Avaitor's Top 10 Fictional Characters (And Yours, Too?)

[Avaitor]

I've been trying to write up my next entry, but it physically hurts me to try to write in detail anymore. Sorry.

[Silverstar]

I've been trying to write up my next entry, but it physically hurts me to try to write in detail anymore. Sorry.

Sorry to hear that, man. Carpal tunnel?

[Foggle]

I've been trying to write up my next entry, but it physically hurts me to try to write in detail anymore. Sorry.

You can always just post the rest of your picks even if you don't want to write about them.

[Avaitor]

I've been trying to write up my next entry, but it physically hurts me to try to write in detail anymore. Sorry.

You can always just post the rest of your picks even if you don't want to write about them.

I dunno, gimme a couple of days, and I might try again.

Why doesn't someone else try to share some of their favorites for a change? The more, the merrier!

[Dr. Insomniac]

Top 10 Body Hair of Carl Brutananadilewski
10. Right foot hair.
9. Left foot hair.
8. Left forearm hair.
7. Right forearm hair.
6. Mustache - Could be bigger.
5. Scalp hair - Should shave.
4. Right shoulder hair.
3. Left shoulder hair.
2. Crotch hair - It's so shy, that you can't even see it. Kawaii. :3
1. Chest hair.

[Foggle]

Why doesn't someone else try to share some of their favorites for a change? The more, the merrier!

I was gonna' wait for you to finish, but aight. I'm not good at writing long pieces about stuff like this as you know, so don't expect any essays.

#10

10. Handsome Jack

Assuming my list hasn't already been invalidated by listing someone from Borderlands as one of my favorite characters, I'll say that I love everything about this guy. He's a complete bastard in every capacity, tricking the protagonists into screwing themselves over multiple times and doing some other unforgivable stuff, but nearly everything that comes out of his mouth is absolutely hilarious. Dameon Clarke's fantastic voice work adds a lot to his unlikeable likeability, and the fact that it's almost impossible to decide whether you love or hate Handsome Jack makes him one of the most memorable villains I've ever seen.

[close]

#9

9. Lord Bowler

It's hard to outdo Bruce Campbell in his own show, but the amazing Julius Carry (R.I.P.) as Lord Bowler is what really made The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. awesome for me. He's an excellent foil for Brisco, and aside from his unique fashion sense, it's the little things Carry brought to the character that made him truly great - such as his imposing manner of walking about, or that distinctive laugh. Nearly every scene with Lord Bowler in it is comedy gold, but occasionally the show slowed down and delivered an unexpected moment like this one that made me love him even more, and eventually cemented Bowler as one of my favorite characters of all time.

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#8

8. Deadpool

A lot of people probably think Deadpool is just a schizophrenic, trigger-happy version of Spider-Man or something, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. He actually has a lot of depth, and is by far one of the most interesting characters in the Marvel universe; when a great writer gets a hold of him, magic happens. I mean, yeah, I'd be lying if I said the humor wasn't one of my favorite things about the character, but Deadpool is so much more than that. He's morally conflicted, self-loathing, and depressive, but masks all of that with his snarky quips and abrasive attitude toward his "friends" - that he wish came without the quotation marks. In that regard, despite his ability to regenerate parts of his body when he gets hurt, he's one of the most realistic and endearing anti-heroes ever.

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#7

7. Cassandra Cain

Cassandra Cain is the coolest Batgirl and the most interesting member of the Bat Family. I mean, I've always had a huge man-crush on Batman, but Cass is a very unique character who, when written well, represents the absolute best of what one can do with the comic book medium. When she's first introduced, she is mute and illiterate, and seeing her develop these basic skills is very interesting to say the least; but the coolest thing about this is that, as she don't really talk so good, there are a lot of opportunities to forgo any sort of exposition and just let the artwork tell the story. Carefully planned camera(?) angles, facial expressions, and body language are more important than ever, and while I don't feel that very many of her stories used these elements to their full extent, the ones that did feature some of the most intriguing moments in any medium. Oh, and she's kinda' fuckin' badass. Too bad DC hates her and she'll never appear in the New 52. (FYI One Year Later never happened. IT DIDN'T OKAY)

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#6

6. Dale Cooper

Few television protagonists are more recognizable than FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper. His endearing quirks and instantly likeable personality complement the eerie surrealism of Twin Peaks very well. His interactions and relationships with the other characters are a pleasure to behold, and while the series itself may not have had the most consistent run, one thing never changed; how ridiculously loveable Kyle MacLachlan' Dale Cooper was.

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#5

5. Kenzo Tenma

I'm not one of those guys who gets "feels" very often, but gotdamn, Dr. Tenma's misadventures always get me misty-eyed. Every time he helps make someone's life better, I contemplate turning my own life around and figuring out some way I can be as excellent of a man as him. This is one of those situations where unflinching idealism is neither obnoxious nor stupid; Tenma's brilliance and earnestness make him the greatest comic book superhero of all time.

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#4

4. SHODAN

SHODAN (that's Sentient Hyper-Optimized Data Access Network to you) is a lot like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey, but about 500% more evil. She's also the scariest antagonist ever put into a video game. BUT FOGGLE HOW CAN A COMPUTER BE A GREAT CHARACTER OR IN ANY WAY TERRIFYING? Her ever-malfunctioning voice alone - provided by the exceptionally talented Terri Brosius - is nightmare fuel in itself, but SHODAN's uncompromising awareness of her (and your) actions, well-deserved hubris, and constant taunting always ensure the player knows that they are but an insect in comparison to the glory that is a villainous sentient artificial intelligence. After all, she runs the ship... you're just running through the ship. As we move ever closer to a future filled with omnipresent computers and the potential for such AI programming, the knowledge that System Shock 2's events could eventually become reality makes it one of the few horror games to actually get scarier with age.

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#3

3. D'Angelo Barksdale

I struggle to think of a single more realistic, better written character than D'Angelo Barksdale (except for maybe some other fellas from The Wire!). Even as part of a huge ensemble cast, D's story arc was easily the highlight of the first one and a half seasons for me. His mixture of conventional and street intelligence leads to so many great moments, such as the famous chess scene, while his developing disillusionment with the game - despite his strong dedication to family - is heartbreaking to watch... though not as heartbreaking as what happens later. Larry Gilliard Jr. absolutely sells the role in every scene, and I'm saddened that I've never seen him in anything else. If you can watch The Wire without feeling something for D'Angelo, I'm sorry to inform you that your soul has gone AWOL.

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#2

2. Excel & Elgala

I don't think it's cheating to give a comedy duo a single spot on my list. While Excel and Elgala are funny on their own, they truly shine when they're able to play off each other. Unlike most duos, there's no silly guy/straight [wo]man dynamic here; they're both probably at least somewhat insane, and their banter frequently boils down to who can one-up the other when it comes to zaniness. That said, they're crazy, not stupid, so their battles of wits are almost always genuinely witty rather than just dumb or weird for the sake of it. Both characters have respectable traits in spite of their quirks (Excel's over the top dedication to hard work, El's heavily veiled and often misplaced compassion), and while they clearly detest being together, there's also a sense that they realize how they're probably each other's only real friends. There's a lot to love in the Excel Saga manga, and the Excel/Elgala dynamic is one of my favorite parts.

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#1

1. Gaius Baltar

The re-imagined Battlestar Galactica was a frakkin' fantastic show, and if I could pinpoint just one reason to watch it, it'd have to be a certain posh scientist. Portrayed immaculately by the wonderful James Callis, this slimeball is probably the most interesting fictional character I've ever encountered. The lengths at which he'll go for self-preservation are downright hilarious, the question of whether or not he has any remaining sanity is riveting (for the first three seasons, at least), and the way in which he eventually makes every single other character hate him is undeniably fun to watch in a trainwreck sort of way. While he often shows compassion and seems to want the best for everyone, his flaws always prevent him from truly becoming a good person. Yet, under it all, he isn't actually bad either; he makes so many mistakes, burns so many bridges, and often lets his arrogance control him, but... does he truly deserve to die for that? Baltar's a fascinating character, and often the highlight of any given episode - considering just how good the rest of the show is, that's high praise indeed.

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[Avaitor]

Great list! I love seeing D on the list myself.

And no, it isn't cheating to have two characters on a single slot, as long as you have a logical reason to do so. I mentioned this before, but my top 2 choices will be ties.

[Spark Of Spirit]

You know, I never got around to see Brisco. I should do that one of these days.

[gunswordfist]

Great list! I love seeing D on the list myself.

And no, it isn't cheating to have two characters on a single slot, as long as you have a logical reason to do so. I mentioned this before, but my top 2 choices will be ties.

I have Mega Man and Jesus in one of my slots. Is that logical?

Lol at calling Tenma a superhero.

Batgirl debuted in the shitty No Man's Land arc and I remember her talking in that. I used to think she was the worst DC character ever, a bad anime character in the Batfamily, an emo and overpowered.

[Foggle]

the shitty No Man's Land arc

I used to think she was the worst DC character ever, a bad anime character in the Batfamily, an emo and overpowered.

Motherfucker I will cut your cock off and feed it to you.

I don't remember if she talks in that arc though. I will have to read it again.

[gunswordfist]

Sounds about as entertaining as her crying about her daddy issues.

[Foggle]

Sounds about as entertaining as her crying about her daddy issues.

So you mean it'll be the best thing that's ever happened to you?

Obviously someone who likes a shitty hero such as Green Arrow would have awful taste in comic books. Oh boy, some pussy who shoots a bow at people. *yawn*

[Avaitor]

I'll try again, but I'm going brief.

#4-


Rhoda Morgenstern

Let's see, Rhoda. The break-out star of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, to the point that she won her own spin-off, which beat the predecessor in the ratings for the three seasons they were both on air. A character that helped Valerie Harper to win 3 Emmys from TMTMS, and one from her own snow. And still one of the best.

But why Rhoda? Well, for the first four seasons of the show, she kept Mary Richards in check, and reminded audiences that not everybody on the screen is perfect, despite what her best friend might make you think. Sure, plenty of TV characters could be brash, impulsive, sometimes even just moronic, but I can't think of too many others before Rhoda that were as upfront with their insecurities, and only a handful are able to have fun at themselves for said flaws as well as she does. Despite how she feels about her weight, her personal appearance and general awkwardness, Rho's able to crack fun at herself like it's nothing, which is inspiring even today.

Not a whole lot to say other than that I find Rhoda hilarious and heartwarming, but moreso on Mary Tyler Moore than on her own show. A domesticated Rhoda just isn't as much fun, but I do appreciate how the creators realized this and had her and husband Joe split up. The ratings slipped, but the later episodes of the show that I've seen are more fun than the earlier ones.

It also shows you how important the character is when the outcry of Valerie Harper's cancer announcement occurred. Many still see her as Rhoda, and are shocked to think that we're going to live in a world without Mary's Jewish best friend. I know I was.

[Foggle]

Yay, you're continuing!

I haven't really seen any MTM, but I guess I should.

[gunswordfist]

Sounds about as entertaining as her crying about her daddy issues.

So you mean it'll be the best thing that's ever happened to you?

Obviously someone who likes a shitty hero such as Green Arrow would have awful taste in comic books. Oh boy, some pussy who shoots a bow at people. *yawn*

Oliver Queen has been to Heaven. Where have you been, bitch?