CHARACTER BUILDING: Heroes

Heroes. We love them. If you're like me, and you prefer character-driven story lines, then the heroes are the ones you come back to read about over and over again. For me, if I can't "root" for at least one of the characters, then the best story and all the most beautiful writing (or special effects) in the world won't make me love the book or movie.

So, what makes a good hero?

Well...

Ha! Did you really think it was that easy? The answer to that question is going to be as varied as your audience. Not everyone loves the same type of character or hero, you know. That's what makes our job as authors so much fun! The endless possibilities!

But, a few guidelines, for generally getting there with a good hero:

1. Make sure the character is well-developed and three-dimensional. You want this character (and all your characters, of course) to be as "real" as possible. That means they may surprise you - and the audience - from time to time. A good three-dimensional character is one whose actions and words are consistent with his or her character or personality, true... but remember that even real people do things you don't expect from time to time. Those unexpected reactions are what can really make a character seem "real." (Especially if you delve into WHY this unexpected reaction was triggered... instead of making it be out of the blue and never explaining it... your audience probably won't buy that).

For example (rather a bad example, of course, because he's not a hero): Darth Vader turning on the Emperor and saving Luke. This makes no sense given every single action that Darth Vader takes throughout all three movies... UNLESS you buy Luke's insistence that, "There is good in him, I've felt it." And remember that crucial, "No, I AM your father." moment and give him the benefit of the doubt that in some tiny way, the man behind the mask is still a father, with father-like emotions.

Or how about Frodo (movie-version Frodo) telling Sam to get lost. (For my fellow nerds, I didn't appreciate this addition to the movie, but I can understand it from a story-telling point of view). This makes no sense if we look at Sam's faithful service. How can Frodo be so cruel? Unless we take into account the weight and poison of the Ring, and unless we can see the parallels that Frodo is drawing between himself and Gollum, seeing himself as becoming more like Gollum every day... and desperately needing to believe that Gollum can be redeemed, in order to believe that he, himself, can also be redeemed.

Both are examples of a character acting "out of character" in very believable ways.

2. Don't make them perfect. I'm not a fan of the "tragic flaw" or "fated flaw" trope. It makes things far too neat and tidy, and also frustrating as a member of the audience. However, a character can mess up, make the wrong decision, or simply not react correctly in a given circumstance and still pull off the same effect: this is a character that isn't "perfect." If they're not perfect, that will make them more relatable, and ultimately more lovable, to your audience.

For example: Elizabeth Bennet and her instant dislike for Mr. Darcy. She forms an opinion of him (an incorrect opinion) the moment she lays eyes on him, and judges everything he does through the lens of that opinion for the rest of the story. It is her blindness to his true character that is the foundation of the entire story, and without it, the book would be quite different. And, I might argue, without Lizzie's personality quirks, she wouldn't be as believable or as lovable of a character. Yes, she is extremely selfish, and proud, and jumps to conclusions far too easily... but she does admit when she's wrong (eventually).

3. Don't hold back on the virtues. I think it's important for a true hero to portray a lot of the more likable tendencies. One of the reasons I love Boromir so much, is how he is portrayed as extremely likable. He is charismatic, loyal, defers to authority, has a soft spot for the Hobbits and takes them under his wing and attempts to teach them swordsmanship so they will not be so vulnerable to attack. He is optimistic, and has a "can do" attitude, and a sense of humor. (All of this is in the book... and while not portrayed in the movies very well... still manages to come through in the stellar acting of Sean Bean). Yes, I'm biased.

4. Remember, the hero may not always be ONLY the main character, and the main character may not always be the ONLY hero. As you can see by my examples, I didn't use many Main Heroes for my illustrations. I did this to show that sometimes, even the villain can be a hero for a time. It's okay to be flexible. Allow your characters to have their heroic and villainous moments. Most characters will be mostly one or the other, of course. There is a definite line that separates the two... or at least, I believe there ought to be. But that doesn't mean the hero can't be wrong sometimes, or that the villain must always be beyond the reach of redemption.

(On a side-note, I have now typed the word "heroes" so many times that it has lost its meaning and is starting to look strange. So strange, that I had to go look it up to make sure I was spelling it correctly. I think, perchance, I might be a bit tired).

Tune in next time for some tips on how to build a believable villain! And a few of the various types of villains available to choose from.

Who are some of your favorite heroes? What do you love most about them?