Walter White from “Breaking Bad.” The eponymous Dexter Morgan. Virtually every character in “Game of Thrones.” These characters do horrible things, mostly involving murder, while justifying the crimes to themselves with whatever reason. The list of anti-heroes—that is, protagonists who lack traditional heroic traits—goes on. These are just some of the most popular examples.
“It’s a trend like zombies,” says former American River College student Justin Daoust. “It’s a popular archetype to use, but it will eventually get old.”
One explanation for this trend could be that villains and other criminals and evil-doers are simply more interesting. Heroes often seems unrealistic, inhuman even, all because they are written in such a way that makes them too perfect.
“I like [the anti-hero trend] because it gives you a different perspective, not just that of a ‘perfect’ superhero or detective, because no one is perfect like that,” says Josif Morar, computer science major. Typical heroes always know the solution, they feel no temptation, they cannot stumble, and they always win. One occasionally-heard criticism of superheroes is that somehow they never apprehend the wrong person; their greatest power is certainty.
Heroes can often seem too similar, too. “I’m neither for nor against the usage of the anti-hero, simply because each one is different,” adds Daoust.
Heroes often have similar motivations. Superman and Spider-man were both instilled with Judeo-Christian values by adoptive parents. Batman was raised by an adoptive father after crime killed his birth parents. Daredevil sought revenge against the criminals who killed his father.
By contrast, anti-heroes have a bit more variety in their motivations. Walter White started cooking crystal meth because he’s dying and wants to leave money for his family. (Then he just continues out of pride and greed). Riddick kills out of self-preservation. The characters of “Game of Thrones” do what they do for a variety of reasons, mostly revolving around the Iron Throne. Deadpool, one of Marvel Comic’s most popular characters right now, performs violent mercenary work because for him it’s fun. “I’m pretty sure he’s popular because he’s ‘crazy’ and funny,” says Daoust. “Why else would people love the Joker as much as they do? They both have the same formula when it comes to popularity.”
“Why do they do what they do? Why do they feel what they do is justified? These are the questions that define that type of anti-hero,” Daoust opines.
English major Joseph Adair loves the trend. “It’s given us a whole new class of character. Rather than ‘who’s the hero and who’s the villain,’ it’s now turned to ‘is this person really evil? Or is he good? Does this person’s own agenda define that good or evil?’”
