What makes your main character different from others? (Novels/Comics)

foxnflames 2021-04-27 00:47:26 UTC #13

All of my MCs are BIPOC, so that’s a standout in itself

For this series, Darzsa, My MC, is also gender nonconforming. Here is a pic (pics of him in other outfits are on my insta or my thumbnails under my series)

ivanskilling 2021-04-27 00:54:48 UTC #14

Sandra is a 35-year old washed-up singer. What I like about her (as a main character) is that readers first empathize with her because of her rocky past, and then they start to dislike her because of the terrible mistakes that she start to make in life (including forcing herself on a minor)! It's pretty enjoyable seeing people conflicted about her decisions because they understand why she did it but they don't agree with it.

DasIstWunderblyat 2021-04-27 01:21:39 UTC #15

Of course he is different because he is not the main character of other series .

But if you want to see more why my totally original character donut steel™ stand out amongst your plain janes/joes (facts, don't @ me)

Meek pushover at first, but is revealed to be an emotionally unstable bitch in a sheep clothing drinking kool-aid of traditional propaganda. It is like a yangire tradthot! Such originality!
Mary Sue ass looking eyes being a weird ass human alien. Unlike the other unoriginal alien creators who busted their ass working on their designs, I simply make him human (so original!)
Short because short males are considered subhuman in civilized western world. He is also UGLY, which is a death curse of any fictional characters, so two subhuman points. I meant characters who are not catering to civilized western world's beauty standard is automatically unique, right?
He made bad decisions (and sometimes punished for it, but not harsh because I am a softie)! Just like real teenagers! Presenting reality in fiction is the hallmark of originality, right?
His English is busted. That gives him a unique voice without even me bothering to try. I am so smart and original.

Jokes aside. . .

I myself do not completely believe in a character or being different and unique, because everything you do must have been done before, especially if it is about traits that you find in people in real life. It is also highly subjective. It is nice to see varied characters, and we can subjetively said some are more unique than another, but no character is truly unique for me.

carafox2121 2021-04-27 01:39:22 UTC #16

Hmmm, what an interesting thread!
I think what makes my main character, Samara, different from others is that she's pretty self-reflective not self-deprecating. For instance, she sees a situation for what it is, and rarely misconstrues it. She definitely knows how to see things from a different perspective--possibly because she has visions. Also, for being a super-powerful being, she is pretty humble.

Manyana 2021-04-27 01:41:12 UTC #17

My MC is FLAWED. She's not perfect, she fails- and she fails real bad. People don't accept her for who she is, they point out what's needed to be changed and help her change for the better. People give up on her, they don't stay because she's she. Not because she's the MC, people would flock to her and magically pop out whenever she encounters problems. Yes, she gets help from others but she also helps herself. She pushes herself and picks herself up.
The thing that I'm proud of my character is SHE IS FLAWED. not a damsel in distress, not a i-don't-give-a-fck person, not a i'm-in-my-own-world person, not the save-me-save-me kind of person. She's just a person who has ups and downs in life. A person who doesn't always go victorious, she fails and she learns from those failures. She's flawed and I like a flawed character.
I don't like a character who was molded for the readers to love, I like a character that grows. Unlike other stories. Just saying.
... and she's not OP... and not a useless scum turned OP too... not an average too since she has privileges but definitely not OP

ccrrally 2021-04-27 03:05:25 UTC #18

Luck tends to be a little different as he regains his memories throughout the plot so there's technically two of him. He's also the creator of the world who has lost his powers and really all he can do now is have strange, uncontrollable luck and make an ungodly amount of bad humor.
Present appearance

Past appearance

Kaydreamer 2021-04-27 03:15:03 UTC #19

I think my MC's good humour and guilelessness definitely make him stand out, along with the fact that he's quite clever.

I wrote him with deliberate ADHD traits, though not the ones you typically see in adult male characters. (I can't stand that kind of Happy Gilmore 'idiot man-child' character that people usually picture. That's not reality for most adults with ADHD.) Instead, I leaned into things like hyperfocus and hyperfixations, the tendency to be easily bored, lots of curiosity, kinda messy, and no brain-to-mouth filter.

He's utterly charming. The more I write him, the more I love writing him!

caelinalexis 2021-04-27 03:56:53 UTC #20

LOL my main character IS me

Which is really sad, considering how the story will end. Or, maybe I'll change the ending to my revenge fantasy, who knows...

AkaAllanah 2021-04-27 04:35:41 UTC #21

My secondary character I have tried to make as unique as possible despite that she has some cliché features. She is facing cancer but this is her second time, and she is determined to beat it by going through all the painful treatments and not giving up. Since this is her second time going through this she is different from other stories about the dying character trying to fulfill their last days that is found in many other stories I think.

She is kind and selfless to a fault at times but she's strong and capable in most situations. She doesn't hold things in and still let's people help her when she needs it. She is able to use her experiences to help other patients in the story too.

She also deals with bullying because during her treatment she wore a mask (before the world did) and doesn't let them get to her instead finding a new friend.

Annnd i spoiled most of the story thats been shown so far.. But this is my secondary character Angela

The main character is the flawed one who needs to grow and change and makes alot of mistakes. If thats what more people are interested in lol

TheOddFungi 2021-04-27 05:18:06 UTC #22

When it comes to my MC Shyba his struggle is a lot more mental than it is physical. He doesn't want to get stronger or get revenge until later into the story. He comes off as a bit 'soft' at first despite the fact that he's an assassin and has had to deal with some pretty harsh realities. I deliberately wrote him as such for a reason that is a huge spoiler, and for the fact that he is severely depressed at the beginning of the story and has been for a long time to the point he is practically numb.

I wanted to be real about his mental struggles as he comes to grip with his reality and so he doesn't just 'tough it out' as men are typically pushed to do, but we get to see him genuinely go through his healing processes and see his vulnerable moments.

While this is a romance, we get to see him struggle with love in different forms, including and most importantly self-love.

R.n.P 2021-04-27 05:24:07 UTC #23

Well mine is an asshole sometimes and doesn't care much for other people so he can be really selfish too and he also thinks he's better than everybody too. So definitely not the standard shonen hero

Shadymeadows 2021-04-27 05:41:51 UTC #24

My Daren has a lot of growing to do starting with becoming a vampire.

djourner 2021-04-27 07:32:19 UTC #25

Ok so though I could talk about any of my boys, Vernon is the default MC.
For one my story is anthro, so I think that makes him stand out a bit... However that is sort of cheating xD.

However JTA kind of takes some time to understand, so I hope I do not bore you with my essay.
Vernon is a rather unique individual, he has a number of different conditions that plague his body, he is from a species that is hunted and enslaved inside the world he lives in, and he suffers from major anxiety and mental issues... Vernon is quite literally the guy who rolled one of the worst possible results in his 'character creation.' and ended up really down on his luck...
He does have a few things to compensate, though his dad died and his mother killed herself, he was raised by a very loving uncle and the crew of the burlesque house he worked at. So he had a good childhood, aside from the many problems he faced and still faces.
And precisely thanks to those people, Vernon grew up right, not hating the terrible things he suffers but instead being friendly, helpful and kind in the face of hardships, he is incredibly smart, and genuinely likes helping people and is an altruist at heart.
Thing is, there is only so much love can shiled a person from and his altruistic behaviour comes with a nasty dose self-hate, which creates a dangerous combination as he is very willing to hurt himself so others do not have to suffer.
A lot of Vernon's problems are not simple to point out and eradicate with just solving one thing, they come from a general overwhelming number of different problems he cannot deal with on his own... He needs someone to take care of him, but not because he is defenseless or useless, but because he is overwhelmed by all the terrible things he suffers through, he needs a break and a safe spot to retreat to in order to recover... But he is so used to things falling apart he doesn't allow himself to build the relationships he needs.
And as he gains that support from his mates Grey and Azreth, people who decided to stick around him no matter what, you slowly see him begin to him heal the wounds he has... Both the ones the world inflicted on him, and the ones he inflicts on himself... And as he heals you see him begin to reach out and cover his true potential as a genuine hero in a world of morally dubious people.

The reason i think Vernon is different from a ton of protagonists that also deal with these problems of anxiety and depression is precisely because you get to see it all. I made this story to show a very real face of depression and anxiety, and not just make you identify with the pain itself, but the reasons behind it.
When he has an breakdown and begins to cry and grow desperate, you as the reader, see that he is not just freaking out for the sake of freaking out, and that there are real reasons why he is in pain, but at the same time you see that his mind is intoxicating him and magnifying the pain he feels a thousand times over.... Like anxiety does!
However, the real cherry for me, is the fact that you also see him get better... You see how his mates help him move past those hurdles, and after you see him fail a lot, you also see him succeed in controling his emotions and pain. And when he does that, those are the moments he trully becomes the hero he is promised to be.

Sorry that took long, but let me just add, that is the tip of the iceberg that is him... And any of the other guys for that matter.
I just love my boys so much I could write about them for hours... And in fact I do, every day xD

JWZagst 2021-04-27 07:47:40 UTC #26

What makes my main characters different from other superheroes in fiction is that they don't just fight bad guys. They also assist during forest fires, help with holiday food drives, and even march in pride parades to show support. Not only that, the seven-member League of Paragons has four LGBTQ+ heroes, one of whom is genderfluid. Another is the leader of the team, Captain Luminary, who is essentially a gay black superman and the foundation of the League.

allenT 2021-04-27 07:59:30 UTC #27

My MC is mostly similar to some other young MCs, but:

He's just reaching teen age, not many MCs are at this age [in-between a kid (below 13) and teenagers in typical stories (14~17).]
He's actually quite passive, without duty calls he just chills around.
He's an animal folk not wearing pants.

I can't say more about him other than letting the story tell itself.

Iridium 2021-04-27 13:08:51 UTC #28

Well, I believe that my proagonist, Nadhine, has a rather skeptical/ rational demeanor that's not usually expected from heroes. She's a girl that lost her loved ones far too soon and has difficulty to see things through a more colourful glass as most people of her age do in her homeland.

Her demeanor is often countered by Raheem, who's an otherworldly being with a far too sunshine-y demeanor to the point he's far too naive. I think that both of them work as the song Rainbow in the Dark, by the late Dio. As a hero and revolutionary, Nadhine would be portrayed as brash and idealistic most of the times, and she's slightly more taciturn and tactical than expected. Also, she leads by example, by sharing the battlefield and the guerrilla struggles with her peers as an equal, as it should be.

surenlicious 2021-04-27 13:19:20 UTC #29

My main character Suren is the female lead of my novel Jade Kingdoms. She struggles with finding healing and closure from generational abuse. As such, I've made her a character that normally people might see as a damsel. But the simple truth is, women who go through what she went though are incredibly strong and their strength manifests in various ways.

It makes me furious people only want loud, visible strength and I cannot identify with women like that. Show me those that find strength in hardship, while being allowed to be soft, caring and timid.

gabrielabittenocurt 2021-04-27 13:44:26 UTC #30

I found your question very interesting. What makes my main character different from the others? Well, I would start by talking about your sad past (your family was killed while she was a child). So Diana (that's her name) is afraid to approach other people for fear of losing them. But in the course of history she will overcome this childhood trauma

DanielRKM 2021-04-27 14:51:16 UTC #31

Penny is deaf, gay, butch, strong, funny, and a great hugger. She's perfect.

Lady_T_Musings 2021-04-27 15:00:56 UTC #32

I have a fat gal protagonist, but the plot doesn't revolve around her fatness. She is fat, and that's that hahah.

Ps, not saying there is anything wrong with those kinds of characters bc that's a reflection on many folks' reality, but I just didn't want to focus on that bc a flip of the coin, some of us out here feeling ourselves lol.