Quote:
Originally written by Emperor Tullegolar: We're not voting for the best antagonist here. We are voting for best villain. There is a difference.
It really depends on the definition you use for villain - one of the definitions, and the interpretation that a lot of people are using in this case, is "A dramatic or fictional character who is typically at odds with the hero." This is no different from an antagonist - and the most interesting antagonists are generally the ones that have real motivations and aren't just plot devices.