Should heroes be allowed to fail?
- Thread starter Torkuda
- Start date
It depends on the theme of the story and what you're trying to get across to your readers. Technically speaking all the heroes in the Watchmen comic failed to stop the "evil plot" of Ozymandias, but the story wasn't a typical hero story. It was a political commentary as well as a comic book story.
So absolutely you should let your heroes fail if it serves the story. If it doesn't and you're just doing it for the twist (like M. Night Shyamalan) or because it's not something that's often done, then don't. Nothing hurts a narrative like cramming stuff in because it seems cool.
So absolutely you should let your heroes fail if it serves the story. If it doesn't and you're just doing it for the twist (like M. Night Shyamalan) or because it's not something that's often done, then don't. Nothing hurts a narrative like cramming stuff in because it seems cool.
Not only are they, it's more entertaining when they do occasionally. In fact, some of the most memorable moments are when core characters are killed off suddenly or crippled, such as Lt. Havoc in FMA. If you can accomplish getting rid of the atmosphere of "the good guys always win", you have the potential for some genuine tension.
The anime/manga Ravemaster actually starts with the previous hero failing in his quest to rid the world of evil and causing a large portion of the world to die in a huge explosion, scattering his power and giving the evil a way to more or less take over the world. So as long as it is not done just to be different and works yes go for it and let the hero fail.
Also the opening for the anime pretty much sums up the basic plot.
Also the opening for the anime pretty much sums up the basic plot.
When you have two broken legs, crutches are a wish. When you have one broken leg, crutches are helpful. When you have no broken legs, crutches are junk in the closet. When you have two broken legs, a wheelchair helps. one broken leg, a wheelchair is not necessary. No broken legs, crutches take up less room in the closet.
What I am getting at is that a hero is more complex than, the immediate need of one. If something is not right for the job, then it is not needed for that job.
Your hero can lose a battle. But is your hero a crutch, a wheelchair, or a broken leg?
Should I change my username to voodooGandhi?
What I am getting at is that a hero is more complex than, the immediate need of one. If something is not right for the job, then it is not needed for that job.
Your hero can lose a battle. But is your hero a crutch, a wheelchair, or a broken leg?
Should I change my username to voodooGandhi?
A whole lot of people are very hesitant to make their hero appear weak, as the people we look up to personally are in our eyes virtually untouchable. So, with this in mind should a hero be allowed to fail, knowing it shatters that view of them? Yes, but temporarily.
You don't want the story to end with the bad guy winning, and then the credits roll. Your audience will feel bummed out, and feel as if they've been let down. Obviously if the story is ending with the knowledge there is another part to come after it can be okay as it would be the midway point, rather than the conclusion.
However, what you do want is for the hero to not be overly successful until the very end. To explain why I'm going to use a little bit of professional wrestling logic, and how fans tend to react to them.
When a guy is an underdog, and isn't really "the guy," he often has a rallied group of fans virtually begging for him to become champion. However, as soon as he finally becomes champion they virtually turn on him overnight. He isn't the underdog anymore. He doesn't represent them anymore.
Reason is, in my opinion, because anybody can support anybody when they're on the chase. Be it trying to win a world wrestling championship, trying to save the world, or even something as simple as getting a certain job. People want to rally behind the underdog.
However, just as with wrestling fans as soon as the hero saves the day people tend to question them. Likewise, if a guy gets a big promotion at work the same people who were telling him to go for it are likely to be bitter that it wasn't THEM who got the promotion. You can see this mentality with how people react to Spider-Man, referring to him as a criminal in spite of the fact he's clearly saving criminals.
So have the hero get little minor victories, but for every victory he needs to suffer devastating losses until the end. The reader has to believe he might not be able to win, because the victory will mean that much more when he pulls it off in the end. Hell, even Superman has to get his butt kicked on occasion.
You don't want the story to end with the bad guy winning, and then the credits roll. Your audience will feel bummed out, and feel as if they've been let down. Obviously if the story is ending with the knowledge there is another part to come after it can be okay as it would be the midway point, rather than the conclusion.
However, what you do want is for the hero to not be overly successful until the very end. To explain why I'm going to use a little bit of professional wrestling logic, and how fans tend to react to them.
When a guy is an underdog, and isn't really "the guy," he often has a rallied group of fans virtually begging for him to become champion. However, as soon as he finally becomes champion they virtually turn on him overnight. He isn't the underdog anymore. He doesn't represent them anymore.
Reason is, in my opinion, because anybody can support anybody when they're on the chase. Be it trying to win a world wrestling championship, trying to save the world, or even something as simple as getting a certain job. People want to rally behind the underdog.
However, just as with wrestling fans as soon as the hero saves the day people tend to question them. Likewise, if a guy gets a big promotion at work the same people who were telling him to go for it are likely to be bitter that it wasn't THEM who got the promotion. You can see this mentality with how people react to Spider-Man, referring to him as a criminal in spite of the fact he's clearly saving criminals.
So have the hero get little minor victories, but for every victory he needs to suffer devastating losses until the end. The reader has to believe he might not be able to win, because the victory will mean that much more when he pulls it off in the end. Hell, even Superman has to get his butt kicked on occasion.