The Quest for thy Hate
Tropes and Archetypes
Index: Underlings | The Villainous Way of Command | The Villain’s Apprentice
Deserved superiority | M for Mystery | Farm Commonwalker
The villainous depth
Similar in fashion, but not entirely the same in execution as the Hero's journey, the Villain's journey is quite the useful story pattern. Installing modernist Hollywood “ragingemo.exe” or “bossbabe.exe” would not give your villain depth, but make them into a mockery of one. The same ludicrous result will follow after checking boring DEI corporate-ordained boxes, and pandering to the non-existent “modern audience.”
However, far from me instructing you to mold your villainous characters following one specific design, what I did myself and propose you could, is adding modules to a steady, useful base.
For the love of Genocide
The villain's journey does not start with a call to adventure, but is instead one of conquest, ruination, and/or destruction. One could argue that these fall into the category of “adventure” when villains are concerned, yet in these pursuits they do not discover anything or explore new worlds. No, instead they aim to create/expand an Empire; crush a rebellion on a oppressed farming world; enslave/genocide hut-dwelling, peaceful hominids.
Of course, a Big Bad or a Mid Boss's journey could begin with facing the Hero/Heroes.
The very notion of adventure would be repugnant to most villains and deemed a waste of time. Of course, one could have a Big Bad obsessed with ancient artifacts or the cultural icons of a long lost civilization. Yet, when scouring a world, a star system, or a galaxy in search of these things, the villains are motivated by malevolence, want for power, and/or greed. Adventuring, for most people stuck in their ordinary block of reality, is, infinitely more fun than their old existence.
The villain may or may not have some form of supernatural (or supersciencey) assistance; the blessing of the Bitch Goddess of Vile Shadow; the Empire's chosen legion of Elite Underlings, The Sword Of Ultimate Destruction... or a Super Starship.
Ruination and/or near death
No matter what the initial step on their villainous journey is, the Villain is defeated. Either they severely underestimated these otherwise cuddly-looking, meek-sounding primitive hominids; overestimated their own leadership or combat prowess; over-relied on their legion of disposable Underlings; faced the Big Good head on prematurely because of pure hubris; crossed blades (or brains) with a genius Hero and their allies – inevitable Ruination follows.
The villain loses and is forced to change or suffer certain doom. He or she may hit rock bottom, a step similar to what often happen to a Hero/Heroes during their journey. No matter how dirty the spiritual and real-life muck they wallow in, this villain will find their mojo back. However, this may not occur via some miraculous intervention or the helping hand of a mentor.
The Quest for thy Hate
Villains have no friends; at best, opportunistic allies joined together by temporary common goals. At worst, their own minions diligently plot to replace them behind their backs. Whatever their change, the villain has to deflect their own failures onto someone else – a useful idiot/patsy. Displaying weakness may spell certain doom for them, therefore, they must conceal their growth, and bid their time, until the Day Of Revenge cometh.
The Villain could do a number of things in order to rediscover their Hate. Unbalanced Hate is what fuels and defines a Villain; therefore, the more of it they have command of, the better. Training in the Big Bad gym, going after other villains in order to bolster the depleted Underling legions or train new battle tactics is often a great way for a Villain to rediscover their Hate.
However, the most insidious and deathly dangerous Villains learn from the Hero/Heroes. They study the Hero's signature attack move or spend many nights researching how to best The Shining Sword. Moreover, this kind of Villain also gathers information on the Hero's allies. They look for any and all advantages, or plan how to bend the loyalties of some of the less stalwart allies in their favor.
Villains of cerebral malevolence would work hard and replicate a twisted version of the camaraderie/loyalty the Hero's allies. They'd find their own and willing allies to replace bumbling, incompetent underlings with Lieutenants of worth. They'd personally travel to the most deadly places in search of Mid Bosses to join their cause. They'd promote and train the best of the best among their most promising followers and transform them into their personal Villain's Apprentice.
Plots within plans within schemes
The hallmark of a Villain who has already rediscovered their Hate, is rigorous planning. Schemes empowered by all the information gathered about the Hero/Heroes, the knowledge of their every weakness and strength, preparations are meticulously arranged and in absolute secrecy. Of course, what is a Big Bad villain without some form of overpowering advantage?
Here comes the Superweapon; the Ancient Item Of Evil Magic or The Dark God's Blessing. All of these have to be earned or you risk turning your villain into a feet stomping, fist shaking whiner, who only grew because the plot demanded it. The Villains must suffer themselves and/or sacrifice something of worth in order to secure these mighty advantages.
Like all things, even a Superweapon or the Dark God's aid should come with a negative. That should be storyshown and storytold to the reader/viewer/player in advance, therefore you shall have an effective payoff during your last story Arc.
Now that the Villain has all the Hate he or she assumes is needed to defeat the Hero/Heroes, and had recruited and outfitted a new legion of Underlings, the clock is ticking. This buildup might not be a total surprise for the Heroes yet, ideally, they should only catch a mere glimpse of these villainous machinations before this doom is upon them.
The Day Of Revenge
Armies (or fleets) of evil have been mustered in nigh complete secrecy! Throngs of highly motivated followers, led by competent Lieutenants, commanded by sufficiently loyal Mid Bosses are all clad in the best gear possible and armed to their teeth. Their strongest Apprentice not hiding behind them with a poisoned dagger, but standing shoulder to shoulder against the Hero/Heroes, the Big Bad's Day Of Revenge is finally at hand!
The more your Villain is willing to care for their Underlings, Lieutenants, Mid Bosses, and Apprentice, the harder they should be for the Hero/Heroes to defeat. No longer is this Big Bad like before; gone is their overconfidence of their own abilities and blind assumption that whatever power they once had, would be enough to destroy the Hero. In a clash of epic proportions, one or more of the Hero/Heroes sacrifice themselves to steal some form of victory from the clutches of defeat.
The mighty, highly capable and relentless Big Bad, following a most harrowing duel of fates, is ultimately vanquished by the Hero/Heroes. Replaced by his or her Apprentice, a Mid Boss, and even the most capable Lieutenant who steps up to fill the void, what is left of the mighty Villainous army, fleet, etc, retreats back to lick their wounds at the Castle of Doom.
It is now, when a new Hero's Journey begins and the cycle restarts again...
The Indie opinion
Even thought this is a pattern best used in longer story formats, the Villain's Journey modular nature allows for greater storytelling and storyshowing freedom. Once could skip or minimize any of the steps, add mid-steps, or apply all the specific villainous archetypes and tropes they had worldbuilt into their Universe for greater payoff in the end.
If your baddies are properly villainous and not the boring, hollow Hollywood “sympathetic” villains, sending one or more of them on a Villain's Journey will empower your story.
As promised in the previous article, I will use Lord Omasa as an example:
For the love of Genocide Omasa is ordered to the Fringe space border with the Terran Minarchy. There he must wrest control of a rapidly developing, and rather negative for the Taz'aran Imperium situation. One rather full of himself and incompetent Border Count miserably failed in his latest conquest, the shockwaves causing multiple small rebellions across many worlds occupied by the Imperium.
Given a brand new, prototype warship to command, then Lord Captain Omasa, procures whatever resources he is able and sets off to do battle with the Terrans. Yet, despite all of his initial preparations, the Taz'aran is beaten upon facing his foil, the Dzenta'rii Captain Anit'za.
This Ruination forces Omasa to change and adopt copied versions of his enemy ways. While the Lord Captain does not hit rock bottom himself (though he gets quite close to death) Nedal, one of the villains he was otherwise willing to use as a patsy, did. Adopting the Villain's Apprentice position and rediscovering his Hate during the brutal battle, both Nedal and Omasa begin their journey.
Throughout their Quest For thy Hate, the two villains change and grow; their very characters twist and their scheming minds are overcome with want for revenge. They are quite willing to stab each other in the back, at least in the beginning stage of their journey. However, the longer they study the Heroes, the more they come to understand that working together and not treachery will bring them victory.
With redoubled efforts, they recruit more Underlings and Elite Underlings, find capable Lieutenants. The new Coalition that they form is swiftly crowned as the most famed faction across the Fringe space, one if not capable of outright vanquishing the Terrans, to face them head on and defeating them.
Many Plots within plans within schemes are required so that this new villainous alliance grows stronger. Omasa and Nedal, joined by a team of Mid Bosses and Lieutenants, outfit their mix of zealous, greedy mercenaries, or willingly committed to their cause Underlings well.
To prepare for The Day Of Revenge, the villains force constant growth. Often through selling the enslaved populations of entire planets, exterminating primitives with Superweapons, or allying themselves with cannibalistic yet starship-rich aliens, does their power grow. More, I dare not say for fear of spoiling story and plot.
Fellow wordsmiths and wholesome readers of mine, you know that beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most memorable and efficient villainous characters do perform acts of heinous villainy.
“Our grand army of Underlings do not discriminate and mass-exterminate everyone... equally!”
Honorable Tags:
This is very good Knight! Kudos!
I've enjoyed watching Omasa, Nedal, Tale, and the coalition forces get good. That's been matched by the good guys getting just as good.
In my stories, the villains have an extra benefit in that they were at one time trained by the hero's mercenary army. That's why, so far, they've not fought useless battles and have retreated from one that would have revealed them. I wanted to tell a story where the good guys and bad guys were almost evenly matched and see what happened.
Well-written villains should be smart, charismatic, and willing to learn things they don't know. They should be willing to make sure their followers aren't inept morons, and they should be willing to forgive small mistakes and gain their follower's trust.