Writing Fallen Heroes (Heroes Who Become Villains)

Learn how to create and develop fallen heroes like Two-Face, Darth Vader, Michael Corleone, and more!

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Credit to SkyDilen for my video intro.

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Writing Villains #6 - Impacting the Hero

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[Dhips.]

Walter White's fall into a ruthless kingpin is a great one. You can forgive his first kills since, as Mike on the show would say "they're in the game" and therefore signed up for it. The line is crossed when he let's something really bad happen and from that point on he's changed.

[zachwilli]

My favorite fallen heroes are probably the ones you mentioned yourself in the video: Anakin and Michael Corleone. Their stories are so beautiful and believable.

[pagesofthepast]

I've been watching your videos recently as I've been planning a fallen hero story, and I am so glad you uploaded this. It is like you read my mind!

[connorcoltrane]

One of my favorite fallen heroes I've ever read about is Paul Atreides (at least in the first Dune book, I haven't read any of the others). In the pursuit of survival, revenge, and power, he achieves victory over his enemies, but it costs him everyone and everything he ever cared about and turns him into a tyrant no better than the ones he replaced.

[adammartin]

One of mine had a rather quick fall from grace and that is Mondego from Count of Monte Cristo. He was Edmond's best friend, there with him for thick and thin. His character flaw was jealousy. He had his opportunity to betray Edmond with the letter from Napolean to get Edmond arrested so that he could marry Edmond's fiance. His punishment was that he lost his fortune, his status/reputation, and eventually his life.

[valkordarkmoor]

This is excellent in its simplicity, providing clear examples anyone could follow. Thank you so much

[TSVisits]

A lot of other writing channels are really good, but I'm finding that the info you provide in your videos is helping me much more than the others. You're the best! Thank you.

[hgman]

DEFENS from the film Falling Down. He starts as an ordinary guy (albeit one with extreme anger issues) who's fed up with everyday annoyances and decides to take matters into his own hands. Over the course of the story, however, his methods become increasingly extreme, and he eventually crosses the line when he murders a neo-Nazi pawn shop owner. At the ed of the film, he even asks the question "When did I become the bad guy"

[Ebelon]

Griffith from Berserk is the perfect embodiment of the fallen hero.

[utlaegur-gud]

This is perfect for this character I'm brewing up. Thank you so much my good sir!

[KammiLutz]

Great video, as always. I found myself taking mental notes. You have such great insights on villains. I love watching your videos.

[BodyTrust]

Lon Chaney Jr. in "The Wolfman." Vincent Price in "The Fly."

[nathanbloom]

One thing to keep in mind is that if the character started as a hero doing the right thing, they need to feel that they are doing the right thing through their story. If the hero becomes a cartoonish villain, it's not believable. Marvel Civil War is a good example of two heroes doing what they feel is right, where they both end up doing terrible things in the name of good. Cap beats the heck out of his friends and countless soldiers to save his mentality unstable and dangerous old friend. Tony is so blinded by revenge and fear of allowing bad things to happen he signs away so many things that protect those he cares about. They both clearly play the roll of bad guys, both hold true to their values, both could also be seen as the good guy because of their values, and both are shown to still be the hero they think they are when everything is done.

[tasiashiraori]

From the anime I watch recently, and become my favorite.
Suguru Geto

[ega]

Love your videos. Keep them coming. Bad parts is on my list.

[Kitandroo]

This video helped so much with ideas of fleshing out my hero turned villain!

[WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Who is your favorite fallen hero? Let us know and be sure to mark for spoilers!

[clownbio.]

I have a friend who's been working on a character since his first year of middle school. He's 20 nowadays, and just now, he told me he had an idea that he might endure becoming a fallen hero, and it makes sense

[acejumper]

Darth Vader is my personal favorite example of this trope, although this may be my nostalgia talking.

[takatsukiban]

Thanks for the video... I was planning for making a manga protagonist who was once promised to be the hero who will save the world and end up destroying it, and that's because of the great series BREAKING BAD...
My favorite villain is Walter white (heisenburg)
Because of him and vince gellegan's writing skills I wanted to make the new one piece but with a villain protagonist instead... thanks again
you got my sub