What is an Antagonist — 7 Types and How They Work

Isaac Newton stated that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The same is true in storytelling. Behind many great protagonists there are great antagonists.

"- I win. What do you say to that? " - In a previous video, we broke down all the elements of an effective protagonist.

Now, we're going to examine their greatest adversary. "- Hello. " - This is "What is an Antagonist".

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Now, let's get antagonistic. Now, we're talking. The word antagonist comes from the Greek 'antagonisties' meaning opponent, villain, or rival.

Screenwriting scholar John Yorke defines an antagonist as, 'The sum total of all the obstacles that obstruct a character in the pursuit of their desires. They are the problem or obstacle the protagonist has to overcome'. An antagonistic force can be another character.

An inanimate object. Or an idea. As such antagonists are as old as stories themselves.

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" one of the oldest written stories in the world includes enemies like the Ogre Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. As the hero's primary obstacle, the antagonist is crucial to a story's plot. But they're also important to the protagonist's evolution.

An antagonist often pushes the main character toward change inadvertently or otherwise. "- But the King is dead. And if it weren't for you he'd still be alive.

" - As screenwriting guru, Robert McKee once wrote, 'A protagonist and their story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them. To defeat Darth Vader Luke must become a Jedi Knight. "- You failed, your highness.

I am a Jedi. Like my father before me. " - To defeat the Terminator Sarah Connor has to embrace her destiny as the mother of the future.

"- Come on. Do I look like the mother of the future? " - Antagonists come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Let's take a closer look at the most common type of antagonist. The villain. "- You're looking for me.

" - The villain is an evil character performing evil deeds and dead set on stopping the protagonists from achieving their goal. There are countless examples of iconic villains throughout film history. Villains can be funny.

"- It's an inanimate f*cking object. You an inanimate f*cking object. " - Terrifying.

Or a dog. An obvious motivation for a villain is that they are purely wicked. But while a one-dimensional villain may be easy to write they can be predictable and uninteresting to watch.

Giving an antagonist a more nuanced or relatable characterization can be much more compelling to the audience. In Jordan Peele's "US" Red is presented as of a psychopathic villain for most of the movie. But once her motives are explained she becomes a much more complex and sympathetic character.

"- How it must have been to grow up with the sky. To feel the sun, the wind, the trees. But you people took it for granted.

We're human too, you know. Eyes. Teeth.

Hands. Blood. Exactly like you.

" - Another way to create a more dimensional villain is by giving them a backstory. In "The Dark Knight Rises" Bane appears to be evil for evil's sake. "- You're pure evil.

- I'm necessary evil. " - But as we learn about his history his nihilistic motives start to feel more understandable. "- The league took us in.

Trained us. But my father could not accept Bane. He saw only a monster.

His very existence was a reminder of the hell he'd left his wife to die in. He excommunicated Bane from the League of Shadows. His only crime was that he loved me.

" - Charisma can also make a villain a more compelling character. Think of Hannibal Lecter who is pure evil but whose intelligence and unsettling charm makes him one of the most memorable antagonists in history. "- A census taker once tried to test me.

I ate his liver with some fava beans. . .

. . .

and a nice Chianti. " - A villain's characterization can also depend on their genre. In horror, for example, a villain may thrive on mystery and their lack of backstory or motives add to a feeling of dread.

You can also add dimension to a antagonist by giving them internal conflict. Throughout his arc, Kylo Ren is uncertain over his role with the dark side. "- I'm being torn apart.

I want to be free of this pain. " - In "Lord of the Rings" Sméagol's internal conflict is represented through a second personality. Gollum.

One wants to do right. "- Master is my friend. You don't have any friends.

" The other wants the ring at all costs. "- Must have the precious. They stole it from us.

Sneaky little Hobbitses. " - Allowing the villain to conquer this internal conflict might yield a full character arc. Dr Otto Octavius the primary antagonist of "Spider-Man 2" changes his ways at the end of the film.

"- The river. Drwn it. I'll do it.

" - And saves New York City. A great antagonist also informs the themes of a film. In "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", Nurse Ratchet is a stand-in for the banal evil of bureaucracy.

"- All right. That's it. - I only count nine votes, Mr McMurphy.

- She only counts nine. Only nine! It's a landslide.

- There are 18 patients on this ward, Mr McMurphy. . .

. . .

and you have to have a majority to change ward policy. So you gentlemen can put your hands down. " - Adding depth to your villain can add depth to your film.

But the villain isn't a writer's only option. Let's lay out some other types of antagonists in a story. There's the anti-villain whose motives aren't wholly evil but who is still out to stop the protagonist.

"- You guys really are cowboys. - What's your problem, Kazansky? - You're everyone's problem.

- That's because every time you go up in the air, you're unsafe. - I don't like you because you're dangerous. - That's right.

Iceman. I am dangerous. " - In "Black Panther", Killmonger is trying to correct the evils of colonialism.

"- Don't trip. I'mma take it off your hands for you. - These items aren't for sale.

- How do you think your ancestors got these? You think they paid a fair price? Or did they take it like they took everything else.

Y'all sitting up here comfortable. Must feel good. It's about 2 billion people all over the world that looks like us.

But their lives are a lot harder. Wakanda has the tools to liberate them all. " - Sometimes a villain's delivery is all a facade.

This is the false antagonist. "- Get down. " - Consider Severus Snape one of the many antagonists in "Harry Potter".

Who is revealed to in fact be a crucial ally. "- You must be the one to kill me, Severus. It is the only way.

Only then will the Dark Lord trust you completely. " - Here the antagonist is often aware of the role they play in a protagonist's life. Forcing them to grow and learn.

In these lessons, I will attempt to penetrate your mind. You will attempt to resist. Prepare yourself.

Or perhaps the opposite is true. We don't realize a Cypher is an antagonist until later in the film. This is the hidden antagonist.

"- Then we have a deal. - Okay. And get my body back in a power plant.

We insert me into the Matrix. I'll get you what you want. " - In "Gone Girl" it remains unclear who exactly is the villain until a grand reveal.

"- I am so much happier now that I'm dead. " - Technically missing. Soon to be presumed dead.

Gone. And my lazy, lying, cheating oblivious husband will go to prison for my murder. " - A less obvious form is the inanimate antagonistic force.

This can be an illness that the hero is forced to deal with. Or simple fact of life like aging in "The Wrestler". "- As time goes by they say he's washed up.

He's finished. He's a loser. He's all through.

You know what? The only ones are going to tell me when I'm through doing my thing is you people here. " - In many science fiction films, the anonymous antagonist can be a killer robot from the future.

Or where the power of technology exceeds our control over it. "- Open the pod doors, Hal. I'm sorry, Dave.

I'm afraid I can't do that. " - In some disaster films the environment around the hero is the main obstacle. Or a force of nature.

"- Lucas! - Dad! " - An inanimate antagonistic force is often one that is out of control of the hero.

Meaning that instead of defeating it the main character has to learn to simply survive it. Or live with it. Sometimes a protagonist struggles against their own inner antagonists.

In "Tar", Lydia continues to make self-destructive decisions further digging herself into a deeper and deeper hole. "- Apparently, some accusations have been made. - Accusations?

What kind of accusations? " - There are antagonistic forces around her but in the end, it is her own actions which precipitate a downfall. "- Please.

. . Just because nobody dares breathe it we know the things you do.

The little favors you grant. " - An antagonist doesn't always have to be in the wrong. "- I didn't kill my wife.

- I don't care. " - The hero antagonist is the opposite of an anti-hero. We're rooting against them even though they're doing the right thing.

In "Catch Me If You Can", Carl Hanratty's goal is to stop a con man from ripping off innocent people. But we don't want him to. We sympathize more with Frank's plight.

"- You've stolen almost 4 million dollars. You think we could call it a wedding present? This isn't something you get to walk away from, Frank.

-I want to call a truce. -No truce. You will be caught.

You will go to prison. Where did you think this was going? - Please, leave me alone, Carl.

Please. - I'm getting close, aren't I? " - Occasionally, there is no antagonist.

This is usually the case in films where the plot is more free-form than the typical Hollywood formula. In "Nomadland", we simply witness Fern's day-to-day life. There is no specific adversary.

Just the struggles of living below the poverty line in modern-day America. "- You can die out here. You're out in the wilderness.

Far away from anybody. You can die out here. You understand that?

You had to take it seriously. You have to have a way to get help. You have to be able to change your own tire.

- Appreciate it. Thanks. " - No matter the form your antagonist takes it is important that the role has depth and pushes the protagonist forward.

Most films work perfectly well with a single antagonist. But let's look at some examples that maximize the conflict with multiple antagonists. The group antagonist involves multiple individuals rather than a single villain.

We can see this in genres like sports and war films. In "Top Gun: Maverick" the antagonist is an anonymous army. "- The enemy's new fifth-generation fighter has leveled the playing field.

" - All we know about them is that they are the primary obstacle of the mission. "- That's because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them. - That's exactly what I'm going to train you to do.

" - Multiple antagonists can often be found in superhero sequels where the hero is confronted with a bigger challenge than in their previous films. In "Spider-Man: No Way Home", Peter Parker has to contend with villains from across the Multiverse. A film can also have more than one type of antagonist.

In "Titanic", Jack and Rose's first obstacle is the villain Cal. "- You will honor me the way a wife is required to honor a husband. Because I will not be made out of fool, Rose.

" - But once the romance storyline is superseded by the disaster arc another antagonist is added. Now Jack and Rose are forced to deal with an inanimate antagonistic force. The sinking ship.

"- We're gonna make it, Rose. Trust me. - I trust you.

" This use of antagonists can also help divide a film into distinct sections. Writer Alex Garland uses multiple antagonists to split "28 Days Later". First, the survivors have to contend with the infected.

Only then to find themselves up against deceitful and predatory soldiers. "- What do nine men do except wait to die themselves? I moved us from the blockade.

I set the radio broadcasting and I promised them women. "- It's only dressing up! - No!

Selena! - I thought girls liked dressing up. - Expensive dresses.

" - A strong antagonist can make a good movie great. Antagonists drive the plotline while pushing the protagonists to evolve. And can even evolve themselves.

And don't let a lack of filmmaking software be the antagonist of your next shoot. Write the next great movie villain using StudioBinder screenwriting software. Click the link in the description to give it a try.

We all have our favorite antagonists. What's yours? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Until next time keep your friends close and your antagonists closer.