the Jester
Legend
Hawk of May.
I'm not so sure I'd classify River as a raging barbarian. She was more the hyper-competent killer. Reminded me of the Machine from the novel Armor.Mr. Furious from Mystery Men.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Godzilla?
Buffy (the Vampire Slayer)
Miss Piggy
River (Firefly)
Pat Mills who created Slaine was quite explicit that Slaine was based primarily (though not exclusively) on Cú Chulainn.Literary (of various forms) raging barbarians could include Cú Chulainn of Irish mythology and Sláine of 2000AD magazine and his own comics. Both experienced variations on warp spasms that could be handled by barbarian rage mechanics.
Isn’t it Eomir who goes berserk, at the sight of Eowyn “dead”? He goes wild and screams “Death! Death!” And the other Rohirrim cry out with him.I don't think the trope is particularly strong for main characters in modern age fiction. I think it is more a callback to the legends of berzerkers.
However, in Lord of the Rings, King Theoden at the Battle of Pellenor fields is described, "Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins."
As for Conan, in Queen of the Black Coast: "The fighting-madness of his race was upon him, and with a red mist of unreasoning fury wavering before his blazing eyes, he cleft skulls, smashed breasts, severed limbs, ripped out entrails, and littered the deck like a shambles with a ghastly harvest of brains and blood."
Other examples: Literature / The Berserker - TV Tropes
I can think of several outside of fantasy literature. Marvel Comics Wolverine and Hulk certainly qualify. Pretty much any Red Lantern from DC. Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde is a classic one in literature.
She’s definitely a D&D barbarian, IMO, who are highly competent killers. She goes into a killer state and exceeds what is possible for other people while in that state.I'm not so sure I'd classify River as a raging barbarian. She was more the hyper-competent killer. Reminded me of the Machine from the novel Armor.
Isn’t it Eomir who goes berserk, at the sight of Eowyn “dead”? He goes wild and screams “Death! Death!” And the other Rohirrim cry out with him.