As someone who is trying to get back into reading, the allure of a juicy, morally gray villain certainly draws me in, and I know I’m not the only one, according to Booktok. This really begs the question: what is it about a villain that just appeals to (many) women? After thinking deeply about this, talking to some experts on the topic(my friends), and consulting the internet, I have a few reasons as to why the dark, brooding villain is superior to the sweet, plain hero.
As a Star Wars fan who doesn’t necessarily consider the sequels canon, the one character I can’t look past is Kylo Ren. In simple words, he’s hot. However, he is also supposed to be evil. He dismantled the republic, killed his father, Han Solo, and is very actively trying to emulate his grandfather. However, why is he so attractive to both viewers and Rey? On the surface level, his physical appearance and deep voice are the reasons, but when you look closer, there is more. The first thing that stands out is the danger. Don’t get me wrong — Kylo Ren is very dangerous, but there is something psychologically exciting about someone who doesn’t care to follow the rules. The chaos that follows such a character piques your curiosity and makes you want to know more. Secondly, villains own the room, and Kylo Ren is no different. He knows he is intelligent, strong, and well-skilled in the force. The sheer power and confidence he has is evident in the way he carries himself despite his internal turmoil. Women, in simple words, are attracted to confidence and ambition.
Now we understand the thrill and feeling of rebellion that is associated with the villain, but let’s take a detour to look into the “heroes.” The hero is usually supposed to be the ideal person. They care about the world, they are good, and they work hard to defeat the source of evil, and yet somehow heroes are…boring. An example of this is Sky from Winx Club. He is a prince and the leader of the Specialists, strong and powerful. He is Bloom’s knight in shining armor, and yet the majority of the fandom doesn’t like him. As someone who agrees, the main reason for this is he’s just so eh. There is little depth to his character, and he practically has no flaws. He and Bloom just end up together and are a flawless couple (which is good for them), but it is a bit boring to watch. The other characters on the show also have relationships, but we see these relationships go through trials, and the characters work through their flaws. That is a bit hard to do (and a bit unrealistic) when a character has no flaws. Villains have depth and are often conflicted, and that is what makes them attractive as, to some extent, they are relatable. We all know what it is like to struggle internally, and seeing our favorite characters struggle also intrigues us because we want to know why and how they ended up as villains.
The final reason I can think of that explains why women are driven to “bad guys” is the two-fold concept of forbidden desire and the “fix-him” ideology. To start with the first part, as we discussed earlier, it is seen as attractive not to follow the rules and to take what you want. This showcases power and ambition, but in the end, it is not right. However, the adrenaline of going after something that is not right is what makes it more appealing. Liking the villain when there is a hero is the same concept. Next, most of the brooding, morally gray villains are complex characters. They have reasons as to why they are the way they are, and instead of being seen as an evil villain, you could rebrand them as a broken person in need of saving. This is where the idea of redemption comes in, and being the reason someone broken is saved, someone evil turns good sounds incredibly specific, especially when you get their love along with it.
The concept that a good woman can change a troubled man goes back to the idea that women are seen as nurturers and caregivers, and thus, a woman can “help” the man, which is what leads to this. A classic example of this is the ship between Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. They two loathe each other, and yet the majority of the fanfiction between them showcases how Hermione’s love is the reason Draco chooses good. As a trope, it’s cute, but in real life, that is toxic, as an individual’s healing shouldn’t depend on another person.
All in all, villains and heroes are both cool, but the way I see it, villains would burn the world to save you, but the hero would sacrifice you to save the world. So the real question is, which one do you choose?
