How-To Series · Writing Tips

How to Write a Villain Who’s Creepily SIMILAR to Your Hero (character dynamics)

Saraina Whitney

Your antagonist does not have to have the opposite personality of your hero.

Recently, I read writing advice essentially saying that your antagonist should not have reactions similar to your main character; otherwise they would be a supporting character.

Well, I’m here to tell you that I disagree with the “should not” part of that. Yes, it’s a great idea to have a villain who’s the opposite personality from your hero – obviously, it makes for delicious conflict…

But what if your villain was similar to your hero? *gasp* Is that even…a thing? Glad you asked, m’dear! Here’s how to NAIL writing villains who are actually similar to your hero – and why it’s secretly a brilliant idea.

#1. They Will Hate Their Similarities

They will not like how similar they are.

👆 UNDERSTATEMENT ALERT.

Guys, do you see how many opportunities for conflict there are with this scenario? Dare I say even MORE so than with villains and heroes who are the opposite of each other? It’s because they’re similar. Think of an INFJ and an INFP. (Or, for those of you who aren’t obsessed with MBTI personality types, think of two introverted dreamers.) They can be the absolutely best of kindred spirits, without a doubt. (I can attest to this!)

But imagine if they were enemies. Think of all the ways their similarities would rub. Or even if they had the SAME personality type. They will hate what they see in the other, because they recognize it in themselves.

Have you ever looked at someone you completely disagreed with in terms of religion or politics and thought, that actually would be me if I hadn’t grown up being taught the principles I believe now? THAT, my friend, that is the mental dynamic your hero can have with the villain.

The hero should be able to look at the villain and think, Wow, that would be me if I wasn’t on the side of truth, of goodness, of right. There are so many different avenues for extra conflict with this scenario, and you can explore them to your heart’s content.

#2 Embrace the Awkwardness

It’s awkward, okay? It just is, to have a hero and a villain who know their similarities. Especially when everyone else notices that. Embrace the awkwardness and don’t miss all the opportunities to add more conflict! Because their minds works similarly, they’re going to know how the other’s brain works too!

They will BOTH have an edge (which I suppose then equals no edge at all, but bear with me) because they can predict how the other person will act! How your hero and villain (and their sidekicks) handle this unsettling problem will reveal a lot about them, and it will certainly raise more not-so-fun obstacles. (Not so fun for them, of course. But great fun for us.) *stereotypical evil author grin*

#3 Starkly Emphasize the Moral Difference

Since your hero and villain are going to be having similar reactions personality-wise, and are going get how the other’s brain works…you need to show the main difference that matters: the moral one. Whether or not your villain will be redeemed or is a purely evil character, the difference between him and your hero will hinge on their moral code and the divide of good versus evil.

You’re gonna NEED to delve into why your hero is choosing to be on the side of good, and why your villain is a villain. After all, they’re so similar. Why isn’t your villain the hero?

Why isn’t your hero the villain?

Yeah, this is basic character development that will happen regardless of how different or similar your villain and hero are from each other, but I think it’s especially important for this scenario.

The moral difference is inevitably going to be stark.

#4 Choose Between Similarities Clashing OR Clicking

Did you know similarities can sometimes clash?

This is related to my first point, but I wanted to draw this out further. Just because you know someone who is similar to you doesn’t always mean you’ll get along well. Their weaknesses might be magnified to you because you see everything in them that you hate about yourself – or that you even like about yourself; as if seeing those in someone else makes you feel less unique. Jealousy can flame to a kindle. Add a fundamental difference in beliefs/principles and you have a recipe for disaster.

(*coughs* If that’s so bad, then why am I grinning right now??? Moving on.)

On the other hand, like I mentioned earlier, we can often click perfectly with someone we’re similar to, like we’re puzzle pieces meant to fit together! The connection can be instant and unmistakable. So what does this frightening alternative mean for your hero and villain? What’s the answer?

Predictably, the best answer I have for that is: character development. Get to know your characters – your hero and your villain. You can honestly do that however you want – making character-themed moodboards, extensively detailed character questionnaires, asking a friend to interview your characters with hard questions, making playlists with every song that reminds you of the character, whatever is fun and most productive for you.

That way, you will be able to find out exactly how your hero and your villain clash and click in their similarities. You will know whether they’re more tempted to be strike a forbidden friendship or become jealous rivals, whether they secretly admire the other person or utterly cannot stand them. You’ll become acquainted with the push and pull of their relationship.

Ask yourself: in what ways do they clash? In what ways do they click? Why?

#5 Let it Spring to Life Naturally

This is a rather nit-picky and hypothetical point, but I’m just imagining possible mistakes writers may make while writing this dynamic. (Wow, what a kind person I am. 😛 ) And one thing I thought of is that you may be tempted to lowkey scream in the reader’s faces that THESE ENEMIES ARE SIMILAR! HEY, DID YOU SEE THAT? THEY’RE NOT OPPOSITE PERSONALITIES!

You don’t need to overdo it, or force it, over-exaggerating the similarities as if your reader won’t catch on. Let it spring to life naturally. Your readers may never consciously notice how similar the hero and villain are. But you as the author know. And you can take every advantage of that. This is not all that matters about your hero and villain; it shouldn’t be the only unique and distinctive element about your hero and villain. It’s just a way they are.

And voila! There ya have it – five tips for nailing the similar-hero-and-villain trope that I don’t know officially exists or not! Tell me in the comments: are your hero and villain polar opposites (which, by the way, is just as awesome) or weirdly similar? Have you ever read about a hero and a villain you noticed were similar? What are your tips on this topic?

34 thoughts on “How to Write a Villain Who’s Creepily SIMILAR to Your Hero (character dynamics)”

  2. I definitely agree with your last point, forcing the characters to act a certain way is a recipe for disaster XP I love just creating characters and seeing how they respond to each other, sometimes they’re opposites, sometimes they’re similar! Thanks for the great post! 😊👍

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    1. Oh, good! (I was worried I didn’t explain myself properly in that one lol!) YES – sometimes they’re similar, and sometimes they’re not! It’s so fun just flowing the characters around and seeing where they lead 😁 Thank you so much for reading, Kay!! 😊 ❤

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      1. I thought you explained it really well!
        Yesss! And it’s fun to see how they change over time with all the events of the book happening to them!
        😊❤️

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  4. Ooh! *starts rubbing her hands together to show plotting* New ideas! 😭🥳 It’s bittersweet since I don’t need any new ideas. Lol. I love this blog series btw! 😍

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    1. Woohoo!! Ohh…never mind. 😂 I get that. So often I’m like, noooo, not a new story idea! 😭 Aww, thank you, girl!!! I hope to continue it more often than I have been doing XD

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    1. I gotcha! A lot of my characters aren’t either polar opposites OR the same personality…lol, I must have forgotten to mention how that’s also a possibility in my post! 🤭

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  6. Love this! I would say my villain and one of my heroes (its complicated XD) are similar in the regard that they both just want what they want (but the hero being more… hmmm… not evil about it) and are willing to do anything to get it. It’s also kinda scary to think that the hero and the villain are similar!!

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  7. YES! I 100% agree! I’ve been doing this in my current wip, and it’s created some really delicious tension between my protagonist and villain. I find it to be more bonechilling than if they were totally different because my protagonist is well aware that he could end up just like the villain… and that terrifies him. Fantastic post, Saraina!!!

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    1. YAY!! Ahhh, you’re doing this in you WIP? How thrilling!!! EXACTLY! Oh wow, that’s a great point – how your protagonist knows he could up just like the villain. *grins* Thank you so much for reading, Ava!!! ❤ 😀

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  8. Girl, you’re a GENIUS!!! These tips are amazing!!! I’ve never heard of anything like this before, but it’s such a great idea!!! I’m not very good at creating villains for my story, so your advice is super helpful!

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  9. Ahh I just love this! (The title was enough to make me get excited about it all.) I can’t wait to form a new character and make this person creepily similar, haha!

    One of my favorite versions of this is when the MC releases he’s “turned into” the villain by his actions, especially when he abhors the villain because of said similar actions. (Poor character!)

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    1. YAY!!! Thank you so much!!! Haha, I’m so glad it’s inspiring you! XD

      Oh my, yes! I LOVE that version! It’s so impactful. (Though you’re right, poor character! 😭)

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  11. Oh my word!!! This is SO AMAZING!!! I love this post (and now I really want to make a villain that is the same as my hero just to try it out XD)! I love all these tips! Thank you so much for sharing!!!

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  13. What a great idea Saraina! Lots of good points and food for thought!
    This reminds me of a podcast I listened talking about archetypes, in particular the Shadow archetype, who like you were saying in your first point, would be just like me if I didn’t think/believe *fill in the blank*!

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  14. This is such a great post!! And perfect timing because it’s something I’ve been trying to get ironed out in my story. My hero and villain are very similar and I think that’s a lot of fun! But they’re similar in the way that they have the same goals and desires. Not so much that they have the same evil laugh or whatever. 😆 Thanks for this post, Saraina!!!

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    1. Thank you, Allyson!!!! Oh my, that is so epic!! Yes, that sounds like a lot of fun! XD Wow, having the same goals and desires makes the dynamics even more complex and interesting. I LOVE that! Lol, gotcha… 🤣 You’re so welcome!!!

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  15. ooohhhh this is awesome!!! i like how you brought out that you need to starkly emphasize the moral differences between the 2 characters.
    in my story right now, the villain and hero are actually siblings (but they don’t know that) thus they have a ton of sibling similarities. I may apply some of what i learned here to my WIP.

    great writing, by the way!!! I’ve been reading your blog for awhile; i just never comment. I like that your writing style sounds professional, yet conversational (: keep writing!!!

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    1. Thank you so much, Elli!!! 😊 Yes!! Ooh, they’re siblings? *gasps* That is so cool, girl. I wonder what their reactions will be when they discover that… 👀🤭

      Aww, thank you!!! That’s such a high compliment!!! ❤ 🤗

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