Why an antagonist is important to a story

 

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Who is an antagonist?

An antagonist is the villain of a story. It can be a human being, a natural phenomenon like a hurricane, a disease, an animal, an idea or a fictional character like a dinosaur. The aim of the antagonist is to create chaos and wreak havoc while creating obstacles for the protagonist (hero). The protagonist has to find a solution to the uncomfortable situation caused by the antagonist.

In story-telling, the antagonist propels the story forward by creating an inciting incident that forces the protagonist to go on a journey to remedy the situation and restore balance. In the Dark Knight (2008), the Joker creates chaotic situations in the city of Gotham with the aim of killing the Batman. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thanos is looking for rings that will give him ultimate power and make him the supreme being of the universe.

Why are antagonists not popular?

Being an antagonist is not very appealing, especially in the acting business because the villain always loses in the end and it is hard to come back in the same film. Of course, there are numerous movies where the antagonist has made a comeback to a film series, but they are very rare. In the James Bond series, the villain constantly changes. In the Dark Knight series, Batman fights off Ra’s al Ghul, Joker, Two-face and Bane in the three films. In the Harry Porter series, Lord Voldemot is the main protagonist, but Harry faces off different antagonists in the first five films, before ultimately facing Voldemot in the final showdown.

It is still true that actors who act as villains at times find it difficult to get roles in other films, however, depending on their performance and portrayal of their characters, they build their chances of getting more roles. Michael B. Jordan was an antagonist in Black Panther, but he came back as antagonist in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse. Denzel Washington has acted as an antagonist in numerous films including Training Day which earned him Best MTV Movie Villain in 2002 (which Michael B. Jordan won in 2018). Denzel’s performance in Training Day is still remembered to this day, with quotes such as, “King Kong ain’t got sh*t on me.” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj4adAAHa68 

Being an antagonist does not mean that an actor will lack jobs. The commitment to the character and work ethic will always give an actor a chance to get roles.

Why is an antagonist important?

The rivalry between the protagonist and the antagonist creates the tempo of how the story will go. If the protagonist is too strong and the antagonist cannot find a weakness, then the story will be short and less memorable. The reason being the protagonist will win easily and the story will end abruptly. This is the reason why Superman always has to fight a villain who either has kryptonite or is slightly stronger than him like Darkseid. An example is the Lion King (1994) film, if Scar does not kill Mufasa, Simba will not have a reason to fight and reclaim the kingdom, because Mufasa is still alive. In essence, we would not see Simba’s journey, because there would be no conflict or adversity for him to face. He would just become king once his father passes the kingdom to him.

In the Dark Knight (2008), Heath Ledger who acted as the Joker created one of the most memorable performance of an antagonist and is used as a reference point for villains in modern day films. Ledger immersed himself in the role working on the movement, the voice, the makeup, the costume and the character giving Batman and Commissioner Gordon hurdles to stop him. Ledger showed the importance of having a strong antagonist, because the film is still enjoyable to this day, thanks in part to his stellar performance.

In truth, it is way harder being an antagonist than a protagonist. This is because the antagonist has to cause disaster and present challenges to a protagonist. The protagonist just needs to overcome the challenges and their weaknesses and save the day. The antagonist builds the protagonist and makes him/her look good in front of the audience. It is important to note a strong protagonist is still important when facing a strong antagonist.