A contender is a stock character found in stories and films depicting the development and triumph of an individual through athletic achievement. The typical storyline of the contender is one of an (often young) individual with raw natural talent, who is hindered by a shortage of either knowledge of the sport, discipline or indeed something as simple as confidence. Through the encouragement of a coach or other guiding figure, for instance a wise old man or a magical negro, the contender overcomes previously insurmountable limitations and achieves his or her potential or even beyond, usually by some sort of victory, for instance in an athletic competition. Alternatively, they may lose in the competition but nevertheless gain in some other, perhaps greater way, such as through genuine respect from their opponents for their endeavours. After all, what matters is "not the winning, but the taking part".
Examples of individual contenders include:
- Rocky Balboa, the title character in the Rocky series
- Daniel LaRusso, the title character in The Karate Kid
- Ted "Wildcat" Grant, the elderly and still active "mystery man" from DC Comics
- Ryu, the leading character from the Street Fighter video games series.
- Terry Bogard, the leading character from the Fatal Fury video games series.
- Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn in Major League
- Rannulph Junuh (the golfer aided by the title character in The Legend of Bagger Vance)
- Daniel E. "Rudy" Ruettiger (the title character in Rudy)
- Sanju in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar
- Akari Kanzaki in Battle Athletes Victory
- Makunouchi Ippo, the title character of Hajime no Ippo
- Sena Kobayakawa in Eyeshield 21
- Shinozaki Mikoto in Over Drive
Sometimes a book or film portrays a team sport in which several or all members of the team are contenders, and their success (or otherwise) is based, at least in part, on whether or not those team members provide sufficient guidance and support for one another. Examples of team contenders include:
- The Bad News Bears (an example of the team that loses "the game", but comes out of the experience with a collective greater self esteem)
- The Mighty Ducks
- Little Giants
- The Big Green
- The Texas State University Fightin' Armadillos in Necessary Roughness
- The unnamed local hockey team in Mystery, Alaska
- Tsubasa Ozora's team in Captain Tsubasa
- Shohoku High School in Slam Dunk
- Shaolin monks in Shaolin Soccer
- Indian villagers in Lagaan
- India women's national field hockey team in Chak De India
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Trope conventions, stock characters and character archetypes | ||
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Stereotypes | By creed, ethic, and morality | Heroes (Legacy hero • Christ figure • Superhero • Romantic hero • Epic hero • Reluctant hero • Contender • Antihero • Byronic hero • Tragic hero) • Everyman • Folk hero • Ivan the Fool • Mythological king • Youngest son • Rogues (Lovable rogue • Jack) • Trickster (Tricky slave • Harlequin • Zanni) • Outlaw (Bad boy • Gentleman thief • Pirate • Bounty hunter • Gentleman detective • Vigilante • Homo sacer • Outcast • Rake • Villains (Anti-villain • False hero • Well-intentioned extremist) • The mole • Double agent • Evil twin • Social Darwinist • Dark Lord • Supervillain (Complete monster) • Evil clown • Killer toys • Zombies • Alazon • Archenemy • Big Bad • Bug-eyed monster • Igor • Masked Mystery Villain |
By sex, gender, and orientation | Feminine/(females) (Beautiful Columbina • Bishojo • Catgirl • Girl next door • Hooker with a heart of gold • Ingenue • Manic Pixie Dream Girl • Nubile (Yamato nadeshiko) • English Rose • Gibson Girl • Good Wife, Wise Mother • Mary Sue • María Clara • Yummy mummy • Hag • Clan Mother • Crone • Fairy godmother • La Ruffiana • Loathly lady • Jewish mother • Hawksian woman • Dark Lady • Femme fatale • Flapper • Pachuca • Tomboy • Tsundere • Woman warrior (Amazons • Jungle Girl • Valkyrie) • Queen bee (Jewish-American princess • Princesse lointaine • Southern belle • Valley girl) • LGBT (Butch and femme • Bimbo • Class S • Drag king • Futanari • Laotong • Lipstick lesbian) • Mistress • Lady-in-waiting • Courtesan • Handmaiden • Magical girlfriend • Mammy archetype • Nurse stereotypes • Geek girl (Cat lady • Meganekko • Nerd) • Damsel in distress (Final girl • Princess and dragon)) • Masculine/(males) (Handsome Harlequin • Pierrot • Puer aeternus • Wise old man (Elderly martial arts master) • Magical Negro • Playboy (Beefcake • Boy next door • Jock) • Superfluous man (Nice guy • Nice Jewish boy • Nerd) • Prince Charming • Knight-errant • Noble savage (Caveman • Mountain man) • LGBT (Bishonen • Drag queen • Effeminate • Molly • Sissy) • Metrosexual (Macaroni • Dandy) • Bad boy (Pachuco • Greaser) | |
By career, occupation, and profession | Donor / mentor (Elderly martial arts master • Fairy godmother • Wise old man) • Scientists (Absent-minded professor • Artist-scientist • Boffin • Mad scientist • Nerd • Professor) • Clowns (Auguste clown • Clown blanc • Evil clown • Harlequin • Petrushka • Pierrot • Trickster) • Knights (Black knight • Knight-errant • Youxia • Paladin) • Cannon fodder (Mook • Redshirt • Stormtrooper) • [Action hero]] (Gunfighter • Space marine • Superspy • Supersoldier • Swashbuckler) • Magic-users (Sorcerer • Warlock • Witch • Wizard) • Hotshot • Jewish lawyer • Yokel | |
By popular culture, ethnicity, and nationality | American | Black brute • Blonde stereotype • Cheerleader • Jock • Nerd • Hollywood Cowboy • Hollywood Indian • Pachuco • Magical Negro • Redneck • Ugly American |
European | Knight • Stage Irish • Swashbuckler | |
Asian | Ninja • Samurai • Wuxia • Kankō Ainu | |
Unseen character and others | Grotesque • Deadpan snarker • Killbot • Little green men • Lovers • Miser • Shoulder angel • Space Nazis • Space pirate • Swamp monster • Town bully • Town drunk • Vampire detective | |
By lists, portrayals and formats | Stock characters •female (games • comics) • in LGBT fiction • in military fiction • in science fiction |