A good villain needs to be understandable and share something with the reader. - Readers appreciate villains they think they understand, not just their evil actions.
insights INSIGHT
Villain Spectrum: Relatable to Omnipotent
Villains range from personal, relatable characters to superpowered forces of evil. - Sauron represents an unstoppable evil force, while Gollum is a relatable, flawed villain.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Villain's Compassion Enables Redemption
Brandon Sanderson built an "evil missionary" villain with a compassionate flaw. - This flaw softened his villainy and enabled a redemption arc within the story.
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Are flaws necessary for villains? What traits make for a really good (err... evil?) villain? What's the difference between Sauron and Gollum? ("That's the LAST time I send you out shopping for Gollums, son...") Liner Notes: The Evil Overlord List, a handy reference for tropes to avoid (or, as the case may be, exploit...)
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