# Favorite fictional hero **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262 "2004-11-30T02:11:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/1 "2004-11-30T02:11:45Z")
Who is your favorite fictional hero? Candidates may be from novels or film, or any other source, but just fictional. Oh, and why they are your hero. To start off with, I’ll split my vote between Alyosha Karamazov from the Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky and Bishop Myriel from Les Miserables. Interestingly, both are religious figures who serve as an ultimate moral guide to the debauchery and chaos around them, though neither is exactly a central character (Alyosha is more than Myriel). I think both Hugo and Dostoevsky were placing them in similar roles (though you are welcome to disagree). For runner up I choose… actually, I can’t remember the name and I’m on vacation now so I don’t have the book handy, but Kollantai’s semi-heroine in **Love of Worker Bees**. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/2 "2004-11-30T02:40:42Z")
Harry Pagget Flashman from the Flashman series by Whathisname. I have rarely seen a series of books that taught history so painlessly. There is a minor character in the Richard Sharpe series. A very gay, very effete, head of the secret service. He is a cold-blooded killer. Everyone underestimates him. Wonderful character. He deserves his own novel. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/3 "2004-11-30T03:47:49Z")
Surely this thread is headed for CS. But I can’t let it go without mentioning both Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, heroes of Patrick O’Brian’s 20-volume series of books. I can think of few characters in fiction who have the complexity of these two. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/4 "2004-11-30T04:06:03Z")
This thread _is_ heading for Cafe Society, and don’t call me Shirley! ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/5 "2004-11-30T04:24:57Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > There is a minor character in the Richard Sharpe series. A very gay, very effete, head of the secret service. He is a cold-blooded killer. Everyone underestimates him. Wonderful character. He deserves his own novel. Pumphrey! “He would like nothing better than to be stuck up with you, Richard.” I love me some Pumphrey. I picture him as Alan Cumming’s character (Rochester) from _Plunkett & Macleane_, even though they’re fifty years apart. I am also quite fond of Jack Aubrey, even when he’s getting himself into trouble on land. At sea, he is a competent, consummate leader (with consummate Vs), with an inherent ability to understand the way of the ship, the weather, and his own crew. By land, he’s a bumbler with little tact and even less financial acumen - almost a different man entirely. But he’s always a capital fellow. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/6 "2004-11-30T04:43:18Z")
The Saint. By which I mean the \*real \*Simon Templar, the antihero of the books. Not the wishy-washy hero of the black and white movies. Not the awful Val Kilmer, not Ian Ogilvy and most especially not Roger Moore. (Simon Dutton at least understood what the character was about.) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/7 "2004-11-30T13:03:01Z")
Mr. Sherlock Holmes, of 221B Baker Street, London. A Consulting Detective, or so I’m told. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/8 "2004-11-30T14:04:00Z")
I think I was born an Indiana Jones fan… quite a feat considering my birth predates that of Mr. Jones… and I’ll die an Indiana Jones fan. He is the distilled essence of all that is Pulp. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/9 "2004-11-30T14:27:46Z")
Dr Who The original rebel against authority figures of all kinds. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/10 "2004-11-30T14:45:10Z")
Of course Horatio Hornblower. I would point out that \*you \*can’t be Hornblower, as _I’m_ Hornblower. (And his trusty sidekick, Mister Bush.) ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/11 "2004-12-02T17:33:06Z")
Dr. Abraham Van Helsing. with a pitying nod to R.M. Renfield, who acquitted himself before his death. Lucanus (St. Luke) of Taylor Caldwell’s DEAR AND GLORIOUS PHYSICIAN. Father Tim of the MITFORD books. Eddie Willers was something of a tragic hero in ATLAS SHRUGGED. Samwise Gamgee, for actually renouncing the Ring once bearing it, as much as for sustaining Frodo. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/12 "2004-12-02T17:47:57Z")
Merry and Pippin- in the books or the movies, they are my favorites. They’re funny and devoted to each other and Frodo. Pippin is so naive at points that he’s almost childlike. Inigo and Fezzik - also for being so funny and devoted to each other. Mine seem to come in pairs… Zaphod and Ford - for always trying to one-up each other in hoopiness and froodity. Dave Lister - 'cause he’s so damn disgusting and lazy but he’s willing to step up and save the day. Danny and Reuven (The Chosen) because they become and remain friends despite their differences and despite the expectations of their communities. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/13 "2004-12-02T19:39:16Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > Harry Pagget Flashman from the Flashman series by Whathisname. I have rarely seen a series of books that taught history so painlessly. > > There is a minor character in the Richard Sharpe series. A very gay, very effete, head of the secret service. He is a cold-blooded killer. Everyone underestimates him. Wonderful character. He deserves his own novel. I’d have to go with Sharpe himself, both in the book and as played by Sean Bean. I wish the books were adapted into movies instead of low budget TV shows. It is remarkable how good they were despite the budget. Miles Vorkosigan(sp?) Honor Harrington ---
**Author:** ![iggy\_popov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@iggy\_popov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iggy_popov)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/14 "2004-12-02T21:45:02Z")
I’m going to go with the following for this one: Spike Spiegal, Quite possibly the coolest fictional character ever. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/15 "2004-12-02T22:43:36Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’d have to go with Sharpe himself, both in the book and as played by Sean Bean. I wish the books were adapted into movies instead of low budget TV shows. It is remarkable how good they were despite the budget. > > Miles Vorkosigan(sp?) > > Honor Harrington I would love to see a true-to-the-books, decently-budgeted movie version of Sharpe. I can’t imagine who I would cast to play him, though. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/16 "2004-12-02T23:05:31Z")
Lazarus Long from Heinlein’s universe. Jason Bourne, from the books, not the movies John Clark, from Tom Clancy’s books. And I’d love to see some fan fic that pitted those three against each other, although I’m pretty sure LL would take 'em both in the end, just out of sheer craftiness… ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/17 "2004-12-03T00:32:13Z")
I am no athiest, so no Lazarus! The Stainless Steel Rat, on the other hand, gets my vote in sci/fi. Fantasy: Xena. Detective: Frank Pemberton. Other, but best of all: George Jefferson and Archie Bunker. They don’t know it, but they are soulmates. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/18 "2004-12-03T03:01:20Z")
The Man with no Name from Sergio’s Italian Western movies. Shrewed as hell, mean looking, takes crap from no one (well…at least not without getting vengeance), and is quick with a pistol. Crafty as a fox too. Hunter S Thompson. When the going get’s weird the weird turns pro! Today’s pig is tommorrow’s bacon! Yeah, I know the title is “Favorite **fictional** characters”, but c’mon, no one this weird could possibly exist 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/19 "2004-12-03T03:10:55Z")
Cap’n Kirk, natch. Interstingly, I caught _The Omega Glory_ episode recently, and aside from all the truly horrible “Yangs vs. Comms” and “E PlebNista” stuff, there are two really fascinating aspects: [list=#][li]Kirk does battle with Captain Tracy of the _Exeter_ and Tracy casually kicks his ass right up until the final knife fight, where Tracy _almost_ kicks Kirk’s ass. Frankly, heroes who win every fistfight are boring.[/li]When Kirk is stuffed in a cell with two Yangs who repeatedly attack him, at one point Kirk grabs the female in a headlock and actually _hides behind her_ to fend off the male Yang. Heroes who cling to dopey notions like chivalry in the face of two people who are doing their damndest to kill you are too stupid to admire.[/list] ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262/20 "2004-12-03T03:28:40Z")
Well, mine is based on **JoeSki** ’s non-fictional hero, Hunter S. Thompson. Spider Jerusalem, from the comic _Transmetropolitan_. He drinks, smokes, and takes frightening amounts of frightening drugs. He treats his two beautiful assistants like crap. He’s had death threats in the form of petitions signed by hundreds of people. And he’s the good guy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-hero/277262.md?page=2)