In order for your script to have any kind of emotional resonance, and therefore be exciting to an audience, you need to know how to write characters. You need to have an antagonist who will challenge the entire mission of the protagonist. They don’t just need to be in contrast to each other; they need to be opposite mirrors of each other. Take Loki from the Thor movies: he’s not as intimidating, physically, as his brother, but he’s much, much smarter. As a result, Thor knows that he is in danger if he stops looking at Loki for too long. In turn, we as the audience love him for it.

Your Villain Should Be Everything Your Hero Isn’t: How to Write Characters

Simply put, if you know how to write characters, you understand that your villain should be the Yang of your hero’s Yin. If the hero is a policeman, the villain must be a criminal. If your hero is super powerful, your villain better have a few tricks up his sleeve. Otherwise, it’s not going to be a good fight, and no one wants to pay to see a story resolved in a hurry. Your villain must be able to challenge the very essence of the hero at every available opportunity while also providing them with a sense of structure. Think about how many times the Joker has had the chance to kill Batman over the years, and yet he never quite dares to do it. Because? Because he wouldn’t have anything to do all day. Less opponent just wouldn’t be a challenge for him. Without Batman, there is no Joker. They are two sides of the same coin, and if you get rid of one of them, the other has to go too. This is essential to understand how to write characters.

Let’s take a moment to define antagonist and expand your understanding of how to write characters. It does not mean “monster” or “evil”; it simply means “opponent.” Your villain doesn’t have to be the most menacing creature to ever grace the big screen. At the end of the day, they only need to provide a visible contrast to the protagonist. Worry more about making them diametrically opposed than your antagonist’s intimidation factor, and you’ll find yourself with a much stronger character when all is said and done.