What makes a character heroic?

[StaceyPowers]

In another thread, @m76 mentioned some of his criteria for heroic characters. It made me curious about what everyone here looks for in heroes in video games. I think for me, a heroic character is one who does what they feel is right, but is also willing to face devastating truths.

[The Blackangel]

In what sense? There are so many "boy saves girl" cliché games, and war games, that it's hard to distinguish what a hero would even consist of. Maybe Arthur in RDR2 is a hero, but then again maybe he is a villain. Maybe Link is a hero just due to circumstance, but doesn't want anything to do with it and wants to join with Ganon.

More context is needed here.

[StaceyPowers]

1 hour ago, The Blackangel said:

In what sense? There are so many "boy saves girl" cliché games, and war games, that it's hard to distinguish what a hero would even consist of. Maybe Arthur in RDR2 is a hero, but then again maybe he is a villain. Maybe Link is a hero just due to circumstance, but doesn't want anything to do with it and wants to join with Ganon.

More context is needed here.

The context by which each person here defines "heroic" was what I was looking for. Subjective definitions, not a global one.

[m76]

There aren't specific requirements to do something heroic. I was more referring to video game heroes in design terms. A hero in a video game needs to be someone I can look up to, who has qualities that are admirable and who is in peak physical condition. That is why I could never get into GTA IV and V, because the protagonists are not people I admire, criminals psychopaths, are not exactly great role models. And I'm reluctant to help them succeed. 

[killamch89]

It's a character who stands up for what is right irregardless of the consequences. One who doesn't expect help but is willing to free the oppressed, one who is willing to give a voice to the voiceless.

[Reality vs Adventure]

17 hours ago, killamch89 said:

It's a character who stands up for what is right irregardless of the consequences. One who doesn't expect help but is willing to free the oppressed, one who is willing to give a voice to the voiceless.

Right on. There are a lot of situations where characters are heroic, but many times they are doing a quest where they were hired on. I think that heroism has no expectations for rewards. Not for fame, money, gear, or any kind of pride. And intentionally not even getting noticed for the deeds done is even more heroic. And we can assume those deeds were morally right ones. I think a hero has a clear mind and isn't driven by hate and vengeance. Because that would be only a self fulfilled act, not heroism. Heroism is completely selfless.

And that is an easy line to cross. I think we all at times has assumed one committed a heroic act, even if it was driven by selfish motivations. That is heroism spoken of lightly. And in a way they still can be considered a hero if it was morally right. The character can go on a killing spree of vengeance and take down an evil enterprise saving a million lives in the process. They are a hero for it. But the true definition for me is completely selfless, which would mean that same character would do the exact same thing, but with the motivation to save people and not vengeance. 

A knight running to glory and kill a dragon for their legacy is not heroic. It could have saved many lives in the process, but the intention was selfish. God knows a person's motivations. And even many religious people fail in their motivation of doing good deeds. They fear God as their motivation more than doing a good deed as a genuine act. So morality and heroism seem inseparable. 

 

[The Blackangel]

True heroism goes unnoticed. Or at the very least, unannounced. There are everyday heroes. People who buy a meal for someone who is homeless and starving. People who help someone carry their groceries. People who don't realize their good deed.

Those who go off to war, I don't consider them heroes. I don't consider astronauts heroes. What, specifically, did they do that was heroic? If the soldier ran into a crossfire and pulled out a wounded soldier, or did what Forrest Gump did, then yes he/she would be a hero. But commonly they just work at whatever location they're stationed at.

And what did the astronaut do? Scientific study, but how is that heroic? I absolutely love astronomy, but that doesn't make me a hero.

 

Real, true, and honest heroism is small and individual.

[DarthVanity]

On 4/23/2021 at 4:18 PM, StaceyPowers said:

In another thread, @m76 mentioned some of his criteria for heroic characters. It made me curious about what everyone here looks for in heroes in video games. I think for me, a heroic character is one who does what they feel is right, but is also willing to face devastating truths.

What I'm looking for in a heroic character is an individual who goes against their own ideologies and risks their safety for the "greater good". Trying to generalize here but that's what I believe makes a heroic character.

[m76]

On 4/25/2021 at 10:22 PM, The Blackangel said:

Those who go off to war, I don't consider them heroes.

That reminded me of this:

 

[killamch89]

On 4/25/2021 at 3:14 PM, Reality vs Adventure said:

Right on. There are a lot of situations where characters are heroic, but many times they are doing a quest where they were hired on. I think that heroism has no expectations for rewards. Not for fame, money, gear, or any kind of pride. And intentionally not even getting noticed for the deeds done is even more heroic. And we can assume those deeds were morally right ones. I think a hero has a clear mind and isn't driven by hate and vengeance. Because that would be only a self fulfilled act, not heroism. Heroism is completely selfless.

And that is an easy line to cross. I think we all at times has assumed one committed a heroic act, even if it was driven by selfish motivations. That is heroism spoken of lightly. And in a way they still can be considered a hero if it was morally right. The character can go on a killing spree of vengeance and take down an evil enterprise saving a million lives in the process. They are a hero for it. But the true definition for me is completely selfless, which would mean that same character would do the exact same thing, but with the motivation to save people and not vengeance. 

A knight running to glory and kill a dragon for their legacy is not heroic. It could have saved many lives in the process, but the intention was selfish. God knows a person's motivations. And even many religious people fail in their motivation of doing good deeds. They fear God as their motivation more than doing a good deed as a genuine act. So morality and heroism seem inseparable. 

Personal motivations are definitely are a part of what defines a heroic character. If it's done for selfless reasons to benefit another without any rewards, the individual can be considered heroic. However, if done for selfish purposes, that can't be considered heroic.

On 4/25/2021 at 3:22 PM, The Blackangel said:

True heroism goes unnoticed. Or at the very least, unannounced. There are everyday heroes. People who buy a meal for someone who is homeless and starving. People who help someone carry their groceries. People who don't realize their good deed.

Those who go off to war, I don't consider them heroes. I don't consider astronauts heroes. What, specifically, did they do that was heroic? If the soldier ran into a crossfire and pulled out a wounded soldier, or did what Forrest Gump did, then yes he/she would be a hero. But commonly they just work at whatever location they're stationed at.

And what did the astronaut do? Scientific study, but how is that heroic? I absolutely love astronomy, but that doesn't make me a hero.

 

Real, true, and honest heroism is small and individual.

It's true - I've done a lot of deeds for people without expecting anything in return. I've been praised a few times for it but that wasn't the primary reason I chose to do anything.

[Heatman]

On 4/24/2021 at 12:18 AM, StaceyPowers said:

In another thread, @m76 mentioned some of his criteria for heroic characters. It made me curious about what everyone here looks for in heroes in video games. I think for me, a heroic character is one who does what they feel is right, but is also willing to face devastating truths.

Well, I believe that in the end if the character saves the day, whether he survives or not, he's definitely a hero in my book with Noctis as a very good example.