An antihero
An antihero refers to a central character within a story, television show or a movie who lacks typical heroic attributes that you would find in a traditional hero. Antiheroes are often described by the traits they share with an antagonist. At times, they use unpalatable techniques to get the work of conventional heroes done. There are two kinds of antiheroes: the one with philanthropic goals as well as unconventional methods, and an offender we follow as the protagonist. The two types of antiheroes contain extremely distinct character motivations in a story. However, they both qualify since they overturn the standard tropes we are fed with these types of stories.
Additionally, they both have personal standards in storytelling. They can be liars, sarcastic, angry, vulgar, suspicious and violent. The following is a list of popular antiheroes in TV and movies.
- Travis Bickle
- Riddick
- Maleficent
- Oh Dae-Su
- Fleabag
- Richard
- Randal Graves
- Eric Draven
- Chev Chelios
- Mickey and Mallory Knox
- Dexter Morgan
- Terrence McDonah
- Jackie Peyton
- Roger Swanson
- Ray Donovan
- Deadpool
- Jack Sparrow
- William Munny
- Judge Dredd
- Batman
- James Bond
- Tylor Swift
- Kanye West
- Tony Soprano
- Don Draper
- Walter White
- Nancy Botwin
- Omar Little
- Patrick Batement
- Snape
- Sherlock Holmes
- Snake Plissken
- Travis Bickle
- Jesse Pinkman
- Jax Teller
- Mad Max
- John Rambo
- William ‘D-Fens’ Foster
Mark Zuckerberg, The Social Network.40. Tony Montana
- Salieri
- Derek Vinyard
- Daniel Plainview
- McMurphy
- Leia
- Taylor Durden
- Hannah Horvath
- Gregory House
- Michael Scott
Travis Bickle from “Taxi Driver.”
Although we become well familiarized with Travis throughout the “Taxi Driver” film, his actions become unpredictable due to his mental instability. Although he seems to be sympathetic, Travis is never fully understood since he is never part of the ordinary world. He is too mentally ill to fit in and be like other people. At the start of the film, even at his best, Travis cannot sleep, pops pills, drinks slowly and passes his mornings in porn theatres. Additionally, Travis becomes obsessive, hysterical and violent after Besty, whereby from hear reject him, he descends into madness. He eludes all his self-awareness and misleads himself to believe that it is a heroic gesture in shooting a presidential candidate and shooting himself. Travis Bickle changes from being a wounded man into a hardened one trying our sympathies as well as detaching himself through violence. Travis Bickle’s numerous contradictions portray him as one of the notable characters in the history of films.
It is not clear what happened to Travis in Vietnam and the rest of his past, which remains unexplored, making it challenging to explain why he becomes the way he is. However, his experiences in war must have taken part in developing his character, becoming conversant with violence and assisting him in turning into a killer. Moreover, Travis familiarizes with a new Mohawk haircut when he went to kill Palantine. This kind of hairstyle was made famous by American soldiers when they flew in on D-Day in World War II. Travis indicates an influence on his character in the army. the ending portrays that his fully and violent thoughts have not been terminated
KANYE WEST
While Kanye is not an activist in the traditional sense, his whole career portrays that he is significantly being motivated by resistance. Kanye West’s bold actions turn to define each passing month. For instance, trying to walk on water is the merest of his works. Kanye often presents the unspoken thoughts that we never complete in either out of fear or because of better judgement. To many, Kanye West’s openness is a sign of courage, while it is proud for others. Moreover, some of his audience see him as a perfect icon, while others believe that he is an example of a challenge to the celebrity.
Kanye West is an example of a villain whose massive talent in music is eclipsed by his even bigger ego, which contrasts with heroism. Raised by a single working mother, Kanye West overcame childhood adversity and performed his interests in arts. Kanye West established himself as a well-renowned hip hop producer, whereby he created beats for several artists such as T.I, Nas among others. Unfortunately, despite having a career coloured with accomplishments, it has also been filled with controversies. He has become famous for spreading personal opinions during inappropriate times. In 2005 he sparked his first media upset by saying that Bush does not care about black people to a live audience. Later in 2006, he went on stage and claimed that he was more entitled to the best video award. Kanye West’s excessive selfishness and egotism behaviour cloud his artistic success. Kanye’s example is an essential reminder that one’s qualities as a villain may quickly overshadow one’s merits as a hero.
Derek Vinyard
Derek Vinyard is a classic antihero in American dram movie “American History X.” He is a highly impulsive, rebel, racist, violent leader of a Neo-Nazi group. His father’s death by black drug dealers made the revenge feeling to keep burning inside him until one day it came out in the form of xenophobia and hatred. His charismatic and influential characters help him find support from several youngsters from the neighbourhood whereby the group leads to absolute mayhem across the streets. His murder actions lead him to prison, whereby the life of imprisonment results in a considerable change to him. However, on return, he realizes that his brother decided to follow his steps and much prevent him from going in the same direction.
Although Derek arguably makes in redeeming himself from evil-doing, the American History X film mainly focuses on the atrocities he committed in his past and the consequences of his evil acts, both in the present and in the potential future. Derek shaves his head on an early draft of the film, which implies that he has become a New-Nazi again. However, the film continually reminds us of flashbacks of all of the deplorable actions he had said and done in the past. The combination of all atrocities he was being involved with makes him the perfect antihero. Besides, there is no way one would want to be or have been like Derek Vineyard. However, there is still respect for the personal struggles he undergoes to try and make his life better again. Objections from viewers indicate that the whole theme of the films stands that hatred solves nothing.
Jack Sparrow from the pirates of the Caribbean
Captain Jack Sparrow is a rascal image whereby his existence is the provocation to the upper nobility. He uses his smart brain to win back what he has lost, which makes him more of a madman than a pirate. Jack Sparrow holds numerous character flaws, whereby one is paranoia. Paranoia is not a character trait that should be associated with a classic hero. Additionally, he also holds a villain ego. For instance, he does not allow anyone to call his name Jack Sparrow. He insists that the word captain must be added. This signifies the significance of his name to himself. Jack Sparrow portrays more emphasis on his name than the fame as well as fortune. The most significant redeeming, Jack’s trait to the audience, is freedom. Although he gives the maximum play to the pirates’ principle, he just borrows the survival tool from the policy, intending to break the system. This illustrates how Jack is a classic antihero. However, he holds some inherent goodness that is sufficiently likable. His complicated relationship with Elizabeth portrays some of his good character traits. At the same time, he also has some outward and inward characters that make him a villain.
Other states that Jack Sparrow is a hero and not an antihero which di differ with. This is because a true hero has the determination, courage, confidence, wisdom and the pursuit for excellence and the typical character traits that ordinary people long for. Jack Sparrow has both good and evil personalities, but the ambiguous morality defines his anti-heroism. While a true hero has some flaws that they can easily overcome, the antiheroes are more tragic figures who will never outrun their flaws.
Walter White in the “breaking bad”
For most of the series, the extremely ill Walter White tells himself that his criminal exercises are just for providing for his family. While this may be true initially, the more significant influence behind Walter’s decidedly illegal activities is his need to defy against his mortality. With death emerging, Walter’s moral boundaries shatter as the lines progressively blur between him and his secret meth-dealing specification. He is involved in murders, choking a child, and also watches his business partner’s girlfriend being strangled to death. Walter’s transformation has also been evident, whereby his inner evil is completely telegraphed from the first day. He threatens his wife and abuses her, which is treated as a gross infringement of who she is.
Moreover, if “Breaking Bad” film would have been told from Skylar or Hank’s viewpoint, you could unquestionably see Walter White as the enemy of the series. Watch Walter’s morals compass go entirely off, whereby he starts the show as a person with good character traits. However, his path towards antiheroes begins with the introduction of his initial enemy, that is cancer. Viewers can sympathize with cancer as the antagonist of his life as he moves on to greater lengths to fend off his disease. Besides, Walter proceeds to fight several evil antagonists, like the kingpin Gus Fring to create a more protective future for his family and also to defeat the drug lords whom he set himself against. Throughout the series, Walter White proves that the show is meant as a morality play. The genius of the trajectory of the series, and its manipulation of viewers, can be seen in how Walter’s evolution has been shown, and how we were led along the primrose path.
The Punisher (Frank Castle)
The Punisher (Frank Castle) previously lived a happy life with his family until a tragic day when a gang stumbled. His children and wife were killed in a park. He swore to punish all the criminals in any way possible, which resulted in being a violent vigilante who wiped the criminal acts on the face of the earth. The Punisher is a character in the comic books that can be classified as antiheroic. He is genuinely taking the law onto his own hands by making murders on those the law cannot kill. He is obsessed with killing criminals by not just solving crimes, but he brutally punishes those who commit such acts. He has always been blurred between the differentiation of good and evil. The Punisher does not wish anyone else to imitate his footsteps and will not kill innocent individuals unless he realizes that they are secretly evil.
He is one of Marvel’s most popular antiheroes and also has appeared in many media out with his origins as a comic book character. He is different from other vigilantes. He works beyond the traditional system of law and order. When it comes to making killings, he is relentless and cruel, although he cares about the lives of innocent individuals.
William ‘D-Fens’ Foster in the “Falling Down”
William’ D-Fens’ is a type of a guy who is pushed around his entire life and one day just snaps. Williams is a recently jobless and divorced man who, after waiting for an extended period in the traffic jam and in the hot sun, ditches his car and proceeds to a rampage in downtown Los Angeles. The Californian madman goes to exact his brand of vigilante “justice” anywhere he goes. He smashes up a convenience store where the prices are too high and shoots a burger joint because the snidely hesitate to move. Though William believes that he is justified through his actions, he fails to differentiate what is morally acceptable.
Although Foster’s actions are primarily portrayed through a veil of pitch-black humour, where they are sometimes hilarious, they develop increasingly erratic, deadly, and disturbing as the story continues. Although the golfers are portrayed as irritating older men, the protagonist initializes a heart attack and mock him as he is dying, which is exclusively uncomfortable. Even at the beginning, damaging one’s livelihood deliberately is scarcely noble since you are having a bad day. Additionally, William’s change from unlikely being a vigilante to the unhinged killer is gradual and shocking. There are poor outcomes to his violence.
Tony Montana in the “Scarface”
The film “Scarface” was a financial and critical bomb that was produced in 1983. Tony Montana is an iconic character who has remained prevalent in pop culture. The films show him arriving in Miami having nothing, and later on, he rises to become the most powerful drug lord. This initially indicates his character as a “good guy.” He becomes addicted to cocaine and crimes, which descends to be a problematic character, where antihero is the best fitting explanation. He develops less heroic character traits, where he is a character who the audience can get behind. Tony Montana acts as someone passionate, completely hungry of power and reckless. He shoots first, and he then asks questions later. He is backed by a loyal gang of a goon, a big mansion, and enough cocaine, which facilitates his shooting and snorting on his way up to drug trafficking business. He does numerous immoral things for moral reasons. That is taking his family out of poverty, although the criminal life ultimately causes his downfall.
The actions of a poor man who was developed to be the most famous gangsters of America, and also being a gruesome character who kills without any regret automatically makes him qualify to be referred to as one of the best antiheroes.
Alex DeLarge in the “Clockwork Orange”
Alex DeLarge, as one of the most shocking characters, possesses character traits that solely you would connect with the responsibility of a villain. He is the narrator, antihero as well as the protagonist of the “Clockwork Orange” film. He is accompanied by his gang whereby they go around and engage in violence whereby they rape, assault, fight and steal from innocent individuals. Alex DeLarge is jailed after terrorizing the society, whereby he becomes an experimental subject for aversion therapy, which is later deemed a success, and he is released. Although his activities were despicable and monstrous throughout, the change from villain to victim dims the line between sympathy and disgust feelings. The film’s capability to make the audience feel this creates is an influential, significant, and controversial film.
In Alex DeLarge’s unpractised youthful pleasure, he is hurting people, but sadly, it does not literary record as an event that deserves outcomes. But what makes him be such a mysterious antihero is how he lasts consistently smart during the conflict between his ugly reality of hostile self-indulgence and the guardians of integrity. His zero compromise on life incorporates convincing his parents why he would miss school.
However, Alex portrays some good traits. He is unexpectedly charming in some of his quotes, mainly in the conversations between him and his family. He is also hilarious and an intelligent narrator who holds likable qualities such as his fluent uncommon teenage interest in classical music.
Patrick Bateman in the “American Psycho”
The majority of antiheroes portray some redeeming attributes, but not for Patrick Bateman. He is a wealthy investment banker who describes bad traits like being shallow, materialistic, smug, addicted to sex and unfaithful. He turns to be a sadistic serial killer who will kill even at the slightest irritation. However, despite holding these bad traits, Patrick Bateman is a fascinating and entertaining character who is brilliantly depicted by Christian Bale. At one moment, he is charismatic and charming and will turn to a shockingly violent manner in the next minute. The sociopathic propensities and doubts over his sanity indicate that this could be all within his head; that is, he often makes murders due to feeling inadequate.
Bateman is tortured by insecure feelings as well as and self-hatred. He murders most of his victims since they make him feel insufficient, generally by having good taste than he does. He is enormously disliked by others, whereby he derided by his friends and his lawyer, who calls him a “bloody ass-kisser.”
Bateman murders more or less randomly, without the preferred type of sufferer and no steady or favoured way of killing. Throughout the film, he kills men, animals and women. Bateman kills women mainly for perverted sexual pleasure, mostly during or after sex, and is also a creative rapist. He kills men since they annoy him or make him feel low-graded.