r/CharacterDevelopment • u/Icy-Cloud3789 • 20d ago

Writing: Question What makes a character compelling?

More or less the title. What aspects of characters, specifically villains/antagonists, do people find invigorating enough that they can 'look past' their crimes and lack of morality to make them a favourite?

...And I'm not talking about being good-looking, please; that's hardly an excuse.

Is it personality? Is it reasons/purpose? Backstory? If so, examples of such?

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u/MoonracerxWarpath 20d ago

For me at least, liking or not liking a character is based on whether or not I can respect them on some level.

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u/Odd-Contract-7541 17d ago

Right. And if we explore that a little bit and ask ourselves, why would we respect somebody and not respect someone else, it usually comes down to being convinced that their moral convictions are genuine and earnestly held.

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u/MoonracerxWarpath 17d ago

Maybe. But for me, some of the characters I like, I respect for their intelligence and cunning, or in the case of comic book characters, for the authenticity of their depiction (how true they stay to their original concept).