Single-Word Requests – Word for Hero, Villain, and Anti-Hero Types

single-word-requests

What is the word that categorizes hero, villain and anti-hero? I am making a database of comic book characters and wanted to classify them under these, but I'm having trouble coming up with a word other than the generic-sounding "type".

Example:

"What _____ is Venom in this issue? Is he a hero, villain or
anti-hero?"

Best Answer

Archetype may be a better fit.

the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies

See also https://literarydevices.net/archetype/

Below is the analysis of common archetypes that exist in literature.

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Example #1 The Hero: He or she is a character who predominantly exhibits goodness and struggles against evil in order to restore harmony and justice to society e.g. Beowulf, Hercules, D’artagnan from “The Three Musketeers” etc.

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Example #7 The Villain: A character whose main function is to go to any extent to oppose the hero or whom the hero must annihilate in order to bring justice e.g. Shere Khan from Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” stories, Long John Silver from Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”” etc

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