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What is your least favorite type of hero? The chosen one, the reluctant hero, the antihero, etc. Why do you dislike it?
For me, it would be coward hero. The hero that runs away from anything even slightly intimidating yet still ends up winning at the end.
And I’m not just talking about the hero that starts our scared, and then has a character arc. I’m talking about the coward hero is a coward from beginning to the very end. And I’ve read far more stories with heroes like this than I care to admit. It’s a tragedy that so many stories nowadays are filled with heroes like this.
I don’t like this type of hero for many different reasons.
One, they send a bad message that nothing bad will happen if you constantly run away from your fears (which couldn’t be farther from the truth).
Two, they are very uninspiring, nothing about them is remotely admirable.
Three, it’s not fun to read about a character for hours on end who are constantly thinking about how scared they are.
Four, whenever they do the slightest hint of something remotely brave they get praised by all the other characters as if he did the most brave and important thing in the world, when in reality he just took a little walk outside of the cave he’d been hiding in for almost the entire book.
How am I supposed to want for the story goal to be achieved when the protagonist is too scared to go after it himself?
How am I supposed to believe that this character who’s scared of a butterfly saved the world?
I can’t. So this type of hero is my least favorite out of all hero types.
What is your least favorite type of hero?
Personally, I love the chosen one type of heroes myself:) After all, Jesus was in a way, a chosen one to be our savior:)
But a hero I don’t like? I don’t like anti-heroes. Because in a story, the hero is the person I am exposed to be admiring or looking up to in a way. And if they don’t have hero qualities or motivations, what kind of character am I looking up to? What will the reader learn from this character? A character, mainly the hero or character meant to be aspired after, should have good qualities/intentions that a reader can subconsciously role model themselves after:)@kathleenramm Hm…I’d say that I don’t like the overpowered hero. The hero that easily defeats anything that comes in his way, doesn’t have any character development except getting stronger, makes the villains look like wimps, etc. There isn’t really anything likable about them except maybe they look cool, and you can fully expect that they win.
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into days@kathleenramm @devestate-lasting @abigail-m
I agree with all of you.
I think I dislike morally corrupt heroes that don’t experience any consequences for their actions or redemption. They are depressing and annoying like a child that always has it’s way. However, that said I love a good redemption story, so if that anti-hero actually has a real change of heart and is fleshed out, then I will be able to like him.
We crazy people are the normal ones.
@kathleenramm Interesting question. Even more interesting answers. To be honest, since I read mostly romances, I’m not sure how well I can contribute to the convo…especially considering I usually like heroes and despise heroines.
However, I actually have some dislike for the Chosen One trope/hero. For one, it’s cliché. For two, I would rather read about a hero who himself chooses to save the kingdom or sacrifice himself–rather than one who does it out of duty, uses his calling to his advantage, or puts more stock in his status as “chosen” rather than growing into that status. Make sense?
In the same way, I like a well-done version of this trope/hero. For example, in The Chosen, we get to see the 12 disciples perspectives and inner struggles with being chosen to follow Christ. Some followed Him willingly–like the 70 whose names weren’t mentioned or the women who followed Him–and gave everything up for Him, while the 12 were specifically called. Because of that, some of them feel holier-than-thou or even unworthy. I like the different representations that bring the disciples to life (and make them seem like genuine Israelites by grumbling all the time XD), but if Jesus–the hero of the story–were to act like the disciples, I’d start to get a little annoyed.
Ironically, two of my three favorites fantasy projects are about Chosen Ones. Oxymoronic, eh? I guess that’s simply the one I find the most overused and cliched. Now, if we got started on the subjects of heroines? Yeah, you don’t wanna get me started on that. XD
the resident romance ghost; last seen within the pages of a gothic novel
I agree with you 100% 🙂
Ooo, awesome question! Well, my answer would be that I hate the passive heroes. The ones that let everyone tell them what to do, or the ones that just “go with the flow.” There’s a time and a place for that, but definitely not in the MC, imo! 😄
Oh, and melodramatic/overly-emotional heroes are the worst!! Like when they just sit in a corner and cry when stuff needs to be done=>a very frustrated Ella. 😆
what we do in life echoes in eternity
-gladiator, 2000@nova21 Ahhh I hate passive heroes as well…and yet I struggle so hard in not making all my characters so very passive… #writerproblems XD
@kathleenramm Such a good question (and I agree–characters without a character arc are just…disappointing). My least favorite hero/heroine is, for lack of a better word, the YA Protagonist™. Nothing against YA, mind you, but I’m thinking of the typically very angry, very OP, caught-in-a-love-triangle-from-which-there-is-no-escape type of character. You know what I mean?“Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you. Perhaps. But what will you do with it?”
For me, it’s the hero who jokes all the time and acts like they don’t know what they’re doing/just acts dumb, but all along they’ve known what to do and in the end they’re the one who has been needing to step up and be the hero. I guess it’s basically just a type of reluctant hero XD
"It's easy to be caught up in stardust and whispers when reality is so dark and loud."
@gracie-j completely agree haha. And yuuusss I LOVE The Chosen. That’s a great example!
"It's easy to be caught up in stardust and whispers when reality is so dark and loud."
Hmm… Least favorite main character type? I guess I really have problems with the perfect ones. Especially the ones who are in their teens or young adult years and unbelievably wise, even up to the point of counseling their older siblings and friends on problems which they have no experience in (e.g. romantic relationships).
@daisy-torres Thank you! Ah, yes, The Chosen is fantastico! #greatesttvseriesever
the resident romance ghost; last seen within the pages of a gothic novel
I also like the Chosen One hero, but sometimes I feel like it’s a bit over done in fantasy and dystopian novels.
Yeah, I definitely agree about anti-heros. I really like strong and inspiring characters, that although are from from perfect, are still striving for good.
And this is probably one of the most popular types of hero I see in fiction! It just takes away any intensity or anticipation from a story that otherwise could be so interesting.
Though I do know multiple people who do like this hero because they don’t like movies or books to be sad or stressful in any manner… I can’t relate, but good for them I guess. XD
I couldn’t agree with you more. Anti-heroes with a redemption character arc are some of my favorite, while characters who do wrong things yet receive no consequences, and their actions even get portrayed as cool or good, are like you said, so frustrating and even harmful.
What I’ve learned about clichés is that they can be done really well and be interesting, however the reason why they are usually bad is because the author lacks creativity and leans heavily on over-used tropes since it’s the first thing that pops into their heads. They don’t use the trope because it’s the best decision for their story, but because they are either too lazy or uncreative to think of something else.
If a cliché trope is used because it adds to the story and it wouldn’t be as interesting or meaningful without it, than they can be awesome.
Sorry for my little rant about cliché’s, just something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.
But now you have got me curious about your distaste for heroines…
Yeah, I really love heroes that take action. For certain stories, passive main characters work well, but not for hero types of stories. Passive heroes really don’t work. XD And they can also be very frustrating as well.
Oof, yes. They are just so annoying and flat-out unlikeable, and although I haven’t read much YA fiction, I still feel like there are too many characters like that.
Interesting! I too dislike dumb characters whose decisions make no sense whatsoever. Like, it makes it feel like the character made that stupid decision only so that the plot would progress and that really takes me out of the story.
Though I do like reluctant heroes, as I really like seeing characters change and develop throughout the course of the story.
Yes! It make all the events in the story feel empty and boring as they barely have an effect on the hero because they are already perfect. No room for growth or change. The most interesting events in stories for me are the ones were it really impacts the character and causes them to change in some way. But if a character is wholly perfect throughout, than they can never do that.
@kathleenramm Ah, yeah, this is probably the reason why I don’t really like superhero movies…though yes, I do see people like that, and also for wish-fulfillment, but what’s writing without a little
a load ofangst?Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into daysRight! It’s so hard to relate to them.
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