villains in a disaster story? are they necessary?

[scribesaga]

if i was writing a story where there's an impending natural disaster about to occur, and the tension building up to it can be a main driver for the main characters, do you think i also need a villain as well? Just curious what people think.

 

[Racosharko]

villain

Actual villain?

*shrug

Yeah, nah, depends on the story.

Antagonists, adversity, obstacles, and problems?

Yes, probably.

 

[Echimera]

Depends on how you define a villain.
You usually don't need someone behind a natural disaster, if that's what you mean.

A selfish prick that's out to save himself (and most importantly all his stuff) even at the cost of others, like the protagonist? A greedy f-er that wants to make a profit by providing people with the means to survive at exorbitant prices, without a care about the people who will not make it because of their greed?
I wouldn't call these villains, rather antagonists in a more general sense. You still don't need them, people disagreeing in good faith on how to best handle the disaster can already be sufficient to build tension, but characters like the ones I mentioned can give the conflict a focus and a more concrete obstacle to overcome.
Also great karmic justice if they end up becoming victims their selfishness or greed themselves.

 

[Iri.Mosaic]

Of course not. 'Man vs. nature' is one of the fundamental story types. You don't need a villain, in anything, just an antagonist, which can literally just be the environment.

 

[Clo]

A story doesn't need a villain, a disaster or any external threat.

It could be 100% internal and still be riveting.

Sure, you could write the story of someone who fights for their father's approval, which is external, and could make the father the villain.

But you could make a story about someone battling depression and figuring out a way out of it.

 

[RiceballWasTaken]

even at the cost of others, like the protagonist? A greedy f-er that wants to make a profit by providing people with the means to survive at exorbitant prices, without a care about the people who will not make it because of their greed?

United healthcare CEO

 

[CharlesEBrown]

The disaster itself is an Antagonist. There can also be a villain, but it is not required (unless you're writing a conventional superhero story, then it pretty much IS, since about 1980)

 

[Sabruness]

depends. Antagonists can be useful, if used carefully. a true villain? no. that'd just ruin the story. you only have to look at The Walking Dead to see how hamfisting and bodging villains can ruin a disaster story.

at the root is the sort of disaster story you want. is the disaster the principal danger (ala a survival story) or something where the disaster is a glorified plot device that quickly falls away because 'evil villain humiez' (like TWD) become the focus.

If a real disaster is the focus, then the antagonists must be transient. once they've served their use narratively, they're gone and dont come back.

 

[RiceballWasTaken]

if i was writing a story where there's an impending natural disaster about to occur, and the tension building up to it can be a main driver for the main characters, do you think i also need a villain as well? Just curious what people think.

There can be a villain but I'd say the main focus should be on human survival vs natural disaster with the villain as a side plot

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

Adversary might as well be a villain. In natural disaster movies, the villain is usually a tornado or sharks or a Sharknado. Having someone heckling how evil they are won’t change how scary a natural disaster can be.

 

[Golden_Hyde]

what is villain to you in this sense of a disaster? Unless you're trying to insert a character that's so messed up in their mind and saying, "if I die, you must die as well", then nah, get that thing out.

But if it's like just a heckling opposition character like someone here had said, then it might makes sense.

 

[soupsabaw]

Technically, you already have your villain. It's the natural disaster. I don't think a villain necessarily has to be a person. The natural disaster is the antagonist.

 

[RedMuffin]

Villains in a disaster story? are they necessary?

 

[BearlyAlive]

In your case Mommy Nature is the villain.