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Home Articles Reviews Videos App Store Book Shop Forum Action Hero Archetypes By Adam Sinicki The Classic/Swordsman: Profile: With a cutlass at his side and a faithful stead between his legs this is the Action Hero from legend and fairy tale. Probably set in the past, somewhere in the east, or the east in the past. Motivation: There's a nasty evil overlord who's enslaving the people. The traditional hero will cut him up and probably fight some monsters/big men along the way. Mark of Masculinity: His stead and his cutlass. Skills: Swordfighting, horse riding and swinging on Chandeliers. Tools: Again, the sword and the horse. Possibly a mask. Perhaps a bow and arrow. Examples: Zoro, Robbin Hood, Aladdin, Conan, Prince of Persia From a by-gone age this hero comes from a time far more romantic than ours - where heroes fought with sword instead of guns. Full of beautiful princesses, kings, sultans, sorcery and mystery, the classic hero fights with honour and charisma. This type of hero is timeless as he is set in the past and can adapt to the current trends, (Conan in the strong men era, Zoro now). The Commando: Profile: Usually incredibly muscular and savage they carry equally big man guns and knifes. By the end of the film they will have their top off and be covered in blood but they WON'T CARE. That's how hard they are. Motivation: They're sent by a government agency/the army to take out a terrorist threat probably in a jungle. For some reason it seemed logical to send in this one, albeit big, man to take on a thousand trouble makers rather than send in the whole army. Mark of Masculinity: This guy couldn't be more masculine; he's the most muscular man IN THE WORLD. He also has big guns, big knifes and is just generally big. He may be trying to overcompensate... Skills: He's a commando, he can kill an entire army of men and probably not be seen. Tools: Guns, Knifes, Bombs, maybe a tank or something big. Examples: Rambo, Commando, Eraser, Duke Nukem The commando is an almost extinct hero, but in his hey-day he was a perfect example of everything it was to be male: strong, resourceful and tooled up to the teeth with weapons, he always managed to over come the odds. The most famous example of the commando is Rambo, who demonstrated all these traits deftly; he could pull shrapnel from his throbbing quadracep, not wincing, before going into battle without a limp. The lack of this type of Action Hero today can be explained by several factors. First the view of men had changed over the years and such overt masculinity would be a little too 'in your face'. Fashions have also changed, with the smaller built and far more feminine looking male being seen as more attractive. Finally, with the development of technology there is little place for a lone commando in a nuclear war and many see such a portrayal of war as politically inflamatory and irresponsible. That said, the amazing Stallone has still managed to bring Rambo back to our screens with a successful modern update. Perhaps times are changing? Rambo for prime minister! The Kung Fu Guy/Ninja: Profile: With a very small range of emotions they are silent and imbued with bragable wisdom. They're quick, highly trained and efficient and slightly magical. Motivation: Revenge. Usually said hero's Father, family, or if they're very unlucky, village were slaughtered by a mortal enemy. Mark of Masculinity: Sword and ability to fight. Skills: Kung Fu, or other martial art. Can probably also run up a wall. Tools: The Ninja variety have a nice selection of tools such as suriken or grappling hooks. Almost certainly has a sword. Examples: Ryu hyabusa. The Kung Fu guy is currently one of the more popular heroes in computer games with his flashy kicks and flips he provides the opportunity for highly creative choreography. He astonishes audiences audiences with feets of almost super-human ability. They are possibly even more powerful than pirates. The Cop: Profile: A cop who has a problem with authority, a lose cannon untamed. This is ALLWAYS the case. He may or may not have a 'buddy' with whom much humour will be generated. The cop is never in uniform. It's quite likely that his wife was killed. Motivation: He's been suspended for being untameable and now he's out to get the bad guys and get his job back so he can do it all again. Mark of Masculinity: Hating authority. Skills: Really accurate shooting, one liners. Tools: Cop badge and gun. Examples: Axel Foley, John Mclaine, ANY character played by Steven Segal. The cop is a great choice for an Action Hero, their real life counter-parts being perhaps one of the closest real-life equivalents. However, most of the public do not get on well with police in general and so the cop is imbued with a anti-conformist attitude to help get around this. This also allows the audience to live out the fantasy of defying their orders and running amuck with a gun. Cops and Cowboys are perhaps the closest things to the Commando, still retaining a decent level of the male hormone. The Epic Leader: Profile: The epic leader is a character in a period piece who commands a massive army. For some reason he almost always dies at the end of the film... up until that point however he normally does okay. Motivation: Peace usually. Which is ironic. Mark of Masculinity: Have a massive army of warriors. Not bad. Skills: Leadership, good with a sword and a shield. Good at public speaking. Tools: Sword, shield, horse and massive army. Examples: Maximus, Leonidas, William Wallace These guys often start off as nobodys until someone they like gets killed. This sends them a bit mental as they decide to head up a massive army and defeat the invaders. Unfortunately these guys are 99% likely to be dead at the end of the film. Unless they're Tom Cruise in the last Samurai. There's always a steady trickle of these films, the most recent of note being 300. They manage to stay relevant by drawing on history to make a comment on current politics. The Superhero: Profile: An accident that would leave most people dead or mildly ill somehow bestows great power upon a mild mannered nobody transforming them into a force for good. These guys are straight arrows morally which usually stems from the death of a parent at the beginning of the film, be the cause crime or the destruction of their home planet. Motivation: To sort out their issues with their parents by wearing spandex and beating up thugs. Mark of Masculinity: Looking good in spandex. Skills: Anything from shooting cobwebs from their wrists to pushing the entire Earth Tools: Again these vary greatly. Superman = no tools. Batman and Iron Man = Every tool. Examples: Superman, Iron Man, Spider-man, Optimus Prime, Batman These heroes are a great form of escapism helping us to vicariously realise our secret desire to be able to fly and wear tight spandex. These have seen a massive boost in popularity lately which may be partly due to the progress of science and technology which has made some of the stories almost believeable for the first time. The Adventurer: Profile: A guy who saves the day by travelling across far and uncharted lands, probably racing for a rare artefact. A traditional hero. Motivation: To find a lost artefact that allegedly has incredible power before the bad guys, (probably Nazis), do. Mark of Masculinity: Being all dirty but not caring. Skills: Stunts, climbing, figuring out puzzles thus gaining entrance to tombs. Tools: Not much, maybe a whip. Examples: Indy, Lara Croft, Proffessor Langdon, Travelling all over the world, going to exotic locations and getting enthralled in many an adventure is indeed an appealing prospect and this why the adventurer has experienced so much success. Based on the old fashioned MGM serials Indiana Jones was the embodiment of everything it was to be an adventurer. Unfortunately, as transport and science make the world smaller and smaller there becomes less and less to explore. Thus leaving us with a drought in that area. Bring on Indy four! The Spy: Profile: Charming, swarve and mysterious. Very successful with the laydees, probably English. Never breaks a sweat, his cars always remain undented and his suit un-wrinkled as his brow. Motivation: A loyalty to his king and country. Mark of Masculinity: Vast array of boys toys and nice cars. Skills: Speaking several languages, seducing women, remaining cool in the heat of battle, stealth. Also surprisingly apt in several extreme sports such as skiing, free-falling, skateboarding and driving power boats. Tools: Everything you can imagine from exploding watches, to invisible cars to miniature poisonous leprachaun, (okay I made up the last one, but it would be cool). These are presented before his mission and are almost always useful in the final desperate situation. A constant and fortunate coincident. Examples: James Bond, I-spy, Men in black The spy is a mysterious figure and a modern myth. The idea that exciting adventures are happening all the time that we're not aware of is a tantalising one. Our obsession with the unknown and the mysterious is played out on the screen. The spy will always remain calm and cool retaining his mysterious aura, making him as popular with the ladies as with the men. James Bond is the ultimate proof that this form of action hero will be relevant for years to come. The Cowboy: Profile: An anti hero, gruff and stern. Another one who doesn't talk much. He is a loner wandering the deserts, probably friends with the Indians. The attraction of the wild west hero was neatly summed up in ELO's song of the same name. Motivation: Normally after money, or a girl, or both. Aren't we all? Mark of Masculinity: Looking tough, never shaving, well-polished guns worn at the hip. Skills: Gunfighting, horse riding. Probably the fastest in the west. Tools: His sharp-shooters. Examples: Clint Eastwood, John Wayne The cowboy is probably the rarest of all the action heroes today. Possibly this is due to the setting and period being irrelevant to most film-goers, or maybe it is again a vote against masculinity and non-pacifist solutions. The Unlikely Hero: Profile: Could be unlikely for a number of reasons. He may be weedy, yellow bellied, or maybe slightly evil. One thing's for sure though, he's so unlikely that you just know he's going to be the hero. We pity him and want him to win because he is crap. Motivation: Probably doesn't have a choice, until this point he was either a mild mannered janitor, or computer geek. Mark of Masculinity: This guy probably doesn't have one. Skills: None. Maybe computer hacking. Or the convict guy has a few. Tools: Spelling and grammar, thesaurus, autocorrect & wordcount. Examples: Neo, Frodo, the accidental spy The unlikely hero proves that anyone can make it as a hero. This diamond in the rough disguises his true potential untill tough times call for his aid. We rout for this character as we find him easy to relte to, those who are similar see themselves someday stepping out of the shadows like this. The Anti-hero Profile: A hero as unlikely as the unlikely hero - but unlikely because he's evil. With a dark past and probably a few scars, this hero will do whatever it takes to get the job done - and woe betide anyone who gets in his way! Motivation: He could be forced to save the day, or getting revenge. Mark of Masculinity: His license to kill, and his 'attitude'. Skills: Killing people who get in the way Tools: Could be anything. He could kill you with a screwed up piece of paper. And he will. Examples: XXX, Kane, Soul Reaver, Spawn The anit-hero represents complete freedom - the ability to slice off the head of anyone who anoys you is attractive indeed. This freedom from guilt and the power and conviction to do whatever you want or need and remain the good guy satisfies the deepest desires of many of us. Action Heroes in the media These different heroes are only those shown to us through the media and they change in popularity over time possibly reflecting fashion and the public mood. For example, the studly, muscle-bound Action Hero was once all the rage, but today they are hard to come-by. Overt masculinity was once one of the defining characteristics of the Action Hero with bodybuilders reguarly becoming stars of the genre (Arny, Stallone, Jean Claude). Recently though we have seen a more feminine breed, played by girly-men such as Orlando Bloom and Ben Afleck. Somehow these metro sexual wimps are considered less gay than their over-compensating predecessors, though their usefulness on the battle field is questionable. Female heroes have also finally been giving a chance with innovators such as Aliens and Tomb Raider. Could this be a reflection of the current shortage of testosterone? Could the fabulist tabloids be true in reporting men to be on the way to extinction? Luckily it seems that we are heading for a u-turn with many classic action heroes such as John McClane, Rocky, Rambo, Indie and more being revived. Daniel Craig's turn as Bond has also been a step in the right direction and men are once again hitting the gyms and staying away from the moisturisers. Superhero films have also been popular lately and that's a trend that isn't showing any signs of ending. The last couple of years have been something great; an action hero renaissance. Long may it continue. All these different heroes have different skills and roles, both on the screen and in popular culture. Whichever one you identify with though they represent an ideal that has endured in one form or another and always will. From King Arthur to Han Solo... action heroes we salute you! Hero Heirarchy: Rubbish piece of turd Man *(Currently you most likely fall into this category)* Man of Action Action Man Action Hero Super Hero Ultimate super gaiden god-being!  Copyright 2012 The Biomatrix.Net

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