The Purpose of Villains....

In my opinion, the villain can be worth more than the hero. I say this because the villain, or antagonist, serves many purposes. In his or her simplest form, the villain is a foil to the protagonist. The values and goals of the hero are contrasted and challenged by the villain. 

On a deeper level, the villain and the hero both play different roles in the plot. While the villain initiates and develops the conflict, the hero finds the solution. It is this statement that leads me to admire the villain — albeit not in the same way as the hero. In many novels and stories, the villain is far more complex than the hero. What led them to choose his or her path? Is it simply due to a sadistic nature? A hero may have "greatness thrust upon him," but a villain leads a life of isolation. What I mean to say is that no matter how difficult it gets for the hero on his or her journey, Good will always be there for support. In contrast, the villain chooses Evil —knowing that nobody will support him or her. The hero has the reader on his or her side (morally speaking). 

The antagonist and villain figures of fiction and real life teach us more about ourselves than the hero. In the villain we identify our best and worst qualities by either disagreeing with the villain's actions or attempting to comprehend the vile deeds he or she commits. 

It must be emphasized that heroes and villains are interchangeable and far from black and white, but in their most stereotyped forms, they contrast. A hero may struggle, but his or her values are strong and unwavering. A villain, like Darth Vader, may switch to the Good side. 

Villains provide fiction with entertainment, plot and philosophical depth. In many ways, it is the villain that defines the hero - chooses him.