The Dark Appeal To Antiheroes

The dark appeal of anti-heroes is widespread in modern culture and includes all kinds of characters such as Walter White, Tony Soprano, Don Draper, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Maleficent, etc. There are many more anti-heroes in the world of cinema, television, comics or literature. Antiheroes are fascinating. Their moral values ​​are often questionable and even punishable. However, many people are still attracted to their dark side.

In the same way, it is clear that this type of psychological profile has become stronger in the last decade. People are no longer attracted to virtuous figures, the ones Carl Jung defined in his archetype of the hero who fought against evil. for some reason. The eternal salvations that brought light and shattered darkness are no longer inspiring.

Why? There is not just one reason, but many. Anthropologist Levi-Strauss said that no myths, legends or archetypal figures are random because all these things have their representation in the real world. Somehow, people have begun to feel closer to these fallible, imperfect, and at times even immoral characters.

Keep reading to find out more about the causes and the inner relief that hides behind the figure of the anti-hero.

The dark appeal to anti-heroes

The era of the heroes seems to be gone, perhaps their reign ended much earlier than it should have. Figures like Hercules or Perseus stopped shining a long time ago. Yes, the world of literature gave us unforgettable characters like the Count of Monte Cristo, but it was James Joyce who renewed the concept. He gave Ulysses the world and a novel in which people suddenly made contact with a group of anti-heroes bordering on the comic and the tragic.

In a way, each anti-hero has the same ingredients: the veil of the traumatic and the opposite of the cartoon hero. The Joker is an example, and although you may sometimes think he is a villain, he carries the essence of the anti-hero in his DNA. He is a man with a terrible past who dresses like a clown, laughs with cruelty and paints a smile on a face marked by sadness.

It is easy to sympathize with an antihero because they are not always happy, and it is easy to understand in our time.

Authentic and imperfect anti-heroes

It is important not to confuse the anti-hero of the textbook with the one who is just imperfect. Tony Stark (Ironman) and Batman symbolize the latter. They have light and shadows, one is eccentric and even irresponsible, and the other has a complicated past that includes the death of their parents. However, both are heroes. They are characters who solve great problems and, as Carl Jung pointed out, symbolize the Savior’s archetype.

However, actual anti-heroes do not save anyone. In fact, they have too much to do to make sure they get up every day. They are characters who come from adversity, trauma, loss and betrayal. They create their own world from there, one where their own laws and value system govern and are different from the majority.

Good and evil dissolve, and these characters can navigate both spheres. They are capable of great feats and masters at breaking the rules.

The dark appeal to anti-heroes is due to empathy

People admire heroes, but identify with anti-heroes. How can this be? Isn’t it contradictory that you can get under the skin of characters like Walter White or Tony Soprano and enjoy what they do? It happens because the human sense of empathy makes us identify more with those who are unhappy, desperate, frustrated and working towards a failed system.

Walter White, for example, is a very likeable character because of his cancer diagnosis. He is a chemistry teacher in high school who has no choice but to make methamphetamine to support the family. Then there is Maleficent, a fairy betrayed and abused by a lover who, in addition to leaving her, literally clipped off her wings.

It is quite easy to identify with this type of figure. Their dark side is attractive because you feel with the motive that led them there.

The anti-hero sets you free in a failed society

The Punisher, Daredevil, Jessica Jones… There has been an increase in productions with these characters adapted to TV viewers in recent years. Something in these antiheroes acts as a balm, a cathartic remedy. They represent many of the things people want to do but would never practice. They break the law in the name of justice and they are convinced that this is justified in a failed society.

There are cases where the anti-hero takes drastic measures against injustice. Their extreme reactions are also attractive, and you admire their determination in the face of the things you never dare to try to change.

The antihero never changes (and no one wants them to)

The dark appeal to anti-heroes is there despite lying, being cruel, treacherous and even violent killers. They can be contradictory. You often hate them and want nothing to do with them. Yes, you avoid them at some point because they define your codes of ethics and morals. But sooner or later you will know more about them, so you watch another movie or another episode of that series or read another cartoon or a book…

Thus, you do not want them to change deep inside. For example, when a superhero deviates from the good, they do their best to get back on track. In contrast, the anti-hero will never try to be different and this is exactly how most people like them: imperfect.

In conclusion, today’s heroes have been driven out by anti-heroes who in some way act as mirrors of man’s darkest desires, the ones you will never reveal to anyone.