A few words on Character Archetypes


Heroes

• The word stems from Greek root meaning to “protect and serve”
• Are tied intimately into the concept of sacrifice (Gladiator, LA Confidential, Braveheart)
• Represent our ego, what makes us distinct beings
• Are readily and immediately identifiable by audience (“petting the dog”)
• They are forced to show growth throughout their journey by externalizing their actions
• Every great character has the potential to be a hero
• may be anti-heros, loner heros, catalytic heros, tragic heros, comic heros, group hero

Mentors

• The word comes from a character in the Odyessy
• Represents the Self, the god within
• Are former heros themselves
• They show the door, but won’t open it
• Teaches
• Gives knowledge
• Acts as a conscience
• Foreshadows
• Sexually initiates
• May be dark mentors, fallen mentors, recurring mentors, multiple mentors, internalized mentor (Kung fu)

Threshold Guardians
• Similar to “boss” characters in videogames
• Not necessarily good or evil
• Must be overcome for the hero to grow
• Psychologically, often tied to animals
• Represent the neuroses of the hero

Heralds of Change
• Brings a challenge to the hero
• Provides motivation (Herald in Henry V)

Shapeshifter
• Home or femme fatale
• Expresses animus or anima
• Audience will project or mirror our uncertainty onto them
• Introduces mystery, misunderstanding or doubt as we view the duplicity of their actions (Memento)


Shadow
• Represents the power of repressed feelings
• These are our self-destructive neuroses
• Makes for a more than worthy opponent (love your villains)


Trickster
• Brings hero/villain down to size
• Provides laughter / comic relief
• “to make em cry a lot, let em laugh a little”
• the alignment of a trickster doesn’t really matter
• there are, of course, trickster heroes