NationStates Jolt Archive

(Apologies before hand for the limited poll, I'm a bit knackered so [Other] is there for anything I may have forgotten)

There was an article in the Independent today,* briefly it was about a study concerning Heros and Villains in literature, and Waterstone's new book deal offer.

However it got me thinking. Which, in your opinion, is your favorite type of character in a story? The Hero? The Villain? The anti-hero who blurs the line somewhat between the two occasionally?

Who are your favorite characters?

For me I largely prefer villains, with anti-heros coming a close second.

I would say one of my favorite villains are Steerpike from Gormanghast, I just think he is fantastic. I mean what is not to like? Fantastically intelligant, amoral, extremely manipulative and highly motivated. A classic, what's not to like?

Another good villain (who come to think about it isn't a million miles away from Steerpike, or should that be the other way round?) is Iago from Shakespeare's "Othello".

Being a huge SF/Fantasy fan (less kind people would say geek), my one of my favorite anti-heros is Micheal Moorcock's Elric. Though I haven't read as much about him as I would like to.

And just about every Philip K Dick main character. (A Scanner Darkly is being made, not sure how I feel about it though).

So I open this question to you, who do you like in your stories?



Which I won't bother linking because a) it is fairly boring and b) largely irrelevent.

Iknow that they are all incredibly cheesey but i do quite like David Gemmel's long list of "hero's with issues or a past". Jon shanow is particularly good fun at times even though he isn't as god like as druss or waylander.

Villains are always the best characters, they usually have much more depth (which is strange when you think about it, as you're meant to be drawn toward the hero? Perhaps authors are worried that if they give a hero to much depth, then people wouldn't see them as a hero?), though as you say, the anti-hero comes a close second!

Villians are always the best characters, they usually have much more depth (which is strange when you think about it, as you're meant to be drawn toward the hero? Perhaps authors are worried that if they give a hero to much depth, then people wouldn't see them as a hero?), though as you say, the anti-hero comes a close second!

I think it is largely a hang-over from the romantic period of chivalry (which yes extend into subsequent ones), where heros were expected to be noble, um heroic etc.

They were rolemodels.

The only problem for the traditional hero is that they are unrealistic at best and artificially sweet at worst (imo). They are mirrors for society to reflect the most highly esteem qualities. The thing is, it is quite restricting.

However with villains you can do whatever you want. Make them complete bastards, and admit it, everyone likes a bastard. They are fun, they can do what they want.

Sigh, the whitterings of a sleep deprived student :)

Iknow that they are all incredibly cheesey but i do quite like David Gemmel's long list of "hero's with issues or a past". Jon shanow is particularly good fun at times even though he isn't as god like as druss or waylander.

I never particuarly liked Gemmel. I could never get into them, they always seemed to samey. Bit like Tom Clancy.

No offence meant, he's just not my cuppa tea.

Villians are the best, better dressers, better actors, they have sexyer counterparts, and you are agrenteed to go out with a bang. and they are just better

Magus from Chrono Trigger is the best antihero ever.

Villians are the best, better dressers, better actors, they have sexyer counterparts, and you are agrenteed to go out with a bang. and they are just better

Well they are normally English ;)

I never particuarly liked Gemmel. I could never get into them, they always seemed to samey. Bit like Tom Clancy.

No offence meant, he's just not my cuppa tea.

That i can understand i geuss its a case of if you get into one you can read the others easily.
Persoanlly i get really annoyed with goody goody heros, particualrly when the writer makes it obvious that they can't lose.

I prefer villans, because I'm evil =P

Magus from Chrono Trigger is the best antihero ever.

Fuck yeah.

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Anyway.. I'm for the 'other'. I prefer the Mastermind. Or Misunderstood Genius in the background of everything going on.

The other person with his own hidden agenda that he sometimes help the hero or helps the villians as he see's fit.

What's an anti-hero?

What's an anti-hero?

Someone who isn't a villian (Likes doing evil) but just hates the hero I think..

Someone who isn't a villian (Likes doing evil) but just hates the hero I think..

It is kind of the opposite, he isn't a hero but he opposes the villian or fulfills the role of a hero. Catwoman from "Batman 2", Clint Eastwood from "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."

In my opinion those are always the deepest characters, they normally have deep issues that keep them from being good, but through some external motivation are drawn to the side of good.

More often than not, the villain is my favourite character.

So what counts as anti-hero? Punisher and stuff?

So what counts as anti-hero? Punisher and stuff?

The Punisher would be a very typical anti-hero.

I will vote for anti-hero then since they kick everyone's ass

I'd have to say hero because they always manage to capture your heart. :fluffle:

My favorite hero would most likely be... Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Iknow that they are all incredibly cheesey but i do quite like David Gemmel's long list of "hero's with issues or a past". Jon shanow is particularly good fun at times even though he isn't as god like as druss or waylander.

Yeah, but he still does pretty well against the apparent reincarnation of satan with two old cap and ball revolvers ;)

I'd have to say hero because they always manage to capture your heart. :fluffle:

Well lovale rogues are called so for a reason ;)

My favorite hero would most likely be... Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Ooh, good choice, I had forgotten about him.

One of the few cases of a hero who is an actual realistic rolemodel I think (don't hold me to that though*).


*Yes, I know that is just a cheap way of saying "I cannot think of anymore, therefore there aren't anymore until you mention one"

Hey, just to clear things up:

The antihero does not have to be bad or hate the hero or anything like this.

The antihero is simply a main character who lacks traditional heroic qualities. So yeah, the Punisher is an antihero, but so is McMurphy from Cuckoo's Nest; so is Columbo; Grendel; Walter Mitty; Mike Hammer; Humbert Humbert; Rabbit Angstrom; Batman. I would even go so far as to say that most heroes in contemporary lit and film (Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Superman aside) are antiheroes.

Well they are normally English ;)
Yes long live us english villains... *twiddles mustash* muh hahahahahahahaha

I have decided, my favorite anti-hero is the man with the harmonica, from "Once Upon a Time in the West".

I voted for Anti heros, who are usually the deepest characters and often the coolest, not bound by the morals of the hero or the egotism/psychoticism of the villian. My favourite examples of this are Clint Eastwood in a fistful of dollars, Agent 47, Michael and Vito Corleone, Ghost Dog, Sam Vimes as well as the orginal Batman (the vigilantie version rather then the camp one)
However, villians come a close second, they usually have the most fun, the best costumes or backstory and the women are always sexy :fluffle: . They are usually very intelligent, manipulative and amusing. My favourite are Iago (best shakespearean character by far), The Jackal :sniper: (from the book and the original film), Darth Vader and Yassen Gregorovitch.
Heroes are usually realitivy dull, they almost always win, are bound by codes that can always be played on. And the other two are always cooler (e.g. would u rather be the Punisher :mp5: or Superman, exactly :D )

The antihero is almost always my favorite charcacter. Has anybody read the Revelation Space trilogy and its related books by Alastair Reynolds? They have some excellent antiheros in them.

Magus from Chrono Trigger is the best antihero ever.

Magus was good but you can't beat the original. The first and the best will always be Gilgamesh.

I have decided, my favorite anti-hero is the man with the harmonica, from "Once Upon a Time in the West".
Good call.

I can remember being absolutely blown away by that film. It got my into Westerns in general and Leone in particular (including his non-western films). Also Morricone's score is far better than the one he did for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly imo.

I like anti-heros. Burke from Andrew Vachss' crime novels, Spike and Angel from Joss Whedon's tv series, Josey Wales from "The Outlaw Josey Wales" etc. They have depth and complexity that simple heros and villans lack. I like the idea of a guy who's bad, but does good.

Magus from Chrono Trigger is the best antihero ever.

Wouldn't say "ever," but he's up there :D

You know who was a great friggin' villain? Daniel Day-Lewis's Bill the Butcher in the otherwise gawdawful Gangs of New York.

I love anti-heroes. I think Spawn is my favorite, followed by the Punisher.

I love anti-heroes. I think Spawn is my favorite, followed by the Punisher.
The Punisher RULES!! I always liked Ghost Rider too - and hope there is truth to rumors about it becoming a motion picture (though it could never compare to the comics of course!)

It is kind of the opposite, he isn't a hero but he opposes the villian or fulfills the role of a hero. Catwoman from "Batman 2", Clint Eastwood from "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."

In my opinion those are always the deepest characters, they normally have deep issues that keep them from being good, but through some external motivation are drawn to the side of good.

Any star of a Grand Theft Auto game.

He's the protagonist, he's just too much of a bastard to call him the hero.

i like anti heroes such as kain and raziel from legacy of kain

I voted for "Other" mainly because I like the Reluctant Hero the most (most notably Harrison Ford playing Han Solo in Star Wars), although I guess it could be considered an Anti-Hero too... semantics :)

Oh and Kurgen from Highlander (the first and only good one) is probably my favourite villain :)

I like anti-heros. They do good acts but are badassed. The best anti-hero is defintly the Punisher! :sniper:

Anti-hero. Unfortunately, they are now common to the point of cliche. Luckily, there are some very good ones: Magus and Gilgamesh come to mind (both completely awesome, although I slightly prefer Magus), as does Spawn.

Villains come a close second, especially the camp, funny, but incredibly dangerous variety.

You know who was a great friggin' villain? Daniel Day-Lewis's Bill the Butcher in the otherwise gawdawful Gangs of New York.

Damn skippy.

In the other thread, I picked Daniel Day-Lewis to play me in an autobiography simply because of that role. If anyone can make me look like a badass, its him.

Sam Vimes
Sam Vimes is one of the finest characters ever put to print, anywhere.

Damn skippy.

In the other thread, I picked Daniel Day-Lewis to play me in an autobiography simply because of that role. If anyone can make me look like a badass, its him.

That movie would have been so feckin' good if Billy had been the protagonist. I thought Scorcese had enough sack to avoid falling into Hollywood convention, but his recent reliance on the little man-boy matinee idol Leonardo proves me wrong.

Anti-Hero is the best because it's not black and white. It's like a hero and villan rolled into one. How can you go wrong with a choice like that?
Then again, the hero paladin is always fun "Smite makes right".