• What makes a villain in fiction special to you?
    33 replies, posted
This thought occurred to me at how many villains/heroes in fiction I like and dislike. There were so many types of villains that have different desires and backstories that I don't know what do I find in a villain. It would help if you guys would share yours. It could be from a Movie/Show/Game, so you can post examples. What makes you love a villain? What makes you hate them? What makes a villain in your point of view? What don't you like in a villain? And lastly, who is your favorite villain of all time? Personally, I love a villain that is professional at his/her position, always plays fair, honest with the hero. Even be affably evil. Examples: [thumb]http://puu.sh/1HdKc[/thumb] [thumb]http://puu.sh/1HdJJ[/thumb] Or someone that is able to take on the heroes by himself: [thumb]http://puu.sh/1HdNr[/thumb] [thumb]http://puu.sh/1HdNW[/thumb]
I like if their plan seems evil, but it's in good intention beneath the surface I often can't help but root for the villain in that position What I don't like is the stereotypical gentleman villain who dresses and talks like an Oxford professor That's just bland, I prefer if they have humor, dress uniquely, are really creepy or are just unique overall
I hate villains who just try to take over the world or are just evil for no reason.
[QUOTE=Hakita;39028774]I hate villains who just try to take over the world or are just evil for no reason.[/QUOTE] I dunno, I kinda like the evil for no reason thing, like the Joker from the Dark Knight, just causing chaos for fun, to play the game. But world domination is generally boring.
[QUOTE=Hiccuper;39028799]I dunno, I kinda like the evil for no reason thing, like the Joker from the Dark Knight, just causing chaos for fun, to play the game. But world domination is generally boring.[/QUOTE] What I meant is that I hate villains whose motivations are never explained. I like a lot of villains who are evil for the sake of being evil or just for the shits of it.
Ones where the villain is not actually as evil as you thought he was. Infact, sometimes the protagonist is just as, if not more, evil. Or if they're plain just more likable than the protagonist. I also seem to like ones that are chillingly sadistic, which is why I take somewhat of a liking to these two. [img]http://dreager1.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/sladettanimated2003.jpg[/img][img]http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/4/4e/Upotte_Rk95_victory.jpg/800px-Upotte_Rk95_victory.jpg[/img]
Classy with a sense of 'fair play' about their work - similar to what the OP mentioned.
[QUOTE=Lufttygger306;39028755]I like if their plan seems evil, but it's in good intention beneath the surface I often can't help but root for the villain in that position[/QUOTE] The problem with this is that sometimes you end up tossing up over who to root for. Especially if it's later revealed that their intentions are somewhat "good". I remember I was watching an anime and when the villain was finally revealed, at first you hate his guts because of his cruel deeds but then you end up sort of sympathizing because his motives turn out to be justifiable. It ruined the build up and the ending wasn't as satisfying.
I like it when a villain plays fair, give you a sword for example. I also love it when a villain really makes you want to kill him I had had with handsome Jack after [sp]Death of bloodwing, roland and the capture of Lilith[/sp]
I like it when a villain thinks he's the good guy, Handsome Jack is a good example of that, calling you a bandit and murderer.
If hes Vaas
I like when a villain have a backstory that can explain his/hers mental instability. (In case they have a mental instability) You get to see and understand the reason for his/her actions.
When they're motivated by things independent of the main characters, and they're not really evil, just on intersecting paths. [IMG]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9HYHuIgWaX4/TvAKfFS3GzI/AAAAAAAABAQ/_QnLB7KH-sU/s1600/star_wars_bounty_hunter_02.jpg[/IMG] And when they kick so much ass you have to like them.
carnage and venom because they look cool
I guess the most interesting type of villains are the ones that are as interesting and developed as the protagonist :v: a rare thing these days
OP's post reminded me about how terrible this year was fuckin korra
[IMG]http://static.tvfanatic.com/images/gallery/gustavo-fring-picture.jpg[/IMG] This is my favourite villain, Gustavo Motherfucking Fring, he's creepy and professional. And yet you learn how he got like this, and it just works perfectly for the show.
[QUOTE=Corporal Yippie;39029818]OP's post reminded me about how terrible this year was fuckin korra[/QUOTE] Amon had so much potential and it came crashing down near the end of the show. What a disappointment
I like the villains that go about their evil ways in a businesslike manner, but they have a crazy side to them.
What makes you love a villain? : When you realize they could kick the Hero's wimpy ass typically. What makes you hate them?: I really don't know, I prefer villains. What makes a villain in your point of view? : Sadistic causes, madness. What don't you like in a villain? : Being a perfectly normal person. And lastly, who is your favorite villain of all time? : Arthas Menethil
I feel like what makes a villain good is their relationship to the hero. There needs to be some sort of connection there, either thematic or personal, that defines both the hero and the villain, that makes the villain more than a simple obstacle to be overcome. Let's look at two Disney examples, Dr. Facilier and Governor Ratcliffe. Now, Governor Ratcliffe frustrates me, just because he's so on the verge of being a great villain: his design is stellar, and communicates all you need to know about him in an instant (purple clothing indicates that he's much more wealthy, higher in status, and removed than the people he commands, and also stands out like a sore thumb against the greens, browns, and blues of Virginia, implying an alien presence that refuses to adapt, compromise, or reform), his voice acting is marvelous, but he just doesn't do enough in the story. He has no connection at all to Pocahontas, and while it's implied he has a power struggle with John Smith, it's never carried out as much as it could be. The result is a marvelous villain who is unable to do much but sit in his tent and mince until the finale. Dr. Facilier, on the other hand, is much more refined. Again, his design tells you all you need to know about him in an instant: He wears a few fine clothes, such as a top hat, vest, and suit jacket, but he has no dress shirt and his clothing fits him awkwardly, and when he removes his hat, his messy rat's nest of hair is revealed, again, standing out like a sore thumb in an era when the fashion for African-American gentlemen was short, trim hair. The result is a portrait of a man who is desperately attempting to appear more well-off and affluent than he really is. Facilier, like Ratcliffe, shares no personal connection to the film's heroine, but he works because there's a profound thematic connection there. Take a look at this scene: [video=youtube;CagSrNm1WtI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CagSrNm1WtI[/video] This is the moment that not only connects Tiana and Facilier, but divides them forever. Tiana and Facilier both come from similar backgrounds, growing up poor and black in a society where the cards are stacked against them. But from there, they diverge: Tiana took it upon herself to overcome her circumstances through hard work and perseverance, while Facilier tried to take short cuts. Tiana didn't let herself be poisoned by the hardships of the world and remained able to appreciate the LaBouff family as the genuinely good people they were, while Facilier felt nothing but resentment at them having everything he didn't. Facilier isn't only a great character in his own right, a desperate conman willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead, but his role in the story helps define Tiana as a character and make her a better heroine, despite the two only sharing one scene together in the film's climax: [video=youtube;UkYnESAw0-4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkYnESAw0-4[/video] I'm only scratching the surface here, but I think I'm getting my idea across, right?
[QUOTE=doomevil;39028660]- What makes you love a villain?[/quote] If anything makes me love the villain the writers failed. Villains are supposed to be hated. After all, if you love the guy, you don't have any real incentive to kick him in the balls and crush every dream he has, now do ya? [quote]What makes you hate them?[/quote] Wide variety of things. Doesn't matter all that much on the specifics as long as the writers did a decent job of demonizing the guy. [quote]What makes a villain in your point of view?[/quote] An asshole that wants to be a dick to a huge group of people solely for personal gain does the trick pretty well. [quote]What don't you like in a villain?[/quote] Trying to bring forth an apocalypse. That is not villainous, that is psychopathic. Villains know that, to succeed, they need to have a large group of people still alive and under their control. They're not going to throw out doomsday weapons willy-nilly, and indeed may not even have any. So, if I see a 'villain' that does throw doomsdays around like they're candy on halloween, I see a dumbass psychopath backed by terrible writing. [quote]And lastly, who is your favorite villain of all time?[/quote] I would say either GLA-DoS, Officer Tenpenny, or The Enclave. On the former, the humor and charm of it all is more than enough...I could almost befriend her if she didn't try to kill me every three seconds. Officer Tenpenny had good intentions, after all who could argue that culling gang violence in the inner city is 'bad', but his methods were flawed. He was a villain because he wanted to curb the gang violence by boosting it to the point the gangs self-annihilated, and left the survivor so weak that the cops could snuff them out. Admirable in intention, but the execution left the entire state of San Andreas in a riot. He also didn't really care about following the very law he was sworn to uphold, even shooting his own partners and blackmailing a gangbanger to bury the corpse at one point. The Enclave were fairly similar. They wanted to rebuild an America long-devastated by a nuclear apocalypse. Admirable, really, trying to restore order, drag society out of the ashes and curb the mutant monsters terrorizing everyone, so much so that this is also the goal of the good guys. However, the Enclave believed the path to this goal was to kill literally anyone that hadn't been trapped in a Vault for 200 years by poisoning the water supply with a virus they modified to kill any mutated being...even if said mutations were completely benign. Not exactly kind-hearted, that. Their first plan would have even had impact on other continents entirely, since they were hoping to get it injected into the Jet Stream, while the second plan mostly focused on a single region. But still, in both cases, they wanted to wipe out 85% of humanity to save the remaining 15%.
I like villains if they have their own unique character traits or gestures that they do, it's a nice symbol and adds to the character. Also if the villain uses certain techniques or strategies to achieve his goal. Also a sexy accent.
[QUOTE]What makes you love a villain?[/QUOTE] Usually when they're professional or chill about their role/job/actions. Confidence is important. [quote]What makes you hate them?[/quote] Honestly, I usually rarely hate villains. Most of the time, it's because I love their style, looks, or motives. [quote]What makes a villain in your point of view?[/quote] The only thing that makes a villain is when they plaster the word "VILLAIN" on their forehead. Everyone has reasons, and I try to see all sides of a story. [quote]What don't you like in a villain?[/quote] Monologue-ing and overly complex plans. [quote]And lastly, who is your favorite villain of all time?[/quote] Other Mother. [img]http://cdn.blogs.babble.com/kid-scoop/files/2012/07/other_mother_cooking_by_guitarher-d3gtpvk.jpg[/img] I know it may be silly to love a villain from a film aimed at a young(er) audience, but she scares me so much even as a (young) adult. Even further than that, I can't figure out if she has a motive, or what it is and the reasoning behind it.
Charisma first and for most (well-written charisma). This makes the villain seem confident and a credible threat and/or just more likeable. Depth is the cherry on top (either character depth or thematic depth). Use Disney villains as an example.
I like villains who actually think what they are doing is for the good of all, but in the end, realized they fucked up bad. [quote][img]http://images.wikia.com/masseffect/images/3/37/Virmire_Saren_Fueltank_Full_Shot_Cropped.png[/img][/quote] Like this guy.
My favorite villian of all time probably has to be this guy right here: [img]http://zeldawiki.org/images/thumb/1/1f/Zant.png/250px-Zant.png[/img] [quote]The predominately embraced theory is that the character change symbolizes Zant's revealed immaturity when it comes to ruling the Twili, as is displayed by his childish tantrums and fits. There is a likely possibility Zant was driven to insanity by his anger, despair, and desperation after losing the position as ruler of the Twili to Midna.[/quote] I absolutely LOVE how throughout the whole game he is shown as this being of pure evil and unspeakable power, but when you finally confront him, he shows himself to be nothing more than a spoiled brat who didn't get what he wanted for Christmas.
I love an insane antagonist, or one that uses fear or trauma to attack people as opposed to conventional weaponry.
Javert from Les Miserables
I love villains that seem normal but are actually really twisted and evil. Lawless was a pretty mediocre film but man Charlie Rakes really was a great villain. I mean just look at this fucker: [t]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyaJDVyN8N4/UFxKvUikYsI/AAAAAAAABZY/RCfFP-BnTPM/s1600/pub3-villain-medium.jpg[/t]
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