3 Types of Villains

A villain is an antagonist who directly opposes the protagonist and is willing to cross accepted moral boundaries to achieve their aims. Not every villain is the same. Sometimes they have a goal that overrides the need to follow the rules. Others love what they’re doing and don’t care if it’s wrong. And finally, there are those who are an unstoppable force, without thought or care for what we view as right or wrong.

Below are three types who you might recognize from books, movies, anime, and games.

The True Believer

Makishima is the kind of villain who commits sadistic acts in the belief that his goal is for the greater good. Other villains falling under this banner are Joe Goldberg from You, Magneto from Marvel, and even President Snow from the Hunger Games. They’re so certain that their goal overrides all of society’s moral boundaries, they are willing to commit unspeakable acts of violence. It’s this certainty that makes them so dangerous.

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The Hedonist

Some villains, however, revel in committing heinous acts and don’t acknowledge what they are doing is wrong. One such appears in the Japanese TV series Erased (based on the manga by Kei Sanbe). Yashiro hides his evil behind the mask of a caring teacher helping the protagonist to save a young girl from abuse. In reality, he is a serial killer who later attempts to murder the hero. Other examples include the Joker from Batman, who creates chaos just because he likes it, and Hannibal Lecter, who kills and eats people because he finds beauty in death.

The Inhuman/Force of Nature

These villains don’t have any kind of moral code because they don’t have morality at all. They aren’t making choices or enjoying the acts they commit. It’s an instinctive need to kill, infect, eat, or take over. In the Alien movies, the xenomorph wants to infect, kill, and reproduce. The humans are simply there. Other examples include zombies who are driven mindlessly to kill and consume and sharks from the Jaws franchise that kill anyone who happens to be in their water.

Which type fits your story?

Ask yourself how you want your readers to feel about your villain. Do you want them to sympathize against their better judgement? Choose the True Believer. Or do you want them to feel a horrid fascination? Choose the Hedonist. If the villain is more of a terrifying and unstoppable force, your best option is the Inhuman/Force of nature type.

Final thoughts

Which type should you choose? There’s no right or wrong answer. Choose the one that fits your story and works best with your protagonist. And there’s no need to limit yourself to only one villain. Sometimes, the protagonist might need to battle an inhuman villain while also dealing with a true believer.

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