Character Archetypes: The Antihero

I've had a lot of fun writing these character archetypes posts, and today we come to the final one (unless I think of another character type I must include). This type of character has grown increasingly popular in recent years with the rise of morally gray heroes, and they don't fall into any other category, so I wanted to give them their own post. In this post we're discussing the antihero.

Who is the Antihero?

According to Wikipedia, an antihero is the main character of a story that lacks conventional heroic qualities. For example, they might be selfish instead of selfless, or cowardly instead of brave. They will do both good and bad things, although almost always out of their own self-interest.

Before we go further, a quick note on the term "antihero". As you'll see in the next section, the original antiheroes, instead of being morally gray, were actually just heroes that didn't have the traditional qualities. I'll be using the term in the modern sense, meaning more of a selfish, less good guy character.

Types of Antiheroes

• Classic. Instead of being morally questionable, these antiheroes lack what we would consider "heroic" qualities- bravery, confidence, combat skills, etc. They go through the story to overcome their weaknesses and become a true hero. Honestly, this type of "antihero" is more what you see as a "hero" in modern media.

• Semi-hero. This type is again more like we would consider a good guy. But they are less likely to join in the conflict unless there's something in it for them. A lot of mercenary characters fall under this type.

• Pragmatic. This kind is a lot more morally neutral. They will do good things and bad things, as long as they gain something out of it. They sometimes will end up converting to a full hero, and sometimes they'll become a villain instead.

• Unscrupulous. At this point, your antihero is still "good", but they really push it. They like to kill and take revenge, and they don't care who gets hurt or killed on the way to their goal. They might have the moral high ground in a fight, but they do so many questionable things that it's hard to see it.

• Bad. Then there is the antihero who's actions are barely better than the villain's. They aren't really a "hero" anymore. They fight for good, but don't act like a good guy would. Most of the time, you only like them because the story is told from their POV.

Characteristics

• Morally gray. If you can't tell by now, antiheroes don't always do things that are good. Their flaws in that area are what make them not a traditional hero.

• Interesting. Antiheroes are interesting because they fall outside hero norms. They can be ugly or mean or have tragic pasts they actually act on, because of who they are.

• Fight for right. In the end, to still be considered an antihero, they'll almost always be fighting for something good. The ways they take to get there might be selfish, cruel, and villainous, but they are striving for a good thing.

•Unconventional. Antiheroes don't take the traditional path to success. They might not even have traditional skills, looks, or desires. This misfit attitude is part of what makes them alluring.

To Avoid

• Too good. Antiheroes that act selflessly for most of the story and happen to do a couple bad things they feel bad about aren't really what we consider an antihero today. (Like Han in Solo trying to convince all of us that he's a bad person when he does like nothing bad the whole movie.)

• Too bad. There's a point where a character is no longer redeemable of what they've done. They might claim to be good, but they've crossed the line that makes us no longer root for, or even like them.

• "Misunderstood".  This cliche is used so much with antiheroes. They aren't really bad, they're misunderstood. If that's the case, then they probably aren't an antihero. That or they're really bad and you're trying to make me think they're good.

• Dark and broody. It's not really an antihero thing anyway. When I see it, it makes me roll my eyes, no matter who it is. There are lots of people out there who have seen a lot of bad things and still are the nicest person you know.

Writing an Antihero

Antiheroes have their place in fiction. But modern stories love them a little too much. They like having characters that don't follow the rules, can do whatever they want, and still save the world at the end of the day. So my first advice for writing an antihero is to be cautious about how you use it.

Secondly, many antiheroes have kind of a code of conduct they follow. Sure, they might not care about murdering people, but they would never harm a woman. Or they'd steal something in a heartbeat, but never from someone who needed it. Consider giving your antihero some lines that even they won't cross, or not without good cause.

Don't forget to add backstory and motivation. Why is this person acting the way they are? All people are fallen and do bad things sometimes, but why does this character do so? Have they been hurt? Cheated? Wronged? What drives them to achieve their goal at all costs?

For more on antiheroes, check out this great post by No Film School- What is an Antihero and How to Write a Great One.

Example Characters

Sherlock- Sherlock

Jack Sparrow- Curse of the Black Pearl

Ender Wiggins- Ender's Game

Hester Shaw- Mortal Engines

Han Solo- A New Hope

Wolverine- X-Men Origins: Wolverine

What are your thoughts on antiheroes? Have you ever written one? Tell me in the comments.

Character Archetype series:

The Hero

The Villain

The Sidekick

Secondary Characters

The Mentor

The Love Interest