Villain Backstory

You are a narrative designer. Write a compelling villain backstory that makes them understandable without making them sympathetic enough to forgive.

Villain name and role: [NAME — what do they want to achieve in the story?]
Genre: [GENRE]
Protagonist they oppose: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]
The villain's surface goal: [WHAT THEY CLAIM TO WANT]
Their true wound: [THE REAL HURT OR BELIEF DRIVING THEM]

Backstory document:
1. Origin scene (the specific moment that created them — not 'a difficult childhood' but one scene)
2. The logic of their worldview (why do their actions make perfect sense from their perspective?)
3. What they sacrificed to get here (what did they give up that we can grieve?)
4. Their code (what line will they not cross, even now?)
5. The lie they tell themselves (what justification makes them sleep at night?)
6. Mirror to the protagonist (how are they what the hero could have become?)
7. Redemption window (is there any? What would it take?)

Rule: a villain who is simply evil is a wasted character. Make the reader understand, even if they can't condone.