So let's see, we have our street levelers, enhanced humans, metahumans, cosmic beings, so forth and so on.  There is quite literally an endless list of catgories for hero and villain types, and sometimes there is a fine line between these catgories, and often you'll find your favorite character straddling that ever so thin line.
 
You see, out of all these categories though, I just don't find them befitting of some of my favorite characters.  Edamame's threads on horror films tonight got me to thinking about the genre I love most, and some of my favorite heroes (two of which I'll discuss below).  If you haven't guessed by the title of this little post, I am talking about the only word that I can dredge up that seems to fit these hapless and sometimes unwilling heroes...Survivors.
 
What is a Survivor? And no, I am not talking about a bunch reality star wannabes in a remote location whoring themselves out for pseudo fame and money, and if that is what you thought, then you are so voted off of this island.

 
Quite simply, the way I see it, a Survivor is someone thrust into an unimaginable situation, often times without special training or powers (and if they do have either, it's normally not on the level of most your favorite spandex wearing heroes or villains), and they survive.  They find a way to beat the odds be it dumb luck or the hand of fate.  These are the guys and gals that you could probably just about put into any situation, versus any evil imaginable (and sometimes unimaginable) and they will find a way to come out on top.  Most importantly, these are characters that started their lives not knowing about and unprepared for the kinds of threats they are facing, living the life of a normal person, blissfully unaware. 

Now, this isn't necessarily limited to the horror genre, but that genre is abound with Survivor characters. 

Two of my favorites: 

Ashley J. Williams     

"First you wanna kill me, now you wanna kiss me. Blow." -- Ash 

Probably my favorite Survivor of all time.  Ash started his career going to a cabin in the woods with some friends and ended up being the smart @$$, chainsaw/shotgun wielding, Deadite demolishing, "Chosen One" hero of the Evil Dead series.  This man has faced deadites, Freddy, Jason, the Marvel Zombies, and has still found a way to come out on top and survive.  You could put him up against anything and anyone, and odds are, Ash will find a way to survive, if not come out on top.
    
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Cassie Hack     

"I'm gonna get all Elmer Fudd on her @$$." -- Cassie 

Here is another favorite of mine.  Cassie Hack was once a bitter outcast teenage girl in school until she found out her mother was killing students that had been mistreating her daughter.  Of course, once confronted, Mrs. Hack commits suicide by dropping her head into a pot of boiling gravy (because really, what other way are you going to off yourself if you are a lunch lady?), only to return later from the grave as a Slasher, causing Cassie to have to hunt and destroy her own mother.  With the help of Vlad, Cassie now hunts Slashers in the world, while searching for clues on her father, who seems to be tied into this mess somehow.  This is one kick @$$ gal who faces powerful, inhuman Slashers, and finds a way to come out on top.  This is the stuff Survivors are made of.   
 
 
 
 
 
  
There are tons of other characters that probably deserve mention in this little diatribe, but to be honest, I need to get some sleep.  All I can really say in closing is that while it may be fun to delve into the world of your spandex laden heroes, and watch the superpowers battle it out as a helpless mankind can do nothing but watch and wait...I just find it a little more interesting to see my heroes that are a little more down to Earth face impossible and terrifying odds, sometimes successful and sometimes not.  Survivors all the way.