Essential(ly boring) characters

[Yuki-Anne]

We've all seen movies or tv or read books where there is a character who is important to the plot or to the hero, but has no development and is pretty much just a plot device. Worse yet, occasionally there will be a main character who is just dull as a donkey's nose. This is the thread where we recognize the boring people of literature and entertainment.

One who comes to mind is Rowena, from Ivanhoe. She serves no purpose except to be a damsel in distress, and she's not even the interesting damsel; Rebecca, also a damsel in distress, is the truly strong female character in the story.

Doctor Crusher from The Next Generation is also a boring character, for me at least. Counselor Troi was annoying, but they did interesting things with her and her mental powers now and then. Doctor Crusher was just... there. I can think of maybe three episodes where something interesting happened with her.

Well, what about you? Any characters you can think of that have no personality and few, if any, interesting aspects?

[rocklobster]

The Sorceress is the epitome of boring for many who enjoyed He-man. Sure she turned into a falcon, but she rarely did much.

[Rusty Claymore]

Eragon. Sorry, but I read those books for the secondary characters. He did everything stereotypically.
And seriously, the part about elven stretch thingies that didn't hurt at all ticked me off. No pain no gain, baka! XD

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Eragon. Sorry, but I read those books for the secondary characters. He did everything stereotypically.
And seriously, the part about elven stretch thingies that didn't hurt at all ticked me off. No pain no gain, baka! XD

QFT

I don't remember their names, but those two dwarves in The Scions of Shannara had no reason to be there until the end and didn't really change much.

[Nate]

Whenever someone says "boring character" I immediately think "Yuki from Fruits Basket."

The two are synonymous really. In fact, people should just call boring characters in anything "The Yuki" because of how boring and dull and boring and lame Yuki is.

[rocklobster]

Harry Sullivan from the Tom Baker era of Doctor Who. It was originally intended for him to provide the "action" for the Fourth Doctor, but most of the time, he ended up as dead weight. There's only one episode where he actually does something, but it doesn't help much. There's a reason he inspires the line "Harry Sullivan is an imbecile!" (which the Fourth Doctor shouted at the top of his lungs, in his typical fashion)

[K. Ayato]

Rossiu from Gurren Lagann. I'm not sure why he's there except to further the plot at a later point in the series. He's uininteresting and not fun to watch. Pick any other character (even Leeron) and you are interested in them. Rossiu is just there. Not much development or even humor.

[goldenspines]

Whenever someone says "boring character" I immediately think "Yuki from Fruits Basket."

The two are synonymous really. In fact, people should just call boring characters in anything "The Yuki" because of how boring and dull and boring and lame Yuki is.

But Yuki means "snow" in Japanese and snow isn't boring, is it?
XD;

Almost any character in anything named "Mary" in a story, who seems to be the character who is always sitting in the corner doing nothing but being boring. Maybe I don't know enough stories though. XD;

[Yuki-Anne]

[quote="goldenspines (post: 1441490)"]But Yuki means "snow" in Japanese and snow isn't boring, is it?
XD]

It is true about Yuki. He's... well, he doesn't leave much of an impression, does he?

True, but some actresses do play Mary Bennett in Pride and Prejudice to her full comedic potential (the A&E version's Mary was excellent. In fact, the A&E version itself was excellent, and cannot be topped, even if Matthew McFayden does make for a much hotter Darcy... >.>)

As much as I love the Eragon book series, I have to agree. Eragon is a fairly boring character. And the movie is worse because it made EVERYONE boring... among a list of other sins against adaptationdom.

I found the Alice in the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland to be a fairly boring character. That movie just didn't work for so many reasons, in my opinion, and Alice is one of the reasons for that. She doesn't do anything unexpected, doesn't have any unique or defining traits or qualities, and really doesn't leave you with any distinct impressions at all.

Arwen in the Lord of the Rings books is one of those characters. She served as motivation for Aragorn but barely even had two or three scenes. I liked that the movies fleshed her out a lot more.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I found the Alice in the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland to be a fairly boring character. That movie just didn't work for so many reasons, in my opinion, and Alice is one of the reasons for that. She doesn't do anything unexpected, doesn't have any unique or defining traits or qualities, and really doesn't leave you with any distinct impressions at all.

This.

Arwen in the Lord of the Rings books is one of those characters. She served as motivation for Aragorn but barely even had two or three scenes. I liked that the movies fleshed her out a lot more.

I'd disagree with this, however, because to me that's like saying Janson in The Empire Strikes Back is a boring character, since all he does is shoot a towcable and smile when it hits. He isn't meant to be important to the story, and wasn't fleshed out. Mon Mothma might be a better example. She shows up in a single scene, and doesn't have much characterization, but without her there wouldn't be a Rebel Alliance.

[Beau Soir]

Ophelia from Romeo x Juliet. I would rate that show much higher if she hadn't been written into the script at all. I think she was completely unnecessary.

I was just in the "Christian Movies" thread where someone had posted "Bella" and it made me happy because I mistook that thread for this one... (I'm not a Twilight fan)
But yeah, Bella from Twilight. This is how much her presence and personality matter.

...Grody.

[Nate]

Ophelia from Romeo x Juliet. I would rate that show much higher if she hadn't been written into the script at all. I think she was completely unnecessary.

Yeah, but she said in her opening post this was about boring characters that WERE necessary to the story. In other words, the events of the plot couldn't have happened without the character, but they were still very boring and dull.

That's why Yuki is an excellent example. He's completely necessary to the plot. He's the reason for Tohru finding out about the Sohmas, he was vital to a lot of plot points that happened, but he was still really BORING.

[Rusty Claymore]

that's like saying Janson in The Empire Strikes Back is a boring character, since all he does is shoot a towcable and smile when it hits.

However I got "that's like saying Jason in Jason and the Argonauts is boring since he's just there because the title says 'Jason and the Argonauts' " from that, I want to do it again. o.o...

[Htom Sirveaux]

In the book/movie The Road, the main characters are "The Man" and "The Boy" (The Man's son). It's mostly just the two of them, there's no character development to speak of, and the majority of their conversation is them saying "Okay" a lot.

It should be a horrible, boring, snoozer of a story. But it's amazing.

[Sheenar]

In the book/movie The Road, the main characters are "The Man" and "The Boy" (The Man's son). It's mostly just the two of them, there's no character development to speak of, and the majority of their conversation is them saying "Okay" a lot.

It should be a horrible, boring, snoozer of a story. But it's amazing.

YES. It was a Cormac McCarthy novel that I actually enjoyed reading. Very, very good. Though the main characters are a bit flat, as you said.

[Hiryu]

Princess Peach. "Hi Mario, I've been kidnapped again. No, I'm not going to give you what you want, but please come save me. <3"

[ShiroiHikari]

I found the Alice in the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland to be a fairly boring character. That movie just didn't work for so many reasons, in my opinion, and Alice is one of the reasons for that. She doesn't do anything unexpected, doesn't have any unique or defining traits or qualities, and really doesn't leave you with any distinct impressions at all.

Arwen in the Lord of the Rings books is one of those characters. She served as motivation for Aragorn but barely even had two or three scenes. I liked that the movies fleshed her out a lot more.

I've always felt that way about Alice in all the different versions, but maybe it's just me.

I agree with you on Arwen.

I also agree with Nate on Yuki. He just wasn't an engaging character. In fact, later in the manga I found myself wanting to skip over his scenes because they were boring.

I personally think Legolas in the movie version is a boring character, but to me it seems almost like he could have been cut out entirely and it wouldn't have mattered too much, so maybe he doesn't belong in this thread. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Yuki-Anne]

I personally think Legolas in the movie version is a boring character, but to me it seems almost like he could have been cut out entirely and it wouldn't have mattered too much, so maybe he doesn't belong in this thread. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah, I'm not sure Legolas counts, because he's nonessential to the plot. He does nothing to further the plot, and nothing happens that couldn't just as well happen without him. I should watch it some time and count how many times the character says something that the audience couldn't already surmise by mere observation ("The horses are restless and the men are quiet"?! Good one. We couldn't see that just by looking or anything).

I think the only way in which the movie made him interesting was by giving him some pretty awesome moves (using a shield as a skateboard may be hokey as all get out, but dang if it wasn't awesome anyway). Also, it's really fun to watch carefully to see which scenes they forgot his blue contacts in.

Susan in the Chronicles of Narnia was also a fairly boring character. She had no real defining trait except that she was prettier than Lucy. She rarely said or did anything particularly interesting, and was pretty much just eye candy written into the story. Of course, it's been several years, so maybe I'm missing some interesting thing she contributed.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I can only think of TV ones for the moment (they're easier to do) but I'm sure there are plenty in movies and books.

Nikki and Paulo from LOST (but that's a given), also Zoe. Ugh.
Most of the characters from The Event. Some of the characters from FlashForward and V.

Susan was never a favourite of mine. She was better developed in the books but still a pretty dull character. I'm fond of Legolas' fighting skills in the movies but again, he's not a very interesting character (not even in the original book).

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I'm not very far into it yet, but the black adult(Michael?), from Lost is pretty boring.

[ShiroiHikari]

I fail at this thread. I keep coming up with boring characters who aren't particularly essential to the plot.

OH WAIT

I thought of one. Tuxedo Mask. He's pretty important to the story (at least in the beginning) but he is a dull, dull guy.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Princess Peach. "Hi Mario, I've been kidnapped again. No, I'm not going to give you what you want, but please come save me. <3"

Aw I was going to say that.

*thinks*

Naturally I can't think of any off the top of my head, but love interests in stories tend to be boring.

[K. Ayato]

I would say Hede (sp?) from Gankutsuo. Not sure if she is more active in The Count of Monte Cristo novel vs. the anime, but even though she drives home a major plot point around the climax of the story, she doesn't do much otherwise.

[ShiroiHikari]

A lot of the old Disney princesses are boring yet essential. Like Snow White, Cinderella, Princess Aurora, etc.

[Yuki-Anne]

You can say that again. Or worse, they're just annoying. Ariel, anybody?

[ShiroiHikari]

She is pretty annoying but at least she has a little bit of personality.

[fermy6]

Bulma from dragon ball z

[TWWK]

I always like to us the example of Tenchi from Tenchi Muyo!. He's pretty normal...kind of nice (and kinda not)...only a little personality...and yet the intergalatic girls go crazy for him. I like this example because of the series title, translated (in one way) as No Need for Tenchi. He's hardly needed in his own show.