The essential antagonist

Bad guys in films and fiction always get a bad rap, in my opinion.

Think about your favorite films. The hero or heroine triumphing over a seemingly unbeatable villian, no? Overcoming impossible odds? Somehow, through cleverness, clean livin', or whatnot, the hero overcomes. You stand up, you cheer. Hurrah.

But who made all this possible in the first place? The bad guy. That's who.

If it's obvious that he or she is no match for the hero, it's just not interesting. It's when the bad guy is terrifying, invincible, and also kinda hot, when things become interesting.

But does anybody remember the bad guy? No. But everybody remembers the hero.

So, let's send Iago and Lex Luther some love, okay? Who would Othello or Superman be without them? A couple of guys nobody ever heard of, that's who.