Alignment examples of fictional characters.

[drothgery]

The Wheel of Time (because someone has to, and it might as well be me)

Lawful Good: Galad Damodred, Elayne Trakand, Siuan Sanche
Neutral Good: Moiraine Damodred, Nynaeve al'Maera, Egwene al'Vere, Perrin Aybara
Chaotic Good: Rand al'Thor, Matrim Cauthon, Faile Aybara
Lawful Neutral: Pedron Niall, Elaida a'Roihan
Neutral: Cenn Buie, Verin Mathwin
Chaotic Neutral: Aram (the ex-Tinker), Masema (the Prophet)
Lawful Evil: Sammael, Alviarin Friedhen, Messaana
Neutral Evil: Rahvin, Demandred
Chaotic Evil: Lanfear, Padan Fain, Mazrim Taim

 

[Beckett]

Pretty good WoT assessment. The only one I'd quibble on is Mazrim Taim; I'd have to flip through the books again, but I'd lean toward Neutral Evil.

Your list also reminded me that a character who holds strictly to his/her alignment can be a real detriment. Galad and his record of always doing the right thing is a great example of this. He always does the Lawful and Good thing, even if this is not in his best interest or that of the people he's trying to help.

 

[Bragg Battleaxe]

There sure is alot of disagreement in this thread about what is Lawful and what is Chaotic. My take is that very very few people in the world are really either, most being neutral but following the law because they are supposed to. Chaotic characters are pretty rare, but are common among villains. I have seen both Darth Vader and Palpatine listed as CE alot here... how? They both maintain a huge Empire, which is by its nature lawful. A true chaotic ignores law, possibly even hating it. Vader and the Emperor are evil 'because' they care so much about law and order that they are willing to do anything to achieve their vision of that order.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

There sure is alot of disagreement in this thread about what is Lawful and what is Chaotic. My take is that very very few people in the world are really either, most being neutral but following the law because they are supposed to. Chaotic characters are pretty rare, but are common among villains. I have seen both Darth Vader and Palpatine listed as CE alot here... how? They both maintain a huge Empire, which is by its nature lawful. A true chaotic ignores law, possibly even hating it. Vader and the Emperor are evil 'because' they care so much about law and order that they are willing to do anything to achieve their vision of that order.

In real life, Chaotic people are relatively rare, but I think they're more common in literature and books (there's a difference ). IMO, anyone who values individuality over society is somewhat Chaotic. Anyone who ignores what the law and/or society says is right to do what they think is right is somewhat Chaotic. Robin Williams is (at least) slightly Chaotic. People who work from inspiration and eschew things like schedules and deadlines are somewhat Chaotic. Add a few of these up in one person, and they're definitely Chaotic.

I agree with you about Palpatine and Vader. How anyone can see them as Chaotic is beyond me. But I think Chaotic villains aren't all that common. Outside of Padan Fain (and maybe Gollum), I'm having trouble thinking of a sentient Chaotic Evil villain. Chaotic heroes are much more common, IMO.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I think Chaotic heroes are more common than Chaotic villains is because it's more fun for the heroes to be fighting against the system than it is for them to be a part of it.

I mean, how often do you get a bunch of rebels against an over powering force compared to a bunch of people trying to quash an illegal rebellion?

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I mean, how often do you get a bunch of rebels against an over powering force compared to a bunch of people trying to quash an illegal rebellion?

It depends on the origin of the fiction- from the older eastern stories I have read, the heroes/villians tend to be quite different then those of western fiction.

FD

 

[S'mon]

I think Chaotic heroes are more common than Chaotic villains is because it's more fun for the heroes to be fighting against the system than it is for them to be a part of it.

I mean, how often do you get a bunch of rebels against an over powering force compared to a bunch of people trying to quash an illegal rebellion?

All cop shows have protagonists working for Order against Chaos.

Chaotics IRL tend to be either criminals or artists IMO...

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

All cop shows have protagonists working for Order against Chaos.

Chaotics IRL tend to be either criminals or artists IMO...

Are you watching the same loose-cannon cop shows I am? While there are some cop shows that are Law vs. Chaos, and (very rarely) good vs evil, most are moral ambiguity vs. moral ambiguity, or at best moral ambiguity vs. evil.

 

[Henry]

In regards to all the above alignment perspectives:

Remember to separate LAWFUL behavior from GOOD behavior, and likewise separate CHAOTIC from EVIL.

In Buffy t.v.s.'s case, for example, it is GOOD that she shows compassion and mercy. It is not so clear cut when she leaves things to the authorities. In fact, many times she does NOT leave things to the authorities, and in fact handles them herself. In the instance where she thought she had killed someone, she wanted to turn herself in because she wrong she had done wrong, not because of notions of crime and punishment. Someone who has broken and entered as much as she has, caused assault and battery as much as she has, and flagrantly violated school authority in the past is NOT the definition of lawful. She exhibits lawful tendencies, but can also do without that law in the interests of good.

Although it's amazing that some characters (e.g. Conan, Wolverine, Judge Dredd, Superman) consistently come up as the same alignment by most posters. Is this because of strong characterization, or because of lousy stereotyping on the pat of some writers?

 

[S'mon]

Are you watching the same loose-cannon cop shows I am? While there are some cop shows that are Law vs. Chaos, and (very rarely) good vs evil, most are moral ambiguity vs. moral ambiguity, or at best moral ambiguity vs. evil.

Typical shows - Law & Order, NYPD Blue, Homicide: Life on the Street. UK shows like 'The Bill'. The cops seek to promote Law/Order, at any rate they don't seek to increase Chaos! As for morality, I wasn't discussing good vs evil, but generally the cop protagonists are good, or neutral-to-good, and the criminal antagonists are evil.

That there's moral ambiguity when eg a cop beats up a scumbug suspect, or when a cop shoots dead the criminal kingpin they can't get a conviction on, doesn't change the fact that the cops are seeking to promote Law/Order in an 'end justifies the means' way. Few if any cop shows have corrupt (Neutral?) bribe-taking, criminal-helping cops as protagonists, they tend to appear only in shows like 'The Sopranos' where the protagonists are criminals, and may be Chaotic: Tony Soprano isn't Chaotic, but several of his minions appear to be.