A good villain is like a fine wine: complex, rich and rarely beneficial to your health. (By this logic, Sauron is full of antioxidants. And potentially fruity?)
Plenty of writers create flat, indistinguishable villains who just cackle maniacally in the shadows doing recreational v*olence, but what makes a villain unforgettable? It's the why. And that's where the backstory comes in.
I've come up with some unique backstory ideas for your villain. No, they aren't just your standard orphan revenge arcs. I wanted to give you something juicy (to stretch the wine metaphor). Before we dive in though, help yourself to some free writing cheat sheets...
Back From the Future
The villain was sent back in time. She knows about a great war that’s coming (think World War 2 or something on that scale). This war will end up killing her family so she’s determined to prevent it.
The thing is, nobody knows who she is. Nobody believes her. She’s determined to do anything in her power to stop this war, but her actions are seen by many as extreme and villanous because they don’t understand what’s at stake.
Forgotten God
The villain was once the king of the gods in the world’s pantheon. Due to the changing culture, the humans began to favour another god instead, so the first was forgotten. His statues can only be found in the ruins of ancient temples and his power is fading. Resentful, he’s scheming to reclaim what was once his.
Once a Hero
Once, a long time ago, a young peasant boy was mentored to be a valliant hero. Blah blah. You know the drill.
The thing is, he never wanted any of it. While he’s being celebrated for saving the world, all he can think of were the people he was forced to kill along the way and all the friends he lost. Bitter and resentful, he wants revenge.
First, he starts with his old mentor. Then the king. Then the council. He won’t stop until everyone who changed his life is gone.
Curse Guilt
This villain was an archeologist in their youth. When opening an ancient tomb, they unleash a curse on the world. The catch is, the only person who knows about the curse is the villain. To everyone else, the curse is the new normal.
The villain feels extreme guilt and will do anything in their power to reverse the curse, even going to unethical means. Since nobody else understands the curse, the villain’s actions are viewed as extreme and inexplicable.
