Nowadays, relatable antiheroes are popular. Because, as readers, we like to put ourselves in the character’s shoes, imagine ourselves as the sort of person that, while not perfect, can still make a difference in the world. We want to think that just because we aren’t Superman or Batman or Spiderman, we can still save someone and impact society in ways that are just as meaningful.

That’s what these antiheroes are for. They show that, despite their flaws, anyone can be a savior. As long as they aren’t too far gone, anyone can rise to the occasion and be the hero they always knew they could be. If written well, these antiheroes can also inspire readers to do more than what they originally thought they were capable of. Still, how do authors create these characters without going overboard? How do they get readers to fall in love with these characters without all the charm or perfection?

Don’t Make Them Overpowering
Perhaps the protagonist has been developing awesome skills for a while and is now just getting to show them off. Maybe they even have a secret power they only realized they had in dire need. But these characters still had weaknesses and flaws that messed with those skills. They become powerful, but not so much that they aren’t human.

So it gets annoying when you get a protagonist that can’t be beaten. By anything. There’s no build-up, no tension, simply because we already know the outcome. We already know that the character is going to triumph over their foes and enemies, and we already know how they’re going to do it. It takes away the uncertainty, the unpredictability, the fun of guessing where the plot is going to next.

So don’t make them overpowering.

Don’t Make Them So Perfect
What’s more, don’t make them these goody-two-shoes characters that can’t do anything wrong. Don’t make them these wise people who were just born that way. Don’t make them so beautiful and lovely that everyone just grovels at their feet. Show the reader the progression as to how they matured. Show the reader just how much pain they went through just to get to that psychological and spiritual maturity. After all, no one’s born perfect, so it’s unrealistic to expect a hero actually be perfect.

Don’t Let the Universe Revolve Around Them
But most importantly, don’t let the universe revolve around the character. Yes, they’re some sort of chosen warrior destined to save the earth, but not everything should be easy for the character. They shouldn’t have everything handed to them on a silver platter. In fact, they should be struggling to make sense of the environment around them, as well as the conflicts that arise from their decisions, whether they want to or not. No one, ally or enemy, should be catering to their whims. Like a character’s overpowering abilities, it just makes them dull and detracts from the overarching story.

When written well, these heroes are incredible. They range from entertaining people to inspiring people to act. Even so, make sure that the character isn’t so perfect that they’re practically an idol. The same could be said when a character is too dark for their own good, so much so that when they do receive some sort of redemption, readers are turned off by it. There’s a fine balance between the two.