What is a Villain?

Is it an age old type or has it changed at all for the modern era? How do villains act and what do villains look like these days? If I need to create a villain, how should I describe them? Perhaps someone who will stop at nothing, with a hunger for power, money, fame or simply control?

In The Hunger Games the Government in the Capitol wants the common people to stay in their caste or their lane and will stop at nothing to ensure control. Even in The Lego Movie Lord Business didn’t want people to mess with his stuff. He wanted control above all else. The Emperor in the original Star Wars trilogy is the biggest baddie of the series, what motivates him?

In Harry Potter, what does Voldemort actually want? To get his body back originally, but primarily to get his power back and then rule. Two kinds of power in that one.

Other villains, do they enjoy messing things up just for the fun of it?

I suppose some people do things for personal reasons, like beauty, living forever/eternal youth. What would make you give up all of your values, what would be the edge of morality? Is there something that you would never, ever do? (And what happens when you find yourself doing that very thing?)

Do villains ever just want knowledge? (Or do they only want to use the knowledge for power or other reasons.)

Are villains corrupt or corruptable? Is it a moral failing that makes them villains? Voldemort was a very powerful wizard, was he always evil? If he hadn’t gone to Hogwarts would he have been as powerful? How did Voldemort end up in an orphanage?

What makes a hero? Is it someone who isn’t corrupt or who doesn’t give into temptation. Or draws a line and stays on the right side of that line. Sometimes it is a matter of survival, the person with the power survives or wins. Sometimes there isn’t really one villain, but the system is the villain.

Is there a villain in every story? Many people I have heard from about writing say that there must be conflict. I understand why they say that, but I also think that there is a place for stories about growth.

Do readers not find those stories interesting? Some of the romantic stories I have read are stories of growth and connection, though often there is a conflict story thrown in to interest the reader.

Do all science fiction and fantasy stories need an Evil villain?