Craft a Killer Fantasy Premise Using Good Versus Evil

The battle between good versus evil is at the heart of many an excellent fantasy premise. I firmly believe this is what draws many readers to the genre. It is heartening to see good prevail against all odds, to see how close evil can come to winning but still lose in the end. Fantasy that doesn’t engage on any themes of good versus evil can sometimes feel empty, as if an essential ingredient is missing. It’s also easier to push these themes in a fantasy world, where evil can truly be so powerful with the aid of magic, magical beasts, and prophesies.

However, when those lines are too stark—when everyone is wholly good or evil, and each side in a conflict in strictly one way or the other—a fantasy premise can feel a bit thin, with one-dimensional characters. Yes, good versus evil is important, but it’s far more interesting when they are in conflict within rebellions, within families, and within each character’s heart.

A character’s choices are always the most interesting part of them.

The line separating good and evil

This quote from Russian writer and philosopher Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn perfectly expresses a problem I see at the premise level of too many young adult fantasies:

“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either—but right through every human heart … even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained. And even in the best of all hearts, there remains … an uprooted small corner of evil.”

Adding in this layer of realism about what good versus evil really means to your fantasy premise will deepen its emotional impact and elevate the story. Think of the villains from some well-known fantasies. Darth Vader, who once slaughtered an entire school of innocent children, sacrificing his own life to save Luke. Dolores Umbridge, whose devotion to following the rules turned her more evil than some of the Death Eaters. Gollum, whose push and pull between evil and good is far more engaging than the strictly evil Sauron.

On the other hand, we have heroes like Han Solo, the selfish scoundrel who gives up smuggling to join the rebellion. Severus Snape, who murders for the Dark Lord but also gives up his life protecting a child he loathes. Frodo’s own struggle not to give in to the seduction of the ring matches Gollum’s—and it’s far more interesting than if he just marched into Mordor without ever being tempted by the ring.

Good versus evil in each character

You can still have that classic wrestle of good versus evil without painting every Jedi, Gryffindor, or hobbit as saintly while every Sith, Slytherin, and orc is wicked. Including characters who express a range of moralities will make the fantasy premise seem more realistic—especially if our main character has to struggle with the line of good and evil passing right through his heart.

This can be especially tricky when writing dystopias, epic fantasy, and thrillers. There’s a temptation to write worlds that are so steeped in evil that it seems obvious our protagonists would reject it, and villains who are so vile that no one would possible rally to their side. Instead, consider how a dystopia developed or why a fantasy queen rules a certain way. Let those motivations seep not only into the world-building but into the hearts of the characters. Some of the most believable villains are those who can justify what they do.

I’m not saying every character needs to be gray, and that you can’t have that classic feel of good versus evil. The Rebellion and the Jedi, Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, and the Fellowship of the Ring are good. The Dark Side, Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and Sauron and Saruman’s are evil. And yet there’s nuance within the good and the bad, both in the larger world and in the specific characters.

Work out these motivations and how you’re tackle the problem of good versus evil in the idea phase, rather than layering it in afterward, because it is so fundamental to a fantasy premise that it ought to influence the plot.

Considering these elements of good versus evil in your fantasy premise will help you craft a world that’s engaging and realistic while still appealing to beloved tropes and genre expectations.

Contact me for editing help on your work in progress. I can’t wait to see your fantasy premise!