Thought on the nature of a hero. in Rages of a Storm

As someone who used to think himself a writer, I used to try to figure out what draws me to a character when I’m reading fiction. There are some aspects that everyone thinks of in terms of strengths, of abilities or capabilities that we ourselves do not possess, or only posses in a limited supply.

But I find what brings me to a hero in a story is their weakness. The things they have to overcome. My Heroes have scars.

One of the first fictional heroes I attached to was a cartoon character, the Space Pirate Captain Harlock. He is missing an eye and has a brutal, ugly scar across half his face. A dark and brooding character, but still caring about the people who follow him. A guardian who will take the hit for someone else and keep fighting. But also a man who made a clay ocarina for the daughter of a fallen friend. It’s that he knows there is a price to be paid when you stand up for what you believe in, but that it’s ok. You pay that price willingly because what you are fighting for matters more than what you will lose.

I’ll come back to this later… my laptop battery is dying and I have to get ready for work.