• Sabata
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      110 months ago

      They wrote themselves into a corner making him that strong.

    • @Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world
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      2310 months ago

      Superman is such a single note character that the good things that came out of his existence can all be counted on one hand. I get that he was foundational to the concept of superheros, but it shows in this day and age.

      I will say the monologue in justice league while he’s slapping around Darkside is immaculate though.

      • @Susaga@sh.itjust.works
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        10 months ago

        I disagree. Superman has as much depth as Batman. He’s just more morally pure, and people mistake “dark” for “complex”.

        • @Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world
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          410 months ago

          I’d argue Batman’s equally bad, it’s interesting that he’s not super by the definition everyone wide uses, but trauma an only carry you so far

      • androogee (they/she)
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        1610 months ago

        Eh, Batman is exactly as single-note as Superman is.

        Superman requires very good writing from someone who understands what to do with the character.

        I’m pretty excited to see what Gunn does with him, tbh.

        • @ryathal@sh.itjust.works
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          910 months ago

          That’s a fair comparison. Superman is powerful enough to always make the right choice, even when it’s hard. The appeal comes from Superman discovering and making the right choice.

          Batman makes the necessary choice (apart from killing), which isn’t always the right choice. The appeal comes from stories where Batman walks the line between criminal vigilante and hero who saves the day.

        • @inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world
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          810 months ago

          Yeah but batman is literally just as crazy as the villains he fights. Gotham is just glad he has a weird justice obsession instead of a weird clown or scarecrow kink. That’s more interesting than superman just being perfect at everything. I’ve been reading through “Alan Moore in the DC universe” and like, each of the superman stories are just so one note. He is good at everything, until a random mcguffin comes up and then another charcter comes along to pick it off the ground, and then Supes beats up whoever brought the evil space flower to him in the first place.

          I’ll be intrigued to see how Gunn handles him too, but in a life time of reading comics the only superman stories I found interesting was elseworld stuff red son and kingdom come where they treat him as a concept more than a charcter.

          Main universe or any of the movies? Meh.

      • @invertedspear@lemm.ee
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        2110 months ago

        The best thing to come from Superman is Lex Luther. No villain can go toe to toe with Supes, except maybe Doomsday, but does he really count as a villain? Mindless kill machine. Anyway, Lex has to beat Superman who can punch him into mist, or roast him by looking at him too hard, or literally blow him to the moon. How do you write a villain to counter that? By making them cunning and lovable to the public so that if Superman does any of those things, the public turns against him. Superman’s weakness isn’t only kryptonite, he craves social acceptance, if he didn’t he would just punch his way into being in charge and dare anyone to stop him. Lex gets how razor thin that edge is and takes full advantage.

    • @CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world
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      410 months ago

      Superman has had its good moments like the world made of cardboard scene. Nowadays I think saitama from one punch man makes for a better all powerful hero as the narrative really focuses more on the consiquences of that power on himself and the people around him rather than just having him save the day over and over.

    • @Nighed@feddit.uk
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      10 months ago
      [Secret History]

      He will make a great villain. (Or already is from one series perspective)

      Depends if you like your morally gray characters I guess.

    • @TheHotze@lemmy.world
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      710 months ago

      While I enjoy him, I get this one. He is a hero who would be the villain in any other story, so if you see through him he can be pretty unpalatable.

  • Call me Lenny/Leni
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    5210 months ago

    Harry Potter. People often talk about a “golden age” of JK Rowling, and I think to myself, what golden age? Harry Potter, both the character and the books, are written like a hyperinflated Cinderella, complete with an attempt at discriminatory apologetics that would make CS Lewis say “you okay bro?”

    Also, Luke Skywalker. People hate Anakin for being whiny and weak and Rey for being a Mary Sue, but Luke is both and nobody complains.

    • @WanderingVentra@lemm.ee
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      4710 months ago

      Luke had to actually train and failed when he fought his main, more experienced villain for the first time. Then he went back and did more training off screen. I think that makes him less a Mary Sue. He’s definitely whiny, though.

      • @jacksilver@lemmy.world
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        2110 months ago

        Additionally, and probably most importantly, Luke actually isn’t strong enough to defeat the emperor at the end. He losses. However, he wins over his father and that’s what turns the tide.

        Similarly, while Anikan has some mary sue moments, he has a far share of losses (chase for Padme’s would be assassin, count doku fight, Obi-Wan fight, etc.)

        I think the only time Rey “losses” a battle is in force awakens when she gets captured (but even after being captured she overpowers Ben almost immediately).

      • @Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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        3410 months ago

        Only in the beginning. Part of the excellence of the OT was seeing him grow from whiny kid to self-confident man.

        • all-knight-party
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          1610 months ago

          He’s whiny in just barely enough lines to establish that he’s still a bit naive, but I would not consider him an overall whiny character, even in the vacuum of episode 4, he is not constantly bitching and dodging his responsibility once its importance is established.

          Its probably the best way they could’ve utilized whininess

          • verity_kindle
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            710 months ago

            It helped that the actor who played Luke was appealing and non-threatening, with a bowl cut. He looked like a wide-eyed kid.

        • @WanderingVentra@lemm.ee
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          1110 months ago

          True, true. It’'s a good coming of age story in that way. You don’t see him grow up physically, but in maturity, confidence, wisdom, and least importantly, ironically enough, power. I say least importantly, because it’s the growing in wisdom that helps him defeat the Emperor in the end, not his cool force powers (although that does make the movies more fun to watch).

          • verity_kindle
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            210 months ago

            You have to descend into Hell and rescue your father, man! -Jordan Peterson

    • @Riven@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      210 months ago

      As much as I enjoy that franchise I agree with you. For years I kept hearing ‘it’s better in the books’, I remember specifically people saying that about the organization that helps dobbie and his people. Fuggin, I read the books as an adult and it’s barely expanded on it at all, they just have more scenes about the organization but it isn’t ever truly relevant beyond explaining why Hermione does what she does as an adult.

      It’s a charming little story that matured with readers and got a decent adaptation that led it to explode. Lots of luck to get to where it’s at.

      I would love to see a wandering inn adaptation instead.

    • @Pumafred9@lemmy.world
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      2610 months ago

      Yeah, but he used to bullseye womp rats in his T-16 back home, they’re not much bigger than two meters.

  • @BlowMe@lemmy.world
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    310 months ago

    Edward Kenway from Assassin’s Creed 4. The whole game actually is extremely overrated. I had a hard time finishing that game. I rather play 3 or even Unity.

    • wirelesswire
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      2510 months ago

      I think he’s liked more because he’s relatable, rather than he’s an interesting character. Personally, I think his pranks on Dwight are amusing, but everything else about him is nothing special.

      • @invertedspear@lemm.ee
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        1510 months ago

        Dwight would be a much more loyal friend for sure, and far less likely to steal your girl. But these high intelligence low wisdom friends are exhausting. Especially when they make a mistake, because they’re so book smart they couldn’t possibly be wrong. Tons of unwanted advice on subjects they’ve only read about. But they’ll always be first to arrive when you need help moving. It’s almost impossible for you to be as good a friend in return, not that it’s required, but I feel bad when it’s not even. And then you’re just driving around one day chatting with them in the passenger seat and they pull out the ninja star they bought at the gas station and want you to think it’s as cool as they do. I just don’t know how to handle Dwight friends.

        • dohpaz42
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          810 months ago

          Not that I’m suggesting that I’m smart, but I really felt this comment to my core. I feel like people that know me may look at me like I’m a “Dwight Friend”, and I’ve long realized this (though never have I articulated it quite as well as you). It’s a real confidence killer when you realize this is how you’re viewed. But yes, if someone called needing help, I would be there in a heartbeat.

          • @invertedspear@lemm.ee
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            1210 months ago

            If it helps, in pretty much every friendship, one of you will be the Dwight. I have Dwight friends, and I am the Dwight to other friends. If you feel like you’re always the Dwight, you just haven’t found your Dwight yet. He’s out there and he’s patient.

  • Margot Robbie
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    2610 months ago

    The Joker.

    I really don’t get the obsession with overusing the Joker when most of Barman’s other rogue gallery members are much more interesting. The worst of it is during “The Batman Who Laughs”, because now you have both the regular Joker and “what if Batman became Joker” running around. And then, as if it couldn’t get any more ridiculous,

    spoiler

    The Batman who Laughs gets Dr. Manhattan’s powers in a groan-worthy way which is like, not how Dr. Manhattan works at all just so they can fit more Joker into the story.


    And I think most people will agree by now that Harley Quinn is a lot better of a character after she’s done being Joker’s sidekick.

    • @Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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      10 months ago

      Boo and humbug.

      How is the little prince overrated?

      He’s not some huge pop icon.

      Oh unless, is he some huge pop icon where you’re from?

      • Boozilla
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        1110 months ago

        It was a global success (translated into over 500 languages and has sold over 140 million copies). That doesn’t seem like much compared modern movies or TV shows, but for a book those are really good numbers. Dr. Seuss sold over 600 million books but that’s spread over 60 different titles. Could be a generational thing. I remember seeing “The Little Prince” in a lot of homes in the 80s.

    • @Akasazh@feddit.nl
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      10 months ago

      John wick is supposed to be a shallow character. A nobody who is surprisingly a goat assassin. The surprising simplicity of the first movie is exactly what it’s supposed to be. Man mad cuz wife dead and brat crimelord son kills dog gets revenge.

      Just like another Keanu movie that there shouldn’t have been sequels to the story suffers if the perspective gets expanded. Prison break too, forcing follow ups means the story gets more complex whilst the simplicity is it’s main draw.

      Keanu sommes un those roles a he is a bit aloof and emotionally detached. Somehow that suits both roles, but there isn’t much there to flesh out a longer story.

  • @RebekahWSD@lemmy.world
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    3810 months ago

    Astarion from BG3. I can understand why people like him. I personally do not and generally never used him in the party because I didn’t want to hear him be annoyed yet again I was helping people.

    • @owenfromcanada@lemmy.world
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      1110 months ago

      I wasn’t a fan of Astarion either. Though to be fair, I’m never a fan of self-centered characters or evil runs. I don’t get the appeal.

    • @TheFeatureCreature@lemmy.world
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      1810 months ago

      Astarion is particularly annoying in Act 1 for some reason, with 99% of his reactions just being him hating anything that is remotely positive. His reactions (and character in general) in the following acts is a lot more fleshed out and varied.

      • @snooggums@midwest.social
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        1610 months ago

        His guard is up for the first act because he is traveling with new people.the change is due to warming up to the characters.

        Shadowheart does this in the first act too, and combined they are really annoying as a combo but I found both to be fine individually.

        • @TheFeatureCreature@lemmy.world
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          910 months ago

          Even with her guard up, Shadowheart’s character is still more varied. Her reactions are more mixed and you can really see her bluntness and pragmatism come through. Her responses vary from indifference, apathy, rudeness, hostility, and moments of care and tenderness. Astarion in Act 1 is just an asshole all the time. I also feel that some of his reactions clash with his character and don’t make sense. Don’t get me wrong; I think he’s a good character but I can also see why so many want nothing to do with him.

        • @Quetzalcutlass@lemmy.world
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          310 months ago

          The thing is, Viconia and ::: spoiler Throne of Bhaal spoilers Sarevok ::: had similar arcs in the previous games but I never got annoyed enough to not want them in my party. A character can be disagreeable without being insufferable.

    • @leave_it_blank@lemmy.world
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      710 months ago

      It was the same for me with the guy with the hamster in Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2. He’s a favourite to everyone, to me he was just an annoying idiot.

      • @owenfromcanada@lemmy.world
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        910 months ago

        I think he’s endearing. But I was probably about 12 when I first played BG1, and the dumb-but-good-hearted warrior with the world’s only miniature giant space hamster was comedic gold for me at that age.

      • @ThunderWhiskers@lemmy.world
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        210 months ago

        Minsc is getting a big punch up for the nostalgia factor. He’s a beloved character from the original games and has been featured in other D&D stories.

    • @TheOakTree@lemm.ee
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      410 months ago

      I think as the game progresses, you get to see why Astarion is so eager to act in his own interests. However, his backstory really only justifies half of his refusal to help people. The other half of his whining feels antithetical to his own situation, but perhaps that’s just because he doesn’t fully acknowledge his newfound freedoms until Act 2.

    • @Lenny@lemmy.zip
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      510 months ago

      I killed him almost immediately after those first few nights in camp. I then left Shadowheart there to rot with his corpse. I never understand the mass appeal towards those two.