Building Character: How to Write a Slytherin Protagonist
Broadly speaking, the four houses of Hogwarts are an excellent division of classic heroic archetypes, each with their own values and philosophies to set them apart. But of the four, Slytherin gets done the most dirty by its author, with exactly 1 genuinely likable Slytherin character, and everyone else is basically a magic Nazi. So, I want to talk about crafting a hero with Slytherin values, and the types of stories where these heroes are allowed to prevail, as well as naming off some characters from fiction who are the lead of their story, and fall into the House of the Snake. I’m going to cover all four houses, but I’m starting with Slytherin because it’s my house, and I’m tired of it being disrespected. Keep in mind, a character does not have to have every single trait listed to fit into Slytherin, this is more of an examination of the wider scope the house contains within it.
Ambitious. The number one characteristic of Slytherin, those sorted into the house of the snake have lofty dreams, and usually want more than they already have. They dream of glory, recognition, fame, status, power. Whatever it is that they desire, they won’t stop until they’ve gotten what they want. Different Slytherins have different approaches to working toward this goal, but are usually willing to give up just about anything and/or everything to get what they want. Sometimes this leads them to hurting themselves and others in the process, but usually, achieving their dreams is worth a little hardship along the way. However, unlike a Hufflepuff that values hard work, a Slytherin has no problems taking an easy way out if the opportunity presents itself.
Cunning. Slytherins are sly and sneaky, using their natural swagger, quick wits, intimidating presence, or position of authority to talk or weasel their way out of a tricky situation. This also makes them good at worming information out of people, worming their way into places they shouldn’t be, or distracting people from what they’re doing. It’s no wonder Slytherins make good spies, saboteurs, and assassins.
Resourceful. Many spy heroes like James Bond or MacGyver are nearly infamous for being resourceful, and able to get themselves out of a tight spot with just a few crude items at their disposal. A resourceful hero can make the best of any situation, whether it’s a political drama, a high stakes action scene, or escaping from a death trap. A resourceful hero will figure out how to use everything around them to their own advantage.
Determined. Perhaps the most noble trait of a Slytherin hero, their single-minded drive, thirst for glory, ambition for power, and stubbornness also means that they’re unlikely to give up or back down from their desires. You can expect your Slytherin hero to always get back up after being knocked down, and refusing to submit or accept defeat. A Slytherin hero is also not afraid to do something unseemly if it means achieving their dreams, getting what they want, or climbing the social ladder.
Composed. Slytherins are good at maintaining control over themselves. They don’t tend to act on impulse or emotion. They consider their situation, and make a measured response. Slytherins are calculating, logical, and strong-willed. They won’t give in to temptations or distractions. This also means they’re good at not showing their state of mind, making them good at bluffing their way out of a situation. They aren’t easily baited into an emotional breakdown, which also protects them from making mistakes or messing up their plans.
Clever. Inventive, shrewd, and insightful, the Slytherin hero is a hard one to trick or mislead because they consider every angle. They have an eye for detail, and are quick to pick up on things. This attentiveness and social intelligence means that Slytherins often have a good sense for how other people are acting, picking up on subtle signals, and are quick on their feet. This can even help them lie quickly and convincingly due to their sharp wits and improvisation. They’re also unlikely to get confused or distracted since they’re more aware and clever enough to follow what’s happening around them.
Observant. Logical, analytical, and detail-oriented, Slytherins consider every angle before they make a move. They study the chess board and weigh every option, making calculated risks to get them closer to their goal. Whereas a Gryffindor will charge in guns blazing, a Slytherin would check to see if the back door is unlocked, or use tactics and strategies to take down their opponents.
Charming. While not all Slytherins are nice, many are oddly charming, due largely to their social intelligence and ability to read people. However, this can also make them excellent charlatans, reading their marks in order to deceive them. Slytherins understand the importance and power of appearances, prestige, and reputation, and know how to weaponize their reputation and charms to benefit them, or undermine their opponents.
Authoritative. When a Slytherin is the leader, their knack for tactics, and their cold, logic-driven mindset means that Slytherins prefer strict discipline and strategy as a leader. Where the Gryffindor inspires admiration and sparks passion, the Slytherin leader promotes each person doing their part to make the unit strong. Under a Slytherin leader, there is no room for mistake or failure. Luckily, Slytherins are so calculated and careful that the margin for error is small, as long as they surround themselves with people who are dedicated to their goal.
Pragmatic. Sometimes horrible things need to be done, and your paragon hero will usually not have the heart to pull the trigger. Good thing a pragmatic hero doesn’t have this shortcoming. The pragmatic hero is willing to take the cheap shot, lie, cheat, steal, break rules, or hurt people if it needs to be done for the greater good. They know the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, and they can get their hands dirty where other heroes would be too moral to stoop to such methods or tactics.
Rebellious. Because Slytherins are never content with where they are in life or what they have, they make excellent rebel characters that oppose an unjust system. It is in the Slytherin’s nature to never settle for less, and that drives them to dismantle any oppressive system trying to stand in their way or limit their potential.
Manipulative. Due to their capricious natures, social intelligence, and quick wits, Slytherins can be very manipulative, talking people into doing things they don’t want to, or making them feel like they don’t have a choice but to do what they want. Their cold emotionless pragmatism mixed with their blind ambition can turn a Slytherin hero into a cold, calculating chessmaster that sees their own allies as game pieces to move and use as their master plan dictates, ignoring the fact that their game pieces are sentient people with free will.
Controlling. Slytherins are very particular. They get what they want, and they do it their way. That can turn a Slytherin into a domineering and controlling person, trying to exert their will over someone else’s life choices because they’re clearly smarter than that person, and they know what’s best for them. This can create further hostility when those they try to control resist them.
Condescending. Slytherins tend to think very highly of themselves due to their raw talent and intelligence. This, coupled with their tendency toward antisocial behavior and canon Slytherin’s propensity for elitism, results in a hero who tends to talk down to and belittle others, addressing other people as inferiors.
Selfish. Slytherin is ambitious, and their determination knows no bounds. While this can be a valiant heroic trait to have, if it’s left unchecked, some Slytherins can become so blinded by their own desires that they don’t care about (or actively undermine) the success, happiness, or problems of others.
Rule-Breaker. Sometimes, a Slytherin hero rebels because the rules are stupid, or the people making the rules are corrupt. Other times, Slytherins rebel because rules don’t apply to them, and they’re too smart, important, or special to obey the rules and laws that other people abide by. Other times, a Slytherin rebels against a just system more just to make trouble, not because trouble deserves to be made.
Merciless. Slytherins are the teammates willing to shoot the dog if it means saving the world. However, when pushed to extremes, they’re also the kinds of characters that will accidentally kill a civilian in the heat of battle with a villain and just chalk it up as an example of life sucking and the universe being unfair, instead of attributing the blame to themselves. Or, they’ll fully accept the blame, and still feel no remorse for their actions. The merciless hero takes the pragmatic approach, but doesn’t care if innocent people are hurt, even if it was entirely avoidable. Those people didn’t need to die. But they did. Oh well.
Obsessive. The Slytherin’s single-minded determination can be heroic, but when pushed to extremes it can result in a hero who only cares about one thing, and nothing else (not even their own life) may matter to them. Every chance to start over, to choose peace, to find new meaning or happiness, to chase a more realistic dream. They’ll reject it all in their blind dash toward the only future they’ll accept.
Dishonest. A Slytherin hero has no problem lying, can do it with a straight face, may feel nothing about lying to people, and has the social intelligence to read people like an open book. So, it stands to reason that some Slytherin heroes cannot be trusted to keep their word. Whether they frequently lie, turn against their friends, run away, break their promises, or throw their friends under the bus, a dishonest hero is a liar who only cares about their own safety and survival, and has loyalty to only themselves.
The Paragon is a hero who embodies the idealized hero. A goody two-shoes boy scout who fights for peace, justice, and apple pie. This is not that hero. The Anti-Hero is someone whose overall goal is heroic like overthrowing an oppressive regime or keeping demons from using the Earth as a breeding grounds, but they’ll do it in a very unheroic way. Lying, cheating, breaking the law, hurting their friends, or even on a smaller scale, partaking in self-destructive behaviors. Anti-heroes come in a wide variety, from the genuinely heroic characters with a sprinkling of grumpiness, to a walking dumpster fire of problematic backstories loosely held together by a somewhat heroic motivation that may itself be entirely self-centered.
Sometimes called a Trickster, The Guile Hero is someone who relies on their resourcefulness, charm, wit, and reflexes to overcome their foes with tactics and strategies instead of brute force. They may try negotiating with the enemy, tricking them, trapping their foes, sabotaging their enemy’s plans, using themselves or their friends as distractions to mislead their foes, turn their foe’s power against them, use the environment, a conditional super power, or the rules of the universe to gain an upper hand against a stronger foe, or simply outrun their opponent and live to fight another day.
A revenge plot is heavily motivated by a singular ambition propelled by single-minded determination that frequently spirals into an obsession. The Avenger is a character that has been wronged, and is both incapable and unwilling to relent on this drive until the ones that wronged them have been brought to justice one way or another. Sometimes, this means murder, sometimes arrest, and sometimes it means blaming all of society for one person’s actions and going full supervillain. A friendly reminder that protagonist does not mean good guy, it just means main character.
The rebel as a protagonist is rarely a villain protagonist. They’ll come in two major flavors: a relatively normal person rebelling against one particular authority (usually their parents or teachers, etc.) or they’re in a YA Dystopia novel, and are an actual war rebel fighting against a tyrannical government. I’ll address these as two separate archetypes. A punk is simply someone who refuses to let authority figures silence their goals, and dares to dream of more than what society deems ‘acceptable’, transgressing against authority on a more community-wide scale. A rebel is part of an active resistance combating an unfair system, and fighting to change the world for the better. Bender is a punk, Katniss is a rebel.
Sometimes the role of the good guys and the protagonist have no overlap whatsoever. The criminal protagonist excels with a Slytherin mindset, carefully planning their capers, covering their tracks, keeping an eye out for snitches, and always having an escape plan should the police start getting a little too close for comfort. Sometimes you get the Gentleman Thief variant like Robin Hood who commits crime as a form of rebellion against tyranny, or only commits crimes as a game and always leaves the stolen goods for the cops to find once they’ve proven they can steal it.
The Slytherin’s attention to detail, penchant for planning, and resourcefulness when cornered makes them ideal for sleuthing around criminal operations. Whether you’re looking at a classic detective, a superspy, a vigilante, a ninja, or a crime-fighting superhero, the detective archetype follows the breadcrumbs to discover the villain’s plot in order to foil it and take them down, or alert the authorities to let the law sort them out.
Some heroes are driven by a desire for accomplishments, merits, and accolades. Those characters who go above and beyond to chase their dreams. The Overachiever is a character archetype who refuses to settle for 2nd place, and pushes themselves to be the best version of themselves that they can be. Usually, these fall more in line with being sticklers for the rules, and expecting everyone to play by those rules, even when those rules are unfair. They are the least likely archetype to be rebellious, but thrive on ambition and desire to succeed.
Sometimes a character’s entire life is their job, and their journey to the top of their chosen profession. With a Slytherin protagonist, you have two types of workaholics: Those who take aim at the glass ceiling and a top floor office, and those who pride themselves on being the best at what they do, regardless of their position within the company. Sometimes they feel alive when they pull off a tricky task, and others will only feel satisfied when they’re in the boss’ seat calling all the shots. Regardless, the corporate world is their empire, and they will seize their throne whatever way they can.
Call them the tactician or the Machiavellian, it’s all the same thing. Your character, whether born of noble blood or coming from nothing, desires to have a position of power and importance, usually the throne, but also can be the boss’ chair. This character can be similar to the workaholic, but they will be far more active in going after that throne. Marrying for political alliances, amassing a following, even going to war to win themselves that throne. Whether they use sneaky or direct tactics, they’ll usually try to undermine those who stand in their way to power and authority. They hunger for that seat of power, and they will take it whatever way necessary. They may be the One True King or the Rightful Heir, but they could just as easily be The Usurper or The Fisher King, taking the throne not because they’d be a good leader, but because they want it.
When the Slytherin starts their story in a position of authority or otherwise adopts the position during the story, they typically lead through careful planning, division of labor, stern application of authority, and little tolerance for tomfoolery or shenanigans. These leaders are cold, efficient, and logical, causing them to be meticulous and precise, and good at keeping tabs on multiple tasks or employees, and knowing who best to delegate work to. On the far end, they can also turn into jerk bosses, with unfair expectations and inspiring little love or loyalty from their employees, regardless of how well they run the business.
With a Slytherin at the helm of your story, the general structure of the story will usually work to glorify their cunning minds and ruthless pragmatism. Shows like Game of Thrones, Billions, and House of Cards center around the cutthroat business of politics. They paint traditionally paragon traits as naïve and childishly idealistic. Any spy or heist movie is guaranteed to star a Slytherin, with their clever resourcefulness and knack or getting in and out of trouble. It’s no surprise that the rebel is almost a staple heroic archetype and a pure Slytherin icon. Reality shows like Big Brother or Survivor prioritize the Slytherin mindset of manipulation and social intelligence. Some of the best players would be easily sorted into the House of the Snake. The Slytherin’s narrative will usually be framed in such a way that the Slytherin’s ruthless cunning is a sign of their intelligence. Slytherin heroes often desire to be the greatest ____ of all time. They seek glory, recognition, fame, wealth, power, status, and the audience is there to see them achieve their dreams. However, unlike the Hufflepuff that simply puts in the hard work, the Slytherin is more proactive, using their cunning to climb the corporate ladder faster than they would by simply waiting for a promotion. A Slytherin’s single-minded drive for greatness has resulted in a number of underdog protagonists who overthrow someone far more evil through cunning and tactics. The old adage of “Work smarter not harder” echoes the Slytherin’s mind over matter philosophy.
Amy Santiago (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Ariel (Disney’s The Little Mermaid)
Batman/Bruce Wayne (DC Comics)
Bender (Futurama)
Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes)
Carmen Sandiego (Carmen Sandiego Franchise)
Courtney (Total Drama Franchise)
Daenerys Targaryen (A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones)
Daffy Duck (Looney Tunes)
Deathstroke/Slade Wilson (DC Comics)
The Doctor (Doctor Who)
Doctor Strange (Marvel Comics)
Duncan (Total Drama Franchise)
Ebenezer Scrooge (A Christmas Carol)
Eddy (Ed Edd ‘n’ Eddy)
Edmund Dantès (The Count of Monte Cristo)
Estella/Cruella De Vil (Disney’s Cruella)
Eve Harrington (All About Eve)
Flynn Ryder/Eugene Fitzherbert (Disney’s Tangled)
Dr. Gregory House (House, M.D.)
The Grinch (How the Grinch Stole Christmas)
Heather (Total Drama Franchise)
Iron Man/Tony Stark (Marvel Comics)
James Bond (James Bond Franchise)
John Bender (The Breakfast Club)
John Constantine (DC Comics)
Karen Walker (Will & Grace)
Katsuki Bakugou (My Hero Academia)
Keith Kogane (Voltron: Legendary Defender)
Light Yagami (Deathnote)
Link (Legend of Zelda)
Loki (Marvel Comics)
Louie Duck (Duck Tales)
Louise Belcher (Bob’s Burgers)
Angus MacGyver (MacGyver)
Mandy (The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy)
Margaery Tyrell (A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones)
Mary Crowley (Downton Abbey)
Michael Corleone (The Godfather Trilogy)
Mulan (Disney’s Mulan)
Omi (Xiaolin Showdown)
Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)
Piper McLean (The Heroes of Olympus)
Princess Caroline (Bojack Horseman)
Rachel Berry (Glee)
Captain Raymond Holt (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Robin/Nightwing/Dick Grayson (DC Comics)
Robin Hood (Folklore Figure)
Roger Smith (American Dad)
Salem Saberhagen (Sabrina the Teenage Witch)
Sansa Stark (A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones)
Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto Franchise)
Satine (Moulin Rouge)
Scarlet O’Hara (Gone With the Wind)
Scrooge McDuck (Duck Tales)
Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes)
Varys (A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones)
Weiss Schnee (RWBY)
Will Hunting (Good Will Hunting)
SORDID SORTING: WHEN IS A SNAKE NOT A SNAKE?
Sometimes, a character toes the line between whether they’re a true blue Slytherin, and it’s hard to judge them sometimes. Emma Swan is a very close line between being a Slytherin and a Gryffindor. She’s brash and reactionary like a Gryffindor, making shows of force and taking the high road when offered a bribe. But she’ll also fight dirty, illegally search homes without a warrant, pull off a plan to make Regina look bad, and has a criminal past to boot. On the one hand, she has the sullied tactics of a Slytherin, but then she’ll also make a very bold declaration of “come and get me” that’s very Gryffindor. Emma shows guile and cleverness when she’s fighting or investigating, but once she has proof, she becomes a hardcore Gryffindor and makes her intentions and animosity clear. She’s a Gryffindor that’s okay stooping to Slytherin tactics when following the rules won’t help her, but she’ll always favor a direct approach over trickery and cunning. Sherlock Holmes is intelligent, but he solves mysteries because he likes the challenge. People hear Ravenclaw and only think ‘smart’, without considering that Ravenclaws study and learn for the fun of it, while a Slytherin studies and learns things to apply it in a way that benefits them. Ravenclaw is idealistic, while Slytherin is practical in its approach to learning. As such, Sherlock doesn’t strike me as a Ravenclaw because he’s not interested in learning something just to know it. He learns in order to apply what he’s learned to the world around him, and that’s a purely Slytherin standpoint.
SLYTHERIN X GRYFFINDOR
FIRE & ICE
Slytherin and Gryffindor will likely clash at first. Even if they have the same goal, they’ll likely oppose each other’s preferred method of approach. Gryffindor is likely to favor a direct confrontation to try and force their way through the problem or to overpower the problem. Slytherin meanwhile will stand back and analyze the problem and look for a weakness to exploit, a loophole to get around the problem, or a tool or resource to give them an advantage against the problem. Gryffindor is also more paragon, while Slytherin is more pragmatic in its approach. They’re also both leader-oriented, and may clash if they both want to be in charge. However, when they’re in unison, they can form a strong Leader x Lancer Dynamic. They’re both rule-breakers, but may disagree on when it’s appropriate to break the rules. Yet, despite all of these potential problems in a Slytherin and Gryffindor relationship, it also highlights just how similar they are, and their stark differences ensures they’ll bring different skills, opinions, or ideas to the table when the heroes discuss their plans.
SLYTHERIN X HUFFLEPUFF
SUGAR & SPICE
Slytherin and Hufflepuff synergize oddly well for being such stark contrasts. Despite Slytherin likely being aloof, cold, and/or antisocial, while Hufflepuff is friendly, cheerful, and people-oriented, they don’t tend to clash as much as Slytherin does with Gryffindor. Whether this is because Hufflepuff is too kind and patient to be bothered by Slytherin’s rough edges, or if Slytherin doesn’t have the heart to bite this adorkable sweetheart, it’s pretty widely accepted that Slytherins and Hufflepuffs are unlikely friends at Hogwarts, and their houses get on rather well, at least within fanon. It also facilitates dynamic character growth, as Hufflepuff has a heart big enough to make up for Slytherin’s tiny, frozen heart, and Slytherin is confident and composed enough to support and encourage Hufflepuff to extend their reach for loftier goals and bolster their desire to be their best self.
SLYTHERIN X RAVENCLAW
WIT & LEARNING
The mix of Book Smarts and Street Smarts is a dangerous combination. Both houses value information and their intellect, but in vastly different ways. Ravenclaw seek to understand and discover, while Slytherins seek knowledge to make practical use of it to further their goals or help them survive. Yet, their shared appreciation for knowledge and experiences also means that they can bond over stimulating conversations, enjoy reading each other’s favorite books, or debate one another over current events in a battle of wits. It also means they can rely on each other’s intelligence to excel where theirs isn’t as strong, making them a formidable team when it comes to putting their minds to something.
SLYTHERIN X SLYTHERIN
FIRE & GUNPOWDER
Slytherin romancing another of its own kind has the potential to end in disaster. Due to Slytherin’s competitive nature and ambition, if partners are after the same thing, it can turn their dynamic into a rivalry that sizzles with sexual tension. But when they’re not pitted against each other, a pair of Slytherin lovers have the potential to be partners in crime, two evil geniuses on the same wavelength working together to pull off their plans. However, their relationship is especially vulnerable to betrayal with two Slytherins in the mix. Depending on how the pair come together, their relationship could go off like fireworks or explode like TNT.
Slytherin protagonists have a lot of good and bad traits. It’s no wonder they’re often labeled the “evil” house, as some of their flaws can make for some downright despicable villains, but their virtues have also spawned many beloved and remarkable heroes. Obviously, I didn’t list every possible Slytherin in fiction, nor is every character I sorted into Slytherin by any means the only way to sort some characters. Hopefully though, after addressing their strengths, weaknesses, and relationship dynamics, this will give you a better idea the next time you want to make a hero that dwells within the House of the Snake.
