Why We Love Kaz Brekker

One of the characters who undeniably makes Six of Crows so beloved by so many of us is Kaz Brekker – but why does he fascinate us the way he does?

The leader of his motley six, Kaz is a morally grey character who is heavily involved in Ketterdam’s dark underworld. The decisions he makes are not always good or right, but we root for him anyway.

In other words, you could call Kaz Brekker an antihero. But what does this mean? We'll start from the start.

Who exactly is Kaz Brekker?

It's hard to say. Known as the Bastard of the Barrel or Dirtyhands, Kaz Brekker is the cunning, ruthless mastermind who takes the lead in the Six of Crows duology. Intelligent, duplicitous, and very skilled when it comes to thinking up creative cons, Kaz is always five steps ahead of his adversaries, and he likes it that way.

If you’ve read the series, you’ll know that Kaz wasn’t always so dark; once, he was actually a sweet and trusting young boy, new to Ketterdam. But a series of tragic events changed that boy into the ruthless criminal we meet in the series – someone who is unafraid to do whatever it takes to get what he wants.

If all this is the case, why do we root for him?

Kaz Brekker as Antihero

Wait, what is an Antihero?

You would’ve seen many stories, like Shadow and Bone, which detail the journeys of their heroes. An antihero, on the other hand, is a protagonist who does not carry the traditional traits we would associate with our heroes, like morality, altruism, kindness or even courage (although Kaz usually is in firm possession of this).

Instead, the antihero is more likely to possess a darker, more ambiguous set of traits, such as cynicism, cruelty, or a willingness to commit morally questionable acts for their own advancement.

Where Does Villainy Begin?

Sometimes the lines between an antihero and a villain can blur.The Darkling is a classic example of a villain, and he possesses many of the above traits; like Kaz Brekker, he’ll do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.

However, the antagonist of the story traditionally works against the aims of the hero (or protagonist) which drive the narrative. Meanwhile, the antihero’s goals are the ones which drive the narrative, and which we generally want to see succeed.

The antihero is also often morally grey, but not morally evil; if they stooped to morally reprehensible acts, we would probably call them a villain too.

Applying This to Kaz Brekker

At a glimpse, Kaz Brekker embodies many of the characteristics we frequently associate with antiheroes, from his cunning to his readiness to prioritise the ends over the means. He’s also a seasoned criminal, operating in – and manipulating – the dark underbelly of Ketterdam in order to not only survive, but thrive. Kaz sits at the junction of heroism and villainy, and you never quite know which way he leans.

Beneath the coldness and calculation, however, there is a lot more to Kaz than meets the eye.

A Shot at Redemption?

You might often find that the antihero has a redeeming quality which makes them endearing to the reader in some way. They could be morally grey or even outright morally dark, like in the case of Kaz Brekker, but there are a few things which help the reader to support them rather than turn against him. For example...

From One Crow to Another

One of these factors is Kaz’s relationships to the other characters in his inner circle, the Crows. While the crew Kaz assembles for his heist in Six of Crows is a ragtag bunch, as their leader, he comes to protect them even when he's historically been inclined to look out for his own gain first.

This is especially true in the case of Kaz’s relationship with Inej Ghafa, where we see rare glimpses of tenderness which show that Kaz is not as brutal as he makes out to be. Instead, he uses that brutality to protect her, and when he’s with her reveals a much more vulnerable side which it's difficult for us not to empathise with.

Boy, Bastard, Brekker

The character arc of Kaz Brekker is perhaps one of the most compelling in the entire Grishaverse series. While Kaz, in some ways, does begin as a crueller character who is more concerned with himself and what he wants than anyone else, over the course of the series he demonstrates a capacity to change and do the right thing, even when he could have easily gone in the opposite direction.

Growth and Change

Throughout Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, Kaz improves his ability to trust; he confronts his inner demons, challenges the things which make him uncomfortable, and tackles the obsession for revenge which has driven him to where he is now.

While it’s unlikely that Kaz could ever fully shed his antiheroic tendencies, his ability to grow as a person indicates that there’s much more of a hero underneath than a villain. This hero just happens to often be wanted by authorities. No big deal.

The Role of Motivation

Kaz Brekker’s backstory is hugely important to him as a character, but it’s also an important part of his role as an antihero, and one of the other distinctions which sets him apart from sheer villainy. Why? Because it fuels the complex motivations behind his morally grey actions.

Revenge or Justice?

Though Kaz Brekker undeniably engages in ethically questionable acts, his ultimate goal is a form of justice. There is a need for revenge, yes, but Kaz is also driven by a desire to right the wrongs of the past and protect the people he cares about, especially the Crows.
  Though often ruthless and taken at a steep cost, Kaz’s actions are guided by a sense of loyalty to the ones he cares for and the ones he’s lost, and a desire to create a better future for himself and those around him. He likes his kruge, don’t get us wrong, but he comes to realise that there are more important things to fight for.

The Antihero Done Right

While Kaz Brekker might not always embody the traditional traits of a hero, his enduring appeal lies in the underlying humanity we see in flashes. It’s this very humanity which makes him really come alive on the page, and which makes him so beloved by so many readers.

Ultimately, Kaz challenges us all to confront the world around us and what’s inside of us with as much tenacity as he does; he dares us not to take the easy way out, but to keep pushing forward instead.

What about you – what do you think of Kaz? Is he a favourite of yours? Why or why not?
  Until next time!