villain arc
Hero becomes antagonist
A villain arc is a character's gradual transformation from good (or neutral) to evil, typically shown through a series of corrupting choices or traumatic events.
The term comes from fiction writing but has spread to describe real people's moral decline: Watching his villain arc unfold on social media was wild.
Sometimes used self-deprecatingly: Starting my villain arc after that meeting.
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- dark sideHidden negative aspect
- antagonistOne who opposes another
nemesis · betrayal · origin · transformation · darkness · fallen · twisted · revenge · backstory · tragic · tragic flaw · heel turn · Walter White · madness · downfall · point of no return · gone too far · no turning back
- franchisesfranchise, Star Wars, franchising, franchises, franchisor
- character arcshero's journey, fall from grace, character growth, self-discovery, epiphany
- story arcsplot, climax, resolution, rising action, falling action
villain arcredemption arc
Narrative journey toward atonement
redemption story · hero's journey · moral awakening · turning over a new leaf · spiritual redemption
villain arcunderdog story
Tale of unlikely victor
rags to riches · redemption arc · comeback story · zero to hero · Cinderella story
villain, villains, villainous, villainy, villainies, arc, arcs, arced, arcing