What is an antihero? Many iconic antiheroes have left a lasting impact on literature and popular culture. Characters such as Walter White from Breaking Bad, Tony Soprano from The Sopranos, and Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo represent the antihero archetype.

These characters are memorable because of their complexity, conflicting morals, and the depth of their personal struggles. Studying these and other famous antiheroes can provide deep insights into crafting your own compelling antihero character.

Understanding the Antihero Archetype

Antiheroes are popular with readers because they are such relatable and intriguing characters. They're flawed and often lacking the conventional qualities of the hero, like  courage, idealism, and morality. Antiheroes struggle with their own demons and often make questionable decisions. Despite their flaws, they often possess a sense of realism that makes their journey compelling and their eventual growth or downfall impactful.

If we look at the character of Walter White from Breaking Bad, we see a man who started out as a fairly timid, family-oriented, science teacher…or was he? That's the persona he shared with the world at the beginning of his story, but did he turn into a manipulative, morally repulsive character due to his circumstances (selling drugs to pay for his cancer treatment)? Or was he always an evil, criminal mastermind deep down? While he could be seen as a villain, he was also someone viewers empathized with and rooted for, because they were so invested in his character.

Building Character Depth Through Inner Conflict

Inner conflict is at the core of an antihero's character. They may have deeply held beliefs that hold them back from becoming the person they truly want to be. They may have a level of moral ambiguity that leads them to make questionable decisions that lead to their downfall. Or, they may even have a revelation at some point that leads them down the right path to becoming a heroic figure.

Highlighting these types of inner conflicts in your writing makes your character more relatable and their journey more engaging. This internal tug-of-war can be a driving force in your narrative, adding layers to their personality and motivations.

Crafting Compelling Backstories

A thoughtfully crafted backstory is essential for your antihero, as it provides context for their behaviors and motivations. Give readers a glimpse of the character’s past, revealing the events that shaped them, both good and bad. Maybe the only happy time they can remember in their life is the valuable time spent with their grandmother as a young child. Or, in contrast, perhaps they’re haunted by a traumatic event from their past, or a history of betrayal by loved ones. No matter what you choose, flesh out your antihero in order to make them believable, relatable, and interesting.

Balancing the Antihero’s Flaws and Virtues

In Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind, Scarlett O’Hara is a character that readers love to hate! Her virtues are many – she’s business-minded, goal-oriented, full of Southern charm, and loyal to her family. However, there’s also that nasty temper, her selfishness, and the fact that she’s quite shallow. If a character makes you want to punch them in the face, but also give them a hug, they might be an antihero.

While their flaws make them human and relatable, their virtues provide hope and potential for growth. That balance prevents the character from becoming one-dimensional or completely unlikable. These contrasting traits create a complex character who can surprise readers and keep them invested in the journey.

Character Arcs and Evolution

Once you've got readers invested in your character’s journey, you’ll need to focus on character development in order to keep them reading. This step is crucial for maintaining readers’ interest. Map out key moments where your antihero faces significant challenges or decisions. Their story arc should not only share their wins and losses, their struggle overall, but also the ways in which they change over time. 

The fun part about your character arc is that you have all the power to decide what the outcome of your story will be. Will your antihero find happiness? Inner peace? The love of a lifetime? Or, will they find themselves in a dire situation with no hope of escape—such as in prison, dying alone, or even buried alive? Give your antihero the ending you feel that they deserve. 

If you've gotten things right, you'll have readers who either love or despise your main character, or even both. Fans of such characters are dedicated and will eagerly follow their favorite character's evolution. So, don't be surprised if you end up writing a series  about your loveable, and possibly despised, character.       

For a little more insight into the anti-hero, check out this video: