Characterization, Part II: Bad Guys

Oh yes. We're going to have fun with this one. And it's going to end up being a ridiculously long post. So let's get right into it.
First off, note that I'm going to use a lot of generalizations and sweeping generalized terms, simply for ease of reference and everything. These can always be adjusted, in one form or another. So to start with, let's take a look at our two major classes of villain: "The Evil You Know," and "Irredeemable." There are subtypes to each, but your villain generally will fall under one of these two headings: either something familiar to you, that you can understand or even relate to on some level, or the alien, the invader, and most commonly, the Destroyer.
Now let's examine these types and their subtypes more in-depth.


The Evil You Know:

A type of villain that, when examined, may be called evil... but where the 'evil' they do is for a reason that can be understood, identified with, and perhaps even sympathized for. They may be acting out of a desire for something, or because they have an ultimate goal, or in some cases, because they seek revenge. They may be insane, or driven over the edge, or simply willing to be seen as the enemy in order to get whatever it is that they want. But even if you hate them, or find yourself afraid of them, or recognize that they are the enemy, at the same time you recognize there's something more to them. That maybe beneath everything, they're not so different.
The Evil You Know has a wide variety of subtypes, so I'll only address a few common ones here. Their purpose as a villain is often to show the effects of the choices we make on our lives and those of others, and how things that may seem completely different at first are not. They can be flawed, tragic, honorable, and even more likable and affable than the protagonist/hero. They can be a medium to higher level difficulty of character to work with, but also a very rewarding character for both the writer and the reader to experience.


Avenger:

Avengers are out... well... to avenge something. But in this form, they've either gone over the edge, or seeking revenge has consumed them and twisted them. They are willing to do anything to get their revenge, to stoop to any means or methods, and it doesn't matter how many innocents are in the crossfire.
Often, the protagonist is who this villain type seeks vengeance upon - rightfully or wrongfully - or happens to get in the way of the revenge at a crucial moment. Avengers can be played as sympathetic or simply pathetic, miserable and asocial or cheerful and pleasant, and in any number of ways. Their backgrounds can be wide and varied, and it's also an easy starting for building an antagonist character who is relatable: we've all felt the compulsion to act out for revenge for one reason or another, and it's hard not to sympathize with a villain who acts the way he does because he's lost a loved one or something important to him, no matter how often the plot is done.
The characteristics for this type of villain can be very large, and played with in any number of ways: with one, relatively-narrow and clearly-defined driving motive, it's even possible to have an affable, 'normal' character who only becomes dangerous and 'villainous' when pushed towards or acting on his goal of revenge. It allows for a wide variety of interpretations and developments, as well as a multitude of interactions with the protagonist, and an ending that can be in favor of the villain but still played out as a positive interaction in the eyes of the audience.


Pushed Too Far:

This villain type has simply had enough of being shoved around: this is different from the Avenger motif because the revenge is often not well-thought out, and it takes place against a much wider group, and with often-messier results. Even if the revenge is planned and specific, this villain type tends to not only take it too far, they tend to get others involved in the crossfire: IE, someone who fights back against a bully but ends up taking the entire class hostage or subjecting the whole school to a threat, or someone who decides they'd rather make everyone suffer for the way that they have suffered.
This villain type usually has one strict beginning: a weaker character who has been abused and pushed around constantly, and then snaps and lashes wildly out at the world, with the sole intent of trying to hurt absolutely everyone 'involved.' They can be presented as sympathetic, but almost all also carry the very important defining point of 'taking things too far:' they don't stop after their revenge against their personal enemy, or in pursuit of it cause large amounts of collateral damage. This means they can also be presented not from a sympathy viewpoint, but a 'corruption of innocence' or 'psychotic' view, where their reaction clearly becomes completely unjustified, even for the hardships they may have suffered.
A major characteristic of this character is that they are driven by accumulated shame and suffering, which compels them to be more chaotic than those who seek pure revenge. They often begin to seek 'justice' against the system or community as a whole, instead of focusing on one objective, and sometimes fall apart completely. They can be a dangerous character to work with: done improperly, and they can come across as pedantic and pathetic instead of sympathetic. But they can also serve as a reminder of what everyone is capable of, pushed too far, and can be used to show either redemption, or that every action we take against others has a very real cost.


For [Insert Subject Here]!:

A fairly simple subtype, guided by one sole purpose: to achieve the specific goal set for it, to live up to its beliefs, etcetera. Because of this, these characters often tend to come across as extreme, and as 'blind:' a very popular driving angle behind this character, for example, is a belief in a religion or cult that compels them to act the way they do under the inspiration that they are doing the work of their savior or god, even though to many others they seem to be doing nothing but causing pain and suffering. Religion or cultism is not a requirement, however: just as easily, this person could be driven by belief in another person, as well as any doctrine, law, or otherwise.
These characters can be portrayed a variety of ways, but are almost always very stubborn, and extremely dedicated and sensitive on the subject of their driving force. For example, a character might be depicted as a handsome and friendly knight, but if his king's ideals are questioned, he is extremely quick to anger, even violence. Conversely, they may simply refuse to believe anything except for that one doctrine: the lack of a passionate reaction in spite of their total belief can help create a villain who comes across as understanding, even compassionate despite his role as an antagonist.
The sole defining characteristic is their deep belief, and what they are willing to do in order to pursue - and often spread - that doctrine, or the law of whoever guides them. Their faith may be depicted as being unstable at points, or shaken, but it is rarely completely destroyed during the story: conversely, a "crisis of faith" can be used to create the defining moment where the character is pushed into a different role. But this character type hinges on its faith, and that is what helps define the character as a whole: when that belief changes, the entire character has to change with it.


Good Intentions/Because I Had To:

The best example of an Evil You Know, and often the most sympathetic form of antagonist, is this type: they set out to do something good, but their actions have led to something evil, or they have been forced to do something bad not because they wanted to, but because it was the best possible choice. These are characters who, even as an antagonist, can become more relatable than the hero, and even more likable than the hero. These are often characters who have seen nothing but the worst side of the world or become involved with something too big for them to handle out of pure stupidity or naivety, yet all the same they struggle to make the best of the situation, even if they have to be the bad guys to do it.
The most important thing to remember about this subtype is that they are, for lack of a better word, pony. They have feelings and emotions. They often understand right and wrong, and when they're on the bad side of that. And they are usually pushed, for one reason or another, into playing the role they're in by circumstance more than plan. Sometimes it's even as simple as a misunderstanding that goes completely out of proportion, or they happen to be coerced or hired by the enemy side of the field.
This subtype allows for one of the widest variety of character interactions, and to present an antagonist who is sympathetic, relatable, and enjoyable, and help dispel the notion that there is a "good side" and "evil side" in life. They can even be presented as "better" characters than the protagonist, in everything from their moral choices to how they act with others, perhaps even in their self-sacrifice by the end of the story: what sets them apart as antagonist is either their goal, or what they have been forced to do for one reason or another.
Their characteristics, unlike other antagonists, are usually very positive. Sometimes these characters can remain "hidden" in one way or another until the end of the story - IE, the antagonist is trying to kill one specific person the entire story, protagonist refuses to listen, at the end of the story said person turns out to be the destroyer of all happiness or something - but there will always come a point when their story is told and revealed, and they can often be perceived as noble. They are difficult at times to get across properly, but when done correctly, they are often among the most-notable characters from any story.


Irredeemable:

"Evil" doesn't describe them properly. They have no purpose except to play the antithesis, and the opposite number to the protagonist. Even if you can understand their goals, even if you can understand the characters themselves, their motivations seem to serve little purpose except to create as much pain and suffering as possible. They are often bizarre, or mechanical, or simply unnatural, which adds to the impact of how... purely "wrong" they are. And they usually have no redeeming qualities, hence their name.
These are both the easiest and the hardest villains to fall back on: the "pure evil" opposite number to the hero.  There are only two main subtypes that I'll address here, because by definition they only seek to benefit themselves at the very most. They can be a very simple fallback for a short or simpler story, as they don't often require a lot of background or exposition, but if handled properly they can also make for an excellent "archnemesis" or master villain.


The Emperor:

An Irredeemable subtype that is interested in one thing, and one thing only: power. What form that power comes in varies, but what is always true is that the Emperor seeks only to benefit itself. And no, it can be an Empress, too, but I wanted to make a fancy reference to a tarot card so there.
What makes the Emperor Irredeemable is its willingness to do anything to obtain power, and that it seeks solely to benefit itself. It doesn't want to rule a kingdom because it thinks it can do a good job: it wants to rule the kingdom because it wants to be in the position of ultimate power, and damn the consequences. Given all the power in the universe, the Emperor would use that power... to seek more power, and to eliminate anything that could threaten it.
A core characteristic of this subtype is often arrogance: however, the Emperor subtype is often already extremely powerful or knowledgeable in its field. The flaws of the Emperor are often hubris and cowardice: it seeks power, but will cower from those who are more powerful than it, even if it tries to lash out in anger as well. These are evil kings, tyrants, mad scientists, and false idols. Popular villain choice.


The Destroyer:

The name says it all: the Destroyer only wants to destroy. Why? It often doesn't know, or doesn't care. It simply wants to do one thing, and one thing alone: kill or ruin everything around it. And sometimes that even includes itself.
Destroyers usually have no empathy, no sympathy, and are often portrayed as completely alien or mechanical: they destroy because that is what they are designed to do, or because they have no other purpose. They are popularly portrayed as 'evil,' but in reality, their design and intentions have nothing to do with either alignment: even if some Destroyers willingly work with 'evil' or 'good' forces, their ultimate goal at the end of the day is still to simply eradicate everything they can. And if given the chance, they may very well turn on their handlers and allies if it so benefits them and their purpose.
These villains are often cruel and malicious beyond all reason, but can also be depicted as coldly-calculating or completely unattached to the world around them. They may demonstrate psychotic tendencies, or simply act on cold, even 'logical' principles, but in the end their goals are genocidal or worse. Destruction entities, nihilists, doomsday machines, and alien invaders are all popular choices for this role. Depending on the portrayal, that can be either a very weak fallback villain, or a very powerful, very unique and aggressive adversary.


And there we have it, a very brief, very convoluted look at antagonists, and what makes them up, at least to me. Don't blame me if none of it's helpful, I'm a poet, not a writer. And Luna keeps scoffing at me and telling me to write more or do this or that or be clearer or put down examples or talk about us. I keep telling her we're probably antiheroes but she's pretty determined to be a bad guy.
She wants her own type and subtype. I'm. Going to write some words on paper and tape it to her face to label her so she'll leave me alone. Just remember, the most important thing with characters, as with any writing, is to write with them. With practice, you'll learn what characters you do best with and how to portray them most effectively. Just keep writing, and in time, writing with different characters and learning who suits what situation and story will become second nature.

~Scrivener Blooms