Antivillain

An antivillain is a character in a film, drama or literary work who pursues undeniably villainous ends, but employs methods that are arguably noble in order to advance his interests. Thus, the antivillain is the converse of the antihero, who frequently resorts to immoral means in pursuit of an admirable goal. An antivillain may commit serious crimes, such as murder; alternatively, his actions may only be considered "villainous" because they come in direct conflict with the story's protagonist.

Similarities between antivillains and antiheroes
Like antiheroes, antivillains are morally ambiguous. Sometimes, antivillains will behave in ways that are altogether kind, principled, or benevolent compared to traditional villains. Stories may delve extensively into these redeeming qualities, even as the antivillain continues his role as the story's antagonist. In fact, antivillains often elicit sympathy because the audience is made to feel that they are "scapegoats" of sorts; that is, the antivillain doesn't "deserve" to be cast as a villain, but is consigned rather arbitrarily to this post by the conventions of storytelling.

True antivillains are a rarity in film and literature. Other morally ambiguous character types, such as the antihero, the "accidental villain" (one whose pursuit of noble goals meets with disastrous, unintended consequences) or the "honorable enemy" (who is simply on the other side and doing his duty) are sometimes considered to be antivillains.

Main differences between antivillains and antiheroes
The main difference between antivillains and antiheroes is in their intentions. Despite pursuing aims that can be considered noble and/or heroic, antivillains are still considered the antagonists of the story due to their ruthless and evil actions, despite the sympathetic qualities or good intentions that they possess. Antiheroes may exhibit qualities that are more selfish or ruthless than antivillains, but they remain in the "hero" category because they are considered (in theory, at least) to have a goal that is admirable. Antivillains and antiheroes may sometimes overlap, depending on what their ultimate objectives are considered to be.

Examples in fiction

One example of an antivillain is Jon Kavanaugh from The Shield. Kavanaugh is an Internal Affairs detective whose goal is to bring down the show's antihero protagonist, Vic Mackey, who at an earlier point in the show murdered a fellow officer. But Kavanaugh's methods are questionable at best, even illegal, and while Mackey does not always stay within the law, he earns the viewers' sympathy by following his own code, described as "noble" by actor Forest Whitaker.

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