Author: David C. (---.aol.com)
Date: 10-16-2002 12:19
Good column. This subject is one that my gaming group has been tossing around and one that I have seen beaten nearly to death in countless literature classes. The characters in a role-playing game are of course the protagonists with all the GM's nefarious creatures being the antagonists. That part is simple.
But as the author pointed out, just being the main character doesn't make you a hero. A "hero" in general terms is a fictional character deliberately made into the definition of virtue by the view point of the creator. Even flawed heros are almost splotless in their character and only fall prey to human weakness during some tragic turn of events. Heroes in this manner are very hard to play and often boring because there is no real life equivilant. Even the example of the soldier who goes above and beyond the call of duty doesn't count as this type of hero. Analyse why someone does such as thing and you might not like what you hear. There are always some very un-heroic, real world explanations behind such actions. Some people may be driven mad by fear and rage and charge against impossible odds in a desperate gamble to end their own suffering or revenge themselves upon the enemy. The lucky few who survive such an act get medals, the rest body bags. Other answers you might get, "I just wanted to save my freind." "I got scared and started shooting everything that moved." "If I thought about it I wouldn't have done it...." Perhaps a better definition of hero is an ordinary person in the right place, at the right time who does the right thing and doesn't die (or dies in a way that appears valient.)
Take the example of the WTC attacks, how many of those people would have gone into that building if they knew it was collapsing? Some to be sure, would have still tried to make a difference but I'm sure most would not have. When the call first came in people thought that they were dealing with a high rise fire. In that half hour between the first hit and the fall a lot of mistakes were made and a lot of false information spread around. Human nature means being imperfect. Even the bravest or most noble mortal can never hold to the fictional standard of a hero. That kind of scrutiny makes us all look bad.
So if the literary/mythological standard of hero is a person of perfect virtue that doesn't exist in real life what are we left with? Anti-heroes. Still the main character of the story but their morality is as grey and complex as everyone else's. Hell, an anti-hero is under no moral constraints what so ever and can be patently immoral and selfish. Most writers these days have given up on the "hero" long ago because they found that the anti-hero was far more beleivable, interesting and flexible. Role-players would do well to follow that lead. An anti-hero is capable of just as much bravery and selfless action as anyone else but it is because of a choice made based on the situation. Anti-heroes are unpredictable because they made be brave and noble trying to save a freind but cowardly run from a fight when there is nothing on the line for them. This person can be kind one minute and callous the next.
Playing from an anti-hero mindset keeps other players and the GM on their toes. It also gives you choice in your action. Playing a character who is the epitome of nobility means never having the option of asking, "What's in it for me?" It also means that you can't make hard choices. Say a village is being over run by some some of evil beastie, the heroes pass by and see the smoke in the distance. However, they are on their way to stop a rampaging barbarian horde and have little time to spare. A "hero" has no choice but to save the village and pray that it does not cost him the success of his larger mission. A more realistic character can weigh the choices, how much time will it take? Which is the lesser of two evils? Does he/she even care about the people in that village? Does he/she have a personal reason for leaning one way or the next?
Another definition of hero may be "champion" a person who is famed and revered for their accomplishments and dedication. This is what we hear about when people talk of sports heroes. This definition is also useful in role-playing because it is quite common for slayers of dragons and what not to be heralded as heroes, regardless of their virtue. It is much easier to be this kind of hero, known only for accomplishments, than the fiction hero who is the embodiment of all that is good and holy.
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