Character Archetypes: Wrap-up

Well, Squiders, I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at some of the character archetypes. We could go on forever, honestly. Some people denote eight different character archetypes, others twelve. Still others can break down each archetype into another six or eight or ten sub-archetypes. The interesting thing about archetypes is that, yes, they do seem […]

Character Archetypes: The Sidekick

Very few Heroes stand alone. Often they are accompanied by a Sidekick, or a few. In some cases, a large number of companion characters will form a different archetype known as the Hunting Group of Companions. Sidekicks help the Hero through their trials and tribulations, but never quite step into the limelight themselves. Common Aspects […]

Character Archetypes: The Innocent

The Innocent is an archetype that can be used for a number of different types of characters, though if the Innocent is included in the main part of a story, they rarely remain such. Innocent characters can also fall into Hero, Sidekick, and Damsel in Distress archetypes. Often, they may be children. Common Aspects of […]

Character Archetypes: The Temptress

Ah, the Temptress. She saunters in and gives you a coy smile, her eyes promising that more is available, if you’re willing. The Temptress is a fairly common female archetype though, like the Damsel in Distress, it is evolving in response to people wanting more well-rounded and less stereotypical female characters. Common Aspects of the […]

Character Archetypes: The Damsel in Distress

Ah, the Damsel in Distress Archetype. Well known, common, but I like to think, in this day and age, we’re getting a little more creative in our application of it. Like the Mother Archetype, at times it seems like the Damsel in Distress is more of an idea than an actual person, though this varies. […]

Character Archetypes: The Threshold Guardian

I admit I like the name of this one. The Threshold Guardian! It sounds cool. Threshold Guardians are very common in any sort of Hero’s Journey plotline. Threshold Guardians can be good, evil, or neutral, alive or not, and may speak in riddles. Common Aspects of the Threshold Guardian Archetype: Acts as some sort of […]

Character Archetypes: The Mother

The Mother Archetype is kind of like the Mentor Archetype, in that Mother characters tend be more idealized and more removed from the action. They often show up only for a short time to provide guidance and nurturing before a Hero is sent on their way. Common Aspects of the Mother Archetype: Idealized Nurturing; provides […]

Character Archetypes: Evil with a Good Heart

We’re going to move into some of the still common, but less obvious, archetypes now. The first of these is the Evil Character with a Good Heart archetype (or EwGH for short, because that’s a mouthful). EwGH Archetypes are less common than your typical Villain Archetype, but they can still be seen in a wide […]

Character Archetypes: The Mentor

We’re all familiar with the Mentor Archetype. In fact, I would wager that, aside from the Hero Archetype, this is the one that most of us would identify off the top of our heads next. That may be because the Mentor Archetype is so intricately tied into your classic Hero’s Journey. For every Frodo or […]

Character Archetypes: The Villain

Aside from the Hero, the Villain is probably the most common character archetype. After all, without a villain, many stories would not happen. Heroes rise up solely to fight the evil villains bring into the world; with a villain, without their evil plan, heroes probably wouldn’t have destinies, or have lost their families, or be […]