Ten Types of Hated Characters
This is FYCC’s 1000th post! And after making 1000 posts on this blog, I’ve noticed that there’s a trend in terms of which types of characters are hated (or are base breakers) in their fandoms. With some examples from previous entries, here’s the ten most common types, why they’re hated, and why you should maybe reconsider hating them.
“Promiscuous” characters (ex: Summer Finn from “(500) Days of Summer”)
- Why they’re hated: Often called “sluts” and “whores” by their fandoms, they might seduce a character who’s part of a popular ship and thus “get in the way.” Or they refuse to conform to “societal norms” by settling down with just one person and may have plenty of relationships within the course of the series.
- Why you should reconsider: Most characters that fall into this category are female, which just reeks of slut-shaming while allowing the male characters (who are often considered to be funny and charming when they do this) to spread their seed because, well, “boys will be boys.” And it’s admirable to watch a woman who’s comfortable with their body and sexuality.
Young characters (ex: Dil Pickles from “Rugrats”)
- Why they’re hated: Fans view these characters as annoying, childish, useless, and are often considered signs of a show/book/movie “jumping the shark” when they’re added later on.
- Why you should reconsider: They’re young. Of course they’re gonna act this way! It’d be weird if a 5-year-old was acting like a distinguished Shakespearean scholar.
“The Hypotenuse” (ex: Kikyo from “Inuyasha”)
- Why they’re hated: Whenever love triangles appear in popular media, there’s gonna be that third person or hypotenuse who’s viewed as “getting in the way” of a popular ship.
- Why you should reconsider: If they’re the losing party in the love triangle, there’s a good chance that this character isn’t gonna get a happy ending. Bonus points if they’re written out of the love triangle in a way that doesn’t make the audience very happy (ex: Jacob from “Twilight” or Gale from “The Hunger Games”). So have some sympathy for them.
