Favorite Non-Brandon Characters

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

Basically, just list favorite characters from non-Brandon works (along with an explanation for why like them if you feel like it). I'll start:

-A Song of Ice and Fire: Stannis. He is incredibly complex. Obsessed with justice, tricked into believing that he is the Chosen One, very conflicted, determined and unappreciated. 

In the TV-show, its Bronn, who I find is an improvement over the books.

-Lord of the Rings: Legolas. Because badass (and yes, I prefer the movies in this case).

-Hunger Games: Finnick, in both books and movies.

-The Name of the Wind: Only read the first one, and Devi was by far the most enjoyable character.

-Wheel of Time: I am only on Fires of Heaven, but so far my favorites are Lan and Mat. Lan for being a total badass, and Mat for being Mat.

Now its your turn!

 

Edited August 10, 2017 by Toaster Retribution

[Taliax none (name only)]

Is this limited to book characters or does it include movies/video games/etc.?

For books I'd have to say Deryn from the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield. She just had a fun personality that was really enjoyable to read, and I loved her conflicts with having to masquerade as a boy is the air force, like an awesome steampunk Mulan.

I can't decide on my favorite WoT character, right now, and everyone else who would definitely be on my list is a Brandon character, so...

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

2 hours ago, Taliax said:

Is this limited to book characters or does it include movies/video games/etc.?

 

Everything goes.

[King Cole he/him]

Its always Mat

also goku

Edited August 10, 2017 by King Cole

[Taliax none (name only)]

2 hours ago, Toaster Retribution said:

 

Everything goes.

In this case, I have to add Roxas and Vanitas from Kingdom Hearts. Roxas's story was what got me into the games, I played 358/2 Days before anything else. He's just a really warmest character trying to understand life and survive who's tired of taking crap from people.(and he's an adorable kid at the same time.)

Vanitas I probably enjoy more in the fandom than in canon, but his powers of creating monsters out of his emotions has a lot of awesome potential. His snarky lines make him a really fun villain too.

[Draginon he/him]

Here's my favorite characters:

Carmen Sandiego: Her cheek and humor at making her thefts into a game make her pretty awesome.

Ami Mizuno (Sailor Moon): She's smart, resourceful and does not give up on her friends.

Yuna (Final Fantasy X): A sweet girl who cares for others but when faced with the truth keeps her determination going to accomplish her goals.

Aqua (Kingdom Hearts): She is someone who wasn't supposed to be a hero and she ended up doing the most damage to Xehanorts schemes. Her determination to protect her friends is something I love about her but is flawed when it comes to the darkness.

Nynaeve (Wheel of Time): Out of all the characters in this series Nyn has to be my favorite with her fierce, but kind, approach to doing things, willing to go around the rules of what is possible and the moment she gets over her block is pure awesome!

The Doctor: They are a multitude of people who can save the day no matter what and can dissolve conflicts to try bringing peace between two races.

Anna and Elsa: I can really identify with these sisters through their loneliness. Sometimes I feel like Elsa by wanting to be away from others but then I'll feel like Anna and want to be with people.

You can see my favorite characters tend to be women despite me being a guy. It's hard for me to pick favorite guys since they all tend to be cut from the same cloth.

[Araris Valerian he/him]

Fitz, in Robin Hobb's books, beginning with the Assassin's trilogy. He just seems like a very real character to me, with a lot of really well developed relationships through the 9 books he is in.

Araris from Codex Alera is pretty cool. He isn't given that much screen time, but he does have an interesting backstory and character development. He's really friendly and a master duelist.

Gandalf and Samwise from LoTR. Gandalf's magic is cool, but I like how he relates with all the hobbits, and the advice he gives while questing. Sam is just an awesome friend.

Logen Ninefingers from the First Law Trilogy, mostly in book 2. I like the effort he goes into bringing his group together despite them disliking him.

[Taliax none (name only)]

2 hours ago, Draginon said:

 

Aqua (Kingdom Hearts): She is someone who wasn't supposed to be a hero and she ended up doing the most damage to Xehanorts schemes. Her determination to protect her friends is something I love about her but is flawed when it comes to the darkness.

Nynaeve (Wheel of Time): Out of all the characters in this series Nyn has to be my favorite with her fierce, but kind, approach to doing things, willing to go around the rules of what is possible and the moment she gets over her block is pure awesome!

I almost put these two as well, with WoT there are so many awesome people it's hard to pick, and Aqua is up there in my favorite KH characters (definitely my favorite female character).  My current project for before school starts back is to finish a fanfic I've been working on with Aqua and Vanitas trapped in the Realm of Darkness together, and through writing that I've come to love Aqua a lot more.

[uglyllama]

Wot: Perrin, he's usually the most level-headed

LotR: Gandalf, because he's Gandalf

Star Wars: Thrawn--I read the new book recently, and it makes him more personable and very much likeable

and Link (from the Zelda games) because he's awesome.

[Leiasqz she/her]

Recluce: Lorn (with Saryn and Cerryl as runnerups)

Gentleman Bastards: Jean

Transformers: Bumblebee

Expanse: Amos

GoT: Tyrion

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

Im going to add some more:

-Star Wars: Kylo Ren. I love how he hides himself behind his mask and cape, how he really is just a weak young man who wants to be Darth Vader. 

-MCU: Rocket Raccoon. I love raccoons and I love how he hides all his emotions behind anger and being mean. Plus, he is funny. Yondu is brilliant too.

-Harry Potter: Fred Weasley. Funny. 

[Sunbird she/her]

Some of my favorite characters from non-Sanderson stories include Luna Lovegood, Spider-Man, BB-8, Aragorn, Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles, Han Alister from the Seven Realms book series, Simon from Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters books, and Goethe "Got" Luck from the book Got Luck by Michael Darling.

[Briar King]

Malazan:Beak

WoT:Mat 

[Draginon he/him]

22 hours ago, Taliax said:

I almost put these two as well, with WoT there are so many awesome people it's hard to pick, and Aqua is up there in my favorite KH characters (definitely my favorite female character).  My current project for before school starts back is to finish a fanfic I've been working on with Aqua and Vanitas trapped in the Realm of Darkness together, and through writing that I've come to love Aqua a lot more.

I agree. There are so many awesome characters from Nyn to Moiraine to Lan it's hard to pick so I went with the one I loved the most.

Aqua was definitely my favorite in terms of story, the battle system wasn't my favorite so it made her seem weaker than even Ven. I hope she feels stronger in 0.2.

[rmmateus he/him]

Wheel of Time: Nynaeve, Siuan, Moiraine, Rand, Lan

Lord of the Rings: Theoden, Eomer, Eowyn, Galadriel

Earthsea: Tenar, Ged

A Song of Ice and Fire: Ned, Catelyn, Daenerys, Arya

[ryshadium90]

On 8/10/2017 at 9:08 PM, Draginon said:

Ami Mizuno (Sailor Moon): She's smart, resourceful and does not give up on her friends.

I love that show! I was named after it! Though I'd have to say I really like Sailor Jupiter because she is one tough cookie but is also a great homemaker. 

Inheritance Cycle: Angela-because she has the greatest comebacks and entrances and such a mysterious personality. She ticks off werecats, is respected by the elves, shares stories with Urgals, and knits.

Tsubasa Resevoir Chronicles: I don't know, but I really liked the Sakura and Syaoran pairing here. Their relationship may seem pretty generic to each other, but I've always liked stories about loyalty.

Mulan: enough said

Muirwood: Lia-because her moral strength/integrity is amazing. And the way she carries herself and acts around other people is so intriguing, as well as the development of her story.

[Draginon he/him]

1 hour ago, ryshadium90 said:

I love that show! I was named after it! Though I'd have to say I really like Sailor Jupiter because she is one tough cookie but is also a great homemaker. 

Inheritance Cycle: Angela-because she has the greatest comebacks and entrances and such a mysterious personality. She ticks off werecats, is respected by the elves, shares stories with Urgals, and knits.

Mulan: enough said

So your name is Usagi? I like Jupiter as well since she's tough but sweet. Heck I love all the Inner Senshi!

Angela is one awesome character since she's just weird and unpredictable.

Mulan, definitely one of the most awesome characters from a fairy tale. I actually have read the original poem years ago and it makes you wonder how no one ever figured out the truth.

[Ammanas]

Oh too many to count, but I will give you a couple:

1. John Blackthorne from Shogun (one of my favorite novels). This man is thrust into a world so foreign it might as well be another planet. He is able to has to use so many different methods in order to survive and eventually thrive. He is also not afraid to confront hard truths about himself (and his background) and change for the better

2. Pierre Bezukovhov from War and Peace- He is always searching for meaning and happiness in this book and goes through quite the metamorphosis. At the end he finds it what he is searching for...I think everyone can relate to him.

Edited August 13, 2017 by Ammanas

[ryshadium90]

17 hours ago, Draginon said:

So your name is Usagi? I like Jupiter as well since she's tough but sweet. Heck I love all the Inner Senshi!

Angela is one awesome character since she's just weird and unpredictable.

Mulan, definitely one of the most awesome characters from a fairy tale. I actually have read the original poem years ago and it makes you wonder how no one ever figured out the truth.

Heh, I wish. My name is Sailor, because my mom wanted a named that started with "s". Which is weird because Sailor isn't even their name, but just a title that goes with the name. Go figure.

[Draginon he/him]

48 minutes ago, ryshadium90 said:

Heh, I wish. My name is Sailor, because my mom wanted a named that started with "s". Which is weird because Sailor isn't even their name, but just a title that goes with the name. Go figure.

People getting confused by names that aren't names is something that happens, like people call Princess Aurora Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel Tangled.

Also if your mom really paid attention she could've named you Serena!

[Iarwainiel I she/her]

What a great thread! Have an up-vote, OP! :-)

Here are mine:

• Eowyn from tLotR
• Mad Ben Styke from Sins of Empire (McClellan's new Gods of Guns and Powder series)
• Europa Duchess-in-waiting of Naimes from the Monster Blood Tattoo series
• Chet the dog from the Chet and Bernie mysteries
• Arthur Bryant from the Bryant and May mysteries
• Lobo (sentient spaceship) from the Jon and Lobo series by Mark van Name
• Elwin Ransom and the Green Lady from Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
• Llew and Tegid from the Song of Albion cycle by Steven Lawhead

[Elenion he/him]

Lord of the Rings: Aragorn. All that is gold does not glitter.

Kingdom Hearts: Axel. He might not have the right idea all of the time, but he's possibly the most loyal friend in all of KH2. He just ends up on the wrong side of things for most of it.

Star Wars: Han Solo. He's not your typical hero, but that's the point. #HanShotFirst

Harry Potter: Mad-Eye Moody (the real one). He's skilled, grumpy, and just slightly mad. Plus "constant vigilance" totally could be my motto.

 

On 8/10/2017 at 5:47 PM, Taliax said:

In this case, I have to add Roxas and Vanitas from Kingdom Hearts. Roxas's story was what got me into the games, I played 358/2 Days before anything else. He's just a really warmest character trying to understand life and survive who's tired of taking crap from people.(and he's an adorable kid at the same time.)

Vanitas I probably enjoy more in the fandom than in canon, but his powers of creating monsters out of his emotions has a lot of awesome potential. His snarky lines make him a really fun villain too.

Roxas is better than Sora in personality, IMO, but the backhand keyblade wielding drives me crazy.

[Taliax none (name only)]

 

10 hours ago, Elenion said:

 

Roxas is better than Sora in personality, IMO, but the backhand keyblade wielding drives me crazy.

Ventus is the one who wields backhand, though he and Roxas look exactly the same, I do like Roxas a lot better. Roxas/Axel/Xion friendship is probably my favorite group in the series, though again, I'm biased because I love Days.

When it comes to characters in general, I've noticed I tend to like characters together where I don't care about them as much individually. For example, while I like the Avengers because of fun banter and stuff, there aren't any of them that I care for too much personally.

[The Sovereign]

@King Cole, always.

A few others:
Maes Hughes
Arya Stark
Kvothe
Severus Snape
Min Farshaw

Edited August 14, 2017 by The Sovereign
added a few more.

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

Need to drop a mention for Beric Dondarrion in the show version of Game of Thrones too. Dude´s a badass over there. He reminds me a bit of a Jedi Knight, with his flaming sword.

Oh, and for Inheritance, it´s Murtagh.

Edited August 14, 2017 by Toaster Retribution