Does Protagonist Mean Hero?

Hi, and welcome to the first of my two-part series, Heros vs. Villains.

I have had these ideas stored in my Samsung Notes app on my phone for quite a while, and it’s a topic I haven’t seen many articles or blog posts cover. Which is why I’m doing it now.

So, let’s dive right in!

What is a Protagonist?

The protagonist is usually the main or one of the main characters of a story. They are the ones with whom the antagonists butt heads. And the one the readers typically root for.

What is a Hero?

The hero is the person who saves the day, defeating the villain and keeping everyone safe for another day.

Are They the Same?

For the most part, yes, especially when dealing with the action, fantasy, and sci-fi genres in one form or another. And it’s something we’ve come to expect as content consumers.

But there are cases where the protagonist isn’t the hero of the story, such as:

Anti-Hero

A good example is the concept of anti-heroes. They may be an MC and want the good guys to win, but by no means are they heroes themselves.