Rethinking Villains

Villains cannot be cool because cool people are not evil. Unless they are Darth Vader.
That is all I have to say.

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.

Third-Party Villains

What do I mean by third-party villains? A typical story has its protagonist and its antagonist…but what about the stories that include the other guy over there that neither the main character nor the main bad-guy like and who simply exists to cause both parties extreme discomfort?

For those of you that still have no idea what I'm talking about, some examples include…

• Gollum

From The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

He doesn't want Sauron to get the ring, but he certainly would prefer it to come to his precious hands rather than stay in those of Baggin's. He's not exactly the all-powerful Sauron with armies to destroy Middle Earth, but he seems to be way more successful when it comes to actually finding and following our furry-footed friends.

• Rumpelstiltskin

From Once Upon a Time (tv show)

I told you he'd be back! Rumpelstilskin freaks me out––he knows way too much! And who's he working for, anyway? I've got to hurry and get to the end of the season to find out! Our evil queen certainly is uncomfortable with his…creepiness, and our heroes certainly don't like him either!

• The Children of the Light 

From The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

I'm scared to say anything about this series for fear something will drastically change as I progress further into these eternally-long books, but so far the Whitecloaks are rather eery with their whole "walk in the Light" talk. Religious bad-guys are always the scariest…especially since Darkfriends consist of practically anyone that has ever been involved with anything mysterious, good guys included.

• Ezra

From The Leven Thumps series by Obert Skye

Amazingly evil and equally hilarious, our extra-long fancy purple-frilled sandwich toothpick makes a most incredible third-party villain. How did he come into existence? When Geth's soul was forced into a seed and later chopped up for scrape wood, all the fiery revolutionary's anger ended up in this furious, confused sliver of wood. Ezra's main goal in life? Kill Geth. 

Unfortunately for the true villains of the series, when Ezra sets his mind to ruling Foo as well as destroying Geth, he causes quite a bit of trouble for all his limitations.

Spoilers concerning The Legend of Korra and The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.

Favorite Villains

UPDATED!

I have taken an interest in villains lately––prompted in some sense by the blunt fact that all my own villains stink. Here's in a look at some of my favorite bad-guys and why they work.

• Rumpelstiltskin 

Once Upon a Time (tv show)

This guy is my new favorite! He's creepy, he makes cool hand motions, and he always outwits everyone, good or bad. Everything he does comes at a price. He'll go as far as helping the good guys-–so long as he gets something in return. Sometimes the trade is outrageous, other times it's seemingly not in his favor. 

You don't know what to expect from Rumpelstiltskin, except that he'll probably win, and that's why I like him.

(I'll post on third-party bad-guys like him again very soon.)

• Loki 

Thor (film)

You already heard the big sha-bang about Loki, but in case you didn't read it, I'll summarize.

You understand Loki and what makes him tick. You almost feel sorry from him! He's completely un-stereotypical, and still has awesomely mysterious powers.

• Darth Vader 

Star Wars

Pure evil, really powerful, cool looking. Need I say more?

• Long John Silver 

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Charismatic bad-guys are the creepiest! He's so unassuming with his crippled leg and his modest position as cook, and yet he's the mastermind behind it all. The main character, unfortunately, falls for it.....and perhaps the reader does, too.

• Irene Adler 

A Scandal in Bohemia (Sherlock Holmes) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I keep hearing about Moriarty and how wonderful he is. I can't dispute it––I haven't read all the Sherlock Holmes yet––but what about Irene Adler?

Irene Adler is in one little short story where she is the first criminal master-mind that is actually a criminal master-mind. Sherlock, technically, doesn't win. She completely outwits him!

The best bad-guys are the ones that can actually win.

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson - SPOILER ALERT!!

I suggest you read the book. Brandon Sanderson wrote it, which means it's amazing. However, I suggest you don't read this blurb on the villain as it gives away the best part of the book. So stop. Now....unless you've already read it or never will, then read on, please :)