The hero always wins in the end -- the problem of invincibility

Particularly in shorter stories, there is a real issue with invincible heroes. Since most stories have a happy ending, it's unlikely the heroes will die--much less lose. Of course, the fun of a story is watching how it all plays out, rather than feeling fear and panic for the safety of characters. Of course, some stories do manage to put their cast in significant peril, yet the "main" heroes are never truly in danger--and that's because the story loses all interest to the audience, if the significant characters are removed. There was a moment in the current "The Flash" television series where they apparently killed off a major character, and I was on the edge of my seat, because I couldn't believe they actually did it ... (I won't spoil what happened, but I admit to disappointment in the decision).

When I watch a Clint Eastwood western, I know for sure that the big gunfight always ends with the hero standing victorious over the fallen villain. I don't mind. I'm there to watch a fun action film, with lots of bang bang and whoop whoops. In this sense, the only danger to the hero is a loss/delay of victory. The audience is hopefully well connected to the heroes, so even a threat to victory is enough tension to propel the story.

So, invincibility is really only one of the troubles occupying the storyteller. Examine the tensions threatening the heroes and you'll see how invincible the heroes really are. Ratchet up the stakes and the audience will still worry and fret over the safety of the heroes. As a replacement for mortal danger, it's not a bad trade-off. Or, you could slay one of the main characters and drop a depth charge in the audience's expectations. Whatever you do, do it with care. A good story deserves nothing less.

- M