All great stories have conflict. The protagonist must fight to the end of the story, against any force working against them.
Recently, I started to learn the difference between the two. The terms are used interchangeably but their meanings differ. Understanding the difference can help you better develop your story.
Villains: What are they?
Villains intentionally go against the protagonist and are usually evil or morally corrupt. Villains also do not care about harming those around them to achieve their goals. They can be motivated by self-interest, power, revenge, or malice. Some key traits of villains are as follows:
Having malicious, self-serving intents
Intentionally harm, oppress, and destroy
Enjoy the suffering of others
Enjoy chaos
Are corrupt or driven by dark desires
Villains often serve as an embodiment of evil or destruction. They are powerful and iconic.
Antagonists: What are they?
To put it simply, antagonists are not as evil as villains. Their goal is to oppose the protagonist, but they are not evil. Villains can be antagonists, but it does not work both ways. Some key traits of antagonists are as follows:
Oppose the goal of the protagonist
They can be morally gray or misguided
Believe they're the hero
Can often help the protagonist as an ally
Are redeemable
An antagonist's role is to create conflict, but they do not have malicious intent. Instead, they are misguided.
Be sure to mix and match the two to enhance your plot. A great example is in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Fire Lord Ozai is an irredeemable tyrant, while Zuko is a conflicted prince who later becomes an ally. The contrast between the two makes the story more meaningful, especially because they are related.
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