Underdog Hero In Movies

An archetype, by dictionary definition is “an original model or type after which other similar things are patterned.” In film, archetypes are generally portrayed differently than in novels, as it is for the most part easier to spot the “bad guy” and “good guy” in films by the way they are portrayed. The underdog hero is the character who is not likely to succeed in what they want to do. The underdog hero tends to be a character who has gone through some type of struggle and works their way to the top. The outcome of the underdog is usually overlooked in the beginning of the story and slowly developed into something major. One film that shows an extraordinary example of the underdog hero is Rocky, with Rocky Balboa playing the part of this

As an underdog, no matter how hard life hits you, you will find your own motivation and keep going. You show life not only how hard you can hit it back, but that you can overcome anything. In chapter 1 of Allison Scott and George Goethals’ Heroes: What They Do and Why We Need Them, they explain why it is necessary to have a hero within a story. These writers state, “One reason is that the creators of fiction purposely construct characters who perfectly embody classic heroic stories or narratives. […] These make-believe individuals are thus crafted to be hero prototypes—individuals possessing powerful heroic qualities that we easily recognize and admire” (Scott 32). These fictional characters allow the audience to get a firm grasp onto something that they strive to be, not only for entertainment, but for inspiration and educational purposes as well. Heroes are designed for the audience to admire and respect. Scott and Goethal perfectly describe the obstacles that heroes must overcome in saying, “Struggle is a central, inescapable part of the human experience. Heroes separate themselves from the rest because they don’t allow struggle to stop them from achieving great things” (111). This description is easily relatable to everyday life, in saying that no matter how hard life gets, we should never let the fear of our obstacles

Each of these films are smart and skilled for their generation. Who doesn’t love an underdog story? The film Rocky, and the character of Rocky Balboa himself perfectly grasp the true feelings of being alone in life. These emotions are easily relatable to society, along with Rocky Balboa’s genuine heart of gold, which made this a successful film. In comparison to Rocky Balboa, Adonis Creed starts off living his life by his lonesome in a sense, as he is in a juvenile hall for orphans. In contrast to Rocky Balboa, although both main characters fall in love and find motivation, Adonis Creed has his mother and is able to get support from him family, whereas in Rocky, Rocky Balboa’s family is rarely even mentioned let alone elaborated