Final bosses

[Ilikewaterkusa]

Currently I am planning on developing the final boss for one of my series but currently I’m at a crossroads, currently I have no idea on how to develop this final boss. So I’d like to ask you several questions.
- how does one become a final boss?
- what differentiates a final boss from other bosses in terms of presence and other factors other than them being the last?
- what gives final bosses their incredible presence, what makes them unique from others and make you feel as if you wish to choke at their sight or admire them in near religious fervor?
- why would one become a final boss?
- and what is the difference between the typical villainess and a final boss?

 

[Drunk_Cultivator]

What really makes a good villain, or a final boss as you said, is that they are not that different from the hero. They could have something in common, maybe circumstances of birth or that they also shared similar ideology to the hero at first, but instead of following the path of the good, they turned evil. Like being forced by circumstances, or society or whatever problems out there.
What I like about this kind of trope, if it can be called that, is that the readers and even the hero, can really understand the villain POV. Like one wrong move, one wrong step and the hero could have ended that way as well.
That would lead to some inner conflict on the hero side.
Also having the final boss being stronger than the hero is a must. No one like a weak final boss that would be easily defeated.
There is also that time when a first confrontation happens, and the villain presents his ideals and views to the hero, and the latter have nothing to say about them, cause you know, he could see where the villain is coming from, he could see some truth in whatever the villains believes.

I am basically just putting my favorite scenes out here ??

Anyway, what you need to be especially careful of is: making a villain that is evil just for the sake of it. He needs to be built from the grounds up like your MC or even more, cause that's the core of the story. And as I said, readers need to connect with him, and not just you know, hate him cause he is evil or an arrogant bastard.

Well that's all I can really think of, as I am not that good of writer myself. Hope you do well ??

 

[Iamnotabot]

Prime examble: madara uchiha, he's a menace even through you don't even get to see him until later in the serise, and when he does he is shown as the strongest thing that could murder your ass. Not just strong but the strongest, not just in physicality but in inteligent aswell.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Someone who you can build up throught he series as a threat and is so dangerous that most characters fear them. Perhaps they were the one pulling all the strings or maybe they have been trying to indoctrinate the hero, but either way, they're so bad that no one can differentiate between them and true evil. At the same time though, they have to be relatable or have some kind of relatable goal that the audience can consider.

 

[melchi]

A bad final boss is one dimensional. They do bad things and can't be stopped doing bad things.

I agree with drunk cultivator though. A good villain / final boss is relatable.

A good example is the Fey'ri.

Fey'ri are elves crossed with demons. But what makes them interesting is why they felt the need to do such a thing. In the FR universe before the elven deities created the moonblades the sun elves tended to be in positions of leadership. But when the moonblades were created only moon elves were able to claim them. This really slighted the sun elves so some of the more extreme clans decided to take extreme measures to claim their rightful place. Half-demon half elven creatures are incredibly powerful. Add to that they are fixated on their desire to rule elven kind and it makes them really scary.

 

[Ellieporter]

Think about Shin Akuma (True Demon) or Phantom Bison in Street Fighter. These two are in their true forms who not only powerful but can defy death itself.

 

[Ilikewaterkusa]

Think about Shin Akuma (True Demon) or Phantom Bison in Street Fighter. These two are in their true forms who not only powerful but can defy death itself.

who that