this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2025
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By "favorite fictional character" I don't mean "favorite character of your favorite fiction", consider the media itself to be irrelevant.

Just consider the character itself and how it changes throughout whichever segments of its timeline, regardless of how the world moves around it (unless it's relevant);
the show / book / comic / game / political campaign itself may be absolute trash, but you love some character from that more than any other character from anything at all.

Like Magnifico from Wish, or the driver from Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing.

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[–] Devanismyname 3 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Captain anderson from mass effect. He's always in shepherds corner. Always there to back him up. He's the ultimate father figure and leader. Garrus is cool and my best friend, but something about anderson...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Solid choice, he is a bit flawed in the first game (obsessed with pointing fingers at Saren (admittedly only being 1.05% wrong about him)); but he and Hackett are the OG superiors that have your back rather than constantly second-guessing you.

The latter even set his foot on a terrorist-owned ship, imagine the favors he had to pull in order to do that discreetly just to talk with you in person...

[–] Devanismyname 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Mass effect had a good line up of really amazing characters.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Controversial opinion, but I feel that all games after the first one were only held up by the characters and worldbuilding - hell, ME2's plot IS the characters

[–] Devanismyname 2 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

There's a ton of worldbuilding and character development but the gameplay and exploration is cool as well.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

Maybe it's because I played them all several times (the original ones, not the LE), but the gunfight mechanics are extremely okay enough to me - oddly enough Andromeda was the one I most enjoyed shooting in (though I didn't finish it due to hardware problems).

Exploration as in sightseeing, yes you're right, I forgot about it - though I don't remember there being much actual exploration in 2 and 3? Granted, I either missed some things in 2, or they were included with some DLCs I didn't have at first.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Commander Samuel Vimes, hands down.

His arc goes from zero to a million over the course of the Discworld series; even when he just has a slight Cameo he steals the scene because you get to see how terrified people are of him.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

That's the second mention from Discworld, I guess Pratchett really knew how to write his characters

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago

He was knighted, for services to literature....so yea, he was one of the greats.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 20 hours ago

Hands down, Ron Swanson from Parks & Recreation.

He's a libertarian who firmly believes in his right to self-determination, but doesn't force that view on those around him; he lets them live their own lives and is there to help them whenever they may need. I do somewhat envy his ability to ignore the meaningless bullshit around modern life, how he paddles his own canoe and strives not to be in anyone's way.

But most importantly, he's fond of pretty, dark haired women, and breakfast food, and who can argue with that?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Probably the Doctor of Doctor Who because he's basically a large handful of characters in one, but with an overarching spirit of curiosity, adventure, and trying to do the right thing

William Hartnell is my favorite

[–] [email protected] 3 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

This is my answer too. I think each version of the doctor shines in a fun unique way. My favorite was my first (Christopher eccleston) but they are all wonderful.

"Never be cruel, never be cowardly. Hate is always foolish…and love is always wise. Always try to be nice and never fail to be kind"

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Probably the G-man, from Half life. Complex, interesting, and definitely not human, despite outward appearances.

He radiates the same aura as Randall Flagg in Stephen King's book, titled The Stand. But he isn't wholly evil.

He also has incredibly good monologues.

https://youtu.be/J-Zb7YbfOwM

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

Nice pick, personally if that was my answer I would attribute it to how little we know of him.
Without any doubt, they really put a lot of effort into making him look and sound like... whatever he is.

Thanks for the link too, although it feels like that animation is too... expressive? I think the g-man would have less pronounced expressions, like, not going full >:3 when talking to Alyx.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Elizabeth, from Bioshock Infinite,so helpful, so powerful, cute, tough ,badass for me, one time she was dancing at dock, other times shes just killing enemies, other times she just full of sorrow, i dont understand her, but i really need her, from my experice of played the game..

pardon my english

[–] [email protected] 2 points 23 hours ago

pardon my english

If I had a nickel for every time I used bad English grammar I'd have two nickels, which is not a lot because my country has very high income taxes.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Soka from Avatar the last Airbender. Rare fir characters to be openly shitty and learn their lessons and improve.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I had a feeling A:TLA would be mentioned, I would've sworn Zuko would be the guy...

I think they underused Sokka tbh. Such a good character yet his role in the gaang wasn't shown as often as I'd like.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Considering how much time was spent on Zuko I always felt that Sokka was the stronger character

[–] [email protected] 1 points 19 hours ago

I don't know about Zuko being less strong, he did betray his father (and temporarily abandon his girlfriend) just to follow his moral compass; his runtime (and his first faux-turnaround at the end of book 2) highlight how difficult it was for him.

Sokka only had do smarten and humble himself a bit, which is no easy feat either, but easier by comparison.

... which is why if I had to pick a favorite from A:TLA, I'd choose Iroh.
Zuko was never really evil, but, where he took his time to look at his moral compass, Iroh had to experience geomagnetic reversal and made it out alive.
WITHOUT a kind uncle nudging him in the right direction.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Nanny Ogg from Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett.

I just really want to get drunk with her, it would be fucking hilarious I wish I lived in a universe where I could actually get wasted and be totally ridiculous with Nanny Ogg.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Nanny Ogg is amazing, with Greebo and her scumple (made from apples).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 23 hours ago

Well, mostly apples.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago

I usually can't decide which is my top pick.

Esme is awesome, the picture of uncompromising competence.
Lord Vetinari, doesn't like how the world works, but works the world until it is better.
Sam, has such a great character arc.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

Keva Lagos from The Last Emperoux by John Scalzi. Brilliant, profane, and aggressively sex positive. She steals the attention from every page she's on.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Mercutio from Romeo & Juliet is an all-timer. Just a clown who nobody takes seriously, but is liked by everyone. Then while he's being stupid playing with swords (but trying to patch up a blood feud at the same time) he gets killed, triggering a revenge murder that spirals into the deaths of the teens. Sorry for spoilers.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

Sounds like me tbh, being a bit silly and causing trouble for people around me with no ill will
(though ~~un~~fortunately I'm still alive)

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

Vivi from Final Fantasy 9 is my all time favorite. Little dude just wants to belong and finds his rag tag group who accept him for who he is. Plus bro drips swag

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

jubal harshaw

he's a character by heinlein that appears in several of his novels and he's also the same benevolent never-do-well & know-it-all that aids each novel's protagonist and represents (for me) a cantankerously endearing bullshit-killer that i wish i could be.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

Flinn from the Tainted Sword - it's an obscure old dragon lance novel about an old knight fallen into obscurity and a determined squire that still echoes the knight's old glories. Flinn is deeply flawed but goes through extremely realistic growth during the story. If you have the opportunity to read it I'd highly recommend it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

Reid Malenfant

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifold_Trilogy

https://www.goodreads.com/series/297804-world-engines

Great character, through 2 trilogies, both trilogies written years apart.