Shit hot protags are unsympathetic and very boring.
You may have idealized your protag if:
- He has a quippy comeback for everything.
- He comes out on top in every confrontation.
- His game is solid gold.
- He has First World Problems.
But cocky doucheness is very popular in heroes! Women go crazy for them. Men want to be them. Look at Tony Stark. He’s rich and witty and good looking and obnoxious and arrogant and he’s a superhero.
Stipulated.
He also has:
- A buggy, potentially fatal physical vulnerability.
- Profound interpersonal problems visually symbolized by an all-encompassing armored shell.
- A responsibility to defeat the forces of evil.
He is humanized by his flaws and the power of his antagonist. His ironic detachment is only superficial. In Tony’s world, there are huge threats to goodness and right, and when that happens, he goes all in, knowing he’ll probably lose.
He is an inspiring, sympathetic protagonist because his task is grave and his moral compass is fully operational. That’s why he can get away with being a douche.