Is There Such A Thing As A Character That Is Too Flawed?

[Agent Z]

It is often stated that the best-written characters have flaws that audiences can relate to. However, is it possible for writers to go too far and make the characters so flawed that audiences are turned off to them. Some examples I can think of are Sakura Haruno (Naruto), Bella Swan (Twilight), Batman under certain writers, etc.

[CSTowle]

Sure. Some readers prefer to project themselves into their entertainment, so they want as few flaws as possible. I feel that's a bit boring, then again I don't project myself or try to identify with my entertainment. I like characters like Walter White, or Dexter Morgan, or Doctor Doom, who I'd root against in real life but enjoy reading about/watching as fiction.

[Coin Biter]

The problem isn't with flawed characters. It's with characters that are written so badly, or so inconsistently, that their evident flaws are never really acknowledged within the story. It's quite easy to relate to an anti-hero, or even a powerfully written villain. It's more difficult to relate to a purportedly sympathetic protagonist who is actually, by his or her conduct, a total wazzock, and you feel that the author never actually intended that outcome.

[lancerman]

No. Most people are very flawed. A bigger problem is when action and motivation don't line up.

[Marvel_Is]

Yes. (Sadly) yes, there is.

[the4thpip]

Insert Jim Shooter joke here.

[MyriVerse]

I think Wolverine is a character who became too flawed. He was at his best as a struggling samurai-type, but somewhere along the line, he became an only slightly better version of Sabretooth.

[ExcelsiorPrime]

I am the opposite ( no surprise there) I don't like bipolar, antisocial noble villains who are flawed but get away with crap because everyone else written around them are written as more flawed. A villain is only as good as the foil (character or objective) they face--same as the hero. And what I've lately seen is the substituting of plot and story with character beats and snide dialogue.

[Charmed]

I felt Korra was a lot like this for most of Seasons One and Two. If anyone made even the slightest comment about her, her stans would go "SHE'S FLAWED. SHE'S NOT LIKE AANG BEING ALL HAPPY AND STUFF SHE'S FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEE EDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD"

Though, thankfully, those annoying days are behind her, and now she's one of my favorites.

[just another user]

It's a difficult one, in some way it's more on the reader / viewer than anything intrinsic to the character - everyone's going to have a different interpretation.

Like for example - I think the Scarlet Witch is too flawed to be considered a hero ever again after she deliberately approached Dr Doom to increase her power and then used this power to commit an act of genocide. But conversely some people might think she was written "out of character", has a cool costume, and was a good guy when they started reading comics do it's no big deal.

[Kirby101]

Yes. (Sadly) yes, there is.

I don't know what they've done with the character, but I liked the first series very much.
So I guess I would say that's a no.

[Marvel_Is]

I don't know what they've done with the character, but I liked the first series very much.
So I guess I would say that's a no.

More people know about bad Sentry than they do about good (allegedly) Sentry.

[Kirby101]

More people know about bad Sentry than they do about good (allegedly) Sentry.

That's not the point, his first series was quite good, if subsequently they mucked it up, that is the fault of the writers, not that the character is "too flawed". (The premiss of this thread.) Paul Jenkins did a good job with him.

[the4thpip]

That's not the point, his first series was quite good, if subsequently they mucked it up, that is the fault of the writers, not that the character is "too flawed". (The premiss of this thread.) Paul Jenkins did a good job with him.

So flaws cannot be added on to a character?

[Kirby101]

So flaws cannot be added on to a character?

Are you saying that a character can become too flawed from subsequent writers? Yes that is true, but that again is the fault of the writers not the characters. In that event the character can be rebooted and once again worthwhile, as has been done with many characters.