Anybody else find it hard to bump off a really edgy antagonist?

[ErikB]

Villains come and go in literature and there are antagonists that people sort of expect to die though its not an especially powerful urge for a reader because those guys are just your run of the mill "bad guy" (or gal).

Then there is that antagonist that just seems to hit all the marks. That truly twisted or vile person that readers love to hate. A villain to make their hearts race and keep them on the edge of their seat just itching to see them get what's coming to them.

You know the type.

As authors/writers we've all created those opponents that were bad but perhaps not terrible. And we've surely created a villain or two to rival the others. A real nemesis worthy of the title...

Ultimately whether a story is a single book, a trilogy, or a series the antagonist has to perish or change in order to create satisfaction at the end of the story for the readers sake.

But as writers villians are fun to create. They are driven, unorthodox, powerful, and colourful characters that a writer can really enjoy sharing with their readers.

I don't know about the rest of you but good or bad I tend to get attached to my interesting characters. Its not easy to kill one off. And oddly (or perhaps not so oddly given the hours of pleasure derived in creating and driving a villain character) it is often quite difficult to kill that character off.

I've discussed killing off characters before. But have any of you found it hard to part with a particularly well created antagonist?

 

[Phyrebrat]

It depends on what you write. For my genre, my antagonist is usually a representation of the protagonist's flaw(s) and I don't think I write 'villains' because they bore the pants off me.

I prefer writing people struggling with their own demons and obstinacy. They let the Demon in easier and it's easier to trick a reader to like a person who is complex.

pH

 

[J Riff]

If he/she goes off a cliff into the darkness, then maybe not really dead, huh? Sequel possible. So just keep them from being visibly shredded and voila. The return of the Joker, part 57.

 

[zmunkz]

Hmm I know the type. Like Loki.

I think when you make your antagonists driven and competent and layered as characters, they automatically become more sympathetic. And yes, harder to kill. In my own single case of dealing with this, I had to go back and amplify the intensity of my antagonist to keep him unsympathetic enough to deserve his fate.

Of course the hallmark of some genres is to blur the line between good and bad and make it more of a free for all where character death need not feel justified.

 

[Venusian Broon]

No, not really had a problem with this. Who is in charge of the universe I am creating? Me or the imaginary people I'm populating it with? I am also full of different ideas for different universes filled with completely different people, so I suppose I'm awash with other riches to explore.

It's one of the issues that make my eyes glaze over with a lot of the superhero genre, death is used for shock...but then much loved character, good or evil, returns somehow. It cheapens the ultimate.

Now, I know that has ancient pedigree - a lot of gods died then were reborn. But they were personifications of the vegetation through the seasons. Not hyper villains giving batman a run for his money.

But I suppose it depends on what sort of book(s) you are writing. I would, if you are writing serials in the same universe, do as @J Riff suggests, some enigmatic disappearance off Reichenbach Falls. I've just finished ASOIAF as it is published now and I think Martin handled one bad character, who I thought had died, coming back really well. I won't give spoilers but if you've read it then: rhymes with meek. The character came back but transformed.