Almost two months ago, Michael Offutt wrote this entry on how every hero needs a weakness. The classic example is Superman and Kryptonite. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think Kryptonite was actually invented for the radio show not the comic book. Because they needed something that could weaken Superman. Otherwise, where would the drama come from? I mean if Lex Luthor or whoever couldn't hurt Superman, where's the challenge?
This was something also brought up during an episode of Crackle's stop-motion superhero show SuperMansion last year. When the League of Freedom needs some good press, they bring in JK Simmons to shadow the lead hero Titanium Rex for a movie. But since Titanium Rex has no known weakness, where's the drama? This is actually a ploy to get him to reveal a weakness. But still it's true that if a character has no weakness then it'd be a pretty boring movie.
My superheroes have weaknesses. The Scarlet Knight's armor is invulnerable against conventional weapons, but it's not immune to magic or holy weapons. I used the same weakness in the Girl Power stories for Apex Girl, the Superman-type character. And in the Gender Swap Heroes series for the Apex Girl-type character. I guess I'm not that original. Maybe I should make someone's weakness swallowing water like Unbreakable.
Probably the earliest example of a hero with a weakness was all the way back in The Iliad. Achilles was a superhuman warrior because his mom dipped him in magic water as a baby. But he was vulnerable in the heel where his mother held him. And of course that came into play later. Homer was way ahead of the curve. Actually he invented the curve, right?
The second-oldest is in the Bible in the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson was super strong and unbeatable, but he had a weakness--his hair. When Delilah cut it off, he lost his superpowers. Oh, wait, that actually happened, right? [eye roll]
If a superhuman hero doesn't have a physical weakness, then often they'll have a psychological one. Jesus technically wasn't invulnerable, but he could have been if he wanted from what the Bible says. He chose not to use his godly power out of compassion for our flawed mortal souls. King Arthur was also not invulnerable per se but what brought him down was he was too trusting of his wife and Lancelot.
In Watchmen, Dr. Manhattan is pretty much a god. So how can Ozymandias, the smartest man in the world, fool him? First with "tachyon particles" that cloud his view of the future. And then he convinces Dr. Manhattan that all the people he's close to have gotten cancer from him. The psychological trauma prompts Dr. Manhattan to leave for Mars.
The Incredible Hulk isn't entirely invulnerable, but really he's pretty much invulnerable to regular weapons. The way they usually bring him down is by Banner's love for Betty Ross--or Black Widow. Either way, reaching his human heart is his main weakness. (Or an Infinity Gauntlet.)
The point being every character has to have a weakness. If it's not physical then it's mental. That's the only way you can create interesting, rounded characters. Because that's what allows conflict. And conflict is the essence of drama. So make sure not to make your characters too perfect.
2 comments:
A flaw is important. Superheros can be complicated. Although I don't worry too much if a superhero seems dead because they usually come back. Also, when they fight each other, you know nobody is winning. They're just beating on each other, and the superhero fans love that.
I see your point. Question: is there a way to write a hero with no weaknesses and still have the story be entertaining? Maybe not on a continuous basis, but as a one off? Does John Wick come across as this kind of character in the first movie? I mean, it's essentially a movie about an invincible assassin that kills everyone because his dog gets killed.
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