We previously talked about the [nemesis archetype as a contrast to the hero](https://steemit.com/writing/@loreshapergames/using-archetypes-the-nemesis-part-1-antithesis-and-apotheosis), and as a [force to cause the tragic hero or anti-hero to fall](https://steemit.com/writing/@loreshapergames/using-archetypes-the-nemesis-part-2-the-tragic-impetus).
Today we're going to talk about the destruction of the nemesis.
This happens in most stories with your traditional hero/epic hero, because the hero will ultimately succeed in changing and improving the world.
There are a few things to consider when it comes to the nemesis and their complicated role in the Hero's Journey.
For starters, the nemesis is not necessarily the supreme ordeal of the Hero's Journey. To return to the example of Javert and Jean Valjean from *Les Miserables*, Valjean never finds his greatest struggle in his clashes with Javert: he finds them in the greatest struggles with his own desires and his efforts to become a good man.

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmRDLgXTZFX6DxKNcj6SBSFCpRoSmZKLtX8uw4AgJstFrW/image.png)
*Javert, by Gustave Brion*

As a result, the death of Javert comes not by Valjean's hands, but as the aftershock from the world-altering realization that Valjean proved Javert's life purpose was built on faulty reasoning. Valjean's virtue is his nemesis' damnation.
The nemesis' destruction does not need to be the supreme ordeal of the Hero's Journey, but it should be linked to it. The nemesis is not a speed bump on the hero's path to success. They are a core and integral part of the struggle that the character will need to face to change their world for the better when they return to it.
As a storyteller, you want your nemesis to feel like something that both reflects an external struggle with the forces of the world (many nemeses are incredibly malicious, directly targeting the hero), but also the strength that the hero needs to find or overcome.
Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty are examples of this: Holmes needs to push his already incredible abilities to the limit to best his nemesis, and their rivalry becomes a plot worthy of the ages because of how they are evenly matched: and how Holmes must overcome his weaknesses and hubris to confront the more functional, if villainous, Moriarty.
The nemesis has to reflect the aspirations of the hero and the meaning of the story. Otherwise the audience will get the feeling that there is something missing, or that you are not being forthcoming with your point.
It is not uncommon for the nemesis and hero to meet in a defining moment for both characters: the nemesis has an opportunity for malice, and the hero has an opportunity for resilience. Often innocents are at risk or sacrifices must be made.
It is important to emphasize the importance of sacrifice as a plot device. The Hero's Journey involves changing the ordinary world and conquering the supernatural world. Neither of these things are possible in stasis, and the truest moment of catharsis comes, like in the Christ story, when a price must be paid for the failings of the universe.
The fall of the nemesis will have cataclysmic consequences for the ordinary and supernatural world. The hero may receive a reward, or they may find themselves ennobled, enlightened, or empowered by the very act of overcoming their nemesis. In stories with more tragic bents, the hero may wind up absorbing some of the flaws of their nemesis, preparing themselves for a down-turn in the third act that leads to their annihilation.
An example of this can be found in the meta-narrative of *Heart of Darkness*, where Kurtz has entered the unknown and "tamed" it, but at the cost of his soul as he has become brutal and disconnected from goodness and virtue. His metaphorical nemesis–colonialism–has brought out the tragic hero archetype in his persona and turned him into something worthy of pity and scorn. At this point, he becomes the object of the narrator's quest, a sort of fallen angel that needs to be brought to account for his crimes.
Building upon this, the nemesis may themselves be an appealing figure to learn a lesson from, and their death or undoing can often hold great meaning for your audience, if you are a crafty storyteller. Seeing their own fall or undoing will grant the audience a second layer of catharsis, but also reinforce your original meaning, allowing you to benefit from the clarity of message of a traditional hero but add the nuances only shown in failure.
# Application
In storytelling, your nemesis exists to destroy or be destroyed. A nemesis who disappears half-way through the story to never re-appear is anticlimactic and should be avoided, even in experimental works. I have read stories where the main villain just disappears, and later is revealed to have died off-page; this is a major cop-out and deprives the reader of satisfaction in the majority of cases, except in rare examples where the hero is still operating under the assumption that their nemesis is active (for instance, a detective story where the serial killer dies in the first act, and the detective is fighting the clock to figure out their identity before they kill again). Even in those cases, the likelihood that your audience feels robbed by your decisions is high.
Make the destruction of the nemesis feel like a moment of triumph not only for the hero but for the universe. The death of the Emperor in *Star Wars* is accompanied by the redemption of Darth Vader, and the commitment of Luke to a better future with the Rebellion and the light side of the Force (regardless of how the sequels changed him).
In roleplaying games, don't be afraid to reward the destruction of the nemesis with lavish rewards. This will help cycle the players through the Hero's Journey, preparing them for a return to the ordinary world and a chance to repeat the journey all over again if the format you are aiming for allows it.
One way to do this could be to use "themes" that drive play (either via narrative or with mechanical bonuses and penalties). Characters who act in accordance with those themes see benefits. Give the nemesis the control of those themes, then let the players take the reins when they vanquish their nemesis, and allow them to choose the themes they want to focus on.
Another way is to simply rely on the game master to provide the sort of story that rewards players. Write experience or advancement awards into text (Spire by Rowan, Rook, and Decard does this in a sublime fashion), and make clear to them that players should know that defeating their nemesis will provide the highest tier rewards.
# Wrapping Up
The focus of storytelling using the nemesis is to provide a counter-point for the heroes, something that lets you convey the great meaning you have in mind using a series of ideas and images, teaching your audience a lesson or letting them feel catharsis.
Use the final moments of your nemesis as a mirror on their tragic history, or show the triumph of goodness embodied in the heroic act of vanquishing them. Let the fall of the nemesis be the rise of a new and better world.