“ | Don't be ridiculous! There aren't any monsters around here, okay?! The only thing that is here is a kind-hearted girl who brought me back to life! | „ |
~ Ayumu Aikawa assuring Eucliwood Hellscythe that he does not hate her. |
“ | Not enough. I must stay in the eye of the whirlwind... must push myself harder... | „ |
~ Revali’s rare display of his vulnerable side. |
“ | I can't be with someone like me. I hate myself! | „ |
~ Jerry Seinfeld admitting he's deeply insecure behind his arrogance, fully aware to what kind of person he is and preferring not to date with girls who behave like him. |
“ | I hate myself more than anyone. I always think I have to get my act together, but I end up cowering, running away, sniveling. I want to change. I want to be a competent person. | „ |
~ Zenitsu Agatsuma to himself |
Heroes who sometimes lack self-esteem or confidence. This can range from thinking they're monsters to believing they don't have what it takes to accomplish their goals. They are very similar to tragic heroes, but the defining characteristic of an insecure hero is that they are lying in many ways both to themselves and others (i.e. they have a bad habit of saying things that they don't actually believe, especially about themselves, although they themselves often aren't even aware of this).
Alternatively, an insecure hero is a good-hearted individual who acts in a dangerous way due to severe pain suffered by some tragic reason. Sometimes, they are victims of bullying or severe abuse by someone who is cruel or evil.
Usually, these heroes just need a friend or loved one - other times, they need acceptance, yet it is also common for an insecure hero to simply be too far gone and absorbed in their own troubles to accept (or want) help, as was the case with Sayori, Eucliwood Hellscythe, Natsuki, Sadness, Yuri, Aoi Akane, Shrek, Queen Elsa, Riku, Raven, and (briefly) Elize Lutus. Unlike their villainous counterparts, however, for heroes, insecurity nearly always serves as a trait to overcome through character development.
Ironically, many insecure heroes also qualify as Arrogant or an Egomaniac. These heroes suffer from what is called a "Superiority complex", where they feign arrogance, egomania and narcissism to hide their flaws from others and, more often than not, themselves. Perfect examples include Inuyasha, Oscar, Nick Wilde, Sasuke Uchiha, Anakin Skywalker, Duncan, Shadow the Hedgehog, Emperor Kuzco, Rika Kawai, Toko Fukawa, The Grinch, Prince Adam, Lord Blumiere, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, Revali, Squidward Tentacles, Greg Heffley, Donkey Kong from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Mr. Snake. Some heroes suffer from a superiority complex without actual signs of egomania or arrogance such as Papyrus from Undertale, and Edge from Mario + Rabbids.
All items (4653)
- Aanya
- Aaron Herres
- Aaron Mitchell
- Abby Schmidt
- Abe Lincoln
- Abed Nadir
- Abel (Street Fighter)
- Abraham Simpson
- Ace (TwinBee)
- Ace Ukiyo
- Ace Ventura
- Acht
- Ada & Eva
- Adaline Pratt
- Adam Clay (The Beekeeper)
- Adam Goldberg
- Adam Harrison
- Adam Jensen
- Adam Stanheight
- Adam Warlock (Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy)
- Adam Warlock (Marvel)
- Addisso
- Adelbert Steiner
- Adon
- Adrian Monk
- Adriana Penn (Daybreak)
- Adu Du
- Agatha Gillman
- Agent 47
- Agent G
- Agent Kramer
- Agent Venom (2010s Marvel Animated Universe)
- Agnes Jurati
- Agni
- Ahri
- Ai Hoshino
- Ai Ohto
- Ai Otori
- Aiden Caldwell
- Aigis
- Aigle
- Ais Wallenstein
- AJ Frost
- Ajax (Genshin Impact)
- Ajay Ghale
- AK-15
- Akane Sakurada
- Akane Tendo
- Akari (Hello? Hell...o?)
- Akari Hizamaru
- Akari Ichijou
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- Akatsuki (Log Horizon)
- Akeno Himejima
- Akeno Misaki
- Aki Hayakawa
- Akihiko Sanada
- Akiho Senomiya
- Akiho Shinomoto
- Akira Kazama
- Akito Hayama
- Akito Sohma
- Akiyuki Takehara
- Akiza Izinski
- Aladdin (2019)
- Alakshmi Verma
- Alan Harper
- Alan Partridge
- Albain
- Alberto Scorfano
- Albus Dumbledore
- Alderheart
- Alex (Control Z)
- Alex (Madagascar)
- Alex Chen
- Alex Cloudmill
- Alex McDonough
- Alex Norwood
- Alex Rider
- Alex Vreeke
- Alex Wilder (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Alexander Bonaparte Cust
- Alexander Hamilton
- Alexandra Privet
- ALF (Gordon Shumway)
- Alfendi Layton
- Alfonso
- Alfred (Fire Emblem)
- Alfred Vint Svent
- Alfredo Linguini
- Ali Abdul
- Ali bin Ghazali
- Alias
- Alibaba Saluja
- Alice (Disney)
- Alice (Once Upon a Time)
- Alice Gehabich
- Alice Nimbletoes
- Alice Zuberg
- Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX
- Alicia Melchiott
- Alisa Reinford
- Alisa Selezneva
- Alisha Diphda
- Alizarin
- Alkai Turner
- Allan Sherwood
- Allegra (Mario + Rabbids)
- Allegra Sharp
- Allelujah Haptism
- Allen Hale
- Allison Argent
- Alluka Zoldyck
- Ally (Descendants)
- Ally Dawson
- Alma Madrigal
- Alopex (IDW)
- Alopex (TMNT 2012)
- Aloy
- Alpha Pig
- Alphys
- Alto Clef
- Alucard (Hellsing)
- Alucard (Netflix's Castlevania)
- Aludra
- Alvin (The Walking Dead)
- Alvin Jr.
- Alvin Seville (Live-Action Movies)
- Alvin, Simon, and Theodore
- Alyssa Hale
- Amabel Swanson
- Amadeo Gonzalez
- Amanda (Star Fox)
- Amanda Ellerby
- Amanda Kirby
- Amanda Ripley
- Amane Kasai
- Amaya (The Dragon Prince)
- Ambrosius Goldenloin
- Ameisha Kichougasaki
- American Dream (Marvel)
- Amethyst (Steven Universe)
- Ami Kawashima
- Ami Onuki (Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi)
- Amicus
- Amigos (Happy Feet)
- Amity Blight
- Amleth
- Amumu
- Amuro Ray
- Amy Chen
- Amy Farrah Fowler
- Amy Rose (Sonic Boom)
- Amy Rose (Sonic the Hedgehog)
- Amy Sorel
- Anais Watterson
- Anakin Skywalker (Angry Birds Star Wars)
- Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars)
- Anastasia Tremaine
- Andre Lyon
- Andrea Harrison (TV Series)
- Andrew Clark
- Andrew Glouberman
- Andrew Llewellyn
- Andrew Norris
- Andrew Neyman
- Android 21
- Andromeda Shun
- Andy (The Goonies)
- Andy Bernard
- Andy Taylor
- Andy Warski
- Ang Jouyan
- Angeal Hewley
- Angel (IDW)
- Angel (Lilo & Stitch)
- Angel (The Big O)
- Angel Dust
- Angela Childs
- Angelia
- Angelica Pickles
- Angelina Mouseling
- Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi
- Angol Mois
- Angry Birds
- Angry Video Game Nerd
- Angus (Ferdinand)
- Animdude
- Ann Takamaki
- Anna D'Antoni
- Anna Williams
- Anne Boonchuy
- Anne Hale
- Anne Von Blyssen
- Annette (Netflix's Castlevania)