What are your (least) favorite Character Archetypes and Story Tropes?

[Lucius]

My apologies if this has already been done.

Character archetypes are everywhere in movies and books. Useful in some cases and a nuisance in others, archetypes are a way for creators to simplify a character down to their dominant or core personality traits and build upon that. Acting as blueprints, a lot of characters are built on one archetype, before being fleshed out and given various other traits in order to make them believable.

There is no common list for character archetypes; some people use the western or eastern zodiacs as a base, while others prefer to use Carl Jung’s archetypes, some use the Enneagram, others the MBTI, and some will use combinations that include any of these. Essentially, there is no steadfast rule as to what archetypes exist. If a character has prominent traits that seem to recur in others, chances are that they share the same archetype. You could probably recognize archetypes in a lot of your favorite classical movies or books.

As far as story tropes go, it’s usually a convention in storytelling, somewhat like a pattern. A bit like character archetypes, but for stories and plot. As an example, think of your typical “mad scientist” found in most early horror literature/films. Then there’s also the wise old wizard in fantasy media. These are tropes; the wise old wizard is not only a character archetype, but also a trope because of how often it is found in fantasy stories.

Of course, these definitions are simplified. If you want to learn more, I highly suggest you google “character archetypes” and “story tropes” to acquire more information.


So I ask you, what are some of your favorite archetypes and tropes? And alternatively, what are some of your least favorite archetypes and tropes?

Personally, I adore the “enemies to friends to lovers” trope. I don’t know why, but I find it nice.
For character archetypes, I like the “prickly pear” (for lack of a better name); the character who’s tough on the outside, but soft with a heart of gold on the inside.

The trope I really dislike is the “necessary evil”/ “the needs of the many outweigh the few” trope. It really rubs me the wrong way.
As for an archetype I dislike, that would be the “Preachy Saint” archetype; the character who thinks they know best, and preaches their moral code.

[Jango_Fett]

the 'i'm supposed to be super evil and heartless but at the sight of a single person in need i will drop everything just to help them out but if anyone else mentions it i'll kill them' trope

[Wyldercat]

I'm personally not crazy about a couple common tropes nowadays. "11th Hour Superpower," (character getting new abilities in crucial moments, or deux ex machinas in general are rarely well executed, and cliche at best. Also any of the tsundere type tropes. I personally prefer honest character interaction and communication. And 99% of gay/lesbian tropes they're all so poorly handled but i'll shut up about it.

As for tropes I like, I love jerks with a heart of gold, and well-handled morally grey characters. Also color motifs. I'm a sucker for pretty colors.

Interesting topic, by the way. (+floof for ya)

[LaughingWolf]

Least favorite, in general, is insta-love. There's attraction, okay, but insta-love is BS. lol. You just don't see someone on the street and go "omg I love you, and will never hurt you and will worship you for the rest of my life, no questions asked".  I know it's sort of a thing, with shifter-series', and I can sort of understand that with them not being entirely human; but even then, the better writers will have conflict there, where it's not insta-love, but a war between their shifter and human parts.

Another would likely be mystery-guy-is-the-one type relationships. Especially those stories told from females' perspective. Just.. so predictable. Ever since seeing that [bleep] in Twilight, every author seems to do that now with highschool age drama stories.

The "arch-nemesis" that isn't much more than a loudmouth or generally a brat, or a mean-girls type trope, is another one I tire of. lol
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As for favorites..
I like stories that are well plotted, where you'd have to read the entire series more than once just to catch all the little breadcrumbs and hints that are in the next bit of the story. A good example, IMO, if you're a reader, is Throne of Glass. (Warning though, the later books (i think 5th or 6th) in the series have more adult scenes). It's fun to read back and see what you missed that the author teased but you didn't catch the first time. It also makes you double-think what may happen in the next book, or what that one thing meant back in book 2, or whatever.

For relationships, I prefer the more head-butting or strangers learning eachothers' personalities, weaknesses, and learn to be friends, then more; but not a change of heart over one incident or within the same chapter of writing. lol  [what can I say, I'm picky, and I read a lot]

[DarkWolfStar12]

Am a sucker for light-hearted whimsical characters that are present in otherwise dark stories. 

[chokiinq]

<sub>my favorite archetype is the sarcastic anti-hero that doesn't really want to get involved because he just doesn't care, but ends up doing it anyway. i also love the villain with a sense of humor.
my favorite trope is forbidden love (when it's done right). the two have built a strong bond but its a danger for that bond to be found out, so they have to work around the issue creatively.
_________

my least favorite archetype is the one-dimensional villain. they have no motive for destroying the world, they're just doing it to give the hero somebody to fight. i like all my characters, hero, anti-hero, and villain alike, to have some personality to them. i also hate the hero with a black-and-white view on the world. not everyone is strictly good or strictly bad - there are several people who are a mixture of grey.
my least favorite trope is every single high school story ever. you've got the smart brunette, the dumb popular blonde who's in love with a jock that's just as dumb, the guy who understands the smart brunette almost perfectly, it's all really stupid. it relies only on stereotypes, so all of the characters are cardboard cut-outs.</sub>

[LaughingWolf]

^  that's a good one too. One-dimensional, cookie-cutter characters that have one standard trait; especially the stereotyped-to-hell ones, like the dumb jock or main char that thinks she's ugly/plain, etc.

[ToilAndTrouble]

pretty sure I might be kind of reviving a thread in the against-the-rules sorta way but idk for sure
if I am tho,, sorry

but uh,, tbh i'm a sucker for any trope as long as it's executed well and isn't too overused and predictable
examples would have to be, uh,, homura akemi
she's got that mysterious transfer girl thing goin on w/ her but at the same time it's understandable. she just got out of the hospital for a heart condition and -- ehehehe i'll let u guys do ur own research on pmmm so i don't spoil it,, but it's understandable

favorite tropes, however?
hhhh i'm a dork for the 'cute character who has no idea what's going on 90% of the time' thing. i have plenty of those characters and i love 'em to death they're just so confused pls help them