A protagonist and their story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally appealing as the forces of antagonism make them.
— Robert McKee
The reason this holds up is that character is revealed through pressure, not description. A hero's wit, courage, or compassion mean nothing until something forces them into use. The antagonist supplies that force, so a sharper opponent produces a sharper protagonist by necessity, not decoration.
Consider a story where the hero values honesty. Give her an antagonist who lies effortlessly and profits from it, and suddenly her honesty becomes a choice with a cost, not just a trait on a page.
The caution: don't confuse a strong antagonist with a loud or cruel one. Over-applying this advice tempts writers into escalating villainy for its own sake. The goal is opposition that tests the protagonist's specific values, not raw menace layered on for volume.
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