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"Wanted. Young, skinny, wiry fellows. Not over 18. Must be expert riders. Willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred." - Advertisement in California newspaper
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Well, it seems the Pony Express of the American West subscribed to the "orphan theory", but I can find little evidence that real-life adventurers, explorers or leaders came from motherless families.
The "motherless hero" prerequisite seems to go along with the "Seventh Son" or youngest son-as-questor mythos. A archtype that we can't explain, but all cling to and accept.
And yes, I'm guilty of it, too. In some of my never-ending, never-finished fan fiction, I too have a...you guessed it. I'm backtracking now to see how a mother would work in the mix.
Try it! You might like it. And it helps to solve the "where's the female characters?" question.