Anti-villain

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An anti-villain is a character in a film, drama or literary work who pursues undeniably villainous ends, but employs methods that are arguably noble in order to advance his interests. Thus, the anti-villain is the converse of the anti-hero, who frequently resorts to immoral means in pursuit of an admirable goal. An anti-villain may commit serious crimes, such as murder; alternatively, his actions may only be considered "villainous" because they come in direct conflict with the story's protagonist.

1 Similarities between anti-villains and anti-heroes
2 Main differences between anti-villains and anti-heroes
3 Examples in fiction
4 See also
5 References

[edit] Similarities between anti-villains and anti-heroes

Like anti-heroes, anti-villains are morally ambiguous. Sometimes, anti-villains will behave in ways that are altogether kind, principled, or benevolent compared to traditional villains. Stories may delve extensively into these redeeming qualities, even as the anti-villain continues his role as the story's antagonist. In fact, anti-villains often elicit sympathy because the audience is made to feel that they are "scapegoats" of sorts; that is, the anti-villain doesn't "deserve" to be cast as a villain, but is consigned rather arbitrarily to this post by the conventions of storytelling.

True anti-villains are a rarity in film and literature. Other morally ambiguous character types, such as the anti-hero or the "accidental villain" (one whose pursuit of noble goals meets with disastrous, unintended consequences) have been wrongly referred to as anti-villains.

[edit] Main differences between anti-villains and anti-heroes

The main difference between anti-villains and anti-heroes is in their intentions. Despite pursuing aims that can be considered noble and/or heroic, anti-villains are still considered the antagonists of the story due to their ruthless and evil actions, despite the sympathetic qualities or good intentions that they possess. Anti-heroes may exhibit qualities that are more selfish or ruthless than anti-villains, but they remain in the "hero" category because they are considered (in theory, at least) to have a goal that is admirable. Anti-villains and anti-heroes may sometimes overlap, depending on what their ultimate objectives are considered to be.

[edit] Examples in fiction

One example of an anti-villain is Jon Kavanaugh from The Shield. Kavanaugh is an Internal Affairs detective whose goal is to bring down the show's anti-hero protagonist, Vic Mackey, who at an earlier point in the show murdered a fellow officer. But Kavanaugh's methods are questionable at best, even illegal, and while Mackey does not always stay within the law he earns the viewers' sympathy by following his own code, described as "noble" by actor Forest Whitaker.^[1]^[2]