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Hi so I wanted to get opinions on the morally grey character archetype. Its a pretty big deal in the fantasy genre, particularly in YA – which isn’t exactly a good thing in my opinion? Let me explain.

I have no problem with morally grey characters in general. In fact I’m all for them. I think its important to portray the human psyche and the effect sin has on one’s moral compass.

However, I do not like the way morally grey characters and their actions are being glorified in fiction and even held to a high standard. If any of you are on instagram or tiktok then you probably know what I mean. I want to understand a character and his or her motivations, that way I can see the humanity in them. I do not however want to read a book or watch a show where I’m being told to like a character after he or she has done terrible things.

In my WIP, its a war torn world where morality basically has no place in society. Characters are forced to make difficult decisions for their own survival. For example my character Lorcán is what one would call ‘morally ambiguous’ because you don’t know who’s side he’s on or what his exact motivations are. He comes across as cold and merciless (cause he’s an assassin) but as the story goes on you glimpse his humanity and you gradually learn that he doesn’t like what he’s doing even though he believes its necessary. You kind of see his cold shell crack apart when my MC comes along, for a bunch of different reasons. And it is going to be a gradual redemption arc for him, so there’s that too.

Anyways, I’d love to hear some opinions on this topic 🙂