VILLAIN

Examples

Persona (Characteristics)

- May be human or otherwise
- Directly opposes the protagonist
- Driven to achieve goals
- Personifies the conflict of the story
- Her antagonism often a "call to action" for those that oppose her 
- Lives out our hidden dark desires
- Powerful in some way, whether through brains, brawn, wit or skill of manipulation
- Brings about dramatic change, re-birth and growth in the heroine and world of the story
- Confrontation with heroine and other characters may lead to her change of heart
- Often one of the most compelling characters
​in the story
- Usually has the coolest costumes ​
​

Shadow (Dark side)

- Drive to achieve goals can be manic, obsessive, destructive, harmful, violent, deadly
- Her humanity/ soul is compromised by her pursuits 
- Torments the heroine, may delight in her suffering and/or cause her death
- Can be selfish, narcissistic, indulgent, amoral, sadistic, masochistic, chaotic, vengeful 
- Personifies the traits we don't wish to see/ fear in ourselves
- Breaks down what others build up
- Her success brings harm, potentially catastrophic 
​- May cause her own destruction in her pursuit of the destruction of others

Harry Potter: Lord Voldemort, Dolores Umbridge, Draco Malfoy 
Film/ TV:  Darth Vader, Kylo Ren in Star Wars, Margaret White in Carrie, Annie Wilkes in Misery,  Azula in Avatar: The Last Airbender (TV series)
Shakespeare: Iago in Othello, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Richard III in Richard III, Goneril and Reganin King Lear

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