Anatomy of a Fall

In Star Trek, characters who take darker paths or develop morally complex motives are some of the franchise’s most compelling figures. They often start as good or ordinary individuals, only to become antagonists—or something close—due to trauma, ideological conflicts, or extenuating circumstances. These transformations explore the boundary between right and wrong, showcasing how anyone can change when faced with difficult choices.

Characters like Seven of Nine (Voyager) are prime examples. Once fully human, she was assimilated into the Borg Collective, where she lost control over her life, morality, and individuality.

Other characters begin with faith in Starfleet ideals, only to see flaws that lead them down morally gray paths. Michael Eddington (Deep Space Nine) serves as a great example. Initially a loyal officer, he grows increasingly disillusioned with Starfleet’s treatment of the Maquis, ultimately defecting to fight for what he feels is a more just cause.

These archetypes allow for rich, morally ambiguous characters that force others around them to confront their own beliefs. Whether they ultimately find redemption or descend further into darkness, these characters highlight the idea that anyone—even those with good intentions—can become the “villain” under the right circumstances.

To submit to this competition, simply provide a link to a character on your command that meets the above description. This biography must be created after this competition opens and before it closes, so there is no reusing of existing characters. This will be judged based on the publication date of the character within the BFMS.

It is highly recommended that you complete the Character Creation Program as practice for this competition, but you may not submit a biography to this competition which has received feedback from the Academy staff.

Criteria

• Write a robust, fleshed-out biography of a character who has become a "villain" in your current (or future!) stories, and how they got there
• This biography must be created after this competition opens and before it closes, so there is no reusing of existing characters. This will be judged based on the publication date of the character within the BFMS.
• The biography must be complete, with something in the overview, personality, appearance, service record, and image fields. (The quality of the image used will not be assessed in judging.)
• The biography will be assessed on its uniqueness, the mechanical/stylistic strength of the writing, the appropriateness for the setting and genre of Star Trek, and the realism of the character's history, service record, abilities, and personality vis a vis characters seen on screen.
• Using generative AI in this competition is forbidden.