About: Heroic Vow   Sponge Permalink

An Entity of Type : owl:Thing, within Data Space : 134.155.108.49:8890 associated with source dataset(s)

Most protagonists are depicted as imperfect; though heroic, they aren't flawless paragons of perfection, and will have some minor shortcomings to help the audience identify with them better. SuperBob can selflessly save the world on a daily basis, but mild-mannered Bob Trope will regularly leave the refrigerator door open. Key to the Heroic Vow is that it is a commitment the character keeps because he willingly wants to. There are no talismans or failsafes preventing the breaking of the Vow, nor are they needed -- the character's willpower and resolve are the only bonds needed.

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  • Heroic Vow
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  • Most protagonists are depicted as imperfect; though heroic, they aren't flawless paragons of perfection, and will have some minor shortcomings to help the audience identify with them better. SuperBob can selflessly save the world on a daily basis, but mild-mannered Bob Trope will regularly leave the refrigerator door open. Key to the Heroic Vow is that it is a commitment the character keeps because he willingly wants to. There are no talismans or failsafes preventing the breaking of the Vow, nor are they needed -- the character's willpower and resolve are the only bonds needed.
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dbkwik:all-the-tro...iPageUsesTemplate
dbkwik:allthetrope...iPageUsesTemplate
abstract
  • Most protagonists are depicted as imperfect; though heroic, they aren't flawless paragons of perfection, and will have some minor shortcomings to help the audience identify with them better. SuperBob can selflessly save the world on a daily basis, but mild-mannered Bob Trope will regularly leave the refrigerator door open. Even so, some characters have a Heroic Vow: a commitment or standard that they will not cross for whatever reason. Perhaps it's a promise to a dear one, a sense of pride, a personal Moral Event Horizon, or just because the hero is a Nice Guy. If a villain takes a Heroic Vow, it's usually because Even Evil Has Standards. Key to the Heroic Vow is that it is a commitment the character keeps because he willingly wants to. There are no talismans or failsafes preventing the breaking of the Vow, nor are they needed -- the character's willpower and resolve are the only bonds needed. Note that the Heroic Vow doesn't necessarily have to be spoken (or written); a hero's behavior enforced with sheer personal willpower counts. If the vow is spoken/written, it may become a Badass Creed. Some Heroic Vows are so commonplace, they have their own tropes: * Celibate Hero (will not have romantic or sexual relationships) * Doesn't Like Guns (will not use guns) * Never Hurt an Innocent * Thou Shalt Not Kill (will not kill another person -- sometimes will not kill anything) * Wouldn't Hurt a Child * Wouldn't Hit a Girl Often an application of Heroic Spirit, and popular with a Knight in Sour Armor. When done well, can lead to Moments of Awesome. When done poorly, can result in Honor Before Reason, Stupid Good, or Serious Business. If a hero becomes obsessed with enforcing his Heroic Vow, he may end up becoming The Fettered. If unlucky, they'll be forced to make their Vow a Frequently-Broken Unbreakable Vow when circumstances force them to break it. A convenient Narrative Device to drive a story in a direction it wouldn't normally go. Sometimes used to deliver An Aesop on morality. If the character is forced into breaking the Heroic Vow, expect a Heroic BSOD. If his determination to keep his vow starts to slip, it can be a prelude to Jumping Off the Slippery Slope. Compare and contrast with Empty Promise, I Gave My Word, Pinky Swear, and Exact Words. When someone has broken this vow so thoroughly they become ostracised they're The Oathbreaker. If the oath is strong enough to prevent even mind control from forcing them to break it, it's an Intrinsic Vow. Examples of Heroic Vow include:
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