Heroes always win right? That's supposed to be how every great quest turns out. For all the trials our beloved protagonists face, for all the shocking events that endure, the deaths, the anguish, possibly even a couple of films fighting the enemy; the good guys always win in the end. The end... Except sometimes it's much bleaker than that in the movie world. Sometimes the good guys don't win. Or if they do, it's at a cost we didn't quite expect. Because sometimes our movie heroes ultimately fail in their quests. And that can go one of two ways; 1) It makes for amazing drama. Real life isn't always black and white and so our movies shouldn't be either. Good doesn't always triumph. Evil doesn't always win. And for all the escapism movies bring us, shouldn't movies have a sense of realism too? 2) It makes for an incredibly frustrating experience. This is a theme that will appear more than once in this article. You watch your heroes fight the good fight for a number of films. Sometimes they even succeed in their quest. But that inevitable sequel comes along and their quest is undone, we don't get the closure we need and we find ourselves repeat watching the whole franchise with a sense of doom. Realistic perhaps? But sometimes we need a simple tale of good defeating evil. Let me me take you through ten iconic characters that failed in their quests. Whether that was a good thing or not, well let's decide...
10. William Wallace (Braveheart)
THE QUEST Mel Gibson plays Mel Gibson the Scotsman AKA William Wallace, a patriot (not that film) who seeks to free the people from the tyranny of English rule and their ruthless king Edward The Longshanks.
WHAT HAPPENS? Wallace's wife is murdered soon after the wedding and the tragedy leads him to declaring war against the English responsible. He gathers the support of Scottish nobility and becomes the figurehead for freedom as he leads a rebellion. Much bloodshed and passion on the Scottish war front. Oh and he has a bit of a fling with a French Princess who just happens to be Edward Longshank's daughter in law....
WHY DID HE FAIL? Sure the films ends with the battle, led by the once traitorous Robert The Bruce, but William Wallace himself didn't get to see this. In a tragic turn of events he is betrayed by those closest to him, brought back in chains the Tower Of London and brutally executed. Only after his death do the Scottish people finally rally to defeat the English.