Rival Characters

    Sometimes the protagonist's opponent is someone they face off with for the first time. But other times, the antagonist or the contagonist (someone who opposes or gets in the way of the hero without the malicious intentions an actual antagonist would have) is someone they've known and fought with for a while. Someone who's in constant competition with the protagonist: a rival.
    Rivalries can be major subplots in a story, and also another source of conflict that tests and creates obstacles for the protagonist. In addition, the rival is also a unique character with their own aspirations and role in the story.
    Typically, the protagonist and their rival have similar interests and desires--similar skills that they use to compete for a singular goal. The protagonist's rival is usually the aggressor in their relationship--though sometimes the rival can also be a friend of the protagonist, or a non-aggressive person that the protagonist is determined to be better than. A rival could use honest tactics to try to prevail (using their own skills in a fair competition) or they could use some not-so-honest methods (like sabotage).
    Does your protagonist have a rival? Is s/he smug, amiable, or fierce? Is s/he a calculating mastermind, or are they just plain stubborn to not be bested?