What makes an interesting and well-written protagonist?
These are opinions and preferences from readers themselves across all different types of genres. You’ll find yourself agreeing and disagreeing with them— but that’s the beauty of art. The thoughts of readers can help to see what different people like and dislike. Here are the answers to this question:
“Someone who is smart but evil and a little bit humane.”
“When they used to be best friends with the protagonist.”
“They have the morally right end goals but the way they achieve those goals are morally wrong.”
“If they directly impact the life of the protagonist. ‘King Bad’ making life tough doesn't count.”
“Absolutely cruel but honest with what they do.”
“When you can actually understand why the antagonist is acting this way.”
“An antagonist that can properly bring out the weakness of the protagonist.”
“If the antagonist’s goals have a good point.”
“Relatable motivation e.g. loss of a loved one.”
“Known as messy and clumsy to the world, but master strategist in evil.”
“An antagonist should have a close or familiar relationship with the main character.”
“They are right. Even if their methods look wrong in the end, their goals and methods are correct.”
“Empathy and when it’s the main character's fault that they turned for the worse (when done correctly).”
“Their weakness and intelligence.”
“Someone relatable, but not always a ‘tragic backstory’ type thing.”
“When they have a good and complex backstory and that is the reason for their actions.”
“A contrast to the protagonist. If the protagonist punches problems, the antagonist should be a thinker.”
“Not being pure evil, like they have some things even they won’t do.”
“In my opinion: goofy antagonists. I love antagonists who aren’t super serious all the time but are still evil.”
“Backstory, connection to the reader.”
“Madness, but the controlled and calculating type.”
“An antagonist that hangs out with the protagonist and reveals themselves later is really cool.”
“Personal things that keep them going, like giving them traits that readers could relate too.”
“CHARACTER ARCS!!! I also love when they have a really unexpected personality.”
“They have to be hot 🧍🏿♀️”
“They have a valid reason to do what they do, like a life lost or revenge.”
“Antagonists that are given good or funny reasons to be the way they are.”
“A non cliché backstory.”
“Goals that make you reconsider supporting the protagonist.”
“I personally LOVE when the antagonist is sympathetic and does wrong for the right reasons. And also, relatable antagonists are a really good addition to any story!”
“I find it really interesting when antagonists are just evil just because they feel like it.”
“They feel they are doing the right thing even though they’re misguided.”
“Ones you’re attracted to.”
“They need to succeed where the protagonist fails, or best them in their greatest strength.”
“Strong motivations and not just the desire to rule the world. And also their background.”
“A very good backstory on why the person has become an antagonist.”
“A connection to the protagonist. Ex. childhood friend, cousin, sibling.”
“Flaws people can relate to.”
“A well written motivation.”
“Him/Her having flaws as all humans, also learning from mistakes”
“Motive and intelligence; I also want the protagonist to be challenged and have to struggle to defeat them.”
“His actions are for his goal and not to train the hero.”
“They need to have a good reason to be the villain.”
“They have a reason that’s more righteous than the protagonists.”
“When they feel real. Like not all bad, with sensibilities.”
“A storyline describing what they went through to have become what they are.”
“Motives people can relate to or sympathize with.”
“They’re still human and have emotions.”
“A thread binding the protagonists together. A twisted reflection of something the heroes wished.”
“One with a unique and interesting motive!”
“Someone who is doing it for their own justice, just on a different stand to the protagonists.”
“Actual motivation! An antagonist with weak reasoning or no reasoning for their actions is :/ “
“His behavior can be justified when his past is well written.”
“When you can understand their reasoning but not their choices.”
“The more “evil” they are, the more ambiguous their backstory.”
“Comedic evil personality, traumatic backstory that makes the readers want the hero to save the villain.”
“An antagonist with motivation that makes sense, not one about how tragic their life was.”
“Too much action in everything! Be evil without physically fighting.”
“Reasonable motivations, when you can understand why they do even irredeemable actions.”
“Understanding that villains are human.”
“A strong, non-cliché theme/ideology to their villainy. Evil is much scarier as a force.”
“A sympathetic motivation.”
“An unwillingness to do bad but is forced to anyway.”
“Goals and development / character arc.”
“Flaws and reasoning behind their ‘evil’ plans.”
“When you understand why they behave that way.”
“I think that (depending on the genre) a bad guy that actually holds its own. Meaning that they could be a character without the hero.”
“An antagonist that knows what they want.”
“A well written and valid reason that made them an antagonist, no one is a villain by nature.”
“I’m not one for there being an overall “main antagonist” but I like viciousness.”
“Someone who has an upsetting backstory (not traumatic) but makes you understand them.”
“A good reason/motivation, not just I WANT TO DESTROY THE WORLD!”
“One with problems that even the readers can relate to.”
“Mysterious and not entirely evil, the question of what made him evil. His intentions about a good/bad cause but in a bad way are not revealed until the end.”
“Have some morals, contrary to the usual ruthless types.”
“Chemistry with the protagonist; their banter/quips + how well they play off each other!”
“They have their own traits that are simply human/unrelated to their motives or traumas.”
“This is my opinion, but have the protagonist slowly becoming the antagonist.”
“Mysterious and powerful inner strength.”
“The unpredictability of their next moves!”
“Someone who you can sympathize with, who has a motive to their madness.”
“Character foil with the protagonist! As well as a solid motive.”
“Reflecting/mirroring the protagonist, showing them the road they’re on.”
“The villain’s motivation and action makes sense in the story.”
“Mixed feelings about what they are doing.”
“Has a good reason for being bad, back story is explained with no plot holes.”
“Development of the character.”
“Someone you can relate to in some way and someone who has good qualities as well.”
“Traumas he faced and the evil personality he came out to be because of them!”
“A good motive but a bad way of carrying out their goal.”
“A solid backstory/motivation.”
“They have a strong motivation that goes against the protagonist’s interests.”
“Clearly telling his point of view and his justification of what he did.”
“The reason behind why they’re the antagonist.”
“This isn’t a must, but something both the antagonist and protagonist want makes a story interesting.”
“That he is likable, because he goes through the same struggles as everyone.”
“A good character that you loved originally slowly goes evil overtime, so you don’t want to hate them.”
“Good natured. Rounded. Readers think the antagonists' errands are forgivable. They like them more than the protagonist.
“They feel justified in their actions/movies.”
“That he has the same complexity as the protagonist, without being pure evil.”
“Competent villains are the best and most frightening. Intelligence plus a nice sense of humor is even better.”
“An antagonist with a backstory, not the weepy cliché kind but an interesting one. A goal they’re for. Maybe someone they care for in a twisted way. Essentially, a three dimensional villain.”
“Personal connection to the hero. I’ll always love the goal of a petty prevent more than world domination.”
“A well-explained backstory.”
“That they always keep you guessing, I’ve found that really intrigues readers.”
“That he has the same complexity as the protagonist, without being pure evil.”
“If it’s a girl, she still gets her period, cramps, has to go to the toilet, etc.”
