Good versus evil is a timeless theme that drives stories forward. It's hard to have one without the other. In fact, some of the most famous characters in history are the most villainous. Come on. Who is more iconic than Darth Vader?

Side Note: (THAT TRAILER. I died.)

In a session led by Ashley Ford at the Midwest Writer's Workshop of 2015, I walked away haunted by this quote:
                       "In the human condition, no one is a hero or a villain."
Now, that's powerful. It's powerful because we all remember the moment when Darth Vader took off the mask and displayed what we thought was a long lost humanity. We also remember the first time he put it on, and what drove him to the ways of the Dark Side. It wasn't an evil heart or even malicious intent.

It was love.


So. No one is a hero or a villain, because people do not live in boxes. They have fragile hearts that lead them to unthinkable destinations. The moment Anakin Skywalker turns against the Jedi is only one piece of the puzzle. His desperation and his loss and his complete misunderstanding of power are all parts of this journey that we get to be a part of. Say what you will about his character, but it's fascinating to see all these factors laid out in front of us. Being able to see his fall from heroism amplifies his rise as a villain. In turn, he becomes a multi dimensional human being that can be connected with and understood.

A villain without dimension does nothing for the dynamic of a story. Even Michael Myers has a backstory. The bad guys are more than just a necessary player on a chess board. Their choices and their darkness set them apart from the Luke Skywalkers of the world, but it's easy to forget that Anakin and Luke are actually pretty similar. They just had holes punched in different parts of their hearts.


Now, not all villains have an elaborate backstory for us to dive into. Some don't even have a motive for what they do, which makes them all the more terrifying. (*Cough* The Joker *Cough*) But whether it's Darth Vader or Emperor Palpatine or any random, aimless stormtrooper, the audience deserves to know what makes them who they are. I know all about Luke's fears and insecurities and weaknesses, so why shouldn't I know that about his counterparts?


I don't want just some cloaked figure standing at a podium ruling the world. I want details. Every single person started out as a screaming little baby, innocent and pure. What leads that harmless child to a life of destruction and ruin? Some are destined for evil. Some find it along the way. One wrong turn can lead to a descent into darkness that defines the future and blackens the past. To say that Anakin is merely a villain is cheating his character out of the respect he has earned. (Stop hating on poor Hayden.) He is a husband. A son. A father. He is a broken, terrified man lead astray by the need to save the one he loved.

Heroes and villains are destined to live through intertwined fates. They are timeless worthy opponents, and they both deserve to have an entire world built around them. Darth Vader lives on because he was a perfectly crafted villain.  Now, let's see how Kylo Ren holds up.