Black Dragon submitted a new blog post:
Mythic Guide to Heroes & Villains — The Fatal Flaw and Unlikely Heroes
by Antonio del Drago
This is Part 6 of the Mythic Guide to Heroes & Villains.
The Fatal Flaw
In some cases, a character's flaw may be so pronounced that it is almost a defining quality. A good example is Superman’s debilitating reaction to Kryptonite. Without this single weakness, Superman would likely be one of the most boring fictional characters of all time. He would be unstoppable, rightly self-assured of his every endeavor. Nearly every opponent would fall to him in seconds. But instead, his overwhelming power is countered with an overwhelming weakness: an element that can render him completely powerless against an otherwise easily defeated enemy.
In some cases, a character’s fatal flaw can result in his own demise, using the term in the literal sense. This was often seen in ancient tragedies, but is not as common in modern literature. A good example of a fatal flaw comes from a character who is arguably not the primary protagonist of his story: Captain Ahab of Moby Dick.
Driven by revenge, Captain Ahab refuses to let the past go. This inability to move forward with his life is his fatal flaw, and it becomes an all-consuming obsession. He also carries the “wound” characteristic (discussed in the previous...
Continue reading the Original Blog Post.
Mythic Guide to Heroes & Villains — The Fatal Flaw and Unlikely Heroes
by Antonio del Drago
This is Part 6 of the Mythic Guide to Heroes & Villains.
The Fatal Flaw
In some cases, a character's flaw may be so pronounced that it is almost a defining quality. A good example is Superman’s debilitating reaction to Kryptonite. Without this single weakness, Superman would likely be one of the most boring fictional characters of all time. He would be unstoppable, rightly self-assured of his every endeavor. Nearly every opponent would fall to him in seconds. But instead, his overwhelming power is countered with an overwhelming weakness: an element that can render him completely powerless against an otherwise easily defeated enemy.
In some cases, a character’s fatal flaw can result in his own demise, using the term in the literal sense. This was often seen in ancient tragedies, but is not as common in modern literature. A good example of a fatal flaw comes from a character who is arguably not the primary protagonist of his story: Captain Ahab of Moby Dick.
Driven by revenge, Captain Ahab refuses to let the past go. This inability to move forward with his life is his fatal flaw, and it becomes an all-consuming obsession. He also carries the “wound” characteristic (discussed in the previous...
Continue reading the Original Blog Post.
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