What makes a good Villian?

[linkzeldi]

The other day I was watching through Pokemon Best Wishes for lack of anything better to do and noticed that the regular antagonists Jessie and James actually seemed to be doing something competent. Heresy, I thought, because at this point in the pokemon anime Team Rocket was probably less threatening than PETA. However it got me thinking about what I liked in a antagonist, and how it varied from situation to situation. Sometimes I like my Villians deep and sympathetic, sometimes suave and filled with an "I'm better than you attitude", sometimes sociopathic, I loathe cliche, yet sometimes relish in it as well. What I'm trying to say is I'm the least decisive person on earth and villians can be some of the most varied characters in existence. So what I'm asking you escapist is what makes the ideal antagonist in any medium? Give examples if you wish.

 

[Jedamethis]

Somebody with a reason.

 

[GodsAndFishes]

I personally prefer the ones who aren't evil evil, but just due to various circumstances have ended up against the protagonist.

 

[MellowFellow]

I like it when the villain has a lot of charisma or believes what they are doing is the right thing. Kind of like Saren from Mass Effect, mostly because of the way he thought that by joining the reapers, everyone would be saved.

 

[GrinningManiac]

Sympathy

Not that you'd WANT them to succeed or undergo what they want to do, but you understand WHAT they're trying to accomplish, WHY they want to and WHY it matters so much to them

Case and point, Frollo from Disney's Notre Dame. Scary fellow with repressed sexual desires and far too much power

 

[hittite]

I like my villains to have some sort of realistic motivation for their actions. Even if it's just ruling the world

How did that get in there? Also, I don't like my villains to have a face turn at the last second. No redemption.

 

[Deathkingo]

Someone with motivation.

 

[Mr. Grey]

He has to be intelligent, charismatic, ruthless... so much so that he'd be willing to sacrifice his own family if it furthers his own goal. He'd have to read the hero, read everything on the field, he'd have to have a poker face to hide his true intentions and finalize his main objective in the background.

Say there is a Mad Scientist, say he has a Daughter... say that Daughter fell for the Hero and decided to betray her father. Well, that means the Daughter would get shot as soon as she betrayed her father to the Hero, then in that distraction the Mad Scientist would get the Hero, himself. Using her as a pawn all the while to get the Hero at the precise moment he needed said hero to be at and the Daughter had no clue. It's one of those things that bugs me, that they rarely go above and beyond when it comes to furthering their own goals. They should kick not only the puppy, but punt the baby for a field goal of victory.

 

[Blue Musician]

Sympathy, intelligence, wickedness, black humor, motivation or that they are darker than the protagonist. Preferably all of these at once.

 

[Hosker]

They have to be badass.

 

[Terminate421]

When they want to take over the world, or you actually want to see them win.

 

[topwomble]

they have to seem threatening not only to the hero, but also to the audience.
also they gotta be assholes

 

[Jonluw]

A decent motive (which, of course, could just be chaos or something), and a badass voice:

Presenting; bad guy above all bad guys: Scar

Edit: And pretty much this:

He has to be intelligent, charismatic, ruthless... so much so that he'd be willing to sacrifice his own family if it furthers his own goal. He'd have to read the hero, read everything on the field, he'd have to have a poker face to hide his true intentions and finalize his main objective in the background.

Say there is a Mad Scientist, say he has a Daughter... say that Daughter fell for the Hero and decided to betray her father. Well, that means the Daughter would get shot as soon as she betrayed her father to the Hero, then in that distraction the Mad Scientist would get the Hero, himself. Using her as a pawn all the while to get the Hero at the precise moment he needed said hero to be at and the Daughter had no clue. It's one of those things that bugs me, that they rarely go above and beyond when it comes to furthering their own goals. They should kick not only the puppy, but punt the baby for a field goal of victory.

 

[haddaway234]

I think a good villain should be self-aware. So basically they should have a good amount of motivation coupled with knowing what exactly they are doing and why.

 

[hurfdurp]

When they aren't entirely mustache-twirlingly 'bad' and as such have the least characterization because being the opposite force to the 'good' person is all they are needed for. I thought Melisande from the Kushiel series was a pretty pimp antagonist.

 

[linkzeldi]

A decent motive (which, of course, could just be chaos or something), and a badass voice:

Presenting; bad guy above all bad guys: Scar

Edit: And pretty much this:

He has to be intelligent, charismatic, ruthless... so much so that he'd be willing to sacrifice his own family if it furthers his own goal. He'd have to read the hero, read everything on the field, he'd have to have a poker face to hide his true intentions and finalize his main objective in the background.

Say there is a Mad Scientist, say he has a Daughter... say that Daughter fell for the Hero and decided to betray her father. Well, that means the Daughter would get shot as soon as she betrayed her father to the Hero, then in that distraction the Mad Scientist would get the Hero, himself. Using her as a pawn all the while to get the Hero at the precise moment he needed said hero to be at and the Daughter had no clue. It's one of those things that bugs me, that they rarely go above and beyond when it comes to furthering their own goals. They should kick not only the puppy, but punt the baby for a field goal of victory.

So basically you and I both love a good magnificent bastard?

 

[RazielXT]

Intelligent competent villian, who has reasonable plans, and doesnt loose his cool when his plan is failing, but rather always thinks of counterattack.

And also, he shouldnt rush into something big, that he doesnt have a clue about, just to get fucked up like poor newbie.

 

[Jonluw]

A decent motive (which, of course, could just be chaos or something), and a badass voice:

Presenting; bad guy above all bad guys: Scar

Edit: And pretty much this:

He has to be intelligent, charismatic, ruthless... so much so that he'd be willing to sacrifice his own family if it furthers his own goal. He'd have to read the hero, read everything on the field, he'd have to have a poker face to hide his true intentions and finalize his main objective in the background.

Say there is a Mad Scientist, say he has a Daughter... say that Daughter fell for the Hero and decided to betray her father. Well, that means the Daughter would get shot as soon as she betrayed her father to the Hero, then in that distraction the Mad Scientist would get the Hero, himself. Using her as a pawn all the while to get the Hero at the precise moment he needed said hero to be at and the Daughter had no clue. It's one of those things that bugs me, that they rarely go above and beyond when it comes to furthering their own goals. They should kick not only the puppy, but punt the baby for a field goal of victory.

So basically you and I both love a good magnificent bastard?

As long as he's voiced by Jeremy Irons

Spoiler: Edit: Or some other person with a similiarly magnificent voice.

 

[ShatterPalm]

An antagonist can only be considered good if they have something to do for their benefit alone, a motive to do it, and the rescoures to do it. Said thing must be something that can actually be considered a threat to the world. The person doing it must have a reason, such as revenge or desire for power, and the must also be unlike any other character in the game, show, movie, book, etc., the reason being that no one likes a bad guy in said form of media to be boring, and having the antagonist and the protagonist have the same personality is makes things boring. Normally the Antagonist must be a polar opposite to the main protagonist, if only to see the same things in a different way. Said antagonist must also have a particular archtype that sets them appart, the most common of which are Insanity, megalomania, being inredibly self absorbed, or simply believing that the world is dying and by rights should be destroyed.

I think I got everything, but if you think I missed something feel free to throw me a message back.

 

[linkzeldi]

A decent motive (which, of course, could just be chaos or something), and a badass voice:

Presenting; bad guy above all bad guys: Scar

Edit: And pretty much this:

He has to be intelligent, charismatic, ruthless... so much so that he'd be willing to sacrifice his own family if it furthers his own goal. He'd have to read the hero, read everything on the field, he'd have to have a poker face to hide his true intentions and finalize his main objective in the background.

Say there is a Mad Scientist, say he has a Daughter... say that Daughter fell for the Hero and decided to betray her father. Well, that means the Daughter would get shot as soon as she betrayed her father to the Hero, then in that distraction the Mad Scientist would get the Hero, himself. Using her as a pawn all the while to get the Hero at the precise moment he needed said hero to be at and the Daughter had no clue. It's one of those things that bugs me, that they rarely go above and beyond when it comes to furthering their own goals. They should kick not only the puppy, but punt the baby for a field goal of victory.

So basically you and I both love a good magnificent bastard?

As long as he's voiced by Jeremy Irons

Spoiler: Edit: Or some other person with a similiarly magnificent voice.

Oh Jeremy. . . you and your deliciously british accent.

Edit: I'm now making that comic my goal in life, except I'll do the guy who voiced scar in the german dub. Germans sound much scarier.