People Explain Which Fictional Characters Are Only Idolized Because People Misunderstood The Story

Walter White

"Walter White. You're not supposed to root for the murderous, ruthless, self-centred, ego maniac drug lord by the end of the series. People do."

NDStars

People tried to turn his wife into the villain. If anything, she was the only character in the series to stand up to him consistently and people hated it.

Tom

"Tom from 500 Days of Summer."

"Really liked the character and could associate myself with him in my younger self but he's living in his fantasies more than understanding his reality."

CrackerGuy

This is the kind of movie that hits different when you're in your early 20s compared to any other time.

Bonnie and Clyde

"Not fictional characters, but Bonnie and Clyde. Cool if you wanna have an adventure with your ride or die, just don't kill 13 people while doing it."

sosaidtheliar

People loved and adored them because they saw them as heroes taking on the banks that caused the Great Depression. No one really knew how terrible they actually were except the cops who were hunting them down.

When they were killed, their bodies were towed through the streets of a town and people crowded around crying and sobbing like two movie stars had been killed, then started ripping their clothes trying to get souvenirs.

The movie from the 1960s did not help.

Tony Soprano

"Tony Soprano. I don’t get how people could look up to him, when the whole show is about how he hates his life."

ClarkTwain

Because the show deliberately tries to trick you. David Chase constantly pulls you between sympathizing with Tony's very real, very human problems (most of the therapy scenes, the ducks, etc.) and smacking you in the face for even considering that he might be a good guy.

Holden Caulfield

"Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye. He wasn’t being refreshingly rebellious, he was crying out for help. He was probably mentally ill, and definitely emotionally scarred by his brother’s death and the unhealthy way his parents handled that tragedy."

GoingOn2Perfection

I think the brilliance of that book is depending on your stage of life you can take something very different each time.

The Joker and Harley Quinn

"Joker & Harley are still idolized as an example of crazy passionate love despite it being clearly established as an abusive relationship. It’s a shame the movies had to cut out most of the really bad Joker abuse because then maybe the point will be driven home."

[deleted]

See? What did I tell you? People acted like they were Gomez and Morticia which is... so not the case.

Vito Corleone

"Vito Corleone. Everybody knows Michael is a monster but he’s only his father without the “family man” charm. Both of them are ruthless murderers."

simplepleasures

And the story is a tragedy. You'd think people would have learned something...

Scarface

"Scarface. So many wannabe gangstas and rappers with Scarface shirts and posters."

Leeser

That was my thought too. It's like everybody only watches the first half of the movie.

Tyler Durden

"Tyler Durden. Hands down."

[deleted]

Yeah I think the socioeconomic message was lost on most people who just paid attention to the first half of the movie.

Lolita

"Lolita. I hate that the name has become synonymous with young, seductive, coquette types. The entire book includes accounts that she was an unwilling participant and trapped."

notusuallyaverage

It's interesting how so many people pretend like Nabokov glamorized Humbert Humbert. Nabokov wrote him as a lying, murderous monster.

Chances are, you can think of people out there who misunderstood the assignment, too.

Like, is there anyone out there who actually idolizes Don Draper? (Answer: Yes. Sadly, yes.)

Have some suggestions of your own? Tell us more in the comments below!