Jin Yong's main heroes and the tendency to kill

[Ken Cheng]

Each of Jin Yong's main heroes from his major novels had a different personality, and one manifestation of this is the tendency to kill. Killing was an unavoidable part of being a member of the wuxia society. To uphold justice and protect the innocent meant, at times, taking the lives of evildoers. Nevertheless, some of the heroes approached this with more trepidation than others (no hero worthy of the name *enjoyed* killing, but some were more willing than others to do it if he believed it necessary). Let's rank the heroes by their tendency to kill.

The scale is from 1 to 10. A "1" means extremely reluctant to kill, and "10" means fully prepared and willing to kill if the situation warrants it (with no regret or feelings of guilt/shame afterwards).

DEMIGODS & SEMIDEVILS

Kiu Fung: 8

Hui Juk: 2

Deun Yu: 1

LEGEND OF THE CONDOR HEROES

Gwok Jing: 5

RETURN OF THE CONDOR HEROES

Yeung Gor: 6

HEAVEN SWORD & DRAGON SABRE

Cheung Mo Gei: 2

STATE OF DIVINITY

Ling Wu Chung: not familiar enough with character to be certain, although from what I do know, I'm guessing about 5-6.

CRIMSON SWORD

Yeun Sing Chi: not familiar enough with character to judge

DUKE OF MT. DEER

Wai Siu Bo: 9

BOOK & SWORD: GRATITUDE & REVENGE

Chan Ga Lok: not familiar enough with character to judge, but perhaps 5-6 based on what I do know

FLYING FOX OF SNOWY MOUNTAIN

Wu Fei: not familiar enough with character to judge

What are your rankings?

[Dirt]

I'd rank Linghu Chong higher. But, that's just me.

And Guo Jing different from LOCH to ROCH. But, that's just me.

[The Janitor]

DEMIGODS & SEMIDEVILS

Kiu Fung: 10

Hui Juk: 2

Deun Yu: 2

LEGEND OF THE CONDOR HEROES

Gwok Jing: 10

RETURN OF THE CONDOR HEROES

Yeung Gor: 10

HEAVEN SWORD & DRAGON SABRE

Cheung Mo Gei: 2

[PJ]

Ode to Gallantry
Shi Potian: 1

[rabadi]

Hu Fei and YCZ... I'd give them 7 and 6.

Edit: CJL... I'd give him 8.

[CC]

Can't give a flat number.

e.g. When it comes to innocent people, GJ would be a 1. But when it comes to revenge for his dad, he would be a 8-9 since his mum drilled the idea of revenge into his head all the way from birth.


For Xiao Feng, it'll be a 9 at the start of the story and a 1 at the end.

[CrazyT]

LHC rating would be different in different situations. If the opponent was just going after him, then he probably on a 5. But if the opponent was someone who messed with his little apprentice sister, that fool is a dead man..which mean his killing intent is 10.

[kidd]

originallay posted by Ken Cheng

Cheung Mo Gei: 2

Why does Zhang Wu Ji and Xu Zhu get a 2 instead of 1?

The others like YG, GJ, LHC, XF will have different ratings according to different situation. The only two I found consistant are:

Ode to Gallantry
Shi PoTian: 1

Duke of Mount Deer
Wei XiaoBao: 9

[Ken Cheng]

Originally posted by kidd
Why does Zhang Wu Ji and Xu Zhu get a 2 and instead of 1?

Both exhibited a rare, reluctant willingness to kill. Deun Yu got a 1, however, because I don't think he ever deliberately killed anyone.

[CyberMonk]

In the 2003 adaptation, Duan Yu killed the 4th evil near the end of the series. Is this different from the book?

[kidd]

Originally posted by Ken Cheng
Both exhibited a rare, reluctant willingness to kill. Deun Yu got a 1, however, because I don't think he ever deliberately killed anyone.

Oh, I get it now. In order to get a 1, a character not only has to be very reluctant to kill, but the thought to kill must never occur in his mind too.

Btw, I'm asking why both get a 2 instead of 1, not asking why they get a very low tendency to kill rating. Of course I know they are the relunctant to kill type. I just wonder why you don't give them 1.

P.S. I have to make it clear, because ur answer give me the impression that you thought I was asking why ZWJ and XZ get a low rating.

[PJ]

Originally posted by CyberMonk
In the 2003 adaptation, Duan Yu killed the 4th evil near the end of the series. Is this different from the book?

in the novel, the 4th evil was killed by Duan family's imperial guards.

I think Duan Yu would have killed Murong Fu and Duan Yanqing if the former had not escaped and the latter weren't pronounced his father. He was really angry at Yanqing towards the end and raised his hand to kill him.

[LuNaR]

how can u give guo jing a 10 when he risked his life to save people?

[PJ]

Originally posted by LuNaR
how can u give guo jing a 10 when he risked his life to save people?

Risking life to save people does influence the tendency to kill. Realize the most effective way to save life is to take life.

So naturally, the more life one saves, the more people he kills.

[kidd]

Originally posted by LuNaR
how can u give guo jing a 10 when he risked his life to save people?

Because Guo Jing is the type who is prepared and willing to kill if the situation warrants it. But I don't think he deserve a 10. He certainly was unwilling to kill Yang Kang even though Yang Kang has done a lot of bad things and will continue to do so if he was not stopped.

[Dirt]

Guo Jing was ready to chop off his own daughter's arm. In the right situations, his willingness to kill would be 10.

[andrea7974]

Originally posted by Dirt
Guo Jing was ready to chop off his own daughter's arm. In the right situations, his willingness to kill would be 10.

IMHO, GJ only had 5 for tendency to kill.

he was ready to chop off GF's arm for the sake of justice for YG, not because GJ was cruel or blood thirst.

Somehow I always think that GJ is a very kindhearted person

[Yang Guo]

I think these ratings are meant to be for overall, and not just at certain times right? because if it's just at certain times we're considering, that's useless... all of them have killed before

but it'd be a lot more meaningful to compare them throughout their lives how often they have killed... not just a few certain times

[rifimu]

FLYING FOX OF SNOWY MOUNTAIN

Wu Fei: not familiar enough with character to judge


I personally think that Wu Fei is the most "killer" in all Jin Yong novels.

His final objective of his life is to kill everyone related to the death of his father.

My rank is 9.

well... with open ended story,...i dont know what happen to him in the end.

His father Wu It To,...I rank him 8.

[Yang Guo]

heh... my name is Hu Yi Dao because when I see bad people I kill them with one blow