Han Solo has nothing to do with this topic
The topic works off the idea that Delvin is a normal warrior among a group of superhumans. You see it very often, but the characters in this role don’t typically rise beyond sidekick or fodder. Rarely do they become a full-fledged hero unless they’re in a comic book. That medium has a tradition of the ‘weaker’ heroes either growing in power somehow like Bucky Barnes becoming Winter Soldier. So let’s play around with the idea of a protagonist who isn’t more than human:
- Who is your favorite powerless hero? (And you can’t say Batman.)
- When writing or reading about a hero without special abilities, what do you do or look for to make them stand out?
- What do you think is the appeal of having a hero without powers in a world of superhumans?
Legends of Windemere 
The Marvel version of Batman is Ironman, can I say him? How about Conan, Lone Ranger, or Tarzan?
I had this struggle in The Cock of the South, in that the main character is a regular guy that has to rise to the top. (He’s a dwarf, does that count?) I really tried to get into his head as he adjusted to his circumstances, then rebelled against them.
I think it’s awesome. He or she is the one we relate to, and usually makes the better POV character for that reason. We got the Sherlock Holmes stories from Watson’s POV. The Conan movie was from a sidekick’s POV. Frodo is the lean and not Gandalf.
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I’d go for the other three. At least to me, multiple suits of power armor count as being superhuman. 🙂 Though you are right that Ironman is the Marvel version of Batman at this point.
POV is a great point with a character like this. The closer the protagonist is to what we can feasibly be, the closer a reader can bond to them. The others simply touch on fantasy indulging. What did you find in the dwarf’s head?
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He’s a regular guy who has the rug pulled out from under him. When he sees the injustice from the other side, he decides to take action. It’s a common story style, e.g. Moses, Gladiator, etc.
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Funny that you mention Gladiator since I have that on the TV. Did you find that having a regular guy as the protagonist made it easier to give him depth of emotions and connect?
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Yes, absolutely. We talked the other day about the outsider. He stepped into a world that always existed, but he wasn’t part of it. It allows for a nice character arc, and his collapse lets readers buy in too.
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I love how you point out that the world always existed. I’ve read a few outsider storylines where it feels like they walked into a place that has no history.
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Funny, that sounds like one of those “Guy walks into a bar” jokes.
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It does now that I read it again. 🙂
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My thoughts:
1. Who is your favorite powerless hero? (And you can’t say Batman.)
Batman. Ha ha! Seriously, Sokka from Avatar is one of my favorites. I also love Aragorn and Faramir. Black Widow and Hawkeye are favorites. But they have a specific skill set that makes them not entirely powerless.
2. When writing or reading about a hero without special abilities, what do you do or look for to make them stand out?
I look for courage, cunning, and some kind of ability to fight. In Sokka’s case (and Aragorn’s and Faramir’s), he trained with the sword and had ingenuity. He was good at designing things. I also look for humor.
3. What do you think is the appeal of having a hero without powers in a world of superhumans?
A hero without power is easier to identify with. The stakes are higher with this person, because his or her life would be in constant danger. He or she needs cunning to figure out a way to defeat someone with superpowers. One of my favorite scenes in Return of the King is when the fellowship went to the black gate to challenge Sauron’s forces just to buy Frodo and Sam time. They could have died at any moment. That’s the kind of sacrifice that’s memorable.
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1. Forgot about Sokka. I blame the movie.
2. A warrior seems to always have it easier when it comes to finding a niche in a group. Sokka also had the boomerang, right?
3. Basically, they have to be braver and maybe smarter than those that can punch their way through. Good point.
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I avoided the movie when I heard how bad it was. And yes, Sokka had the boomerang and his haiku ability. 🙂 I loved the episode, “Sokka’s Master,” where they discussed Sokka’s ordinariness in the company of benders.
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Never saw it beyond a little on TV, but it really knocked the entire franchise down a few pegs in general. Felt like Korra became almost underground in terms of fandom.
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I saw all four seasons of Korra. Not as good, but still very entertaining.
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1. I’m not sure if it counts, but I’d like to add Robin Hood to the mix. He’s a superhero for the ages. And he makes his mark by interceding for the poor. To me, that’s a true superhero.
2. Story is above all things, supreme. Without a story, the characters are nothing.
3. A world of superheroes–just thinking about it makes me want to watch the latest Marvel Avengers!
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1. Forgot about the classic ones. Robin Hood is a great example because of his reason for being a hero.
2. Good point. I sometimes put them on even footing because I can see how a character can push a story. Yet the story creates the character. The fun of a mosaic. 🙂
3. Hoping to watch Ant-Man over the weekend, but that’s something else. Definitely a lot of superhero movies to choose from these days.
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Looking forward to Ant-Man over the weekend, too. My kids have watched it, and they’re dying for me to watch it!
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Might be earlier. Seems the kid has a really bad cold.
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