Shades of Villainy

David Hill
3 min readFeb 21, 2020

Ten Good Reasons for Being Bad…

Photo by Max Kleinen on Unsplash

So many stories benefit from having a memorable villain. One we all love to hate. One that pushes the hero(es) to their limits. One that looks good in black — or red. A villain that deals in absolutes that make it easy to oppose.

In my own writings, the bad guys (or gals) tend to be other than mustache-twirling dastards who let loose with an occasional evil cackle just before spontaneously killing an innocent bystander, or their own minion, just to show how b-a-d they are. So — why do they do it?

Here are ten of my own thoughts. Keep in mind that I tend to write fantasy fiction and role-playing games.

1. Revenge: The pursuit of justice or retaliation has somehow gotten out of hand. Maybe the wrong person got punished — an innocent, or caught in the crossfire. Maybe some dark and terrible force called up to wreak vengeance got loose and is running amok. Maybe they just couldn’t stop at one revenge and are now on a crazed spree. Whatever the case, this madness must stop. Someone has to pay.

2. Covetousness: The villain really, really wants something and is hyper-focused upon it. Nothing can get between them. Nothing must thwart the acquisition of the desired thing. Nothing else will do. No cost is too great. We’re talking about an object of desire — even if that object is a person. There may be a good reason why the villain wants the objects, but it will suffice for now that the object does not belong to them and must be kept out of their clutches.

3. Obligation: Answering to a higher authority. The villain serves a greater master. Perhaps in a loyal fashion, or possibly biding time before an attempted coup. Maybe even just a pawn in a greater game.

4. Parental: A child or descendant deserves to rule where the villain cannot, or will not. This surrogate needs a firm and knowing hand to guide them to their destiny. If a dynasty is started — all the better. The goal is to leave a legacy.

5. Proliferation: The species must multiply — thrive — spread. Perhaps they’ve run out of room in their natural habitat. Maybe they’ve been driven out of their homeland. Or, that homeland was destroyed — maybe by themselves. They need a new home/land/world and yours looks perfect.

6. Evolution: To advance life toward an intended stage or state — and not necessarily the villain’s. The villain may genuinely want to “improve” a race in some way. Perhaps there’s a need for an army of humanoid rhinos and only normal rhinos are available. In any case, it is evolve or die.

7. Genocide: On the other hand, there is obviously an entire species or group that needs to be wiped out. Undone. To the last child. They might be hated by the villain. Maybe they’re feared. Could be a prophecy involved. They all have to go.

8. Immortality: One lifetime is simply not enough to achieve the desired goal. We’re looking at the long game. Outlasting the current heroes, and those of generations to come. The villain is not going to take defeat lying down — ever.

9. Divinity: When simple immortality just isn’t enough and only godhood will do. This villain wants it all — and worshipers to-boot. Could be from megalomania. Could be that becoming a god is the only way to win the game.

10. Revelation: This villain wants to talk to whomever is in charge of IT ALL. The Big Cheese. The Creator. Could be the villain has a burning question about the meaning of life. Maybe the villain has a complaint. Or, the villain might want to actually confront the Almighty and have it out.

Often, it comes down to creating conflict. Personally, I enjoy internal conflict to go with my epic struggles and heroic showdowns. Classic sword fights atop dark towers at the edge of active volcanoes are all well and good. Having a hero question the delivery of a killing blow just long enough for the villain to get away is just so satisfying. Is the bad guy truly evil? Is it enough that he is? Who decides? What if they’re wrong? Evil isn’t always the opposing force to Good. Sometimes, it’s just something that isn’t so easy to understand.

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David Hill

Writing and drawing his way through a lifetime of creating and gaming, David shares a cluttered home office with a restless hoard of books and four helpful cats