Post by Howard Black on Apr 20, 2015 11:55:05 GMT -5
This may be a lazy way of looking at it, but in some instances, it's purely a matter of perception. I think D&D's dual-axis alignment system works so well is because while "good and evil" (face and heel) tend to oppose each other, the order spectrum (law and chaos) can also bring people of opposing moralities together.
I really like how Flash sees Howard as a face while I'm sure plenty of others (especially the women), see him as a heel. If placed on the D&D system, I'd see him as chaotic good with an emphasis on the chaotic over the good; he's not a character to fall in line with authority regardless of "moral side".
In determining a character's alignment, I think two factors are important: intention and action. Let's take Howard for a moment: he has a moral problem with what he sees as an immoral standard which glorifies violence against women. So far, his action has been to speak about it and act only through personal example with no external force upon others. Some would consider this "face": well intentioned at base with internalized actions. Now imagine if Howard physically forced a female wrestler to not face a male. By acting in a manner that exerts external pressure on another, he has corrupted his own his own intentions. Batman and the Punisher differ in willingness to kill: few besides the Punisher see him as a truly good guy.
I'll disagree that heels are easier to write than faces; I think both have cliched and tired tropes which can actively stunt the growth of a character. Being offensive for the sake of being offensive gets old quickly; cheap heat is cheap for a reason. A cocky face can come across as an absolute jerk if his cockiness is handled sloppily. Being a Boy Scout is super boring. Actions will always speak louder than words, and while a complex character requires both, a bad one emphasizes words over actions. A good heel, while (s)he can have a sympathetic backstory, ought to be embraced as a heel by the writer. If your heel has been kicking kittens because his/her mother disn't love him/her enough, don't tell me to feel bad for the character, make sure I'm horrified.
TVTropes has some really great writing guides on how to create balanced and memorable characters that make sense. Patience and restraint are the traits of any good story. A slow build to breaking and flipping alignment is much more satisfying than "LOL I WUZ EVILZ ALL ALONG XD".
Sorry for ranting; bored before class.
I really like how Flash sees Howard as a face while I'm sure plenty of others (especially the women), see him as a heel. If placed on the D&D system, I'd see him as chaotic good with an emphasis on the chaotic over the good; he's not a character to fall in line with authority regardless of "moral side".
In determining a character's alignment, I think two factors are important: intention and action. Let's take Howard for a moment: he has a moral problem with what he sees as an immoral standard which glorifies violence against women. So far, his action has been to speak about it and act only through personal example with no external force upon others. Some would consider this "face": well intentioned at base with internalized actions. Now imagine if Howard physically forced a female wrestler to not face a male. By acting in a manner that exerts external pressure on another, he has corrupted his own his own intentions. Batman and the Punisher differ in willingness to kill: few besides the Punisher see him as a truly good guy.
I'll disagree that heels are easier to write than faces; I think both have cliched and tired tropes which can actively stunt the growth of a character. Being offensive for the sake of being offensive gets old quickly; cheap heat is cheap for a reason. A cocky face can come across as an absolute jerk if his cockiness is handled sloppily. Being a Boy Scout is super boring. Actions will always speak louder than words, and while a complex character requires both, a bad one emphasizes words over actions. A good heel, while (s)he can have a sympathetic backstory, ought to be embraced as a heel by the writer. If your heel has been kicking kittens because his/her mother disn't love him/her enough, don't tell me to feel bad for the character, make sure I'm horrified.
TVTropes has some really great writing guides on how to create balanced and memorable characters that make sense. Patience and restraint are the traits of any good story. A slow build to breaking and flipping alignment is much more satisfying than "LOL I WUZ EVILZ ALL ALONG XD".
Sorry for ranting; bored before class.
