1. Antihero archetype

What is an antihero? Often referred as the flawed hero, the antihero is a protagonist whose character is quite the opposite of the common hero archetype. Most antiheroes possess similar traits, personalities, and backgrounds. When trying to reach a goal, they often use whatever means to do so, such as brute force. They are usually morally corrupt but their sense of justice is steadfast. In an article published by the American Psychological Association, researchers identified that all antiheroes carry personalities making up the Dark Triad, which is composed of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. To simplify, it is a person that is manipulative, self-serving, feels inherently better than everyone, and exhibits antisocial behavior(e.g. low remorse, low empathy, egocentrism). 


Jonason, Peter, David Schmitt, Gregory Webster, Norman Li, and Laura Crysel. "The Antihero in Popular Culture: Life History Theory and the Dark Triad Personality Traits." Review of General Psychology 16.2 (2012): 192-99. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

2. Novel

Martin, George R. R. A Game of Thrones. New York: Bantam, 1996. Print.

Tyrion Lannister is no doubt one of the most morally corrupt characters in the "Game of Thrones" novel and T.V. series. He whores himself to women, drinks constantly, and is highly offensive. Despite all of this, he is one of the most loved characters in the book because he is an antihero. Since his birth, Tyrion has been socially rejected because he is a dwarf, which makes him an immediate underdog. What he lacks in strength, he makes up with sheer intelligence and cunning. He goes through steps of the Hero's journey and eventually works his way up to the position of the King's Hand and ends up saving Kings Landing. Journalist James Bonnet states that "the goal of the anti-hero is to take possession of an entity and redirect it toward goals that fulfill its own desires...and to satisfy its insatiable cravings for sense objects, security, wealth and territory." Even though he saves the city, he mostly did it for recognition and his own personal gain.

Bonnet, James. "Exploring The Dark Side: The Anti-Hero's Journey." Exploring The Dark Side: The Anti-Hero's Journey. Writers Store, 2012. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

3. Song

Imagine Dragons. "Demons" Night Visions. KIDinaKORNER, Interscope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWRsgZuwf_8


An anti-hero lies within story of the lyrics. Dan Reynolds(lead vocalist) sings of goals and dreams but these are unattainable because of human flaws. He states "the ones we hail are worst of all," and identifies that our heroes are imperfect, as in the anti-hero. Reynolds tries to find the hero in himself but is overwhelmed with internal conflict. He sings of his inner demons and greed. He wants be righteous but cannot escape the "the beast inside." He understands that to be morally flawed is part of humanity and accepts it, yet he still tries to become a hero and "save the light."

4. Film

Flight. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Denzel Washington. Paramount Pictures, 2012. Film.

Denzel Washington plays the role of an alcoholic and cocaine addict who is forced to man a malfunctioning plane. Despite being inebriated and high on cocaine, he is able to save the lives of most of the people on board with his unmatched talent and skill. He is branded as a hero but his flaws eventually come to light. Denzel is a prime example of the anti-hero. The anti-hero is someone who is self-serving, anti-social, and gives in to temptation. All of these traits are carried by Whip(Denzel). However, the most defining act that makes him the anti-hero is when he admits his faults in order to save the reputation of one of his crew members. Even though Whip is morally corrupt, he ultimately gives in to desires of a hero.       

5. Work of Visual Art

Marxl. Batman: Dark Knight. Digital image. N.p., Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://marxl.deviantart.com/art/Batman-Dark-knight-413853215>.

This image is a excellent representation of the anti-hero. The person in this picture is obviously Batman but if someone saw him for the first time without any knowledge of the character, then Batman could easily be mistaken for a villain. The picture is dark and mysterious, like Batman himself. As a child, he was forced to see his parents killed by a thief which sparked his crime fighting life. His sense of justice is crude and violent. When he is not a narcissistic billionaire, he is an unforgiving villain stopper. Batman is not bound by the laws of his city and is regarded as a vigilante. Typically, heroes are visualized as bright and shiny, but this picture clearly shows otherwise. One would not imagine a hero to be paired with a violent storm, blackness, and uncertainty.

6. Psychosocial connections

Michael, Jonathan. "The Rise of the Anti-Hero." RELEVANT Magazine. N.p., 26 Apr. 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/tv/rise-anti-hero>.

 The anti-hero archetype has undoubtedly become increasingly popular in the entertainment business over the last few years. Characters such as Dexter Morgan from the hit T.V. series, Wolverine from X-men, Severus Snape from Harry Potter, and Edward Cullen from Twilight are few of many recent anti-heroes that audiences have grown to love. It's an archetype that people can't seem to get enough of. Why are we so fascinated with such flawed heroes? In "The Rise of the Anti-Hero, Michael suggests that the world is so full of corruption that "the characters on the silver screen needed to reflect a broader view of morally acceptable behavior. Traditional heroes were  just far too un-relatable." We live in a world where racism is still a source of unrest. Human trafficking seems like it will never perish from existence. The threat of terrorism still haunts the airports and many parents are even reluctant to let their kids play on the streets unsupervised for fear of kidnapping. The ever growing fascination with anti-heroes shows that we acknowledge the imperfection of humanity, even embrace it. Viewers like a character who they can relate to; Characters who are morally righteous and pure are not. I believe the anti-hero is a reflection of all human beings and we enjoy watching/reading about them because we find truth behind all of their shortcomings. We see ourselves in the antiheroes and yearn for them to make it to the top, because that's what we as humans continually strive for.