Aragorn: A City-Bred Ranger?
Imagine this: Aragorn, son of Arathorn, but instead of being raised by elves in Rivendell, he grows up in New York City. He’s no longer the lost heir of Gondor but the estranged son of a wealthy political family, trained in diplomacy and strategy instead of swordplay and wilderness survival.
Would he still have the same quiet dignity, the same sense of responsibility, or the same willingness to risk everything for the greater good?
If we change the world Aragorn grew up in, do we change who he is?
The Myth of the Interchangeable Character
There’s a popular idea in storytelling that great characters are universal—that they can be lifted from their world and placed in another without losing what makes them special. But the truth is, the world a character inhabits is as important as their personality, goals, and growth arc.
Take these famous characters:
Aragorn (The Lord of the Rings) – A noble wanderer, shaped by the wildlands, the legacy of his ancestors, and elven wisdom.
Batman (DC Comics) – A billionaire vigilante, driven by the crime-ridden streets of Gotham and a personal vendetta against corruption.
Kvothe (The Name of the Wind) – A cunning prodigy, raised in a traveling troupe but forged by tragedy and a ruthless world.
Ged (A Wizard of Earthsea) – A headstrong boy who grows into wisdom, shaped by an island culture of balance, storytelling, and naming magic.
Would any of them be the same if they grew up in a completely different world?
How a World Shapes Its Heroes
A character’s world isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a shaping force. Their culture, environment, and experiences determine:
What they believe: A medieval knight raised in a feudal society will have a vastly different worldview than a sci-fi space explorer navigating a post-capitalist universe. What skills they develop: A thief in a city of towering spires will move differently than one who survives in the shadows of underground catacombs.
What challenges they face: A wandering swordsman's struggles are very different from those of a modern political strategist.
Let’s break it down:
Aragorn (LOTR)
A reluctant king, shaped by hardship and duty.
The wilderness teaches him patience and survival. The elves teach him wisdom. His ancestors’ failures teach him humility.
Batman (DC Comics)
A vigilante, driven by trauma and justice.
Gotham’s crime-ridden streets forge his obsession. His wealth gives him the tools to fight back.
Kvothe (Name of the Wind)
A gifted but reckless magician.
A traveling life gives him charm and performance skills. Hardship forces him to be ruthless. University life refines his intellect.
Ged (Earthsea)
A powerful mage who learns restraint.
His island upbringing values knowledge and balance. The magic system he lives under forces him to respect power.
What If They Switched Worlds?
Let’s play with the idea—what if we took these characters and dropped them into new settings?
Aragorn in Modern NYC
Would he still be a noble leader, or would his sense of duty get lost in political bureaucracy?
Instead of reforging the Sword of Elendil, would he be trying to mend the fractured legacy of his powerful family?
Kvothe in Middle-earth
Would his sharp wit serve him well, or would he be crushed under the weight of honor and duty?
Would he embrace the slower, more patient path of elven wisdom or reject it as too rigid?
Batman in Earthsea
Would he become a master of magic, using it to manipulate shadows instead of gadgets?
Would he abandon vengeance in favor of the balance-driven philosophy of Ged’s world?
Would they remain the same at their core, or would their new worlds reshape them?
What This Means for Writers & Worldbuilders
If you’re a storyteller, think about how your world influences your characters:
Culture Matters – A society’s values will shape what a character believes is right and wrong.
Environment Creates Strengths & Weaknesses – A desert-born warrior will have different survival skills than a city-raised diplomat.
History and Legacy Affect Choices – Just like Aragorn is shaped by his ancestors’ failures, your character may carry the weight of their world’s past.
To make characters feel real, build their world as a force that actively shapes them.
Which character would you most like to see in a world or place not their own? Do you think it would change them?
These are great examples of this important principle. Batman in Earthsea is the name of my next cover band.