Writing Great Villains — 3 Archetypes of Villainy from Nolan, Fincher, and PT Anderson

Summary

The video script from 'Page to Picture' offers insights into crafting memorable villains in film. It breaks down three villain archetypes: the 'Mirror', reflecting the hero's traits; the 'Looming Threat', a constant danger with limited presence; and the 'Villain Protagonist', who blends heroism with villainy. The script explores character traits, motivations, and the balance between sympathy and evil, using examples from iconic films to illustrate the art of creating compelling antagonists.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Creating a memorable villain involves understanding their character archetypes and how they interact with the hero.
• 🪄 'The Mirror' villain archetype is characterized by the villain sharing traits, values, or methods with the hero, serving as a direct contrast.
• 🃏 In 'The Dark Knight', the Joker is a mirror to Batman, challenging Batman's moral code and sense of purpose.
• 👻 'The Looming Threat' villain is one whose presence is felt but rarely seen, creating a sense of constant danger through their actions and the reactions of other characters.
• 🎬 The 'Se7en' screenplay exemplifies the looming threat archetype, with the villain's identity and actions being revealed gradually and through the aftermath of their deeds.
• 🤔 The ambiguity of the villain's motivation in 'The Looming Threat' adds to the suspense and the audience's engagement.
• 🦹‍♂️ The 'Villain Protagonist' is a character who has a protagonist's journey but exhibits villainous traits, like Daniel Plainview in 'There Will Be Blood'.
• 🔍 For a villain protagonist, it's crucial to balance their sympathetic qualities with their villainous actions to maintain audience investment.
• 📚 The script of 'There Will Be Blood' shows how Daniel Plainview's ambition leads to his moral downfall, illustrating a 'fall arc' character arc.
• 📉 The importance of a character's internal conflict, especially in mirror villains, to drive the plot and the hero's development.
• 📈 The use of eyewitness accounts and the aftermath of a villain's actions to build a looming threat and engage the audience's imagination.

Q & A

What are the three villain archetypes discussed in the 'Page to Picture' episode?

The three villain archetypes discussed are 'The Mirror', 'The Looming Threat', and 'The Villain Protagonist'.

How are 'Mirror' villains defined in the script?

'Mirror' villains are defined as characters that are the opposite of the hero but also share certain traits, values, or methods, creating a complementary relationship that highlights each other's traits.

What is the significance of parallel traits in 'Mirror' villains?

Parallel traits in 'Mirror' villains are significant as they help to create external conflict within the plot and internal conflict within the development of the hero.

Can you provide an example of a 'Mirror' villain from the script?

An example of a 'Mirror' villain from the script is the Joker from 'The Dark Knight', who is an outsider like Batman and challenges Batman's sense of purpose and morality.

How does the script describe the 'Looming Threat' villain archetype?

The 'Looming Threat' villain archetype is described as a constant threat despite limited presence in the story, with their danger hanging oppressively over the hero, often requiring audience imagination to perceive their threat.

What is the strategy for writing a 'Looming Threat' villain as per the script?

The strategy for writing a 'Looming Threat' villain includes keeping the villain absent as much as possible, building their mythology through actions, firsthand perspectives, and unclear or unknown motives.

Can you give an example of a 'Looming Threat' villain from the script?

An example of a 'Looming Threat' villain from the script is John Doe from 'Se7en', who is rarely seen but whose horrific actions and unclear motives create a constant sense of dread.

What is the 'Villain Protagonist' archetype?

The 'Villain Protagonist' archetype refers to a character who is the protagonist but exhibits villainous traits, often being both the hero and the antagonist of the story.

How does the script suggest balancing sympathy and villainy in a 'Villain Protagonist'?

The script suggests finding a balance between sympathy and villainy by giving the 'Villain Protagonist' a complete character arc and ensuring they possess some redemptive quality to keep the audience invested.

Can you provide an example of a 'Villain Protagonist' from the script?

An example of a 'Villain Protagonist' from the script is Daniel Plainview from 'There Will Be Blood', whose excessive ambition leads to his downfall, balancing his desire for family with his villainous pursuit of wealth and power.

What are the common characteristics important for any villain archetype according to the script?

The common characteristics important for any villain archetype include having a clear goal, an antagonist, a character arc, and a balance between sympathy and villainy to engage the audience.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Crafting the Mirror Villain

This paragraph discusses the creation of a 'Mirror Villain,' a character that is the antithesis of the hero while sharing certain traits or values. It uses 'The Dark Knight' as an example, highlighting how Batman and the Joker are both outsiders and how the Joker challenges Batman's moral code. The summary explains the importance of parallel traits and the villain's role in creating both external and internal conflict for the hero, ultimately pushing the hero to question their purpose.

05:02

👻 The Looming Threat Villain

The second paragraph delves into the 'Looming Threat' villain archetype, where the villain's presence is felt throughout the story despite limited appearances. It uses 'Se7en' as a case study, illustrating how the antagonist, John Doe, is kept mostly off-screen, building tension and fear through the aftermath of his actions and the testimony of those who have encountered him. The summary emphasizes the use of the audience's imagination to create a terrifying and imposing threat, as well as the ambiguous motivations of such villains to maintain their power and mystery.

10:03

🔥 The Villain Protagonist

This section explores the 'Villain Protagonist,' a character who is both the hero and the antagonist, exhibiting villainous traits. It focuses on 'There Will Be Blood' and the character of Daniel Plainview, whose excessive ambition leads to his downfall. The summary discusses the importance of giving the villain protagonist a clear goal, an antagonist, and a character arc, specifically a 'fall arc,' where the character descends into their own sins. It also highlights the balance between the character's sympathetic qualities and their villainous actions, using Daniel's relationship with his adopted son as an example.

15:04

📜 Conclusion and Call to Action

The final paragraph wraps up the discussion on villain archetypes, emphasizing that the guide is a starting point and that villains can fit multiple archetypes or defy expectations. It invites viewers to suggest which types of villains to cover next and encourages them to subscribe and explore their dark side. The summary reminds writers to focus on key characteristics when creating villains and to engage the audience's imagination and emotions through the villain's actions and motivations.

Keywords

💡Villain

A 'villain' is a character in a narrative who is portrayed as the antagonist, often causing conflict and posing a challenge to the protagonist. In the context of the video, villains are explored as essential to storytelling, with a focus on how they are created to be memorable and impactful. The script discusses different villain archetypes and their role in creating both external and internal conflict.

💡Archetypes

In literature and film, 'archetypes' refer to recurring character types that embody particular traits or values. The video identifies and breaks down three villain archetypes, illustrating how these characters are developed and used to enhance the narrative. The archetypes discussed include 'The Mirror', 'The Looming Threat', and 'The Villain Protagonist'.

💡Mirror Villain

A 'Mirror Villain' is an archetype where the villain shares certain traits, values, or methods with the hero, creating a parallel that highlights their differences. The video uses the relationship between Batman and the Joker in 'The Dark Knight' as an example, where the Joker challenges Batman's moral code and sense of purpose.

💡Looming Threat

'Looming Threat' is a villain archetype characterized by a constant sense of danger, even if the villain is not physically present much of the time. The video cites 'Se7en' as an example, where the villain, John Doe, is rarely seen but his actions and the reactions of other characters build a terrifying presence.

💡Villain Protagonist

A 'Villain Protagonist' is a character who is both the central figure of the narrative and exhibits villainous traits. The video discusses Daniel Plainview from 'There Will Be Blood' as an example, showing how his ambition leads to his moral downfall and how the character arc is used to balance sympathy with villainy.

💡Character Arc

A 'Character Arc' refers to the personal journey and transformation a character undergoes throughout a story. The script explains that a well-defined character arc is crucial for a villain protagonist, as it provides a trajectory for their actions and development, such as Daniel Plainview's fall from grace due to his unchecked ambition.

💡Internal Conflict

'Internal Conflict' is the struggle that a character faces within themselves, often related to their beliefs, values, or emotions. The video describes how mirror villains create internal conflict for the hero, as seen with the Joker in 'The Dark Knight', forcing Batman to question his principles.

💡External Conflict

'External Conflict' is the struggle between a character and external forces, such as other characters or circumstances. The video mentions that mirror villains not only create internal conflict but also contribute to the external conflict within the plot.

💡Sympathy

'Sympathy' in the context of character development refers to the emotional connection an audience feels towards a character, even if they are a villain. The script discusses the importance of balancing a villain protagonist's negative traits with sympathetic qualities to maintain audience investment.

💡Moral Ambiguity

'Moral Ambiguity' refers to the complexity of a character's moral standing, where they may not be clearly good or evil. The video explains that characters like the Looming Threat often have unclear motives, which adds to their menace and keeps the audience guessing.

💡Imagination

'Imagination' is the ability to form images, ideas, or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. The video script highlights the role of the audience's imagination in creating a more terrifying or imposing threat when the villain is not seen, as in the case of the Looming Threat archetype.

Highlights

Creating a memorable villain involves identifying and utilizing certain recurring character traits.

The episode 'Page to Picture' discusses writing villains by examining their archetypes.

Three main villain archetypes are explored: The Mirror, The Looming Threat, and The Villain Protagonist.

The Mirror villain is the opposite of the hero but shares certain traits, creating a complementary dynamic.

Examples of Mirror villains include Magneto to Professor X and Kylo Ren to Rey.

The Joker from 'The Dark Knight' is used as an example of a Mirror villain, challenging Batman's sense of purpose.

The Looming Threat villain is a constant presence felt through their impact rather than direct interaction.

The Eye of Sauron and the Zodiac Killer are cited as examples of The Looming Threat archetype.

In 'Se7en', John Doe is built as a looming threat by focusing on the aftermath of his actions.

The Villain Protagonist is a character with both heroic and villainous traits, like Alex in 'A Clockwork Orange'.

Daniel Plainview in 'There Will Be Blood' exemplifies a Villain Protagonist with a fall arc.

A balance between sympathy and villainy is crucial when writing a Villain Protagonist.

Villain archetypes can overlap or defy traditional expectations, offering flexibility in character creation.

The guide serves as a starting point for writers to explore and develop their own unique villains.

Engaging the audience's imagination is key in creating a terrifying or imposing villain.

The use of firsthand perspectives and unclear motives helps to build the mythology of a looming threat villain.

A Villain Protagonist's character arc should be complete, with a clear progression from sympathetic to villainous traits.

Transcripts

How do you create a memorable villain?

While there's no guaranteed recipe,

we've isolated some characteristics that recur

in some of the best movie villains.

"- The world is changing."

- In this episode of "Page to Picture",

we tackle how to write a villain.

"- Here it comes."

We'll be identifying and breaking down 3 villain archetypes.

For each type, we'll evaluate their defining characteristics

and examine how writers have tackled these villains previously.

"- It's a very nice suit. It would be a shame to ruin it."

- We've imported the screenplays into StudioBinder to see

how these villains actually get written on the page.

We'll be spoiling the following movies.

Let's get started.

First up - "The Mirror".

These are the villains that are the opposite of the hero

but also share certain traits, values, or methods.

They are two sides of the same coin.

This is Magneto to Professor X.

Kylo Ren to Ray.

And Voldemort to Harry Potter.

Here's K.M. Wyand's definition.

"Mirror characters tend to share several qualities

and are used to complement and highlight each other's traits.

Because of this unique and close relationship,

mirror villains are best utilized when not only creating external

conflict within the plot

but also internal conflict within the development of the hero himself.

For a fantastic example of a mirror villain,

let's look at "The Dark Knight"

written by Jonathan and Christopher Nolan.

Start by assigning parallel traits to the hero and villain.

"- You complete me."

- Both Batman and the Joker are relative

outsiders to their own kind.

The joker lays out this comparison on page 86.

"- To them, you're just a freak.

Like me.

They need you right now,

but when they don't...

they'll cast you out,

like a leper."

- Next, decide how the villain will challenge the hero's sense of purpose.

Do they challenge the hero's worldview?

Or sense of morality?

Here's Christopher Nolan on the Joker's role as the mirror.

He's a very human monster.

As the Joker does things in the story, it tests the characters.

He forces them to confront things about themselves.

The Joker forces Batman to break his one rule of no killing

by making him choose between saving Harvey or saving Rachel.

"- Don't worry. I'm gonna tell you where they are.

You'll have to choose.

He's at 25052nd Street...

...and she's on Avenue X at Cicero."

- But being the mirror villain,

the Joker knew he would pick Rachel.

And tricked him to the wrong address.

"- No."

- This sequence of events ultimately pushes Batman

to question his very purpose.

"- I was meant to inspire good...

Not madness. Not death."

- The Joker also challenges Harvey Dent

sense of morality in this scene.

"- Oh, and you know the thing about chaos?

It's fair."

- Harvey succumbs to the Joker.

"- You live.

You die.

- Now we're talking."

- And becomes a villain of his own.

So when writing a mirror villain

remember to assign parallel traits

and determine how the villain will challenge the hero's sense of purpose.

Moving on.

Villains that are more felt than seen.

The Looming Threat.

These are the villains whose threat is constant

despite their limited presence in the story.

And yet the danger they pose

hangs oppressively over the hero.

Think of the Eye of Sauron.

The Zodiac Killer.

"- We got two Vallejo killings, now there's one in Napa. Why Napa?

What the hell is he doing?"

- In some cases, we never see them at all.

Like It in "It Follows".

"- This thing.

It's gonna follow you."

- This villain archetype requires a lot of imagination from the audience.

Which when done right can create an even more terrifying or imposing threat.

A great example of a looming threat villain can be found in "Se7en"

written by Andrew Kevin Walker.

Let's see how Walker builds a character that we almost never see.

First and most obviously,

the goal is to keep the villain absent as much as possible.

In Walker's script, John Doe makes two brief appearances before his grand reveal.

On page 61, Doe poses as a photographer.

"- Closed crime scene, get out. - I got a right to be here.

- UPI photographer. - Get out.

- Get out. Jesus. - F*cking jerk. F*ck you.

- I got your picture, man. - Oh, yeah?"

- And on page 71, Mills and Somerset are ambushed after they discover his apartment.

It's not until page 103 that John Doe officially presents himself.

"- You're looking for me."

- Out of 132 pages and an over two-hour movie,

we're only seeing John Doe for a very small fraction of the time.

So in order to keep him a looming threat

from the beginning of the film,

we need to focus on showing the aftermath.

Even though we don't see the villain,

we can witness what they are capable of.

Here's screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker on this approach.

It was in the script that you didn't see the things happen

and that just seemed to me more horrifying

to have to sit and imagine what it was like

if you were forced at gunpoint to eat as much spaghetti as possible.

For all the horrific violence in "Se7en",

we see very little of it actually occur.

This again activates our imaginations

and makes us part of the storytelling.

For example, here's how Walker describes the pride victims crime scene

to paint a horrific scene in our mind.

"In the sink, objects covered in blood:

a pair of scissors, a hypodermic needle,

first-aid tape, and gauze bandages,

a bottle of anesthetic, a straight razor,

and a tube of super glue.

The other way to sustain a looming threat

is to hear from characters who have experienced the villain first hand.

This way you continue to add to their villainous mythology

while still relying on the audience's imagination.

"- He had a gun."

- On page 94, we get this nightmarish eyewitness account.

"- He put that thing on me.

Oh, God. Oh, God."

- Just like Walker said, it can be more horrifying to not see these things happen.

Next, the motivation behind these villains is usually ambiguous.

Not knowing why these events are happening has two direct effects.

One it creates anticipation from the audience to learn the truth.

And two it helps maintain the villain's power over the hero.

Who is left struggling to understand.

"- No fingerprints.

No witnesses of any kind.

- Which I don't get."

- On page 116, Mills and Somerset finally get some answers.

"- I won't deny my own personal desire to turn each sin against the sinner."

- In the final sequence, just like he has from the beginning

John Doe has the upper hand.

"- He wants you to shoot him. - No! No!

- Become vengeance, David.

- Oh, she's all right. You tell me. - Become wrath."

Mills is lured into Doe's tangled web in a way he never expected.

So remember one way to tackle writing a looming threat

is to keep them absent as much as possible

and build their mythology through their actions,

firsthand perspectives, and unclear or unknown motives.

Let's move on to our final villain archetype.

The villain protagonist.

This is simply a protagonist who exhibits villainous traits.

They're the quote-unquote hero

but also the bad guy.

These are characters like Alex in "A Clockwork Orange".

Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho".

"- I just had to kill a lot of people."

And Tony Montana in "Scarface".

"- Say hello to my little friend!"

In Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood",

our villain protagonist is Daniel Plainview.

An oilman whose ambition is so excessive

it becomes his ultimate downfall.

"- Ladies and gentlemen, if I say I'm an oil man you will agree.

Now you have a great chance here.

But bear in mind you can lose it all if you're not careful."

- When creating any protagonist villain or otherwise

they need certain elements including a goal.

An antagonist.

"- You have abandoned your child.

Get out of your devil!

Out Devil! Out sin!"

- And a character arc.

Daniel pursues wealth and power until it eventually corrupts him completely

in a negative change called a fall arc.

K.M. Weiland describes a fall arc as such.

"The protagonist in a fall arc will reject every chance for embracing the truth.

And will fall more and more deeply into the morass of his own sins.

His story will end in insanity,

oppressive immorality or death."

For deeper dives into these character arcs,

you'll find a link to our four ending series in the description.

Now with a character arc chosen,

the most important consideration when tackling a villain protagonist

is the balance between sympathy and villainy.

Villains by definition are bad people who do bad things.

But for a villain protagonist,

they should possess some redemptive quality

to keep the audience invested in their journey.

Here's P.T. Anderson on his approach

to writing Daniel's character.

"- When I set out, I was trying to write a movie about fighting families.

There's brothers fighting but at the center of it is this father and son."

- Plainview's sympathy comes from his intense desire for family

and his villainy is born out of his even stronger desire for wealth and power.

"- I have a competition in me.

I want no one else to succeed."

- In the very first sequence, we witness daniel solitary at pure ambition.

He literally drags himself through the desert to cash in a bit of silver.

On page 6, an accident makes young H.W. an orphan.

And Daniel takes him as his own.

Which would be a purely selfless and admirable act

if Daniel didn't go on to use H.W. as a salesman's prop.

"- I'm a family man.

I run a family business.

This is my son and my partner H.W. Plainview.

We offer you the bond of family

that very few oilmen can understand."

- Despite this exploitative relationship

Daniel appears to genuinely care for his adopted son.

He confides in him and mentors him in the oil business.

"- This is what we do.

And we don't need the railroads and our shipping costs anymore.

You see?

- Yeah. - You see that?

- Yes."

- Then on page 57, Daniel gallantly rescues H.W.

"- Were you hit in the head? - I can't hear my voice."

- But he then leaves him to celebrate a marvel at riches that await him.

I'll be back, I'll be back in a minute.

- You wait here. - Don't leave.

You're gonna be fine. Wait for me here.

What are you looking so miserable about?

There's a whole ocean of oil under our feet!

No one can get at it except for me."

- This is a pivotal moment in Daniel's character arc

choosing business over family

he takes a large step away from sympathy and towards villainy.

On page 79, Daniel sends him away to a school for the deaf.

"- I just have to go have a word with the conductor.

I'll be right back."

- This abandonment plagues Daniel with insecurity

and aggravates his violent impulses.

"- We'll make you rich.

You spend time with your boy.

- You just tell me how to run my family.

- It might be more important now that you've proven the feeling

we're offering to buy you out.

- One night I'm gonna come to you inside of your house

wherever you're sleeping and I'm gonna cut your throat.

- What?

- What are you talking about? Have you gone crazy, Dan?

I heard what you said. - Don't tell me about my son.

- Why are you acting insane and threatening to cut my throat?

- Don't tell me about my son.

Now prior to all this with his adopted son

on page 67 Daniel meets Henry.

"- Can I help you?"

- A long-lost brother he never knew he had.

But after discovering him to be an imposter

Daniel spirals further and becomes a murderer.

And 20 years later at his lowest point

rich and alone,

Daniel goes off the rails completely.

Whatever sympathy he may have earned

is dashed away in this final sequence

with his son.

"- You're an orphan from a basket in the middle of the desert.

And I took you for no other reason than I needed a sweet face to buy land.

Did you get that?"

- As well as his murderous impulses

which he now does without remorse.

"- I'm finished."

- As you write your own villain protagonist,

remember to give them a complete character arc

and to find a balance between sympathy and villainy.

No matter which villain archetype you choose to write

there are a few characteristics that are always important to focus on.

And remember that this guide is just a jumping-off point.

A villain might fit more than one archetype.

Or defy expectations.

"- Oooh! That's a bingo."

- What types of villains should we cover next?

Let us know in the comments.

"- I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."

Subscribe to our channel, click the bell to stay in the loop.

Now go explore your dark side.

"- What was it you said to me before?

Yippee kai yey, motherf*cker?"