Creating a Villain Worthy of Your Hero

Creating a Villain Worthy of Your Hero
by
Caro LaFever

He lurks in the shadows, waiting to strike. She slithers into the room, ready to bite.

The murderer. The thief.
The traitor. The cheat.

They are the dark to the hero's light. They scheme to destroy, while the heroine strives to heal. There are thousands of examples, but all of them boil down to one word.

Villain.

Who are these characters out to destroy our hero? Why do they do the dastardly things they do? And how can our heroine save the day?

As writers, we spend endless hours talking and thinking about our heroes and heroines. But we often ignore the one avenue, the best way to force our hero and heroine to become bigger than life.

The better the villain, the better the hero.

It seems so simple, doesn't it? Yet fiction is populated with dozens of ambiguous and shadowy villains, mean and awful characters who never let us know why they are so bad. As fiction writers, we can do better than this!

So, how do we create a villain that will get the best out of our hero?

1) Match the tone of your villain to the tone of your hero.

What do I mean by that? If you have a light, humorous hero (and story) don't subject him to a dark and bitter villain. For example, Superman flies around the world, saving the widow and inspiring the children. He's everything a hero should be - kind, brave and true. But he has no shades of gray, no unattractive qualities. He needs a villain that matches this black and white outlook on the world. Enter Lex Luther. Lex is everything that Superman is not. He's evil through and through. No one has sympathy for Lex - except Lex. But this fits the story. We want to cheer for Superman without having to think about poor Lex's feelings. The villain matches the hero.

Let's look at another example. Think of Maximus in the recent movie "The Gladiator." Maximus is just as heroic as Superman, but the tone of his story is a far cry from any of Superman's adventures. And the villain that opposes our hero is just as shaded and interesting as Max is himself. The Emperor, Commodus, is just as evil and nasty as Lex, but he is more of a challenge to defeat. He's complex, surprising… sometimes even sympathetic. There are shades of gray in this tale, and Maximus must become great in order to defeat this cunning foe. Again, the villain matches the hero.

Can you imagine poor Lex facing Maximus in the gladiator ring? This would not be a worthy foe for this hero! And matching Superman with the Emperor? No, no, no. Each villain matches their hero - in strength, in structure and in tone.

2) Force your heroine to look in the mirror.

Take a look at your heroine's personality. How does she solve problems? Respond to pressure? Interact with her family? What motivates her?

Now. Give your villain the same personality… but twist it.

Why will this challenge your heroine? Well, it's easier to dismiss someone who's not like you. Of course, they're wrong, of course, they're evil. But someone who thinks the way you think, who believes what you believe, but uses these talents and thoughts in an evil way… well, that's a harder villain to dismiss. We have a natural affinity for those who are like us - who think like us, act like us. Looking in the mirror and facing a foe who reflects their qualities, will force the heroine to confront the dark inside themselves.

Think of the movie "Silence of the Lambs." Claire is a studious, methodical woman. She thinks before she acts. She analyzes. She is logical. And what is she faced with? A man who thinks the way she thinks. Who analyzes a problem before acting. Who is logical and brilliant. Who sees her as a worthy adversary. And because of all these qualities - qualities Claire admires in herself - Hannibal demands a respect that a mere illiterate punk would never receive from her. He's everything she is, yet twisted.

Or think of the movie "Fatal Attraction." Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) is one cool operator. He's got a loving wife and family, but he plays on the wild side, assuming his wit and charm will smooth ruffled feathers. And what kind of villain awaits him? A woman much like he is. Willing to take chances, daring a dalliance with a married man and positive she will come out the winner in the end. As the saying goes, poor Dan is caught on his own petard.

Now, can you imagine Dan Gallagher facing Hannibal Lector? Or poor Claire matched with Alex (Glen Close)? Neither of these matches would bring out the best in our hero or heroine - or force them to confront aspects of their own personality. And by confronting themselves, grow into a better hero or heroine.

And finally…

3) Define your villain.

We all grew up on stories of the bogeyman in the woods, the lunatic under the bed, the witch in the closet. But as writers, we can do better with our villains. When you focus on making your villain a three-dimensional character, you will automatically be forced to make your hero three-dimensional too. No cookie-cutter hero will be able to defeat a complex, fully developed villain. Give your villain worthy goals, believable motivations and interesting backgrounds. Make them as real to you as your heroine is. Spend time with them and find out what makes them tick.

Think of Darth Vader. This villain marched into "Star Wars" and captured the audience's attention just as surely as any of the gallant heroes and heroines starring in the movie. Although he fought for the wrong side, we understood and respected his loyalty to the cause. And like many three-dimensional villains, his character was so interesting, we are now watching his story unfold in a new movie - and he's become the hero!

Or think of Matty from "Body Heat." Kathleen Turner's portrayal of this conniving schemer is fascinating, not because we wish her to triumph, but rather we are beguiled with this intriguing woman. Her dark plan is evil at its worst, but like mesmerized pawns, we must sit and watch until the end.

So! Remember these three techniques when you sit down and create your villain. By spending time on the dark side, you'll insure that your hero and heroine shine bright.

Caro LaFever studied political science in college and backpacked through Europe and the Orient. She's been a ski bum, a waitress, a bookkeeper, a loan processor and an accounting software trainer. Finally deciding that she couldn't ignore her dream anymore, Caro started to write. A life-long reader, she's written seven books - fiction and non-fiction. Her fiction work has finaled in several prestigious contests, including the Orange Rose and the Emily. Her book, "Night Dreams," recently won the 2000 Golden Heart award. Her non-fiction book, "The Complete Writer's Guide for Heroes and Heroines," was released in June of 2000.