Determinator - Television Tropes & Idioms

alt title(s): The Determinator

"I don't know the meaning of the word 'surrender'!... I mean, I know it, I'm not dumb... Just - not in this context."

— The Tick

"Determination - A will of steel. Their determination is supporting them. They won't go down easily."

— Miyata Ichiro

Every character needs a certain amount of Heroic Willpower, but there are some who take it just too far. The personification of raw perseverance, this is the character - good guy or bad, and usually male (but not always) - who never gives up. Ever. No matter what. Whatever other attributes he may possess, his persistence stands out.

There is no stopping the Determinator. He does not understand patience. He does not Know When To Fold Em. No one can reason with him. No price is too great to pay for success, up to and including his own life (and others'). He'll do whatever he has to do. Do not expect him to consider he might be better off letting it go, even if he can barely stand. Giving up is just not in his nature.

The nobility of his goal is in no way proportionate to his persistence. This is just as often an obsessive rival with a grudge as it is a hero on a chivalrous quest. In such cases, his determination could actually be what makes him sympathetic.

Whether his super willpower ultimately leads to his victory or destruction tends to depend on his position. For heroes, "hit the villain until he drops" is a virtue that will be rewarded in a My Name Is Inigo Montoya moment - the villain loses simply because the hero is too stubborn to stay down.

For anti heroes, it's a sign of why they're too insane to be heroes. Anti heroes tend to lack genre blindness in this role, often looking down on their heroic counterparts for whom victory/success comes more easily. This makes the Determinator hard to fit on the Sliding Scale Of Idealism Versus Cynicism - at times he seems to stand off to one side of the Scale and reach for both ends at once.

As for villains, especially those heavily influenced by comic book/cartoon cliches, this streak is occasionally written into their usually one-dimensional personality via We Will Meet Again. Villainous Determinators often come off as scary-badass, particularly when they keep implacably coming after the hero despite things that by all rights they shouldn't have survived, and frequently elicit cries of "Why won't you die?!"

In any case, you admire his dogged persistence even in the same breath that you might have to say, "What an idiot!". There is no line for him between "perseverance" and "insanity."

In shonen anime, it's comparatively rare to find a main character who isn't one of these.

Likewise, practically every scrolling shooter boss ever won't give up, even when it's had huge holes blown in it, is trailing smoke and flames, or has mostly fallen apart. In fact, it may actually get more powerful as a result.

A Sub Trope of Heroic Spirit (as long as it's a hero of course).

Compare Heroic Resolve and the (generally more short-term) Unstoppable Rage. Includes the Implacable Man, Doomed Moral Victor and Well Intentioned Extremist. Quite commonly, he will also be the Badass Normal. Prone to Screw Destiny and continue fighting when normally, he should be dead now. Lawful Stupid Chaotic Stupid characters often act in this fashion. Attack Attack Attack is the fight-specific (and often unmotivated) version of this. Among the characters who most frequently prove to be The Unfettered, though it's also a frequent trait of The Fettered as well. The Plucky Girl is a slightly variant Distaff Counterpart of this trope, where the heroine might have a breakdown at some point, but will inevitably get back up and be even more unstoppable than before. The Super Persistent Predator will never give up either, even/especially when it has every reason to go pursue something else.

Generally, it's a good idea to Never Tell Them The Odds. They tend to have no idea when to fold 'em. If you're ever kidnapped or lost, count on The Determinator being the one who will find you.