Making Your Villains Feel Super
As the last clues fall into place, you realize the mastermind was the mayor the entire time! You know she’s still in her office so you dash through the door only to find the room empty and the window open. A soft breeze carries a laugh on the wind and as you cross to the window you discover the source is the mayor! Hanging from a rope ladder attached to an airship built for speed, she cackles madly. She has gotten away but this will not be the last time you see her.
Villains are the best. An interesting villain can make an okay adventure great. A lame villain can feel forgettable and cliche. The question stands ‘what makes a villain work? and what makes one fail?’
#1 They Are Not the Villain of the Story
Victor Fries, aka Mr. Freeze from Batman, is an intricate and complex enemy. He robs banks and commits crimes to fund his research. What is his research? He is looking for a cure for MacGregor's Syndrome, not for himself but instead for his wife Nora. He froze her to help buy time but GothCorp's corrupt CEO Ferris Boyle interfered, resulting in a terrible accident that made Victor the man you know today.
Comics are riddled with great villains. Look no further than Thanos from Avengers or Killmonger from Black Panther. When making a villain takes a hard look at them and ask “why are they doing this?” and “Is there a perspective that makes them right?”
#2 Reveal The Villain Slowly
If you played Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time then you remember the first time you’re introduced to Ganon, the villain. He isn’t wringing his hands menacingly or cleaving enemies on the battlefield. No, he is on his knees in subjugation to the king of Hyrule. You get the rundown that this guy is bad news bears from princess Zelda and that you need to stop him. The true extent of his villainy isn’t revealed until much later in the game.
When introducing your Antagonist do so slowly. When is the soonest this enemy can show up? The Final Fantasy series is amazing at this in the form of Kefka, Final Fantasy VI, and Seymour, Final Fantasy X. One is shown as an unhinged mad man with limited power and the other as an ally to the party. It builds believably if a villain is revealed in stages. This allows the players to uncover it together and the interactions that seemed inconsequential earlier are now paying off.
#3 Who Are They in Their Downtime?
We’ve gone over what makes this villain think they’re the hero in part one, now I want you to go beyond that. What does your villain do in their downtime? Grand Admiral Thrawn, of Star Wars Rebels, spent his time looking at the art of his opponent. Through viewing the art he found how best to defeat them. Is your villain an art collector? If not maybe they have a weakness they keep secret the players can reveal. Does your villain have a weakness for sweets or gambling? By adding these extra layers we are essentially applying the detailing on a beautiful cake. These flourishes make the villain stand out more and help them resonate with the players.
I hope these tips were helpful. Remember, a hero is only as good as their villain. I would love to see examples of memorable villains from your games. Post them in the comments below. Thank again!