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How (not) To Write A Believable Underdog

Toon

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Underdogs are some of the most popular characters in storytelling, but they're also some of the easiest to get wrong. Too many movies call a character an underdog while secretly giving them every advantage, making their victories feel hollow and unearned. In this video essay, we explore how (not) to write a believable underdog, comparing films from Disney, DreamWorks, Pixar, Sony, and beyond. We reveal why characters like Po, Hiccup, and Miles work so well, while others never truly earn their victories.

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20 Comments

@DevoteaSings 3 months ago

I feel like putting Arthur as an example of trying to write an underdog story is the mistake. He is not Mulan, he is Cinderella. It's rags to riches through the goodness and purity of one's heart, not an underdog story with a training montage.

@dragonfire5568 3 months ago

Hiccup is definitely one of the best executed underdog characters. Not only is he shown to be a screwup, but every single other viking is depicted as huge, buff and intimidating. Even the girl he’s crushing on is leagues stronger than he is. It makes his underdog status much more immediately noticeable.

@splitairplane289 3 months ago

Shark tail is not trying to show an underdog is showing how lying, cheating and using people affect you in the long run

@ninomitchell2039 3 months ago

8:39 he's not A big fat panda. He's THE big fat panda

@michaelknopp9561 3 months ago

The entire storyline of Wish is bad. Virtually the entire movie is an example of how to NOT write.

@DaniyalHadiKhan 3 months ago (edited)

I love hiccups growth throughout the movies.From bring considered a runt of the village to a pioneering hero at the second and third, not to mention his large play within the shows and his role at understanding dragons.

@elichernykh6181 3 months ago

4 important rules in making a beloved underdog.

1. Make them selfless
2. Make them real (to be themselves, their true selves)
3. Make a goal for them (by making them active)
4. Make them fail (so that they will rise)

@kentoylampingasan 3 months ago (edited)

To add, Miles’ first leap of faith has the glass broken on his feet because he can’t fully control his Spider powers yet, still he did anyway regardless he can control it or not. That scene was Miles’ answer to Peter B. Parker’s “You won’t, it’s a leap of faith.” when he asked him on when will he know that he is ready.

@ztsquid3000 3 months ago

DreamWorks and Sony understands the formula, while Disney…

@josephbonnell8161 3 months ago

I never considered Raya or Arthur as underdogs. Raya was more about the journey or quest than any character development. And Arthur was more of a “look, we can’t have the future king of England be a dummy. Learn some stuff about the world and enjoy the hi jinx along the way.”

@marcusyates3044 3 months ago (edited)

My Requests:
How (not) to Write a Video Game Movie (pre and post Mario and Sonic)
How (not) to Write a Teen Villain (Total Drama)

@lilly_lilypad 3 months ago

Writing a loser protagonist/hero sometimes can be repetitive. Mostly, it works, ofc, but, there are cases that some more arrogant heroes can be the best! Like Puss in Boots (at the second movie), he were shown as a figure of confidence and charisma but he changed at the end. But, yeah, we love the losers, Dreamworks.

@captaingecko8676 3 months ago

1:10 this is because at the time of the VA recording the lines for that scene, the lyrics weren’t finalized but the melody and post’s chorus was pretty much finished. It definitely fits though

@Josie-m6q 3 months ago (edited)

I think a golden part of the leap of faith was that the window shattered.
Which means he was still scared and stressed he's not fearless just brave enough to proceed anyways his stress leaves him stuck to the glad his super strength shatters adding more visual flair to the fall

@kaoryakasaka6835 3 months ago

The reason I love Hiccup's "underdog" arc, is that he finds his own strengths and gains recognition, without becoming better than anyone else. He can still be too weak to break Toothless free, be lousy in combat, have others obtain his same skill fairly quickly, and get badly injured and knocked out in the final battle. He doesn't "snap and become *insert something he never was in the first place*", he starts out as himself and stays himself through the whole thing.

@seangriffin2053 3 months ago

Underdogs is another reason DreamWorks has prospered, while Disney has failed. They forgot how to make flawed, relatable characters.

Hiccup and Po are my favorites due to their unconventional behavior leading to their success against all naysayers.

@theunintelligentlydesigned4931 3 months ago

Sacrifice is the keyword. The real reason many modern stories fail is not the gender of the hero, but the fact that the hero never makes a sacrifice.

@elijahcunningham-v7p 1 month ago

10:08 I would like to note, this is also where one of his best traits refuses to be silent: his empathy, his kindness

@zlopidem 3 months ago

2:12 I LOVE HICCUP!! Literally one of my fav movies

@bluepeppermint3790 3 months ago

I feel like shark tale was an odd example to use. It's not an underdog story, it's about a douchebag getting humbled and learning where true value lies.