Antihero

An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero)^[1] or anti-heroine is a main character in a narrative (in literature, film, TV, etc.) who may lack some conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, and morality.^[1] Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions that most of the audience considers morally correct, their reasons for doing so may not align with the audience's morality.^[2]

Antihero is a literary term that can be understood as standing in opposition to the traditional hero, i.e., one with high social status, well liked by the general populace. Past the surface, scholars have additional requirements for the antihero.

The "Racinian" antihero, is defined by three factors. The first is that the antihero is doomed to fail before their adventure begins. The second constitutes the blame of that failure on everyone but themselves. Thirdly, they offer a critique of social morals and reality.^[3] To other scholars, an antihero is inherently a hero from a specific point of view, and a villain from another.^[4] This idea is further backed by the addition of character alignments, which are commonly displayed by role-playing games.^[5]

Typically, an antihero is the focal point of conflict in a story, whether as the protagonist or as the antagonistic force.^[6] This is due to the antihero's engagement in the conflict, typically of their own will, rather than a specific calling to serve the greater good. As such, the antihero focuses on their personal motives first and foremost, with everything else secondary.^[7]