Alignment categories

[DarkLK]

We have different categories that define the personalities of characters in terms of morality and role in a story. I mean categories like:

• Good Characters
• Evil characters
• Villains
• Heroes
• Antiheroes
• Antivillains
• Etcetera

But a lot of the characters display different qualities as a story progresses. Some villains become heroes and vice versa. Which categories should we use in such cases?

 

[Antvasima]

Well, traditionally we have used several alignment categories at once for such characters, but generally only use "good characters" or "evil characters" for very clear-cut cases, such as Superman and Darkseid.

 

[DarkLK]

For example Vegeta has no "evil characters" category, although he was very cruel bastard before.

 

[Antvasima]

Yes, he is too complicated to qualify.

 

[Azathoth_the_Abyssal_Idiot]

We could have a category that would be added for characters who have a drastic change of alignment over the course of a series or story and use it as sort of a catch-all. I'm not sure what exact phrase would work, but it's a start.

 

[Antvasima]

Well, I don't think that there is a good word for that, and think that it is fine to continue to simply give several different alignment categories for such characters.

 

[DarkLK]

Maybe "morally ambiguous characters"?

 

[Antvasima]

That could work, yes.

 

[Azathoth_the_Abyssal_Idiot]

Something along those lines could definitely work, though would likely best be used only on characters who shift alignments relatively frequently as opposed to just an evil character who becomes good and stays that way or vice versa.

Though, with lack of a more specific term for said characters, it could likely be applied to them as well.