RPG Maker Forums

So lately I've been thinking a lot, and breaking down/analysing narratives, and one


thing that has struck me is how under-developed heroic characters often are comparatively to the


villains.


Before you object, just hear me out here -


Is it not the case, with the exception of cookie-cutter run-of-the-mill "Evil" villains, that most


antagonists are given back-stories to explain how and why they became the people they are?


Now sure, protagonists are affored conventional character-development - that is to say character flaws


they need to over-come and perhaps even explanations for their flaws, but that's not what I am talking


about here -


I am talking about "goodness" as being a default assumption about the human condition and not


being in need of explanation in the same way as evil or moral bankruptcy.


Most heroes seem to just be good because, well they are, and that's what makes them the hero.


They might have character-flaws, but the reason why they're all essentially good,


that is to say, motivated to do the right "thing" as opposed to the


"wrong" thing is seldom explored, and I think that's shoddy writing to be honest.


Humans don't form with fully functional moral inclinations. Ever seen young children fight?


If you think for a moment that a young child couldn't easily beat another child silly, or


even sometimes to death, for completely superficial and inconsequential reasons given time,


anger and opportunity outside of adult supervision, then I'd call you naive.


Being good, and altruistic is just as much a result of time and enviromental pressures as


being selfish and egotistical, and as such, I think it ought to be explored.


The depth of a hero, and the narrative, to my mind, is severely compromised if it isn't,


because when time comes for the hero to make a choice between good and evil, you


won't have any concepts of the stakes or the factors going into that equation.


If our hero is just good, because he is the hero and heroes are good, then you know


what choice he or she will make right of the bat.


If you know what makes the hero a good person, then you can also see those factors


being measured against the influence of evil, and that can lead you to feel uncertain,


or anxious about the choice the hero now faces.


Ex. Will the strict moral lessons of the heroes parents hold up against the lure of eternal life,


at the expense of his or her soul etc.?


VS


Will the lure of eternal life at the expense of the heroes soul win out against the heroes inherently


herioc and good character?


At the top of my head, pretty much every main character I can think of are just good by default.


True, they struggle with moral dilemmas, but we, as the spectators,


never really know why they end up making the right choices,


despite the fact that we're always told in detail why they don't,


again as if you need more reason to do the bad than the good.


So, what's your guys thoughts about this?


Know of any good protagonists who breaks out of this mold?


Or do you simply think people are good by default unless something happens to them?