TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Split old description, rewrite to better fit current name: Action Hero

Go To

NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#26: Aug 21st 2011 at 8:04:09 PM

Well, assuming everyone is more or less in favor of my suggestion, then the Action Hero is going to fall in line more with Guile Hero and Science Hero (with possibly some tweaking of the other X Hero tropes).

Basically all the X Hero tropes would be based on the goals of the character, sort of problem the protagonist comes up against and how they over come them. An X Hero uses a particular tactic to accomplish his main goal.

  • Guile Hero: Uses wit and cunning to accomplish his goals.
  • Science Hero: Uses Science and technology to accomplish his goals.
  • Action Hero: Uses pure ass-kicking to accomplish his goals.

A character can be a Badass without being an Action Hero. He can be a capable fighter, but if his goals can't be accomplished by fighting, then no matter how much fighting he actually does in the story, it doesn't make him an Action Hero. Basically the climax to the story of an Action Hero, would involve him defeating someone in combat.

The question brought up earlier was whether non-physical combat counted. I believe the use of martial arts, guns and melee weapons and mecha counts (since mecha are treated like an extension of the human body most of the time).

Also, we know a character can be more than one type of X Hero if they us more than one method to a significant degree in accomplishing their goals. Kisuke Urahara for example runs the whole gamut, as he frequently uses manipulation to give him an opening where he can use his inventions to aid him in killing his opponents.

There is probably an unmade Magic Hero trope (character uses magic-methods to accomplish goals) and Empathy Hero (character uses kindness to accomplish their goals) that would round this out a little.

Also Science Hero has certain additional things , such as being an aversion of Science Is Bad, which is what makes it the opposite of Nature Hero, but Nature hero isn't a part of the X Hero tropes, because a Nature Hero "Champions Nature" but doesn't use nature itself to solve any problems.

edited 21st Aug '11 8:07:31 PM by NoirGrimoir

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#27: Aug 21st 2011 at 8:07:54 PM
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#28: Aug 21st 2011 at 8:18:31 PM

Or Friend to All Living Things true, but nature seems to be a passive thing. They don't solve any problems with it, usually. I don't know, if you can show a good example of a Nature Hero that fits this then we could include it. I just tend to think "Nature Hero" uses Action Hero tactics, just replace fists and guns with fists and arrows. That, or the unmade Empathy Hero, where they guilt you to death with pictures of sad bambi.

edited 21st Aug '11 9:20:25 PM by NoirGrimoir

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#29: Aug 21st 2011 at 9:15:43 PM

Empathy Hero.... Somebody call Nanoha we need some Befriending!

Science Hero though I dont know if it should be in the three I would say Intelligent Hero who thinks with their head, possible The Stratagist etc.

edited 21st Aug '11 9:17:43 PM by Raso

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#30: Aug 21st 2011 at 9:19:40 PM

I definitively think Science Hero belongs though there's also probably a Knowledge Hero or History Hero who uses knowledge. I can think of at least three or four character who fit that one. And for straight up cunning/being intelligent, that counts under Guile Hero.

edited 21st Aug '11 9:20:58 PM by NoirGrimoir

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#31: Aug 21st 2011 at 9:26:29 PM

I'd include fighter pilots in that list of Action Hero. I wouldn't include The Captain commanding a massive capital ship though, that fits Guile Hero more.

Fight smart, not fair.
nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#32: Aug 21st 2011 at 9:34:13 PM

I'm not sure I'd include "real" fighter pilots here. The reason why I'd support mecha pilots is. as Noir Grimoir said, that mecha are frequently treated as a literal extension of a human body. The same cannot be said for a traditional fighter.

I'm really not sure what Nature Hero has to do with this. I've never seen it as one of the X Hero tropes - while there are certainly others like the "Magic Hero" mentioned earlier that can be added, as of this moment the X Hero tropes are Science, Action, and Guile.

NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#33: Aug 21st 2011 at 10:52:22 PM

Fighter pilots might have to be taken on a case by case basis. On the whole I don't think most would count. A Pilot is usually following orders and fighting in wars, they don't usually have a decisive battle that is all on them. In otherwords, they don't get the Super Robot super-hero treatment, like Mecha do.

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
darkclaw Legs of Justice from Right behind you. Since: Dec, 2010
Legs of Justice
#34: Aug 22nd 2011 at 1:52:18 AM

Unless they are Hal Jordan. But then they gain superpowers...maybe I misunderstood.

I totally hate my avatar. Just saying.
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#35: Aug 22nd 2011 at 4:13:59 AM

Should we count videogame examples? I can only think of a handful of games that wouldn't qualify.

Fight smart, not fair.
Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#36: Aug 22nd 2011 at 4:16:04 AM

A few games its really up to the player which one you want to be WRP Gs in general Mass Effect you can really be which ever role you chose, Even more so in games like Deus Ex.

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
darkclaw Legs of Justice from Right behind you. Since: Dec, 2010
Legs of Justice
#37: Aug 22nd 2011 at 4:16:21 AM

Maybe only if they're somehow notable? Like they play with the trope in some way? We could probably just mention something like: "Most video games have Action Hero protagonists."

I totally hate my avatar. Just saying.
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#38: Aug 22nd 2011 at 4:34:36 AM

I'd rather not do anything like try to define notability standards.

Fight smart, not fair.
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#39: Aug 22nd 2011 at 4:42:54 AM

I don't see any reason to exclude video games. It wouldn't be all video games, anyways, just most RP Gs and Shooters.

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
darkclaw Legs of Justice from Right behind you. Since: Dec, 2010
Legs of Justice
#40: Aug 22nd 2011 at 5:44:00 AM

What about games like Zelda or Mario or...it could really add up.

I totally hate my avatar. Just saying.
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#41: Aug 22nd 2011 at 7:02:33 AM

Yes. That was my main issue. I think listing Guile Hero or Science Hero in videogames is worthwhile, but Action Hero seems like it would be any game where the player gets a weapon.

Fight smart, not fair.
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#42: Aug 22nd 2011 at 2:48:26 PM

Just because it could potentially apply to all those characters, doesn't mean they will all necessarily be listed on the page. If it starts getting ridiculous we can lock the page.

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
Xtifr World's Toughest Milkman Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
World's Toughest Milkman
#43: Aug 22nd 2011 at 2:55:19 PM

It could have a special notice (like Boy Meets Girl), saying this page should only list really unusual variants, aversions, and whatnot.

Speaking words of fandom: let it squee, let it squee.
nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#44: Aug 22nd 2011 at 2:59:01 PM

Or we could just split off the video game section as a subpage.

NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#45: Aug 22nd 2011 at 3:44:46 PM

[up]I thought that was a given, personally.

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#46: Aug 22nd 2011 at 4:17:24 PM

Actually, I was thinking of just breaking off a page just for videogames before hand.

Or what jrjxll said.

Fight smart, not fair.
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#47: Aug 24th 2011 at 1:40:15 AM

I guess we are at that point where we should probably start sandboxing the description, yes?

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
darkclaw Legs of Justice from Right behind you. Since: Dec, 2010
Legs of Justice
#48: Aug 24th 2011 at 2:12:36 AM

I'd say so.

I totally hate my avatar. Just saying.
NoirGrimoir Rabid Fujoshi from San Diego, CA Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Rabid Fujoshi
#49: Aug 26th 2011 at 10:17:03 PM

Here: Sandbox.Action Hero I wrote up a Sandbox for the new version. What do you guys think?

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#50: Aug 26th 2011 at 10:48:08 PM

Sounds good, though not all "action" (in the sense of Action Genre) is limited to actual combat; smashing wooden doors and walls, pushing massive boulders out of the way, repeated acts of exceptional acrobatic/gymnastic/physical coordination/reflexes ability under extreme circumstances (e.g. skillfully manoeuvering a makeshift surfboard through a Death Trap-filled obstacle course), and similar physical feats should count too. And let's not forget Badass Driver and Badass Biker types...

I would at least add in a little bit about how the least violent that an Action Hero would be likely to do is to use all the physical brawn that he normally uses in fights to remove inanimate physical obstacles that only he has the power to remove.... or move heavy objects to create said obstacles for his enemies, if for some reason he needs to hinder them indirectly rather than fight them (e.g. he has a narrow time limit to save a friend from certain death).

edited 26th Aug '11 10:49:49 PM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Total posts: 77
Top