A Good Anti-Hero

[BrinkofDawn]

I thought I'd make this thread to view your guy's opinion on what makes a good anti-hero because we all love em' or hate em'. I could also use the information to further develop a character of my own so....any opinions?:D

[Rumpole40k]

A good anti-hero should have some qualities that make you sympathize with them and on some basic level relate to them. It also doesn't hurt if they end up doing something you wished you could do in real life.

[Darkthought]

I think quite the opposite. A good anti-hero is a complete scum ball. While his goals may be admirable, his means are less than savory as are his reasons for said goal. The anti-hero should do things that you would never do in real life unless you wanted to spend a long time in prison. In short, an anti-hero should lack all the traditional qualities that a hero would have. Good examples of anti-heroes are The Punisher, Riddick, Wolverine, Zorro(from The Mask of...), Batman, V from V for Vendetta.

I think it is also crucial for the anti-hero to be the "worthy opponent" or "rival" of the main character, if the anti-hero himself is not the main character.

Where heroes would be the perfect example of what a person should be and what they should do, the anti-hero is the type of guy you wouldn't bring home to mom...so to speak.

[BrinkofDawn]

So, would an anti-hero be morally dismembered or just some guy who thinks differently than the rest of society?

I like the responses:D

[Darkthought]

Not entirely morally depraved, no. He must, however, reject the traditional values of his society. Where the hero would accept a quest and do what he must, the anti-hero does his best to not accept that quest.

[BrinkofDawn]

Interesting...

The thing you stated about the anti-hero being like a rival or obstacle to the hero, how would you prefer to view a relationship between the two when they're good friends? Who you like it better if the anti-hero ended up turning on the hero or end up becoming just like the hero?

[Darkthought]

Well...I don't know if you have read any of the Rhapsody RPG in this section, but the relationship between my character, Adrastus Aleksandr, and Oasis' character is what I typically have in mind for that kind of stuff. It really is a matter of preference though.

[BrinkofDawn]

I'll have to look at that. I actually have a story I'm working on now that's big enough to give some of my main characters their own story. I wanted to know what makes a good anti-hero to get different opinions and develop a personality for this one character named Aemon. Oh what looks better A'emon or Aemon?

[Darkthought]

Apostrophes in strange names (elvish, demonic, just plain odd) is a very overdone thing. Take, for instance, this: Al'demar rode valiantly into the town Amon'amo'eth to confront his long time nemesis Andera'dol.

It is tiresome to read as you might imagine.

That aside, I like them.

[BrinkofDawn]

Hmm, yeah you're right. It's also the way it's said too. If it flows with the rest of a sentence and is understandable to read why change it? For example: Rand al' Thor from the Wheel of Time. Apostrophes used like that are alright to me. I think I'll just stick with Aemon.

[Darkthought]

Probably for the best.
A fan of Robert Jordan are you?

[BrinkofDawn]

My favorite series. I don't like certain fantasy stories with dwarfs and elves and goblins and wizards and crap like that (The Hobbit was fairly good though). I like original fantasy like The Wheel of Time and The Shannara series by Terry Brooks. Yeah Shannara has elves and dwarfs but not in the way LOTR describes it. LOTR is too much fantasy for me. The overdone races in other books compared with the hard to describe words just don't appeal to me. I'd liked to read more books like the Final Fantasy games that's what I really like.

[Darkthought]

The Wheel of Time is also my favorite series. I wish the last one would hurry up and finish itself so I can have some closure.
...and the only reason elves and everything else are overdone is because Tolkien paved the way for that. They weren't overdone when he started it all, you have to keep that in mind when you read his works. Also, they are meant to be read as more of a historical account.
Final Fantasy is my favorite series of games as well...just for the intricate story lines.

[BrinkofDawn]

Yeah, Tolkien is like the godfather of fantasy I realize but I guess I'm just disgusted with everything else after him which is probably why I don't like LOTR. I think I'd enjoy the books more if I'd have read them first then saw the movies. I hope The Hobbit movie will be good and Peter Jackson doesn't screw with it...I don't really like him.

Anywho yeah I want the last book to be done too. I think it's called Memory of Light or something like that. I've only read up to Lord of Chaos though. The series is original with not a whole lot of races involved, just evil creatures, humans, and weird things.

Final Fantasy is awesome^^

[Kratos]

About Aemon, it's the name of a character in A Song of Ice and Fire, which is quickly becoming my favorite series of all time.

I'd call it realistic fantasy, because there are only humans, magic is almost non-existant, and no one is completely good or completely evil. There are many different character viewpoints, so you root for all of them to win, even though if one of them does, the others won't. It's a really great series.

That being said, I love LOTR and the Wheel of Time (Although I only read up to about the 7th book because they got really boring and confusing, although i'll probably re-read them again).

And finally, about the point of the topic, I'd say an Anti-Hero is a scummy character who does whatever it takes to accomplish his goal, which is usually the same as the hero's. He's basically a morally gray character.

[BrinkofDawn]

Are you serious?! Aemon's taken? DAMNIT! I got that from a frickin myth too. Who is the character?

[Kratos]

He's kind of complicated, but I'll break it down. [Slight spoilers for ASoIaF]

-He was a young prince of a kingdom that ended with the death of his father.
-He dedicated his life to knowledge instead of war
-He joined the Night's Watch, which is a group of warriors who defend the civilized world from barbarians and monsters that try to cross the Wall.
-He became a maester, which is like a scholar
-He's like 120 years old, wrinkly, blind, and about to die.
-But he's really smart.

[Aurora_Black]

I'd say a good anti-hero is one you would root for when the showdown between good and evil. In my opinion I think Light Yagami from Death Note is a great anti-hero

[Kratos]

I'd say Light is more of an anti-villian. L is the anti-hero.

[BrinkofDawn]

I agree with Kratos on that, Light isn't really an anti-hero he's just deranged.

Anywho, DAMNIT!!! Is it spelled exactly like that? I can't think of any other variants except A'emon and I don't want to use Amun or Amon or Amen or whatever.

[Darkthought]

Dude...Just use the name anyway. Its not the same guy...or even conceived from the same place.

[Kratos]

Yeah, it's fine to use a name as long as its not a main character -- which he's not.

I remember in 6th grade I wrote a story, and my main character's name was Zant. Then, two years later, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess came out. The villian's name -- Zant.

[BrinkofDawn]

Wow, alright but my guy is part of the main cast but whatever no one will notice I guess^^

[Kratos]

I meant the Aemon from ASoIaF wasn't a main character.


Also, why is this in the RPG discussion?

[Cogito]

This does not belong in the RPG thread. It does not relate to an existing or proposed RPG on this site.

Moved to Writing Issues -> Character Development.

[BrinkofDawn]

Woah we just got off topic we're supposed to be talking about anti-heroes wow sorry^^

[Cogito]

The entire thread was off topic for the forum it was in.

[BrinkofDawn]

really? Sorry my bad^^ Do I just stop typing or move it or...yeah^^

[KP Williams]

He's saying it's okay where it is now. Just bring it back to the thread's original concern.

I'd say Rumpole and Darkthought both have it right, for certain circumstances. Sometimes you want the anti-hero to be someone to sympathize with, and sometimes you don't. It all depends upon context. The only trick is that, while (s)he may not get along with the hero or even hate him/her, the anti-hero must always be an ultimately "good" character. "Good" being in quotes because the main hero may be a bad guy.

Well, that's what I think.

[Kratos]

Just pull it back on topic.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AntiHero
That's a good article on Anti-Heroes.

[BrinkofDawn]

Wow, that article says a lot. I don't think there's any reason for this thread anymore because that pretty much said it all lol^^

[BillyxRansom]

Two words, kiddies:



Roland Deschain.

[BrinkofDawn]

Is he from the Dark Tower series?

[BillyxRansom]

Is he from the Dark Tower series?

Indeed!