Villains

Villains. They can be fun at how incredibly awful they are, or horrifying at how utterly evil they are. Unlike heroes, villains don't necessarily need anyone else in the story. Maybe it's because evil is storyworthy for it's own sake, but heroes show their heroism by fighting against something. Either way, villains enjoy themselves as they chew up the scenery.

I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out why classic villains are so classic. Darth Vader is a nice example, since he's part of Western culture, but also because he's barely in the original movies. He is just a thug in the first movie, then an enforcer in the second, and finally in the third he has a key part (but even that is as a second string to the massivly evil Emperor). Anyway, I find it amazing that we remember him so well despite his lesser role. Somehow that character touched something in us that made him more real than his surroundings. That, I think, is the common thread with these classic villains--they seem realistic and behave in realistic ways.

Then there are totally incomprehensible villains, and for that I point at the Joker (I love comics). A villain who is brilliant/diabolical/ruthless and without a shred of relatability to most people. Yet, his evil provides a stark relief against the various heroes he combats, even when the heroes are nearly as ruthless as he is.

Stories require conflict, and an obvious villain is typically the way to go. But, wow, some villains are just as spectacular as heroes.