I like Rhys
To me, Rhys is up there in how to introduce a character (especially video game characters) effectively.
Let's be clear here: Rhys is not likable. As a human being, he's despicable, shallow, self-absorbed and egotistical to put it lightly. If you met Rhys in real life, chances are you would want to punch him.
But he's relatable. You may not *like *Rhys, but you *understand *him. And the reason why that is because of that introduction. That first part on Hyperion is essential to understanding Rhys. It's the walk up to the office, him thinking he'll get his payday and the crushing inevitability that he is reduced to a janitor, the lowest form of employee.
But does he give up? No. Does he just sit there and mope? No. He plans. He conives and thinks of a way to get back at Vasquez.
I want to put this carefully so I can explain it. Obviously, Rhys' problems are not the worst in the world. One look at Fiona's environment can see she has a much tougher time, financially, just getting by.
However, since Rhys' intro is so effectively dramatized, deep down, we root for Rhys. Here's a quote from FilmCritHulk that explains it.
http://badassdigest.com/2013/07/03/film-crit-hulk-man-of-steel/
Originally posted by FilmCritHulk:
When Hulk watches a homeless person on the street who is sad, Hulk gets sad too. It's hard not to, right? That homeless person is a person too and they are suffering and it would take the least gracious and the coldest among us not to feel at least something for them. But still, there is a way that we can all transcend past that as human beings. And it's often because we don't know the person. And usually our sadness is not about "them" but because we project our feelings and lives onto the homeless person. Instead of "oh, no! That other person i don't know!" we project and ask "what if that was me? What if that was someone i cared about?" and yes it can affect us, but no matter how sad it may be it is still something separate from us.
Meanwhile, when hulk watches a loved one who is sad about even the most trivial of things, it has the ability to break Hulk's heart immediately (especially if that person is normally stoic).
Why does this happen? The homeless person's plight is obviously much more serious, right? But that isn't what matters to human beings. It is because Hulk actually has a deep connection to the loved one. Hulk has years of love and support and kindness. We are attached on the most basic level because we have history and understanding. We've gone through the drama of life together and thus we can feel every emotion with them in a heightened state. We intrinsically understand why they are sad and empathize, for perhaps that loved one is carrying a burden from a previous event. They simply feel like they are a part of us. Therefore, we root for what that person wants and needs.
Comments
Fully agree with this post.
As a matter of fact, I love it when I like characters that are not likeable in the first glance. Heck one of my favourite television characters of all time, Arnold Rimmer from Red Dwarf being a prime example.
Ah yes, good ol' Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC and SSC.