#1 – Hyperion

I don’t know how many of you have seen the movie “Immortals”.

Skipping on the feeble story that was behind it, there was a character played incredibly well by Mickey Rourke, yup, I’m talking about Hyperion.

Mickey has been able to give the character depth and personality, where it might have been just another “Evil Guy”.

Right from the beginning scenes,  you can realize that this, Hyperion, is a man that has lost hope.
He is ambitious, he wants to found a legacy,wants to be remembered but it’s not ambition that drives him.

Doesn’t value the life of others: everything, everyone, deserves to be sacrificed. He might be even seen as having resentment and scorn for those who believe.

He believes nothing and no one can stop him, that he has found the truth. But he is afraid of dying, of being forgotten.

He bears an interesting mix of remorse, vengeance, anger. Might have been a good man once, but is now cynical, disillusioned, enraged and what’s more, angry at himself for having indulged in belief.

Something happened to his family and he couldn’t believe that the deities would do nothing to prevent that. He might have had a high sense of justice, an idea about how the world should go and that nothing bad should happen to good people.

When that belief shattered he set himself on a mission. He changed his life completely to pursue one goal: destroy those whom he blamed for showing no mercy to him.

In a sense he can be seen as a highly consistent person. Always acting based on his ideals, rather than moaning about what it should be like while doing nothing to change it.

Somewhere in the film it’s said that he used to be a simple peasant. Well, he ends up being a king at the head of a league of some thousands strong men, who are readily willing to obey any of his orders. We can well say that he was a very skilled leader: calm, confident, able to take fast decisions and carry on tasks himself.

Long, black hair and a scar (well actually three) diagonally across the left side of his face immediately set him in the outcast, stand out category. He wears a golden mask when fighting but it’s not swayed by the furor of the battle, he keeps a steady, confident, resolute pace. Even thought in possess of a strong constitution, his body is heavied down by desires.

Doesn’t let anger overpower his thinking, uses questions to obtain the information he seeks.

One of the most outstanding characteristics he showed was his ability to be a particularly attentive listener.

Keeps a low- almost whispered- commanding tone. Is able to quickly turn a disadvantaged situation in his favor.

Thoughtful. Doesn’t let the principal point slip, constantly focused on his goal.

He’s courageous but cautious.

Dishonoring what is held by others as sacred gives him pleasure, it’s probably his was to reassure himself that nothing has value.

He’s knowledgeable about his adversaries and uses imagination even in the way of torturing his enemies.

Can use small gestures of kindness to keep subordinates loyal.

Makes mock of his adversary –  probably when intimidated or feels threatened by them somehow.

Had he been put in a “Good guy” role he’d have been an impressive role model as a leader.

The reason i found Hyperion interesting was that it depicted pretty well what people could do, how dramatic a change could overcome them, when they feel they have been wronged, when they lose Hope.