Antiheroes

masks of society

Abstract

The antihero category has been regularly portrayed as a character typology that contrasts with the protagonist. However, this conceptualization becomes difficult when the story protagonists do not follow established values and cannot be considered heroes. This article uses the film Watchmen, an original story by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, to analyze how these characters are constructed. It explores some of the story's main characters to analyze their motivations, concerns, and ways of solving problems. All these characters find themselves on a sort of frontier when they have to decide between doing things the right way or solving their conflicts by any means necessary, regardless of whether it harms others. Watchmen is presented as a story of its time, capable of rewriting recent history and presenting great dangers for the future. By reviewing the history of these characters and their motivations, one can find certain similarities with current narratives and with a reality that fosters the emergence of these characters.