Antiheroes in the Rubble: Exploring the possibility of heroism in dystopias from Watchmen to The Last of Us

In contemporary popular culture, we see a growing number of both antiheroic characters and dystopias in which society as we know it has ceased to exist. Antiheroes are not necessarily placed in dystopian narratives, but the combination of antihero-dystopias is significant. The dystopia forces us to adopt a new moral compass, one which does not allow a superficial dichotomy of good versus evil. Camus’ philosophical ideas, particularly those articulated in The Rebel, are vital to understanding the controversial morality of the dystopic narrative. If society collapses and there is nothing left to save, what role does the hero have? Is it possible to be a hero in a condemned world? The answers to these questions will be addressed in relation to three media fictions: V for Vendetta, Watchmen, and The Last of Us. This article explores the possibility that the only possible heroism inside a dystopian narrative is antiheroic.