The precocious child. You know the one, essentially a worthless character who you secretly hope the villain will kill because he or she is nothing more than a constant annoyance, but then you feel guilty because you're rooting for a child character to die, but then you realize it would never happen anyway.
Character types you hate - any media
- Thread starter happyninja42
- Start date
Recommended Videos
The angst filled, dark, brooding, lone wolf, gravel voiced white male without any sort of moral compass who are "cool".
The wise cracking, arrogant protagonist bloke who is supposed to be funny and charismatic but usually comes off as a complete dumbass.
The annoying little kid who idolizes the protagonist. Easily identifiable by their attempts to copy the protagonist's image (usually a haircut).
The strong, independent (and usually incredibly hot) woman who's sole purpose appears to be "Hey look! Strong female character! We're not sexist!".
The wise cracking, arrogant protagonist bloke who is supposed to be funny and charismatic but usually comes off as a complete dumbass.
The annoying little kid who idolizes the protagonist. Easily identifiable by their attempts to copy the protagonist's image (usually a haircut).
The strong, independent (and usually incredibly hot) woman who's sole purpose appears to be "Hey look! Strong female character! We're not sexist!".
Yeah, I dislike this one too, though I think I would probably just label it the "One Note Character" any character who is a very distilled, concentrated human trait annoys me to no end. Jack from, uh, shit, I forget the name of the show. The guy and girl who dated long ago, and then he came out as gay, and now they're roommates. And Jack is their faaaaaahbulous gay neighbor. Him, I can't stand him. I also can't stand the way most "nerds" are portrayed today, in this super condensed nerd-gasm of pop culture stuff, like the cast of Big Bang Theory. All of my friends are hard core nerds, none of them act like those guys. And I bet not many people actually do.Bug MuIdoon said:
The strong and powerful female character who suddenly becomes weak and dependent on the male character. See Sinon from Sword Art Online II.
The whole "I may look young, but I am actually 23,000 years old" race of alien. See Liara/ The Asari from Mass Effect.
The main antagonist, who despite being in a leadership role, is completely fucking useless at being the bad guy. See Zuko from The Last Airbender.
The character that tries super hard to sound as stereotypically X as possible. See Pickle and his dreadful voice in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.
The character who follows the rules to the letter, and picks up on every deviation.
The whole "I may look young, but I am actually 23,000 years old" race of alien. See Liara/ The Asari from Mass Effect.
The main antagonist, who despite being in a leadership role, is completely fucking useless at being the bad guy. See Zuko from The Last Airbender.
The character that tries super hard to sound as stereotypically X as possible. See Pickle and his dreadful voice in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.
The character who follows the rules to the letter, and picks up on every deviation.
Stoic, always serious characters. They bore me to absolute tears and I hate that they're almost always the protagonists.
Evil characters who have no motivation to do something other than the fact that they're "insane".
Evil characters who have no motivation to do something other than the fact that they're "insane".
The hero who is very unprofessional and keeps mucking about all the time, who is for some reason still respected by people taking things seriously, including his love interest who has no reason to like him. If aliens are invading and it's your job to stop them, it's time to grow up.
In a way, it worked that Wesley Snipes wasn't interested in Blade Trinity, because it comes across that he's really pissed off at the useless people his character is working with, especially Ryan Reynolds. The scene were Reynolds is tied up by the vampires, Blade comes in to fight them, looks at Reynolds and just keeps going is the best bit in the film.
There are times when it's appropriate to be silly, and then there are times when it's really, really not.
In a way, it worked that Wesley Snipes wasn't interested in Blade Trinity, because it comes across that he's really pissed off at the useless people his character is working with, especially Ryan Reynolds. The scene were Reynolds is tied up by the vampires, Blade comes in to fight them, looks at Reynolds and just keeps going is the best bit in the film.
There are times when it's appropriate to be silly, and then there are times when it's really, really not.
I don't know if it counts as a character type, but basically the male and female characters that are outright abusive (physically, mentally, very possessive, so on), but the plot/other characters treat them as if they're not doing anything wrong. This includes a number of tsundere characters and such, but it's the whole: "Oh how cute/misunderstood you are" thing that makes it annoying. Sure, have intentionally or unintentionally abusive people as your "good side" characters, but at least have someone or something acknowledge the fact that this person is doing something bad. Having your main character mope over the fact that "they (the main character) must have done something wrong to make them angry," is a bit... :/
Argh, yes. Especially when their enemies turn out to be even worse so it's ok.DarkRawen said:
"Sure, he was really mean to a total stranger, but the guy turned out to eat children, so it's ok"
Common amongst supernatural creatures. Sure, I'm an evil murderous vampire, but that other vampire is more evil and murderous than me, so I should get credit for that.
And stuff glamourising violent crime in general.
The woman "fighter" that prances merrily through the middle of a fight like it's a dance.
Look, I know I'm watching a media fight involving a woman. I know she's not going to get her teeth knocked out, or get injured in any visible way, or even particularly threatened. But can you at least make her look like she's taking the fight seriously rather than treating it like a pun-filled aerobics class?
Look, I know I'm watching a media fight involving a woman. I know she's not going to get her teeth knocked out, or get injured in any visible way, or even particularly threatened. But can you at least make her look like she's taking the fight seriously rather than treating it like a pun-filled aerobics class?
Yeah, especially when it's always the woman and only the woman. The blokes in her team don't do that.ForumSafari said:
Only exception I can think of off the top of my head was a bit in Batman Forever, when Robin got a bit of girl-fu going on when beating up brightly painted thugs.
You know, I'd be on board with this if I hadn't seen far worse. Namely...Zhukov said:
OT: Your basic tropes for anime characters, and not just the protagonists. Brooding hero, comedic side character who also get's placed in danger because the plot, and the female character who is emotionless as a robot and is a fighting machine. So basically Mikasa from AoT.
Other than that? Incompetent characters who are also the main protagonists. I can handle it to a degree, lot's of conflict can come from a protagonists that has problems, but there is a limit. They need to seem capable and learn things, they need to earn their victories and make the audience feel they deserved them.
They need to not be Korra from The Legend of Korra.
The only thing worse than that are characters who do shitty, disgusting things and face no comeuppance from their actions. It's the mark of terrible writing.
Ahh, and look, we have another example from Legend of Korra.
The 'so cool and awesome' character who has apparently never failed at their special skill before, and the first time they do- ususally against an opponent that's been shown to be stupidly powerful and has beaten several others before you, they instantly fail every time they try that skill again until they go and train again, usually back where they first trained, and suddenly they're brilliant again. Case in point, Crystal from The pokémon adventures manga, we had 2 books show her to be great at catching pokémon, then suddenly she fails to capture Suicine, a freaking near legendary pokémon, and we waste the first 3 or 4 chapters of the next book having her go back to training. Also any character that 'teaches people a lesson/ help them become stronger' by doing hurtful things to a character, case in point Professor Oak from Pokémon adventures, who is the worst character ever (Congrats, you entered a tournament designed for kids, beat a bunch of them thus destroying their dreams, and traumatised a 10 year old girl just to teach her a lesson!), and Vriska from Homestuck, who is a close second. (Yes, clearly smashing somebodys legs is going to make them stronger, as is blaming them when they're unable to go up the stairs you made, instead of ramps like any none jerk would do)
- Horror characters who won't even try to defend themselves, even when *not* being attacked by monstrous abominations
The most immediate example I can think of the whistleblower from the Outlast expansion, where he gets knocked off his feet by the CEO of McEvil Incorporated and just sits there looking up at the man with what I can only assume is a hurt expression that whinningly suggests "B-b-buh you pushed me!". And this is just a normal human being that shoved him over: not an insane asylum inmate (who I contend could be stopped with liberal application of boot to crotch or heavy object to head) or mutant creature, just an average dude. FUCKING FIGHT BACK YOU USELESS TWAT! Yes, I get it, you're not allowed to fight back because of "frightening immersion" or some such bollocks, but at least throw a punch or something! This can also extend to the vast majority of female characters in horror movies in general, who are less realistic humans reacting to extreme situations and more squishy mobile blood-bags that shriek a lot. Yes I know, this the very basis of most horror films but it still irks me.
I have more, but I'll think of them tomorrow when I don't have this sodding assignment to do.
The most immediate example I can think of the whistleblower from the Outlast expansion, where he gets knocked off his feet by the CEO of McEvil Incorporated and just sits there looking up at the man with what I can only assume is a hurt expression that whinningly suggests "B-b-buh you pushed me!". And this is just a normal human being that shoved him over: not an insane asylum inmate (who I contend could be stopped with liberal application of boot to crotch or heavy object to head) or mutant creature, just an average dude. FUCKING FIGHT BACK YOU USELESS TWAT! Yes, I get it, you're not allowed to fight back because of "frightening immersion" or some such bollocks, but at least throw a punch or something! This can also extend to the vast majority of female characters in horror movies in general, who are less realistic humans reacting to extreme situations and more squishy mobile blood-bags that shriek a lot. Yes I know, this the very basis of most horror films but it still irks me.
I have more, but I'll think of them tomorrow when I don't have this sodding assignment to do.
- Mar 31, 2010
- 7,172
- 150
- 68
- Country
-
- Gender
-
The Canon Sue is a particularly galling one if done badly, I had the misfortune of watching a movie called 'Van Wilder' with a friend last weekend and the main character was the most blatant example I'd seen for years. The protagonist was a college student who happened to be the most popular guy in his school, handsome, unfailingly good-natured (except to the designated antagonists) and also smart enough to pass without doing any real work. Make no mistake, he'd be a great guy if he was real... but for a comedy film, it was utterly boring. Give us an underdog we want to root for, or a terrible person who we can't wait to see what they'll do next, not a perfect idol who never struggles with anything.
As for other types, I don't actually mind the annoying child trope, at-least they're entertaining most of the time. What I don't have time for is the token significant other / child / family. I have no problem with the protagonists having attachments if they're worthwhile characters in their own right, or are simply absent most of the time, but it feels cheap and lazy when they feature heavily and don't seem to have any discernible character other than their relation to the protagonist. A good example would be the wife and son of the solider guy in the new Godzilla film, who seemed to have zero character and never gave a reason to care about them.
As for other types, I don't actually mind the annoying child trope, at-least they're entertaining most of the time. What I don't have time for is the token significant other / child / family. I have no problem with the protagonists having attachments if they're worthwhile characters in their own right, or are simply absent most of the time, but it feels cheap and lazy when they feature heavily and don't seem to have any discernible character other than their relation to the protagonist. A good example would be the wife and son of the solider guy in the new Godzilla film, who seemed to have zero character and never gave a reason to care about them.
Indeed. While I must admit to having a fondness/interest in characters rather deeply in the "rather fucked up" territory, I still want their horrible actions to be acknowledged, by the plot if nothing else. I mean, yeah, I like that character, but they're a horrible person, and they should be treated/shown as at best a deeeeeeply flawed person whose actions aren't excused. :/thaluikhain said:
Also, yeah, vampires especially, perhaps because there's so much romance-stuff with them, which makes it rather creepy. >_>
As for glamorising violent crime, personally I'm the kind who doesn't mind characters who commits acts like that, but god, they're bad people and I would never want to meet them in real life. Ever.
I think the most annoying thing about those kind of shows/series/all sorta things is that, as with Dexter for instance, some fans of the show seem eager to defend what he's doing, because "yeah, he's a murderer, but he's killing bad people so it's fine", which is a reasoning I can't agree with.
Really annoying when the character is a soldier in an action movie or something.Dragonlayer said:
Back in the old days of Doctor Who, most of the monsters were immune to bullets, because the soldiers/security guards/whomever would naturally shoot the attacking monster. When that didn't work, they'd try using the bazooka on it (one time they had the bazooka prop, but with extra bits stuck on it and pretended it was a laser). When the laser didn't work, they called for an airstrike. Which is quite reasonable.
But there's so many movies in which the soldiers get killed because they don't try fighting back, so that the hero can later on.
Also, in regards to horror movies, when the victim gets attacked, struggles, knocks the killer over, runs away, falls over and waits for the killer to get back up and get them. Instead of making sure the killer stayed down when they put them down.
Yeah...Riddick in Pitch Black was done well, IMHO. Sure, he's a murderer, but then the planet is full of lots of nasty aliens, so we shall overlook this and work together to not die.DarkRawen said:
And yeah, being a supernatural creature is apparently an excuse for being creepy that way.
Ahh, but you see, it's comedy. So all those writing skills and things that would normally not fly in other movie? Totally okay here, because comedy... har har. At least, that's what my friends told me when I complained about the exact same movie for these exact same reasons.JoJo said:
Comedic tropes and characters are just getting grating nowadays. It's not just because of the actual material, but also because of the fans. The fans who use "it's comedy, lighten up" to deflect any sort of criticism. It's the same deal with some games, especially Platinum games. It's just so over the top and aware of itself it can do all this stuff, and for that, it qualifies as brilliant, because reasons.
I hate the portrayals of people in rom coms and how stalking is acceptable behaviour more so into the fluff books (I refuse to call them chick lit since I know plenty of male identified people who read them too).
It's mostly portrayed by a male character stalking an uninterested female character and then the female gets herself into some sort of distress and then male steps in and all of a sudden love at first sight. Even though she's told him she's not interested and he basically stalks and harasses her up to this point. I have read very good romance type books that don't fall into this trope but they are few and far between.
Also the whole you have to change yourself completely trope for someone else to love you bullshit. I've read a few books where that hasn't happened and as a result they are more my favourites and I'll re-read them just because they're well done.
Also the "women are always over-emotional" thing. It's boring and tiring. People are multi faceted creatures. Stop giving certain ones only one dimension of character. And for the record, most of the men I know are more emotional than the women.
It's mostly portrayed by a male character stalking an uninterested female character and then the female gets herself into some sort of distress and then male steps in and all of a sudden love at first sight. Even though she's told him she's not interested and he basically stalks and harasses her up to this point. I have read very good romance type books that don't fall into this trope but they are few and far between.
Also the whole you have to change yourself completely trope for someone else to love you bullshit. I've read a few books where that hasn't happened and as a result they are more my favourites and I'll re-read them just because they're well done.
Also the "women are always over-emotional" thing. It's boring and tiring. People are multi faceted creatures. Stop giving certain ones only one dimension of character. And for the record, most of the men I know are more emotional than the women.
I like it when it's well done and you DON'T see it coming from a mile away. But I have to agree with this.Lilani said: