- "Stay smart. Stay cool. It's time to prove to you're friends that you're worth a damn. Sometimes that means dying. Sometimes it means killing a whole lot of people."
- ― Dwight McCarthy (Sin City)
- "Whether we live or die isn't a big issue. If you focus on being alive, you develop fear. Your eyes get clouded. But if you have no such feelings... you are capable of fighting right to the end of the world."
- ― Revy (Black Lagoon)
- "All the Lucifer Six ever know is the prestige they could enjoy from supporting Lucifer's ambition and ideas, the suffering that Lucifer's world domination ideals could cause on others they never gave a damn about it, because they themselves have never personally suffered in the same way those who have been victimized by Lucifer's will. People who never experienced joy and people who never experienced suffering have different values. Sometimes people must personally experienced being hurt in order to know, fall in order to grow, lose in order to understand. Because life’s greatest lessons are learned through pain. Those Lucifer dogs have caused pain to countless victims for the sake of their ridiculous loyalty long enough, it is their turn to suffer retribution for all they have done!"
- ― Issei Hyodou (Highschool DxD)
- "Only I do the one thing that you can’t! You hit them and they get back up, I hit them and they stay down!"
- ― Frank Castle/The Punisher to Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Marvel's Daredevil, "New York's Finest")
- "Do we look like super heroes to you? You mess with us, you're not going to jail. You're going to the hospital."
- ― Luke Cage (The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes)
- "I won't kill you. But I don't have to save you."
- ― Bruce Wayne (Batman Begins)
- "If wearing superhero tights means sparing psychopaths, then maybe I wasn’t meant to wear them. Not everybody monitors a hall like you."
- ― Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Deadpool Trilogy)
- "I don't like people who don't realize they're villains, but I also don't like people who pretend to be saints."
- ― Godwin (Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yūsha no Pātī o Oidasareta no de, Henkyō de Surō Raifu Suru Koto ni Shimashita)
- "Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy. But, there is a bright side."
- ― Iroh (Avatar The Last Airbender)
- "What do you do when there is an evil you cannot defeat by just means? Do you stain your hands with evil to destroy evil? Or do you remain steadfastly just and righteous even if it means surrendering to evil?"
- ― Lelouch Vi Britannia (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion)
The archetype of an Anti-Hero. Variation of Heroic. Opposite to the Anti-Villain.
Also Called[]
- Anti-Heroine
- Beat em' Up Bloody Policy
- Dark Avenger
- Dark Hero
- Dark Knight
- Edgy Hero/Heroine
- The Frank Castle/Punisher Expy
- Lethal Protector
- The Rorschach Expy
- Vengeful Angel
Properties[]
The user is an anti-hero. They are shaped by trauma, personal loss, or disillusionment with traditional methods of society or traditional heroism. They operate in the grey areas of morality, believing that in order to truly defeat evil, one must sometimes adopt its methods. While conventional heroes adhere to strict codes of conduct, anti-heroes understand that to protect the innocent or achieve lasting change, compromises must be made, and getting their hands dirty is inevitable.
The user knows that law and virtue alone can't always stop evil, and sometimes, villains need to be eliminated permanently. They reject the notion of rehabilitation for the truly wicked, instead opting for final solutions to ensure those who harm others can no longer pose a threat. Unlike typical heroes, anti-heroes believe that restraint leads to more suffering, and hesitation can allow evil to grow. To them, the ends justify the means, and they won't hesitate to act brutally if it ensures a safer world.
While they fight for the good, they acknowledge that some situations require morally questionable actions, such as killing dangerous criminals or employing tactics that heroes consider off-limits. They may see themselves as the ones who do what is necessary, even if it means being labeled as a monster or outcast. Though they take extreme measures, anti-heroes often carry the emotional weight of their actions, understanding the costs of their methods. In these circumstances, they are not blind to the consequences of their deeds but feel they have no choice but to bear this burden for the greater good.
However, not all anti-heroes are so well-intentioned or self-aware about their questionable views and actions, leading them to become sanctimonious in their belief that they are the ultimate enemy of all things evil or dismiss their own vices and indulgences as long as those they deem evil suffer, sometimes regardless of their targets truly are evil or not. These flaws may become so extreme that they at some point may no longer be remotely heroic at all, descending into the role of an anti-villain or even a genuine villain, becoming evil themselves as their actions chip away at what virtue or reason they still had.
Ultimately, an anti-hero's methods can make them as feared as the villains they fight, and traditional heroes may see them as a threat, even though their goals align. While heroes uphold the law, anti-heroes believe they must transcend it to ensure justice triumphs.
Associated Powers[]
- Berserker
- Combat Perception
- Crimefighting Mastery
- Enhanced Accuracy
- Enhanced/Supernatural/Absolute Combat Mastery
- Investigation Mastery
- Enhanced Precision
- Enhanced Stealth
- Enhanced Tracking
- Enhanced/Absolute Violence
- Fear Immunity
- Indomitable Courage (lesser form)
- Feral Mind
- Horror Survivor
- Misanthropy Inducement
- Intuitive Aptitude
- One-Man Army
- Opportunity Sense
- Rage-Based Abilities
- Tranquil Fear
- Tranquil Fury
Associations[]
- Berserker
- Indomitable Rage
- Anger Constructs - To manifest constructs out of one's rage.
- Anger Empowerment - Become stronger through anger.
- Anger Energy Manipulation - To Manifest one's rage on a physical level.
- Combat Empowerment - Increases one's fighting spirit.
- Hatred Empowerment - Become stronger through hate.
- Omnislayer
- Rage Form
- Wrath Embodiment
Relationships[]
- Assailant
- Assassin
- Avenger: Usually, antiheroes are driven by a thirst of vengeance.
- Badass
- Bandit
- Barbarian
- Bounty Hunter
- Dark Knight: Antiheroes may possess a code of honor, albeit not hindering their ruthlessness.
- Delinquent: Several anti-heroes are known for being troublemakers.
- Hero Of Their Own Story
- Knights Templar
- Mercenary
- Ninja
- Outbreak Survivalist
- Pirate
- Rebel: Anti-heroes usually prefer to follow their own rules, even if it means breaking the law in the process.
- Ronin
- Seinen Protagonist: Many seinen protagonists are anti-heroic by nature.
- Shōnen Protagonist: Several shonen protagonists do good deeds for personal interests.
- Team Outsider
- True Hero: Anti-heroes can become a true hero as long as their motives aren't completely selfish.
- Warrior
- Yakuza
Example Characters[]
See Also: Anti Hero, Heroes Wiki, Inconsistently Admirable Wiki
Anime/Manga/Manhwa[]
- Afro Samurai (Afro Samurai)
- Eren Yager (Attack on Titan)
- Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan)
- Guts (Berserk)
- Casca (Berserk)
- Various Characters (Bleach)
- Kisuke Urahara
- Agito Makishima/Guyver II (Bio-Booster Armor Guyver)
- Lelouch vi Brittania (Code Geass)
- Vegeta (Dragon Ball series)
- Piccolo (Dragon Ball series)
- Tien Shinhan (Dragon Ball series)
- Android 18 (Dragon Ball series)
- Broly (Dragon Ball Super)
- Zephyr (Doom Breaker)
- Gintoki Sakata (Gintama)
- Lee Jaha (Return of the Mad Demon)
- Lee Geon (Return of the Disaster-Class Hero)
- Kain (The Haunted House/Shinbi Apartment)
- Alucard (Hellsing)
- Seras Victoria (Hellsing)
- Cheon Yeo Woon (Nano Machine)
- Ri Boku (Kingdom)
- Ri Shin (Kingdom)
- Kyou Kai (Kingdom)
- Ou Hon (Kingdom)
- Mou Ten (Kingdom)
- Kyou Rei (Kingdom)
- Katsuki Bakugo/DynaMight (My Hero Academia)
- Mugen (Samurai Champloo)
- Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling)
Cartoons/Comics[]
- Various Characters (Black Sands Entertainment)
- The Freeman Family (The Boondocks)
- Huey Freeman
- Riley Freeman
- Robert Freeman
- Kokin (Dark Horse Comics)
- Bruce Wayne/Batman (DC Comics)
- Clownhunter (DC Comics)
- Jason Todd/Red Hood (DC Comics)
- V (DC Comics)
- Rorschach (DC Comics/Watchmen)
- Various Characters (Marvel Comics)
- Blade
- Frank Castle/Punisher
- James "Logan" Howlett/Wolverine
- Laura Kenny/Wolverine II
- Bruce Banner/The Hulk
- Luke Cage
- Marc Specter/Steven Grant/Moon Knight
- Morbius
- Ghost Riders
- Venom
- Wade Wilson/Deadpool
- Various characters (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
- Homer and Bart (The Simpsons)
- Various characters (Horseland)
- Chloe
- Zoey
- Chili
- Pepper
- Angora
- Peppermint Fizz (Strawberry Shortcake)
- Raphael (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Alvin Seville (Alvin and the Chipmunks)
- Bloo (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends)
- Various characters (Troll Tales)
Live Television/Movies[]
- Cal/Madman (Runt film)
- Dean Winchester (Supernatural)
- Sam Winchester (Supernatural)
- Bobby Singer (Supernatural)
- Ethan Hunt (Mission Impossible)
Video Games/Visual Novels
- Ragna the Bloodedge (Blazblue)
- Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII); before regaining his memories.
- Kratos (God of War)
- Conscripts (Hλlf-Life 2); Cut
- Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
- Anti-Heroes (Sonic the Hedgehog)
- Shadow the Hedgehog
- Rouge the Bat
- E-123 Omega
- Kyp Durron (Star Wars Legends)
- Sagat (Street Fighter)
- Jin Kazama (Tekken)
- Counter Gaurdian EMIYA (TYPE-MOON)
- Kiritsugu Emiya (TYPE-MOON)
Web Animation/Comics/Original[]
- Jane Richardson/Jane the Killer (Creepypasta)
- Maxeeno Manervolkan (Maxeeno Manervolkan)
- Radite Casanova (Maxeeno Manervolkan)
- Che Heart (Ordeal)
Miscellaneous[]
- Elphaba (Wicked)