Hi everyone!
It’s probably obvious when you think about it, but I believe that, far too often, we write infallible heroes. Whatever happens, they suffer a “setback” and then immediately overcome it.
I think this was popularised to some degree by Star Wars.* A New Hope essentially lets everything fall into place for our heroes.
* Yes, it’s fair to say that The Empire Strikes Back breaks that pattern – there’s a genuine, lasting setback, and in real time that lasted for years while the third film was being made!
Whether it’s Star Wars directly or just its huge influence on modern storytelling, that approach has become common. Ask people what film stands out, and they’ll often pick the one that breaks that mould.
Heroes have to be human and fail. If they don’t, they’re not relatable—and an unrelatable hero won’t capture anyone’s imagination. I’ve seen this a few times recently. Captain Marvel is one example where the hero is so powerful that any threat doesn’t matter. I’ve heard similar criticisms of the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
For me, the compelling hero is the one who’s put through it—even when they succeed, they carry guilt, difficulty, and consequence. That’s universal. We all have burdens we carry.
I’ve tried to reflect that in Demon Sword, my latest comic. If you enjoy indie storytelling that lets heroes be fallible, I think you’ll like it: https://sovcomics.com/product/demon-sword-issue-1/
– Ed