What Makes a Hero?

[Death_Jester]

From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Main Entry: he·ro
Pronunciation: 'hir-(")O, 'hE-(")rO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural heroes
Etymology: Latin heros, from Greek hErOs
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a (person) admired for (their) achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage.

2 a : the principal character in a literary or dramatic work b :
the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros : SUBMARINE 2
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : IDOL

What makes a hero heroic? I ask this question in the context of a Fantasy midlevel setting, specifically the Dungeons and Dragons Universe. Not that this is the only place someone would find heroes but I think there is where we would find the most idealized and or romanticized version of the hero. If you feel differently please tell me what you think. Is it something left over from the war game heritage that the genre is based on or is it something deeper in our psyche? Dungeons and Dragons at its heart is a power game intended to allow a single character to face off against a hoard of creatures and come out the victor. Now I ask you is this the bases of the hero or is there something deeper to it? Is the ability to slaughter mass amounts of creatures the sole bases we build the heroic Icon upon? If that is the case then is the hero nothing more then definitions 2 a-b? I would like to focus on definitions 1 b-d, but not exclusively, we can ignore 1a completely. As I don’t intend for any of my players to be of divine birth anywhere soon. I chose those definitions specifically to consider them apart from the others because they have more importance to I am looking for.

I wanted to open this discussion on the general board to get the members thoughts about what makes a hero. Since this is part of what we want out of the games we play. Not only the psychology behind the person but the heart and soul of what it means to be a hero. There is more to being a hero then just some psychological stresses that create a willingness to follow the rules. Many people follow the rules because they fear the repercussions of getting caught. Following the rules is not enough to be a hero in that context it takes something more. What I would ask you (the person reading this) is what are those other things that make up a hero.

Thanks for your time in advance.

 

[SemperJase]

Great question!

Is the CN character out for its own gain a hero. He kills 10 orcs and takes their stuff. Is that heroic? No, he was just stronger than those 10 orcs.

The person who puts him/herself in jeopardy for the sake of something greater is the hero. Here is a real-life example:

While leading his platoon north on Highway 1 toward Ad Diwaniyah, [Marine Corps Captain Brian] Chontosh's platoon moved into a coordinated ambush of mortars, rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons fire. With coalitions tanks blocking the road ahead, he realized his platoon was caught in a kill zone.

He had his driver move the vehicle through a breach along his flank, where he was immediately taken under fire from an entrenched machine gun. Without hesitation, Chontosh ordered the driver to advanced directly at the enemy position enabling his .50 caliber machine gunner to silence the enemy.

He then directed his driver into the enemy trench, where he exited his vehicle and began to clear the trench with an M16A2 service rifle and 9 millimeter pistol. His ammunition depleted, Chontosh, with complete disregard for his safety, twice picked up discarded enemy rifles and continued his ferocious attack.

When a Marine following him found an enemy rocket propelled grenade launcher, Chontosh used it to destroy yet another group of enemy soldiers.

When his audacious attack ended, he had cleared over 200 meters of the enemy trench, killing more than 20 enemy soldiers and wounding several others.

"I was just doing my job, I did the same thing every other Marine would have done, it was just a passion and love for my Marines, the experience put a lot into perspective," said Chontosh.

Last week, Capt. Chontosh was awarded the Navy Cross for his "extraordinary heroism.'

His actions were seemingly larger than life. Killing 20 enemy fighters? Wow. At the same time his motivations were for something beyond himself.
This example is a real life verson of Joseph Campbell's hero quest.

That is what makes a hero.

 

[Nightfall]

What makes a hero? Simple. See there are these two people, male and female. Well usually that's how it works. And then 9 months later (usually), out pops your hero!

 

[Caspian Moon Prince]

While Nightfalls answer is entertaining...I will say that the main ingredient that makes a hero and hero is their ability to do what is right for no other reason that that is the right thing to do. They are not motivated by greed, fame, fortune, or prestige. To me, the main example of a hero is Spider-man. He gets so few breaks in life and yet he still has the determination to be a real hero.

"With great power, comes great responsiblity..." I have a dislike of that quote for gaming reasons(very weird ones too), but it is the truth.

 

[Gothmog]

I'd say a hero is someone who is willing to stand for his principles or for a greater cause despite the possibility of great personal loss (life, honor, etc). He doesn't necessarily have to be "good", just motivated to see his cause through despite loss to himself. Heroes are NOT simply powerful, semi-divine, or admired people- those are things unto themselves.

 

[Sir Elton]

Dude, read Joseph Campbell's _Hero of a Thousand Faces_. But here is a list from my notes. The first is from Joseph Campbell, the second in Parathenses is from my own experience:

--- The Departure ---

1. The Call to Adventure (the Call to go on an LDS Mission)
2. Refusal of the Call (A prospective LDS missionary's self doubt)
3. Supernatural Aid (Personal Revelation)
4. The Crossing of the First Threshold (going to the LDS Temple)
5. "The Belly of the Whale" (Entering the MTC)

--- Initiation ----
1. The Road of Trials (Entering the Mission Field)
2. The Bliss of Infancy regained (Spiritual Teaching)
3. Woman as the Temptress (Temptation to do wrong)
4. Atonement with the Father (Atonement with the Father)
5. Apotheosis (Feeling God's Presence)
6. The Ultimate Boon (Understanding)

--- Return ---
1. Refusal to Return (Faithful LDS Missionaries almost always request an extension)
2. The Magic Flight (LDS missionary flying home on a Jetliner)
3. Rescue from Without (I'm not sure how this fits, I think it's the family meeting the returned LDS missionary).
4. The Crossing of the Threshold (LDS Missionary Reporting on his Mission)
5. Master of Two Worlds (The returned LDS Missionary feels that he is Master of the Real World, and still feels one with God).
6. Freedom to Live (LDS Missionary feels like he can really live)

And I believe that Joseph Campbell mentioned something about the hero sharing what he has learned with his home community. When Joseph Campbell presented this analysis of Myth, I suddenly understood my Brothers' feelings when they were on their LDS Missions. They, have in effect, partaken in a Hero's Journey. It was like Myth was actually happening, but I didn't understand it until now.

And that, above, is the Hero's Journey.

 

[milotha]

I'm inclined to say that someone can be a hero regardless of their motives. You don't have to believe strongly in something, you don't have to be good. You don't have to be altruistic. Sometimes you are in the right situation at the right time.

Instead, if enough people who witnessed your actions believe that they were for the greater good or benefitted others, then you can be a hero. Other people make you a hero, you don't declare yourself to be one.

What causes others to consider you heroic?

The actions usually break down into aiding others often at your own risk or deteriment. If enough people are aided, then you can achieve hero status. Perhaps you did the actions because you were depressed that day. Perhaps you did them out of revenge. Perhaps you did them because you wanted to be noticed.

Yes, you may have done the actions for more high minded reasons, but there are other cases.

 

[S'mon]

His actions were seemingly larger than life. Killing 20 enemy fighters? Wow. At the same time his motivations were for something beyond himself.
This example is a real life verson of Joseph Campbell's hero quest.

That is what makes a hero.

Real cool story, and the guy certainly sounds heroic, but it doesn't sound much like what I understand of Campbell's definition of a 'hero quest'!
Campbellian hero-quests at heart sound more like psychological internal journeys, the most important point about them is that "as he walked away from the place of blood and toil, his soul changed" - there has to be a major psychological development and change as a result of the conflict.

Some PCs I've GM'd for, and a few I've played, seem like 'heroes' to me. Most don't, though. I think I've met one or two heroes in real life. Heroes seem to have an intangible something about them that marks them out from the rest of us. Usually they're competent & capable individuals. Most important though, they do things because it's the right thing to do, not because it's expedient, and somehow doing the 'right' thing, even when apparently foolish, often seems to give better results than doing what seemed the sensible/expedient thing. Heroes in the sense I recognise them seem to have a well-developed moral sense, combined with uncommon courage. There's something that gives them an aura most people lack. They seem to be good examples to follow.

 

[Agemegos]

What makes a hero heroic? I ask this question in the context of a Fantasy midlevel setting, specifically the Dungeons and Dragons Universe. Not that this is the only place someone would find heroes but I think there is where we would find the most idealized and or romanticized version of the hero. If you feel differently please tell me what you think.

Well, I think heroism is defined by undertaking great efforts, paying great costs, facing great risks, and particularly risking or accepting death for the benefit of others. And so I don't think that it is found in its most ideal form in D&D. The D&D 'balanced encounter' is biased three to one in favour of the PCs, who are moreover idealised as motivated by hope of loot. It is of course possible to run it differently, but D&D is set up for thugs and thieves, not heroes.

Heroism is rather to be found in games where it is a lot easier to get killed, and where rewards are not thought of: West End Games' James Bond 007, for example.

 

[S'mon]

Dungeonhack-D&D definitely often doesn't leave much space for 'moral heroism'. The Midnight setting seems to be an excellent one to find true heroism though, especially with an excellent GM like the one I have (Stalkingblue).