—Because Sometimes the Villain Has a Point

Villain Week | Writer’s Guide

I used to think villains had to be evil. Capital “E.” Dramatic monologues, cackling, murder on a Tuesday before breakfast. But the more I read—and wrote—the more I realised the most unsettling villains aren’t monsters.

They’re just… people. Complicated. Wounded. Sometimes even noble. And that’s what makes them so effective.

So let’s talk about how to write an antagonist who isn’t black-and-white, but instead lives in that deliciously complicated shade of grey.

❓ What Is a Morally Grey Antagonist?

Put simply: they’re not wrong. At least, not entirely.

A morally grey antagonist believes they’re doing the right thing—or at the very least, the necessary thing. They might have good intentions with bad methods. Or they might be acting in response to trauma, injustice, or personal loss.

They don’t twirl moustaches—they make you question your protagonist.

🧠 Start with Motivation

I know, I know. Every writing guide says this. But for a morally grey antagonist, it’s crucial.

Ask yourself:

• What do they want?
• Why do they want it?
• What happened to them that made them this way?

And here’s the key twist:

Could a different version of your protagonist want the same thing?

If the answer is yes—you’re in morally grey territory.

⚖️ Let Them Be Right… Sometimes

One thing I learned the hard way: if your villain never makes a good point, they don’t feel real.

Maybe your antagonist exposes flaws in the system.
Maybe they reveal truths your hero doesn’t want to face.
Maybe they’re trying to stop a war—just using the wrong method.

Letting them win an argument (even briefly) adds tension and depth. Readers love a villain who makes them uncomfortable by being logical.

🪞 Use Contrast to Reflect the Hero

I love it when the antagonist is a distorted version of the protagonist—same drive, different path.

• Hero wants justice. Antagonist wants revenge.
• Hero believes in hope. Antagonist believes in control.
• Hero saves one life. Antagonist sacrifices one life to save many.

It’s the tension between them that makes your story sing. And it’s the moral ambiguity that makes your readers think.

🚫 Avoid the “Sad Backstory Excuse”

This is a trap I fell into early on: thinking that if I gave my villain a tragic past, readers would automatically forgive them.

But a sad backstory isn’t a free pass. It’s context, not justification.

Let your antagonist believe their pain gives them the right—but let your story (and your hero) push back.

💔 Make Them Human

Let them:

• Be kind to someone.
• Hesitate before pulling the trigger.
• Regret a choice they made.
• Love someone deeply—and fear losing them.

You can still have them do terrible things. But show us the flicker of doubt, the internal conflict, the cost.

Because the best morally grey villains are the ones we almost root for… and hate ourselves for it.

✍️ Practical Writing Prompt

Write a scene where your antagonist genuinely believes they are the hero—and your protagonist looks like the villain. Don’t make it satirical. Make it real. You’ll learn more about both characters than you expect.

🎭 Examples of Morally Grey Antagonists

• Erik Killmonger (Black Panther) – fighting injustice with brutal tactics.
• Magneto (X-Men) – protecting his people by declaring war on humanity.
• Inspector Javert (Les Misérables) – obsessed with justice to the point of blindness.
• Thanos (Infinity War) – trying to “save” the universe with mass genocide.

You don’t have to agree with them. But you understand them—and that’s what lingers.

🧩 Final Thought

I’ve come to love writing morally grey antagonists because they raise the stakes in a way no cartoon villain ever could. They don’t just threaten the hero’s body—they threaten the hero’s beliefs. Their presence forces everyone to question what’s right, what’s necessary, and what price they’re willing to pay.

And isn’t that the kind of villain that stays with you long after the story ends?