1] He seeks merely to survive–to create a pool of light in a world of dark shadows.
2] The heroes, like Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, have a code of behavior rather than a code of ethics - they portray men who are impassive, hard-boiled, never surprised by events.
3] The world is seen as having no internal order: anything goes–the hero is as likely to be debauched and depraved as the enemy.
4] The internal struggle is with addiction to drugs, liquor, sex, money.
5] The external struggle is with corruption in government, the military, schools - formal organizations.
6] There is no sense of community. The hero lives for a small, select circle which can be merely one woman or a few trusted friends.
Definition and examples taken from: here.
Why it works?
That pool of light is working the X-Files against those who want them closed and those who wish he not know the truth about the alien conspiracy, definitely has an appropriate behavior that he follows, his addiction would be more with porn and sunflower seeds, his struggle is with the government (They Syndicate to be exact) and, until Scully he had no trusted friends.
Why it doesn't work?
He is not really as debauched and depraved as most would believe (this has to do again, with his relationship with Scully), he has a community...Skinner, Scully and so on...to that end he seeks more than just to survive, he seeks truth.
Mulder as the Anti-Hero:
1] lacks the heroic virtues to a degree that cannot be overlooked
2] selfishly motivated in his 'heroic' actions...could be a heroic incidentally while doing stuff for only their own gains.
3] opposite that of a conventional hero
4] outlaws or villains from the point of view of society
5] audience is in sympathy with them
6] they may win in the end over society’s corruption
7] rebels
Examples: Han Solo, Jack Sparrow, 'The Bride'
Definition and examples taken from: here, here, and here.
Why it works?
He may not be fully heroic (following the Joseph Campbell's Hero Traits), but does have some very distinct hero traits, he is different than the conventional hero in this sense, from the point of view of society and of his fellow FBI agents he is an outlaw, people call him 'Spooky', he is a rebel and he definitely wins in the end.
Why it doesn't work?
He does not lack heroic virtues, he rescues the damsel, he is truthful and just, which, of course, makes him more like the conventional hero than the opposite.
Mulder as Loner Hero:
1] story begins with hero apart from society
2] natural habitat is the wilderness
3] natural state is solitude
4] journey is one of re-entry into the group, an adventure within the group, then a return to isolation
Examples: Indiana Jones, The Incredible Hulk
Definition and examples take from: here.
Why it works?
He does stand apart from, and prefers to stand apart from, society. He believes the conspiracy.
Why it doesn't work?
He is not really part of the wilderness (of course, in the 2nd movie they are living in the remote wilderness). Of course, this could be a metaphorical wilderness, but what does that even mean? And, solitude maybe his natural state, but Scully changed all of that. Re-entry into the group is probably the last thing that he wants, especially if he has to re-enter on their terms.
Mulder as Postmodern Hero:
1] emerged amid the ruins and tribulations of postwar Europe and stems from a general disillusionment with 30s era modernism brought about WW II.
2] distrust of any entity or agency that tries to control or regulate what people can or cannot do
3] distrust of any agent or element that tries to fixate the meaning that something possesses or can possess.
Examples: Pale Fire, Sherlock
Definition and examples taken from: here and here.
Why it works?
He spends many years disillusioned with the world, there's a definite distrust of the government and he makes his own meaning, even with others tell him that he cannot. However, he does live in an environment that and prefers not to have the world defined.
Why it doesn't work?
He has Scully. They create and make meaning out of the crazy world together.
The truth is that, because Fox William Mulder possess parts of all of this heroes, he can be nothing, but Postmodern, and he definitely can't be a traditional hero as he is too flawed in all the perfect ways that make him human and relatable.
