#writing antagonists

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

💀 Making Your Villain Make Sense (Without Making Them Right™)

("because if I see one more war criminal with a sad diary entry get a redemption arc, I’m gonna throw my laptop.")

Here’s the thing: your villain doesn’t need to be redeemable. But they do need to make sense.

And I mean sense beyond "they’re evil and they monologue about it." Or “they have a tragic past, so now they do murder <3.” Or “they were right all along, the hero just couldn’t see it 🥺.”

Let’s fix that.

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🧠 STEP ONE: BUILD A LOGIC SYSTEM THAT ISN’T OURS Your villain shouldn’t just be wrong, they should have their own internal system that works for them. Morally flawed? Absolutely. But coherent.

Ask yourself:

What do they value more than anything? (Power? Order? Loyalty? Vengeance?)

What do they believe about the world, and how did they get there?

What fear drives them? What future do they think they’re trying to prevent?

The villain doesn’t need to know they’re wrong. But you should.

Make their logic airtight. even if it’s awful. Give them cause and effect.

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👿 STEP TWO: STOP GIVING THEM THE BETTER IDEOLOGY Listen. I love a “morally gray” moment as much as anyone. But if your villain is making all the good points and the hero’s just like “no because that’s mean,” your arc is upside down.

If your villain is critiquing injustice, oppression, or inequality, make sure their methods are the problem, not their entire worldview.

✖︎ WRONG: Villain: “The ruling class is corrupt.” Hero: “That’s not nice.”

✔︎ RIGHT: Villain: “The ruling class is corrupt, so I’m burning the city and everyone in it.” Hero: “So you’re just… committing genocide now?”

Your villain can touch a real issue. Just don’t let them be the only one talking about it, or solving it with horror movie logic.

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🔪 STEP THREE: GIVE THEM POWER THAT COSTS THEM The best villains lose things too. They’re not just untouchable horror dolls in sexy coats. They make bad choices and pay for them. That’s where the drama lives.

Examples:

They isolate themselves.

They sacrifice people they love.

They get what they want, and it destroys them.

They know they’re the monster, and choose it anyway.

If your villain can kill a dozen people and feel nothing, that’s not scary. That’s boring. Let them bleed. Let them regret it. Let them double down anyway.

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🧱 STEP FOUR: MAKE THEM PART OF THE WORLD, NOT OUTSIDE IT Villains shouldn’t feel like they were patched in from another genre. They should be part of the world’s logic, culture, class system, history. They should reflect something about the setting.

Villains that slap:

The advisor who upheld the regime until they decided they deserved to rule.

The noble who’s using war to reclaim stolen legacy.

The ex-hero who thinks the system can’t be saved, only reset.

The priest who truly believes the gods demand blood.

They’re not just evil, they’re a product of the same world the hero is trying to save.

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👁 STEP FIVE: SHOW US THEIR SELF-JUSTIFICATION You don’t need a tragic backstory™. But you do need to show us why they think they’re right. Not just with exposition, through action.

Let us watch them:

Protect someone.

Choose their goal over safety.

Justify the unjustifiable to a character who loves them.

Refuse to change, even when given a chance.

A villain who looks into the mirror and goes “Yes. I’m correct.” is 1000x scarier than one who sobs into a journal and says “I’m so broken 🥺.”

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🧨 BONUS ROUND: DON’T MAKE THEM A HATRED MEGAPHONE Especially if you’re writing marginalized characters: don’t let your villain become a mouthpiece for slurs, abuse, or extremism just to make them “evil enough.” That’s lazy. And harmful.

You don’t need real-world hate speech to build a dark character. You need power, consequence, and intent.

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TL;DR: Good villains don’t need to be right. They need to be real. Not a vibe. Not a sad boy in a trench coat. Not a trauma monologue and then a sword fight. They need logic. They need cost. They need to scare you because you get them, and still want them to lose.

Make them dangerous. Not relatable. Make them whole. Not wholesome. Make them make sense.

—rin t. // thewriteadviceforwriters // villain critic. final boss consultant. licensed chaos goblin

P.S. I made a free mini eBook about the 5 biggest mistakes writers make in the first 10 pages 👀 you can grab it here for FREE:

[burntoutdaydreamer]

To Write Better Antagonists, Have Them Embody the Protagonist's Struggles

(Spoilers for The Devil Wears Prada, Avatar the Last Airbender, Kung Fu Panda 2, and The Hunger Games triology).

Writing antagonists and villains can be hard, especially if you don't know how to do so.

I think a lot of writers' first impulse is to start off with a placeholder antagonist, only to find that this character ends up falling flat. They finish their story only for readers to find the antagonist is not scary or threatening at all.

Often the default reaction to this is to focus on making the antagonist meaner, badder, or scarier in whatever way they can- or alternatively they introduce a Tragic Backstory to make them seem broken and sympathetic. Often, this ends up having the exact opposite effect. Instead of a compelling and genuinely terrifying villain, the writer ends up with a Big Bad Edge Lord who the reader just straight up does not care about, or actively rolls their eyes at (I'm looking at you, Marvel).

What makes an antagonist or villain intimidating is not the sheer power they hold, but the personal or existential threat they pose to the protagonist. Meaning, their strength as a character comes from how they tie into the themes of the story.

To show what I mean, here's four examples of the thematic roles an antagonist can serve:

1. A Dark Reflection of the Protagonist

The Devil Wears Prada

Miranda Priestly is initially presented as a terrible boss- which she is- but as the movie goes on, we get to see her in a new light. We see her as an bonafide expert in her field, and a professional woman who’s incredible at what she does. We even begin to see her personal struggles behind the scenes, where it’s clear her success has come at a huge personal cost. Her marriages fall apart, she spends every waking moment working, and because she’s a woman in the corporate world, people are constantly trying to tear her down.

The climax of the movie, and the moment that leaves the viewer most disturbed, does not feature Miranda abusing Andy worse than ever before, but praising her. Specifically, she praises her by saying “I see a great deal of myself in you.” Here, we realize that, like Miranda, Andy has put her job and her career before everything else that she cares about, and has been slowly sacrificing everything about herself just to keep it. While Andy's actions are still a far cry from Miranda's sadistic and abusive managerial style, it's similar enough to recognize that if she continues down her path, she will likely end up turning into Miranda.

In the movie's resolution, Andy does not defeat Miranda by impressing her or proving her wrong (she already did that around the half way mark). Instead, she rejects the values and ideals that her toxic workplace has been forcing on her, and chooses to leave it all behind.

2. An Obstacle to the Protagonist's Ideals

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Fire Lord Ozai is a Big Bad Baddie without much depth or redemptive qualities. Normally this makes for a bad antagonist (and it's probably the reason Ozai has very little screen time compared to his children), but in Avatar: The Last Airbender, it works.

Why?

Because his very existence is a threat to Aang's values of nonviolence and forgiveness.

Fire Lord Ozai cannot be reasoned with. He plans to conquer and burn down the world, and for most of the story, it seems that the only way to stop him is to kill him, which goes against everything Aang stands for. Whether or not Aang could beat the Fire Lord was never really in question, at least for any adults watching the show. The real tension of the final season came from whether Aang could defeat the Fire Lord without sacrificing the ideals he inherited from the nomads; i.e. whether he could fulfill the role of the Avatar while remaining true to himself and his culture.

In the end, he manages to find a way: he defeats the Fire Lord not by killing him, but by stripping him of his powers.

3. A Symbol of the Protagonist's Inner Struggle

Kung Fu Panda 2

Kung Fu Panda 2 is about Po's quest for inner peace, and the villain, Lord Shen, symbolizes everything that's standing in his way.

Po and Lord Shen have very different stories that share one thing in common: they both cannot let go of the past. Lord Shen is obsessed with proving his parents wrong and getting vengeance by conquering all of China. Po is struggling to come to terms with the fact that he is adopted and is desperate to figure out who he is and why he ended up left in a box of radishes as a baby.

Lord Shen symbolizes Po's inner struggle in two main ways: one, he was the source of the tragedy that separated him from his parents, and two, he reinforces Po's negative assumptions about himself. When Po realizes that Lord Shen knows about his past and confronts him, Lord Shen immediately tells Po exactly what he's afraid of hearing: that his parents abandoned him because they didn't love him. Po and the Furious Five struggle to beat Shen not because he's powerful, but because Po can't let go of the past, and this causes him to repeatedly freeze up in battle, which Shen uses to his advantage.

Po overcomes Shen when he does the one thing Shen is incapable of: he lets go of the past and finds inner peace. Po comes to terms with his tragic past and recognizes that it does not define him, while Shen holds on to his obsession of defying his fate, which ultimately leads to his downfall.

4. A Representative of a Harsh Reality or a Bigger System

The Hunger Games

We don't really see President Snow do all that much on his own. Most of the direct conflict that Katniss faces is not against him, but against his underlings and the larger Capitol government. The few interactions we see between her and President Snow are mainly the two of them talking, and this is where we see the kind of threat he poses.

President Snow never lies to Katniss, not even once, and this is the true genius behind his character. He doesn't have to lie to or deceive Katniss, because the truth is enough to keep her complicit.

Katniss knows that fighting Snow and the Capital will lead to total war and destruction- the kind where there are survivors, but no winners. Snow tells her to imagine thousands upon thousands of her people dead, and that's exactly what happens. The entirety of District 12 gets bombed to ashes, Peeta gets brainwashed and turned into a human weapon, and her sister Prim, the very person she set out to protect at the beginning of the story, dies just before the Capitol's surrender. The districts won, but at a devastating cost.

Even after President Snow is captured and put up for execution, he continues to hurt Katniss by telling her the truth. He tells her that the bombs that killed her sister Prim were not sent by him, but by the people on her side. He brings to her attention that the rebellion she's been fighting for might just implement a regime just as oppressive and brutal as the one they overthrew and he's right.

In the end, Katniss is not the one to kill President Snow. She passes up her one chance to kill him to take down President Coin instead.

[3hks]

hiii do you have any tips for writing a genuinely misanthropic, evil person without making them seem cartoonish? i’m finding that the character i’m writing doesn’t feel real, and is more like a caricature

Yeah, of course! I talk about this a bit in my blog, so here's a general overview.

Be Careful Regarding Dialogue

We all love a good villain monologue, but keep in mind that just because something sounds good in your mind doesn't mean it'll always sound good on paper. Don't reveal everything through dialogue.

Show Different Emotions

Just because your villain might be wild and crazy (for example), that doesn't mean that's the only emotions they show. What I like to suggest is to show a scene or two when they are going through an emotion opposite of their usual feelings. This way, you can show more internal dimension!

For my previous example of a character, perhaps there's a scene where they hesitate or feel guilty, contrasting their usual impulsiveness and chaos. If your antagonist is cold, then maybe there's an event where they feel surprised, concerned, or even desperate.

Competent

Make your villain competent! Make them someone who is an actual threat to the protagonist. If your audience doesn't take them seriously, that might be because your antagonist seems too underwhelming.

Don't Focus Too Much on Making Them "Bad"

I think that some people are too wrapped up with making their characters seem as evil as possible that they get carried away and end up with an unrealistic character. Keep in mind that no matter how antagonistic your character is, they're still human.

I know you said that your character is misanthropic, so it does make sense for them to appear as a worse person, but don't overdo it!

Show Weaknesses

Your character should be competent, but it's also crucial to reveal some weaknesses to the reader. This could be physical weaknesses, but I also highly recommend hinting at any internal dilemmas/vulnerabilities.

Give a Reason

Why is your character misanthropic? Why do they hate humans so much? A lack of background can make your character seem forced and fake. Their hate should not spawn out of nowhere.

FINAL NOTES

And always remember that an evil character does not mean they should be hated. They might garner dislike from the readers, but an antagonist is not defined by that. There are people who aim to make their villain as hated as possible to verify their "evil-ness", but that doesn't create a genuine antagonist.

Hope this helps! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Happy writing~

3hks <3

[byoldervine]

Writing Tips - Villains VS Antagonists

The difference between a villain and an antagonist is that antagonists don’t have to be bad guys, whereas with villains it’s basically a requirement. Antagonists only have to serve as obstacles to the endeavours of the protagonists, regardless of whether their stance is moral or even just generally opposing the protagonist

So when should you use a villain and when should you use an antagonist?

There’s not necessarily a right or wrong answer here, but it’s important to recognise that not every story needs a villain, whereas most will rely on an antagonist. All stories need conflicts or challenges that keep the protagonist from achieving their goals, and since that’s the same role an antagonist fills, it’s easy to use other characters to do it. It also helps to add internal conflict, as well as antagonists being extremely versatile; they could be anything from a friendly rival putting their all into a competition against the protagonist, to the school bully who goes out of their way tormenting people, to a police officer chasing the protagonist criminal - that’s right, antagonists can even be the good guy and objectively more heroic or in the right than the protagonist is

Really the only thing that separates the two is their morality and how far astray their acts and intentions are from arguably good; you can have a non-villainous antagonist by making their antagonism unrelated to morality or their immoral acts being far too weak to achieve villain status (a real-life Nelson Muntz isn’t gonna be making actual villain status at ten, for example), and you can have a non-antagonistic villain by ensuring they don’t oppose or challenge the protagonist

I’ve seen several people lately worrying that they need to get a villain in, so this is for you guys; stories do not inherently require a villain, and if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, maybe they just don’t know the difference between a villain and an antagonist

[personnotthestatue]

I'd do anything for more unorthodox protagonists

I want antagonists who are sad that no one likes them.

I want antagonists who get upset, sad and frustrated.

I want antagonists who don't appear scary at all

Ones who are very well intentioned

Ones with no charm or social skills at all

Villains who became villains on ACCIDENT

As much as I love the dark, brooding, mysterious, morally gray, maybe violent antagonist. I'd really like to see antagonists who I feel more conflicted about instead of simply being enraged by their every move.

[tinyreviews]

Writing Tips: Antagonist, or Villain

An antagonist is merely a character that obstructs the protagonist, and not necessarily a villain(bad person), but I will be using antagonist and villain interchangeably here.

Antithesis to the Hero:

Thematic Opposition: A great villain embodies contrasting values, beliefs, or goals, creating a dynamic conflict.

Menacing Presence: The villain’s actions and goals should genuinely endanger the protagonist or what they hold dear.

Personal Conflict: The villain should have a direct connection to the hero's past, values, or motivations. This personal stake intensifies the conflict.

Writing the Villain:

Plot Impact: The villain's actions should significantly affect the plot. Their presence should drive the story forward and create pivotal moments. The villain is the one whose presence and actions all other characters react to.

Hero's Threat: A compelling villain should be skilled at exploiting the hero's vulnerabilities, capable of challenging the hero both mentally and physically. This forces the hero to make difficult choices and reveals their true character.

Competing Goals: The hero and villain should have conflicting but shared goals. This competition creates ongoing conflict, leading to character growth and revelations. Think of the Joker and Batman competing for the soul of Gotham.

Complex Personality: Give your villain depth. They should have their own motivations, flaws, and a personality that makes them interesting to the audience.

Meaningful Conclusion: A villain's fate should be meaningful to the story. Whether they meet their demise or undergo a change, it should resonate with the narrative.

Types of Villains:

Pure Evil Villain: These villains often lack a complex backstory, have simple motivations like gaining power or revenge, exude raw enthusiasm for villainy, and display unwavering self-confidence. They may experience a third-act breakdown that signals their potential defeat. Sometimes they survive their breakdown and come back more nuanced. Such villains are beyond redemption, and their arc often concludes with their demise.

Fallen Hero: A hero turned villain feels like a tragic transformation. This archetype can be consistent before and after the fall, like Light from Death Note. Alternatively, they can be transformed by circumstances, like Harvey Dent. This theme represents the fragility of heroism and serve as a cautionary tale to the existing hero.

Satan Archetype: Light from Death Note, Griffith from Berserk. Doomed to fall by their personality. Their character is consistent before and after the fall.

Adam Archetype: Harvey Dent from Batman, Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars. Doomed to fall by circumstance. Usually, their faith in higher authority or power is shattered, they lose someone important, or is slowly transformed by someone or something. Their character is transformed by the fall. 

Just Antagonist: Probably the most common type of villain, they exist simply because the plot requires a character to obstruct the hero.They usually want the same thing as the hero and compete with the hero for it.

Fleshing out the Villain:

Show what they are planning(provides tension).

Show their interactions(and with who?) behind the scenes.

Show how they handle successes and setbacks(what kind of person are they?).

Show what they do to entertain themselves besides villainy(nuanced). 

Give them a foil sidekick(villainous drama): chaotic Hexadecimal, loyal Harley Quinn, cowardly Starscream, all action Darth Vader.

This is part of my Writing Tips series. Everyday I publish a writing tip to this blog.

[thepedanticbohemian]

One of my antagonists--there are 3 main ones in The Ouderkirk House--was born with every advantage, silver spoon, a billionaire US Senator. He's the scary, insurmountable foe. It's not until the resolution in the third act do we see a hint of justice for our protagonists. We see early on that he's a douche with money and no scruples.

The sickly retired Sheriff is straight-up an asshole. He had a decorated career and a get-out-of-jail-free card from the main antagonist's grandfather, then-governor of WA state for being a hired black bag man.

The serial killer had a horrific childhood going from foster home to foster home. He's autistic but with savant syndrome. He's the wild card no one sees coming.

[ancientroyalblood]

Creating Well-Defined Antagonists: Going Beyond the 'Bad Guy'

Writing is not just about heroes and their journeys; it’s also about the captivating dance with antagonists. These characters are more than mere obstacles; they are the counterbalance, the yin to the hero’s yang. However, crafting a well-defined antagonist is not simply about painting a ‘bad guy’ on your story’s canvas. It’s about understanding their depths, motivations, and complexities. In this…

[helpful-writing-tips]

if you're trying to get into the head of your story's antagonist, try writing an "Am I the Asshole" reddit post from their perspective, explaining their problems and their plans for solving them. Let the voice and logic come through.

[the-modern-typewriter]

"Please."

The villain raised an eyebrow, but didn't otherwise look up from their desk. "You can walk out of that door any time, darling. I'm not stopping you."

"I'd come back. It wouldn't - I don't want to break our deal."

"You don't want the consequences of breaking our deal. You absolutely want to break it."

"People are dying," the hero snapped. "I can help."

"Mm, of course you can. You're a miracle on legs."

"I'm just suggesting a pause," the hero said. "A temporary change of terms. That's all."

"And I'm just saying no."

The hero stopped on the other side of the table, fingers digging into the fine wood in an effort to control their temper. They took a deep breath. Released. Another.

"I'm still yours," the hero said. "I'd still be yours."

"Always. But N-O spells no."

"I'm begging," the hero said, through gritted teeth.

"Is that what that is?" The villain finally deigned to glance up. Their eyes - a dark and stormy night for all bad things to happen in - did not match their light tone. The amused curve of their slight smile. "Gosh. Your standards are slipping. You're not even kneeling or anything."

"Would you say yes if I knelt?"

The villain's head tipped to one side. "No," they said, after a long moment. "But I'd sincerely appreciate the view. Perhaps it might even distract you from this latest bout of self-loathing."

"Screw you."

"But it's so much more fun when you do it, dear."

"This is serious!"

The villain scoffed and merely pointed a finger at the door, expectant and waiting.

The hero's jaw clenched hard enough to hurt but they didn't move.

"Mm," the villain said. "Are you kneeling or are we done here?"

The villain could have lied, they knew that. They could have pretended there was a chance that they'd say yes. They could have offered false hope, only to rip it away again once they'd had their fun.

In the grand terms of their arrangement, the villain had done absolutely nothing wrong. They were even, in their own particular way, being kind.

There was a bitter taste in the hero's mouth.

"It's bad out there," they said, voice cracking. "People need me. They could - maybe it could be fun. You've never played at saving the world, have you? We could do it together. Go together. It could be an experiment. A game."

"Perhaps," the villain shrugged. "But I don't think that would be very good for your mental health."

"This isn't very good for my mental health!"

The villain simply looked at them.

The hero could leave. They could end the deal at any time.

But, then, the villain would simply leave too. An apocalypse slipping free of its gilded cage. The horrors on the TV would seem mild compared to the fight to come.

"I could be back in an hour," the hero said. "You wouldn't even notice I was gone."

"And I could end the world by lunch time," the villain said. "You'd be dead before you had time to be too distressed. What's your point?"

"You really don't care what's happening out there?"

"No."

"You have to care."

"I don't."

"If you're worried I'd get hurt-"

"-I'm not. I'd slaughter anyone who tried to hurt you before they got the chance."

The hero's mouth dried. Their fingers flexed on the table. They wanted to scream. Fight. Throw things.

The villain leaned back in their chair and sighed, at whatever they read on the hero's face.

"You are saving the world, love," they said. "You're here. With me. Do I need to prove that I still have teeth?"

"No," the hero said. "I - no. Thank you."

The villain nodded, just once. "Good. Come here."

"It's okay. I - I'm okay."

"You're not. Come here."

Feeling foolish, and furious, and raw, the hero rounded the desk. The villain's arm wrapped around them, pulling them close. The grip was painfully tight, mercifully impossible to wriggle free from, and so the hero had to settle against them. They could hide the prickle of tears against the deceptively vulnerable line of the villain's neck.

They stayed like that until the hero could no longer hear the screaming beyond the window.

[3hks]

How to Write a CHARMING Villain

Everyone loves a good villain, and they especially love a charming one. If you want to write an antagonist who's both evil yet irresistible, look no further!

1. Show Their "Kindness"

Kindness? Wait, I thought you said we're writing a villain today.

Yup, I mean it--make your antagonist appear kind. Realistically, someone who's polite and friendly is often considered more attractive than someone who's rude and judgmental, so make them kind. It doesn't have to be honest kindness, but you want your readers to doubt the malevolence of your character, if that makes sense.

You can show this kindness through small, daily actions; they don't have to have a lot of impact on the story. Something simple like leaving a big tip, granting a minion a vacation, letting someone go first in the line, and holding open the door all contribute to this image.

2. Smooth Talker

Effective communication is everything. If your villain is eloquent, they seem more capable and intelligent! However, if you're looking to expand further, explore what they can do with their speech.

Does everyone pay attention when they start speaking? Are they able to calmly resolve conflicts verbally? Are they really persuasive? Do they speak elegantly?

Show the effects of their communication skills!

3. Good leader

Make them a good leader. Make them consider how their subordinates might feel. Make them choose good decisions. Perhaps they give their workers days off when they need it. Perhaps they engage with their followers often. Perhaps they're more down-to-earth.

A solid leader looks respectable while a poor one looks ridiculous.

4. Intelligent + Logic

I say this all the time, but make your villains smart, make them logical, make your readers understand where they're coming from. Some of the best antagonists I've ever seen are not the ones that seem excessively evil or unhinged, but rather the ones that seem logical in their actions. And knowing that they're well-aware of their actions and the consequences makes things that much scarier.

if you want a charming villain, you have to start with someone who is competent.

5. Conflicting Moments

At the end of the day, your character is still the antagonist. Yes, they might appear kind, but that's not going to last forever. There will be times when they act unnecessary cruel, and that's okay.

Your audience might be unsettled and confused from the whiplash, and that's okay. Don't force your character into being someone else to satisfy the readers. Embrace the difference.

6. Backstory

Backstories matter for all different types of reasons. From establishing the basis to one's goals, morals, and values to providing the foundation for their character, an effective backstory can do a lot.

However, I want to specifically talk about how the backstory demonstrates someone overcoming their obstacles. If they made it to the present, then they really defied all odds to be here, and honestly? That's admirable (and attractive), no matter what kind of person they turn out to be.

Now, if you're thinking "what if I don't give the antagonist a painful backstory?", I'll address that real quick. You don't have to give them a super depressing past, but there will always be pain and hurt in their past, even if it isn't something "lifechanging" or there 24/7. There is no such thing as a perfect, happy past.

CONCLUSION

To quickly conclude, a charming villain is often not one who appears visibly evil, but one who appears compassionate, intelligent, well-spoken, and acts like a good leader.

Happy writing~

3hks :)

[writersintuitioninstinct]

Whenever I write a character or I watch a show, I mentally sort characters into Hogwarts houses. (the default is automatically Hufflepuff)

Not All Villains Are Slytherins

Anyone who has ever been sorted into Slytherin knows the struggle of people immediately pegging you as evil. Hagrid’s quote “There weren’t a witch or wizard who went bad that wasn’t in Slytherin,” haunts every Slytherin-sorted fan and it’s completely untrue. Problem is, the number and variety of non-Slytherin villains in the Harry Potterverse is few and far between, and we all know it’s due to author bias. So, I thought I’d go through the other three houses and try to find some villains in order to shine a light on the kinds of villains who don’t fit the Slytherin standard.

GRYFFINDOR

A Gryffindor villain is usually going to be driven to villainy due to their own internal flaws, often pride, egotism, lack of empathy, or as an assertion of power or authority. The villains of this house are the most likely to primarily commit villainy with violence, tyranny, and other shows of force. Rather than using tact or cleverness, they would hurt their enemies in the most direct and confrontational way. Expect these villains to be egotistical, proud, vain, selfish, bigoted, hostile, aggressive, close-minded, or angry.

HUFFLEPUFF

Although Hufflepuff is the house we associate the least with villainy, it is still no stranger to fostering antagonists. Villains who could be sorted into Hufflepuff generally tend to be villains because they are sidekicks or henchman to a bigger, more threatening villain, or because they are loyal to the laws, customs, and traditions of their society or culture before they are to their own heart. Others may turn to villainy out of love for their loved ones, choosing to turn against society in order to be with or take care of those they care about. They may also commit villainy in spite of being gentle and kind at heart, whether as a means of survival, selfishness, or loyalty to themselves or other antagonists before the heroes, even if they have a good relationship with the heroes.

RAVENCLAW

A Ravenclaw turned to villainy is often the mad scientist who has gone too far. While in the pursuit of knowledge, they crossed the line of morality and played god where they shouldn’t have. In less extreme cases, they may be condescending to those of lower intelligence, or trick the heroes into helping them with their research. Villains from this house are the most likely to be considered sociopathic, lacking empathy for others, and are more likely to cross lines on morality rather than necessarily hurting other people. They can be cold, emotionless, rude, condescending, and immoral.

[slaying-holofernes]

tag list

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

A Most Mousterious Mind.

[monstergili]

It's honestly an interesting concept! Please give it a chance, just mind the warnings before playing. It can be pretty graphic.

(Spoilers Below!)

We see characters change based on some decision for alternate timeline stuff, it's common enough in fiction. Although they usually only do it for one episode or two. Meanwhile, shapeshifters have existed in mythology and fiction for years, but usually they're just enemies or side characters.

But within the story of Slay The Princess, the choices we make changes the Princess based on the perspective of the her. In return, we gain a new Voice, based on her own perspective of the player. The decisions we make can influence further changes in the Princess to the point it can go beyond what might be considered human.

In the Beast route, we dehumanize the Princess into a more animalistic form while she sees us as prey - to be devoured become "one" so she can be free. (Thus the Voice of the Hunted.) Depending on our choices, we can even go to the point where she can no longer even speak! We take away her agency. While not human, to me personally, she is still a person. By denying that, she is stripped of her personhood. It's honestly horrifying to think about.

The Damsel appears to be the opposite in design but also follows this dehumanization process. By ignoring her monstrous traits, we end up setting up an idealised version of the Princess. However, she is not a person but more of an objective - either we complete the original target of slaying her, or perform the classic fairy tale rescue, with the princess as the prize. How the princess sees us is pretty simple - we are apparently infatuated with her, to the point that we don't really perceive her flaws or otherworldly nature. (Thus the Voice of the Smitten.) She's just a princess - A role to play. She will agree with anything because she cannot form any thoughts of her own now. She deteriorates the more you ask for her own opinions. This is possibly even more terrifying to consider. At the Beast is still capable of thinking, despite not being able to voice her thoughts.

the antagonist changing to match how you perceive them is such a good idea for a horror monster, anyway everyone should go play Slay the Princess byee

[bebx]

From pet_foolery