Deadpool: When Our (Anti)Heroes Do Less

and We Reward Them More

BENJAMIN TRIANA

WHITE. DON DRAPER. TYLER DURDEN. TRAVIS

W
ALTER
Bickle. Harry Calahan. Even Michael Corleone. American
television and cinema is littered with antiheroes. Ameri-
can literary fiction possesses its own list of antiheroes, albeit, a pre-
dominantly male collection, but the female antihero list is slowly
growing. As the list grows, it is only natural that the Hollywood
blockbuster, that amalgamation of action, sci-fi, and fantasy, would
eventually present an antihero protagonist. Since the comic book
movie is central to the current stream of Hollywood blockbusters,
perhaps it was inevitable that the comic book action movie would
produce a quintessential antihero: Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool.
When Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel gave the green light for
Deadpool, they worried whether audiences would positively receive an
adult-themed, comic book story about a character pushing the
boundaries of acceptable behaviors for comic book heroes. The risk
proved worth the reward as both audiences and critics enjoyed the
movie. Financially, the movie was a success, grossing over $700 mil-
lion worldwide on an estimated $58 million budget (“Deadpool”
IMDB). Success was attributed to the increased intensity of the vio-
lence, the movie’s choice of humor, and the film’s deviation from the
formulaic narrative of Marvel Studio’s comic book franchises (Abad-
Santos). The narrative’s departure from the formulaic also successfully
reinvented Ryan Reynolds as a leading man and reinvigorated the
comic book action movie at a moment when critics were questioning
the popularity of an oversaturated and increasingly stale movie sub-
genre (Abad-Santos; O’Malley; Suderman).

The Journal of Popular Culture, Vol. 51, No. 4, 2018

© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

1016
Deadpool (Anti)Hero 1017

Importantly, the movie continually reinforced that Deadpool was

neither a superhero nor someone to be admired. Instead, Deadpool
was driven by revenge, as well as the desire for a woman and to
return to his former, attractive, physical appearance. In sum, Dead-
pool’s narrative was that of an antihero. Interestingly, the d
enoue-
ment-reward system for Wade Wilson better resembled the positive
resolution experienced by traditional superhero protagonists rather
than the punishment-reward system traditionally suffered by the anti-
hero in most Hollywood movies. This structure and the breaking of
narrative expectations represent a shift reaching beyond screen and
story as the Hollywood, heroic story structure can trace its roots back
to the classic, tragic-hero of Greek drama, and alternately, the com-
edy, and especially the comedic antihero, has much in common with
the everyman protagonist of Greek and Roman comedies. In these
original works, the outcomes for the characters provided commen-
taries related to the norms of the audiences’ societies. Thus, the reso-
lutions reflected the audience’s culture and society. The same holds
true for a modern antihero receiving a hero’s resolution with the same
societal assumptions.
Deadpool reveals the difference between the tragic hero’s charac-
terization and narrative and the antihero’s characterization and nar-
rative. As an antihero with literary historical connections to the
Greek/Roman comedic protagonist and, at the same time, inhabit-
ing the role of the traditional hero, Deadpool’s resolution aligns
closely with the traditional, tragic hero rather than the comedic
protagonist. Deadpool claims that the everyman should enjoy the
rewards of the great man (or woman). As a result, Deadpool
becomes a cultural text representing the potential hopes and desires
that segments of American society wish to experience, whether the
individual be noble or common. In the film, one can find traces of
the Greek tragic hero and the Roman comedic protagonist, as well
as Shakespeare’s answer to these in his antiheroes. Nevertheless,
Deadpool’s conclusion significantly departs from these tropes to
serve as a commentary on the usually expected individual rewards
as well as a breakdown of the Aristotelian citizen/societal contract
(Aristotle). These implications are telling due to the positive audi-
ence reception of Deadpool, the overall success of the movie, and
the reach of the cinematic medium.
1018 Benjamin Triana

Hero/Antihero Literary Tradition

The antihero can be defined as a character that “often acts outside

accepted values, norms, roles, and behaviors as a hapless everyman, a
charismatic rebel, or a roguish outlaw who challenges the status quo
in their often morally ambivalent quest” (Treat et al. 37). For Ameri-
can audiences, antiheroes balance their recognizable flaws with
redemptive acts in order to present more identifiable and, ideally,
more likeable versions of the Greek tragic hero (Janicke and Raney
487). While the antihero may replace the classic hero, the antihero’s
lineage has more in common with the everyman character initially
found in Roman comedies. Later, the antihero emerged as a support-
ing character in the storylines of Western European tragedies and his-
tories, most notably in Shakespearean plays, especially Henry IV, Part
1; Henry IV, Part 2; and The Merry Wives of Windsor. In Shakespearean
works, antiheroes, such as Falstaff, ended in ignominy, a reflection on
the antihero’s place in society (Wilson). There may be antiheroes in
non-Western and Eastern traditions, but the antiheroes that most
directly influenced the cinematic antihero of Hollywood tend to come
from Western traditions.
After Falstaff, the antihero spread throughout Western Literature,
spreading far and wide with writers from many different nationalities
embracing the trope. Byron’s Don Juan is of particular note. Scholars
have argued that the characters of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, James Joyce,
Jules Verne, and Joseph Conrad can be interpreted as antiheroes
(Neimneh; Perschon; Swensen). Modernist authors used antiheroes to
confront ambiguity and shifting societal norms. Authors’ representa-
tions could range from confused, ambivalent, ironic, to more hopeful
scenarios. Notable American writers fond of antiheroes include T. S.
Eliot, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald (Neimneh). One of
the most iconic American literary antiheros is J. D. Salinger’s Holden
Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye.
In the 1960s, the antihero made a significant transition from print
literature to film. The film noir and western genres began to portray
antihero protagonists with more frequency (Cawelti; Forter; Recchia).
At the same time, the antihero remained popular in American litera-
ture with Vladimir Nabakov’s Humbert Humbert, Joseph Heller’s
Captain John Yossarian, and Anthony Burgess’s Alex.1 These
Deadpool (Anti)Hero 1019

characters would be transformed into cinema, with two famously fea-

tured by Stanley Kubrick, a director who helped to cement the Hol-
lywood antihero (Kirby). The antihero movement in cinema would
also gain widespread popularity through 1960s and 1970s films such
as The Graduate, Easy Rider, The Deer Hunter, Taxi Driver, Apocalypse
Now, and many more; the list is extensive (Belton 341–63; Swensen).
In the twenty-first century, television has become the home of the
antihero with the success of American shows such as The Sopranos,
Mad Men, The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, The Americans, and Justified
(Wayne). Perhaps the most famous of all, Walter White from Break-
ing Bad, has generated significant popular and critical interest (Koep-
sell; Larabee; Martin; Parunov; Pierson). The antihero has become so
prominent that some researchers have begun to quantitatively study
the cues that linguistically construct antiheroes (Schubert). Media
researchers have also conducted audience analysis exploring why and
in what ways antiheros appeal to audiences (Janicke and Raney).
Perhaps, it is not surprising that the comic book film is the site of
struggle for societal positioning and reward systems for antiheroes.
Shaun Treat and his colleagues discuss the tension between antihero
and romantic American hero and summarize the fight as a “symbolic
divergence” that American audiences are forced to confront, resolve,
and, ideally, negotiate consciously or unconsciously (38). For almost a
century, the tension between hero or antihero protagonist has been a
constant narrative that comic book readers must confront. For exam-
ple, does the comic book fan prefer Superman, the hero, or Batman,
the vigilante antihero surrounded by darker themes and settings? In
his discussion of superheroes, Chris Gavaler acknowledges the transi-
tion to more common antisuperheroes, addressing portrayals of super-
heroes in both literature and comics. However, Gavaler avoids social
and cultural criticism of the antihero’s increased popularity.
To understand the implications of a reward system intended for
tragic heroes and how it relates to the antihero, one must first under-
stand the origins and differences between these two Western literary
archetypes. After a brief synopsis of the movie Deadpool, the literary
histories and the primary differences between tragic heroes and anti-
heroes helps establish a framework for interpreting Deadpool. In light
of this history, Deadpool appears as a cultural commentary, claiming
that the everyman or woman should enjoy the rewards of the great
man or woman. Deadpool’s conclusion challenges antihero resolution
1020 Benjamin Triana

norms which represents changes to the individual reward expectations

for American audiences. These deviations signal a breakdown of the
citizen/societal contract originating in the Greek tragedy and influ-
encing Western audiences.

Deadpool: Movie Synopsis [with Spoilers]

Deadpool is the story of Wade Wilson, a former American special

forces operative who works as a mercenary taking contract jobs to sur-
vive.2 According to Wilson, he takes on assignments protecting indi-
viduals from people worse than himself. After one of his missions,
Wilson meets his eventual romantic partner, Vanessa. The couple
enjoys a positive beginning to their relationship until, unexpectedly,
Wilson is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Against Vanessa’s wishes,
Wilson leaves to pursue a cure proffered by a mysterious medical
recruiter, and, during experimental procedures, Wilson is mistreated/
tortured by the movie’s villain, Ajax. The process not only disfigures
Wilson but also cures his cancer and grants him self-healing powers.
The second half of the movie involves Wilson pursuing Ajax in hopes
of forcing the villain to cure his disfigurement so that he may return
to Vanessa. Instead of supplying a cure, Ajax kidnaps Vanessa, and
Wilson must defeat Ajax in order to rescue his love. At the climax,
the X-Men Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead assist Wilson
in rescuing Vanessa and attempt to convince him to join the X-Men
and become a hero. In true Hollywood fashion, Deadpool rescues
Vanessa, but, in true antihero fashion, he refuses the X-Men and
accompanying hero status.

The Greek Tragic Hero and the Roman Comedic Antihero

The elements of a traditional Western tragic hero have been docu-

mented by many, from Aristotle to Joseph Campbell. Table 1 con-
tains Aristotle’s original characteristics for a Greek tragedy as well
the major characteristics of the tragic hero. The definitions included
in this heuristic are not all-encompassing, and have been selected as
those most important for understanding Deadpool as both hero and
antihero within the Aristotelian framework. Given the persistence of
Deadpool (Anti)Hero 1021

Table 1
Elements of Aristotle’s Tragedy

Great Man The hero. A main character of great repute or with great prosperity,
who may be flawed but is of noble quality
Hamartia An error in judgment or a hero’s tragic flaw. The flaw may or may
(Mistake) not be the result of the character’s actions, but may be inflicted
by the gods or fate. Nevertheless, the character’s behavior brings about
a tragic outcome
Hubris (Pride) Oftentimes, the hero is not aware of his or her own mistakes due to pride
Peripetia What, for the hero, is once a beneficial position or fortune, is reversed
(Reversal)
Anagnorisis The hero recognizes the flaw, mistake, or error, wrought through his or
(Recognition) her own actions, now understood
Nemesis The hero’s outcome becomes inevitable
(Fortune/Fate)
Pathos (Suffering) The hero must suffer, oftentimes more than deserved
Catharsis The audience must achieve empathy with the suffering of the hero
(Purification) through fear and pity. These should be (arguably) purged by the end
of the hero’s journey

Aristotle’s dramatic framework in popular culture narratives, audi-

ences have learned to unconsciously expect them in their understand-
ing of meaning.
Aristotelian dramatic structure has been prevalent in Hollywood
since the beginnings of screenwriting. In most motion pictures, by the
third act, the main character has experienced a reversal of fortune, and
before the climax or final confrontation, the main character is at his or
her lowest point, evidence of pathos or suffering (Keane 68–97). A flaw
or quality of the main character usually influences the unfolding of
events. For example, On the Waterfront’s Terry Malloy’s misguided loy-
alty to corrupt union bosses leads to vicious beatings and emotional
struggles on the dock where he works, his tormented conscience over
his past decisions, his relationship problems, and the death of his
brother. The best Hollywood stories have the hero’s flaw and plot col-
lide in the third act for the climax and resolution (Keane).
Table 2 presents the extent to which Deadpool aligns with the tra-
gic hero, moving from direct comparison to an alternate source for
Deadpool’s literary heredity. Based on this comparison, Deadpool
does not fit the criteria of an Aristotelian hero, even though he is
placed in an Aristotelian dramatic structure of the hero’s journey,
reversal of fortune, and suffering. Because of the deviation from
1022 Benjamin Triana

Table 2
Deadpool and Aristotelian Tragedy

Characteristic In Deadpool Explanation

(Y/N)

Great Man N A former mercenary, not of noble origin

Hamartia N Deadpool’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent abandonment
(Mistake) of Vanessa are his flaws, but, for Aristotle, the struggles
resulting from the mistake must have been produced by
the character’s actions. A cancer diagnosis is not “of the
character,” but rather imposed on the character
Hubris (Pride) N Deadpool’s pride is not directly related to his flaw
Peripetia Y Deadpool’s story follows Aristotelian dramatic
(Reversal) structure and resembles the hero’s journey
Anagnorisis N Deadpool does not recognize that leaving his love causes
(Recognition) the problem (but he also would be dead if he did not leave.
He has no control over the situation)
Nemesis Y The climax is a result of Deadpool seeking a cure
(Fortune/Fate) for cancer
Pathos (Suffering) Y Deadpool’s cancer suffering, separation from loved one, and
torture are extreme forms of suffering
Catharsis ? The audience must choose whether they identify with
(Purification) Deadpool’s journey or not

heroic characteristics (while keeping the hero plot), Deadpool more

accurately represents the everyman character of Greek and Roman
comedies and their descendants.

Roman Comedy through the Shakespearean Antihero

Falstaff

The antecedents of the dramatic everyman and antihero can be found

in the plays of the Roman playwrights Plautus and Terence. The
Roman playwrights were heavily influenced by Greek dramatic ideas,
including the tragic hero. Most importantly, Roman comedic charac-
teristics are associated with stock characters and repeated plot
elements (Duckworth). Table 3 presents the Roman comedy charac-
teristics most associated with Deadpool.
Deadpool is an antihero operating within the familiar narrative
structure of the Greek tragic hero embraced by Hollywood, rather
than in the plot structures of Roman comedies. Rather, the movie is
more reflective of the Shakespearean antihero, since the Bard
Deadpool (Anti)Hero 1023

Table 3
Roman Comedies and Deadpool

Aspects of Roman Comedy In Deadpool Aspects of Deadpool

(Y/N)

Everyman of common occupation. Y Deadpool is a former mercenary, not of

Supporting characters
with familiar
occupations or presentations
Witty dialogue, banter
Ribald humor
Countryside or street settings,
the spaces of the common
people rather than the elites
Misunderstandings, eavesdropping,
and disguises
Songs
noble origin, unmarried. He has a stock
love interest: the damsel in distress.
Characters are mostly of common
occupation (i.e., bartender).
Y Puns, wordplay, and metareferences to
other popular culture forms abound
in Deadpool.
Y References to tabooed subjects like bodily
functions and sex are common throughout
the movie.
Y The movie’s sets include a bar, a
nondescript apartment, and a
decommissioning shipyard
Y Deadpool is a masked superhero and does
not realize his deformities are irreversible
Y Song does not have to be in the form of a
musical or chorus. Throughout Deadpool,
there is an emphasis on popular music.

experimented with these inherited forms. His use of the comedic

everyman and antihero is evidenced in Falstaff, a humorous everyman
with depth and interest, commenting on the lives of the elite. Falstaff
references the military stock character from Roman comedy, the miles
gloriousus or old braggart soldier (Wilson). Deadpool, with his meta
commentary, his former military background, and braggart persona,
is similar to Falstaff. Falstaff also frequents some of the same settings
as Deadpool, most notably the tavern.
Where Deadpool deviates from his lineage is in his resolution. Fal-
staff dies offstage, unheralded. Furthermore, Falstaff’s rewards for ser-
vice become farce. In Henry IV, Part 2, Falstaff receives a knighthood,
but he has overemphasized a wound and uses a crutch to appear the
wounded war hero/soldier in hopes of more beneficence. Falstaff’s
reward is humorous and ironic, delivering a social commentary on
the myth and social status of retired military veterans. For Deadpool,
the reward—his reunion with his love—is sincere and presented as
earned. Even more so, Deadpool’s reward fits more conveniently in
1024 Benjamin Triana

the realm of the medieval romance hero, serving to bridge tragic hero
and Hollywood hero. (William Ker connects the medieval romance
to the epic poem, one of the pathways from Greek tragedy to the pre-
sent.) Resolutions to the medieval romance include getting the girl,
living happily-ever-after, and defeating the villain (until the sequel),
all of which Deadpool experiences. For comparison, a more common
everyman reward would include a return to the quiet, average life
and a reinstatement of social norms. This departure from the expected
ending opens an avenue for analysis and criticism. Deadpool’s anti-
hero status is overtly established by the character’s avoidance of the
hero label, the rejection of the hero’s journey, and the use of humor
to distance heroic identification. This antihero status makes the film’s
conclusion disorienting because it chooses a heroic resolution for an
antihero.

Deadpool: Textual Establishment of Antihero-as-Hero

While Deadpool exemplifies the traditional characteristics of the anti-

hero, his role more accurately fits within the Hollywood framework
of antihero-as-hero rather than antihero as a supporting character sim-
ilar to Falstaff. Deadpool’s antiheroism is established through charac-
ter positioning, which includes statements such as, “I didn’t ask to be
super, and I’m no hero. But when you find out your worst enemy is
after your best girl, the time has come to be a fucking superhero”
(Deadpool).3 This tension can also be seen in Colossus and the X-
Men’s interest in recruiting Deadpool and converting him into a con-
ventional hero. Deadpool is thrust into situations more common for a
traditional hero; thus, the movie establishes a framework for reinter-
preting the antihero as a more flawed traditional hero rather than a
comedic protagonist in a comedy.
Furthermore, Deadpool exists in a comic book universe with more
traditional heroes such as the Fantastic Four, Spiderman, Captain
America, the Avengers, and the X-Men. These characters want to do
what is right, are of noble or high moral character, make mistakes,
suffer, are rewarded, and are fated to play the role of hero in perpetu-
ity. The writers of Deadpool must contend with the history of his
comic book universe along with the expectations of the hero from the
Hollywood tradition. Both literary traditions reinforce the hero’s
Deadpool (Anti)Hero 1025

journey. Deadpool can only retain his antihero status by significantly

breaking from traditional hero expectations. Deadpool does so
through his life experiences, including the origins of his tragic flaw,
his humor, and his suffering and catharsis.

Deadpool’s Flaw and His Rejection of the Hero

For Aristotle, in his Poetics, the hero should be an admirable person,

with flaws, driven by fate, suffering through his or her choices and fail-
ures. Knowing audiences expect to emotionally connect with the hero
as an exemplar of a life worth exalting and imitating. While the hero’s
outcome and rewards may not make up for his or her suffering, the
hero would be recognized for noble, admirable behavior and service to
society. Greek audiences were reminded of the lives of heroes they were
to admire and of the relationship of the individual to Greek society.
Unlike the ideal tragic hero, Deadpool is not from a noble, elite family
with social position nor does he embrace the heroic ideals attached to
it. Overall, he rejects the role of the hero so much so that when a teen
thanks Deadpool for his help and calls him “her hero,” Wade Wilson
responds, “That I ain’t” (Reese and Wernick 11).
This rejection of heroism relates to Deadpool’s flaw. Deadpool’s
flaw is his contraction of cancer, a disease over which he has little
control. In contrast, Spiderman’s flaw involves his choice to use his
powers for personal gain. Spiderman chooses to wrestle, make money,
and ignore a crime that results in his Uncle Ben’s death. Deadpool’s
choice to leave Vanessa and receive treatment for cancer contains the
semblance of agency as in the Spiderman narrative. However, once
diagnosed with seemingly untreatable cancer, Deadpool’s options are
to fight cancer or accept his death. There is very little choice involved
in Wilson’s decision, if he does not act, he will die, and the story,
along with his life, will end. With much less agency and fewer
options available for Deadpool, Wade Wilson’s choice to leave and
pursue a cure lessens the impact of the flaw and resulting conse-
quences of his decision. Commonly found as a plot device in Holly-
wood movies, cancer is a familiar beginning to a journey (Keane
68–97). But it is not a familiar tragic flaw.
Deadpool receives his flaw not by choice or innate character, but it
still compels action. Similarly, both Breaking Bad’s Walter White
1026 Benjamin Triana

and Mad Men’s Don Draper possess flaws heavily influenced, if not
determined, by events out of their control, but their reactions to
these existential circumstances reveal their moral characters. This
meditation on flaw and fate is not present in Deadpool. This alternate
antihero setup for Deadpool distances the audience from the expected
hero’s journey. Unlike Breaking Bad or Mad Men, Deadpool does not
offer an examination of the characters’ moral reactions to fated events
in order to establish a “heroic connection.” What is proffered instead
is “ridiculous violence” and “wry one liners” (Abad-Santos para. 6).

Deadpool’s Humor
Deadpool’s humor consists of metajokes on comics, including the
Marvel universe, and Hollywood as well as often raunchy, vulgar, and
irreverent jokes. Crass one-liners, popular culture references, and
preadolescent humor are the norm. Consider this exchange between
Deadpool and Vanessa as they engage in flirtatious banter during
their first meeting:

Vanessa Carlysle: Hey, hands off the merchandise.

Wade Wilson: Merchandise? Huh. . . so you uh, bump fuzzies
for money?
V: Yup.
W: Rough childhood?
V: Rougher than yours. Daddy left before I was born.
W: Daddy left before I was conceived.
(Deadpool; see Reese and Wernick, 13–14 for a close textual
equivalence)

Beyond vulgarity, the exchange makes light of sexual abuse, and an

underlying awareness or wink to the audience as to why making light
of the sexual abuse is funny signal Deadpool’s use of meta humor.
This banter reflects the meta-awareness established in the movie’s
opening credits. The credits reference movie tropes such as “a hot
chick” and “an English villain” and this awareness continues through-
out the movie (Deadpool). While the jokes are meta-aware, enjoyable,
Deadpool (Anti)Hero 1027

and fresh, the postmodern irony creates audience detachment rather

than empathy and catharsis. When jokes are made at the expense of
the narrative, then the emotional connection and catharsis may be
inhibited. Deadpool may have broken “the sixteenth wall” with its
humor, but the jokes also broke the emotional connection with the
narrative (Deadpool). The outcome of Aristotelian tragedy is catharsis
through the protagonist’s suffering. Instead of this emotional connec-
tion, Deadpool makes postmodern jokes, making Deadpool more
comedic antihero than tragic figure.

Cathartic Contract: Between Pathos and Social Reward

Deadpool gets the girl. He lives happily ever-after. Unfortunately,

deviations from the heroic characterization, the heroic narrative, and
the confusions between anti-hero-as-hero are all problematic narrative
choices. These deviations beg the question: does the pathos, suffering,
and resolution offer the catharsis expected by the audience? Or, as an
alternative, does the resolution offer a comedic return to normalcy
with humorous reflection (in relationship with Deadpool’s traditional
comedic roots)?
In most cases, the narrative should provide a path for addressing
the tensions constructed when upending traditional stories. The tele-
vision and movie critic Todd VanDerWerff describes the criteria by
which American audiences tend to interpret antiheroes in heroic
positions:

Think of the best antihero dramas. In every single one of them,

there’s something tangible that the hero could have had if they
hadn’t chosen to do the terrible things we watch them do . . ..
That’s why the best antihero dramas play out as tales of moral
instruction, but in reverse. (paras. 6 and 8)

Instruction is thus important to the antihero narrative. Deadpool’s cre-

ators approach the heroic resolution through the conventional dam-
sel-in-distress motif along with the climactic confrontation between
hero and villain. The d
enouement attempts a referential comedic res-
olution but its deviation from its literary roots feels inauthentic,
unearned, and disjointed. In Deadpool’s resolution, the creators present
1028 Benjamin Triana

a showdown with a hybridized tragic and romantic hero and a damsel

in distress. Vanessa, however, challenges the damsel stereotype as sub-
ordinate and passive. Vanessa is an unrepentant prostitute: foul-
mouthed, socially aware, ribald, and cynical. These characterizations
do not fit the stereotypical characteristics needed to embody the dam-
sel-in-distress. The plot thus feels disjointed against the character
positioning.
Vanessa’s characterization chafes against the plot, as she does not
fit easily into the stereotypical comedic, stock fianc
ee or maiden.
Vanessa is not the peasant, virgin maiden used to reinforce traditional
gender roles and societal values, as was the Roman comedic norm.
Yes, Vanessa is an attempt at a fresh “romantic interest,” but her role
in the film’s climax does not align with her characterization. Just as
Deadpool is a hybrid figure, Vanessa embodies both the damsel and
the everywoman. Her appeal is intertwined with the ways in which
she subverts the everywoman norm. Deadpool’s abandonment and
endangerment of her is a result of his pride, rather than a comedic
struggle between lovers. This hybridization of character and plot
strains narrative choherence. To be fair, neither the damsel-in-distress
nor the Roman comedic plot resolutions appear authentic for Dead-
pool. But instead of embracing creativity or challenging genre norms,
the resolution capitulates to Hollywood, which breeds narrative
incoherence.
Similarly, by confronting the villain in the conventional action cli-
max, Deadpool does not experience the “morality in reverse” of the
antihero’s typical d
enouement. Instead, Deadpool kills Ajax even
though Wilson has the opportunity to let the villain live. By doing
so, Wilson rejects hero status and reinforces his antihero position.
There are no consequences to Deadpool’s choice. Being a hero is not
important to Deadpool, and part of Deadpool’s audience attraction is
his antihero status. This choice may be Deadpool’s character, but
there are no narratives or social consequences for his actions related to
the literary tradition which spawned Deadpool. Killing Ajax does not
result in rejection by Vanessa, or even by the X-Men. The narrative
moves onto the romantic reconnection and a final, musical joke with-
out any moral consequence to the killing. Therefore, the choice car-
ries little value.
In respects to the comedic elements of Deadpool, the resolution
attempts a return to the original form through one last comedic-plot
Deadpool (Anti)Hero 1029

joke. Deadpool is happily in love, reunited with Vanessa. There is lit-

tle discussion of the future, such as the traditional comedic ending of
marriage, so there is no normative d
enouement. This lack of future is
set against the playing of romantic music expected during happily-
ever-after endings. Wham’s “Careless Whisper” occurs earlier in the
movie, and is given dramatic irony in the final scene. However, the
irony is not a reflection on Deadpool’s character. Yes, the music and
joke parodies the romantic songs at the end of movies, thereby paro-
dying the form, but the joke is so modern, so meta, so self-aware,
and the song so iconic, that the laugh moves into postmodern humor,
further distancing the audience from emotion and catharsis, and the
joke remains too postmodern to adhere to traditional, comedic social
criticism. This response aligns with audience/protagonist identifica-
tion. The ending reinforces Deadpool’s most obvious and topical
characteristics, and as a result, the audience is meant to read the end-
ing for its surface intentions: Deadpool receives the hero’s happy end-
ing, and the audience can chuckle at a nonsequitor, postmodern joke.
As a result, however, this resolution separates Deadpool from its tragic
and comedic literary traditions.
Finally, Deadpool’s finale deviates from the expectations of reward
and resolution in the antihero-as-hero story. For comparison, consider
the romantic endings of Fight Club or The Graduate. Their romantic
endings reflect the status, lives, and plots of the main characters.
Instead of happily ever after, the endings possess uncertainty as to the
ultimate outcomes of the romances. For Deadpool, past infractions,
including abandonment and endangerment, are wiped away with a
kiss and a joke. This mixing of antihero and hero conventions to pre-
vent social reflection poses questions for the way creators fashion anti-
hero stories.

Conclusion

Deadpool was a departure from the formula that has worked for Mar-
vel’s string of comic book, action movies. Deadpool is also a depar-
ture from the hero/antihero and comic book hero tradition. For
Hollywood, the movie’s humor, violence, and storytelling made for a
box-office success. This author was excited to witness “Maximum
Effort!” uttered during the movie. Deadpool also reinvigorated a genre
1030 Benjamin Triana

of movies in danger of feeling stale and oversaturated (Child). Dead-

pool proved fan audiences are willing to accept a premise with a
strong deviation from genre-specific narrative traditions.
For the narrative forms outlined in this analysis, Deadpool’s depar-
tures run the risk of limiting the audiences’ cathartic experience.
Audiences may laugh, enjoy the vicarious violence, the ironic love
story, and the comic book references and easter eggs, but heroic tales
from the narrative traditions offer an emotional return related to the
hero’s journey, not just humor and visceral reaction to violence and
wit. We can expect a number of Deadpool copycats over the next ten
years, but without the audience’s emotional connection, this hybrid
postmodern form might be limited. Hollywood may want to consider
that Deadpool’s success may have been due to the unique appeal of
Deadpool and his narrative, a quality that has also been attributed to
the success of Wonder Woman (VanDerWerff, “Patty Jenkins”).
Deadpool’s success raises a question regarding the contract between
hero and society. If antihero tales are morality tales heavily influenced
by tragic hero tradition, then Deadpool has diverged by showing no
interest in serving society. This position is a significant break from
the traditional relationship of the hero to society. Whatever rewards
the hero receives are in accordance with the services rendered by the
hero. Traditionally, when the hero demonstrated antiheroic character-
istics, the rewards were adjusted accordingly, usually through nega-
tive or uncertain outcomes. Deadpool’s rewards are not adjusted. He
gets the girl. She accepts Wade Wilson without complaint, and they
live happily ever after. Furthermore, Deadpool is at the intersection of
the Hollywood romance and the comic book action genre, and these
genres are influenced by the traditional heroic narratives. What does
it mean that there are no societal expectations that Deadpool take
responsibility (such as chivalry or community service) in exchange for
his reward? If we no longer expect societal service from our heroes,
and we still reward them, then what defines the current relationship
of individual to society?
Deadpool’s resolution reflects the ongoing breakdown of social rela-
tionships, social capital, and expectations for community service as
fundamental to citizenship (Putnam, Bowling Alone). Is Deadpool a
mere reflection of or a critical reaction to the current state of the rela-
tionship between individual and society? If it is a mere reflection,
accepted by audiences, then it may engender exploding junkyards,
Deadpool (Anti)Hero 1031

violence, and selfishness, but also, if one enters the social radius of
the character, random acts of altruism rather than the traditional col-
lective commitment embodied in the hero. Deadpool may not merely
reflect this ethos but also predict a further deterioration of the indi-
vidual’s relationship with and opinion of society’s usefulness. Deadpool
argues that the self-obsessed everyman should receive the rewards of
the few who are willing to undertake the hero’s journey. Deadpool
argues that everyone should receive what the hero receives, regardless
of effort and moral commitment. A consequence of this claim is the
nullification of the social contract. This argument should not be
ignored. In fact, the message should be investigated as it can be
found in a cultural artifact that was embraced by many.
An alternative reading may be that Deadpool argues for the equality
of outcomes whether the protagonist is noble or everyman. This argu-
ment reflects a vein of social commentary currently concerned with
growing inequality (Gilbert; Piketty). However, the outcomes for tra-
gic heroes are concerned with rewards for moral character not inalien-
able human rights. Deadpool can be read as a rejection of the hero as a
moral guide and of what behavior humans should embrace. Instead of
these alternative readings, social interpretations of Deadpool are better
read as cultural representations of what individuals in American soci-
ety hope or expect to experience over a lifetime, be the American
noble or common.4 Future work on the antihero might ask how these
fictional representations affect social behaviors, expectations of
rewards, and understandings of the relationship between the individ-
ual and society.
The plethora of antihero heroes, including Deadpool, prompts the
question as to where antiheroes will venture next, even though it
may be hard to picture a more extreme future antihero who tests the
question: “Let us see how bad this protagonist is” (VanDerWerff,
“Best Antihero”). Deadpool was the first blockbuster of its type during
this new era of comic book cinematic content, and it may represent a
new beginning in the relationship of antihero to society. Or the film
may remain idiosyncratic and difficult to reproduce, becoming a one-
time exception. Either way, due to the film’s success, there will be
Deadpool II and plenty of imitations ripe for analysis and reflection.
1032 Benjamin Triana

Notes
1. While all of these authors may not be American, their works were popular with large
swathes of the American literary audience and as texts for literature courses at American aca-
demic institutions.
2. This article will focus on the Deadpool movie. While the article considers the influence of the
comic, the movie serves as the primary text for analysis.
3. A number of the quotes included are not in the final shooting script but improvised during
filming, so the reference reflects this distinction. The author of this article viewed the movie
on numerous occasions, and the lines do exist in the film. Also, a number of the lines are
memorable quotes and can be found on multiple websites. The author cross-referenced the
quotes with the shooting script for accuracy.
4. The author recognizes that Hollywood blockbusters are a global medium and exported
worldwide, but Deadpool’s creators are American, as is the comic book Deadpool. Therefore,
Deadpool most readily represents American culture and society.

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Benjamin Triana is an assistant professor of Communication in the Depart-

ment of Communication at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. He
researches and teaches on the ways media, branding, and culture “fold into
one another,” as Angela McRobbie puts it.