I’m sure I’ll revisit this topic several times within the next few months, so I’ll title this part one. Today I’m going to focus on what makes fantasy characters relatable.

Brandon Sanderson, master craftsman, likes to reference super heroes when talking about things like this. I really like that approach, so I’ll go ahead and start there as well. Let’s take a look at Spider-Man, arguably Marvel’s most loved character.  Spider-Man can shoot webs, he’s incredibly agile, has a “spider-sense,” and can climb on walls. All of these things make him visually interesting (whether being drawn or simply described) but they don’t really make him relatable. Peter Parker is the relatable character.

Depending on what snapshot of Peter’s life you’re looking at, you’ll see many different problems. He usually has a problem with money. When he’s a teenager, he doesn’t really have enough money to go hanging out with friends all the time. When he’s an adult, him and Mary Jane have a tough time paying the bills. Spider-Man could sometimes be seen as the antagonist getting in Peter Parker’s way. This makes Spider-Man the story of continuous sacrifice for Peter. He could have a better education, a better job, and more money if Peter Parker would give up being Spider-Man. These are some of the large reasons we love Spider-Man.

Let’s look at another character, Ned Stark from “A Game of Thrones.” I’ll keep this post as spoiler-free as possible. Ned Stark is the lord of Winterfell, a father to six children, and a friend to King Robert. He’s called upon to be the Hand of the King. It’s a wonderful job with a lot of responsibility and absolutely no perks. Despite being a lord and Hand, he remains a relatable character. This is largely due to how we see him interact with everyone. At times, he’s doing things a reader might have a hard time connecting with. He’s ordering people around, commanding knights to find someone, and speaking with King Robert about the state of the realm. However, we also see his small moments. We read about his doubts and we see the interaction he has with his children. These are some of his most relatable moments. They’re not always his most interesting moments. When he talks to Arya about playing with swords, it’s not as thrilling as when he gets into a fight outside of a brothel. However, talking to Arya is his fatherly moment. It’s the moment that grounds and connects us to Ned.

What I’m working through today is the idea of interesting vs. relatable. When making a fantasy character, I start with what makes the character interesting. Will their name be meaningful? Will they have a special ability? Will their be something strange about their appearance? That’s a lot of fun but I think it’s also the easiest part. The more challenging part comes when the writer says, how will this character be like my reader? Where does this character stop being “super” and start being “human.” Sure, they might be a hero on the battlefield. They might even swing through the streets of New York city, but would they stop and pick up someone’s wallet to return it to the owner? Would they scold their children and explain why it’s important to be a good person?

Feel free to share any thoughts you may have, build on what’s here, or even talk about some of your favorite relatable characters.