Make Supervillains
They're the ones you love to hate and hate to love. Yet, some of us can't help but be drawn to them. If you are one of those people, and you are interested in making your own dastardly bad guy, this is the thing for you.
Note: The term SUPERvillain means better than just average villains so they probably have super powers.
Contents
Steps
Sample Character Description
Doc:Villain Brainstorm,Villain Backstory,Excerpt About Villain
Making Your Own Supervillain
- Focus on the look of the Supervillain. The possibilities are endless. You can make it human, super-human, or it doesn't even have to be a human.
- Determine if it is a male or female.
- Try to stay away from bright colors. A cape is a good touch, but it's not necessary.
- Make it either a creature or have them morph into a shape-shifter for extra effects. Shape-shifters are characters that go from a basic form, such as humans, to different creatures (like Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty).
- Figure out what powers your villain will have. He/She could have elements of water, fire, earth, nature. But don't let the basic elements hold you captive. Be creative and make up your own power. If not, try considering things like electricity, superhuman strength, telekinesis, flight, ice, darkness (a good one), or anything you want. Combining more than one power is also possible, but don't make it too strong. Remember, the good guy should always win...for some reason.
- Think of the evil plot they will have, as every bad guy has one. The whole "Taking Over The World" thing is outdated. Be more original. For example, Magneto (X-Men) was seen as evil because he was tired of humans treating him and all mutants like trash. Mr Freeze (Batman) had the whole story with his wife - if you watched the movie, you'd know. Nevertheless, let the villain have a good, genuine reason for being so mean (e.g. jealousy, alienation, revenge, protection).
- Give them an evil laugh. A laugh is a confirmation of their power, so it has to suit them. Pick it out carefully. You could choose the deep Dracula kind of chuckle for the guys, the high toned witch cackle could suit some females, but not all. Others would rather prefer the lower mysterious laugh, that is sometimes even confused with a giggle. There are countless choices.
- Consider a henchman. In complex plots, henchmen have their very own personalities and would not be considered as part of the super villain. But if the story is short and simple, a henchman can be limited. Give them a basic good quality - e.g. brains, strength, speed, obedience, bravery - and a basic bad quality - e.g. stupidity, clumsiness, cowardice. They don't have to look like the villain, but it would be good if they shared some characteristics or ideas. They could have, for example, the same goal and reason to be doing such dastardly crime.
- Give them a weakness or something that will be their downfall afterwards. It could be a physical thing, like Achilles' heel, or a mental or inner flaw like greed or jealousy. He could have also been betrayed. But don't let it be an accident, his or her defeat. The point is to teach people that crime does not pay, so let his loss be by flaw. Throughout the story, show signs of his flaw, as Caesar showed signs of his arrogance throughout the Shakespearean play, and it was this flaw which caused him to die. He wasn't a Supervillain, but yours should, as Caesar, perish in the end.
- Give your villain some connection to your hero. A betrayed friend or a spurned lover, if the rivalry is personal it makes for more intense battles.
Tips
- Make sure your supervillain has a background to suit his/her look. If he is a billionaire they aren't going to be in rags.
- The villain must be powerful, one of the most powerful characters in the plot, he must be difficult to beat.
- Try to make the look a bit dramatic, for villains mostly carry a lot of anger and depression and mixed up negative feeling in them.
- He can have a signature move and catchphrase if you wish, just as Scorpion(MK) releases snakes from his palms and yells, "Get over here!" or something like that, but avoid making it too corny or unoriginal.
- It's a good idea to have them be behind the scenes and use henchmen. It's never entertaining to see a villain go down in one episode/issue. It's always better to have them spearheading a few plots than to be an action junky. Leave that to henchmen or underlings.
- Give your villain an attitude and don`t be afraid to bring some humor into it every now and then. The henchman could be helpful in this area
- If you're trying to make a scary supervillain, it's okay if it's immortal,invincible & weakness-less or you could even make him win or give him every power you can think of.
- To create a villain, think about something that you're scared of. Are you scared of bees? You can create a villain based around bees. Make sure to make it SUPER CREEPY!
Warnings
- How far fetched the villain's origin should be dependent on the setting. If it's realistic don't make the villain's origin too far fetched but if it's fantasy and everything is already too unbelievable (almost absurd), then it's up to you.
- Don't make the villain too powerful as the hero should always win but do make sure to make the villain truly challenging for a better story.
Things You'll Need
- Writing and drawing utensils and paper
- Information on the different usable elements
