History Main / NinetiesAntiHero

* VideoGame/{{Pico}}, the SeriesMascot of Website/{{Newgrounds}}: His debut flash, InspiredBy UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} [[RippedFromTheHeadlines of all things]], features a squad of {{goth}} kids [[AxesAtSchool tearing up the school]], prompting Pico to grab the nearest assault rifle and pump them all with lead, whether they surrender or not. The majority of his Flashes embody the [[DarkerAndEdgier gratuitous edginess]] and VulgarHumour commonplace in late 90s / early 00s Internet media; his appearance in the ''VideoGame/{{Assassin}}'' series is about him gunning down an M-rated mockery of ''Series/BearInTheBigBlueHouse''. While his default appearance doesn't exactly look the part, instead operating on TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior, certain Flashes will age him up into a closer example or pit him against an NC-17 counterpart named Piconjo.

[[caption-width-right:350:Everything that was wrong with [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks comics in the '90s]] in one cover.[[labelnote:From the top:]] Title (if you can read it) includes "Blood"; Improbable blade; Torn cape; [[WolverineWannabe Wolverine knock-off mask]] that frames face; [[EyesAlwaysShut Squinty eyes]]; Gritted teeth; Improbable anatomy; Improbable muscles; [[HandCannon Improbably huge and just plain improbable gun]]; Lots of pouches; Huge boots; skulls and flames aplenty; [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Artist's signature on rubble.]][[/labelnote]]]]

'90s Anti-Heroes are the polar opposites of your typical [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] superheroes. Not only are they flawed, [[DesignatedHero they may lack]] any [[HeroWithAnFInGood heroic attributes]], apart from the fact that [[InvincibleHero they never lose]]. They appeal to the audience strictly due to being totally committed to... whatever the hell they're doing at the moment. They have no compunction about [[ThouShaltNotKill killing]] criminals and, indeed, this may extend to ''anyone'' who gets in their way; when confronted by classic archetypes, such as TheCape, they dismiss them as dupes and fools. To aid in this murderous work, '90s Anti-Heroes with superpowers tend to have superpowers of the directly lethal variety, usually these abilities are demonic or technological in origin, and ''never'' received through the idealistic good graces of ''anyone''. The '90s Anti-Heroes who lack supernatural abilities usually make up for it [[SuperheroPackingHeat by carrying guns]]. ''[[GunPorn Lots]]'' of guns.

* ''Literature/TheSupervillainySaga'' is a book starring a somewhat offbeat fellow, Gary Karkofsky, who finds a magic cloak and decides to become a supervillain. The book Deconstructs the '90s Anti-Hero and UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks by having Gary disgusted by heroes who kill and overly psychopathic villains. It also serves as a DeconReconSwitch because Gary, himself, is a well-written '90s Anti-Hero. The book, notably, treats LighterAndSofter superheroes significantly more sympathetically than most examples of the {{Capepunk}} genre.

* An episode of ''Series/CriminalMinds'' has a comic book artist create a character named "[[DarkAgeOfSupernames True Night]]" who seems to be one of these. It has plot significance because the ways Night kills the other characters in the comic reflect murders the artist is committing in real life. In fact, if one looks at the episode a certain way, it can be viewed as a {{deconstruction}} of this trope and [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Dark Age]] comics in general.

* The ongoing success of MMA (UFC in particular) in 2010 has seen a partial revival of this trope in WWE with the resurgence of the [[HeelFaceTurn newly-turned]] Wrestling/RandyOrton (especially when compared to his [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Hoganesque]] counterpart Wrestling/JohnCena).

* An issue arc of ''Webcomic/{{Spinnerette}}'' involves universe crosses between the "modern age" Spinnerette, her [[BadButt saccharine]] [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks silver-age]] counterpart... and her '90s-era counterpart which plays every [[Creator/RobLiefeld Liefeldian]] transgression to parodic levels.

* ''Captain Sturdy'', a {{pilot}} for a proposed series that aired as part of the ''WesternAnimation/WhatACartoonShow'', presents a subversion and parody of this archetype. The eponymous character, an aging Silver Age era superhero, watches as a '90s anti-hero type character demonstrates how a hero should approach criminals, and tells a hypothetical criminal to put his arms in the air. When the character is told "what if he has no arms?", the hero then does a 180 and [[StrawmanEmotional begins to mope about the hypothetical criminal's]] [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth misfortunates]]. Captain Sturdy already didn't have a high opinion of the '90s anti-hero character, but after this he especially became disillusioned with how the Union of Super Heroes are more concerned about avoiding offending people than doing what is necessary and pragmatic for the common good.

* ''Franchise/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'': Riddick B. Riddick, who first appeared in the 1999 movie ''Film/PitchBlack'', is a morally ambiguous mass murderer who will kill anyone who gets in his path and is only good [[BlackAndGrayMorality in comparison to the enemies he faces]].

* Parodied with ComicBook/{{Huntress}} in ''Film/BirdsOfPrey2020'', a former MafiaPrincess turned violent assassin who [[BadassBiker rides a motorcycle]] and vows revenge on the gangsters who [[YouKilledMyFather killed her family]]... and is also [[TheComicallySerious comically serious]], has NoSocialSkills, and has the mindset of a rebellious teenage girl who desperately wants to be taken seriously by those around her. She just comes off as [[{{Manchild}} grossly immature]] despite her genuinely lethal skills and athleticism, especially with her {{insisten|tTerminology}}ce that people call her "Huntress" and not "the Crossbow Killer", and her cool, badass facade frequently cracks throughout the film. The only person who thinks she's legitimately cool is the AxCrazy {{Cloudcuckoolander}} ComicBook/HarleyQuinn.
-->'''ComicBook/BlackCanary:''' What the hell is up with this bow and arrow shit?\\

* ''Captain Sturdy'', a {{pilot}} for a proposed series that aired as part of ''WesternAnimation/WhatACartoon'', presents a subversion and parody of this archetype. The eponymous character, an aging Silver Age era superhero, watches as a '90s anti-hero type character demonstrates how a hero should approach criminals, and tells a hypothetical criminal to put his arms in the air. When the character is told "what if he has no arms?", the hero then does a 180 and [[StrawmanEmotional begins to mope about the hypothetical criminal's]] [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth misfortunates]]. Captain Sturdy already didn't have a high opinion of the '90s anti-hero character, but after this he especially became disillusioned with how the Union of Super Heroes are more concerned about avoiding offending people than doing what is necessary and pragmatic for the common good.

* Parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'', where Timmy called upon the help of several [[EraSpecificPersonality different versions of the Crimson Chin]] to defeat an escaped supervillain, including a bandolier-wearing, gun-toting "edgy" version of the Chin from the '80s. He was apparently the only version that ever got away with profanity, but was canceled because of it anyway. Interestingly, the ''actual'' '90s Chin is depicted as more of a {{grunge}} [[FadSuper rocker]].

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'': In "Super Zeroes", when the girls briefly decide to split up as separate superheroines, with Blossom taking on a Franchise/WonderWoman-ish persona and Bubbles dressing up as a cute Creator/{{Sanrio}}[=-=]inspired bunny girl, the sullen and quick-tempered Buttercup reinvents herself as "Mange", a [[ComicBook/{{Spawn}} brooding, shadowy character with glowing green eyes]] who only emerges at night -- thus, when trouble arrives in the middle of the day, necessitating several hours of awkwardly brooding on the couch until nightfall.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': While developed after the 1990s, Brock Samson is a semi-AffectionateParody of this {{trope}}.
%%* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'' with [[http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/04/21/this-week-ben-10-met-a-rob-liefeld-version-of-himself/ this]]

* Galadriel in ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'' is written like a 90' antihero because of the AdaptationalAngstUpgrade and AdaptationalJerkass and barely has any of [[BigGood the heroic attributes]] of her book and movie counterparts. She is a ByronicHeroine completely driven by her grief and revenge. She wears armor, is brooding and snarky, proud, the most badass warrior and... is a tyke bomb ready to explode any moment because of none of those traits are good for her mental stability. She wears armor and wields a sword because [[BloodKnight she cannot stop fighting]], something she confesses to Halbrand. She has a toxic and self destructive behavior resulted from her trauma of losing her brother and husband to the Orcs and witnessing a devastating war that lasted for eons. She channeled all the resulted anger and hate at Sauron for centuries, until she ended up consummated by her obsession. In present, Galadriel is not even above threatening with genocide, and doesn't see nothing wrong with that.

See also: SociopathicHero, ActionGenreHeroGuy, DesignatedHero and ByronicHero. Should not be confused with the HeroicComedicSociopath, who is blatantly evil and PlayedForLaughs. Generally, '90s Anti-Heroes tend to range from {{Unscrupulous Hero}}es to {{Nominal Hero}}es, though some can be {{Villain Protagonist}}s. Many MagicalGirlGenreDeconstruction works are to {{Magical Girl}}s in the 2010s what these were to {{superhero}}es in the 1990s.

* {{Lampshaded}} in ''Fanfic/APrizeForThreeEmpires'' by ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, who -- after "Operation: Galactic Storm", an ''[[Franchise/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' storyline published in 1992 -- ponders about the rise of a new breed of heroes who appear completely unconcerned with killing.
-->''"I'm thinking of stepping out, [[ComicBook/CarolDanvers Carol]]. This new age seems to be an age for killers--ComicBook/ThePunisher, ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, ComicBook/USAgent. I've only killed one person in recent times. Flag-Smasher manipulated me into it. I didn't like it. I'm not a killer anymore."''

* Hakaider from the anime/tokusatsu series ''Series/{{Kikaider}}'' becomes this in the movie ''Film/MechanicalViolatorHakaider'.

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%% This trope is represented in the Pantheon/TropePantheons by Spawn of ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}'', in the House of Pantheon/{{Ambiguity}}.
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Male N.A.H.s are easy to identify: ridiculously muscled, and [[TooManyBelts often wear lots of pouches]] or [[BadassBandolier bandoliers]]. There's a good chance he's either middle aged with lots of long, grey hair and [[PermaStubble beard stubble]], or [[CoveredInScars scars]], but either way, he's likely to be RatedMForManly incarnate. He also probably has at least one eye that looks [[ElectronicEyes fake]], [[RuggedScar injured, or diseased]] and he carries a [[{{BFG}} ludicrously oversized gun]] or [[{{BFS}} sword]] which no mortal could possibly carry.

* [[Wrestling/{{FMW}} Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling]] founder Atsushi Onita, along with his rival\sidekick and ''Shin'' FMW founder Tarzan Goto, who naturally got it started in 1989. Onita was more [[CloudCuckooLander cheery and off base than most examples]], with the trademark 'brooding' and willingness to destroy his own allies or even uninvolved bystanders to "[[RatedMForManly make men out them]]" being Goto's trait but both were fond of [[GarbageWrestler extreme violence]] and believed everything up to landmines should be allowed in Puroresu. Onita also sometimes parodied top stars of "mainstream" Japanese promotions such as Wrestling/TheGreatMuta and also challenged kick boxers and mixed martial artists from K-1 and PRIDE Fighting Championships to face him in no rope exploding barbed wire death matches.

* Ashen the Vioblader (created by WebVideo/MattMcMuscles of "Wha Happun?", ''WebVideo/TwoBestFriendsPlay'' and [[https://twitter.com/Krooked_Glasses Krooked Glasses]]) is the host of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1gEpQYEVsQ Edgelords]]'', a show that examines '90s anti-heroes (and a few edgy villains), and fits this trope to a T. Edgy-sounding name? Check. Glowing [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]]? Check. Has a ludicrously edgy-looking outfit on? Check. DualWielding a pair of axes that he uses to chop his enemies up? Big fat CHECK. Unlike other anti-heroes, he's also a parody of this trope and thus displays some humourously dorky moments, like [[{{Squee}} squeeing]] over an anti-hero's edginess, or having his show interrupted by a phone call from his mom.

* Ashen the Vioblader (created by WebVideo/MattMcMuscles of ''WebVideo/TwoBestFriendsPlay'' and [[https://twitter.com/Krooked_Glasses Krooked Glasses]]) is the host of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1gEpQYEVsQ Edgelords]]'', a show that examines '90s anti-heroes (and a few edgy villains), and fits this trope to a T. Edgy-sounding name? Check. Glowing [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]]? Check. Has a ludicrously edgy-looking outfit on? Check. DualWielding a pair of axes that he uses to chop his enemies up? Big fat CHECK. Unlike other anti-heroes, he's also a parody of this trope and thus displays some humourously dorky moments, like [[{{Squee}} squeeing]] over an anti-hero's edginess, or having his show interrupted by a phone call from his mom.

[[caption-width-right:350:Everything that was wrong with [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks comics in the '90s]] in one cover.[[labelnote:From the top:]] Title (if you can read it) includes "Blood"; Improbable blade; Torn cape; [[WolverineWannabe Wolverine knock-off mask]] that frames face; EyesAlwaysShut; Gritted teeth; Improbable anatomy; Improbable muscles; [[HandCannon Improbably huge and just plain improbable gun]]; Lots of pouches; Huge boots; skulls and flames aplenty; [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Artist's signature on rubble.]][[/labelnote]]]]

* {{Reconstructed}} in ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'' -- if this character archetype is like a piece of scrap metal that [[DiscreditedTrope everyone deems as worthless]], then ''Kyril Sutherland'' would be the same piece of metal, [[ReconstructedTrope melted, refined, and reforged]].
** Aesthetics-wise, Kyril [[InvertedTrope inverts]] the typical appearance of the '90s Anti-hero. Ditching the improbable anatomy, ridiculous muscles, and skimpy outfit, Kyril is a [[LeanAndMean lean]] man garbed in a mask, a tricorne hat, and nondescript clothing, the dark [[BadassLongcoat longcoat]] providing a [[GothicHorror gothic]] look. His name, Kyril Sutherland, is a MeaningfulName[[note]]i.e. "lord/master of the southern land"[[/note]] rather than something out of the DarkAgeOfSupernames, but the word "Kyril" appears to have XtremeKoolLetterz (the "Ky" part). Rather than using [[SuperheroPackingHeat loads of guns]], Kyril only uses two firearms depending on the situation. Rather than a single ludicrous melee weapon, Kyril has a plethora of [[MixAndMatchWeapon mix-and-match trick weaponry]] in his arsenal, the most (in)famous being a [[SerratedBladeOfPain a serrated saw that can switch into a cleaver]], as well as a [[{{BFS}} greatsword]] that glows and [[SwordBeam shoots beams]]. Despite the inversion, his appearance is still a far cry from the typical [[HiredGuns grimy mercs]] and [[KnightInShiningArmour shining knights]] in the [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting]]. Therefore, he is initially seen as a sinister, [[TheDreaded terrifying]] stranger by the populace, receiving wary glances along the way. Oh, he's also a foreigner, and the [[DeliberateValuesDissonance distrust towards foreigners]] doesn't help matters.
** If one only takes his ''surface-level'' characterisation into account, then Kyril would be a bona-fide '90s Anti-hero. He's inhumanly [[LightningBruiser strong, fast, and durable]]. He's kind of a [[TheStoic cold fish]] who [[TheQuietOne doesn't talk much]]. He disregards honour, authority, and reputation, doubly so when it comes to [[AssholeVictim people he believes to be scum]]. He shows a brutal countenance, [[{{Gorn}} mangling]] any foe who happens to be on the receiving end of his cleaver, [[DissonantSerenity nary a sound and expression]]. He engages in morally questionable actions, which include a tendency to TakeNoPrisoners, occasional [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique torture]], and quelling a rebellion by force. Most importantly, he fights against enemies who are worse, like [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Tolkien-esque orcs]], [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rapists]], [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil slavers]], [[HumanTraffickers dark-elf traffickers]], [[TheMole traitors]] affiliated with these people, and an EvilSorcerer who threatens to bring about an ApocalypseHow while [[PlayingWithSyringes conducting inhumane experiments]] on citizens. Unsurprisingly, the InUniverse common impression of Kyril, or rather, "[[RedBaron Sir Kyril the Bloody]]", is a [[AxCrazy murderous]], [[BloodKnight bloodthirsty]] killer driven by [[ItsPersonal hat]][[ThePowerOfHate red]]/[[{{Revenge}} vengeance]] of orc-kind, goblin-kind, and the Black Dogs. Some even believe that Kyril is not fully human -- [[HumanoidAbomination a demon wearing a man's skin]]. [[spoiler:The latter point is correct, if one equates "demon" with "[[EldritchAbomination great one]]".]]
** Nevertheless, Kyril Sutherland is a '90s Anti-hero with [[HiddenDepths depth]], definitely more than "slash-maim-kill". The first characteristic that comes to mind is that he's a CulturedBadass who engages in formalities (if he wants to). It's hard to imagine a person who's capable of [[{{Gorn}} ultra-violence]] to bow, enjoy tea, and speak in a refined speech, yet Kyril has no problem doing these three. He is also a capable {{mentor}}, albeit [[MentorInSourArmor one in sour armor]]. He shows pride about his apprentices' growth while being [[BrutalHonesty brutally honest]], never thinking any less of them (and not a single TheReasonYouSuckSpeech either). In the battlefield, Kyril proves to be a FourStarBadass, demonstrating military acumen throughout [[WarFic the course of the story]]. While it would be a stretch to call him AFatherToHisMen, if one considers his stern and morose nature, he adds the names of those lost in war on a gravestone, and he never says WeHaveReserves. Lastly, most of the blood shed is either from [[HiredGuns mercenary work]], or during [[WarIsHell wartime]] -- otherwise, he can be reasoned with. Kyril '''doesn't''' [[BloodKnight revel in combat]], as the stories make him out to be (though he does suffer from [[{{Downplayed}} occasional bouts]] of bloodlust thanks to the intoxicating effect of the Old Blood), and from how he [[NothingPersonal doesn't put a personal stake]] towards the carnage he commits, he's not a [[{{Revenge}} venge]][[ThePowerOfHate ful]] person either.
** Ultimately, Kyril Sutherland has yet to lose any of his [[{{Pun}} edge]] -- he's a person with no qualms on using "hardcore" violence and intimidation to purge the lowest of the low. He is a [[HunterOfMonsters hun]][[PlayerCharacter ter]] from ''[[VideoGame/BloodBorne Blood]]''[[VideoGame/BloodBorne borne]] after all, and since a hunter must hunt, that is likely not going to change anytime soon (unless he gets his [[HomeSweetHome retirement package]]). At the same time, Kyril is not a [[JerkAss dick]], a [[DeadpanSnarker snarker]], a [[AxCrazy psycho]], or a {{sociopath}} who sheds blood [[ItAmusedMe for the sake of it]], yet many people (and probably some readers) see him as a SociopathicHero due to his [[TheCynic cynicism]] and [[IntroversionTropes introversion]]. Amidst the numerous [[ParodiedTrope parodies]] and [[DeconstructedCharacterArchetype deconstructions]] that have reduced the '90s Anti-hero into [[DiscreditedTrope obsolescence]], ''The Night Unfurls'' [[{{Reconstruction}} reconstructs]] this character archetype and takes it to the next level.

* ''Film/BlackScorpion'': The lead character is basically a female Batman (played by '80s model and '90s BMovie star Joan Severance) in a skimpy leather catsuit.

If one of these is replacing an older more optimistic hero, you have an example of an AntiHeroSubstitute. It's also one of the stages of the superhero {{Reconstruction}}