In life, villains ought to be avoided, but in fiction, they are simply unavoidable. Without a villain, there is no hero, and a story without a villain and a hero isn't a story. Great villains can have a significant effect on the value of their stories as a whole, but what makes a great villain? One example is Felix from Christina Barnaby's novel 'Keepers of Light', whose frightening appearance, terrible misdeeds, and conflict with the hero make him the ideal villain.
Barnaby's descriptions of Felix portray him as a disgusting creature. He is huge and powerful, and his gray skin and disfigured face make him a sore to the bare eye. This ugliness makes him repulsive, and the fact that he is so large makes him capable of causing a lot of damage. Described by the main character, Gwendolen, as “pure black eyes” surrounded by “gruesomely scarred flesh”. Felix's eyes are the scariest thing about him. It is said that the eyes are a glimpse of the soul. If this is true, then Felix's soul is dark and empty just as his eyes appear to be. Felix would strike fear into anyone who sets his eyes before him, and fearsomeness is an essential quality for any villain.
Another aspect of Felix's villainy is his history of performing despicable deeds. His first appearance in the novel is at the beginning when he strangles Gwendolen's father. The action gives him of the appearance of having no remorse and is motivated by selfish reasons. Felix is also the leader of the Shadowy Army, a position he uses to steal all the world's light and leave everyone in the darkness. With no reason other than to ruin people's lives. Such selfishness and cruelty make Felix the picture-perfect villain.
What makes Felix the best villain of all is all of his words, actions, and values are the opposite of the hero's. In the story's struggle of good versus evil, good and evil are represented by light and dark. This opposition between forces is repeated between the hero and villain: Gwendolen symbolizes light, while Felix personifies dark. The most important part of being a villain is to work against the hero, and Felix works against Gwendolen constantly as evil, trying to over good. Throughout the story, Gwendolen works to defeat the Shadow Army in order to save everybody. In contrast, Felix works only to help himself gain power over the people. Felix's actions are motivated by pure selfishness: the mark of a true villain.
There are many qualities that make a villain villainous, including appearance, actions, and opposition to the hero. Felix, the awful creature from Barnaby's novel 'Keepers of Light', possesses all of these qualities and more that make him the perfect villain. With his repulsive visage, recorded cruelty, and the hero to work against, Felix is the best villain.