Protagonists You Can't Get Behind

[Wolf Hagen]

Self insert wish fulfillment type characters, typically those who have no visible character traits or any personal vices or flaws to speak of, which is ironic since these characters are meant for the audience to insert themselves into.

Like Eragon the movie?

 

[KissingSunlight]

I have an issue when they make protagonssts do dickish things for no real reason (and in some cases where it would be easyer for said charachter to be nice)

I get that they want to had a little bit of "edge" or even "depth" but being a dick for the sake of being a dick is not cool

like for example the upcoming movie "Lucy" which isn't out yet (so context may vary), in the trailer she aparently shoots a cab driver because shes in a hurry and he can't speak english...mabye this is suposed to be funny/show she's a hardass/show the tone of the movie but really to me its "oh great..you shot a inocent person..you ruined my fucking day" I can't get behined somone if they do petty shit like that

Actually, that scene might be too subtle for it's own good. The first guy is responding to a question in English with speaking English. So, obviously, he wasn't trust-worthy. Yes, it was a cold-blooded thing to do. In the context, she was in an emergency situation. So, she didn't have time for liars.

Edited to be On Topic: I forgot why I posted here. I just finished watching the first season of Orange is the New Black. Piper Chapman comes off really unsympathetic most of the time. Which is why I'm guessing they focus a lot of it's time on other characters in the prison.

My all-time unsympathetic protagonist is Buffy Summers from BTVS. I understand that the conceit of the show was to have a female character do what a male character does in Sci-Fi/horror shows. What it did, it made me realize that male characters are also jerks in the genre. "I'm the chosen one. No one can understand me. I don't want your help. I have to do this alone." and so on. Fortunately, that show did have a great cast of characters surrounding her to make it watchable.

 

[Vault101]

Actually, that scene might be too subtle for it's own good. The first guy is responding to a question in English with speaking English. So, obviously, he wasn't trust-worthy. Yes, it was a cold-blooded thing to do. In the context, she was in an emergency situation. So, she didn't have time for liars.

wait...what?

if somone comes up me and asks me something in a language I don't understand my first reaction would be "sorry I don't understand" or "I don't speak that" now in retrospect it probably seems like pointless thing to do....but people might not always understand the apropriate words for "I don't speak x"

[quote/]Edited to be On Topic: I forgot why I posted here. I just finished watching the first season of Orange is the New Black. Piper Chapman comes off really unsympathetic most of the time. Which is why I'm guessing they focus a lot of it's time on other characters in the prison.
.[/quote]
I don't see why people dislike Piper....yeah there are times I want to slap her in the face but I smpathise with her bumbling "oh god I don't know what to do" thing

 

[Leemaster777]

Frankly, I can't STAND Squall from FF8.

He's a joyless, self-absorbed asshole whom everyone seems to love for no particular reason at all. I will never understand what the hell Rinoa ever saw in that douchebag beyond that initial "you're handsome" bit.

Also, he annoys me in retrospect as well, since alot of his bad habits seem to be rubbing off on Cloud in other media, even though Cloud was nothing like Squall in FF7.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

Alucard from Hellsing. I just think he?s an irredeemable psychopath but, like most vampires, the audience is meant to feel sympathetic for him feeling tired of his immortality and having some fucked-up ?slave/master? relationship with Lady Integra.

Alucard's meant to be sympathetic? 0-o

No seriously, I never once read I was meant to sympathize with the guy. I liked him because he simply wasn't an utter pussy of a vampire (Looking at you Cullen) and got shit done in exceedingly brutal and terrifying ways.

Granted, I guess when you see his backstory it does make him mildly sympathetic (He had one helluva shitty human life) but, i never got the vibe of "FEEL SORRY FOR HIM!"

Alucard does sort of want to die, but he wants it to be under his own terms and in a way he respects: Defeat by a worth enemy that overcame the limits of mortality and slew an immortal like him.

That said, if you don't like him you don't like him and I won't try to force it. But, just find it surprising to hear that we're meant to actually sympathize with him when in truth Alucard's literally only the hero because his enemies are Vampire Nazi's.

Well...yeah, I guess I can see that part of it. People like Alucard more because he's badass than anything else. But he's still just as bad as the vampires he's fighting, and by the end of it, I was just annoyed he was still alive.

 

[Infernai]

Alucard from Hellsing. I just think he?s an irredeemable psychopath but, like most vampires, the audience is meant to feel sympathetic for him feeling tired of his immortality and having some fucked-up ?slave/master? relationship with Lady Integra.

Alucard's meant to be sympathetic? 0-o

No seriously, I never once read I was meant to sympathize with the guy. I liked him because he simply wasn't an utter pussy of a vampire (Looking at you Cullen) and got shit done in exceedingly brutal and terrifying ways.

Granted, I guess when you see his backstory it does make him mildly sympathetic (He had one helluva shitty human life) but, i never got the vibe of "FEEL SORRY FOR HIM!"

Alucard does sort of want to die, but he wants it to be under his own terms and in a way he respects: Defeat by a worth enemy that overcame the limits of mortality and slew an immortal like him.

That said, if you don't like him you don't like him and I won't try to force it. But, just find it surprising to hear that we're meant to actually sympathize with him when in truth Alucard's literally only the hero because his enemies are Vampire Nazi's.

Well...yeah, I guess I can see that part of it. People like Alucard more because he's badass than anything else. But he's still just as bad as the vampires he's fighting, and by the end of it, I was just annoyed he was still alive.

Yeah, the ending was kind of an ass pull all things considered. Probably would have worked better if he hadn't come back from the whole erased from reality thing.

 

[KissingSunlight]

Actually, that scene might be too subtle for it's own good. The first guy is responding to a question in English with speaking English. So, obviously, he wasn't trust-worthy. Yes, it was a cold-blooded thing to do. In the context, she was in an emergency situation. So, she didn't have time for liars.

wait...what?

if somone comes up me and asks me something in a language I don't understand my first reaction would be "sorry I don't understand" or "I don't speak that" now in retrospect it probably seems like pointless thing to do....but people might not always understand the apropriate words for "I don't speak x"

[quote/]Edited to be On Topic: I forgot why I posted here. I just finished watching the first season of Orange is the New Black. Piper Chapman comes off really unsympathetic most of the time. Which is why I'm guessing they focus a lot of it's time on other characters in the prison.
.

I don't see why people dislike Piper....yeah there are times I want to slap her in the face but I smpathise with her bumbling "oh god I don't know what to do" thing[/quote]If someone comes up to you and asks, "Do you speak Cantonese?" Would you answer "No" in Cantonese?

About Piper, she seems to cause unnecessary drama for herself. Also, she did cheat on he fiancé. You feel kind of sorry for her being a fish out of water in a potentially dangerous situation. Overall, she did do this to herself.

 

[Vault101]

If someone comes up to you and asks, "Do you speak Cantonese?" Would you answer "No" in Cantonese?

I would say in english "I'm sorry I don't understand" and probably shake my head or do some awkward hand gesture...because I don't speak cantonese...they'd get the message eventually

[quote/]About Piper, she seems to cause unnecessary drama for herself. Also, she did cheat on he fiancé. You feel kind of sorry for her being a fish out of water in a potentially dangerous situation. Overall, she did do this to herself.[/quote]

yeah but Larrys an ass....