On Villains (Part Two)

Alright, split this into two posts for ease of reading/writing. Let's continue, shall we?

III. The Third Goal of Writing Villains: Conflict

Ah, the struggle. This is the most important time not to fuck up. This is where the hero and the villain clash, and lightening should strike at every blow. Now please, don't confuse the idea of conflict and struggle with personal physical violence, though that certainly is one of the more prevalent manifestations of conflict (And a good one at that). The conflict between hero and villain doesn't need to be violent. But it cannot, or rather should not, be quick, it should not be one-sided, and it should not be easy. To make the conflict quick, one sided, or easy saps the struggle of all meaning and impact, which is my primary concern here. To make a conflict any of those things, it gives the appearance of the hero getting off easy, it lessens the view of the heroes abilities (Or exaggerates them beyond all reason, thus destroying the audience's suspension of disbelief), and it destroys any impact the end may have had if it was preceded by a weak conflict.

So make the villain formidable. Take up a good deal of the story with the conflict, backstory and resolution don't matter without a good conflict. No one (Scratch that, few people) want a sandwich that's all bread, likewise, few people want a story that's all backstory and resolution and no conflict, no meat. I think writing this before dinner may have been a small mistake. Anyway, the biggest part of a conflict is to make it seem like a struggle. Many stories go for the 'Underdog' aspect, where the hero is significantly weaker than the villain. There's nothing wrong with this, although again, one must be careful when writing the hero's side so that they are not so weak as to make any victory at all seem unbelievable, such as three people against a world-spanning Empire, or one small ship against the galaxy, unless you plan on making them lose in a glorious/inglorious manner.

When the conflict begins in earnest, it's also probably the best time to show your villain's characterization. Particularly if you're writing from a limited 3rd Person or a 1st Person perspective, it gives the opportunity for the hero and the villain to interact, and in doing so, highlight the similarities and differences between the two characters. Preferably not in the narrative, mind, but through dialogue and action.

IV. The Final Goal of Writing Villains: Resolution

The big finale. This is what it's all been building to. Thousands of characters and probably four digits' worth of words as well. Close to two hours of work.

When writing a resolution, make it effective.

...

What, you didn't like that end? Of course not. No one likes lots of build up and little pay off (*Insert sex joke*). The point is that the entire story has been building to the final battle or conflict! You can't skimp here, or you'll end up with your audience unsatisfied and disappointed. You need to make the final fight the climax of the story, to make the final blow against the villain entertaining. You can't just write half a page, or dedicate only half a minute to the destruction or defeat of the villain. You need to make it satisfying, whether through an ironic end (Overused and cliche, perhaps, but better than a half-assed end), through the failure of the villain to defeat the hero and his subsequent downfall, or through the redemption or the regret-fueled turn from his ways (Again, caution, writing redemption or regret for the final resolution of the villain can come off as sappy or cliche if done poorly)

The most important part of the resolution is just that: the resolution. To fail to resolve the conflict between the villain and the hero is either a cheap way to keep the possibility of a sequel open without actually having one planned, or a simple inability to resolve the conflict between hero and villain. Don't leave the audience unsatisfied. Give them a fine finish, make sure they know that the hero and the villain are finished with each other, that their conflict is done. Unless you already have a continuation of the story worked out.

So, to recap...

I: Turn the audience against the villain; make the villain a villain!

II. Make him a well-rounded character. Don't deprive him of reasonable motivation or redeeming qualities. 

III. Make the conflict with the villain reasonably unpredictable and even.

IV. FINISH HIM! Or rather, resolve the villain's conflict with the hero.