The hero is typically a character that is built to rise and fall throughout a story. There is a reason for that concept. Heroes are not perfect. Though admirable, people are inspired by these characters, but in order to be inspired by them, our heroes must fail. In reality, life is filled with challenges. Writing is inspired by reality. Our heroes must have flaws and must be challenged in their journey in order to be more believable.
One of the shows that does that well is Once Upon a Time.
Smallville is the epitome of a hero's journey. Clark Kent is Superman. We are immediately establishing a different person in a normal world. Clark already feels like an outsider growing up, trying to learn how to use his powers. This is a great establishment for the hero because the audience can connect to being different and being special. However, what also made the series so successful was not just because of the classic superhero, it was because the audience grew up with Clark. For the first time, a show took the hero and showed him going through regular life, going to high school, falling in love, and making normal decisions. He also got to struggle with identity which is very common for a teenager.
Though Clark Kent wasn't your average kid, the audience was able to connect with him on a personal level. Yes he made more sacrifices than the regular human being, protecting his secret, saving the day, but deep down he was human.
In the NBC television series, Chuck, I couldn't think of a better written hero's journey second to Emma Swan than Chuck Bartowski. First: Chuck is an average guy. He's a nerd. He works at a computer store in a Nerd Herd. His job is fixing computers. He lives with his older sister and her boyfriend in an apartment.
Second: Chuck has a past. He was bound to be successful. He attend Stanford University but got kicked out of college after being framed for stealing test answers by his old college roommate. He also had a girlfriend who he loved who broke his heart.
Third: Chuck has family history. He is extremely close with his sister, Ellie, because his father left both of them at a young age. Their mother also abandoned them.
The writers already built a nice background for the audience to sympathize with. This show is also a great example of identity. Chuck Bartowski, regular guy, is put in a situation where his life becomes entirely different. He has to protect his friends and family and he is in constant danger. The CIA/NSA are now involved in his life after downloading a computer called the intersect and his world is turned upside down. You take an average guy who, at one point felt small and like he was never going to change his path, is given the opportunity to do something amazing. Throughout the show, Chuck is tested each time and he makes a decision to become something bigger than himself. Through that choice, he discovers aspects of himself, gains confidence, gains strength, and also deals with his darker half. In my opinion, writing wise, this is a realistic hero's journey to how most people go through their life. This is similar to identity crisis when you're at a point in your life where you don't know who you are or if your life will ever change and something happens that makes you step up and kind of helps you transform.
Let's talk about a unique character transformation. On the USA network series, Psych, Shawn Spencer was an interesting protagonist. For a background, Shawn had divorced parents. His relationship with his father wasn't that great. Shawn was also the textbook slacker. He bounced from job to job, trying numerous things and getting into trouble very often. When he is given the opportunity to step up and do something with his life, it's still as a result of almost getting himself into trouble. His character was given a special gift, but it's basically being really hyper observant of his surroundings and having a photographic memory. He claims he is a psychic to cover his butt for almost being arrested by the Santa Barbara police department and is then put in a new environment where he solves cases, but in ridiculous ways. He's the kind of character written to almost not be taken seriously, but here's the thing. Eight seasons later, Shawn has changed. The hero's journey takes him through some difficult moments like his father being shot, his best friend being kidnapped, and his girlfriend being put in danger. Shawn Spencer transforms to the end and makes a selfless decision to no longer be involved in the police business and one of the best written transformations was when his girlfriend, Juliet, discovers he isn't really a psychic. Typically, Shawn handles every situation in a perfect way and somehow astounds the audience by getting out of every conflict with ease. With Juliet, this puts our hero in a spot where he is forced to grow up and deal with his conflicts instead of ignoring them.
In any story, it's extremely vital to focus on the development of a hero. Heroes aren't perfect and to make them believable characters, the writers must build them as such. The reason audience members connect to the characters in general whether it be heroes or anyone else is because there is always a human element to them. There is always a part of these characters that make them real and easy to relate to. These are just an example of a few, but I think that's the important of what makes an admirable hero.
