Invincibles Versus Perishables (Villains)

As I craft a character it itches me to make him perfect. Not just the best, better than the best. I want a character so cool, ice cubes are jealous! 

Fortunately for my characters, I'm usually able to overcome this fault…until I get to the villains. Too often I find myself making them bigger and badder. The more powerful they are, the more interesting the story, right?

Wrong!

Perishable Farmboy-Orphan,
         Invincible Awesome Jedi

Oh, sure, if all your villains are weak it makes a rather boring story, but it's the same with villains as it is with good guys. You have the superheroes, the invincibles, and you have the mortals, the ordinary humans, the everyday people, the perishables. 

Main characters don't usually start as the best sword-slingers, magic users, leaders, etc., they're the farmboys, orphans, hotheaded but klutzy princesses…you get the picture. If they were all powerful and perfect, they would have no room to grow. There would be no excitement because the main character would know how to handle each situation perfectly. 

Does Aragorn seem the more logical choice of getting Frodo to Mount Doom over Sam? Perhaps. Would it have had the same result? Perhaps not. Sam is the epitome of a perishable. He's not Aragorn, he can't be Aragorn. He's just Sam, but he makes Sam count for something––by taking what few talents he does have and using them to solve the problem. Loyalty, steadfastness, and humility are what get Frodo up the mountain.