In Praise of Villains

So, there I was, reading away.  It was the latest book in series I love, approaching the suspenseful climax, I was in the groove, the author was in the groove.  All was right with the world.  Then it happened.

The villain turned stupid.  Made a sudden,s attack for no reason than an explosion of temper  They had been something of a martinet all along, but then, in the turn of a sentence, lost their mind.

I hate this.  I don’t want the villains to be weak, or stupid, or suddenly short tempered.  I want a smart villain, with their overall badness paired with a forward-thinking outlook.  I want dark intelligence.  I want a plan.  I want believable motivations all the way through.

Why? It makes the Hero/Heroine better.

A vicious attack requires that the H/H throws a punch, or otherwise defends themselves.  A plan though, especially one that plays out across the plot, drives them.  It test their resources right up until the last minute.  It adds richness to the story.  It creates tension, pulling the characters together, or pushing them apart.  A villain that doesn’t suddenly snap, but follows through with established character and resources, right up to the end, even as they are being defeated adds suspense and depth to the climax.

Plus, being tested by a villain of strong and filled out character, shows the H/H in the best possible light.  They don’t get off the hook easily.  They have to fight for their Happily Ever After, or any kind of Ever After at all.  We get to see them at their best and their worst, and they get to see each other that way.

So let there be villains.  Let them twirl the moustaches and pet the white cats and eye the H/H with disdain.  But let them be smart and up to the challenge.  And let the games begin.