History Main / ClassicalAntihero

Stands on the heroic end of the SlidingScaleOfAntiHeroes. See also PunchClockHero. Compare SuperLoser.

In {{classical|mythology}} and earlier mythology, the hero tended to be a [[MarySue dashing, confident, stoic, intelligent, highly capable fighter and commander with few, if any, flaws]]. The classical antihero, as the title suggests, is the inversion of this. Where the hero is confident, the antihero is plagued by self-doubt. Where the hero is a respected fighter, the antihero is mediocre at best. Where the hero gets all the ladies, the antihero can't even get the time of day.

In {{classical|mythology}} and earlier mythology, the hero tended to be a dashing, confident, stoic, intelligent, highly capable fighter and commander with few, if any, flaws. The classical antihero, as the title suggests, is the inversion of this. Where the hero is confident, the antihero is plagued by self-doubt. Where the hero is a respected fighter, the antihero is mediocre at best. Where the hero gets all the ladies, the antihero can't even get the time of day.

* Jason of the Argonautica.

* Commander Shepard can show shades of this in ''MassEffect2'' given the potential to fail multiple loyalty missions and get most of your squad killed through poor choices during the suicide mission.

* Usopp from ''OnePiece'' is pretty much this in the beginning and mostly in the Water 7/Enies Lobby arc.

* Wikus van der Merwe of the film ''{{District 9}}''.
* Most of the protagonists in KevinSmith's ViewAskewniverse qualify.

Nowadays, an {{antihero}} is usually thought of as a {{badass}}, [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids bitter]], misanthropic, [[BloodKnight violent]], [[HeroicSociopath sociopathic]], angry person (see NinetiesAntiHero). However, this is actually a recent invention. For much of history, the term ''antihero'' referred to a character type that is in many ways the opposite of this.

* Kei Kurono from ''{{Gantz}}''. [[TookALevelInBadass He gets better]].

* Woyzeck from the [[{{Woyzeck}} eponymous play]] is considered the first true Antihero, as opposed to the classic tragic hero.

Nowadays, an {{antihero}} is usually thought of as a {{badass}}, [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids bitter]], misanthropic, violent, [[HeroicSociopath sociopathic]], angry person (see NinetiesAntiHero). However, this is actually a recent invention. For much of history, the term ''antihero'' referred to a character type that is in many ways the opposite of this.

Will be a Type I on the SlidingScaleOfAntiHeroes.

See also PunchClockHero. Compare SuperLoser.

* Dave Lister, Cat and Arnold J. Rimmer from ''RedDwarf'' start out like this, although Rimmer is both a neurotic loser and a [[JerkAss smeghead]]. Lister once goodnaturedly described himself as a "bum", while Rimmer would call him a lazy slob. Cat was vain, self-centered to the point of callousness, and not very smart... not surprising given that his species had evolved from a single, pregnant female housecat 3 million years ago (imagine the inbreeding), and even other cats considered him a moron. All three [[CharacterDevelopment became more competent]] in the course of the series, but they never quite lost their essential quirks, their [[BigDamnHeroes good qualities]] (such as Lister's selflessness and sense of fairness) merely became more pronounced. Or, in the case of Arnold Rimmer, who had no redeeming qualities, Rimmer had a run-in with his AlternateUniverse counterpart [[TheAce" Ace" Rimmer]].

* Dave Lister, Cat and Arnold J. Rimmer from ''RedDwarf'' start out like this, although Rimmer is both a neurotic loser and a [[JerkAss smeghead]]. Lister once goodnaturedly described himself as a "bum", while Rimmer would call him a lazy slob. Cat was vain, self-centered to the point of callousness, and not very smart... not surprising given that his species had evolved from a single, pregnant female housecat 3 million years ago (imagine the inbreeding), and even other cats considered him a moron. All three [[CharacterDevelopment became more competent]] in the course of the series, but they never quite lost their essential quirks, their [[BigDamnHeroes good qualities]] (such as Lister's selflessness and sense of fairness) merely became more pronounced. Or, in the case of Arnold Rimmer, who had no redeeming qualities, Rimmer had a run-in with his KnightInShiningArmour counterpart "Ace" Rimmer from an alternate reality.

* Willy Loman from ''{{Death of a Salesman}}''

[[caption-width:153:There there, Peter.]] Nowadays, an {{antihero}} is usually thought of as a {{badass}}, bitter, misanthropic, violent, sociopathic, angry person (see NinetiesAntiHero). However, this is actually a recent invention. For much of history, the term ''antihero'' referred to a character type that is in many ways the opposite of this.

See also PunchClockHero.

In ClassicalMythology and earlier mythology, the hero tended to be a dashing, confident, stoic, intelligent, highly capable fighter and commander with few, if any, flaws. The classical antihero, as the title suggests, is the inversion of this. Where the hero is confident, the antihero is plagued by self-doubt. Where the hero is a respected fighter, the antihero is mediocre at best. Where the hero gets all the ladies, the antihero can't even get the time of day.

* Cloud Strife of ''FinalFantasyVIII, although he [[JerkassFacade pretends to be a prick]].

[[caption-width:153:There there, Peter.]] Nowadays, an {{antihero}} is usually thought of as a {{badass}}, bitter, misanthropic, violent, sociopathic, angry person. However, this is actually a recent invention. For much of history, the term ''antihero'' referred to a character type that is in many ways the opposite of this.

In ClassicalMythology and earlier mythology, the hero tended to be a dashing, confident, stoic, intelligent, highly capable fighter and commander with few, if any, flaws. The classical antihero, as their title suggests, is the inversion of this. Where the hero if confident, the antihero is plagued by self-doubt. Where the hero is a respected fighter, the antihero is mediocre at best. Where the hero gets all the ladies, the antihero can't even get the time of day.

In short, while the traditional hero is a paragon of awesomeness, the classical antihero suffers from flaws and hindrances. The classical antihero's story tends to be as much about overcoming their own weaknesses as about conquering the enemy.

As time has gone on, this portrayal has become increasingly popular, as readers enjoy the increased depth of story that comes from a flawed and conflicted character. Hence, the classical antihero has to some extent replaced the traditional hero in the minds of readers as the idea of what a hero should be. It is nowadays rare to find a hero who does not have at least a little of the classical antihero in them.

* Dave Lister, Cat, and Arnold J. Rimmer from ''RedDwarf'' start out like this, although Rimmer is both a neurotic loser and a [[JerkAss smeghead]]. Lister once goodnaturedly described himself as a "bum", while Rimmer would call him a lazy slob. Cat was vain, self-centered to the point of callousness, and not very smart... not surprising given that his species had evolved from a single, pregnant female housecat 3 million years ago (imagine the inbreeding), and even other cats considered him a moron. All three [[CharacterDevelopment became more competent]] in the course of the series, but they never quite lost their essential quirks, their [[BigDamnHeroes good qualities]] (such as Lister's selflessness and sense of fairness) merely became more pronounced. Or, in the case of Arnold Rimmer, who had no redeeming qualities, Rimmer had a run-in with his KnightInShiningArmour counterpart "Ace" Rimmer from an alternate reality.

* Everyone but Ricky Roma in ''GlengarryGlenRoss,'' but with particular attention paid to Shelly Levene.
{{Hamlet}}. He was conflicted and emotional before it was cool.

* The "Knights of Good" from ''TheGuild'' except [[TokenEvilTeammate Tinkerballa]].

* ''ScoobyDoo'' and Shaggy.

* Cody and Sierra ''{{Total Drama World Tour}}''. First season, Cody was a standard hero, but developed less heroic traits in the third season.

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