This spring, we've combined the best of March Madness and Sochi to create the Anti-Herolympics. View the bracket, read the pairings and VOTE for the most diabolical anti-hero of all time.
True Detective's Rust Cohle VS. Homeland's Carrie Mathison
Somewhere deep beyond Abu Nazir’s Middle Eastern terror network and the Yellow King’s mossy Carcosan enclaves lies the biggest enemy for Rust Cohle and Carrie Mathison yet: themselves. These two reckless law enforcers can solve a case and stop a terrorist attack like no other, but they can’t seem to stop themselves in the face of some shocking bipolar therapy or drowning their sorrows with the sweet embrace of dear friend Jack Daniels. No Al Qaedan terrorist or cultish hillbilly rapist holds a candle to the emotional flame burning at Cohle and Carrie’s insides. And when the day is done and the good guys have won, these two can always find a personal reason as to why they still lost.
Rust Cohle
Rust Cohle is a peculiar case. He’s an undeniable badass, willing to sack the shit out of suspects just to get a clue. But his moral code is so sharp and impenetrable that nearly everyone appears immoral in his eyes. In Rust’s eyes, his rampant alcoholism isn’t a self-medicated solution to his condition but the condition itself: existence.
Rust earned sympathy from the audience early on after revealing the death of his daughter, and kept that sympathy long through the first season. But Rust also let his life become completely encapsulated by the Yellow King, resorting to binge-drinking and incoherent mumbling as life continued on without him. Even when it seemed like Rust had found a sturdy partner in the hypocritical Marty, both their hearts were torn asunder after Maggie used Cohle’s one eye fish as tasty divorce bait.
Cohle by all reason is an anti-hero of the highest regard. You can reasonably expect to find him downing gas station six packs or raiding drug-riddled urban ghettos at any point in the day. He is completely foul and reckless, not respecting the authority of his commanding officers, local politicians or the almighty himself. And even when he does come full circle and realize that the light in life is worth fighting for, Cohle will assuredly still be smoking a cool camel light, staring at the universe’s grand majesty as his peers flip him off from behind. He’s still definitely a good guy, but damn is he bad ass.
Carrie Mathison
Nobody within a 100 mile radius of Langley, Virginia can make as angsty facial motions as Carrie. Her plight to imprison Brody either to a cell or her bedroom has carried Carrie through all sorts of twisted emotional spasms. Even though this government agent strives to maintain the message of America’s strength, she can’t help but be convinced by immoral forces to trudge down a different path.
Carrie is certainly stern and independent but not in the likes of a typical bad ass. Her moral code is certainly ambiguous, as maintaining her role as a Government servant doesn’t stop her from sleeping with the enemy. And then subsequently falling in love with him despite knowing he’s a double agent. Carrie is able to wring out truth from Brody and other affiliates through means of harsh interrogation and torture, which does seem to work. But ultimately her efforts were blown to smithereens after the attack on the CIA.
Carrie’s catalyst for her crazy behavior is a dangerous mix of bipolar tendencies and thirst for truth. While Carrie’s recklessness and willingness to cross institutional lines can be seen by her desire not to have another 9/11 happen, there really isn’t a close, personal tragic event that seems to have screwed her up. Sure her mom isn’t in the picture, but that doesn’t seem to effect or drive her motives. And that is why it’s hard to relate with Carrie especially through seasons two and three, as her completely outlandish behavior, albeit sometimes successful, fails to keep the audience waving a flag to her struggles. Her decisions aren’t bad ass or cool. They’re just plain stupid. Her manic/depressive episodes are heavy stuff. But Carrie as an anti-hero whole is much too thin to make it in this contest.
Final Winner: Rust
Early expert visions predicted this bout correctly, as Rust headbutted Carrie Mathison back to her home warzone early on. Cohle will still face tough competition in later rounds, but is excited to enjoy some Lone Star beers in between rounds.