What is your Least Favourite Protagonist Archetype?

[NickRowler]

• "I'm not like other girls" characters. The male version is also annoying.

• Characters who don't really do anything but everyone treats them like they are so special because of some prophecy BS or some bloodline. This is made worse when they are also damsel in distress.

[carloswebcomic]

I know life isn't always fair, I know some people are born into higher status, but I don't want a fictional story centered around inherent plot armor.

Preach on, sis/brother! Preach on!

[Neverseen]

Power of friendship Protags. It tends to be ridiculously blatant and irritating.

[simonitropunk]

Something like Frodo from the Lord of the Rings but this is based on the movies not in the books because haven't read the books but My God, Frodo annoyed the fuck out of me!!!!

He was constantly carried around, being a dick to Sam, weak as shit, does that annoying face like he's foaming and farting, at the same time and worst of all... he wasn't even the one (SPOILERS AND CUSSING).

And also, Shinji from Neon Genesis Evangelion, GOD!!!! He was annoying!!!

[nathanKmcwilliams]

I had to really think about what I wanted to say. I don't really rag on authors for writing whatever they want. After all, it's not my business, if I don't like something, I don't read it and move on.

But if I had to point at one type of protag I consistently don't like reading/watching...

The character designed to gratify a creators lust. Like the ones that are clearly just designed to be eye candy and put in situations clearly for the creators pleasure. So I guess fan service protags.

I'm just...not about that. Don't care if other people do it, again, not my business. But if a story is centered around that...I'm out.

[bluejamtoast]

Passive mcs with not an ounce of proactivity, no initiative at all

Common sense-less, you know like a lot of horror film cast that make unnaturally dumb decisions or cheap romance dramas that have really contrived misunderstandings due to dumb mcs

All talk no action; when the story is consistently literally telling us MC is xyz but we never actually see any actions showing that

Woe is me; the ones that are excessively whine-y, ott emo type, being pitiful is their single personality trait

Covered in Plot armour, so much deus ex machina

[arxianfall]

Works great in hentai!

[skicoak]

I have problems with tugboats.

What kinda noise is this?!?

Tugboats are the workhorses of the water!

You're out of line with this hot take! Out of line!

[jcmraz]

Depends entirely on the story. It's usually a character that's tonally different than the story. Tends to be a poorly done comic relief character. Sometimes it's an over sexualized character or moment in an otherwise not sexual story. If I were to pick one archetype that I generally find is done worse than the rest it's a rebel type personality. Followed by the comic relief or jester character.

[Neverseen]

Lol. I don't think that's particularly plot driven

[skyfarron]

YES! I had a roommate who identifies with literally any black-haired anime/hentai protagonist. He absorbs their identity like he's eating a burger.

Re:Zero is literally personality snack food, cause it's like... "Oh he's such a flawed character, isn't it enjoyable to watch him get killed over and over?" but it's not and it's just a big pity party for this perverted loser self-insert who wants to own the women in his life with this massive cosmic advantage of having spent time with them in other timelines. And eventually you'd think he'd just come to the conclusion that they are NOT the same people that he spent time with on an existential level, and those relationships he built up are GONE. But because it's a spank-bank account harem anime, it's treated like a romantic quest instead.

The worst part is that the guy I knew would defend this anime and praise it over and over, "it's so good, he really learns his lesson, he really gets punished. It's so complex". 🤢🤮

Re: Zero was designed to inflate egos and penises and to piss off people with brains. It functions to garner sympathy for creeps, fuels itself on the audience's patience without giving anything back, and lands squarely in Dating Sim territory as a high-concept, big budget flagship title of male entitlement without challenging or transcending the genre or setting in any meaningful way.

[Chiaroscuro]

I wish that there's a movie centered around Gaston, like the Joker or Cruella.

[sc101]

I have a friend who's depressed and really identifies with him. Which cool he can have what he likes but it's not doing anything for the guilt he has for just not measuring up to impossible standard his parents have internalised in him

[lidiash]

Passive protagonist who does nothing and plot happens round them, while said protagonist reacts to it barely and doesn't change as if whatever happened in the plot meant nothing to them.

[dsptss78]

For me, it's the perfect flawless noble hero. Usually, characters like these tend to be stronger than everyone else and will always be right no matter what. It makes the character less relatable and unrealistic compared to everyday people.

[skyfarron]

pwp Ouch, that's actually really sad. I'm sorry to hear that. I wonder if there's a show that's similarly very tragic but a bit healthier.

[MeltingCORE]

Omg this thread is making me cackle. Ok, worst archetypes in my opinion:

-large breasted girl who acts like she doesn't know why every dude wants her
-crazy edgy killer guy who hears voices for extra edge (yuck, making fun of mental illness - no thanks)
-girl or boy whose sweet but everyone beats up for no reason (I think this is some kind of um... fantasy)
-characters who are bigots because of "teh lulz" (not funny or intelligent imo)

[skyfarron]

Yeah I'm starting to read LOTR in the books cause The Hobbit was a much better book than movie. Frodo reads like an entitled dick, he's always kind of criticizing the people around him for letting someone like Sauron take power in the first place, like "why is this my problem". Compared to Bilbo, who was usually more like, "How come I'm the only polite one in every room I'm in?", Frodo is secretly kind of a know-it-all! But that's the magic of Tolkien's work, it speaks for the generations of people it's read by.

@Chiaroscuro

It's okay we have Groose

[DasIstWunderblyat]

Glad I am not the one who noticed this.

Without the simping (especially how Subaru views Emilia. I know she is pretty and kind, but dude you are literally obsessing over her and wanna shape her into your ideal waifu. Her being a mentally damaged 14 years old who can be easily moldable and swayed because her lack of experience doesn't help) and useless 'Heroism,' Re:Zero (or at least the concept) can be improved.

Why people think protagonists who suffers or punished because of their behaviour (fair or not)= good ones?
They can be shitty too. Have not they heard of Anti-Sues? Or characters simply being an author's punching bag because the authors hate them?

[skyfarron]

Agreed! It's equally possible that someone can learn absolutely nothing from their punishment and use it as revenge fuel. That seems to be the intention of the story, to deliver that satisfying catharsis against someone who intimidates the hero, without asking them to improve in any way. Just go through the motions until your timeloop shit pays off.