The reluctant hero is a heroic archetype typically found in fiction. The reluctant hero is typically portrayed either as an everyman forced into surreal situations which require him to rise to heroism and its acts, or as a person with special abilities who nonetheless reveals a desire to avoid using those abilities for selfless benefit. In either case, the reluctant hero does not initially seek adventure or the opportunity to do good, and their apparent selfishness may induct them into the category of antiheroes. The reluctant hero differs from the antihero in that the story arc of the former inevitably results in their becoming a true hero.
In many stories, the reluctant hero is portrayed as having a period of doubt after their initial venture into heroism. This may arise from the negative consequences of their own heroic actions, or by the achievement of some position of personal safety – leaving the audience to wonder whether the reluctant hero will return to heroism at the moment when they are needed the most (typically the climax). In real life, there are cases in history and popular culture where people have been perceived as reluctant heroes.