Hello everyone. This is probably a stupid question, but how exactly do you make a character a "badass"? I'm trying to make a badass archangel who uses twin demon guns and a holy sword, slowly being corrupted by the guns as he uses them and the story is about him fighting with his mind, the demons and angels (and lots of other bad stuff). Basically I was just wondering how he can be badass? There's times when he gets shot at and doesn't feel them, gets out of impossible situations and fights demons, angels and everything in between with twin revolvers (badass guns?) and powers etc. If you have any advice as to how I could make him more badass please tell me. Many thanks, -Lightning
It's all about attitude. You can do all the BA things you want but if you're a pansy, you're still a pansy.
As said before, 'bad ass' comes from attitude and something within more then external. A character can be an utter monster of a man and be a pussy cat because the attitude isn't there, while someone you'd never think of being bad, can be the toughest person in the room. I have a woman character who's a 'bad ass' and it comes from just having to be one to survive-so it's all she knows. So, attitude and experiences are the key.
Only Bad Ass rules... But seriously, yes they can, but often they're a bit of a rebel at heart. Like Dirty Harry.
On top of the pointers that have already been written here, I could mention that some writers let their reader know a badass via other characters' reactions. For example, have another character be calm and collected in front of every opponent he sees, until he meets the protag and flees in fear. That shouldn't be overused though, if you make every character panic in front of the protag, it just gets tiring and forced very, very quickly. Similar way which hollywood seems to love, is to have a fighting scene where one person kills 20 other guys, then the main badass kills the guy in three seconds. Personally I think that's overdone these days, but it's probably for a reason.
He is the type who doesn't care how he solves the problem as long as he solves it. He is not a pacifist. Violence is all that he knows to beat the bad guys. People see him as a psycho, too dangerious to mess with. If his boss fires him for being stupid, he will continue his action after getting over his guilt. He is a monster because his past was tragic, or he was just raised to kill. He can still love and care, but his flaw is losing control of his humanity. He also has sex with a lot of women for just plessure. And the only thing he cares about is his pride and the ones he loves.
James Bond is a badass character too. Well he is now being played by Daniel Craig. What I described is a basic badass character from what I seen in action movies.
Whether right or wrong a badass will always follow his own path without straying or being lead astray. A badass has his own reasons, his own answers, his own agenda and his own mind. A badass is serious and calculated. Independent, strong willed, unflappable, stoic... Someone like... That Fatback fellow... Yes he is utterly badass in every way.. No matter what his ex-girlfriend or associates say about him or about how often he cries....
we all have been their once or twice. it can end up a good night ( Chinese chick) i think bad ass is really a mind set, where you know the nice guys will finish last, because you are first and bad!
Badass is like cool. You either got or not. Harry Callahan is badass. Not because he carries a .44 Magnum. Because if he didn't, he'd just insert the bullets manually. James Eagan Holmes was no badass; he was a loser with no life and a crapload of weapons in a darkened cinema. The Batman is badass. Superman? Not so much. There's not much that can hurt him, so strolling into danger is not as meaningful. The scrawny girl who walks past the half dozen large, leering goons, and looks them in the eye as she passes, even tough she feels like voiding her colon, is badass. She has fear, but it doesn't stop her.
It is as nearly every one has said all about attitude. The character follows their own rules can sometimes end up on the wrong side of the law for their action even though they were ultimately doing good. The best thing to do is write the character how you want them to be and the reader will decide whether they think the character is a bad ass or not.
The new Sherlock Holmes is badass I think. He uses his crazy detective mind to determine the outcome of a fight, then he murders his opponent based on how he plans his attack perfectly.
That raises a question. Are you building your character and fitting him into the story to meet the 'bad ass' requirements, or are you building your character to fit the story requirements and that makes him a bad ass? Are you creating the story and character because you want a bad ass? Or can he be the character you need and let readers decide?
This is badass. Badass doesn't have to be violent. Badass rarely has to shout. Badass doesn't have to break the rules. Badass makes his or her own rules.
