Today we’re looking at part two of writing a scary, believable villain.
For a villain to be great, his or her threats must be believable and truly scary. The threat has to hit home. In the Wizard of Oz, we’re afraid for Dorothy and her friends, but when the witch threatens Toto, we’re drawn all the way into the danger.
“She’s going to hurt an innocent dog?” We see Dorothy’s response too. Not Toto!
As you develop your villain or antagonist, create a scenario that’s real and hits home. Could it happen? And what if it did? Work on thinking outside the norm, too.
Terrorist blowing up a city while Bruce Willis tries to save mankind is exciting and perhaps interesting, but I’m not really drawn in because the threat is so big and global and by all accounts, “I’m dead” on the first or second attack.
But what if the threat is to a school? In my neighborhood? Move in closer. What if the school is where my son attends? What if it’s his classroom being held hostage? What if his teacher is the terrorist? Ah, now I’m involved. Now I care. The threat hits close to home.
A child or family member being threatened is a good villain move, but also sort of done. Also, once removed from the protagonist.
Dean Koontz brings the threat home in “The Husband” where the protagonist’s wife is kidnapped and he must come up with a million dollar ransom.
But there’s a great movie from the ’80’s, “Many Happy Returns” which brings a villainish threat straight to the juggle of the protag.
George Segal plays Bud Robinson whose cozy, middle-class life is turned topsy-turvy by a federal tax audit secretly set up by a renegade administrator determined to instill fear of the IRS in his district. Staggered by a bill of $28,396.84 for five years’ worth of penalties and disallowed deductions, Bud loses his sporting goods store and his house. He also loses his senses — and threatens to blow up the IRS Building. Captured and brought to trial, Bud exposes the IRS’ tactics in a riotous courtroom finale. (from IMDb)
As I watched this film, I was terrified. Can the government, the IRS, just walk in and destroy a man’s life? My life? Author and friend James Scott Bell said he had the same terrifying reaction to the film.
While there are comedic elements to the movie, it is based on a real life situation. IT DID happen to someone. Tax laws were actually changed based on this story. Segal’s character had NO access to help or the truth. Every door closed. When he tried for another job, he mysteriously was rejected or escorted out. He had NO idea what was going on.
Ever fear Big Brother? Ever fear something happening beyond your control? What about being buried alive. What about Nazi’s busting down your door in the middle of the night and hauling you out of bed and locking you on a train car for days on end?
Bring the villain’s threat home. Make it personal to the protagonist. Dig deep and find your greatest fears. Then pour it out on the page.
Happy Writing!