😈Let the Villain Win (For Once)

 

A Hot Take on Heroes, Losers, and the Book Characters We Keep Writing into Cliché Oblivion

Let’s get something out of the way before anyone gasps, clutching their well-loved bookmarks or dramatically flipping through their annotated paperbacks:

The villain should win more often.

Yep. I said it. And no, I’m not sorry.

And before you dismiss me as a hopeless romantic villain sympathizer, hear me out.

The Villain: More Than Just a Punching Bag for the Protagonist

I’m not talking about the charming antihero with a tortured backstory who eventually redeems themselves and steals your heart (though, yes, those characters are great).

I’m talking about the straight-up villain.

The unapologetic, sharp-tongued, power-hungry force of chaos who just might have a point. The one who never gets to win — not because they didn’t deserve to, but because the plot was rigged against them from page one.

In far too many books, villains exist only to lose. To teach the protagonist a lesson. To endure a humiliating downfall, deliver a dramatic monologue, or—if we’re lucky—die poetically.

And honestly? I’m tired.

✋ Can We Stop Pretending Good Always Deserves to Win?

Let’s be real here: being “good” is not a personality trait.

It’s not even an interesting narrative trait.

Half the time, our “heroes” are self-righteous, oblivious, and stubborn in the most infuriating way.

You know the type:

  • The bland main character with a “chosen destiny” and the emotional range of a paper napkin.

  • The one who “fights for justice” but can’t hold a conversation without tripping over their own moral compass.

  • They stumble through conflict, protected by plot armor, while the villain — clever, calculating, and consistent — gets outwitted by a last-minute twist and a flashback to some mom-quote that magically fixes everything.

I’m sorry… what?

Justice isn’t always compelling.

Survival is.
Revenge is.
Control is.

Let’s stop acting like good deserves to win just because it’s “good.”

If we’re writing stories rooted in reality, we have to admit: sometimes the wrong people win.

And that’s what makes it hurt. That’s what makes it real.

🎭 The Villain Is Often the Most Interesting Character

You know how you can tell when a villain is better written than the protagonist?

When you catch yourself thinking, Wait… do they actually have a point?

Villains usually have the clearest motivation in the story.

They’re direct.

They don’t trip over themselves with doubt or second-guess every decision.

They don’t need five chapters of internal monologue to justify wanting what they want.

They’re focused.

They’re bold.

They’re fun to watch.

They do what the protagonist refuses to do: take action.

So why do we keep forcing them to lose?

🙄 Let’s Talk About the “Mean Girl” Trope

While we’re at it, can we stop punishing the “mean girl” just because she speaks her mind and rocks a bold lip gloss?

In far too many stories, the girl with confidence, intelligence, or ambition is automatically villain-coded.

She’s portrayed as:

  • Cold

  • Selfish

  • Someone who needs to be taken down

Meanwhile, the soft-spoken, insecure, obliviously “good-natured” main character gets handed the win by default.

I hate to break it to you, but confidence doesn’t make someone evil. Neither does ambition. Neither does a biting sense of humor or great fashion sense.

Sometimes the “mean girl” isn’t mean — she’s just honest.

And if we’re being honest, she’s often the one carrying the entire story on her back.

Let her win, too.

🥱 Predictability Is the Real Villain

Let’s be honest:

In too many books, the moment a morally questionable character steps onto the scene, their fate is already sealed.

They’re going to lose.

They’re going to get punished.

They’re going to say one last sarcastic line and then vanish from the plot like they were never that important.

It’s predictable.

And you know what predictable equals?

Boring.

Books should be brave. Surprising. Uncomfortable, even.

But what’s not uncomfortable anymore is watching the “good guy” win again — while the antagonist, who often had a far more compelling reason for fighting, gets tossed aside because the reader “needed closure.”

Guess what?

Closure is overrated.

Give me chaos. Give me questions. Give me stories that leave scars, not just warm fuzzy lessons.

💔 The “Popular Character Who Always Loses” Syndrome

You know who else I’m sick of seeing get screwed over?

The popular, charming, mysterious, clearly-more-interesting side character who always loses to the bland love interest with zero personality.

This is a global epidemic.

You know the ones I’m talking about.

  • They’re witty.

  • They’ve got tension with the protagonist.

  • Maybe even chemistry.

But they’re written to lose.

The author forces them to bow out so the MC can end up with someone “safe,” “good,” and “perfect.”

STOP IT.

Let them win.

Let the love triangle end with the unexpected choice.

Let the brooding bookshop owner or chaotic villain love interest get the happy ending for once.

Readers deserve better.

Characters deserve better.

And honestly? The story deserves better.

📖 What I Write (and Why I Break This Rule)

As an author, I’m obsessed with realism, emotional depth, and impact.

I want my stories to hurt in the best possible way.

I want readers to question things — especially themselves.

So no, I don’t always let the “good guys” win.

I’ve written messy endings.

I’ve let the pain linger.

I’ve walked away from stories that made even me uncomfortable.

Because comfort doesn’t spark growth. Truth does.

In my books, you’ll find characters who don’t follow the rules.

Some get redemption. Some don’t.

Some are monsters.

Some are broken people trying to find peace.

But I’ll never write a villain just to lose.

If they fall, it’ll mean something.

If they win… it’ll mean even more.

👑 In Defense of the Villain

Here’s what I think the heart of it all really is:

We’re scared of seeing ourselves in the villain.

That’s why we want them to lose.

Because deep down, we know how tempting it is to cross the line.

To do the wrong thing for the right reasons.

To want something badly enough to break the rules.

Villains reflect our shadows.

Our secrets.

Our unspoken thoughts.

That’s why they’re powerful.

And maybe — just maybe — that’s why they deserve a win every now and then.

Not because it’s morally right, but because it’s human.

🗣 Let’s Talk About It…

So, what do you think?

  • Should villains get to win sometimes?

  • Have you ever rooted for the “wrong” character on purpose?

  • Do you actually like the main character in your favorite book — or were you just forced to accept them?

Let me know in the comments.

Or better yet, write your own story where the rules break and the villain rises. 😈

Because sometimes, the most honest ending is the one where the hero doesn’t win.

✍️ Writing Challenge: Flip the Script

Try this: write a scene from your current story or a new idea where the villain wins.

  • What does their victory look like?

  • How does the protagonist react?

  • What changes about the world you’ve created?

Share your snippets in the comments or on social media with #VillainWins and tag me @MakitiaThompson — I’d love to see your work!

🖤

Makitia Thompson
Writer. Creator. Plot Twister.

#Mindsindesign #Makitiathompson #MIDproductions 

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