Character Tropes and Archetypes

## Adventurers

Adventurers are travelers or explorers.  Notable examplles include Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Allan Quatermain, and Doc Savage.  Notable titles include the novel *She: A History of Adventure* by H. Rider Haggard.

## Anti-hero

Marvel's Punisher fits the bill for this character type.

## Archers

Notable archers include Robin Hood, William Tell, Sagittarius (astrology), Legolas and Tauriel (*Lord of the Rings* and *The Hobbit*), Hawkeye and Arrowette from Marvel Comics, Green Arrow, Speedy, and Red Arrow from DC Comics, Merida of the film *Brave*, Katniss Everdeen of *The Hunger Games*, Susan Pevensie from *The Chronicles of Narnia*, Bow from *She-Ra: Princess of Power* and Zartan and Storm Shadow from *G.I. Joe*.

## Athletes

Acrobats like Diana of *Dungeons & Dragons* or Cheetara of the *Thundercats* fit into this category.

## Bad Girls

The 1990's saw heavy use of scantily-clad voluptuous female warriors in comic books, many of which were first concieved during that period.

## Burglars

Burlgars and thieves need not always be the antagonist or villain of a story.  Often, they allow for character development when their skills become useful to achieve a goal.

## Detectives

Sherlock Holmes is probably the most well-known fictional detective.

## Doctors

Similar to the scholar, this is a collective trope that might include nurses, surgeons, or general healers.

## Games Masters

*The Player of Games* by Iain Banks is a great science fiction novel exploring this, somewhat rare character trope.

## Gunslingers

Gunslingers are typically heroes of the American west during the period of American westward expansion.

## Inventors

Notable inventors include Tom Swift, MacGyver, Q of the James Bond franchise, and Lucius Fox of the Batman franchise.

## Jungle Lords

Tarzan is certainly the most well-known jungle lord, but his popularity spawned a great plethora of similar characters in the decades following his inception including Marvel's Ka-Zar.

## Magicians

A magician might be called a mage, sorcerer, or wizard.  The terms witch and warlock are often used in a derogatory sense for this trope. Indigenous magicians are often known as shamans or medicine men. Notable examples include Merlin, Chandu, Mandrake, Zatara, Zatanna, Dr. Strange, Wong, Marvelo, and the Scarlet Witch.

## Pirates

Pirates in fiction were certainly brought to the attention of the populace with Robert Louis Stevenson's *Treasure Island*and it's primary antagonist, Long John Silver.  The film franchise *Pirates of the Carribbean* has kept the trope alive in modern times.

## Prophets

Similar titles might include oracles, saints, mystics, monks, or shamans.

## Scholars

A scholar might be a scientist, lawyer, librarian, computer expert, or computer hacker.

## Soldiers

Military and ex-military protagonists are used heavily in action, adventure and science fiction.  Notable examples include the A-Team, The Expendables, G.I. Joe, and Rambo.

## Spies

Iam Fleming's James Bond is certainly one of the better-known fictional spies.

## Swashbucklers

Notable swashbuckler literature include *The Three Musketeers*, *The Count of Monte Cristo*, *The Scarlet Pimpernel*, *Scarmouche, Sea-Hawk, The Princess Bride,*or *The Prisoner of Zenda.*

## Trackers

Trackers, Hunters, and Woodsmen are perhaps best personified by James Fenimore Cooper's Natty Bumppo.

## Warriors

A warrior might be a simple fighter, a knight, a paladin or a ranger.

## Wrestlers

Wrestlers are known as Luchadores in Mexico.