The Warrior is tenacious, principled, and focused, and brave at heart. He has a strong sense of justice and cannot ignore the call to duty. This hero is compelled to act and stick up for the underdog. He may not seek out danger, but trouble has a way of finding him.
The Warrior is a protector, through and through. He may be the knight in shining armor who is confident in his purpose, or a reluctant hero who transforms himself into an avenger to right the wrongs of his world. He doesn’t buckle under pressure – from outside forces, or his peers.
However, the Warrior can also be self-righteous with his black and white, good and evil thinking. If you’re an enemy, he will show no mercy. His drive can become relentless, his principles austere. He may be so focused on his hunt, that he becomes distant and removed from those around him.
Much like the Chief, he expects a great deal from himself and others. The Warrior naturally builds a community and takes people under his care, no matter how much of a loner he claims to be.
He is the ultimate protector, the defender of all who are weak and vulnerable. Once he has given his word – his commitment – he can always be counted upon to come through … The Warrior is a man of mettle who carries a sword of justice, but that sword cuts both ways.
The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes & Heroines
Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok (Crash Landing on You)
Jeong Hyeok is a captain in the North Korean army. He’s competent, reserved, and leads a small crew on patrol missions. Despite his skills, he never wanted to be a soldier. He wanted to be a pianist, but the mysterious death of his brother had him seek answers and fulfill his duty as his parents’ only son. His idea of happiness is humble. He wants his loved ones to be safe and to end his day knowing he did a job well.
It’s a good thing that Jeong Hyeok is the one who finds Yoon Se-Ri trapped on the wrong side of the South Korean border! For one, he’s completely baffled by her charge-ahead style (Se-Ri is 100% a Boss heroine.) Secondly, his protective instinct kicks in. He knows Se-Ri is telling the truth. She accidently ended up in North Korea from a freak windstorm. She’s not a spy.
He also knows she’ll be detained and questioned if anyone finds her. So he’ll make sure they don’t, even if it means pretending she’s his fiancé.
Hilariously, Jeong Hyeok is also a “hoverer.” He pretends to be Se-Ri’s bodyguard when he’s undercover in South Korea. He keeps a watchful eye on the younger soldiers in his squad. And he is a very doting nursemaid to Se-Ri after she got shot saving his life (which he was not happy about. He’s the one taking bullets in this relationship!)
Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)
Atticus Finch knows he’s the only one who can and will defend a black man in court. Therefore, he must. As a Warrior, he can’t turn away from the call of duty, especially if he’s the only one willing to get in the ring and fight. He’s willing to stick up for the underdog, for an outcast, because that’s the right thing to do.
Atticus knows that this case will endanger his family and potentially destroy his reputation. But who would he be if he bowed to the societal pressures instead of the call for justice? He has his principles, the same ones he teaches to Scout and Jem. He believes the law can be wielded for justice and that he has a chance to win this case fairly.
I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.
(But that speech on courage doesn’t mean Atticus won’t pick up a gun if he has to!)
As honorable and wise as he usually is, Atticus can also be detached and aloof while working the case. He’s distant and reserved. Scout doesn’t see the full picture of her father. He’s just her dad, who happens to be a lawyer. In some ways, that’s how Atticus can protect Scout and Jem. As their father, he doesn’t want them to see just how fallible and human he is.
Ned Stark (Game of Thrones)
Ned Stark is as straight a shooter as you’ll find in Game of Thrones. He’s rugged, stoic, and speaks plainly. To him, there is good and evil. There’s right and wrong. Winter is coming, it’s just a matter of when. It his duty and responsibility to protect the North, protect his family, and protect humans from the dark forces beyond the Wall.
He doesn’t take his position of power lightly. Ned was born to lead House Stark and the realm, but he sees it as a duty, not an opportunity for riches or glory.
“The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.” Ned does not believe in outsourcing the difficult work, let alone acts of justice. If you aren’t committed, then you need to rethink your plan of action.”
Ned would be more than willing to stay in the North, far away from politics, if the omens weren’t so strong and if his friend (also his king) hadn’t come to offer him the job as his right hand man.
He’s a guardian who swore an oath to protect his people, and so he accepts the responsibility and consequences onto his shoulders…even if he knows it will cause problems down the line. As a Warrior, he would rather die than turn his back on those who need his protection.
This series is based on The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes & Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever and Sue Viders.
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