Before I get into using a villain’s perspective, I do want to talk about how there are different types of villains. Time and time again, I see people arguing over who is the better bad guy when the characters in question are entirely different. Darth Vader and Joker? Loki and Bowser (Super Mario)? My personal favorite is when a minion type is compared to a mastermind type like Wormtongue Vs Doctor Doom. Uh . . . there’s too much of a difference once you get beneath the surface. Sure both are under the ‘villain’ category, but they’re not playing on the same level. That tier and focus of villainy is what can make a few antagonist perspective scenes a good or bad idea.
So, let’s look at the Scum of the Earth and feel free to mention any types that I forgot:
- The Mastermind- The top of the food chain in the story and not usually one to get their hands dirty. Many times these are manipulators that have very few, if any, connections to others. Though there are Masterminds who are in this role to move events in favor of a beloved group or person. They have other villains at their bidding as well as the occasional rival for ‘main antagonist’ if the series goes that way. The key part of this type is that they’re smart and think ahead.
- Main Minion- #2, Righthand Man, Chief Assassin, Favorite Girl, and so many other names for this one. In a story with a main antagonist and several minor ones, this character steps up as the head agent. They are more likely to interact with the heroes than the to villain and have a higher chance of survival than your basic minion. They can also be rather traitorous if they wish to have power of their own since leadership is always just within their grasp. Think Starscream from Transformers.
- Basic Minion- Expendables and one-time appearances, but they still get an honorable mention here. You don’t really see perspectives from them because they tend to be an army of fodder.
- Seducer- A villain who uses sex appeal either alongside or instead of brains. Again, they are less action-oriented than other villains, but they bring an interesting insight into a story. Though, many of them can fight with pushed into a corner. There’s always something behind the way they act and something (or someone) that they want. For example, Mystique from X-Men has been a seducer many times to manipulate events. I’m thinking more comics than movies here.
- Lone Wolf Psycho- They might not always be psychotic, but these villains act as loose cannons. If they’re the main villain then they are being hunted by the hero. If they’re a side baddie or share the top spot then they are a threat to everyone. Revenge, anarchy, and several other dark motivations can drive this character. Sometimes they can become anti-heroes and other times they can be a force that unites characters who are at odds. Many Lone Wolf villains are highly lethal and hands on unlike the Mastermind.
- Unaware Villain- Hard to really explain this one, but I’m thinking of a character who is doing evil and believes it is good. I’ve heard the quote that ‘nobody thinks they are being evil’, which can be used for this type. They will do anything to achieve their goals and feel that every sacrifice is worth it. You see a lot of evil scientists in fiction showing this mentality until their undone by their own hubris. I would say Magneto is an example of this because he feels that he is doing right by mutantkind. He’d also be a Mastermind, so you can see how things aren’t as cut and dry here.
- The Brute- Very simple mentality here and gets put into villains who are rampaging beasts. I know these guys tend to be put in the ‘minion’ category, but they can still hold a perspective better than basic fodder. It’s also different from the others because you can have it be all exposition and sensory, which can really draw a reader in.
