Does Antagonist Mean Villain?

Hi, it’s me again, and this is the second part of my two-part series on Heros vs. Villains.

I’ve been thinking about writing on the topic for a while now, mainly because I believe many writers and readers misuse and are confused by these terms, and I want to clarify things.

So now, let’s dive in!

What is an Antagonist?

The antagonist is the person whose goals are opposite to the protagonist’s. And these goals often aren’t monumental, like saving the planet.

Most of the time, the goals the antagonist opposes are much more personal to the protagonist.

Example: A student wants to ace the final, but their teacher makes the test unnecessarily hard.

What is a Villain?

For those who don’t already know, the villain is the bad guy. The person the good guys are trying to stop.

They’re the one who wants to melt the ice caps, blow up the moon, or screw up the world in any way for whatever reason.

Are They the Same Thing?

Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same, something I learned in a creative writing course I took in college and was surprised about.