: Re: Writing an overempowered antagonist? I have the principal antagonist for my modern fantasy alternate world setting. Unlike the typical antagonist, this particular character, whom I named Vritra.

@Cooney417

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The problem with Marty Stu and similar types is not their power or competence, it is that since they are never really tested, they never grow as characters beyond cardboard silhouettes. Which for important characters such as the antagonist in your story pretty much kills the story.

So just show how he is tested. Show how he sometimes fails those tests. Show how he suffers when tested. Show how he regrets the cost of his failure. Show how he regrets the cost of his success. Show how he resents having to bear this burden. Show how he is ashamed of his weakness and resentment.

This will make him grow as character. Both in the eyes of the readers and in relation to the main character. I'd recommend using the main character as a mirror for such development, so that she doesn't get sidelined and overshadowed.

The MC should regret killing the the antagonist. She should regret not making it before. She should resent having to make that choice. She should resent the antagonist for dying. For making her kill him. For making the choices he made. She should resent the people who forced him to make those choices. She should miss him.

Not sure how concrete I should get with advice on how to actually do this. It is your story and all that. But basically with this set up the focus should be in the internal struggles of the characters.

You really screwed over the antagonist and the story should show that in his actions. He should be conflicted. He should sometimes mess up because he can't really focus.

Sometimes the conflict comes out as frustration, arrogance, and overconfidence. So he makes dumb mistakes and has to recover by doing things that don't reflect well on him. He might be ruthless or simply look embarrassingly incompetent while running from opponents he really should have dealt with easily.

Sometimes it comes out as kindness, tolerance, and understanding. He might just back off or even help out his enemies in a chivalrous fashion if it doesn't compromise his ultimate goal. He might even occasionally have doubts about his goal being justified and back off until he regains his resolve.

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