after me: I will NOT have my character turn out of the blue. I WILL let the story of their fall be laid bare for all to see.

- Have their design contrast with the other characters. Dark colors, sharp angles, spikes, all can make a character stand out. Be as subtle or as dramatic as you want, but know that the latter may get you panned by critics and readers if they feel you are using the trope as a crutch or a stereotypical shorthand.

- Give them a troubled backstory. Perhaps the character grew up in a rough neighborhood, or be overshadowed by a ‘more gifted’ sibling. Maybe they were the kid that took things too far. Have them not be too troubled with lying and stealing, as they had to do that in order to survive.

- Give your character a chip on their shoulder. Have them always strive to prove themselves and seek approval and acceptance. If you make them a POV character, show their innermost thoughts; the hunger in their eyes, the thoughts of jealousy and envy, and the justifications for their actions and beliefs.

Push them to the limits

Now that your character is established, you will next have to push them down the path the villainy.

- Put them in situations where they question if they are on the right side. Have the ‘good guys’ come up short, be too extreme, or favor only a few over the many.

- Have their past come back to haunt them. Someone they once knew now denounces them, or maybe the ones closest to them are now ‘enemies of the state’. Any signs of a rebellious nature or questioning of authorities can be used to undermine your character. Have it be made clear that the authorities, and even their teammates/ friends/ allies don’t trust them fully.

- Let the nagging doubts in their head have free rein. Let them never be satisfied with their lot. Let them compare themselves to others, and let the worst thoughts build and simmer.

- Have them find out their cause is built on a lie.

- Have them be captured. Have the whumper(s) break your character physically and/or mentally.

- You can also do the opposite, and have someone on the opposing side become a parent figure to your character. The feelings can be genuine or feigned, but leave no doubt that your character feels like they finally understood, that they are accepted.

The point of no return

Your character was at their lowest point. Now they are on the ascent again. Only this time on the side they were initially opposing. Time to seal their fate.

- Make the character burn the bridges. Out of a desire to please their new friends, or as a final test, have your character commit acts they would never do at the beginning of the story.

- Confront their former allies. Try and have your character convince them to turn, or have them killed for committing (at least in the mind of your character) so many crimes and atrocities. Your character’s philosophy could be ‘an eye for an eye’, or ‘I have to stop you before you cause any more harm’. It can even change depending on who they are facing and how far down the villain arc they are.

- Again, if they are a POV character, let them justify themselves. Make them and the audience believe that they are doing the right thing, that they are the ones who broke the wheel.

- How irredeemable they are is completely up to you.

[i-like-mangoes]

Mangoes