5 Traumatised Male Characters From Books (Plus 5 More From TV!!)

5 Traumatised Male Characters In Books

Traumatised male characters seem to be everywhere at the moment. This is never more obvious than in the romantasy and dystopian YA subgenres.

Morally grey protectors frequently have hella-dark backstories that mean they struggle with emotions, regulating their feelings or dealing with conflict.

Importantly, they nearly always want to get over this. They will also ensure the female lead steps into her power, even at cost to them. Here’s 5 of my favourites …

1) Stark Therion, Furybound

Present in the first Wolves of Ruin novel Direbound by Sable Sorensen, Stark really comes into his own in book 2, Furybound.

We discover that his childhood was a nightmare courtesy of his Sovereign Alpha mother, Segrid. He was trained to be a living weapon … and of course that comes at considerable cost to him.

However, it’s not difficult to see why Merryn loves him. He supports and protects her, no matter what. But more than that, he encourages her away from self-harm. Plus he’s brave, brooding and sexy AF. What’s not to like???

2) Rhysand, A Court Of Mist & Fury

Introduced as the enigmatic High Lord of the Night Court in ACOTAR by Sarah Jane Maas, Rhysand becomes a major protagonist in book 2. This is where his relationship with Feyre truly develops.

I was never ‘Team Tamlyn’, who is the male lead of book 1. I think he’s often more tragic than he’s given credit for, but Rhysand is my favourite. Unlike the stereotypical stoic alpha hero, Rhysand talks about feelings, apologises when appropriate, and is affectionate with his friends. His emotional intelligence is a major draw for me.

3) Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games

I love Suzanne Collins because she never writes anything by accident. Seen as the weaker tribute from District 12, Peeta is a tragic hero. Even his own mother thinks he won’t win!

On top of that, he ends up in a love triangle with Katniss and Gale. However, many readers believe Katniss ‘settles’ for Peeta because she can no longer be with Gale after he causes Primrose’s death.

I disagree. Like Rhysand, Peeta is emotionally literate and takes responsibility for his mistakes. He also truly loves Katniss and represents the safety she has craved her whole life.

4) Edward Cullen, Midnight Sun

Many readers believe Edward is a villain in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. He’s demanding, difficult and even watches Bella while she sleeps. (Not gonna lie, that is creepy AF).

However, in 2020’s retelling from Edward’s POV, Midnight Sun, we learn more about Edward’s motives and backstory. I’ve always loved antagonists, so I liked him anyway … but discovering exactly why he’s drawn to Bella, plus finding out more about his time before meeting the Cullens was really interesting. I particularly liked his time as a ‘vigilante vampire’!

5) Xaden Riorson, Fourth Wing

Another romantasy ‘book boyfriend’ with a traumatic childhood, Xaden is arrogant, lethal and super-compelling. My favourite so far is Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing. His bond with his dragon Sygael is fantastic, plus his prowess is undeniable.

But it’s his ‘deal’ with Violet’s mother Lilith Sorrengail that really slaps hard. This is a man who takes responsibility not only for his fellow revolutionaries, but Violet before he even knows her.

More than that, he facilitates Violet’s journey through Basgaith War College. He won’t accept excuses, but he’s tender as well. Love it!

MORE: The Ultimate Book Boyfriend: My Top 10 Morally Grey Protectors Of All Time

5 Traumatised Male Characters on TV

However, it’s not just romantasy books that include such male characters. Conversations about mental health are so important. In addition, suicide is one of the biggest killers of men in the UK and across the world.

When men are still also statistically less likely to seek help for mental health problems, storytelling can help some male viewers understand what they’re going through.

We’re seeing traumatised male leads across all genres in television: medical, horror, comedy-drama, post-apocalyptic and crime/gang stories. Here are five more of my favourites … let’s go.

1) Dr. Robby Robinavitch (The Pitt)

Though the show never expressly states this, it appears Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) is gripped with PTSD from Covid. Haunted by his mentor’s death, he buries his own trauma beneath relentless professionalism.

However, the cracks begin to show across both seasons of The Pitt. Dr. Robby becomes harsher, more combative, and rejects his colleagues. The closer they try to get to him, the more he pushes them away.

2) Sheriff Boyd Stevens (From)

Like many men suffering trauma – and in league with his romantasy counterparts – Sheriff Boyd Stevens (Harold Perrineau) strives to keep everyone alive in this backwater town from Hell.

Forced to do an unspeakable thing as part of his backstory, Boyd is desperately trying to make his sacrifice worth it. This means every death feels like a personal failure.

3) Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto (The Bear)

Perfectionism, anxiety and grief fuel his brilliance but also threaten to consume Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) in this compelling series. He feels responsible for his brother Mikey’s suicide.

But even before that, he was trying to prove himself in his dysfunctional family. He vowed to work in the best restaurants but found it did not satisfy him. Even bringing his family’s restaurant back from the brink doesn’t. He has to find his own path.

4) Joel Miller (The Last of Us)

Played by Pedro Pascal, Joel is a man shaped by devastating loss whose love and hypervigilance are inseparable. Every decision he makes is filtered through the fear of losing someone else, making him fiercely protective, deeply loyal, and often morally uncompromising.

Crucially, Joel’s trauma doesn’t make him weak. It hardens him into someone willing to sacrifice almost anything for the people he loves, even when that means crossing ethical lines others would never consider.

5) Ezekiel ‘EZ’ Reyes (Mayans M.C.)

The original ‘golden boy’ in his family, tragedy means EZ (JD Pardo) goes off the rails. Prison, violence and betrayal steadily erode the idealistic man he once was.

Before long, EZ is on the fringes and in significant peril. Even worse, everything he tries to get out of it just puts him in a worse place. There’s only one way for him but down.

Which is YOUR favourite traumatised male character?