The Hero-Villain Dynamic

In less than a month, the As We Convene anthology is dropping from Inked In Gray Press, and I’m excited to see my story “The Argus” in print. But I think what I’m most proud of is the evolution of the story. The version you’ll read is the third (maybe even fourth) iteration. One of the biggest shifts from the first to the second iteration was changing the dynamic between Ozkar and Sol. In the original version of the story, they were much closer. But in writing the second iteration, I realized that for the story to work and hone the story’s scope Ozkar and Sol needed to be on opposing sides of the central conflict and Soltesky needed to be a more mysterious figure. 

While I would classify Sol as a “Big Baddie,” I would argue he resides closer to the villain end of the hero-villain spectrum because there’s an air of mystery surrounding him, he keeps Ozkar (and the reader) guessing, and he adds to Ozkar’s sense of urgency. 

There is nothing more I love than a good hero-villain dynamic, especially when the villain understands the assignment. For example, the Joker in my eyes is probably the best embodiment of this. He’s not a tragic hero like Anakin Skywalker or even on the path to redemption like Loki. Instead, the Joker is there for the chaos. He’s complex and his motives are questionable and ever-changing. And because his motives aren’t clear this often puts him at the top of Batman’s priority list. In other words, their relationship/dynamic propels the story forward and often pushes Batman to the brink of this moral code and questions where the boundary lies. 

But, just like with “The Argus” it can take a bit of elbow grease to hammer out the relationship and nail down the right dynamic. While it might not be the only thing propelling the plot forward, this relationship has a massive influence on the plot and character development. It’s not just about a clash of opposing forces or ideals, it’s often about digging deep into the hero and villain and understanding how and why they are two halves of the same coin. 

As the saying goes, the difference between the hero and the villain is how they respond to pain. While this isn’t the only defining aspect, it’s a good place to start. I know that’s where I started for Ozkar and Soltesky.