Why should heroes continue to be heroes?

I've watched quite a few stories in my life, and sometimes, i wonder, why are heroes always trying to be heroes? I ask because, more often than not, the main protagonist of a story is insulted, talked down to and at times, even abused, by a lot of the other characters. Sometimes, even the people they're trying to help give them a hard time. Which, at times, makes me wonder why the "good guys" would even want to continue to be good guys. Personally, if i was mistreated that much by people who thought so badly of me, i'd probably be pushed into showing them just how nasty i could really be.

Yet, despite of all that, i keep seeing characters who continue to put up with this guff, even though they shouldn't have to.

In one show that i like, the main character is expected to accomplish so much and is given endless limits by those around him. He's even expected to show respect to everyone even though no one shows him respect and the one person who makes him happy, everyone refuses to let him get near her. If i was this character, i'd want to push these people out of my life as soon as i was old enough to live on my own.

In another show that i liked, the hero is a group leader who no one seems to respect or listen to. His own brother in particular, while claiming to have his back, mostly just criticizes him and everyone else is right behind him on that. If i were this character, i'd like nothing better than to ditch this band of bullies and start a life without them.

So i ask again, why do heroes try so hard to be heroes?

Power trip. At the end of the day your actions matter on a reasonably large scale. That you are a hero in exercising your power fantasy merely indicates you are still capable of empathy.

Doing the right thing is self-explanatory.

Other reasons will doubtless occur to your thought if you've been paying attention to the stories you cite.

In fiction, characters act in a way that is entirely consistent with thier character template. Being a hero is what they are, they couldnt be anything else (without destroying the narrative structure).

Are these heroes being treated badly just by their companions, or by practically everybody in the setting? If the latter, they simply have conviction in doing the right thing and being the better person. I can understand if it was the former; a sane person would try to get out of a toxic environment if it was possible and try to find people who actually valued them.

This is trite, but it's not very hard to be the hero if everyone loves you for it.

"Because if I don't, who will?"

"Because these people are the only ones I have."

"I'm not doing this for you idiots, I'm doing it for the one who believes in you idiots."

edited 10th Mar '14 9:39:17 PM by Runekn

That's a very good question actually, and the reasons are as varied as the stories containing these heroes. One of my stories actually explored this question; the teenage protagonist was a citizen of a peaceful, prosperous Empire—which also happened to be horribly brutal and racist to a certain type of human living there, considering them a Slave Race and nothing more.

His reason for fighting against his government was because La Résistance murdered his mother and arranged the situation so that he was blamed for it, as well as being suspected of being a resistance sympathizer, with no witnesses to prove his innocence (in this setting, being a traitor to your nation is Guilty until proven innocent). Being a wanted criminal means he was stripped of his inheritance, his rights and even could be killed on sight. So he has no choice but to ally with the rebels, which is exactly what they needed, as he was a key person to their plans.

He utterly hates the rebellion and is a staunch supporter of his Empire's policies and he hates them even more when he finds out that they masterminded his situation. But he has no choice if he wants to live and so he serves with them.

edited 11th Mar '14 7:41:15 AM by Swordofknowledge

I honestly think the answer to this question is more a personal thing to each hero that reflects more their personality or philosophy ultimately. There is no right answer to it, just whatever the heroes' personal answer is at the end of the day.

Personally, I'd love to see a scene where the hero makes All of the Other Reindeer sweat; maybe even throw in an Ironic Echo if possible.

"You want my help? The freak? Gosh, I'd love to help out, but since you've made it clear that I'm a walking timebomb whose parents should've strangled him as a baby, I don't know if I should."

Yes, the hero will still help out, but making them realize their actions (even if briefly) is great.

Another option is having one person that knows the hero fairly well finally call out the detractors. For instance: In the first season finale of Dexter, Debra chews out Doakes and Laguerta for continuing to behave like jerks, practically demanding that they show Dexter a fragment of respect.