I think what draws me to a character is either a flaw I identify with or resonates on some level or a surprise, they surprise me, do something unexpected, yet makes total sense. I don't like black and white characters...or simple ones. It's hard to pigeon hole though. When I think of my favorite genre characters, it's usually because they hit some weird unexplainable chord inside. It's deeply personal and woe to anyone who begrudges me my right to adore them unassailed. All of this. It's often hard to pinpoint, but I can pull out various traits... and yet they often seem contradictory, and something which is a strength in one favourite character is a flaw in another... Yet I know which are *mine*, absolutely.
He was the mirror opposite of Angel, who was man on the surface, monster beneath. Spike was monster on surface, man underneath. Love this thought, as well as all your musings on Angel himself. My Spike-love, incidentally, is easy to explain, but when it comes to people disliking Angel I often get terribly tangled up, because the things that (for them) make him unlikeable, are what endear him to me. It's very odd.
Doctor River Song...Doctor Who's female counterpart and perhaps the closest we'll come to a female version. The femme fatal who isn't. A subversion of the noir trope in three part harmony. She defies description. River is the Spike of the Whoniverse. (Spike is Buffy's male counterpart, and the closest we get to a male Slayer.) I have a meta post half-written on this subject so I won't elaborate here. (I'd never stop. *g*)
Not the anti-heroes who kick people and then die bloody, too easy I think. Or the irreedeemable anti-heroes who start out as jerks and well only give a hint at being redeemed, only to be jerks again. No...it's the good blokes, the people who are good at heart, who try, and try hard and fall...that resonate the most and seem the most real. *nods a lot* Going back to Angel, then I think this is why I like him so much. Angel wants to be good, but he doesn't really know how. So he tries and fails and screws up and says 'Screw it, I don't care' - yet he *does*, really, deep down. He is just useless at it.
Anyway must run, but just realised that I forgot to mention Frodo, and how much I agree with you. Although I think if the story has a hero, it's Sam.
ETA: Of my own personal favourites, I'd have to add the Master (because he's the Doctor's dark mirror and I find his brokenness compelling and interesting), and Captain Jack and Ianto. (deep sigh)
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branchandroot
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Date: 2011-12-08 08:22 pm (UTC)I think what draws me to a character is either a flaw I identify with or resonates on some level or a surprise, they surprise me, do something unexpected, yet makes total sense. I don't like black and white characters...or simple ones. It's hard to pigeon hole though.
When I think of my favorite genre characters, it's usually because they hit some weird unexplainable chord inside. It's deeply personal and woe to anyone who begrudges me my right to adore them unassailed.
All of this. It's often hard to pinpoint, but I can pull out various traits... and yet they often seem contradictory, and something which is a strength in one favourite character is a flaw in another... Yet I know which are *mine*, absolutely.
He was the mirror opposite of Angel, who was man on the surface, monster beneath. Spike was monster on surface, man underneath.
Love this thought, as well as all your musings on Angel himself. My Spike-love, incidentally, is easy to explain, but when it comes to people disliking Angel I often get terribly tangled up, because the things that (for them) make him unlikeable, are what endear him to me. It's very odd.
Doctor River Song...Doctor Who's female counterpart and perhaps the closest we'll come to a female version. The femme fatal who isn't. A subversion of the noir trope in three part harmony. She defies description.
River is the Spike of the Whoniverse. (Spike is Buffy's male counterpart, and the closest we get to a male Slayer.) I have a meta post half-written on this subject so I won't elaborate here. (I'd never stop. *g*)
Not the anti-heroes who kick people and then die bloody, too easy I think. Or the irreedeemable anti-heroes who start out as jerks and well only give a hint at being redeemed, only to be jerks again. No...it's the good blokes, the people who are good at heart, who try, and try hard and fall...that resonate the most and seem the most real.
*nods a lot* Going back to Angel, then I think this is why I like him so much. Angel wants to be good, but he doesn't really know how. So he tries and fails and screws up and says 'Screw it, I don't care' - yet he *does*, really, deep down. He is just useless at it.
Anyway must run, but just realised that I forgot to mention Frodo, and how much I agree with you. Although I think if the story has a hero, it's Sam.
ETA: Of my own personal favourites, I'd have to add the Master (because he's the Doctor's dark mirror and I find his brokenness compelling and interesting), and Captain Jack and Ianto. (deep sigh)