Character Building — Part 3
For the third and final post in my character building series, it’s time to get up close and personal with villains. But not too close because, well, they’re dangerous.
I want to find out what makes these wily adversaries tick. What is it that makes us love to hate them, invokes nightmares, and challenges us to question our own morals?
I’ve always had a soft spot for antagonists with depth, who are more than just a pure evil entity like Voldemort or Sauron. Whether they’re tragic or have a warped world view, the best villains can steal the show from the hero.
Here are a few of my favorite villains and why:
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn — Amy Dunne is a creepy and conniving sociopath, but the brilliance of her character is in how the truth unfolds. From her fake diary entries to being inside her head, we catch a glimpse of a troubled individual, hell-bent on revenge and sharp enough to pull it off. Amy has a backstory that offers answer to why she is the way she is, and motivations that are appalling, yet fascinating.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo — You know if a guy’s mother betrays him that he must be truly evil. The Darkling is charming, handsome, and power-hungry. He seduces Alina, completely enthralling her in his web so he can harness her her power as Sun Summoner. When he finally drops his charming mask, the most shocking thing is that he still has a magnetic affect on Alina, and on the reader.
Spider-Man 2 (the one from 2004 with Tobey Maguire) — Otto Octavius was a gentle and brilliant scientist madly in love with his wife until his invention betrayed him, turning him into the monster known as Doc Ock. In a failed experiment, eight metallic tentacles are fused to his body and take over his psyche, leading him to do terrible things. But the most compelling part about his character is at the end. He battles against the darkness that’s invaded his mind, eventually sacrificing his life, to help Spider-Man save New York City.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie — Great villains should actively be trying to foil the hero; they should always have a presence, even if it’s in the background. In the realm of traditional mysteries, none are done as brilliantly as Dr. James Sheppard, the narrator and *spoiler* murderer of Roger Ackroyd. He’s careful about what information he gives the detective and readers, fully believing he’ll get away with murder. But alas, there’s no fooling Hercule Poirot. The real horror is at the end when Poirot gives him the option of being turned over to the police or, to save his family’s honor, suicide.
Who are your favorite villains? Why?
What I’m reading: Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz (how have I not read this yet???)
What I’m listening to: Summer — Calvin Harris
I look forward to the Gone Girl movie with Ben Afflick.
The villain that comes to mind is in an older historical romance, A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson. It takes place after the Russian Revolution when a young countess escapes to England and works as a servant for a lord who has a beautiful but nasty fiance (the villain). The fiance is prejudiced, rotten to the core and believes in eugenics (The story is right before WWII). She dislikes anyone not perfect in her eyes.
What a fantastic example! Muriel’s so horrible, one of those villains we especially love to hate, and that makes us really celebrate when she’s finally given the boot! I’ll have to reread that book now — it looks like they’ve repackaged it as YA 🙂