The Unconventional Hero

As a writer of erotica and steamy romance, I’m used to bold, take charge Alpha heroes. Let’s face it, we, and likely many of our readers, drool over the guy with the broad shoulders, the big hands and the deep, resonant voice who’s as much at home stepping out of a limousine in a tailored tuxedo as he is jumping out of a helicopter in full battle gear and camo paint.

Is there still room in the romance genre for the unconventional hero? I ask because I was taken aback last night while watching Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest in which Johnny Depp swaggers, staggers and literally prances his way through two hours of high seas adventure and comes out at – at least in my humble opinion – the new romantic hero to Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth.

There may be spoilers ahead:


Kohl-eyed, dread-locked Captain Jack was, for me, the farthest thing from a romantic hero. Sure Johnny Depp is...well, Johnny Depp. Who could argue? But Jack Sparrow proves once again to be a bit of comic relief. He minces, and flails. He sways and postures. Yet he manages to work his way between Elizabeth and her dashing fiancé, Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner.






What makes Jack Sparrow hero material? Is it that he’ll do whatever he must to obtain his goal? Is it those moments of uncharacteristic clarity when he seems to know exactly what to do? Or is it just the deeply hidden secret that underneath his swashbuckling, he is undeniably, as Elizabeth tells him, a good man?

I haven’t figured it out, yet. It might take another movie for me to be sure. In the mean time I think I’ll do some more exploring of the unconventional heroes and try to figure out just what their appeal could be.