5 Best Hero Tropes in Storytelling (Writing Advice)

[@seijiren5115]

My favorite hero tropes is when heroes were desperate but remember the theme of the movie and he comes back, like in Spiderman 2 or The Lego movie

[@dooivid]

#iconic

[@mnm8818]

if anyone seen Expanse TV show... The Hero- Holden seems like an regular guy trying to not die, save his buddies and make a living... most times he just wants to chill and live his own life... + he doesnt really want to be a hero but just a normal guy who knows stuff that could destroy the solar system... it seems like a boring Hero but its the "most" realistic. Most people dont actively seek danger/ do hero stuff

[@breakingbadger893]

@@mnm8818amazing show and I love how they ended the show with Holden’s character

[@MatiNuva1724]

"Wait, I am Breaking Bad"

[@jorahkai]

😂 I like when the hero remembers their training montage and decides to win

[@mlgamings6110]

In my opinion, the main thing I always like is when the Hero is flawed and the writers don't hold back on it. I hate whenever writers are too afraid of making the hero do something bad or make a mistake or they just try to downplay the consequences of it. I want to see a hero that makes bad decisions not out of maliciousness, but because they are flawed and to see them grow past them. I honestly think heroes like that are more admirable than heroes that are so-called "perfect" and always make the right decisions.

[@VibingMeike]

I'm currently writing a novel in which the climax happens due to a series of mistakes the MC made

[@j.munday7913]

One of my MC's loses her temper a lot. She's fighting for control of her consciousness with herself, but inner self is pissed that her family was killed, and her memories were stolen. Outside self is unaware of this and tries to be calm. Anything that triggers inside self will lead to her losing her mind and trying to beat people to death, but she's also supposed to be a holy paladin. Anyway, she makes bad decisions constantly. And she can be a real jerk. I love her.

[@valentinegonsalves7322]

True detective. Season 01. There is no morally good person on that show. Some people say, there's Rust. But boy, he's done some horrible shit we just done see / focus on too much. Everyone's a fuck up. But there's a bigger evil that needs to be put to rest for good.

[@benjamenclydebang-og4277]

You just reminded of CW's Supernatural though

[@251TheMechanizedSingfantry]

I apply this to D&D characters too - I always look to give my character a trait that opens the door to misadventure (it's always funnier when things go wrong)

[@johnnyentertains]

Sam carrying Frodo up to the top of Mt Doom hits hard

[@jasonuerkvitz3756]

The hero's refusal to give up is undoubtedly my most favorite trope. This often inspires his found family, especially after he bounces back, and gives them their much needed rallying cry. If he's a loner, the people he strives for will always be inspired by his toughness and tenacity. Even if martyred, the hero's dauntless will to succeed will act a marked legacy for those he leaves behind.

[@folliblanc2447]

So he doesn't do anything dark yet practical

[@andreimcallister1365]

Just like Spider-Man

[@Totallynotabird90]

@@andreimcallister1365or John wick.

[@Batman88878]

For the Refusal to Quit, another great example is Captain America in Endgame. His allies are buried under rubble. Thor & Iron Man are knocked unconscious. He took a severe beating from Thanos, including his shield being broken. But that one tight shot of his face when he struggles to get up & then he tightens the strap on what remains of his shield always stood out to me. He gets up & walks wearily forward, even as Thanos & his MASSIVE army emerge. He knows he can't win, yet he intends to fight until the inevitable. Of course, his boldness is rewarded with the chill-inducing portals scene.

[@OratoryJamesIV]

To cap it all off, EVERY SINGLE HERO awaits *his* okay to charge into battle. The amount of respect and reverence they all have for Steve Rogers is portrayed so perfectly here. Even Iron Man, who was almost always at Cap's throat during the entire MCU Phase 1, defers to him--especially after he sees Cap summon Mjolnir, which he hadn't seen him do before since he was knocked out cold.

[@sebastianblake6119]

The best Rally Cry in my opinion comes from Cap too in Winter Soldier. When he goes over the intercoms to inform that Shield was infiltrated by Hydra. The end paragraph of that speech is so good “The price of freedom is high. It always has been. But it’s a price I’m willing to pay. And if I’m the only one then so be it. But I’m willing to bet I’m not.”

[@thewombat9025]

That was his "I can do this all day" moment. Came down here to mention the same scene.

[@GoranXII]

And then Iron Man mixes up 3 and 4, and performs the snap himself. It also proves his ultimate 'lie down on the wire' act.

[@JamesRDavenport]

I wouldn't say it's a trope, but I love a transformative journey for the hero. Where they start out selfish, weak, or scared but in the end they're a leader, a king/queen, a truly courageous person. Modern storytelling is missing that.

[@ShinGallon]

That's Rocket's arc across all three Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

[@JamesRDavenport]

@@ShinGallon Exactly! One of the rare ones these days and we love him for it

[@venator5421]

@@ShinGallon Tony Stark also meets the criteria

[@mnm8818]

if anyone seen Expanse TV show... The Hero- Holden seems like an regular guy trying to not die, save his buddies and make a living + he doesnt really want to be a hero but just a normal guy who knows stuff that could destroy the solar system... most times he just wants to chill

[@dtierhero2271]

Gurren Lagann

[@rome8180]

A couple of tropes I like: 1) The reluctant hero 2) The reluctant friendship #1 is pretty self-explanatory. It's the hero who spends the whole story trying to avoid sticking his neck out. But you know that deep down it's just a front, and he really does care. And this is proven when he rises to the occasion when he's needed most. #2 is similar but it involves two characters being put together in an awkward situation. They hate and resent each other at first. But slowly they come to understand and appreciate each other. I think what I like about these is I like when characters DON'T openly express themselves. I like when we have to understand through subtle clues that the way they claim to feel is not how they actually feel. To me, unstated emotion always resonates more powerfully than something said directly.

[@LpsRoseGold]

0:32 Found Family 1:46 Bounce Back 3:35 Refusal To give up 4:45 Dark, Yet practical Decisions 6:24 Rally Cry

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Thanks! Gonna add this to the video description

[@LpsRoseGold]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty Thanks for the tips! I write stuff on Wattpad and I'm trying to improve! (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)

[@mitt-n8p]

Thank you!

[@LpsRoseGold]

@@mitt-n8p Of course!

[@diannt9583]

I truly love those dark yet practical decisions. Along with the others listed.

[@johntabler349]

That moment where Apollo Creed realizes that Rocky is going to continue to fight and he shrugs in utter disbelief is one of my favorite movie moments of all time

[@nathandrake6013]

It's David Goggins' favourite moment

[@briantrafford4871]

I love the trope where the hero "saves the girl" (including when the person being saved is a guy). Ripley saving Newt is a classic example. Same with Mulan saving everyone at the mountain pass. Classic.

[@liamphibia]

You're right, *classic.* Unfortunately, current day Hollywood wants to avoid that in favor of sending The Message.😒

[@briantrafford4871]

@@liamphibia And it shows at the box office

[@ChimeraLotietheBunny]

Yeah

[@adamshafeeq8685]

We should call this trope "heroine saves the boy"

[@robbbbery]

I'm a sucker for moments when the enemy becomes an ally. Especially if the writers have done a good job humanizing the enemy and making you understand their perspective first.

[@WhiteIkiryo-yt2it]

One of my favourite forms of this was from Transformers Armada when Starscream is cast out of the Decepticons and joins with the Autobots. He isn't really welcomed or trusted by any of them except Alexis, one of the humans who genuinely makes an attempt to befriend him and he is confused about this and becomes conflicted. I won't say what happens after if you haven't seen it and want to know more but it was really well done and I still think about it to this day.

[@robbbbery]

@@WhiteIkiryo-yt2it nice, I love it!

[@errantwinds-up8uu]

I'm not sure if this counts, but I like when a hero faces temptation and overcomes it, especially if it's incredibly hard or if they temporarily succumb and it affects their character arc. The Lord of the Rings probably has the best (and quite varied!) examples.

[@rennakamura4889]

It does count, as it's a recurring theme that spans into multiple pieces of literature/films

[@balto76bourque51]

I'm pretty sure it does, what's that trope called when the hero faces an incredibly hard defeat and they succumb briefly, but they overcome it in a miraculous way?

[@asquirrelplays]

Devil at the Crossroads! Always fun to see a hero THINK about it and really give it consideration, and equally as fun to see a villain be tempted by it and give in for reasons we know we probably would have ourselves.

[@veegoevers]

One of my most favourite hero tropes is "The last stand". When a hero faces overwhelming enemy forces and has no chance of winning, yet still fights usually to protect those close to him, dying in a blaze of Glory. Examples of this are in LOTR with Boromir's death and in the Watchmen, when the first Night Owl fights off bandits one last time, remembering the good old days.

[@heatherknopp3723]

Another example of this is "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

[@Antpoison]

The end of Halo Reach was a great example of this

[@MerlinTheCommenter]

Guess we’re just built different. Blaze of glory sucks. Just shows the character is unintelligent for getting himself in that position in the first place. He’s then either forgotten or no one even knew he existed in the first place.

[@ChrisSpartan-157]

My favorite hero trope is when he has to make a decision between a personal good or a greater goal, and that both options are equally valid for the reader. For example, having the opportunity to enjoy his last moments, or risk trying something to resolve the situation, which may or may not give him a better ending

[@crazypantaloons]

I don't know what to call this trope, but I've always liked the "now, I'm a believer" realization. The hero fights a faith based higher power, only to give in to the truth. Examples: the moment Neo stops the bullets mid-air, and the world changes to code (Matrix), when the skeptic Han tells the crew "its all true" after telling Luke he doesn't believe in the force(Force awakens), or the moment Conan is saved by Valeria moments after denouncing Krom (Conan the Barbarian). It also used in Loki, Polar Express, and even tragically in Toy Story. Heroes spend a lot of time thinking the world revolves around themselves. I like the humility that contradiction brings.

[@hanchiman]

I remember in ancient Greek mythology stories, Theseus is a classic "Hero journey" story telling. Also Jason and the Argonauts is how to built up an adventure story.

[@PurpleSun8933]

I think Family rediscovery is the best trope. You can fit it almost to every genre, and it always finds the way to the reader/watcher heart.

[@johncenter4858]

It's when the hero faces a impossible dilemma (Luke having to choose between killing or joining is father) and finds a way to outsmart the whole situation (turning his father good).

[@hope-artist8109]

My favourite hero trope is when we get to see the hero from a young age, possibly adolescent years all the way to his eldery year, and we can see how far and wiser they've become It's really fun going back all the way to when the hero used to act, to how the world they were in mold and shape them to either a better person, or worse, guiding the future protagonist or hero in their own journey by teaching them the things they have experienced and learned. It always is fun to me. Vagabond manga series and Kratos from GOW came to mind

[@briansanders8122]

Maybe it's from all the tokusatsu I watch, but my favorite hero trope is the Final Form. Not only can it be awesome from a spectacle standpoint, but it's also symbolic of the character's true potential finally showing.

[@unreal4good367]

Tokusatsu goes hard with the final forms especially when each character has a final form.

[@Urdarbrunn]

Refusal to quit is a good one. I read Don Quixote earlier this year and just loved the character. Whole inns full of people would stomp on his ribs, he'd get the absolute crap beat out of him in every chapter, but he never gives up, never tires.

[@loiracitr]

Amazing book!

[@officialthomasjames]

Rocky is probably the most magical movie I've ever seen. That moment in Round 14 is absolutely perfect in every way. Acting, music, cinematography all perfect.

[@Lithilic]

If done right, I think the "late entrance" can be really effective. It really sets up the hero to be the hero when they are the reason hope is brought back from a previously hopeless situation.

[@cathal8618]

The Frodo moment still gives me chills every time I see it even after all these years

[@dawidwidera1819]

My favorite is when hero dies to save others and leaves legacy. It makes him look like he didn't have plot armor at least once. The famous image of Superman killed by his suicidal move to defeat Doomsday. Death of main hero played from the "Fearless" (2006) played by Jet Li. It gives this bitter-sweet ending that I really enjoy. Heck, whole Christianity is build on that trope - Jesus'es death.

[@cristinawilligs]

i really love when the character has to cross the line, or when they are flawed and sometimes flaws are a strenght

[@NOTA_Productions]

Not sure if this is a trope but I love it in a story when the hero is fighting the villain and the hero is down and it seams like the villain is going to win but just at the last moment says a powerful message then throws all their energy into one final attack

[@racheltheradiant4675]

My favorite is when you meet the rough and tumble loner who doesn't realize he can be a hero, until he becomes one. And people begin to rely on him and trust him. It's a little like the Found Family one since the characters I'm thinking of are Wolverine, Han Solo and Daryl Dixon.

[@hungariangiraffe6361]

This makes me really happy, because this is exactly what my hero will be. I'll often call him a lone wolf in the books because his name is Farkas, that means wolf in Hungarian (which is both his and my native language). He starts out as a heavely traumatised teenage boy, who believes that each and every human being (including himself) is a monster that should not be trusted. He appears confident, cool headed, elegant, and maybe a bit too cold, but in fact he's just a ball of anxiety on legs. The story is about how he gets to a (more or less) safe and healthy enviroment where he learns how to make friends, be happy and that even he deserves to be loved. He starts out with a very pessimistic view on life, combined with massive self-hatred, trust issues and high functioning anxiety. Thinking that the world would probably be a better place without him. But then he learns how to see the good side of things and how to use his abilities to help others in need.

[@racheltheradiant4675]

That's great, I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes those heroes. Good luck with your writing!

[@hungariangiraffe6361]

@@racheltheradiant4675 thanks! :)

[@ChimeraLotietheBunny]

Ohh legit

[@ShinGallon]

Found Family is definitely my favorite, and a big part of why the Guardians of the Galaxy movies are far and away my favorite MCU movies (that and I love Rocket to death). Another trope I love is when the hero knows that there's no (or almost no) way they're coming out of the final battle alive, but they go in anyway because doing so will give their friends a chance to get away (which is similar but not exactly like the Noble Sacrifice trope because the hero needn't actually die for this trope to work, they just have to believe they're going to), but *especially* when this trope is coupled with the hero saying goodbye without explicitly saying goodbye. Trevor Belmont getting ready to face Death and telling Sypha that "Treffor is a terrible name" (his way of telling her he knows she's pregnant, and that he doesn't expect to be there to help name the child) in the second to last episode of the Netflix Castlevania series is a perfect example of this. That moment, and indeed that entire episode, is why I love that series so much.

[@vulkanofnocturne]

3# Star Trek DS9, Worf vs the Jem'Hadar. "I yield! I can not defeat this Klingon, all I can do is kill him. And that no longer holds my interest."

[@roonietunes7]

"Mr Worf, if continue fighting you will die!" 'Then I will die. But I will not yield."

[@brunorios8870]

James Gunn likes, and knows how to use, the Found Family trope. See also his series Peacemaker!

[@kompatybilijny9348]

Wow, I hit all of those tropes with my protagonist. The slight difference is that he has a natural tendency to rally by instilling fear, simply because he is not particularly charismatic, but is quite good at scaring people both with concepts and with direct threats.

[@saden-8934]

I love Double Edged Sword trope, when a trait, event or basically anything can become a source of strength but at the same time causes suffering.

[@DHworldwide185]

My favorite is the earned power up. I love it when the power comes after the hero had to train for it or have a general need for it.

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

What's your favorite Hero Trope? Let us know!

[@shanardsmith218]

I relate to the never give up hero trop.

[@TigerPurt21]

The fall of the hero

[@Cheez_Doodlezz]

Rally cry

[@TigerPurt21]

@@Hann1balls or Anakin Skywalker

[@brianedwards7142]

My favourite is when the hero senses the right thing to do and does it even if it risks everything. Like when Arthur asks Uryens to make him a knight mid battle in Excalibur and hands over the sword. Uryens could kill the kneeling youth and one of the onlookers encourages him to keep the sword but with that act he wins the hearts of the assembled and ends the fight in a way no amount of fighting would.

[@robbycan]

I love the Fish Out of Water Back in the Water. An example is Star Trek 4, where Kirk and the gang are complete dorks in the 1980's, but once back aboard their ship, the biologist sees that they are not only not dorks, but indeed exceptional heroes.

[@leigh-anjohnson]

1) Warrior Bloodlines - Grimm 2) Mental Bonds - Pacific Rim 3) Family that hates each other but always show up anyway - Vampire Diaries 4) Proactive Protagonists with their own agendas rather than just reacting to things

[@yeonbibi191]

I'm happy to see Grimm being mentioned

[@thequantumnexus4270]

4 is definitely the hardest to pull off. Great when it works, but can destroy sympathy for the character if anyone can see a better choice. Often, a 3rd choices trope is much better to pull off. When the character thinks of something outside the box that we didn't see coming. The trick here is to make it something we really didn't see coming that shows the hero sticks to their morals and/or outsmarts the villain. If it's good enough that we didn't see it coming, it's conceivable that the villain didn't see it coming.

[@alexharman9001]

My favorite example of the rallying cry trope is Mal Reynolds’ speech to his crew that leads into the climax of _Serenity_ - the one that ends with the line, “So no more running; I aim to misbehave.”

[@FonVegen]

I always love a spot of positivity and celebrating what's good about things we enjoy!

[@jaydenng7431]

One of my favorite hero tropes is the hero becoming too prideful because of things like their achievements or powers then deciding to do things on his own without relying on others only to receive a horrible defeat then he goes to his team that he left for help pushing his pride aside for greater good like saving others

[@LuucT25]

yeah, Spider-Man 3 is a classic

[@anthonywayne1928]

I gotta give out an example of the Refusal To Give Up. I recently watched Across The Spider-verse & even rewatched it. The scene where Miles is swinging through Earth 42 while all the voices of past despair keep going off in his head. Being told all of this is his fault, feeling betraued by those who loved & trusted, being told no matter how hard you try you can't save everyone. But the last voice he hears is the most important & is one of the things that makes Spider-Man. The words & voice of Uncle Aaron telling him, "Just keep going." THAT exact moment makes me realize how much I love the movie & Spider-Man in general. The look of determination you see on him gets me EVERY single time I see it.

[@MatisseRehel]

One hero trope that really hit me hard is when the hero is fighting an antagonist, but they get to understand each other and become friends. However, for the plot, they still need to fight, so when the hero wins we can see his pain and growth. This happens in Alice in Border Land and One Piece, when Franky Fights Mr Pink.

[@ludovico6890]

My issue about 24 is that Jack Bauer ends up crossing the line left, right and centre. In season 2 it felt new and shocking, in further seasons, it became banal. My favourite hero trope is when the hero goes into action, or answers the call, whatever you want to name it, when he has the choice to say no and it's in his best interest to do so (because he's facing terrible odds, because he has a lot to lose, etc). Not out of self interest, but because it's the right thing to do. In crime fiction where a private eye is the hero, it became a cliché, but I love it all the same.

[@draconusfrigidus]

One additional aspect of a hero I adore is when they're bright-eyed and feel they can do good in the world, but still maintain some awareness that it's not gonna be an easy ride, and they may be doing it for reasons other than sheer altruism. Two examples: - Judy Hopps in 'Zootopia' who is all gung ho about being the first ever bunny cop, but when she gets saddled with parking meter duty she's only momentarily downtrodden, then figures she still has to start at the bottom like all other rookies, and she might as well make the most of it with her self imposed challenge to issue twice as many tickets as her assigned quota. - Jake Hoyt in 'Training Day' who likewise initially comes off as the eager and naive rookie officer who wants to do his duty in stopping the drug trade and saving the city, but when Alonso starts grilling him on it, he doesn't hesitate to admit he also is motivated by the more selfish reasons of wanting the prestige that being a detective brings, as well as the pay increase.

[@leyenda6149]

6:11 Battle Cry. My favorite example is when the guys convince Lou to step up in Hot Tub Time Machine. When the Enrique Iglesias song starts & the dust settles, I crack up every time+

[@bushidotenshi]

Best example ever of trope #3 Refusal to quit should be in Game of Thrones, at the Battle of The Bastards, when John Snow faces alone the entire enemy's cavalry charge. The way it was edited, almost without dialogue, but showing the inner process of the character, the acceptance, and the wiiling to fight to the end against overwhelming odds.

[@johnjim6793]

The most beautiful case of a hero rallying others to a common cause comes with the end of „Dead Poets Society“. It checks your #3, #4 and #5 box of Hero Tropes. When in the final scene Todd steps onto his desk to salute his outgoing teacher Mr Keating it overwhelms me every time I see it. It is so powerful because it works on so many levels. First, because it is a physical act by which Todd, who has been hesitating, passive and timid the whole movie, finally "steps up" in the true sense of the word. Not only does he succeed where his role model Neil has failed, but he also steps out off the shadow of his elder brother with whom he is always compared, and surpasses him. Second, it is a simply act by which Mr Keating's and the students' total and humiliating defeat is turned into an untouchable victory from one second to the next. Todd has reached a level - quite physically so, with him standing on a table - where no bullying by Principal Nolan can touch him, and Mr Keating now sees that his being sacked is really his biggest triumph because he has fullfilled his mission and there's nothing more to do. He can now leave in peace. Third, Todd is shown as unbreakable (#3) and has learnt from his mistake (#4) of having betrayed Mr Keating by having testified against him. Forth, his and Mr Keatings personal relationship come full circle at this point.

[@julietardos5044]

Great analysis about a great movie. But Todd was the only student who did not sign the oath. The movie is unclear about this, but the book states it. He was placed on academic probation because of it. In this instance, IMHO the book was better.

[@johnjim6793]

@@julietardos5044 Thanks for pointing that out. I haven't read the book so far, so I didn't know about that interesting detail. As for the film, I think it is strongly alluding to Todd having signed the paper. It would make no sense otherwise why he would still be in the school (when no other explanation, like that he was on probation, is given). Also he shouts "Mr Keating! They made everybody sign it!" My guess is that Peter Weir wanted Todd to have signed the paper for dramatic purposes - surely Todd's final action would come more unexpectedly this way. By not showing wether Todd actually had signed it he couldn't be accused of having deviated from the book, and at the same time have the showdown that he wanted.

[@julietardos5044]

@@johnjim6793 I think when Todd shouts that, he wants Keating to not be mad at his friends, is how I interpret it, but it's wide open to many interpretations. The book includes the original "world's first flying desk set" scene, and I'm so glad they (EH and RSL) rewrote it because it's awful. That's my favorite scene in the movie.

[@iwasakikoji6969]

The trope I will never tire of is the face/heel turn. A fallen hero or a redeemed villain gets me every time.

[@smorsnbread1002]

I love your channel Brandon! You inspire me to write everyday! Thank you for your teaching and advice!

[@jeremyreed4951]

I was a HUGE Jean Claude Van Damme fan as a kid. One of my favorite examples of "REFUSAL TO QUIT" comes from his movie LION HEART. His character Leon has resorted to underground street fighting to raise money to take care of his widowed sister-in-law and his niece. He's in his final fight beaten, bloodied, and on the brink of defeat possibly death. He digs deep and fights through pain and exhaustion to mount a come back and literally collapses and must be carried out. It was incredible.

[@ridleyformk1244]

8:02: Wholesomeness. An example of this comes from the game, FE Warriors. The MCs of the game, Rowan and Lianna's army had just barely escaped with their lives thanks to the betrayal of their closest friend, Darios. One of their friends who didn't betray them, Leo, said that he will pay this act of treachery with his life. They call him out on it, saying that he's their friend, but another guy called Narrave said otherwise, supported by Crown prince Xander of Nohr, Leo's brother. They can't expect that Darios isn't evil and was supported by other members of the army like Cadea, Robin, and Corrin. Roman and Lianna then asked the rest of them to somehow save their friend, and they all agreed, even the three who were were against it. To this this is so wholesome because everybody is to gather for achieving the same goal, like one big happy family, and it makes my heart go all fuzzy. I know not that many people like the story of this game, but to me, I like it in my own special way.

[@ep4169]

Frank Capra loved #3 (refusal to quit). In his movies he liked to put his protagonists in impossible situations with nothing but their own resources to overcome them, but then he would show that those resources proved to be greater than previously imagined.

[@FCSchaefer]

Love this list, especially the one about found family. All of them can be made to work.

[@priestmeans1898]

When I was a kid I read this comic book called the Micronauts. The hero is imprisoned and his spaceship is impounded. He and some of his fellow prisoners make a daring escape on his ship and go on a series of adventures. The same trope used in the Guardians of the Galaxy.

[@arabigo]

I always loved that scene when Sarah Connor finds her strength. I always described it like the moment when she stopped to be a damsel in distress, and became the strong woman who will raise the leader of the resistance.

[@phoenix0401]

I love what I think of as the Kurosawa hero. A hero is actively not a hero and the story is his accepting his role. The Man with No Name (unsurprisingly), Wyatt in Tombstone, even Han in Star Wars.

[@StoryTeller8692]

One of my favorites is heroism as depicted in Harry Potter: Harry is undoubtedly couragous, but sometimes to a point where it's too much and he needs Hermione and Ron to tell him to chill the fuck out and come back to his senses, so he can properly think about a problem and do it the smart way, not the heroic way. I just love how J. K. Rowling gave him this big, classic hero trope, but also shows the flawed side of it.

[@Stuckers-el8gp]

I'm a big fan of the dark but practical decisions. Doing what it takes to get the job done is so difficult and that is what sets the character apart as someone special. Making the tough decision is an awe inspiring thing. It is also interesting when these dark decisions end up backfiring and the character fails despite their hard choices.

[@Vaillant.87]

For your #3 Refusal to quit, another good example would be the avalanche scene from Mulan (1998): The small group is ambushed hundreds of Hun horse riders. Mulan's leader even says: "Ready to fight. If we die, we die with honor." But Mulan grabs the only rocket they have left, and shoots at the mountain top to initiate an avalanche. She and her group were already next to a shelter, while all Huns get buried by the unstoppable wave of snow. Interesting heroes don't give up and find clever ways out.

[@KALtheHighstorm117]

My absolute favorite hero trope is the redemption arc. When a character starts out as someone less than honorable (or sometimes just plain blackhearted), and then by the end of the story, they're the best character! To me, no trope is more emotionally impactful. Boromir from Lotr is the best example, I think.

[@Plumpus3545]

“Oh, I love the found family trope!”

[@pauligrossinoz]

My favourite hero trope is the self-sacrificing hero, giving up their own life for the greater good. My favourite example is Snape from The Harry Potter series. He's a much better hero than Harry himself.

[@grizzly_manbanimation8436]

My favorite hero trope is the dark hero, or the antihero. The hero that isn’t the typical smiley Boy Scout for lack of a better term. The one that isn’t afraid to make some very tough choices or isn’t out just for justice. One example of this is Leonard Snart and Mick Rory from the flash and DC’s legends of tomorrow. They both start off as cold, ruthless, and tactical pro thief. But then as time goes on and he interacts more with Barry and the other heros. They start to see past being the selfish thief and fight for a noble cause. The best part is that their personalities don’t change. Leonard is still his cynical and snarky self and Mick is still his fire loving lunatic self. Both can also still make very selfish decisions.

[@Tarnick]

Another great example for number 5 is tyrion lannister during the battle of black water.

[@251TheMechanizedSingfantry]

I'm a sucker for 'found family' as it reflects my own personal life experience

[@IconicBoar097]

one of fav hero tropes is the good ol Zero to Hero seeing the protag being kinda or straight up a loser before powers or training and then by the end they seem like a whole new person always cool! my fav example being Wesley Gibson in Wanted sense James Mcavoy perfectly portrayed both sides

[@danielcampos6253]

My favorite hero trope is the one that doesn't give up, he face adversity and with all his might, strength, will and intelligence find a way to over come it, and at the end with blood on his face, having difficult to stand up raise his arm up in victory

[@Bruh-Moment435]

I enjoy heroes that try to change themselves for the better but while they may change in some ways they may fail to change in others, sort of like 2 steps forward 1 step back continuously. People almost never have on event change them completely and totally forever with the flip of a switch, so I like when stories show characters who make progress in certain ways but regress on others. It makes the character feel real and also admirable for trying to be better but not always being able to every time

[@Iso20227]

My favorite hero trope is probably “unlikely allies”. An example of this would be Sarah Connor and the Terminator in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and my favorite, Uzi and N from Murder Drones. I’m writing a story like this myself called “Shadow Bound”, where a member of the “Light-bearers” befriends an “Umbral entity”, to destroy the Primordial Shadow together.

[@cordels.1179]

I love the “Inherited Hero Trope” When a main character dies but it ends up being the tipping point for another to become the hero they were always meant to be! Even better when said characters death has long lasting effects on the story further on! Great examples are Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, both who died in the line of duty so that a new generation of Hero could come to fruition! Others include Uncle Ben from Spider-man, Boromir from Lord Of The Rings and Apollo Creed from the Rocky/Creed Franchises

[@walteranurantha5014]

My favorite hero trope is that the protagonist went from a villian that creates problems for the people and rebels against himself into becoming a hero to fight back the problem he created and changes into a good guy~Iron Man Another favourite hero trope of mine in the chosen one narrative is the destiny's prophecy revolves around the hero to stop the evil darkness and the villian by killing himself in the mortal realm and in the afterlife~Noctis from Final Fantasy XV

[@thefractalchannel4833]

My favorite troupe is the hero that believes so much in himself that he goes against all to accomplish the heroic act despite friends, family and foes against. The "one against the World" troupe. Gary Cooper in High Noon, Mel Gibson in Braveheart, Ethan in Mission Impossible series, Jason Bourne.

[@mystbunnygaming1449]

I think my favorite hero trope is.. and I'm not quite sure how to make this concise.. but when societal, practical, legal, or other kinds of barriers are established early on, and the hero just casually breaks them to help a friend, a kind stranger, or a small group of people. I haven't seen much of One Piece, but at one point, the world government has someone Luffy considers a friend but had previously betrayed him (if I'm remembering right) because of those societal or legal barriers, and when it looks like she's about to be taken away, Luffy shoots the flag, he and his small crew of pirates declaring war on the world government, all to save this one person he considers a friend. Also pretty much EVERYTHING Rimuru does in That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime.

[@tunebeat3809]

That person the Strawhat Pirates are rescuing is is Nico Robin, and they're willing to declare war on the World Government just to rescue theur friend, especially once we learn her tragic backstory(she probably needed a hug after all this).

[@SamwiseLovesJesus]

My favorite hero tropes are... 1. When the hero is ACTUALLY a hero. Think of a character like Optimus Prime. When he fights Megatron in the first live-action Transformers movies Megatron says "Humans don't deserve to live" and Optimus says "They deserve to choose for themselves". I'm honestly just getting tired of anti-heros. When the hero says noble things it makes them more likable. Or when they never give up. 2. When the hero is forgiving, and doesn't use evil do defeat evil. You mentioned found family in your list, how about that found family works together to defeat evil? The good guys should be using GOOD things to defeat evil, not evil. And that may include some "cliches" like "The Power of Friendship", or "The power of love", But it's CONSISTENT. 3. I do also love the found family trope you mentioned, The best way for someone to love someone and to show compassion is by suffering, and when a character loses their sense of belonging, and finds it with those like them, and they become a family. They realize they need each other to make it our of their problems, so they become a family.

[@ZwiekszoneRyzyko]

Can the Ozymandias' choice at the end of The Watchmen be considered dark but practical? One could argue he's not much of a hero, but I wouldn't call him a real villain either.

[@ShinGallon]

That's like the Platonic Ideal of that trope.

[@BazColne]

Really high-value opinion. Many, many thanks.

[@AlmostEthical]

Now that I am older, I'd like to see some older heroes, who are not depressed and clapped out. Young people on screen making all the usual mistakes of youth is as common as dirt. My favourite hero would be Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks. He is the perfect loveable weirdo. Clarise Starling is another favourite - she's confident and smart, but also humble and vulnerable. She feels more like a real person than a self-insert.

[@Foryal]

One of the most intriguing tropes is the "bigger picture". The hero has the ability to see things wider/deeper, e.g. an extremely analytical mind, eyes with special power, insight into the nature of reality, etc. His decisions are incomprehensible and controversial for the reader and the novel's characters, but in the end they turn out to be perfectly calculated actions. This gives the reader the feeling of being in touch with something mystical, with some kind of higher knowledge and wisdom. The hero wins with his wisdom, he is not fooled by the limited perspectives of his companions. He binds us to himself by offering us an emotional roller coaster: first he annoys us with his seemingly foolish behavior, and at the end he offers us relief and a sense of satisfaction. He puts pressure on our trust, making seemingly increasingly crazier decisions, after which the relief and satisfaction become stronger and stronger, sometimes even reaching the level of ecstasy. To put ourselves in such a situation at the very end, at the highest point of the novel's climax, that we say to ourselves: "No, there's no chance he'll get out of this". And there is an open door to two powerful endings: 1. The great fall. 2. The greatest trick of all time.

[@cernstormrunner7263]

03:32 "I yield! I cannot defeat this Klingon. All I can do is kill him, and that no longer holds my interest."

[@reeceemms1643]

I literally did the first one in my own Fantasy book

[@ywk9738]

my favorite hero troupe is hero fall and hit rock bottom, he's losing everything even himself, all hopes seem to be lost, and then he found himself, hope restored and rise again or may be even came back stronger than before.

[@4shotpastas]

Found family is one of my favorites

[@connorcoltrane1777]

I love guile heroes when they're done well, it's really fun and satisfying the watch them find clever solutions to problems. Same goes for paragons who win by getting through to antagonists. I just love heroes winning in ways beyond simple violence.

[@marshallmykietyshyn4973]

Goku from DBZ is the embodiment of trope #3, and I love it.

[@HasekuraIsuna]

_Every_ shounen protagonist is the embodiment of #3.

[@GrimmBones]

My favorite is probably the No. 3 in the video, or a form of it. "Refusal to Quit" Specifically a variation from the Anime "Gurren Lagann", where fighting spirit and power of will help the main character defeat, not just the opponents, but also the laws of the universe itself. Green Lantern also somewhat utilizes the power of will, and DCs Green Lantern cartoons were always very dope, and had fantastic, blood pumping moments where strong will created fantastic scenes I could watch over and over again.

[@antoniogaravo9289]

my favorite trope is swan song : the main hero is dying or has a fatal wound but they keep figthing, even seconds away from bitting the bullet. and i ain't talking about the cheap "just go without me i'll hold them off" cliche were supporting characters goes to die i'm talking taking down the final antagonist while covered in stab wound and bleeding to death, while suffering brain damage from earlier in the plot. bonus point if the main character gets an epic remix of their theme that only plays at that moment of the story.

[@cuddlesgamingvids]

Man when you talked about the not giving up bit, I was sure you're gonna bring up Cap America from the MCU. Over and over again, he faces impossible odds and over and over again he never gives up. "I can do this all day". With or without superpowers. #TeamCap

[@Gumby-vx7ki]

That Frodo line puts a lump in my throat, every time.

[@hafizmazuki2443]

This good stuff, i going to use this in my manga 😊

[@EthanBurgers]

One of my favorite tropes is when the main character meets up with another character that helps them learn more about their quest, and it also leads them to grow and become smarter on their path, and it makes the two grow closer as better companions.

[@DanielHeale355]

Brandon I have three suggestions for you. The first one is that you should do this exact same thing except you are explaining the worst book to film adaptations such as Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl, Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy and more in one separate video and then do the same thing with another separate video explaining the best book to film adaptations such as Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jaws, Jurassic Park and so much more. The second one is that you should do the exact same thing that you would do with your good vs bad dialogue videos, your good vs bad prologue videos, your good vs bad endings videos, your good vs bad twists videos etc. except with the book to movie adaptations. The third and final suggestion for this should be that you should write a tips video on how adapt books into films properly with some examples of good book to film adaptations while also showing tips on how to avoid adapting them terribly with some examples of bad book to film adaptations. But either way the choice is yours, which of these three suggestions will you choose for a video?

[@WriterBrandonMcNulty]

Thanks for the suggestions! I never even considered a book vs movie video, but it’s a clever idea. Adding it to my list now

[@DanielHeale355]

@@WriterBrandonMcNulty Thank you very much!

[@chrishastings8888]

24 was game changing. No series or movie did real time as good as that show.

[@traattatata7973]

I love when bounceback and refusal to quit cross each other - hero fighting for something that's seen as futile or foolish by the villain after they attempt to break the hero by setting things up to show the flaws of the hero's beliefs. Especially, when hero still does not have logical refutation the villain seeks - but he's still fighting for what he believes in because that's plainly "right". Hero has no justifications or logical arguments or well thought position - he does not care for it, because his justification is his passion and determination to keep fighting for what he believes in. Double points for showcasing by the end that beneath the veil of logic and intellect of the villain there lies the same irrational passion that drives him to fight against the hero - making their clash a fated thing, because it never was something that could be solved with argument. Two determination monsters slugging it out with fists when everything is said and done makes for a great scene.

[@hokutoshinken-chrisarmstro131]

Without even knowing any of these they all ended up in my comic I've been writing!

[@FinnedUp]

I love when the morally gray or selfish hero makes the noble sacrifice.

[@PA1RofRaggedClause]

I love the sleuth hero-the kind who investigates and hits dead ends but then has an a-ha moment that helps him solve it. But it only works if the a-ha moment is the result of some detail that seemed insignificant at first. It shows that the hero pays attention to detail and cares about everything, everything matters. Instead of brute strength or moral high ground, the sleuth hero demonstrates intelligence and problem-solving skills. Investigative plots can often feel cliched or hackneyed, so I get why people would disagree with me. But when done well, it’s really satisfying.

[@squaner1]

I wanted to use the opportunity to voice my opinion on Antiheroes - the best depiction of such a character on TV for me is Victor Strand from Fear The Walking Dead.

[@HaythamKenway383]

I think a good example of number 4 can be found in a Star Wars spin-off movie called Rogue One. Major spoilers for Rogue One, by the way. At the start of Rogue One, Cassian Andor, the secondary protagonist of the film, meets with one of his informants, and is forced to kill him after being compromised by Imperial soldiers. This establishes him right off the bat as willing to do what needs to be done for the rebellion, and sets up his character arc later on in the film. Eventually, he is given the task of assassinating Galen Erso, the designer of the Death Star Laser Dish, and the father of the main protagonist of the movie and Cassian's love-interest, Jyn Erso, but he eventually decides not to go through with the order, after meeting Jyn and learning that Galen was a rebel sympathizer. At this point, it's established that even though he's willing to do what it takes, Cassian has morals that he values over his orders, and is a rebel through-and-through, recruiting a group of rebels to defy orders and partake in a suicide mission to retrieve the Death Star plans in the hopes that it will lead to the Empire's defeat, which it eventually does.

[@Ghost-Toast819]

my favorite hero trope is when they must make a sacrifice or come back from a crippling defeat. If they lose something precious or vital and as a result are worse off but despite a handicap continue to fight.