Trope Discussion #9 : The "Rebel/Rascal" Character
(Whoops, I got this to you late, feel free to answer tomorrow)
What to you is the most appealing part of this character archetype? Is this a character type you like?
I typically think of these guys as the stretched versions of the pranksters, with either a cause they revel for, or just can' abide authority. Often end up being the character from the streets, but can also be the princely characters who fight against the tradition and claustrophobic environment they were raised against. How successful their rebellions are, or if they become more loud after meeting their partner, can be an interesting arc for this character. Similarly if these tendencies mature/fade a little after meeting the SO. As such, these characters pop up more in "political" / "historical" / stories discussing class differences. (One example I think of may be Chi Cheng from Revenged Love)
What kind of background do you like for this kind of character? (Socioeconomic wise / family situation wise / etc.)
What kind of character do you like paired with this character type?
Is there a specific setting you like to see this character in? (High school/college/work/etc). Alternatively, do you prefer a specific age range for this kind of character, is there one that is more appealing to you? Do you feel these characters are more common in the younger settings?
Are there any specific story beats you see frequently/ with this kind of character? Are there any specific storylines you like / don't like for this character?
What do the writers / director need to do for this archetype to succeed?
What do you think the actors need to bring in terms of acting for this archetype to succeed?
bonus 1: some favorite examples of this characters?
bonus 2: any other thoughts you want to share 😁❤️
Never worry, it's not like there's a timetable or an assignment for this, lol.
This is a 'depends on the show and the character' kind of trope for me. I often enjoy these characters but sometimes they grate on me. It's such a broad category that can go so many was. Rebels with a cause are often great characters but characters who get defined as a rascal can get my eye twitching. I don't mind a rebel like Arthit who's going against convention but then you just get a 'rascal' who's really just an obnoxious character to good for the rules like Force's guy from Perfect 10 Liners.
See, that's interesting because I hate pranksters. I hate them as characters. They tend to drive me batty. Pranksters are just frustrating until they learn better. BUT that's also my sense of humor. This is definitely a trope for more serious shows me. Give me rebels with causes and actual rebellions and not just a guy who doesn't think there's a reason for social rules and uses it as an excuse to be an asshole.
I dunno? I suppose they're often more interesting at either extreme. Either the prince who wants to talk about the domestic violence he's experiencing even though no one cares despite the protagonist being supposedly extremely empathetic or the poor worker whose sister was sick from the horrible mining fumes who got totally shafted in the last part of the series because the show was catering to above 'empathetic' prince.
Uhhhh, that's... a fascinating question in this situation because I think it's highly dependent. Rebels need people who match them but with slightly different energy. Sometimes it's about strength, sometimes it's about fragility, sometimes it's about empathy... a rebel needs a partner who sees what he sees and understands it but also has their own view and their own issues to support the rebel with or that puts them at an issue with the rebel's wishes. Either connection or conflict. OR both!
I dunno? This is a character the depends more on the character then anything. I think we see a lot of this in university characters but I prefer it in adults, frankly. Almost always. Because then it's much more removed from the rascal/prankster idea. As for setting? Eh. EHHH. It can work anywhere as long as it makes sense.
I feel like this is one that's interesting to think about for that because there are so many levels and different approaches to this character. There's always a moment when the rebellion asks them to go something that they never would normally do and they have to choose one side of morality or the other and that can be very well done or very, very, very badly done and it depends so much on the writing and the character. I am not a fan of them acting on the same issues we've seen the whole show only to suddenly have everything change for their partner and be rejected but that's just bad writing!
... Good writing. Cohesive writing. They need to make sure that what's happening actually makes sense with the characters and with the story and not have the supposedly empathetic prince who understood everyone suddenly not give a fuck about the person he literally saw being abused and who just gave a speech about the pains of domestic violence god FUCK The Next Prince and what it did to poor Ramil.
Good acting. This is a hard one because it is heavily reliant on the writers to make sense of the story.
lol I dunno. Ramil is precious to me but he's not actually that much of a rebel until the end. Love him, though. Arthit from The Sun From Another Star seems like this type with a bit of rascal and I like him!
