The lonely traveler

[Raziel]

How many stories do you know that imbue the main character as the 'lonely traveler'?

A few come to mind for me like the British sensation; 'Dr. Who'. He is one of the 'ultimate tragic' ( the lonely traveler) characters. He is a 'Timelord' the last of his kind, travelling throughout the universe picking up people to travel with. Alas he always has to give them up and continue alone. Beautiful and tragic. ( I have only been privy to DR WHO since the newer ones have been created but researching the long..long history of his character in the art of film, wow. Good character and definitely something for the kids in it, at every episode.)

Yet as any good story does(or must do) is create underlying meaning to it all (the character and the stories). a point in other words. Something to tie it all together. I have seen everything from movies to songs to books how every chapter title ties into what the story is about. Maybe it's a rule somewhere. By the way any good websites (beside this one of course) let me know I'm cravin the old days of being in school with some access to the things I wish I took advantage of...hehe. Kinda serious on that one. Anyway, back to my point. "Who are some 'lonely travelers' you've encountered"

'Roland'; from the books written by the dark and great mind of; Stephen King. Roland wanders the world looking for his infamous 'Dark Tower', has many companions along the way but ultimately is alone.

There is one more that shouts at me. It is a character from a video game the character is Raziel yes technically this is not from a book, movie or show.* The story for this character is created a vampire to rule under the rein of 'Kain' (The 'Legacy of Kain' series released for PlayStation and ps2.. definitely worth checkin out.). Kain is the first one who created his own henchmen, after a few millennia Kain would 'evolve' in some way. Then the others would also 'evolve' in their own way. Raziel was the first loeutenant to betray Kain; by evolving first. He grew wings. Kain did not have wings yet..so he was pissed. Threw Raziel to the pit and yet his tattered wings and all were revived to take vengance.

*(I consider all forms of media to be 'written first' so technically there some categories yet to be made for these sites . There are many things to write about considering "everything is written before it is done", such as lyrics from a song to a movie to the games and phones we play with these days; they have all had an; "Original Author" Someone to write it.)

There are many others I just can't think right now. So I throw it to you.

So besides the rant here. I am wondering
*Who is your favorite 'Lonely Traveller'?*
*What's his story, why is it good?*

 

[Map the Dragon]

Not sure if this fits, and this could be the beer speaking (I only had two, no worries), but I thought instantly of Howard's Conan. In the many stories I read involving our favorite barbarian, he was typically the lonely traveler, interacting with others, yes, but always a man of his own path and his own destiny. I doubt he's anywhere close to my favorite in your posed archetype, but I had fun with his stories, the stereotypical hack and slash, and the sexy ladies on the book covers.

 

[Raziel]

Not sure if this fits, and this could be the beer speaking (I only had two, no worries), but I thought instantly of Howard's Conan. In the many stories I read involving our favorite barbarian, he was typically the lonely traveler, interacting with others, yes, but always a man of his own path and his own destiny. I doubt he's anywhere close to my favorite in your posed archetype, but I had fun with his stories, the stereotypical hack and slash, and the sexy ladies on the book covers.

It's exactly the character I'm talking about. He is the 'lonely traveler' as you describe him. Call me an ass for admiting that I never read the books but yes you got the archetype right. I only watched the movies and the part that grabs me is when he is with the thief in the barren land and Conan notices something is awry when the thief is grabbing the jewels from the corpse that has rotted. The 'traveler' you speak of (Conan) has a 'code' of ethics. He is not worried about the worldly worth..he fights his own truth.

Another lonely traveller..'Dexter'. (I don't know the authors name off hand but the first book is called 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter' (first of a 3 part series) I have only seen the show (The show has 5 seasons..go figure.) but the character is the same from what I have heard; from one who actually knows the books)
He's a serial killer OF serial killers..as in he cuts out the ones who 'slipped through'. sounds crazy but he is like clark kent about the dual life thing. (I feel this is one of the few shows that get the irony of darkness and light right.) The character is also one of the most lonely ones.

*About Conan for the books. Do they go into what happens after he Claims the Snake Kings head. After he inherits the army. Or is/are the Book(s) different?*

 

[Black Dragon]

Great topic!

Since this thread is about a writing archetype, I'm moving it to the writing forum. It will get a better response there.

 

[Behelit]

Another lonely traveller..'Dexter'. (I don't know the authors name off hand but the first book is called 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter'

Jeff Lindsay is the author. I haven't read the books either, except I hear the books are significantly different as far as characters go. Like one of the characters that remains in the show was killed off in the books early on.

Dexter is definitely an engaging show from the start, but this last season really felt like it was letting itself go. I believe I'm slowly beginning to dislike Dexter, and with the way events unfold I'm wondering if its the intention to bring the series to an end.


Deckard from Blade Runner/"Do Androids Dream..?" comes across as a lonely traveler, especially in the book. Not too much the traveler, but surely he's lonely. His wife seems distant, the war-stricken Earth is a bleak existence with the animal population near extinction.(They are a rare and expensive commodity, and in ways parallel to 'keeping up with the Joneses'.) He tracks down and terminates 'skinjobs', or androids, solo.

Guts from Berserk (Manga/Graphic Novel) He is definitely a traveler, first with a band of mercenaries, now only to seek a cure for his child-like, dementia'd woman. His only companion is a fairy named Puck, whom he has no true connection with above a mutual benefit.

 

[Joe the Gnarled]

My first thought is the TV series Sliders. While they are not lonely in the sense that they have each other, circumstances always prevent them from bringing anyone along.

I also want to say Dorothy from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland fit. They are both forced to return without their friends.

 

[Hans]

I*About Conan for the books. Do they go into what happens after he Claims the Snake Kings head. After he inherits the army. Or is/are the Book(s) different?*

The movies are very different from the books. When you want to go deeper into this I recommend the original stories from R. E. Howard. The later ones are of very, well, varying quality.
Howard was a good friend of Lovecraft and Conan often scratches the Lovecraftian mythos. You just notice there is something dark and creepy in the past.
So, don't expect to find anything of the movies in the books. Only a few names, everything else has completely been rewritten.

Edit: From the description the new movie "red nails" seems a bit closer to the story "red nails" by Howard. At least the beginning of it.