692 - Crafting the Perfect Villain

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Jun 24, 2025

Dive into the art of crafting unforgettable villains, where motivations and moral dilemmas come to life. Explore iconic characters like Gollum and Annie Wilkes, and the fine line between obsession and heroism. Discover the significance of henchmen and their relationships with antagonists. Unpack the complexities of villainy through various cultural lenses, and why even the scariest creatures might not always be the true villains. Get tips for making your bad guys compelling and relatable in any story!

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INSIGHT

Villain-Hero Goal Symmetry

Villains often share goals with heroes but lack the same moral compass or character growth.
Effective villains reflect and challenge the protagonist's journey and values, creating thematic resonance.

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ADVICE

Balance Villain's Perspective

Balance how much villain POV you reveal; too much can overshadow the hero.
Use villain perspectives sparingly to maintain suspense and keep the hero central.

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INSIGHT

Types of Villain-Hero Stories

There are two core types of villain-hero stories: morality plays and existential dread tales.
Some villains embody absurd, inexplicable evil enhancing fear without clear motivation.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Art of Villainy in Film

03:57 • 13min

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The Complexity of Villainy in Storytelling

17:20 • 18min

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The Complexity of Villains

35:14 • 5min

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Understanding Villains: Addiction and Obsession in Iconic Characters

39:52 • 2min

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Exploring Obsession Through a Female Lens

41:46 • 2min

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Crafting Compelling Villains and Henchmen

44:05 • 13min

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Crafting Compelling Villains

56:41 • 17min

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Transforming Innocence: The Unexpected Villain

01:13:23 • 2min

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#54

• Mentioned in 144 episodes

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, follows the journey of Harry Potter, an orphan boy who discovers he is a wizard. The series spans seven novels, each corresponding to one year of Harry's life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry, along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, navigates the magical world, confronts various challenges, and ultimately faces off against the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who murdered Harry's parents and seeks to dominate the wizarding world. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil.

#4089

• Mentioned in 7 episodes

Misery

Stephen King

In 'Misery', bestselling novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued from a car accident by Annie Wilkes, his self-proclaimed number one fan. However, Annie's obsession turns violent when she discovers that Paul has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain, in his latest book. Annie keeps Paul captive in her isolated house, forcing him to write a new novel, 'Misery’s Return', to bring the character back to life. The novel explores themes of captivity, writer's block, and the dark side of fandom, as Paul struggles to survive Annie's brutal and unpredictable behavior.

#11030

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The Killing Joke

Anthony Horowitz

The story follows Guy Fletcher, an actor who overhears a joke about his famous mother and decides to find its origin. His investigation leads him to a mysterious group and a company called Sphinx, which creates and distributes jokes to keep people from taking serious issues too seriously. Along the way, he falls in love with a woman named Sally, and together they face various challenges and dangers as they delve deeper into the mystery.

#12854

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Red Shirts

None

John Scalzi

John Scalzi's "Red Shirts" is a science fiction novel that satirizes the tropes of Star Trek and other space operas. The story follows the experiences of the low-ranking crew members, the "red shirts," who frequently meet untimely deaths. The novel explores themes of mortality, the absurdity of war, and the importance of finding meaning in life. Scalzi's witty writing and clever metafictional elements create a humorous and thought-provoking narrative. The book's exploration of power dynamics and the human condition in a fictional universe continues to resonate with readers.

#32695

The Monsters Know What They're Doing

Keith Amone

#14

• Mentioned in 255 episodes

The Lord of the Rings

J.R.R Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R. R. Tolkien, is an epic high fantasy novel set in Middle-earth. The story follows Frodo Baggins, a hobbit who inherits the One Ring from his uncle Bilbo. The Ring, forged by Sauron, holds the power to control all other Rings of Power and must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom to prevent Sauron's return. Frodo is joined by a fellowship of other characters, including Gandalf the Grey, Samwise Gamgee, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir, as they embark on a dangerous quest across Middle-earth. The novel explores themes of good vs. evil, the corrupting influence of power, and the struggle between fate and free will.

#1020

• Mentioned in 21 episodes

2001

A Space Odyssey

Arthur C. Clarke

2001: A Space Odyssey is a seminal science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke, developed in collaboration with Stanley Kubrick's film version. The story spans millions of years, from the influence of aliens on early human ancestors to a mission to Saturn, exploring themes of technological advancement, human evolution, and existential questions about humanity's place in the universe.

#1475

• Mentioned in 16 episodes

Gone Girl

Gillian Flynn

In 'Gone Girl', Gillian Flynn crafts a gripping narrative about the disintegration of a marriage. The story revolves around Nick and Amy Dunne, a couple whose seemingly perfect relationship turns out to be a facade. On their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy disappears, and Nick becomes the focus of a police investigation and media scrutiny. Through alternating narratives, the novel reveals the complex and troubled dynamics of their relationship, exposing themes of deception, manipulation, and the superficial nature of appearances. Amy's elaborate scheme to frame Nick for her murder is a central plot twist, highlighting her vengeful and manipulative nature. The novel concludes with Nick trapped in a toxic relationship, forced to maintain the illusion of a perfect marriage for the sake of their unborn child.

In this craft compendium, John and Craig take a look at everything you need to make your bad guys compelling, memorable, and the perfect antagonist for your story. Using some favorite villains as examples, they look at the importance of understanding their motivations and offer seven tips for making a villain unforgettable.

We also take a look at lackeys, henchmen and making sure your evil organizations are believable.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig shift their focus to monsters, and why even though those scary creatures are dangerous, they’re not always the villain.

Links:

Scriptnotes Episode 75 – Villains
Scriptnotes Episode 590 – Anti-Villains
Scriptnotes Episode 465 – The Lackeys Know What They’re Doing
Scriptnotes Episode 257 – Flaws are Features
Every Villain is a Hero
Writing Better Bad Guys
Screenwriting and the Problem of Evil
Mama
The 1000 Deaths of Wile E. Coyote by T.B.D.
Why do good people do bad things? by Daniel Effron
Why some people are willing to challenge behavior they see as wrong despite personal risk by Catherine A. Sanderson
The Monsters Know What They’re Doing blog and book
Austin Powers deleted scene, “Henchman’s Wife”
Redshirt
7 Tips for Creating Unforgettable Villains
How Christopher Nolan writes a movie on our YouTube!
Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
Craig Mazin on Instagram
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)
Segments produced by Stuart Friedel, Megana Rao, and Drew Marquardt.
Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

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