Villain Character Archetype Examples in Movies
Just as Captain Hook was always in search of a worthy opponent, so too must the writer seek to create an antagonist worthy of their protagonist. But why stop there? Why create an antagonist who serves merely to foil your main character…
…when you could have a villain?
A great villain is someone with complex motivations and desires — they seek not to just oppose the hero but to achieve goals of their own, goals that will most likely be in direct contrast to your protagonist’s aims.
Consider Magneto and Professor X — two men who held similar values (that is, promoting mutant welfare) but with widely different methods for achieving their aims. Magneto challenges Professor X because he’s not just some one-dimensional evil threat you’d have no hesitation in killing; no, determining how to oppose him requires much more intelligence, strategy, diplomacy, bravery, and moral fiber. That’s what makes Magneto such an epic villain. You’re kind of rooting for him.
Let’s get into what makes a great villain. But first, a little background on character archetypes
What are Archetypes?
Character Archetypes in literature and film are recognizable characters that fit into a familiar pattern of behavior based on motivations, weaknesses, strengths, and ideals. Even when slight details change from story to story, the archetypes will feel consistent because we have seen their universal truths time and time again. Of course, any archetype still carries the ability to shift, grow, change, and even surprise us.
Filmmakers can use these archetypes to shape compelling characters — and storytellers across cultures have been doing this for ages. Mythology and legends have included different archetypes for as long as humans have been telling stories, such as the Trickster, a cunning character who appears in both Native American storytelling and Greek mythology; the Mother, a supportive and nurturing character made famous by fairy tales with magical godmothers; the Hero, a warrior with physical and/or mental prowess, courage, and confidence, and, of course, the Villain, the antagonist to the protagonist often due to a compromised moral code.
What is the Villain Archetype?
A Villain is a character considered evil by society because they operate outside of existing laws or moral codes. They are not necessarily the antagonist of a story — they may in fact be the central figure (see Joe Goldberg in YOU). A villain will always have their own justifications for their unethical or vigilante behavior but most likely their reasoning will come at a high cost to innocent lives.
Characteristics of the Villain
While Villains may have different personalities across genres and stories, there are archetypal characteristics that will remain consistent.
Conviction and Motivation
The Villain has a compelling reason for doing what they do. When Harvey Dent — a stand-up citizen and honorable man — was pushed to his limits by the Joker, he became Two-Face, a Villain who desires only absolute, simplistic justice driven by chance alone. Darth Vader sought to protect the person he loved the most in the world and sought dark powers to achieve his means. Annie Wilkes (Misery) was driven by loneliness and desperation that led her to believe she was entitled to her favorite author’s next novel.
Intelligence and Competence
A great Villain must pose a true threat to the Hero or protagonist, otherwise they wouldn’t actually be dangerous. They must be able to outsmart the protagonist, to surprise them, and to entrap them. Maybe even defeat them (though in a satisfying story they will never be able to defeat the greater good).
Dangerous
The threat a Villain poses must be significant. The Villain is willing to impose grave consequences on anyone standing in the way of their goals. Whether the danger be physical, psychological, financial, or existential, in a great story there must be something at stake. Once Ned Stark was killed in season one of Game of Thrones it became clear that no one was safe and therefore every moment of danger felt truly frightening.
5 Villain Archetypes (with Movie Examples)
When you think about the best villains of all time, there are definitely some iconic ones who come to mind — Darth Vader, Sauron, Freddy Krueger — but let’s focus on some truly terrifying Villains who left audiences wondering if their belovéd heroes would survive the story or accomplish their goals at all.
Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs, 1988)
First created by American novelist Thomas Harris, Lecter is a cannibalistic serial killer and forensic psychiatrist sought after for assistance by FBI Agent Clarice Starling while he was incarcerated for his crimes. Even behind bars Lecter was unsettling; his psychiatric intelligence meant he was able to read Starling, to impose his will upon her, to disturb her. Even so, she needed that same brilliance to help catch another killer in time to save a missing girl. Lecter was so clever — and his methods so disturbingly violent — that he was able to escape from a high-security prison, putting him back out there in the dark with no way of knowing his next move or victim.
Kilgrave (Jessica Jones, 2015)
David Tennant’s portrayal of Kevin Thompson — Kilgrave — was truly upsetting because not only could he control minds and force people to do whatever they wanted, but he also had no moral qualms about doing so. He never considered that, in forcing Jessica Jones to act as if she loved him, his behavior was sexual assault. He had no reservations about using and maiming innocent people to achieve his goals. He felt entitled from his traumatic childhood and empowered by his abilities. The damage he caused was so thorough that people were willing to die gruesomely just to be free of him and deter him.
Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones, 2010)
Of all the villains in the Lannister family, Cersei was the one who proved to be the most cunning and cutthroat. Willing to do anything to protect her children — and then, ultimately, herself — she was able to maneuver herself and her forces masterfully. She worked with poison and with power, the pen and the sword. She decimated her enemies, sometimes herself (see: death of Septa Unella), sometimes in the manner they killed someone she’d cared about (see: death of Ellaria Sand and daughters), sometimes alongside thousands of innocents (see: the burning of the Sept of Baelor). She couldn’t be trusted to play by the rules — she was playing the game to win.
The Joker (The Dark Knight, 2008)
Heath Ledger’s portrayal of Christopher Nolan’s Joker will remain in history as one of the best characters of all time, so it’s no wonder it’s made this list. From his opening bank heist to his multiple lose-lose scenarios for the heroes of Gotham, the Joker was a mastermind of creating pain and chaos. He forced people to play God and choose which of his victims he would spare — and even when they finally made impossible decisions, he turned those choices on their heads and doled out extra punishments. In an already gritty franchise, he was downright unnerving.
Alex Forrest (Fatal Attraction, 1987)
In life and death epics you kind of have a sense that good will triumph over evil and the villain will be defeated…but in a psychological thriller, the stakes are more grounded and the costs more realistic. After Dan Gallagher — a married man and father — has an affair with Alex, she develops an obsession with him and deteriorates in her manipulation, wellness, and violence to try to get him back. She stalks him, harms herself and others, and threatens to disrupt his life (albeit, the life he’d jeopardized when he slept with her) by exposing his affair to his wife before finally physically threatening his wife, daughter, and family pet. Yes, lives are in danger, but it’s likely the people will survive this story — the true question is what consequences will Dan and his innocent family have to live with?
How to Write a Great Villain
There have been villains for as long as there have been heroes, but it’s rare to come across a truly compelling and original villain. The first step is to decide what kind of story you’re telling and therefore, what kind of villain you’re creating. Here are a few ideas to choose from:
The Mastermind: A villain who uses intelligence, planning, and manipulation (e.g., Moriarty, Lex Luthor)
Evil Incarnate: A force of pure destruction or evil with no empathy (e.g., Sauron, the Joker).
The Femme Fatale: A seductive villain who uses charm to deceive (e.g., Catwoman, Amy from Gone Girl).
The Corrupted: Once good, now fallen (e.g., Anakin Skywalker, Harvey Dent).
The Dark Knight: A villain with a code or twisted logic (e.g., Magneto, Thanos).
The Beast or Monster: A terrifying, unstoppable force (e.g., Alien, The shark in Jaws).
The Henchman: A loyal follower or enforcer for another villain (e.g., Boba Fett, Darth Maul).
The Fanatic: Driven by obsession or extreme ideology (e.g., John Doe in Se7en).
The Frenemy: Pretends to be an ally or friend (e.g., Lotso from Toy Story 3, Hans from Frozen).
The Evil Twin: Mirrors the hero but made different choices (e.g., Killmonger, Iago).
The Survivor: Will do anything to stay alive—even become the villain (e.g., Gollum, Immortal Joe).
The Machine: A lifeless, emotionless threat (e.g., T-1000, HAL 9000).
Start with the Villain’s Goal
Once you have a good idea about who exactly this character is, it’s time to get specific about what they want and why. A great Villain has motivations that are understandable or relatable — something that creates actual conflict or a difficult problem to solve. This will help shape the plot and raise the stakes. It challenges the protagonist to come up with a solution as opposed to just wanting to kill the villain and roll credits.
Build Their Backstory
Killmonger makes a great Villain because he has a compelling backstory. He was entitled to the wealth and riches of Wakanda just as much as T’Challa was. Furthermore, he saw firsthand how the world overpowered and oppressed Black people and he was motivated to change that cycle of abuse and disempowerment. That depth meant that there was sympathy for Killmonger and a true question of whether a fight to the death was the only path forward.
Make Them Unbeatable…Until the End
A Villain needs to seem impossible to stop. It should take true creativity and cunning to find a path forward to stopping them. This helps keep tension high until the climax, which makes for a more entertaining film.
Tie Them to the Hero
You can always create personal stakes between the Hero and the Villain. Whether it is shared history (Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader) or opposite values (Magneto and Professor X), this builds in an added obstacle for the Hero. It makes the stakes more personal, which makes them stronger. It can also symbolically help explore your themes.
How Archetypes Empower Your Writing
Remember, archetypes are a tool, not a formula. If your Villain is just a mindless evil killer, they will be worse than boring — they will be frustrating to watch. There is no conflict — just shoot ‘em and move on. Who cares? Instead, consider what would realistically motivate a person to operate outside of the law or the code of ethics humanity tends to agree upon. What would make a person be willing to hurt others? To steal from them? To torment them? To kill them? What would have happened to them that made them become someone who could do such things?
Finally, remember that great characters often surprise us — even when they start from something familiar. Jamie Lannister started out as a man willing to push a child out of a stone tower and somewhere along the way he became a guy we were rooting for. What is the path toward redemption for a Villain? Or what kind of bigger bad would need to come along to make it entertaining to watch the Hero team up with the Villain?
Always keep your mind open for ways to play with the archetype — that is what will make your characters memorable and your stories undeniable.