Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-107.184.24.227-20140726103232/@comment-226878-20140831041516

There are variants on the antagonist motif. There's the pest who can either be a bully or other kind of mischief maker, there's the rival who is the protagonist's equal and may either be an obstructing friend or a genuine enemy, there's the tyrant whose command of authority provides an immense stumbling block for the protagonist, there's the wizard whose ability to out-think the protagonist can allow them to play destructive mind games, etc.

The point of an antagonist is to push the protagonist. This may be achieved by causing them to question their own beliefs, forcing them to act contrary to their normal behavior, etc. In this way, the protagonist is forced to change. Either they'll believe similarly to the antagonist or their own beliefs will be enforced whereas they may have been wavering before. Another possibility is they may come to develop a belief that strays from both sides. Basically, the plot follows the protagonist's journey, but there's little point to it if there's no philosophical struggle. Anyone can punch somebody. It's how you deal in a world of violence that defines your character.