Whether we are looking at Shakespeare or SpongeBob, there are common character archetypes that appear in stories across time and cultures. Archetypes are characterized or classified by their role or purpose in a story. The classic archetypes of a good story include the protagonist and antagonist, the mentor, the partner, and the love interest. Let’s take a closer look at these five archetypes and how animation studios bring them to life.

The protagonist

This protagonist is the main character in a story, show, or movie. In many cases, this character turns out to be the hero. It is usually easy to identify the protagonist because the plot revolves around him and his lives, problems and internal conflicts. Roughly, in Greek, the word protagonist is translated as “player of the first part” or “main actor”.

Why is a protagonist so important? They are not always the heroes; sometimes they are just the focal point in a show or even an advertisement. A protagonist is typically on the “good side” and follows a moral compass that many consider to be good. The protagonist is likely to change throughout a story, and that action expresses the theme of a story that an animation studio is trying to publish. A protagonist serves as a gateway to an emotional story or an emotional heart. They tend to attract a viewer or reader to the story. The best protagonists are characters that people can relate to. As a viewer, you may have shared hopes, fears, or goals with a protagonist.

When we look at the animation and some of the best known protagonists, we see characters like Buzz and Woody or Superman. Although in our eyes they are heroes, the protagonists are far from perfect. They have some kind of flaw, either internal or within their environment. The conflict they face causes them to fight back or back off from the big obstacle, and how they choose to react to a situation is how we choose to interpret the character’s qualities.

The antagonist

The classic forms of narration have a main character known as the protagonist, which we talk about. This character will normally enter the story first. Then the antagonist enters. This character is typically described as the “bad boy” or the “villain”. The antagonists are certainly entertaining and bring to light a moral conflict, which as a result puts our hero at a fork in a moral path.

These characters serve to teach viewers good and evil. These characters are an essential component of any story for many reasons. They are the main opposition of a protagonist. They choose the protagonist of the story to change their perception and try to live in a less flawed world, no matter who or what they must hurt to achieve it.

When an antagonist or villain in any story personifies a central conflict, they bring a different element to the story that will benefit them. The pressure that an antagonist exerts on the protagonist eventually generates internal conflicts. These characters often test their counterparts’ moral compass and their commitment to being morally fair.

The buddy

The role of a companion was once referred to as the “close companion.” This role dates back more than a century. Specifically, we get our first literary look at a companion in The Epic of Gilgamesh, which features a fellow protagonist. The main character seeks not only friendship, but also advice from Enkidu. This character has defined many of the consistent, quality characteristics that we look for in a great companion when it comes to producing a movie, book, or TV series and more.

Gilgamesh was indisputably the main character. However, the epic reveals that the supporting character, Enkidu, played a smaller but significant role in the story. When Enkidu is killed, Gilgamesh responds aggressively because he has grown closer to his friend and confidant. The depth of Gilgamesh’s reaction not only adds depth to him as a character, but also lets the audience know how significant the bond between the protagonist and his partner was.

Another common buddy trope is to infuse the story with humor. This is especially true of animated characters. Where would Bugs Bunny be without Daffy Duck to enrage him? Some may see Lucas as more of an antagonist, but he’s not really up for Bugs. The two characters play with each other and add a lot of laughs along the way.

Other great cronies at the time include Dr. Watson and Sancho Panza. These cronies perform different roles and functions in support of the main character they attend throughout the story. They have a greater purpose than simply being a companion or assistant. They humanize the characteristics of a protagonist. They are also the character that moves the story.

The mentor

The mentor is usually a great help to the protagonist of any story. They guard or protect them during a great search or journey that involves both physically damaging obstacles and emotionally damaging obstacles. They can take many forms. We usually imagine an old, gray-haired man, but sometimes the mentor can take the most unsuspecting form.

These characters generally provide support and guide their “student” to the right path. Mentors are known for having high moral standards that can often challenge the student they are caring for. They always find a way to inspire them and push them to aspire for something good.

Love interest

This character can often be overlooked, but he also plays a huge role in many stories. He is the person the main character falls in love with. They serve as a catalyst in the journey that a protagonist must go through. Depending on the ultimate goal of the protagonist, the person who is his love interest can be of great help and motivation, just like a mentor.

So next time you watch your favorite cartoons, pay close attention to more than just the quality of the character design. Look at the roles you think each character plays and their significant contribution to the story line. You will find that it is difficult to have a compelling story without these basic archetypes.