The Void: Gareth’s Emptiness in Kiss the Villain

What Is the Void?

In Kiss the Villain, the Void is Gareth Carson’s persistent, all-consuming sense of internal emptiness. Literally described in Chapter 34 as “a hole of nothingness, stretching wider and deeper every day,” it is not a physical object but a recurring metaphor for his lack of meaning and emotional fulfillment. The void drives his violent impulses and his desperate search for something—or someone—that can fill it.

The evidence from Chapter 34 makes this explicit: “For as long as I can remember, there’s been a void inside me. An emptiness that can’t be filled, sustained, or eliminated.” The void is portrayed as a constant, hungry presence that Gareth has tried to manage through violence and control.

Where the Void Appears

The motif recurs at key moments in Gareth’s point-of-view chapters and is also observed by Kayden.

Chapter 34 (Gareth’s recovery): Gareth explains his void in detail, linking it to his first kill—David, Harper’s father. He recalls that taking David’s life gave him a temporary rush: “A rush of life poured into me in the form of his blood. It filled that void to the brim.” Yet the relief faded when he imagined his father’s disapproval.
Chapter 36 (Kayden’s observation): After Kayden lets Gareth go, Kayden sees Gareth and describes him as “hollowed out” (Chapter 36 evidence). This external view confirms that the void is visible to others when Gareth is depleted.
Chapter 39 (Climax in the safe house): When Gareth confronts Kayden after Declan’s death, he declares that Kayden is his anchor. In Chapter 42 (Gareth’s POV), Gareth tells Kayden directly: “You’re my anchor, filling my void” (paraphrased from evidence: Gareth calls Kayden his anchor, filling his void). This moment marks a shift—the void is no longer an unchangeable curse but something that Kayden can temporarily fill.
Epilogue 2 (Chapter 44): Gareth gets a tattoo over his self-harm scars: a skull and snake with “My Villain K.D.” This action symbolically replaces the physical reminders of his emptiness with a permanent declaration of belonging. The void is not erased, but it is now managed through his bond with Kayden.

How the Meaning Changes

The void’s meaning evolves from a destructive emptiness to a space that can be anchored by another person.

First stage: Gareth views the void as a terrible flaw that sets him apart. He tries to fill it with violence (killing David) and the rush of power. This temporary solution fails when social consequences (his father’s disapproval) intrude. The void remains “unfillable” and is associated with shame.
Second stage: After meeting Kayden, the void begins to change. Gareth becomes obsessed with Kayden, and the obsession acts as a new filling mechanism. When Kayden lets him go (Chapter 33), Gareth realizes the void “returned worse” (Chapter 34 evidence). This suggests that Kayden had partially filled it, and the absence is more painful.
Third stage: In the climax, Gareth explicitly names Kayden as his anchor. The void shifts from a source of self-destruction to a foundation for connection. Kayden’s love becomes the thing that keeps the void from consuming Gareth, though it does not disappear completely.
Final stage: By the epilogue, the void is integrated into their relationship. The tattoo over scars shows Gareth has transformed his past emptiness into a shared symbol. The void is no longer a secret shame but part of what makes him Kayden’s “monster.”

Character and Theme Connections

Gareth Carson

Gareth is the primary host of the void. It defines his secret identity as a Heathen (the dark part of him he hides from his family). The void is tied to his need for his father’s approval and his fear of being seen as a monster. He uses his golden-boy persona to stitch the void away, but it always breaks free.

Kayden Lockwood

Kayden does not have a void of his own, but he becomes the only person who can fill Gareth’s. In Chapter 42, Kayden tells Gareth: “You gave my life meaning” (paraphrase). Kayden’s own emptiness—stemming from Cassandra’s death and his past with Vencor—finds new purpose in caring for Gareth. Together, they form a “two fractured souls that fit perfectly” (Epilogue).

Killian Carson (mentioned in Chapter 34)

Gareth compares his void to Killian’s. Killian called his own void a “superpower” and flaunted it. Gareth envies Killian’s lack of shame but cannot imitate it because he cares too much about his father’s opinion. This contrast highlights how the void is not inherently negative—it is Gareth’s relationship with it that causes suffering.

Themes

Obsession and Possessiveness: The void fuels Gareth’s obsessive need for Kayden. He cannot let go because Kayden is the only thing that fills the emptiness. Their relationship is possessive, but it is also stabilizing.
Power Dynamics and Submission: Gareth’s void makes him crave control (as in his attempt to drug Yulian) but also crave submission (under Kayden). The void is temporarily filled when he gives up control to Kayden.
Secrets and Dual Identity: Gareth hides the void behind his golden-boy mask. The void represents the truth he suppresses.
Redemption and Trust After Betrayal: The void is healed not by forgiveness or moral redemption, but by trust in Kayden’s unwavering presence. Even after Kayden betrays him (the initial revenge plot), Gareth ultimately trusts Kayden to be his anchor.
Family Trauma and Legacy: Gareth’s void is inherited metaphorically from his family’s violent legacy (his grandfather, his father’s expectations, and his own murder of David). The family’s reaction to his coming out and to Kayden’s past compounds his emptiness.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What is the Void in Kiss the Villain, and how does Gareth first try to fill it?
The Void is Gareth’s internal emptiness, a “hole of nothingness” he has felt since childhood. He first fills it temporarily by killing David, Harper’s father. The act of taking a life gives him a euphoric rush that makes the void feel full, but the feeling vanishes when he worries about his father’s disapproval.

2. How does Kayden change Gareth’s relationship with the Void?
Kayden becomes an anchor that fills Gareth’s void in a sustained way. After they are separated, Gareth realizes the void returned worse than before. In the climax, Gareth tells Kayden he is his anchor, acknowledging that Kayden’s presence is now necessary to keep the emptiness at bay. This shifts the void from a source of self-harm to a foundation for connection.

3. Why does Gareth compare his void to Killian’s?
Killian embraces his void as a superpower and flaunts it, while Gareth hides his in shame because he craves his father’s approval. The comparison shows that the void itself is not inherently destructive—Gareth’s need to suppress it and his fear of being seen as a monster make it worse.

4. What does Gareth’s new tattoo in the epilogue symbolize about the Void?
The tattoo—a skull and snake with “My Villain K.D.”—covers the scars from his self-harm, which were physical manifestations of his void-driven pain. By replacing the scars with a permanent symbol of his love for Kayden, Gareth shows that he has repurposed the void into a shared identity. The void is not gone, but it is no longer a mark of shame; it is now part of what binds him to Kayden.