An antagonist (from Greek a?ta????st?? - antagonistes , "opponent, competitor, rival" [1] [2]) is a character, group of characters, or an institution, who represents the opposition against which the protagonist(s) must contend. In other words, 'A person, or a group of people who oppose the main character, or the main characters.' [3] In the classic style of story wherein the action consists of a hero fighting a villain, the two can be regarded as protagonist and antagonist, respectively. [4] Writers have also created more complex situations. In some instances, a story is told from the villain's point of view, and any hero trying to stop the villain can be regarded as an antagonist. In the film K-19: The Widowmaker , an American film about a Soviet Cold War submarine crew, the crew, enemies of the United States, are depicted as protagonists, creating something of a paradox — as very often the American film industry tends to depict the forces of the United States as the people that fight for "good" and "justice", in opposition to Russia (especially the former Soviet Union) being the antagonists, who often have maniacal and/or malicious intentions (e.g. world domination). Such antagonists are usually police officers, or other law enforcement officials. Sometimes, antagonists and protagonists may overlap, depending on what their ultimate objectives are considered to be.

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Modern examples

Various examples from modern films and television shows.

Antagonist(s)	Protagonist(s)	Source(s)
The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, Catwoman, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Clayface, The Scarecrow, and Bane	Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Alfred Pennyworth	Batman
Stewie Griffin and Bertram Griffin	Peter Griffin, Lois Griffin, Chris Griffin, Meg Griffin, and Brian Griffin	Family Guy
The CEOs and The Cogs	The Dog, The Cat, The , The , The , The , and The	Toontown online
Annie Wilkes	Paul Sheldon, Misery, Misery, Misery, and Sheriff Buster	Misery and Misery
Big Al, The Deer, Carl Kingston, and The Children	Nick Persons, Suzanne Kingston, Lindsey Kingston, Kevin Kingston, and Satchel Paige	Are We There Yet? and Are We Done Yet?
Professor Moriarty	Sherlock Holmes	Canon of Sherlock Holmes
Rasputia Latimore, Big Black Jack Latimore, Blue Latimore, Earl Latimore, Deion Hughes, Buster Perkin, Bullies, and The Coyotes	Norbit Albert Rice, Kate Thomas, Mr. Wong, Ms. Ling-Ling Wong, and Pope Sweet Jesus and Lord Have Mercy	Norbit
Principal Jindraike, Troy McGinty, Dobbs, The Evil Ice Cream Man, Yearbook Photographer, Caption Writer, Dobbs' Father, and Dobbs' Mother	Max Keeble, Megan, Robe, Don Keeble, and Lily Keeble	Max Keeble's Big Move
Myron, The Chef, Fluffy the Porcupine, La Boca Loca the Bull, and Mrs. Gorf	Todd, Maurecia, Dana, Mrs. Jewels, and Ms. Mush	Wayside
Mr. Tinkles the Cat, Calico the Cat, The Russian, The Ninjas,	Lou the Beagle, Butch the Dog, Ivy the Dog, Peek the Dog, Sam the Dog, Sophie, Mr. Brody, Mrs. Brody, Scott Brody, and Buddy the Dog	Cats & Dogs
Soto the Saber-Toothed Tiger, Oscar the Saber-Toothed Tiger, Zeke the Saber-Toothed Tiger, Lenny the Saber-Toothed Cat, Carl and Frank the Rhinos, Dab the Dodo, The Dodos, Mama the Tyrannosaurus Rex, and The Mini-Sloths	Scrat the Saber-Toothed Squirrel, Manny the Woolly Mammoth, Sid the Ground Sloth, Diego the Saber-Toothed Tiger, Ellie the Woolly Mammoth, and Crash and Eddie the Possums	Ice Age , Ice Age: The Meltdown , and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Eric Cartman and Satan	Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Ike Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick	South Park
Dr. Robotnik and Knuckles the Echidna	Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails the Fox	Sonic the Hedgehog
Happy Chapman	Garfield the Cat, Jon Arbuckle, and Odie the Dog	Garfield: The Movie
The Dark Lord Voldemort, Professor Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Professor Quirrell, Death Eaters, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley Dursley	Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Professor Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid, Dobby, Neville Longbottom, and Professor McGonagall	Harry Potter
Zack the Lizard	Bernard the Polar Bear, Lloyd the Penguin, Eva the Penguin, Goliat the Dog, Bebe, Pilot the Dog, Santa Claus, Tyler, and Pokey the Porcupine	Bernard
Tai Lung the Leopard	Po Ping the Panda, Master Shifu, and The Furious Five	Kung Fu Panda
Syndrome	Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet Parr, Dash Parr, and Jack-Jack Parr	The Incredibles
Montgomery , Hector, and Ken Bloome	Barry B. Benson and Vanessa Bloome	Bee Movie
Mojo Jojo, Him, and Fuzzy Lumpkins	The PowerPuff Girls	The PowerPuff Girls
Mr. Carney, Mr. Wink, Chip 2.6, Ken and Darryl, The Tater Tots, Tyrone, and The Tar Monster	Josh Redgrove and Parker Dinkleman	Mr. Meaty
Dib, Gaz, and Professor Membrane	Zim, GIR and The Almighty Tallest	Invader Zim
Vlad Plasmius, Dark Danny, Skulker, Ember McLain, Box Ghost, and Technus	Danny Phantom, Sam Manson, Tucker Foley, and Jazz Fenton	Danny Phantom
Shaw and The Hunters	Boog the Bear, Elliot the Deer and Ranger Beth	Open Season
Hopper the Grasshopper, The Grasshoppers, and Thumper the Grasshopper	Flik the Ant, Princess Atta, Dot, The Circus Bugs, P.T. Flea, and The Queen	A Bug's Life
Sheldon J. Plankton and Karen	SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks and Eugene H. Krabs	SpongeBob SquarePants
Sophie Martinez	Cory Baxter	Cory in the House
Nevel Papperman	Carly Shay, Sam Puckett, Freddie Benson, and Spencer Shay	iCarly
Boingo the Bunny, The Evil Ski Team, and Iana	Red Puckett, Granny Puckett, Wolf W. Wolf, and The Woodsman	Hoodwinked!
Heinz Doofenshmirtz	Perry the Platypus / Agent P	Phineas and Ferb
Darth Vader	Luke Skywalker	Star Wars IV
Professor Calamitous	Jimmy Neutron, Cindy Vortex, Carl Wheezer and Sheen Estevez	Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Dag the Coyote and Snotty Boy	Otis the Cow, Pip the Mouse, Abby the Cow, Bessy the Cow, Freddy the Ferret, Peck the Rooster, and Pig the Pig	Barnyard (film) and Back at the Barnyard
Jafar and Iago the Parrot	Aladdin, Jasmine, and The Genie	Aladdin
Yzma	Emperor Kuzco, Pacha, Chicha, Chaca, Tipo, , Kronk Pepikrankenitz, and Bucky the Squirrel	The Emperor's New Groove , Kronk's New Groove , andThe Emperor's New School
Dr. Claw and The MAD Agents	Inspector Gadget, Penny, and Brain the Dog	Inspector Gadget
Katejina Loos	Uso Ewin	Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
The Toad, Whitey and Spike, Le Frog, The Henchfrogs, Fat Barry, Ladykiller, and "Thimblenose" Ted	Roddy, Rita Malone, and Sid	Flushed Away
Captain Gantu	Stitch and Lilo	Lilo & Stitch , and Lilo & Stitch: The Series
Jerid Messa & Paptimus Scirocco	Kamille Bidan & Quattro Bajeena	Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Harvey Muckenthaler	Stuart Larkin and Doreen Larkin	MADtv: Stuart Larkin
Haman Karn	Judau Ashta	Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
Lisa Sheridan	Derek and Sharon Charles	Obsessed
Laurie Forman	Eric Forman	That '70s Show
Chick Hicks, Chick Hicks' Pit Crew, and Frank	Lightning McQueen, Mater, and Sally Carrera	Cars (film) , and Cars 2
L/Near/Mello	Light Yagami	Death Note
Scar and Shenzi, Banzai and Ed	Simba, Nala, and Zazu	The Lion King
Robbie Rotten	Sportacus and Stephanie	LazyTown
Mr. Burns, Mr. Smithers, Sideshow Bob and Russ Cargill	Homer Simpson, Marge Simpson, Bart Simpson, Lisa Simpson, and Maggie Simpson	The Simpsons
Vilgax, The Forever Knights, Zs'Skayr (Ghostfreak), Highbreed, DNAliens, Dr. Animo, Charmcaster, Hex, Mike Morningstar and Kevin 11	Ben Tennyson, Gwen Tennyson, Max Tennyson and Kevin E. Levin	Ben 10 , Ben 10: Alien Force and Ben 10: Evolutions
Denzel Crocker, Vicky, Francis, Pixies, Anti-Fairies, Foop and Dark Laser	Timmy Turner, Cosmo and Wanda and Poof	The Fairly OddParents
Dr Von Goosewing, Gaston and Pierre	Count Duckula, Igor and Nanny	Count Duckula
Baron Silas Greenback, Stiletto Mafiosa and Nero	Danger Mouse, Penfold and Colonel K	Danger Mouse
Chris McLean, Chef Hatchet, Heather, Justin, Eva and Noah	Beth, Bridgette, Cody, Courtney, DJ, Duncan, Ezekiel, Geoff, Gwen, Harold, Izzy, Katie and Sadie, LeShawna, Lindsay, Owen, Trent and Tyler	Total Drama Island and Total Drama Action
Megabyte, Hexadecimal, Daemon	Bob, Dot, Matrix, AndrAIa, Enzo, Mouse	ReBoot
Lex Luthor	Superman	Superman (comics)
Proffesor Ratigan, Fidget, Felicia (a cat) and the rest of the thugs	Basil, Dr. David Q. Dawson and Olivia	The Great Mouse Detective
Carface, Killer, Belladonna and the rest of Carface's thugs	Charlie B. Barkin and Itchy Itchyford	All Dogs go to Heaven series

See also

}}|Antagonist}} in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary. }}

• Agon
• Protagonist
• False protagonist

References

1. Antagonistes, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', at Perseus
2. Online Etymology Dictionary
3. About.com, Literature: Contemporary "Antagonist." Online. October 18, 2007.
4. The antagonist may not always be a person or persons. In some cases an antagonist may be a force, such as a tidal wave that destroyed a city, or a storm that is causing havoc, or even the conditions in a certain area that is causing a problem. An antagonist also may or may not create obstacles for the protagonist.The Elements of Literature