#villain development

[deyasworld]

Made a little Morality Chart for Villain Redemption with a friend over Discord because Villain Redemption is tricky to write, and many pieces of media have been doing an awkward job at making their redemption arcs make sense.

Here are three ( some not the best ) examples:

Type A: Prince Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender

He has been conditioned to hate himself and believes he’s a bad person. Fortunately for him, his Uncle Iroh is there to support him unconditionally. It takes a while for him to understand he deserves love and patience, and discovers he’s capable of making people happy. He seeks to make amends with the Avatar and joins his team.

Type B: Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z

He’s a kingdomless prince whose planet and people were destroyed by the space emperor, Frieza, and is forced to work for him. Frieza is killed off by his rival, Goku, and slowly learns to live life in a different planet, starts a family, and befriends his rival.

Type C: Teruki Hanazawa from Mob Psycho 100

This is a psychic boy with a superiority complex who had the world at the palm of his hand, and used his powers for vanity. His ego is reprogrammed into humbleness after almost killing Mob and understanding this was not what he wanted, and gets defeated. He learns to move on and become a better person after seeking to learn from Mob’s humbleness.

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 62

There lurked a villain, cunning and shrouded in darkness as he ruled his domain with an iron fist. But little did he know, a plan brewed in the mind of one who sought to outwit him.

The protagonist, a figure of mystery themselves, had ventured into the villain's realm with a daring resolve. Their aim: to infiltrate the villain's inner circle, to become his confidant, his right hand. It was a dangerous game, one where the line between ally and adversary blurred with each passing moment.

As days turned into weeks, the protagonist gained the villain's trust, weaving their way into the intricate web of deceit that surrounded him. Yet, amidst the shadows and deception, an unexpected twist emerged.

The villain, drawn to the protagonist's charm and cunning, began to make advances. His words dripped with honeyed promises, tempting the protagonist with power and riches beyond imagination. But with each sweet whisper, the protagonist felt the weight of their conscience grow heavier.

Caught between the allure of darkness and the flicker of their own morality, the protagonist faced a choice. Would they succumb to the seductive whispers of the villain, embracing the path of darkness laid before them? Or would they steel their resolve, confronting the villain and putting an end to his reign of terror once and for all?

In the dimly lit chamber where the villain held court, the protagonist stood face to face with their nemesis. The air crackled with tension as the two locked eyes, each silently daring the other to make the first move.

"You've played your part well," the villain remarked, his voice smooth as silk. "But now, it's time to choose. Will you stand by my side, or will you fall at my feet?"

The protagonist hesitated, torn between duty and desire. But in the end, they knew what had to be done.

[luna-azzurra]

A list of moral questions to developing a villainous character

Is mercy a sign of weakness in your eyes?

What is your primary motivation or value that drives your actions?

Are there any principles you refuse to compromise on, even in your pursuit of power?

Do you believe lying is justified if it serves your goals?

How do you manipulate others to achieve your ends?

Would you betray an ally to further your plans?

Do you believe in justice, or do you see it as a tool to manipulate others?

Would you sacrifice yourself for a cause or ambition?

Would you destroy something beautiful or innocent to achieve your goals?

If you had to choose between your ambition and the life of someone you care about, what would you do?

Do you feel any responsibility towards society, or do you act solely for your gain?

How do you justify your actions to yourself and others?

Can you forgive someone who has wronged you, or do you seek revenge?

How long do you hold grudges, and what actions might provoke them?

Do you respect any form of authority, or do you see yourself as the ultimate power?

These questions can help you delve into the psyche of your villain.

[thirstywaffles]

A friend dragged me into rereading sv 🧍

[baeshijima]

thoughts on being engaged to duke!sunday, the head of the oak family, an incredibly influential figurehead within society, the close subordinate of emperor gopher wood who brought him and his sister in and raised him like his own, and the villain who faces a tragic ending in a novel you recently finished — the very same one you just so happen to find yourself transmigrated into. he is as cunning as he is blinded, a trait which brought ruin to many in the empire, and one which ultimately brought ruin to himself at the hands of the protagonists.

as luck would have it, you became a barely mentioned side character from a marquis family, whose role was to be the villain's wife stuck in a one-sided love who, too, would get caught up in the tragedy alongside him. however, now that it's you who is stuck in this position, you're determined to try any means necessary to deter him from going down that path, all in an effort to escape your predestined doomed fate!

of course, you didn't expect it to be easy. the day of your arrival in this world was already the night before your wedding, so you had little time to prepare yourself for the nonchalance of your supposed family, how they viewed you as but a means — a tool — to boost their influence and prosperity, the dismissive mannerisms of the household servants, and the absolute beauty of a man you will be married to.

(seriously. the novel descriptions did not do him justice. he was like... like... like he was handcrafted by god himself! and not to mention his sister, robin, was the very epitome of an angel! perhaps you're destined to perish by the god-tier visuals instead...)

to say the least, the wedding ceremony went by quickly. safe to say you didn't spend the night; he was cordial and gentlemanly upon letting you know that he won't do anything until you're ready, that you can take this relationship slow, but somehow you ended up feeling a tad insulted. like, who leaves their newly wedded alone in a big cold bed as they walk out on their own? a sick bastard that's who!

well, whatever. it's not like you need nor want to consummate with him! besides, you have bigger things to worry about — things such as your impending death. and, of course, the only way to stop sunday that you can imagine working is by chipping away at his resolve bit by bit, and opening his eyes to reality.

he is a tragic character, one who cares more about the well-being of penacony and its people than anyone else, but was manipulated into getting his hands dirty in the emperor's stead. you knew this. you sobbed over his story, cursed out the protagonists, and even fought internet randos on novel forums about sunday's motivation and how,

no, he is not just a stupid villain. he is a complex character with flaws and humanity and was cruelly taken advantage of by someone he considered family. he was deceived through the suffering the emperor wanted him to see to make him easily manipulated, creating a rift between him and robin to have that prominent separation. you know what? maybe you're just a !%#@ who can't even #@?"% read properly!

and yet you still find yourself at a loss when faced with the walls he has in place. your initial efforts went as well as it possibly could have; you trying to earnestly help him, while he "kindly" dismisses your offers! well, "kindly" being more condescending since you could read between the lines of his mannerisms and amiable demeanour, but that's fine! you expected this! that just means you have to double down on your sincerity, get through to his heart (somehow), and help him realise humanity isn't as weak as he's led to believe!

you have three years until the novel's plot officially starts, and another year after that until your demise. that's plenty of time to get him to warm up to you!

it was easier said than done, but after your valiant effort and abundance of time put into this relationship, which admittedly you could do with some of that lost time back, you could give yourself a pat on the back with the progress you made! while you definitely could have done without a lot of the headaches, it's safe to say sunday has significantly warmed up to you in comparison to your wedding day. he now willingly eats all his meals with you with some real conversation, takes garden strolls with you in the early evenings, invites you out for dinner at a restaurant at least four times a week, hell he's even joked and laughed with you more frequently! but most importantly, he has begun asking for your opinion before finalising any decisions he is required to make. and he actually listens and considers your side! now, that certainly is the best outcome you could hope for after all this time, and it most definitely will help in your endeavour to save you both from the protagonists!

however, you've noticed he's been more... affectionate? well, at the very least he now willingly holds your hand when in private (not just in moments when you're in the public eye and he has to make sure the family's reputation is spotless), sometimes he will hug you out of the blue ("i just need to... recharge. you have a way of calming me down. i hope you don't mind." ...how could you say no to his supreme god-tier face card? that's just a losing battle you won't even bother fighting against.), oftentimes he opts to just gaze wordlessly at you (robin had mentioned over one of your tea times how it almost appears as though there is no one but you in the world when sunday gazes at you with, in her words, "the eyes of a man so deeply in love!" ...whatever that's supposed to mean...), but a more recent development has been his sudden interest in kissing you; well, more specifically giving you a kiss to the back of your hand or on your forehead — certainly not anywhere near the lips! (besides, he's probably just gotten comfortable with you, enough where he can freely act without judgement. nothing more, nothing less.)

well, either way, development is development! soon enough, the time for the main plot to start has arrived. it of course follows what you remember, from the organised balls to the protagonists meeting to the political aspects of it all. the only difference is sunday's less active involvement in all the schemes and the emperor's ploy. rather, he seems more focused on you and the future of your marriage and even displayed a sudden interest in your practically non-existent relationship with one of the foreign diplomats, aventurine— wait...

"[name]," he calls your name out so sweetly you nearly disregarded it as someone else he was talking to. well, perhaps you would have done had he not suddenly appeared before you, a tight-lipped smile tugging the corners of his lips as he steadily approaches you.

oh. he doesn't seem very happy, if his tense figure is anything to go by. you wonder if one of the nobles grated his nerves a little too much this time?

sunday comes to a halt a step away from you. "i don't like that... gambler being so close to you. it... it brings me a rather unpleasant feeling." there's a slight, trembling pause. not a moment later does he close the gap between you, one knee on the ground as he matches your seated height on the fountain rim, your hands gently enclosed in both of his.

you idly wonder if this is what robin meant by the so-called "eyes of a man so deeply in love" she constantly gushed about, for the way in which he gazes up at you is enough to render you breathless.

"tell me, [name]," he begins once more. there is an underlying desperation woven within his tone, one which has your head spinning and heart thumping wildly as his trembling gaze holds you in place. "tell me, what am i to do with this fervent love and overwhelming adoration i hold for you?"

oh.

...oh.

perhaps your impending doom should be the least of your concerns when you now find yourself in the arms of a clingy husband...

(though, it's safe to say you did, in fact, manage to prevent him from succumbing to his tragic fate! you just gained a loving, yet slight slightly emotionally challenged husband along the way.

well, you can help him work through it; you have the rest of your lives now to figure it out, after all.)

[sanjipussyindulgence]

i havent caught up with bnha in a while but after hearing about the ending... i think we can all safely agree its the naruto of this generation. they both got too distracted writing an accidental gay love story for the ages to fix the fucked up corrupt society that uses child soldiers.

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

enough horror movies with haunted protagonists forced to confront traumatic pasts. i want a horror movie starring a well-adjusted layperson with common sense and high self-esteem whose default reaction is "fuck this shit I'm OUT"

[wildflowercryptid]

please enjoy my analysis of these two's dynamic bc i can't stop thinking about them.

bonus w/ their actual in-depth feelings on their dramatic ass divorce :

i also feel like i should clarify what i mean by "florian's main goal." in mjverse, (aka my interpretations of the game's universe,) florian & juliana are siblings and essentially act as co-protagonists. while juliana is the more talented battler of the two and ends up serving as the main protagonist of the victory road & starfall street storylines because of that, florian wants to become a pokémon professor so he focuses on helping out arven in the path of legends storyline while filling out the pokédex. the only reason why he's a competent trainer is so that he doesn't get completely bodied by wild pokémon in the midst of doing field research. and yes, knowing that probably ends up making kieran's complex about his own skills as a trainer even worse.

[theabigailthorn]

I just read a pilot for a TV show that two incredible people are trying to get made and HOO HOO! OH HOH! I can't tell you who either of them are or what the show is about but DAMN! I hope this gets made! I hope I get to be in it! HAHA, EXCITING! SICK, EVEN!

[renjunnipeikko]

dunno if this has been done yet but: airplane didn’t first become aware of peerless cucumber in the comments of pidw, he first saw peerless in the comments of a different web novel (that perhaps was one of airplane’s earlier works?) and so when initially drafting pidw he was inspired to write a villain just like cucumber bc “he’s MEAN MEAN for no reason, a literature snob, and pretends to be all high and mighty while looking down on others. also likes to kick down the little guy” and boom. sqq was born. cut to years later post-transmigration when sqh just casually drops this info with “lol i always did find it funny how much you hated the guy considering he’s literally based off you”

[scumvillainess]

au where the entire plot of pidw gets derailed when shen qingqiu shows up with a baby and announces to the rest of the world that yue qingyuan got him pregnant.

(i think there’s a fanfic where sqq babytraps yqy but i just can’t find it for the life of me)

[afsosville]

Listen, ik BingJiu is basically a breeding ground for dead doves but ISTFG that this fandom is just not seeing things the way I do. And so here I am spreading the soft BingJiu agenda coz they both need to be honestly and wholeheartedly loved so fuck canon just let them love each other PLEASE.

Anyways, does anyone have cute BingJiu recs? I can't seem to find anymore so I'm here now lol. Here's all the ones ik:

Lost my heart to you (there in the dark, under the stars) by Saccharinings

You are not alone, not anymore and Goodbye, my past reality by Elis98

Unconventional Baby Trapping and The Father-In-Law is Unknowingly the Bride? I Must Train Hard to Become Best Husband! by Munyusz

Bamboo, fire, and ink by Draconili

Ghost SJ by Unknown103User

Once upon a winter morning by NazakiSama166

Do I really need to give you away...? by Ivy_Aishi

Have a nice day! by Ehann

An easy lie by Nythtak

Rustling leaves by Jeejaschocolate

Two lilies blackened, two lilies grey by Texturralize

Honestly, it's like you've never seen a man and his demon before by Anon

My little baozi and Shen Jiu's options by Airei

Puppy love need not be temporary by Myakachan

Finding home in you by Shorimochi

Responsibility by Anon

I have no time for confession | for I'm too busy committing sins by Space_Samurai

Being a girl is great by Anon

When does a ripple become a tidal wave? and Falling, Falling, Falling for You by The_Binding

Unfinished business by Kitsunealyc

The faces you forgot by Probablyaceok

Melodies of the Heart and The Innocence of Spring Blossoms by CrazyNekoChan

Spite my way to happiness by Misto713

How to keep my favourite beast alive by Tomyam

What once was by Revesdelimonade

Sweet dreams by ari_sunshine

The Stallion Protagonist's Villain-Wooing System and Black Lotus Binghe by tpfw01

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 58

There lived a clever prince. Tasked with a mission, an agent of the crown set out to end the prince's schemes once and for all.

The agent's footsteps echoed softly in the grand halls of the palace as they made their way to the prince's chambers. Sword at the ready, they steeled themselves for the confrontation ahead. Bursting into the room, they found the prince lounging lazily upon a velvet chaise, a book of poetry in hand.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion?" the prince drawled, his gaze flicking up to meet the agent's with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"I am here to put an end to your devious schemes, once and for all," the agent declared, brandishing their sword with a flourish.

The prince merely chuckled, setting aside his book with a graceful motion. "Ah, another misguided soul sent to do the bidding of those who fear my intellect," he mused, rising to his feet and circling the agent like a predator assessing its prey.

"You underestimate me," the agent retorted, their grip tightening on the hilt of their sword. "I have seen through your facade, and I will not allow you to continue your machinations unchecked."

But as the prince spoke, weaving words like a master craftsman spinning gold from straw, doubt began to creep into the agent's mind. Was this truly a villain they faced, or merely a man misunderstood?

[luna-azzurra]

The Villain Checklist!

Creating a villain is a delicate art, much like crafting a masterpiece. To ensure your antagonist leaps off the page with depth, consider these essential elements for your villain checklist:

Motivation: Every great villain is driven by a potent motivation, one that fuels their actions and sets them on their dark path. Explore their backstory and unearth the core reason behind their villainy. Are they seeking power, revenge, redemption, or something more sinister?

Complexity: Gone are the days of one-dimensional villains twirling mustaches and cackling maniacally. Infuse your antagonist with layers of complexity and nuance. Perhaps they possess redeeming qualities or wrestle with inner conflicts that humanize their actions.

Flaws and Vulnerabilities: Despite their nefarious intentions, villains should be flawed beings with vulnerabilities. These weaknesses not only add depth to their character but also create opportunities for conflict and growth throughout your story.

Backstory: Delve into your villain's past to uncover formative experiences that shaped their present disposition. Trauma, betrayal, or societal pressures can all contribute to their descent into villainy, providing rich narrative fodder for exploration.

Goals and Ambitions: Just as heroes strive for noble objectives, villains pursue their own twisted goals with fervor and determination. Define what your antagonist hopes to achieve and the lengths they're willing to go to attain it, even if it means sacrificing everything in their path.

Antagonistic Traits: From cunning intellect to ruthless brutality, equip your villain with traits that make them a formidable adversary for your protagonist. Consider how their strengths and weaknesses complement each other, creating dynamic conflicts that propel your story forward.

Relationships and Alliances: Villains don't operate in isolation; they forge alliances, manipulate allies, and cultivate relationships to further their agendas. Develop the connections your antagonist shares with other characters, be they loyal minions or reluctant collaborators, to add depth to their character dynamics.

Moral Justification (from their perspective): While their actions may be abhorrent to society, villains often believe they're justified in their pursuits. Explore your antagonist's moral code and the twisted logic that rationalizes their behavior, offering readers insight into their twisted worldview.

Arc of Transformation: Just as protagonists undergo arcs of growth and change, villains should experience their own journey of transformation. Whether it's redemption, downfall, or something altogether unexpected, chart the evolution of your antagonist throughout the narrative.

Memorable Traits: Give your villain distinctive traits or quirks that leave a lasting impression on readers. Whether it's a chilling catchphrase, a distinctive appearance, or a haunting backstory, give your antagonist elements that linger in the minds of your audience long after they've closed the book.

[w1lmuttart]

Found an old design I made of star boy back when everyone was rewriting the movie Wish lol

Went with both their true form, as well as a human form to blend in on earth. Anyway I like this guy so theyre mine now :)👍

[develop-your-villain]

You're in a forest and your OC is looking for you... How afraid are you? Why?