“Sigma male, a slang term used in masculinist subcultures for a popular, successful, but highly independent and self-reliant man,” Urban Dictionary.
“Stigma, a mark of disgrace or shame,” Urban Dictionary.
Sigma. Males. They have taken over TikTok and have become a personality trait for most awkward high school students. Many psychopathic male fictional characters are being “romanticized” for their wrongdoings or “yassified,” and even quoted as worse terms I won’t get into. (Not to say this has not happened to female characters, too.) But who will be classified as sigma or stigma? Also, enjoy the sigma male theme music while you read…
Patrick Bateman – Raelyn
A recent Gen Z obsession has been with the fictional character Patrick Bateman in the 2000 thriller “American Psycho.” The movie itself is relatively complex to say—no one understands Patrick Bateman at all. His actions and motives are unclear, and so is the ending. I tried to read the book to understand it more, but he was just going over his daily routine for like 100 pages; I couldn’t bear it. He is considered the highest sigma male amongst others. Why? I have no clue. Maybe it’s because of his blatant misogyny and violent tendencies. (Even though he does not go about in an intimidating or intriguing way.) What great attributes. I give Bateman the stamp of stigma.
Lt. Simon “Ghost” Riley – Raelyn
Simon Riley first appeared in Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and was shown great feedback for his intimidating and dark mannerisms. In this game, he died after being betrayed by his General. However, Infinity Ward creators brought the character back in the newest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ll released this year. Yes, the same character and game name; not confusing at all. Ghost, seen as a tough masculine man by most male gamers, has been “yassified.” What does that mean? I am honestly not sure; google it. But I do know gamer girls have become obsessed with the character like gamer guys have, but in a different way. He is referred to as “baby girl” a lot, and it is honestly hilarious. He has turned into a female (and male) emblem through feminine terms. Ghost is still seen as a sigma because his character is smooth and ruthless, but this new terminology for the character has brought a laugh or two to the fan base. I completely understand the obsession. Kira Farooqui has caught me lacking on multiple occasions through TikTok, and I own up to it. I give Ghost the stamp of sigma.
Robert Pattinson’s Batman – Kira
While I will never understand why only Robert Pattinson’s version of the iconic DC comics Batman gained popularity like this, I do understand this obsession as well. The Batman (2022) was an incredible but gritty film-noir movie that completely changed the trajectory of the Batman franchise, and many people online argue that RobPat portrayed the character the best. While the earlier versions of Batman were suave and cocky stereotypical “rich boys” (*cough cough* Bale), Pattinson’s take on Bruce Wayne was nothing like the others—he probably only ever speaks above a whisper, like, once, in the entire movie, and he puts on his own eyeliner and rides a motorcycle to “Something in the Way” by Nirvana, all while giving a dreary, depressing monologue about how “this city has failed him.’ I mean, come on. That’s sick, if you ask me. Pattinson’s Batman portrays the sigma role exceptionally well due to his depressing-but-cold mannerisms throughout the entire three-hour movie, and I ate up every minute of it.
Homelander – Raelyn
Homelander, the poster child for the 2019 satirical superhero show “The Boys,” is possibly the most questionable choice of sigma male. This off-brand Superman is unhinged. The popularity of the character versus Superman stems from his willingness to undergo more direct measures to ensure what he believes is right. (That’s a PG way of explaining what goes on in his mind…) I do not understand the infatuation. He is overly emotional, and the character seems satirical. If anyone is more of a Sigma, it is Soldier boy. I give Homelander the stamp of stigma.
The Joker – Raelyn
In common with the “Batman” role, many different actors played “The Joker,” like Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, Cameron Monaghan, OG Cesar Romero, etc. But the consensus of the best Joker is simple—Heath Ledger, rest in peace. His performance surpassed any to this day, and Robert Pattinson would not be playing “The Batman” if Ledger was still with us. Honorable mention to Joaquin Phoenix in his solo Joker film, but Ledger is unforgettable. He is the true sigma, and if he did not want to get caught by Batman, he simply would not have. Hot (factual) take; the Joker solos Patrick Bateman. Give me a two-page MLA format essay on how Bateman is better than Ledger, or argue with the wall. I love the rivalry between Christian Bale and Heath Ledger when Bale played Ledger’s Batman. I can’t say Bale is better than Pattinson in the role of Batman because that is a whole other discussion, but Bale is still another Batman variant of a sigma. Nonetheless, Christian Bale happens to be top five sigmas in two separate roles, and Heath Ledger’s Joker is up there, too, even if I am not particularly fond of Bateman. (Not to mention The LEGO Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, is also top 5.) I give The Joker the stamp of sigma.
Yes, we forgot this person and that person, our apologies. The title of sigma is given to sadistic killers, which tells us a lot about our generation. Fictional character idolization is one thing, but a true worrisome infatuation with real-life killers should not be normalized, for example, Jeffery Dahmer. A sigma should keep its playful orientation and not be affiliated with real-life people who, most definitely, do not deserve praise. Not to say the people listed above are necessarily good, but appreciating the complexity of a character is different from condoning their actions. This was our take on the top 5 sigma males, but do you agree? Let us know!
