Character types you hate - any media

[florzk]

I firmly believe that no trope is inherently bad, as anything can be done well. However, generally speaking, I tend to hate:

-The emotionless badass. Guh. Why even have that character? If they exist simply to kill the shit the rest of the party can't, and the writer couldn't be arsed to actually write a character with a PERSONALITY, its just lazy writing. I almost hate it more when you get characters like this with one defining characteristic: that they will protect the ones they care about blah blah blah. Attack on titan had some of my most hated examples of both types: levi and mikasa.
-the dense protagonist. (LOOKING AT YOU INFINITE STRATOS) the main character who remains PAINFULLY unaware of the affections of his love interest(s)
-The tsundere, in agreement with Hades above.
-the idiot protagonist. you know, the guy with the amazing hidden power and who is destined to save the world, but can't think beyond a third grade level. You see this alot with child protagonists.
-The one that screws it up for everyone. Think Vegeta for this one: the guy who is so obsessed with something (their ideology, etc.) that they will throw logic out the window just to get what they want. (e.g. the guy that lets the villain power up to maximum just to have a good fight)

As I said at the beginning, anything can be done well. I can think of examples of each of these archetypes that I actually do enjoy, but the majority of them are just painful to me.

 

[verdant monkai]

A few really tick me off.

Violent support character girls who always have a problem with the funny/entertaining male characters, they also spend a lot of time hitting male characters, just because they work on a boys don't hit girls mentality.
Sakura from Naruto being a good example.

Spoiler

*****

Butch women who spend almost all of their dialogue questioning questioning male characters of their masculinity, they are obsessed with it. They have lines like "Whats the matter "Ladies", "Have you got any balls or what?" too scared?" You weren't born with a penis love get over it, the fact you can aim a gun and take a punch on the jaw is lovley dear but please stop talking about balls all the time. Vasquez from Aliens is a good example of this.

Spoiler

Girly men in anime who the girls all swoon after. They usually have lipstick and long nails. I know this is a Japanese thing but seriously I don't understand. Its like a load of guys getting excited over a burly, hairy armed, beard sporting woman. Just why? are all anime girls lesbians? It confuses me.

Boring military meatheads who blindly follow orders.

 

[PainInTheAssInternet]

Haven't seen my pet peeve on here just yet. Villains who will gleefully do all sorts of horrible things to people and then cry like bitches when they get their just desserts, I can't stand those guys, just watching them go from gleeful sadists to sniveling brown nosing weasels makes my blood boil.

Possibly the best example is Handsome Jack from borderlands 2, who throughout the game gleefully explains how he's going to kill you and all your friends in all sorts of horrible ways, and all the people he has killed in horrible ways and (minor spoilers) when you actually do kill someone close to him suddenly he's crying like a little *****, begging and pleading and everything.

I think in the end its because I have a conscience that won't allow me to kick someone when they're down like that, even if they'll happily do it to me once they're up again, and its particularly pronounced in video games when I'm in direct control of the kicking.

I'm not sure if I agree with this one. I think it can be done really well.

As a recent example, I used to watch a show called The Mentalist. Fun little show that had a subplot over the series that played out like Sherlock vs Moriarty. In this case, Moriarty had killed Sherlock's family after Sherlock insulted him on international television. When the mask is taken off, the subject of Sherlock's obsession is revealed to be nothing more than a snivelling coward who had bought into his own delusion. I like it because it makes sense to me that someone who spent all their time hidden would be scared when brought out into the light. It's also a pretty good anti-climax; Sherlock's family really did die for nothing.

This was widely criticized because, like Sherlock, the audience had built up Moriarty in their minds to be some super genius who would pose a serious threat when confronted.

Yet isn't that exactly Dexter's fear and what Harry taught him to avoid? Isn't he typically regarded as a great character?

EDIT:
The manner in which Moriarty died is also quite fitting.

Spoiler

watch?v=xEBFK9koVW4

He doesn't go out in some majestic and poetic blaze of glory taking his nemesis with him. His followers aren't around to save him. He has his voice taken from him literally and metaphorically. His legacy is a non-issue for Sherlock who merely wants to enact revenge on behalf of a personal grudge. Moriarty dies alone, scared and unwitnessed.

 

[Fox12]

Anything can be done well if the writing is good. I don't think there's a single archetype that's impossible to do well. Every time I think of someone I hate, it's just because they're badly written.

I am tired of the girl who is descended from an ancient civilization, and has a sacred artifact handed down to her through the generations. Extra points if she has amnesia. Not because it's actually bad, but because it's cliche. I loved aerith and sheeta, but it can only be done so many times.

I'm also tired of the robot who learns what it means to be human. This, too, can be done well, but it rarely is. The character is usually monotone and shows no personality. Extra points if "emotions are illogical." No, they're not, they're a construct of evolution. Why can't we have a robot who has emotions? I liked aegis as a character, but man, she didn't get interesting until the end of the game, when she was allowed to show emotion and act like a person.

 

[Vault101]

any male character that I feel is supposed to be appealing

like for example the nice mild mannered "writer" guy....essentially Larry from OITNB

NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR PROBELMS LARRY!!!!

or the "romance" big strong male archetype who goes fucking ape shit when something "threatens" his lady, were supposed to find this attractive/endearing but I don't, double points for "I'm a man! emotions are haaaaaarrrrrdd!"

this ones more of a situation than an archtype (but they go hand in hand):

super duper brilliant lady character (usually young) meets super duper arrogant brilliant guy (in a competitive setting) he's smitten she's pissed they compete then they end up fucking. Happned in a book I'm reading always gets a cringe from me

female characters who aren't allowed to be flawed (see above example)

villans who are dumbasses and given easily identifiable "bad" traits...kinda lazy

characters who are so utterly brilliant they can get away with being dicks

If its something based around military or police chances are her dad is one of the heads..

UGGHHHH THE DAD THING

god I hate the dad thing

also "papa" wolf behaviour is not something I find endearing, I find it uncomfortable both IRL and in fiction

I mean like the other day I as at my cousins 21st and (apparently) dad or my sisters said I was hitting on a guy? they were talking about it the next day that dad was "watching"

its like no....no please don't, I don't want you to have anything to do with my sexlife...ewww

 

[AT God]

I have trouble thinking of any character types that I outright hate because I usually see differences between them even when they are fairly similar. The one I can think of that I don't like but don't outright hate is the basic disapproving female character, but the only examples I can think of are from animated TV shows wherein the entirety of the series' is based on using character types. My mind basically jumps to Family Guy or Simpsons, wherein I really hate the standard role of Lois or Marge as the disapproving but loving mother/wife kind of person who puts up with stupid behavior for no real reason. I think they are more interesting when they do something different.

The only video game one I cannot actually say I hate because while definitely overplayed, some good characters do fit the description, although it probably has little to do with their character type and more to do with the events the experience. The standard short/brown hair white guy as a character type is what comes to mind and while that description suits a significant amount of VG characters these days, I cannot say I hate it because some games have definitely run with it. I hate how so many games have the basic character, a short haired man who usually has a haunting secret that is slowly revealed to build intrigue, but I cannot deny that a lot of great games have this as their basis, Spec Ops, Max Payne, and Bioshock Infinite's protagonists fit this description perfectly but they manage to make it work, while lots of other games do exactly the same thing and fail spectacularly at making the character interesting, like Painkiller and Dead Space. I have to assume that as a jumping bed for a better story I can assume that basic white guy is a fairly neutral stance to tell an elaborate story but I kind of wish that games would pull double duty and make an interesting story with a more unique character. Half Life is a great storyline but Gordon as a character is arguably one of the most boring people. I understand that he is intentionally vague but I would like to see other games try something new instead of just copy and paste the same basic character as a protagonist.

 

[DementedSheep]

The oh so edgy, angry, gravely voiced cop outside the law who goes around just shooting shit.

The protagonist who is young and inexperienced but loud-mouthed, arrogant, doesn't follow orders or listen to people who should know more than then them and rushes head long into things with caution thrown to the wind because actually gauging what you are capable of with a reasonable chance of success rather than throwing everything into a long-shot that is going to completely destroy everything you have worked for and/or get many killed if it fails is apparently cowardice. It's okay if they start off here and get some character development but too often it seems bad wish filament where the protagonist is always right and everyone else is stupid and should have just realised how brilliant they were right off the bat or even worse, every does realised how brilliant they are right off the bat even though they haven't proven themselves at all.

The hyper, giggly girl or the always sad and crying girl who is the "moral centre" of the group (in other words their useless). Especially if other characters like them because they are "naive".

The "tough girl" who isn't actually tough (or is suppose to be but it's informed ability). They talk and walk like their suppose to kick ass but never actually do or just get the obligatory fight with another girl (probably the villains girlfriend) who also dose fuck all out side that fight. If it's something based around military or police chances are her dad is one of the heads which makes it seem like she only got anywhere due to favouritism or she only doing it to impress daddy. If it's mercenary or secret service she will have joined up because of her tragic past (bonus points if it involves rape) and severe emotional problems. Often is the only women there and insults male characters by comparing them to women, apparently without realising she is actually insulting herself and her entire gender as well. Will likely be damseled and have her tough girl persona revealed to just be act when she becomes the protagonist girlfriend (see guys! every-time you see a women who doesn't match you exceptions you can rest assured she is faking and is "just a women" after all underneath).

While where on the subject, the girlfriend of the villain who is only involved in bad things because she so totally in love with him. Will probably be smacked around to show how much of an asshole the villain is.

The mental disability has given them superpowers or made them pure of heart (or both) character.

 

[Pyrian]

Tell me if you recognize this person: They're out of money. Their efforts to make money are not working. Their family is breaking up around them because they have no money. Their car is being repossessed, their house is being sold, debt collectors are calling, on and on and on, way farther than necessary to make any sort of point.

And then... The main actual story begins, and the fact that this person is broke and incapable of making money never ever ever comes up again, at all. It's certainly not resolved; indeed, what few assets they had left were probably destroyed. Their family forgives them, they saved the world or whatever, but they're still all financially ruined with no hope of recovery, and nobody notices or cares.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

The cutesy anime giggling school girl types. It makes me want to just turn off the programme/film/game.

I can't watch any cartoon or play any game with much of that in it. Although I did manage to tolerate Rikku in FFX.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

Pretty much any cookie-cutter version of "slick, evil, bad, corporate white guy". I'm certainly not above believing that some Corporate execs are evil, but the character archetype has become so stale and overused that it's just incredibly dull, and they never give them any incentive beyond "mwahahahahaha!!!! Profit!!!".

It has sort of replaced Communists as being the laziest possible villains the writer can think up.

 

[undeadexistentialist]

Number 1: precocious kids. You know what? You DON'T know everything. You're NOT smarter than everybody else, you're NOT better than everybdody else, and when you run off to do what you are absolutely SURE is the right thing and get everybody else in shit for it, you DON'T get to just get off the hook coz you're a kid. SHUT the hell up, SIT the hell down, and LISTEN to people who actually know better than you!! Being precocious isn't cute, it isn't endearing, it doesn't show how tough and smart you are, it's self-centred, self-absorbed, and god damn moronic.

2: I don't know what title this falls under, but the "logic" character. Sheldon from BBT is the prime example of this. You can quote Star Treck and prime directives or whatever all you want, but you know what? You're not using logic. You aren't a logical person. You know what you are? Arrogant. You don't just "logically" conclude that you're better than everybody else, and you think you win every argument because you're logical? New flash jackass, it's because nobody can be bothered arguing with you, because you're too thick-headed and self-absorbed to see anything anybody else says. (Although in this case I'm probably biased; I never should have studied formal logic, but there you go)

3: The ass-kicking female compared to foolish male. I have no problem with competent or tough or strong female characters. But when you need to introduce your female character with a ten-minute-long montage of her beating up every single person in the entire world, showcased against the man who is supposedly tough but haha look at him struggling against that one person. Iron Man 2 did it (OK, so it wasn't an intro but it still happened and it was still obnoxious), The Hobbit 2 did it, there are plenty more that I can't recall off the top of my head. You know what? You want to have a tough female character, great, well done you. But when you feel the need to display her toughness by having her beat the ever-loving crap out of an entire battalion of enemy soldiers, while simultaneously showing a male struggling to even tie his shoelaces, that's not an improvement. You're still directly relating her strength and value to a male character, and it's still an incredibly cheap and pretty laughable way of showing the character's strength. Being tough or strong is part of your character, it's WHO you are, it's doing things YOU find hard, doing what's right despite YOUR OWN struggle. But no, hey, you go on, let's see that woman wipe out an entire planet's worth of tough men with her little finger while her male hanger-on trips and knocks himself out on the coffee table. Wow, she sure is tough, golly you're so right. Yay strong female leads. Uh-huh

EDIT: Oh, and 4 (I realise how this will make me seem after number 3, but I'm gonna be honest): the whipped men cliche. This is the number one thing that stands between me and anime. You've beaten the enemy with godlike power, you've saved the universe from the ever-expanding darkness that devours all, you've faced death, danced with death, died and come back because death itself can't hold you, and then your sister/friend/girlfriend/whatever shouts at you, and suddenly you're scurrying to hide behind the curtains? What exactly is it that makes her so scary? What, you can stomp an entire planet's worth of evil bug creatures, and now some ordinary human who couldn't even pull a hair from your head is terrifying? Or, as displayed by High School of the Dead, the sexually whipped man. I.E. you've survived the zombie apocalypse, fought death, fought mad people, fought regimes, fought zombies, fought military, and then you're going to just roll over because they put on bikinis and push their boobs together?? I couldn't finish the island episode, because after the girls spend the entire day playing on the beach while the men go out and hunt for food (because they have no spines whatsoever) the girls then actually COMPLAIN that they didn't bring enough!! I'm sorry lady, but what did you contribute again? How much food have YOU brought? Or are you perhaps offering breast milk? So I guess it's not quite whipped guys. A whipped guy is one thing. A guy who remains whipped despite facing the greatest horror the universe has ever seen? Uh uh, no way, I'm out.

 

[Mister K]

I highly dislike the following:
- Tsunderes;
- Kids that are angsty and/or arrogant and/or think that they are adults/equal to adults;
- Idiotic protagonist.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

This seems to be a running theme in a lot of comedies and kids cartoons, but I cannot stand the "celebrate mediocrity" trope characters. I don't know if it's a trope or not, can't be bothered looking now, but basically any lame-ass main characters that are completely clueless in the beginning, then when the situation calls for them to do something heroic (usually some "chosen one" crap), and they feel like getting their act together, and after one Rocky like montage they are suddenly at a level which requires a lifetime of dedication to achieve. Not just fighting mind you, but music, study, or anything. This kind of bullshit is not good for anyone, especially kids, I'm afraid.

Kung Fu Panda, for anyone who wants a model. And no, don't take it as a personal attack, I enjoyed the show I just didn't like that underlying message.

Does NOT include Lego Movie, because Emmett doesn't become a master builder, he just gets amped up about everyone getting stuff done and gets some courage together because he's "special". Also does not include Luke Skywalker, who was a perfectly capable pilot/soldier before learning to harness the Force.

 

[Nanondorf]

I find it really hard to dislike any specific character type. I believe it's a matter of how and when the character is introduced, and how he fits into the story. For instance, if you have a whacky, irregular character, usually you would partner him up with a "Straight Man" character to balance things out. What really bugs me is when you shoehorn unnecessary charaters or events into the mix.

 

[giles]

Lolita characters in anime.

Even a tsundere or aggressive ***** can be salvagable, but this character only exists to give you diabetes and appeal to closet pedos. Fucking hell, stop creeping me out.