Episode #2: There Is No Black And White: Morally Gray Characters

What does it really mean to be morally gray?In this episode of What Lives in the Lacuna, Remy Renard and E. Donohue explore one of fiction's most enduring character archetypes: the morally gray character.Beginning with trickster figures from folklore, including Coyote, Loki, and the Sídhe, we examine how stories across cultures have used morally complex characters to navigate survival, change, and uncertainty. From there, the conversation moves into philosophy, comics, dark romance, and modern storytelling, asking whether morality can ever be separated from context.Along the way, we discuss moral philosophy, reader interpretation, Batman, Deadpool, Dexter, John Wick, Legion, and the uneasy line between hero, antihero, and villain. Rather than offering a single definition, this episode embraces the complexity of morality itself and asks why morally gray characters continue to resonate so deeply with modern audiences.Topics DiscussedWhat makes a character morally gray? Trickster figures in folklore Coyote, Loki, and the Sídhe Moral philosophy and ethics Consequentialism, virtue ethics, and deontology Reader response and morality Heroes, antiheroes, and villains Batman, Deadpool, Dexter, John Wick, and Legion Dark romance and comics Why morally gray characters remain so compellingResources & ReferencesCoyote America by Dan Flores Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec Over Nine Waves by Marie Heaney Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics John Stuart Mill Jeremy Bentham Simon Stern, "From Clapham to Selena" Valentin Jeutner, The Reasonable Person: A Legal BiographyAbout the HostsRemy Renard is the author of The Florilegium Cycle, an Appalachian dark fantasy romance series set in Lorewood, a town where monsters are ordinary, folklore is real, and every story leaves its mark. Drawing on a background in the humanities, education, and storytelling, she explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, folklore, and pop culture.E. Donohue is a professional horticulturist and author of many works of creative non-fiction about ecology and our connection to the natural world. She is also the aspiring author of The Raun Cycle, a historic grounded fantasy trilogy set on the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland and England at the time of the Roman invasion. Drawing on a background of ecology, anthropology, and creative writing, as well as a lifetime study of folklore, she explores the science and archeology behind the magic of folklore.Connect with UsPodcast IG: @whatlivesinthelacunaPodcast TikTok: @whatlivesinthelacunaRemy Renardwww.remyrenard.comIG: @remy.in.the.wildTikTok: @remy.in.the.wildE. Donohuewww.edonohueauthor.com/IG: @e.donohuewriterTikTok: @edonohuestoryteller