The danger, of course, is that sometimes we end up going too far. We can sometimes create bad guys who aren’t bad enough. I’ve written antagonists so sympathetic I actually liked them better than my protagonists!
Why Balance Matters
As with all things in writing, the key is balance. Creating realistic villains doesn’t mean you need readers to fall in love with them. It just means you need to show us their side of things every once in a while.
That doesn’t mean your antagonists’ backstories have to be warm and fuzzy. They can still be snarly, sarcastic, and downright awful even as they reveal things that make them more human.
Example: The Wicked Stepmother in Ever After
A great example comes from Andy Tennant’s 1998 Cinderella retelling Ever After. About a quarter into the Second Act, we see Cinderella (Danielle) helping her stepmother (played by the magnificent Anjelica Huston) prepare for bed.
In Ever After, Danielle shares a brief, bittersweet moment with her stepmother Rodmilla, illustrating how even the cruelest antagonists benefit from a humanizing scene. (Ever After (1998), 20th Century Fox.)
For the only time in the film, they share an interlude in which the stepmother gives Danielle some surprisingly useful (if still snarky) advice:
We mustn’t feel sorry for ourselves, must we? No matter how bad things are, they can always get worse!
She then reflects on her own plight, revealing her bitterness over marrying Danielle’s father, “a man [she] hardly knew,” who died soon after.
The stepmother is as wicked as ever, rounding off her speech by insulting Danielle’s looks and implying she’s built for hard labor. At no point are we asked to excuse her cruelty. And yet, in the vulnerability between the barbs, she becomes real. Her nastiness is shown as a defensive mechanism covering her own pains and fears.
We don’t forgive her. But we understand her.
Why Your Antagonist Needs a Humanizing Moment
Even the darkest antagonists deserve one glimpse of humanity. When you give your villain a “mushy moment”:
- Readers see that they, too, are driven by wounds, fears, or desires.
- Their cruelty becomes more believable, rather than cartoonish.
- The conflict in your story becomes richer because readers understand what’s at stake for both sides.
This doesn’t make your villain weak, but it does make your story strong.
In Summary
Antagonists need depth, not just darkness. By giving your villains even a single, humanizing moment, you can create nuance without undermining their menace. A flash of pain, fear, or motivation (however sarcastically or cruelly expressed) can make them more believable in a way that ultimately strengthens the story. Readers don’t need to love your antagonists, but they should be able to understand them.
Key Takeaways
- Balance is key: Don’t let sympathy overwhelm your antagonists’ villainy.
- Use subtlety: A sarcastic remark, a regret, or a flash of vulnerability is enough.
- Make it memorable: Place the moment strategically so readers can see the humanizing moment as an ironic contrast to the character’s villainy.
Want More?
Outlining Your Novel (Amazon affiliate link)
If you’d like to dig deeper into building powerful antagonists, my book Outlining Your Novel shows you how to plan your story from the ground up, including your antagonist’s role. When you outline with your antagonist in mind, you’re able to shape conflicts that not only test your protagonist but also create a stronger, more dynamic story overall. Understanding your antagonist’s goals and wounds early in the process helps you design richer plot turns, sharper character contrasts, and a more compelling central conflict.
If you’re serious about writing stories that hook readers and keep them turning pages, outlining your antagonist is just as important as outlining your protagonist. Outlining Your Novel walks you through practical steps and exercises to help you craft both sides of the conflict, so your story has the kind of depth and power readers won’t forget. Available as an e-book, paperback, and audiobook.
