# Pick a fictional character to get you through the post-apocalyptic world. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316 "2010-09-19T20:00:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/21 "2010-09-19T23:20:09Z")
Jamie Fraser. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/22 "2010-09-19T23:25:08Z")
The Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/23 "2010-09-19T23:37:10Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The Doctor. Yup. If not him, and assuming Alice is too super-powered, then [Ash Williams](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Williams). ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/24 "2010-09-19T23:38:18Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The Doctor. Doesn’t he have some mild telepathy? Anyway, he’s cut off from all his supertech. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/25 "2010-09-19T23:46:08Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > [@Alessan](#): > > > > The Doctor. > > Doesn’t he have some mild telepathy? Anyway, he’s cut off from all his supertech. Even without the telepathy or the tech, he could build whatever we needed out of the wreakage, and talk or think us out of any conceivable problem. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/26 "2010-09-19T23:51:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Besides, he likes 'em on the young side, so he just might seduce her. Well, he doesn’t have much choice in the matter, there… _everyone_ he meets is on the young side. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/27 "2010-09-19T23:59:31Z")
[quote=“Skald\_the\_Rhymer, post:15, topic:554316”] > [@silenus](#): > > I am embarrassed that I didn’t think of Tarzan myself, though he might count as super-powered. I think he’d take Buffy in a fight. What being raised by apes makes you super powered? Nah, the Edger Rice Burrough character is the perfect answer to this question. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/28 "2010-09-20T00:02:59Z")
[quote=“TV\_time, post:27, topic:554316”] > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > What being raised by apes makes you super powered? Nah, the Edger Rice Burrough character is the perfect answer to this question. Tarzan’s really, really pushing it on the non-powered spectrum. As I said, I’m taking Buffy Anne Summers as the low end of super-powered, and I think Tarzan takes her in a fight. He can speak the languages of apes, elephants, and lions, and command their loyalty; he has endless youth; he is all but immune to disease. He’s the guy I’d WANT to be around when civilization fell, for sure. I’m not sure how much sympathy he’d have for us though. Well…actually I am sure, as the answer is “virtually none.” ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/29 "2010-09-20T00:10:33Z")
I’m female, and hetero, so I’ll go with Riddick. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/30 "2010-09-20T01:29:51Z")
Jubal Sackett (from Louis L’Amour’s novel of the same name). I figure he was perfectly able to handle himself in the 18th century American wilderness – he should be able to handle the 28th century American wilderness with equal confidence. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/31 "2010-09-20T05:48:26Z")
> [@Omi\_no\_Kami](#): > > If, as I assume, she would be disallowed, then River Tam. Even stripped of her telepathy and telekinesis she can fight and is a guaranteed source of interesting conversation until everything blows over. Do you really trust River won’t flip out and strangle you in your sleep during one of her little episodes ? Brave man. No thanks : I’ll take Mal. Although Batman’s a strong choice too. You know he’s got to have thought of a plan to restard civilization somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/32 "2010-09-20T06:07:36Z")
Robert Downey’s Sherlock Holmes: good in a fight, notices everything, great conversationalist, and looks good nekkid. What more do you need really? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/33 "2010-09-20T10:24:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Second choice: Rincewind. He’s been shown to convert to other universes, and he’s a survivor with experience in dragging a mostly-incompetent around. > > I think he might be disqualified, as he’s technically a wizard. Technically. That’s why I pointed out he converts to other realities. Remember when he was on the airplane and became a nuclear physicist? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/34 "2010-09-20T10:34:23Z")
A woman. About 20 years old. Old enough to be sensible enough to keep me from doing something bone-headed. As long as she’s fit and fertile and pleasant company. Got to get a move on rebuilding the human race, you know. ---
**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:** [September 20, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/35 "2010-09-20T11:24:29Z")
Ash Williams is definitely out. He is a survivor, but those around him…not so much. I’ll have to go with Woodrow Wilson Smith. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/36 "2010-09-20T12:04:19Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > A woman. About 20 years old. Old enough to be sensible enough to keep me from doing something bone-headed. As long as she’s fit and fertile and pleasant company. Got to get a move on rebuilding the human race, you know. Hmm.. I actually forgot to specify who. Buffy or Ace would do very nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/37 "2010-09-20T13:10:15Z")
Robert Conway. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/38 "2010-09-20T13:12:16Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > > [@Quartz](#): > > > > A woman. About 20 years old. Old enough to be sensible enough to keep me from doing something bone-headed. As long as she’s fit and fertile and pleasant company. Got to get a move on rebuilding the human race, you know. > > Hmm.. I actually forgot to specify who. Buffy or Ace would do very nicely. Who is Ace? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/39 "2010-09-20T13:22:06Z")
[S. D. “Snake” Plisskin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_Plissken), baby! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316/40 "2010-09-20T13:28:57Z")
The “dad” from Fallout 3. A) Liam Neeson, B) He’s a scientist and can make clean water, and C) Liam Neeson. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-fictional-character-to-get-you-through-the-post-apocalyptic-world/554316.md?page=3)