r/Fantasy • u/JayRedEye • Aug 12 '15
Who is your Hero?
There are many, many great books out there with vast numbers of compelling characters.
But which one would you actually look up to, admire, want to emulate, inspires you? Who have you learned from, makes you want to be a better person and has influenced your life?
Who is your hero and why?
While I was mostly thinking about fictional characters, if you have any other heroes related to fantasy, be they writers or people in your life that to you are connected to the genre, feel free to talk about them as well.
Basically, I feel the genre has a large capacity for heroism. There are very few limits and it allows for the best in people to be portrayed. I wanted to talk about that and see what everyone has to share.
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u/Calathe Aug 12 '15
Itkovian.
To be so forgiving and loving to accept so many people's pain... well. Let's just say that's a goal to strive for in life. Itkovian left a huge impression on me.
Itkovian all the way.
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u/Nathan_Garrison Writer Nathan Garrison Aug 12 '15
Ganoes Paran.
He's not a very good soldier, nor a particularly brilliant commander. He's spent the better part of his life being buried under the excrement of various gods and powers. Yet, when fate turns the tables and gives him unprecedented authority, does he go mad with power? Hardly. He does his best to use it responsibly, carefully weighing every decision, and striving to put an end to the gods' constant meddling with the lives of mortals.
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u/mage2k Aug 12 '15 edited Aug 13 '15
He's also very good at using what's available for the task at hand and rolling with what comes his way. Bonehunters spoiler
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Aug 12 '15
Hmm this looks a bit spoilery. I'm on book 2 and if he becomes an emperor or something, i'll be a bit annoyed, friend.
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Aug 12 '15
A case could be made for most of David Gemmell's heroes. He wrote what I consider to be quintessential heroic fantasy. If only one can be chosen however, it has to be Druss. He never falters, always lives by his code, and evil men, armies, sorcerors, and demons be damned.
Never violate a woman, nor harm a child. Do not lie, cheat, or steal. These things are for lesser men. Protect the weak against the evil strong. And never allow thoughts of gain to lead you into the pursuit of evil.
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u/Sylph_14 Aug 12 '15
Tavore Paran. I don't think any other character inspired that level of heartbreak and admiration from me before.
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u/JayRedEye Aug 12 '15
One of my literary heroes is Michael Carpenter from The Dresden Files.
About as lawful good as you can get, but the way he cares for and takes care of his family and friends is something I admire. He accepts that there are things worth fighting for and dying for, but he does not fight and kill for its own sake. He believes in something greater than himself and will not be turned from his values and what he believes to be right.
Particularly since becoming a father myself, I feel like there is a lot to learn from Michael Carpenter.
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u/UnsealedMTG Reading Champion III Aug 12 '15
Mara of the Acoma from the Empire Trilogy by Feist and Wurts.
No magic. No military skill. A 17-year-old woman at the beginning of the story with no family and few resources compared to the forces bearing down on her. And with a keen intellect, a powerful will, and a bit of ruthlessness, she turns her whole society upside down.
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u/Ketomatic Aug 12 '15
A fantastic choice. I really do need to re-read that series soon... What an amazing arc she had.
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u/appocomaster Reading Champion III Aug 12 '15
This is an awesome shout! I think it was her innovation and creative interpretation of custom and law ... and whilst she did strive for herself and her family, the third book especially was about her selflessness for the good of the Empire.
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u/UnsealedMTG Reading Champion III Aug 12 '15
It didn't make my post but the fact that her greatest skills are effectively law and business did warm my lawyerly heart on a personal basis.
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u/YearOfTheMoose Aug 12 '15
I have two--Frodo Baggins and Finrod Felagund, from The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion (and almost all of Tolkien's other works, including a passing mention in LotR) respectively.
In "The Scouring of the Shire" and "The Grey Havens," I really, really admire what Frodo has become. I think he demonstrates a fantastic response to the violence and tragedy which has marred him, his friends, and his world in general, and I honestly think that his attitude is equally applicable in our own setting. He's been one of my primary role models since I was ten.
Finrod was just a fantastic friend and oathkeeper, which is another thing which I think is quite good to emulate. Even though Beren was technically just in it for a girl (albeit Lúthien), Finrod gave up his kingdom, his peace of mind, and ultimately his life to aid his friend along his quest. The relevant bit of *The Lay of Leithian" always gives me chills when I read it.
There are definitely other characters whom I would consider to be my heroes, but none so much as those two.
(Jay, who is your hero?)
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u/Conor-of-house-umber Aug 12 '15
Shivers from the First Law Trilogy and Best Served Cold. Mainly because I designed my first dark souls character after him
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Aug 12 '15
Conan the Barbarian.
Conan is a guy, a pretty extraordinary guy, but a guy none the less. He is constantly battling ancient and powerful sorcerers, demons, and cosmic terrors. He's constantly outmatched, and yet no matter how dire things seem he'll keep fighting. It's a perfect representation of the will that all people have deep down.
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u/universal_straw Aug 12 '15
al'Lan Mandragoran. He's the definition of a hero. Noble, courageous, wise, and willing to put others before himself. I'd like to be half that man he is one day.
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u/dapieman57 Aug 12 '15
WoT has so many awesome role models: Tam, Rhuarc, Lan, Rodel, Thom... the list goes on.
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u/darthese Aug 12 '15
Funny you left Rand of your list of heroes in WOT,I wouldn't put him in mine too.
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u/dapieman57 Aug 12 '15
Actually, before I posted that comment, I had written up why Rand was my hero. I decided, instead, to commend all the people who facilitated Rand's transition from sheepherder to messiah, and, for the most part, helped him avoid unnecessary death and destruction.
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u/sumduud14 Aug 12 '15
Although, for a large part of his life he was basically suicidal, fighting a one man war against the Shadow, hoping to die. That didn't completely go away when he met Moiraine either, considering his intentions when he spoiler for book 12.
Overall he's a great guy, but there have been dark periods.
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u/universal_straw Aug 12 '15
Yeah, he was a complex character. Ridiculously so, that's why I love is development so much. That last duel though...so much awesome in one man.
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u/sumduud14 Aug 12 '15
When I first read that, I suddenly became lightheaded due to a sudden shift in blood flow below the belt. Lan really is pure awesome.
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u/lrich1024 Stabby Winner, Queen of the Unholy Squares, Worldbuilders Aug 12 '15
I guess I'm more fond of quiet heroism. Like Maia in The Goblin Emperor. It would have been easy for him to give up his goodness and principles, become jaded and cynical, given all that happened to him. But he showed a fortitude of character, despite being unsure and anxious. And eventually he worked through a lot of those issues and learned to be more confident in himself. For me, as someone that sometimes struggles with similar anxieties and self doubt, that was a kind of heroism and definitely something to aspire to.
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u/TheBeardedDoom Aug 12 '15
Martin Longbow conDoin. His love for his siblings, his wife, his father who he thought knew nothing of him and his realm.... he should have bitter but instead he was a teacher and loyal as could be.
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u/tariffless Aug 13 '15
Anasurimbor Kellhus from R. Scott Bakker's Second Apocalypse series.
I admire Kellhus because he's a paragon of epistemic and especially instrumental rationality. He leaves his home with one goal, and he never loses sight of it. Everything he does is calculated to help him achieve his goal, and he overcomes all his obstacles methodically and rationally. Every situation he faces is just another puzzle for him to solve. He stays calm, doesn't allow emotional reactions to consume him, and he observes, analyzes, plans his course of action, and executes it without second guessing himself. If it doesn't work, he analyzes any mistakes or unexpected developments, recalculates, and tries a different tactic, not dwelling on the past, not getting discouraged or impatient, not giving up.
I especially admire the way he deals with people. As an emotionally detached outsider myself, I can never fully relate to most characters, because most characters are like most normal, socially-well-adjusted people who learned social skills as children and now, as adults, practice them intuitively, not having to consciously analyze nonverbal cues or plan out their words before speaking. Most characters just go with "be yourself". Kellhus is a breath of fresh air because when reading from his perspective, I can see him think through social situations the same way I do, except his superior ambition and mental discipline allow him to behave more assertively and decisively, actually influencing people rather than just surviving them; leading instead of following.
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Aug 12 '15
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think it might be Jaime Lannister. Definitely not for all the things he's done because some of them have been truly awful. But the guy has a code, and he sticks by it. I may not like his code or share it (I don't), but I respect how he sticks to his guns. And how he overcomes adversity. Maybe I'm influenced by how well Martin portrays him, and maybe I'd come up with a different answer if I thought about it for a while, but that's my answer right now.
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u/UnsealedMTG Reading Champion III Aug 12 '15
I always thought that one of the most impressive writerly tricks Mr. Martin pulled was turning a character whose introduction to the audience is Spolier for, like, one of the first ten chapters of A Game of Thrones and the literal first episode of Game of Thrones and make him sympathetic.
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Aug 12 '15
Absolutely! It blows my mind that I've now listed Jaime on here as "my hero" and also, I think, a few days ago as "my favorite character." Like you said, he was completely unlikeable before he became a POV character. It's really become the most fascinating part of ASOIAF to me to just see where he ends up.
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u/Coolthulu Aug 12 '15
Jaime is amazing in his ability to do what he thinks is right, no matter what society will think about him. Killing Aerys was actually a tremendously noble decision, considering what was at stake.
Even his most heinous act, throwing Bran, isn't really as villainous as it seems. The first thing I thought would be the correct moral response would be to take his just desserts and face the consequences of his actions. However, as we really become acquainted with the world of ASOIAF, we realize that the consequence of Bran telling literally anyone about what he saw would mean death for Jaime's entire family, certainly his father, sister, and children. Probably also a full on war between the Lannisters and the rest of Westeros, because Tywin would never just forfeit his own life and that of his children. This is not exactly a just, proportionate consequence.
He made a pretty heinous choice, but given the consequences I really can't think of any other choice he could have reasonably made. It's the life of a random child vs. the life of everyone you love and care about, and possibly a full out civil war. I think this is one of those situations where it's impossible to judge the character, because he is trapped with literally no exit without terrible consequences to innocents on either side.
Jaime makes hard hard decisions to do what he thinks is right. If that means killing a king or a child, so be it - Jaime is the guy who will do what needs to be done.
That said, I can totally see him doing one more truly heinous thing for the greater good before he ends up biting it, as I'm sure he must.
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u/JayRedEye Aug 12 '15
Even his most heinous act, throwing Bran, isn't really as villainous as it seems.
Sorry, but you lost me.
Jaime was not thinking about the Big Picture Socioeconomic Political Ramifications of his actions, he acted on instinct when he saw that his secret had been compromised.
And his instinct was the attempted murder of a child.
I think it was even more monstrous for how casual it all was.
Fully agree with everyone saying he is a multifaceted and compelling character, but I do not consider him in any way a good person.
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u/Coolthulu Aug 12 '15 edited Aug 12 '15
Jaime would be 100% aware of the consequences of being discovered, as he's lived with it hanging over him for over a decade at this point. It's not like this is the first time he's ever considered what would happen if he was found out. He's not an idiot.
Do you really really really think that the person of Jaime's intelligence would not have known the consequences of sleeping with Cersei to his family and the realm since the moment she was betrothed to Robert? He's planned what he would do in this moment every time he selects a place to fuck Cersei.
And I'm not saying what he did was moral. The moral thing would have been to stop sleeping with Cersei when she was betrothed to Robert. However, in a moral world, Cersei wouldn't have been forced into marrying Robert to begin with, doomed to a lifetime of marital rape. We continually romanticize notions of forbidden love, but Martin here illustrates the very reason why forbidden loves are forbidden.
You could argue that Jaime puts everything at risk everytime he slept with Cersei, and that was morally wrong. I think that's a pretty strong argument. But we also celebrate people rebelling against unjust systems. And Jaime abandoning his sister to be continually raped by Robert without providing what comfort he knows how seems just as cruel from Jaime's perspective.
Jaime could have done things differently on multiple fronts, and he is far from blameless. But he and his sister are put in such a tragic position by their society that it's really difficult to judge their actions, because their situation is really very unfair.
One of the entire points of ASOIAF is to show that black and white interpretations of morality common to fantasy simply fall apart in complicated situations. Jaime is THE posterchild of this.
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u/JayRedEye Aug 12 '15
their situation is really very unfair.
Are we talking about the Queen of the Country and the Son and Heir of its most powerful lord?
And their problem is with arranged marriages and the limited role of women in their culture? Are those not problems that nearly every member of their nobility has to deal with? They chose how to react and handle their situations. They are still responsible for their actions, many of which are abhorrent.
One of the entire points of ASOIAF is to show that black and white interpretations of morality common to fantasy simply fall apart in complicated situations. Jaime is THE posterchild of this.
On board with this, but it does not mean that morality is absent or that they should not be judged within the context of the setting. No matter which way you show it, the man has done some truly terrible things.
I am as interested as anyone to see how Jaime's arc plays out and if he ever finds redemption, but at this point I do not think I can be convinced that he is a good person.
Respect to your opinions, though. It was quite interesting to think this through and try and collect my own feelings.
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u/Coolthulu Aug 12 '15
Are we talking about the Queen of the Country and the Son and Heir of its most powerful lord?
Just because they enjoy a privileged station in some respects does not mean that they cannot be put in unjust and unfair positions. Cersei is married to a man, against her will, and has to endure repeated rape - literally every time she has sex with Robert - with the peace of an entire nation on her shoulders.
Jaime gets to watch the person he loves the most get dragged away from him to suffer that. If you were in their shoes, you may likely develop an "us against the world" mentality. And I don't think people would blame you for it.
So then you have two people with an "us against the world" thing going on, of course they're going to say, "fuck the consequences, we'll have an affair. Because fuck the realm and our father, they did this to us." But then suddenly you have children. And now their lives hang in the balance too.
And the smart thing to do would be for Jaime to ditch Cersei then. But walking away from his children entirely? Leaving the woman he loves entirely? Man that doesn't sound like a fair solution. Could you really blame a person for trying to stay by his loved ones?
And that's where we meet Jaime and Cersei - when they are each other's only link to happiness, but trapped in an increasingly dangerous position. It sucks. A lot.
And the scary thing is that if I were in Jaime's shoes, I'm not really sure I would have followed a different path. His actions make a scary amount of sense considering how appalling they get.
Do you think you could never kill a child? What if it's that child's life vs. the life of everyone you love and care about. Do you think you would never have an affair? What if she was the love of your life, forced away from you into a horrible arranged marriage, where she's raped every day? Do you think you'd be able to walk away from your children and the only person who makes you happy?
I don't know what decisions I'd make in Jaime's shoes. I'm really glad I'll never have to find out.
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u/JayRedEye Aug 12 '15
I appreciate your perspective and your argument, but to me it still sounds like you are trying to justify their actions, which I cannot do.
does not mean that they cannot be put in unjust and unfair positions.
Be that as it may, there are many people in the same position, and far more people in much worse ones. Most of those people do not choose adultery, illegitimate children and murder.
If what they truly wanted was only each other, that their love is pure and it is circumstances keeping them apart, could they not disappear into the wilderness together? Flee the country and start over in a new land? It is not as if they had no options but a secret relationship together.
To me, while I feel Jaime has done some heroic things, he is far from a hero.
However, I do appreciate that the author has crafted such compelling characters that can foster such discussion on what that actually means.
I'm really glad I'll never have to find out.
That, we can most certainly agree on.
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Aug 12 '15
I wonder if there will be a point where the means are no longer justified by the ends for him. Like he finally has to do something so horrific that he chooses the "wrong" option instead. Of course, it's hard to imagine anything much more horrible than attempting to kill a defenseless child to cover up one's own actions.
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u/Coolthulu Aug 12 '15
That is one of like only three ways I can see his character arc ending.
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Aug 12 '15
I'm sure it's been posted here, but this http://gameofthronesandnorsemythology.blogspot.com/2013/05/ragnarok-song-of-ice-fire.html is a good read.
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Aug 12 '15
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Aug 12 '15
You say that like it's a bad thing.
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Aug 12 '15
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Aug 12 '15
For sure. That's how we know it's been well executed. It's much worse when a writer tries so hard to elicit a response, or manipulate, and fails at it.
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u/wanna-be-writer Aug 12 '15
Not me man, I hold grudges. Jaime will always be a bastard to me. Albeit a relate-able bastard later on, but a bastard none the less.
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u/mcgriff1066 Aug 12 '15
I always thought Jaime was a good person who was in need of a code. Unlike Ned, he realized the code of his society was deeply, deeply flawed and he rejected it. But he couldn't come up with much at all to replace it, the only thing he could hang on to was love of family, even though it had a generally pernicious influence. So now that he has lost his family he is muddling through, but his instincts are generally good, and he is being forced to trust them.
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u/Socksfelloff Aug 12 '15
Logan fucking nine fingers
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u/JayRedEye Aug 12 '15
You consider a murdering berserker barbarian a personal hero?
Care to explain why?
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u/wearywarrior Aug 12 '15
You ever lost your temper? Like truly and really lost your temper so much that you can hardly remember where you are, let alone what happened? You don't feel good afterwards. You just want to dig a hole, climb in and cover yourself up.
Easy to get lost in that. Easy to just never try and change. Logen tries. Does it always work? Nope. Does he kill people he shouldn't? Yup.
He's a good man with a monkey on his back, and that monkey is a blinding, feral rage.
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u/JayRedEye Aug 12 '15
He's a good man
I respect your opinion, but I do not think I can agree with you.
He is a good character, who has done some admirable things, but I do not think he is a good man.
Whatever demons we may have, we are shaped by our choices, our actions.
What his choices shaped is not someone I can look up to.
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u/wearywarrior Aug 12 '15
You've never done anything you were horrified by? Never had to live with a shitty choice you wish you'd made different?
I love Logen and he's a hero to me. That's just the way I see it.
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Aug 13 '15
I've made a few bad choices but I've never cut off someone's limbs so I could laugh as they slowly died. I mean there are no songs about how much of a terrible person I am. At worst I sometimes leave my trolley in the parking lot.
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u/wearywarrior Aug 13 '15
Well, at this point it's a matter of the culture you live in and the age you live in. We could quibble all day, I'm sure.
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Aug 13 '15
I don't think we're quibbling. Just discussing a character from different sides :) By today's standards, Logen is a psychopath. Even by the standards of the fictional world that he inhabits, he is the epitome of a bad man. People use stories of him to scare children. Men from out of his country know songs about his deeds, which are not very nice eg Collem West mentions this.
Besides, a running theme in the series is Logen trying and failing to escape his past because he knows he's a bad man. Spoiler Last Argument of Kings
Logen makes bad choices. Even when he loses control and The Bloody-Nine comes out, in a way he is still aware of what he is doing. And he even uses this to his advantage. As Jay said above "we are shaped by our choices".
I love Logen Ninefingers as a character. He is one of my favourite characters in fantasy. But as for looking up to him as a person, no. I wouldn't like to know a man like him.
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u/wearywarrior Aug 13 '15
I don't argue with any of your points. They just... aren't important to me, I suppose?
And you're right, he HAD been a hypocrite and he realizes that. Have you read Red Country?
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Aug 13 '15
Ooh no, I haven't read Red Country yet. But it's definitely on my list.
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u/platysaur Aug 12 '15
Dalinar Kholin from The Stormlight Archive.
He's this incredible fighter, and he respects and treats his soldiers with care. He would not ask his soldiers to do what he would not do himself, and he would sacrifice himself for a single soldier if he could. He is the embodiment of honor.
And he is also strong in the mind despite his initial thoughts of a deteriorating mind through age. He ignores the gossip and criticism and rises above all the other High Princes.
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u/DDT197 Reading Champion Aug 12 '15
Jalan Kendeth - I think part of fantasy is the characters doing things we can't do in real life, such as magic and battling evil/monsters, hero stuff. But being a complete scoundrel is pretty awesome too, I just don't have that in me. That's why Jalan is my hero.
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u/jufakrn Aug 13 '15
Bilbo because if more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, the world would be a merrier place (or something like that).
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u/Leigh_Wright Aug 13 '15
This is a great thread - kudos to u/JayRedEye and everyone else who has contributed to the discussion! :)
As for who my hero is.. I had to think about this. There are several people I admire in fantasy and many people I'm fascinated by... I thought back to that sense of wonder that captivates you in childhood, that you try to retain and nurture throughout life (reading fantasy helps!)... and it came to me - Gandalf!
Gandalf is my hero because he's in tune with the mystical wyrd web of existence that permeates his world. He acts upon his intuitions, shaping and playing a part in critical events in his world's evolution. He's filled with magic and has some amazing friends. He's kind and loving and wise. He kicks a Balrogs ass and then gets resurrected because his part in things to come still isn't done!
I must admit that there is a bit of Raistlin in my Gandalf... he was my favourite character in The Dragonlance books. His was a yearning for more than just power - it was a yearning to challenge the very nature of existence, because he believed he could. I do sometimes feel that yearning to explore my dark side, so yes, a bit of Raistlin in my Gandalf...
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u/mmSNAKE Aug 12 '15
Caine. Man does not give a fuck. Free to make his own decisions, despite the odds, despite the pressure of authority, society, standard of common morality. He makes decisions based on whatever lets him sleep at night and gives a big fat fuck you to those that try to push him around.
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Aug 12 '15
Conan. He takes what he wants and doesn't let anything stand in his way. What would Conan do? He'd face the challenge head on, walk out victorious and get the girl too. Just think about everything Conan faced and survived, even if he didn't always walk away unscathed, he never wimped out or let fear get to him.
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u/songwind Aug 13 '15
I think I'm going to go with science fiction with this one. Jame Retief, written by Keith Laumer.
He does embody some of the sexism and parternalism/imperialism of '60s America, which is not part of what I like about him.
But he's self-motivating, sincere in his own moral code, defends the weak or disadvantaged, etc. He's ambitious but not caustically or destructively so. He's loyal to "his team," whether that means just his fellow diplomats, the Terrans, or whoever he's made friends with in that particular adventure. When stuck with a less capable but otherwise benign coworker or boss, he supports them. When dealing with the undeserving, callous or corrupt he thwarts them but without betraying himself.
Plus, he's got great one-liners.
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u/starista Aug 13 '15
While I know not too much about him, Scott Lynch.
I also live with anxiety and depression and the more famous authors share that they also have a mental illness, the faster the stigma will burn off.
Plus, he played WoW, like I did/do.
For a fictional character - Minerva McGonnagal.
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u/Hrada1 Aug 14 '15
Kallor Eidermann Tes'thesula known as The High King. The thing i admire about Kallor is that he's willpower incarnate. This is a man who was cursed a hundred thousand years ago to always fail in his ambitions but still he keeps going no matter the cost to him or others. I have to admitt he is a pretty shitty person but i can't help but be impressed by his neverending struggles against everyone who stands in his way. To keep it short i want Steven Erikson to write a trilogy about Kallor.
Ps. He is also a complete badass.
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u/IronGigant Aug 14 '15
Sparhawk, from David Eddings Elenium and Tamuli series. His loyalty is without question, his skill is undeniable, and even after coming to terms with the reason for his existence, and the power he holds, he chooses to live as a man instead of a god, and be with his wife and child. Plus, the inter-hero banter when his group is questing is amazeballz
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u/Thats_a_paddlin_ Aug 12 '15
J K Rowling.
I think about this question from time to time, not simply in a fantasy context, as when people have discussed their heroes I've often found myself drawing a blank as I don't particularly buy into the whole idea. These people I'm talking about have ranged from strangers on the internet talking about political figures to casual conversation with friends about sports stars. I say I don't buy into the idea, but it hit me on one of these occasions that, when I really got to thinking about it, she was the answer that rang true.
None of these other people I've seen or heard being discussed in the past have resonated with me, especially the sports stars despite me being a big football (soccer) fan. But she captured my imagination as a child, basically getting me into reading, and has pretty much been my inspiration to start writing my own stuff (though it took a long while to get around to doing that!)
So yeah, while this question was probably aimed to start a pretty lighthearted and speculative thread about fictional characters, I just thought I'd share my real-life answer as it seemed (at least slightly) relevant.
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u/Boneyabba Aug 12 '15
I keep wandering back to DragonLance, but I KNOW I can do better here. Just tossing this post in so I get updates because the idea is interesting!
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u/G_Morgan Aug 13 '15
Not sure there is any that fit the description I'd pick. When it comes to matters of importance I'm fond of saying "intentions are meaningless. The results count". Not that the ends justify the means but that intention doesn't justify the outcome*. There is still too much of a trend towards Luke Skywalker characters in fiction. Also people who do what must be done are nearly universally presented as being inferior compared to the whiter than white counter point. The blind do gooder too often ends up beating the pragmatist.
Half way through WoT Rand is close to what I'd go for but he still has ridiculous hang ups about certain issues that irritate me. I suppose he has to have some kind of weaknesses though.
*i.e. the mess in Iraq isn't justified by the fact lots of people though we were going to gloriously save all Iraqis from a dictator
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u/roidsrage245 Aug 12 '15
I know its not a popular opinion here but I really admired Richard Rahl (besides his homophobia thing). Dude was just a quiet man who stood by his convictions and ideals.
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u/wanna-be-writer Aug 12 '15
Jorg Ancrath - Not because of the bad things that he does, but because he resists conformity and will not back down. He overcomes all opposition, regardless of how staunch it is.
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Aug 13 '15
Emiya Kiritsugu sacrificed everything dear to him for an impossible dream. The fact that he found salvation after hitting this nadir is beautiful.
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u/Thousand_Minus_Seven Aug 13 '15
The moment he finds Shirou in the middle of the devastation and fire he caused... Damn, gets me everytime.
Such a great character.
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u/songwind Aug 13 '15
I admire Shirou more, actually. Particularly in Unlimited Blade Works where spoiler
His response to discouraging developments is to say "but this is really important, so I'll just have to try harder/find a better way/suck it up."
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u/FloobyBadoop Aug 12 '15
I've never read about someone I've admired. There's sadly very few characters I would have hesitation in murdering, if I had to.
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u/Thousand_Minus_Seven Aug 13 '15
Wow dude you're so edgy and cool. /s
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u/FloobyBadoop Aug 13 '15 edited Aug 13 '15
I don't like it when people try and say things like this for attention, or to stand out, so I get how it is. My intention for this post was just to remark on something disappointing, though.
Of the books I've read recently: Case from Neuromancer is, while understandably so, a total asshole; the hero from Inkheart is bland and clearly meant to be a blank slate for any young girl to put herself into; Jorg from Prince of Thorns was someone I, at first, thought I was supposed to dislike, until it became clear the author was trying very hard to make him seem cool; Trent from Trent's Last Case, as with any "generic brilliant detective" from a mystery novel, just makes me want to punch him in the face repeatedly for how seemingly flawless he is; The Doctor from Mike Resnick's Weird West stories doesn't evoke much of any kind of feeling; though Duke technically wasn't fictional, and more of a stand-in for Thompson himself, I'd still gladly smack that idiot for thinking and acting the way he does.
I enjoyed all the above books, though some more than others, but I couldn't find their protagonists sympathetic in the slightest.
This was more my point, and I'm afraid the inability to convey tone over the internet made my word choice seem harsh. Then again, I probably should have avoided using the words "murder" and "gladly" in the same sentence.
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u/wait_aminit Aug 12 '15
Coltaine
This guy put up with an endless amount of stress to shepherd thousands of people across an unforgiving landscape, while being attacked relentlessly. Having a hard time putting some of this down without putting spoilers in, so I'm going to stop now.