In Indonesian and Malaysian culture, a tiny mouse deer, named Kancil, outsmarts larger animals time and time again. None of heaven’s warriors could lay a finger on the Monkey King. Eventually, he grew so powerful that he began getting into scuffles with the Jade Emperor, the lord of heaven itself. The crafty King was born with incredible intelligence, which allowed him to master a deck of magical tricks, including shape-shifting into 72 images and somersaulting across the clouds. In Chinese culture, legends of the Monkey King date back to the ninth century. His jokes and hijinks can de-pressurize a tense situation or lighten the overall mood of a story.

They might steal an important object, lead the hero astray from his path, or even betray the hero by posing as a friend.Īnd then, sometimes, the Trickster is just meant to inject a little entertainment or “ comic relief” into a story. Occasionally, Tricksters take the opposite position, creating obstacles between a hero and his noble goal. After all, if a trickster can flout an oppressive norm or take on a corrupt ruler, why shouldn’t a hero do the same? In doing so, they may give more serious social reformers the courage to step forward. These clever characters love to break rules and make leaders or social norms look silly. One of the Trickster’s most important roles is to undermine authority. If you asked a Trickster what his role was, he would undoubtedly say “to have fun” or “to get what I want.” While it is true that these characters are generally self-serving, their actions often ripple through their community, causing unintended changes. Even when you have suspicions of a Trickster’s true nature, it’s difficult to tune out the pull of their charisma. Whether they are posing as a funny clown, a fearless hero, a pitiful innocent, or a trusted confidant, Tricksters always find a way to worm their way into the hearts of the people they need. To top it all off, they are dangerously charismatic. And they always, always win riddle contests. They can send coded messages that authority figures mistake for silly songs or children’s poems. With their crafty whispers, they can manipulate you by pandering to your ego or preying on your worst fears. They can find a loophole in the wording of any rule, and they can trick you into signing all your power and fortune away with one seemingly harmless agreement. If they don’t have magic to lean on, they will probably be skilled at creative costume design. If they have magical abilities, they will probably be fond of shapeshifting from one sneaky form to the next. Outsmarting one of these characters is next to impossible, but brains aren’t the only weapon in their arsenal. Tricksters are, of course, well known for their scheming brains. When animals appear as Tricksters, they are usually small predators like foxes or coyotes. What they lack in brawn, they make up for with their agility and their expressive faces. They are usually male characters, a little bit on the small side but attractive nevertheless.

Still, there are some norms about the appearance of these social deviants. They can be men, gods, magical creatures, or animals, as the qualities that unite them come from their personality, not their physical appearance. Tricksters come in all forms, shapes, and sizes. These slippery characters don’t set out to save the world. They may lie, cheat, or steal to get what they want, and their ends don’t justify their means. Unlike heroes, Tricksters are usually morally questionable. Like heroes, Tricksters usually come out of their adventures unscathed, having won the prize they desired and upset the regular social order in a way that will cause lasting effects for the people around them. A Trickster is a character who uses wits, rather than strength or authority, to accomplish his goals.

Trickster god