The Role Archetypes series is focused on presenting archetypal character roles in a way that focuses on their development throughout stories, with a particular eye to games (although most of the examples given will be taken from literature).
Today we're going to talk about the Villain, the seventh of ten roles we'll explore. This is the second part of my overview of the Villain: the first can be found here.
Derivatives of the Villain
The Villain is a figure that represents the Hero's Shadow, and as a result it can take a variety of forms. It's worth noting that many versions of the Villain may actually resemble a negative version of the Ally's forms, especially the Villain as a manifestation of Jung's animus or anima.
In the previous part of this overview, I also discussed the Villain as an other figure and as a result I am not going to distinctly mark the villain as other as a subtype of villain, though it is worth noting that this classical form (an outsider influenced by the Serpent, who may be otherwise noble) should be considered as important in the role of the villain.
The Dragon
The dragon is a part of the natural world or a representation of the other, often taking the form of a barely personified force. Its interactions with the Hero are associated with primal elements of the psyche and the Hero's own vulnerability to evil.
One of the dynamics of the Dragon is that it may be simultaneously Villain and Serpent: the corrupting influence of evil and the greatest challenge that the Hero faces.
Monsters like Polyphemus in the Odyssey (this variant of the myth, unlike later classical variants of the Polyphemus story, is echoed in other European mythology with similar figures) represent elements of the psyche: in Polyphemus' case it is his lack of hospitality and his barbarous cannibalism that leads him to be a villain, and he is blinded by Odysseus in retaliation. Odysseus being a sort of Greek cultural hero, this can represent the triumph of civilization over chaos and disorder, but also the role of the Hero's internal transformation as a way to move from ignorance and evil to enlightenment and truth.
It's worth noting that the conflict with the Dragon may cause the Hero to suffer great harm, especially if they are not fully virtuous. Odysseus compounds his trials by taunting Polyphemus, who is a child of Poseidon (that a representation of negative behavior is linked to a deity, one of forces that guide behavior, is worth contemplating), and earning further ire from the god of the sea. His hubris serves him poorly, especially since he is going to be sailing home (or, rather, not sailing home) as soon as he leaves Polyphemus' domain.
The Animus or Anima Villain
Much as the animus or anima can take on a role as the Hero or Ally, reflecting the counterpart of a feminine or masculine hero respectively.
The role of the Villain as a representation of animus is a reflection of the Hero's inability to pursue power and recognize their own dangerous nature.
On the other hand, the Villain as a representation of the anima is a reflection of a Hero's incorrect view of their role in terms of purpose and belonging.
This is important because traditionally a masculine Hero will know that they have power and danger, but lack the direction to guide their path (for this reason they wander and struggle) while a feminine Hero will be aware of their purpose but not the path that they need to take to recognize their full power in the universe.
These Villain figures can become very easily blurred with Serpent figures, and it's worth noting that you can only have such a figure if the Villain and the Serpent are not the same figure.
To provide a counterexample, in the Chronicles of Narnia saga the Pevensies confront a wicked witch who seduces Edmund with promises of power and pleasure in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. She is, however, a manifestation of the Serpent (as shown in The Magician's Apprentice) who is in direct defiance of God (or, to use the secular alternative, the Truth) represented in the form of Aslan.
I would argue that a better example of an anima Villain is that of Marla Singer from Fight Club (the film). As someone who is a potential love interest (and eventually redeemed in the last act) for the unnamed narrator, she is also held in the sway of Tyler Durden, whose actions lead him to take the role of the archetypal Serpent.
Because Marla Singer represents physical desire, but also the potential for love and a future that grows beyond mere pleasure and achieves purpose, she is able to be transformed to a higher form of anima in the conclusion of the film and also gives a pathway to self-improvement for the narrator, whose frustrated masculinity requires a coupling with the feminine to mature.
By counterpart, the masculine animus Villain is much more common in the case of feminine Heroes.
While a lot of people don't like Star Wars: The Last Jedi (myself included), it's actually a really good example of this being the case. Rey's heroic journey is shaped by a variety of flawed animus figures: neither Anakin nor Luke Skywalker were able to appreciate their own power and dangerous nature, and Kylo Ren is incapable of finding positive purpose despite understanding his power and the fact that he is dangerous.
In this sense, Rey finds herself in a place where she is rather quickly told of her purpose (she is, after all, portrayed as a new-found Chosen One), but she is stuck without an understanding of her own power and is frustrated by questions that she can't answer and a lack of initiative. Unfortunately, the film's flaws prevent this notion from being fully explored, but there are moments where it appears that a redemptive integration between Kylo Ren and Rey could cause the formation of a completed heroic figure: Rey as redeeming purpose for Kylo Ren's ultimate power.
The animus or anima portrayed as villain is toxic. It represents a flawed and incomplete element of the Heroic psyche, but it has enough allure (since the unification and integration of the animus/anima is important) to be tempting and dangerous. This negative representation of the positive alternative must be overcome by the Hero with discernment, rather than mere power.
It is possible for these villains to be redeemed, though not necessary. They may become the consort of the Hero (that is the Ally), or may be set to right and turned into Heroic figures themselves, but only if the underlying causes of their evil are confronted and overcome. If the Hero triumphs over their animus/anima through violence, the ending of the story is bittersweet; they must find an alternative that allows them to move forward.
Application in Games
Villains are important to games: when a game fails to deliver on antagonists because they seek to provide strong protagonists they often cause more harm than good to their own stories.
The mainline Far Cry series has always been well-regarded for its villains, with the second, third, fourth, and fifth installments all being regarded as deep in their portrayal of the villains. In the fifth Far Cry game, however, we find the best example of a traditional simple Villain (rather than a Dragon, which one could argue that the antagonists of the third and fourth installments may represent); the Seed siblings who are guided by Joseph as a Serpent.
Each of the Seeds represents a particular element of the Villain; Joseph represents the more traditional Villain, being responsible for the training and supervision of the Seeds' personal militia. However, the siblings John and Faith represent the animus and anima respectively. John's role in the cult is indoctrination by means of convincing people of their sinful nature and "encouraging" them to repent. On the counterpoint, Faith uses Bliss, a sort of psychoactive druge, to convince people to willfully follow the cult's teachings.
The identification with danger without the acceptance of Heroic power to strive against evil is an example of a broken animus, while the drug-induced stupor that replaces purpose is an example of the broken anima, and John and Faith pull this off in a deep and sophisticated manner without requiring the audience to get too invested in the undertones that they represent.
Another game that does this well is Grim Dawn, with its focus on found-document storytelling, actually creates some great Villain figures who are corrupted tragic figures (traditional Villains, Dragons, and Serpents are all common, due to the semi-episodic nature of the storytelling). Because the player gets direct insight into the minds of the antagonists, they are able to come to life in a way that fits the simplistic ARPG format (and the studio's budget) a lot better than overwrought cutscenes would.
The important thing to remember when creating a Villain is that they do not exist merely to challenge the Hero. This is why zombies are not usually the catalyst for great storytelling, though they may make an acceptable threat in the right framing (since they have their own role in portraying psychological elements, often the instinctual fear of failing to live up to ideals), a strictly natural force must have a reason beyond just being there for the story to be meaningful. The Tomb Raider reboot, for instance, portrays Lara as a woman who is alone in the world (if only temporarily at first) and who must learn to overcome it: this is a very powerful psychological framing, and works quite well. A particular poignant scene involves her first kill of an animal, which is symbolic for a number of reasons but reflects a process of metamorphosis from the incomplete Hero to a Hero who has integrated both the masculine order and power with the feminine chaos* and purpose.
*When I talk of chaos in an archetypal sense, it is worth noting that it is the entrance of the unknown into the universe, often by means of childbirth. It is actually a force for good, much as order can be a force for good, but only when it is approached in moderation. Nothing good can be born without an instigating chaos, and this is the reason why the Hero's Journey is important.
Wrapping Up
The Villain is an important counterpart to the Hero because they represent the Shadow–the evil and unpleasant element–unrestricted within the psyche. They are important because they are a worst case scenario. A tragic hero may die, but at least their death keeps them from becoming a Villain.
The Villain, on the other hand, represents an individual trapped by the webs of hell, consumed by the worse parts of their nature. They are not always willfully evil, but they at the very least do nothing to pursue merit.
Navigation
Introduction and Overview
Previous Entry: Villain Part 1: Overview and Examples
Next Entry: Shapeshifter