Shouldn't Imaginary Lives Rock?

We all have an imagination of some strength, weak or strong. Most of us have at one time or another come up with some fantasy about how we would like our lives to be. The general idea is that a fictional life would be sweet, with no problems in it.

Seldom is this the case, however, in fiction for entertainment. Generally the hero's life stinks. Compiled from my memories are some of the worst lives led by fictional characters. Starting with the least horrible, ending with the absolute worst, here they are.

Coming in at 3rd place is none other than Tidus, the main character from Final Fantasy X. Now, overall one would think that his life is pretty sweet. He's the star athlete for a sports team, had a famous father, and lives on a pretty kickin' boat. From then on his life takes a turn for the worst. He's playing a good competitive game, and a giant sea-monster attacks his town, utterly destroying it and casting him into the "future." After various shenanigans involving nearly freezing, being attacked by monsters, and dealing with various nationalities, he finds out that he really likes Yuna, the main female character. Shortly after this great discovery, he makes another one that cements his spot on this list. Tidus finds out that the giant sea-monster that destroyed his home was none other than his famous father. In short order after that he finds out that neither he nor his father really existed in the first place, and even now only exist on a technicality. And then when Yuna realizes she loves him too, he fades from existence (simultaneously destroying a world religion). Yes, Tidus life kinda sucks.

Coming in at a solid Number 2, Rand al'Thor from the Wheel of Time series. He leads an idyllic life in a small community, he has his friends, he has his work, he even has a potential wife. All this comes crashing to a halt when a mystic visits his town, and he leaves with her in hopes of sparing his town the horrors of... whatever. He's kinda unclear about just what might happen. To make a long (very, very, very long) story short, he finds out that he has magic powers also, and that these powers will drive him mad before long. The knowledge of this leads him to a great deal of stress, and he also finds out that he has the much-vaunted task of saving the world from the Dark One. Usually this honor is liked, as it will lead to a great deal of fame and women (of which he already has 3, all knock-out gorgeous). In this case it means that Rand will have to die to save the world. Not quite what he had planned. Yes, Rand's life also sucks.

Winning the contest at a bleak Numer 1, Brom, the old man from Eragon. This man's story is simple, and also equates approximately to the author saying, "I need this character, but I really wish I didn't, so I'm going to make his life stink like a pig on a humid day." Thus Brom ends up with the destiny that runs as such--he will ultimately fail at everything he tries, except for one thing. Lucky for the world, that success didn't come at making the high school football team, but instead at ridding the world of a public menace. But seriously? Failing at everything he attempts except for one thing? What a bum rap...