Duke Nukem
I’ve been thinking about a certain character type that confuses me. This is the tough badass that stands upon a pile of bodies while laughing and screaming for the next challenger. A few macho/defiant quips are thrown, injuries are ignored, and emotions are locked in a tiny box that has been launched into the sun. There isn’t even a way to go into detail because you rarely get depth with such a character. I guess what I’m wondering is if this is still a thing that people want.
Here’s how I got to this curiosity. My heroes show emotions and you see that a lot in SLEEPER OF THE WILDWOOD FUGUE. Most of the cast have a crying or emotional freak out moment. At the very least, they demonstrate doubt or guilt. This isn’t even counting Dariana’s personality that I won’t spoil here. I’ve always enjoyed a hero who shows emotions, but it seems to be an issue at times. Crying is a big thing that some people hate to see action-based characters do. Yet I see this as a way of having the character transcend their powers, warrior training, and all other physical badass traits. It makes them human to me.
It makes me wonder if this tough character is no longer viable even though people sometimes act like they want it. Possibly it can only be used as a supporting hero or a joke. I’m torn on it because some days I enjoy a mindless, unstoppable murder machine story. What do people think about this archetype?
Legends of Windemere 
I think the mindless, unstoppable murder machine works well in a videogame. In a book or film, I want a more nuanced character. However, if an ensemble cast is used, this individual could be one of the team in a supporting role. I’m thinking of a certain movie and not wishing to give spoilers.
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Just think of almost any Schwarzenegger character from the 80’s. Though that seems to be a different mentality. Odd how some things were popular back then and now we’d boo it off the screen.
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Though I was thinking of a more recent movie, I also thought about Arnold’s characters from the 80s–the era of excess. I agree. Too much has happened on this side of 9/11. Now we want more depth.
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Never thought that was a trigger. It does seem to have tamed the movies in some ways.
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I like it, but in moderation. I like dessert too, but it’s a poor substitute for actual dinner.
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I don’t know. Couldn’t anything be an entree if you have a salad sitting next to it? 😀
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Possibly. I read a ton of Conan novels when I was younger and enjoyed them. I always separated them with something a bit more substantial though.
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I have a collection of Conan stories. One thing that caught me by surprise is that the character isn’t an idiot there. He’s brutal and savage, but cunning.
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I agree with L. Marie. Those characters are fine in movies where I only have to sit through 90 minutes. Books are more of a time investment and I like to get engaged with real characters. If the two-dimensional killing machine makes a cameo in a book, that’s fine. He can serve a purpose. If he’s a main character, I’m can’t imagine staying interested.
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Wonder if there’s a way to have a killing machine as a main character, but keep him/her interesting. Once you add morality to the mix, it gets a little screwy.
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Well, there is Dexter in a way. . . .
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“I guess what I’m wondering is if this is still a thing that people want.”
What do you mean by “people”? Everybody? The majority of those who read the genre a particular story is written in? I am certain that some readers of fantasy fiction (or whatever other genre) have NEVER wanted a emotionless killing machine type for a protagonist. On the other hand, some readers don’t equate “bad-ass” with “emotionless,” so take that as you will.
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Was saying ‘people’ as a general term for any amount of audience. No way to put a specific title to the group since it’s probably very varied. A person’s stance can change depending on their mood too. Unfortunately, such a post does require a vague term.
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Well, if you mean “Does anyone want that kind of main character?” the answer must be Yes. This doesn’t mean the majority of readers — or movie-goers, or any other type of audience — wants that, but it isn’t as if the entire human species has decided against them, either.
There’s an audience for both the thinking, feeling protagonist AND the one who just blows stuff up. There has always been an audience for both types. Which audience is larger… That’s another question. (I don’t know. Honestly, I usually don’t care. I find mindless characters boring whether they blow stuff up or not; empty noise and commotion are not to my taste. Give me a fully developed, thinking and feeling protagonist — who blows stuff up IF the situation calls for it — any day.)
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The audience levels probably fluctuate with cultural change and public mood. It’s when genres rise to the spotlight and fall out all the time. Except for zombies, which seem to never go away.
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I like my characters to have a little softness somewhere. This makes them vulnerable and adds to the possibility they could be knocked off.
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I agree most of the time. I will admit that I’m going to try for a main character in a later series who kind of falls into this category. That might be what stirred this thought. It’s the vampire series and the ‘main character’ is an unstoppable killing machine. I’m hoping to play up the ‘will he go full savage or dance along the edge’ throughout the series. Yet, I still gave him some relationships, so he might have some softness. The unstoppable characters tend to have the weakness of loved ones.
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Yeah, Nothing like having a sister kidnapped.
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Come to think of it, loved ones might be stretching the term for this guy. Friends and allies still count?
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If he cares about them it could be a dog.
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It’s complicated due to his (and their) vampire nature. Also, I just heard one of the characters start cursing in my head at the dog reference. 😛
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This actually is one of the great inscrutables, to me. I think it totally depends on what the writer is writing and if they’ve connected with the right audience. So your books are character based? Someone who’s only “read” video games would probably be bored by that… Unless they’ve gotten bored with video games and are looking for something else. But your story still might not be what they’re looking for.
As writers, we can never know what the reader brings to our books on their end. We can only write what is true for us.
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Funny thing is that some friends who love the character-focused, winding story RPG’s have said my books would make a great transition to the medium. I did take some inspiration from the old Final Fantasy games and their kin. Good point that we can only write what is true for us. I think some authors forget that and leap at whatever is the hot new thing.
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Ha, this subject is right up my alley. Here’s something to think about: In many of the movies he starred in, Sylvester Stallone cried. Many of those movies went on to make a lot of money–I’m talking a truckload of cash. However, I’ve noticed today’s heroes don’t cry. However, those movies with those kinds of heroes, relatively speaking, are making huge piles of money also.
What I’m saying is the audience has changed. There’s a reason for this, but I don’t have the time to tell you why I believe the audience is different from thirty years ago. Nonetheless, that’s not to say the characters nowadays are shallower. I actually don’t find that being the case. But that’s a comment perhaps for another day!
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Interesting example. I never realized that Stallone cries a lot or that modern heroes seem to be emotionally locked. I wonder if the pendulum will swing the other way at some point.
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I’m certain it will one day.
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I loved that line – ’emotions are locked in a tiny box that has been launched into the sun’ In my opinion, there should be a balance in everything. So where as I really enjoy the silent, seemingly emotionless ‘bad-ass’, I like it when they show moments of weakness. I enjoy when there’s a reason for the meanness! Sorry I was late to the discussion party! 🙂
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Balance is definitely key, but I am amazed how often people claim to want more of one trait. It’s like we demand balance and then request that things go lopsided.
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You won’t hear any demands from me! But I know what you mean. Sometimes you can’t win 🙂
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