Appeal of the Antagonist: Falling for the Bad Boy/Girl

The concept of falling for the "bad boy/girl" is cliche at best; however, it rings true for many people whether in reality or in their own little fantasy world. The allure of someone who breaks the rules is mesmerizing. Even the straight-laced folks have to admit the desire to feel the rush of rebelling. There's also a lot of sex appeal around leather and lace, black and tight outfits, and most of all, that crooked scowl.

With that being said, have you ever rooted for the antagonist in the gripping novel you're reading? Even just for a split second? Twisted, I know. The protagonist is the protagonist for a reason. He/she is a character we should be cheering for. The protagonist is a hero (literally or figuratively) that grows throughout the novel, and the author hopes we grow along too.

As I wrote The Aeonians, I primarily focused on protagonist Isabel. She is the Princess of Deran, a tomboy lacking confidence. But...I struggled writing her. Even though I wrote her in my likeness, I didn't like her. Maybe that was because at the time, I didn't like myself either. (The days of self-loathing are long gone!) Suddenly, I noticed the antagonist, Bence Brechenhad, was outshining her. Stronger physically and mentally. Many people who have critiqued my works had mentioned him as their favorite character. At first, I wondered why.

Bence Brechenhad is a fierce warrior with an iron-clad fortitude. He has a sarcastic sense of humor and a touch of OCD. Even though he was raised to believe Isabel and her relatives were the "bad guys", he never balked in front of Isabel. He patiently observed her and always thought before he acted. Then, it hit me. He became the stronger character because Bence was everything I wish I could be. The more I progressed through the novel, the more I fell for this character. Not romantically, but fell for him in a sense that I was building a very alluring character. He's the person you want to be, want to hang out with etc. But...he was the bad guy! That can't be right!

That's where the allure of the "bad guy/girl" comes to play. Bence wears a dark cloak, is devilishly handsome, and has a penchant for mischief. He kills with swift precision. By definition, he is a dangerous cat and should be the last person to hang around. But yet, he was enjoyable to write and a  pleasure to read.

So, I guess the answer to what makes an antagonist so appealing will never be answered. Why? Because it's subjective. But I think we can all agree there will always be strong chemistry with someone like Bence- or that "bad guy" you're reading about right now. And that's a good thing. The tug of war between protagonist and antagonist is what spices up the plot.

And in my opinion, there is no good protagonist without a great antagonist.