Peering Into the Dark: Why We Love to Hate the Villain
- Joie Lesin
- Jul 30
- 6 min read
A Guest Post by Author AA DaSilva
Villains aren’t born, they’re made.
A dark past, a thirst for power, and a skewed moral compass are some of the main ingredients for a great villain. More than just a plot device, villains are paramount in many stories. They raise the stakes, create conflict, and play a crucial role in shaping the hero. Because a villain represents what a hero fights against, they help clearly define what the hero stands for.
But the real twist? The villain’s actions don’t just propel the plot and give the hero a chance to save the world from them—they bring about a fascination in readers who want to know the villain origin story.
The Joker, Darth Vader, Loki, and Dracula are good examples of how a villain can captivate. They can elevate the hero’s journey, behave in cruel, calculating ways, but still…we want to know more. What is it about these anti-heroes that has us gasping in horror yet unable to look away?
When I began writing the sequel for Periphery, titled The Bleed-Through Effect, I knew I wanted to include the villain’s point-of-view in the story. The epilogue in Periphery closes with the villain, Jared, plotting his revenge. The sequel was already forming in my mind, and I knew my readers were about to enter deeper, darker territory.
When discussing Periphery with my readers, one thing quickly became clear to me: Jared wasn’t just a side-character—he was a villain that stole the show. Readers often bring him up by name and discuss a characteristic, a shocking action, or an opinion on something he’d done. They appreciate his depth, his complexity, and question his past. Some have even expressed sympathy for him!
But why?
Why is the villain cruel? Why is he obsessive? What brought him to this place mentally? What does he have to lose or gain? Are his characteristics innate or learned? Can he be redeemed?
Villains are often cold, calculating, and are motivated by greed, power, or money. They’re typically depicted as broken individuals that have been through something extreme in life. But a good villain isn’t always all bad, and this is where the waters get murky.
A villain with a deep-rooted weakness, namely a person they love or seek vengeance for losing, changes the game. Now, there are stakes on both sides. Empathy can brew. The villain becomes more than just a concept—they become a person driven by love or loss.
The premise of almost every childhood story we’re told is that all villains deserve to be brought to harsh justice for their actions. The good guys win and the bad guys lose. Period. But life isn’t always that simple, and as adults, we can relate more to a story where the villain has a dynamic capacity for both good and evil.
There’s a parable attributed to Cherokee legend that describes a battle within oneself by likening it to two wolves inside of every one of us—one good, one evil—and the one that wins is the one we feed.
Does that mean that somewhere deep inside, given the right circumstances, we’re all capable of being a villain?
In adult literature, villains aren’t just people doing bad things. They’re representative of something so much bigger—that human complexity draws us in, despite behavior that shocks or appalls us. Villains represent the extremes in life, choosing themselves over others in their story, and seeking to fulfill their own motives and desires whatever the cost. But along the way, we might get fleeting moments where the villain walks that narrow knifes edge between good and evil, leaving us to question if they have the capacity for healing and becoming good.
Perhaps every person is one circumstance or choice away from being the villain in someone’s story—even if it falls on the milder end.
Jared is the villain in The Bleed-Through Effect, and he’s everything you’d expect from an extremely dark, dangerous villain. But there’s something else. A deeper layer that makes us a little uncomfortable. Moments of tenderness, perhaps even—dare I say—something resembling compassion. Remorse. Love. He’s undeniably human and undeniably broken.
With a backstory that gives a clearer picture of why he is the way he is, it doesn’t excuse his behavior, but helps the reader understand why he makes the choices he makes. Being able to explore this deep complexity in a safe space like fiction allows us to organize our thoughts toward morally corrupt behaviors without any real people on the line, and we can feel empathy for the bad even while rooting for the good.
When the reader is given a chance to step into the villain’s mind, they’re able to learn the justifications and reasoning for their behavior—no matter how twisted they may be. It’s like being able to don a persona we’d never otherwise don and allows us to explore feelings and thoughts we’d never otherwise experience.
By humanizing the villain, we’re closer to the beating heart of the story—helping us define why we need the good guys to win and the bad guys to lose.
Most of us seek the happily-ever-after, and the majority of stories deliver on this, despite humanizing the villain. Along the way, we get to see the darkest nights before reaching the light at the end of the story. This juxtaposition can make the lows lower and the highs higher. And for those who read to feel all the feels, a great villain can be just the ingredient to keep readers fascinated, horrified, and rooting for resolution in ways we never thought possible.
Do you think you could ever be the villain in someone’s story? If given the right circumstances, how far would you go to save the one you love?
About The Bleed-Through Effect
Charlotte and Simon are ready to move on with their lives after dismantling the black-ops agency known as Quantym. But Charlotte begins suffering from nightmares and disturbing visions, and she fears events on the Periphery—her parallel life—are impacting her via the bleed-through effect. In a dual timeline between the main reality and the Periphery, Charlotte and Simon must confront the blurred lines between strength and weakness, love and loyalty, and their past and future. As they struggle to regain control over their lives, a catastrophic secret is revealed, a vengeful lover on a quest for power closes in, and Charlotte must figure out a way forward…even when the past refuses to let go.
Excerpt:
He leaned forward over the table and held my gaze. “I never hid who I was. You just pretended not to see.”
I shook my head. “No. That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is.” He lifted his chin and smirked. “Don’t be ashamed. Morally gray suits you well.”
I sat staring at him in frozen silence, ignoring the chill that danced along my spine.
“Simon’s a good man, yeah?” He leaned back into his seat.
I stared into his dark eyes. “Yes, he is.”
“Did he ever tell you he got a purple heart? For what happened with the terrorist attack?”
“No—yes. Yes.”
“Ha! Calling me a liar? It’s okay, now you know.”
My shoulders slumped, and my heart continued its marathon in my chest. Why didn’t I know that? I should’ve known that.
“Speaking of, does Simon know you’re here?”
“Of course,” I lied again, and I swear I could feel my soul dim, feeding his assertations about me.
His eyebrows shot up. “You’ll never be a good liar, Charly.” He smiled widely. “Your secret is safe with me.” His tongue darted out and ran across his lower lip, and his eyes remained locked on mine.
I glanced at the clock. “I have to go.”
“You must have more questions for me.”
I leaned forward, horrified that the conversation veered as far off as it did. “What do you want from me?” I whispered.
“I’ll be out of here soon, Charly. And I want you to help me with something. Something for me and my father’s organization.”
The Bleed-Through Effect is available now!
Due to dark themes and mature content, reader discretion is advised. For a list of content warnings, visit aadasilva.com/faq
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Author Universal Link: https://linktr.ee/aadasilva
About the Author
AA DaSilva is the author of the multi-award-winning Periphery series, a two-book speculative romance that explores fate, strength, and the choices that determine our destiny.
Born and raised in New England, she enjoys reading dark gothic romance, drinking iced coffee, and thinks Halloween should be a federal holiday.
When she’s not working in the lab or writing, AA DaSilva enjoys spending precious quality time with her husband, two sons, and pup Didi (who looks suspiciously like an Ewok).
Her third book, a standalone contemporary romance, is forthcoming in 2026.
AA DaSilva is an active member of the Association of Rhode Island Authors and a member of the Paranormal Romance Guild.
The Bleed-Through Effect, Book 2 of the Periphery Series, is now available!
Thanks for joining us today, AA.
Until next time,
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About Joie
Award-winning author, Joie Lesin is a life-long fiction writer and poet. She is most recently the author of The Passenger. She has long been fascinated by anything otherworldly including mermaids and ghosts. Joie writes character-driven, emotional, atmospheric tales about heartache and hope.
