The villain has to be exciting. They have to be thrilling in a way that makes them seem almost inhuman. There has be twists and turns, but there also needs be a few predictable character traits here and there. While these requirements can be incredibly daunting, it goes without saying that the author has to determine just what makes a good villain, especially in the context of your stories. 

There are different types of villains, of course. Whether they be the evil stepmother and stepsisters from Cinderella, or even the evil fairy from Sleeping Beauty. Even so, they’re still entertaining to read about, and even more so when they get their just deserts.

But, just what makes a good villain? And how can we achieve an ending that’s perfect for both the protagonist, and for us? 

The Background 

Depending on the genre, the villain can have a tragic backstory, or they can come across as even a parody of their own selves. For instance, in Addams Family Values, the family is confronted by notorious black widow who came from an entitled family, an entitlement that has even marked her as a possible crazy by the Addams Family themselves. There are, of course, other lovable villains that aren’t nearly as psychotic. Then of course, it all depends on you. 

The Moral Compass 

Depending on the message you want to convey, sometimes a particularly good villain may have some morals that can result in devastating actions, or they have absolutely no morals at all. Keep in mind that the more realistic villains tend to fall between shades of grey, and that, though they might want something bad enough to try to trample over others, they still have a sense of morality. Then of course, there are other children’s books and stories in which the villain is irredeemable. This has also been seen in various Hollywood movies and shows.

The End Game 

It’s important that a good villain has an end game. For example, why do they want to keep torturing our protagonist? What are their goals? What exactly are they after? And it’s important that you make this clear in the story so that readers can either support or condemn the villain to everlasting hell. Even so, the villain's goal doesn't have to be fixed; there are many opprotunities for the villain to mature as a character. A particularly famous example comes from Rick Riordan's The Camp Half Blood series, in which one of the main antagonists, Luke, had worked hard to bring back Kronos, only to sacrifice himself to save his friends. 

Like it or not, villains are the backbone of the story. After all, no one wants to read about a story where everything is nice and wonderful. And despite all of our hatred of the antagonist, at times we may not want to admit it, but they can be right. Just remember to take into account a villain’s backstory, their goals, and their morals.