Sliding Scale of Antiheros

Rather than talking about Bad Boys, thought I'd go all out and discuss the beloved Anti-Hero.  I believe when it comes to down to it a Bad Boy is an anti-hero. We all know we should hate him and really part of does, but then we still can put the darn book down.

I was on TV Tropes's blog and came across this interest classification which I've summarized.

Bach from Wisteria

1. The Classic

An classic anti-hero is a protagonist lacking the typical heroic characteristics like loyalty, honor, duty, and in the case of some of the bad boys kindness. Sometimes the a guy (or girl) falls into this category due to a checkered past they are trying to escape. At the end of day, the antihero still believes in the cause. He will try to save the day because it is the right thing to do. His methods just might be less than perfect questionable, but no one gets hurt.

Ladies love him because he's just misunderstood

2. Pragmatic Anti-Hero
A lot darker than the first antihero. He wants to do good, does so using questionable methods. He'll whatever it takes to get the job. Sure a few people get hurt on the way, but they were bad guys and probably deserved it. He's not a killer, but might cross the line by accident if he doesn't stop.

Ladies love him because we want to change him

3. Vicious Anti-Hero

Amadeus from Unwish

He has undergone some gut wrenching ordeal that has made him bitter out for revenge or blood. Nothing will derail him from fulfilling his mission not even his love for the leading lady. His revenge or mission drives his bloodlust or the manner in which he treats those around him. He will do what it takes to stop the villain and where necessary they are prepared to kill, but this serves to make them more tortured and unstable. There is some teeny-tiny hope he will grow into the classic hero, but in reality there's an almost fifty-fifty chance he'll become just scrape to the Dangerous Anti-Hero or descend into a Hero in Name only.

Ladies love him because we love tortured souls and deep down he's a little boy who's momma left him

4. Hero in Name Only

The only thing that makes this guy a hero is the villain he's fighting is worse than himself. He has no redeeming quality whatsoever and really for the story to work, he has to be that way. Simply put, he is the lesser of two evils as not only are his methods despicable and his motives are too.

Ladies... and girl with him is probably long dead.

For more on this check out: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SlidingScaleOfAntiHeroes

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