Fantastical Favorites

I've been meaning to jump on the bandwagon with Sharpton and Wheeler, so here goes.

I've been a lover of fantasy for almost as long as I've been reading, and it's hard to choose just a few favorite characters. There are many ways I could go about doing so, but I decided to select five characters who have stuck with me since I first met them. When in doubt, I favored characters from works other than those Jon and Jared used (though I couldn't quite get away from LotR; go figure). I present them below in randomly selected order and following the format "Character Name (Source Material)-- Description. Quote."

WARNING: Spoilers of varying degrees ahead.

1) Raistlin Majere (Dragonlance)-- The most interesting (or at least the most consistently interesting) character in the main Dragonlance series. Born into a poor family, cursed with a frail body, and constantly overshadowed by his strong and popular twin brother, Raistlin seems to get the short straw in almost every lot in life. Yet he is clever, resourceful, and stubborn, and he eventually becomes the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen (he challenges the gods themselves and wins). There's little question that Raistlin is evil, but rarely is he malevolent; he has no concern for the well-being of others, and he doesn't hesitate to use and abuse them to further his goals, but neither does he go out of his way to cause them harm. And he even finds a sort of redemption in the end. In short, he makes a good antagonist but a mediocre villain. Despite the darkness of his soul, there's just enough of a frightened, love-starved little boy in him to make it hard to dislike him as much as I think I should. But then, that's one of the marks of a great character.
"I have sinned enough against the world. Teaching magic to a kender would ensure my damnation."


2) Bowen (Dragonheart)-- Initially, at least, Bowen is a model knight: just, honorable, devoted to his king. He is a master swordsman and a skilled tactician. Early in the movie, of course, he largely abandons his values and ideals, devoting himself instead to vengeance and profit. But one spiritual awakening and a healthy dose of introspection later, the knightly standards are back in place, and he goes on to lead a peasant rebellion against a tyrannical ruler. (And he works very well with Sean Conner--um, that is, Draco.)
"Have you forgotten everything I taught you? No one is above the Code--especially the king!"


3) Samwise Gamgee (The Lord of the Rings)-- Loyal, brave, and surprisingly resourceful, Sam is probably not at the top of many people's lists of favorite fantasy characters. But the humble gardener from the Shire goes through more than his share of trials out of love for his friends, and he faces one of the greatest temptations imaginable and overcomes it, earning himself a place alongside the likes of Gandalf, Galadriel, and Faramir. Sam is willing to leave home for a cause he believes in, but he's always happier to return home in the end. He's something of a "behind-the-scenes" character, content to stay out of the spotlight and support his friends. Even when it's just him and Frodo, he sees it as Frodo's quest, not his own. Of all the main characters in all the works of fantasy I've experienced, Sam is probably the one I identify with the most closely.
"Well, I'm back."


4) Schmendrick the Magician (The Last Unicorn)-- A memorable character in a story filled with memorable characters; Schmendrick's transformation is almost as important as the unicorn's. He's one of the most mysterious characters I've ever encountered in fiction. It's fairly evident even from his first appearance that he's more than a talentless wannabe with a silver tongue and a knack for sleight-of-hand, but not until late in the story is his secret revealed. True to the first description of him, an "air of resolute bewilderment" permeates his character. Yet even apart from his magic, he has a certain charm and cleverness that make him, for me, by far the most interesting of the main characters.
"I am Schmendrick the Magician, the last of the red-hot swamis, and I am older than I look."
Bonus Quote: The magician stood erect, menacing the attackers with demons, metamorphoses, paralyzing ailiments, and secret judo holds.


5) Death (Discworld)-- Any character who speaks in small caps without quotation marks gets bonus memorability points in my book. Terry Pratchett's Death is unquestionably the most entertaining representation of the Grim Reaper I know of. Not only is he clever, but so much about him as a character is clever, from his "invisibility" (which is really just people refusing to acknowledge his presence) to his cold and methodical attempts to do "human" things.
No-one gets pardoned for living.


Honorable Mention: The Order of the Stick ("The Order of the Stick")-- Each character has his or her own oddities and quirks, but it's the interaction between them (along with the outstanding writing, engrossing story, and liberal doses of humor) that makes OotS my favorite webcomic and an excellent work of creative fiction.
"Let my people handle this, we're trained professionals. Well, we're semi-trained quasi-professionals, at any rate."--Roy

As for the other part of Sharpton's challenge: As you might guess from looking at that list, it's even harder for me to choose a favorite archetype than a favorite character. In the end, it's a toss-up between the Wizard (wise magic-user) and the Knight/Paladin (holy warrior): the power of knowledge and the power of faith. Not surprising, I suppose, considering my current academic pursuits (philosophy and theology).