How to Make Eragon's Heroes into Heroes

[ultramega10]

Well, since someone started a post about how best to make Galbatorix evil, we should have one for the heroes. Which is, perhaps, the far harder choice. 

 

Keep in mind, we're trying to rewrite the characters, so they become what they were meant to be. So let's try to make our rewrites stay true to their basic concept, if not their portrayal. 

 

For my part, I would probably have Eragon's entitled attitude be a character flaw he has to overcome. Have him get shut down several times by Arya and force him to gradually mature. Have Murtagh chewing him out act as a wake-up call for the character. Another thing I'd do is cut out the constant feasts and parties. They add nothing to the story and only serve to make Eragon seem all the more spoiled.

 

Murtagh, I would have him defect of his own free will. Have him become disheartened with the Varden and take the side of the Empire. This would mean there would be a sympathetic character on the Empires side. Murtagh would provide a POV for the Empire and a chance to see Galbatorix. It might also force the characters to acknowledge their own flaws. 

 

I would have Arya feel resentful of her people. She would be upset at how they just closed themselves off from the world when she was captured. Attention would be paid to the flaws of the elves. And the elves eventually sending troops to help would be a result of Eragon. He and Arya would point out how they can't just abandon the rest of the world. 

 

Roran, honestly, I would have get drafted into the Empire. The entire Carvahall subplot adds nothing to the plot at all. Having him as a POV character could show off the worst aspect of the Empire. It could also have him meet Murtagh and maybe strike up a friendship with him. If Roran makes himself a career and gains great renown as a war hero, set the stage for a great dynamic. You could have Murtagh and Eragon facing off against one another. Maybe Roran and Arya could end up having a rivalry. 

 

Angela um... Well, Angela can dive under a tractor, and I think that would be better for all involved. 

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

folks have covered Eragon, Roran, & Murtgath extensively, so I'll just do some others, mostly Arya.

Arya: she's like 70, so what if she did a lot of her canon bs when younger? So the dwarves hate her for insulting them in the past, & Varden is a little uncomfortable around her bc of the murder. Also the elves don't care abt diplomatic relations bc they make everything they need, so just send anyone.

So Arya eventually figured out she was being terrible (pre-story), so now she is attempting to repair relations, & be better. She is still a vegetarian, but super practical. If nobody is using animal stuff, might as well. Also never aging means 1 outfit can last a while (hence weird leather outfit). And so she finds most groups horribly wasteful, esp. the elves. Also helps ppl, mostly humans, in her spare time. Still sucks at tact.

Angela: cannot cast spells quickly, but can do before-fight stuff. Hates Galby for backstory reasons. True neutral but wants Galby dead. Hides her plans behind a facecade, but does have a reason to do things... Instead of whatever that was.

Nasuda: Not the leader. Is still grieving. Angry w Eragon for cursing Elva. Advocates for the common fellow in the Varden. So maybe it's her idea to seek out alliances w others (like the Urgals). Not a lot of ideas with her.

[redwyvernheart]

Arya is so hard but what you did was very interesting. If you pair it with her being one of the few of her people trying to be active in the rebel cause and thus her not having in much help or being taught diplomatic skills. Her mistakes would be understandable because her culture was so different from theirs. For example elves value telling the truth because they speak in the ancient language so I could easily see Arya sticking her foot in her mouth and accidently offending people about subjects like religion, meat, and animal by products by telling them the truth. I could see her being really upset afterward because she hadn’t meant to offend them and feels like she under minded her cause.

[redwyvernheart]

I don't think Nasuada should have immediately been made a leader after her father's death either.

I think Ajihad should have been the Varden's leader until after Murtagh became a rider. Let Murtagh try to kill him but fail and leave him severely injured and in a coma. Jörmundur takes over for a little. (This shows the right of ruling is not by bloodline.) Nasuada can become leader later.

Give Nasuada an arc of forgiving Murtagh and realizing he has been enslaved. The Varden are fighting against this kind of enslavement and Murtagh was just a victim.