Provide an analysis of the role that origin stories of villains in various forms of fiction fill. Perhaps the story makes for an interesting insight into the motives behind an evildoer's deeds (as in the case of the Psycho film franchise, for example), their relation to the respective hero (if any), or perhaps as a source of sympathy for the character. Supply in-depth descriptions of examples for each role.
Are Origin stories as important for heroes as for villains though? I would definitely argue not. All superheroes have their stories narrated at some point but in some of the most popular villains people enjoy the unknown quality they have. Just look at Joker, how DID he get those scars? AHA – Slaidey9 years ago
I think this would be a very interesting article! By learning the villain's backstory, it adds a human quality to them, which could nurture sympathy in the viewers. It's always unnerving as a viewer to make an emotional connection, or finding yourself relating to, a character you know you're not supposed to like. Take Loki, for example, when we learn his backstory, it becomes easier to justify all his actions, henceforth. Then, we begin to question our own morality. It shows that good and evil are not always black and white. Great topic! – Megan Finsel9 years ago
I think this topic has a rich base to draw on, because, as noted above, you have a huge variety of villain types: archetypal, lunatic, puppets, misunderstood, the ones you wish were misunderstood but are still pretty murder-y... I think the best organization of this article would be tracing mainstream changes. – IndiLeigh9 years ago