One of my favorite author exercises is exploring what lies beneath my villain characters. What's hidden underneath that pretentious behavior, the hurtful comments, and the lack of regard for others? They all have a reason for abusing those who are weaker or taking advantage of others.
And, if we're honest, we can come up with some crazy justifications ourselves. Anyone who's been married for more than a month knows how easy it is to accidentally act like a villain.
So often, we all grow accustomed to the "ugly" parts of culture. Bad bosses, unfair pay, and disrespectful attitudes can become normal—just the way things are. It's sad, and I seek every day to show strangers that they are seen.
When I was strolling through a hilly neighborhood down the street, I walked behind the newly resurfaced tennis courts. Beneath me, a fence ran between this part of the neighborhood and another portion that sat atop a large hill. I was on top of an incline, looking down into the wooded area. To my surprise, a deer chose this place to rest. I was so struck by the deer herself that I almost didn't notice the debris around her.
Bottles, cups, and other random trash made up her bed. The average cost of the surrounding houses is 700k.
That's not to say the people living there are villains who secretly enjoy polluting the environment or that this trash was dumped intentionally. It could have traveled there on the wind. Maybe visitors dumped it. But where I stood, the street and sidewalks were clean. The yards were kept up. People walked their dogs and smiled, like a pretense of luxury.
But nestled down in the valley, among human refuse, this deer took shelter.
Too often, I've walked down the street outside my neighborhood and found entire bags of fast food trash sitting on the side of the road. Someone was either too impatient or too self-centered to throw it away properly. Out their window it goes, someone else's problem to solve. In my mind, people who do this have villain tendencies. A kind heart rarely exists within those who believe the world is their garbage dump.
On the outside, most villains appear put together. They may blend in with family or society, no one suspecting they're secretly planning a murder or attempting to ruin someone's life.
It's all about what's behind the scenes, and that's where I love to hover.
- How does this villain justify breaking his younger brother's arm?
- How does this villain continually use lovers and become immune to their tears?
- How does this villain abandon their child and come back years later to ask for money?
And ultimately...
- What would it take to redeem this villain? What has to happen to them to create that realization, that they have been wrong for decades?
Digging in and answering these questions helps create realistic villains. "I'm bad because I'm a villain" may have worked for Disney classic movies, but I enjoy bringing these motives and secret pains to life. As my pastor often says, "Hurting people hurt people." That sense of entitlement, that arrogant attitude, that hatred...it came from somewhere.
Maybe it originated in an abusive home. Or maybe the villain's family struggled, and they were constantly overlooked. Left to their own devices. Lonely. Forgotten. Resentful.
Once I figure out those blessed "whys," my story ideas take shape. Every villain needs a strong protagonist to take them down. I adore creating that journey.
Keep on smilin'!
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