Top 20 Most Heroic Characters of All Time

protagonists are a dime a dozen but these are the ones that truly inspire welcome to watch mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 most heroic characters of all time for this list we'll be looking at heroes from across all forms of popular media including film television video games comic books and more we're not necessarily ranking characters by popularity but rather to what degree they embody the definition of heroism in its many forms that being said the cultural impact of these heroes is obviously a factor ripley i don't want to hear about it bishop she's alive there's still time number 20 goku the dragon ball franchise i'll never have the chance to prove my strength against you the worlds of anime and manga have given us numerous remarkable heroes over the years but few have made a more lasting impression than this saiyan with a heart of gold goku or kakarot as his fellow saiyans call him was sent to planet earth as a baby as a saiyan baby i was sent to earth to destroy it and though all my life i've tried to do the opposite it's kind of like i've been fulfilling that mission all along unlike a certain superhero with a similar origin story however goku was meant to eradicate humanity in the ultimate argument for nurture over nature this violent and destructive child was shaped into the kind excitable and optimistic hero we know and love today goku has saved earth alien planets and entire realities when will you ever learn frieza he's a warrior without equal but what makes him a standout hero is his selflessness and his incredible capacity for forgiveness he sees the good in everyone number nine monkey d luffy the one piece franchise don't let his humble appearance or silly name fool you straw hat luffy is one of the greatest heroes to ever grace the pages of manga or be brought to life in an anime series the protagonist of one piece luffy leads the straw hat pirates as their captain and dreams of becoming the next king of the pirates we know what you're thinking since when are pirates heroes but luffy is cut from a different cloth we have to find a doctor to help everyone just calm down light-hearted and cheerful monkey uses his influence and power to help and defend the island people he meets along his journey i don't understand why you gave up cold man it doesn't have anything to do with it if you want to be a pirate you should just do it fearless hard-working loyal and incredibly likable luffy might dismiss the concept of heroism but he embodies it nonetheless number 18 frodo baggins the lord of the rings franchise i will take it [Music] i will take the ring to mordor j.r.r tolkien's epic high fantasy world is packed to the brim with heroes of all shapes and sizes next to the other characters who make up the fellowship the hobbits seem clearly ill-suited to the task there's so many of them we'll never get through insane as frodo baggins proves however heroes aren't defined by their skill with a bow ax or sword but rather the strength of their conviction the ring bearer might be small but he's got courage a big heart and the mortal fortitude to do what's right even when it seems impossible the one ring is an object of incomprehensible power the sort of power that invariably corrupts those who would seek to wield it but not frodo you shouldn't make fun i was being serious so was i of course he couldn't have done it without the heroic support of sam and gandalf [Music] number 17 james bond the double 07 franchise bond james bond you don't need to be perfect to be a hero in fact hubris which has been a major part of the hero's journey dating back to ancient greece is defined as excessive pride or dangerous self-confidence two descriptors that perfectly fit the illustrious james bond where the hell have you been enjoying death w7 reporting for duty a cocky and uncompromising womanizer agent 007 is a man with many flaws but also just as many if not more qualities that make him an iconic hero he's solitary and avoids forming attachments because they invariably inhibit his ability to do his job it's up to you mr pond is your bond i'm sorry what was the bet hundred thousand he sacrifices a personal life in the name of saving the world courageous brilliant cunning cool under fire or torture he never hesitates to risk a life and limb for the greater good what could be more heroic than that should we have the blind why not number 16 robin hood various an iconic english folk hero robin hood requires no introduction give to he's been adapted into works of literature film television video games and more what makes robin hood so remarkable however is that he's achieved unquestionable hero status despite him being an outlaw you know something robin you're taking too many chances john says you must be joking as the story always goes he steals from the rich to give to the poor this makes him a criminal but a criminal that from a young age kids are taught to look up to and respect sure he's often depicted as cocky headstrong and reckless the sort of man who revels in his outlaw status but he's fundamentally guided by a sense of right and wrong he teaches us that unjust laws and corrupt authority figures should be challenged might i have the pleasure of your name before i have you run through robin of loxley number 15. saitama the one punch man franchise the hero guess i'll go before we talk about the titular hero of this popular web comic anime and manga we want to give some love to moomin rider a c-class superhero satoru has no special abilities but that never stops him from throwing himself into danger when duty calls that's the sort of heroism you can't help but admire the cycle is for justice man ryder is here that being said saitama is the star of one punch man and he earns his leading man status both with his strength and his distinct brand of heroism you on the other hand will only get injured more all while your stamina gradually decreases shut up blah blah blah you born me out of my mind because of his colossal power saitama gets no real joy or thrill from his superheroics despite all of this he remains extremely humble often letting his fellow capes take the credit as heroes go he is totally unique number 14 barry allen also known as the flash various that's why i'm honored to present the key to the man who saved central city the flash since the character was first introduced in 1940 a number of people have donned the mantle of the flash in fact barry allen wasn't even the first that honor goes to jay garrick but while each version of the flash has brought something special to the role barry allen best embodies the traditional values of heroism self-sacrificing light-hearted compassionate kind and considerate he's a real old-school hero when lightning struck barry allen in his lab at the central city police department he gained superhuman speed and reflexes ever since then he's used these powers to defend central city and the world it's really cool you guys seem ready to do battle and stuff but full transparency i've never done battle i've just pushed some people and run away most notably during the comic book event crisis on infinite earths he seemingly sacrificed himself to stop the anti-monitor you can do this now run barry run number 13 the doctor doctor who you can't be serious that's very serious the titular character at the center of this long-running series is a complicated creature then again what else would you expect from a millennia old extraterrestrial time lord who has lived multiple lives via regeneration i know i need i need i need i need fish fingers and custard yeah the doctor can often feel out of touch prone to taking a big picture perspective and yet at the same time also being known to be quite selfish but every hero has their flaws and in the grand scheme of things the good that the doctor has done far outweighs the bad while this quirky character has saved the day more times than we can count arguably the most heroic thing is that the doctor has given geeks everywhere a hero to call their own and if they ask you who i am tell them i came the long way round number 12 mulan the mulan franchise [Music] disney has given us countless unforgettable heroes to look up to over the years pulling from the folklore and legends of cultures around the world as well as creating original characters but when looking at the various examples from the disney library even against steep competition mulan stands out as the single most inspiring hero to date mulan's story takes place during the han dynasty when china is threatened by invasion mulan not only wants to defend her country but also spare her aging father from going to battle where he will surely perish everything she does is selfless mulan is also empowering proving herself to be an intelligent courageous and capable hero flying in the face of the gendered assumptions of the time [Music] link the legend of zelda franchise i think you are now ready ready to hear what happened 100 years ago as far as video game characters go it doesn't get much more heroic than this link has starred in well over a dozen games and that's not counting spin-offs and remakes and though he's a boy slash young man of few words his actions speak for themselves no matter what timeline he appears in and regardless of his age link is invariably tasked with facing seemingly insurmountable evil no one he loves has been kidnapped he's not looking to avenge a fallen friend or family member he embarks on the journey and faces certain deaths simply because it's the right thing to do oh and on top of everything else he always helps people out along the way that's heroism plain you and save her my daughter [Music] number 10 harry potter the harry potter franchise there are few literary figures that have made a more significant impact on the lives of readers than the boy who lived harry potter is the only person to have survived a killing curse from the wand of lord voldemort as such it might sound odd to call him average but in many ways he is you're a wizard harry he doesn't excel in most school subjects he's not a brilliant intellect nor is he especially gifted at magic and yet throughout his teens harry repeatedly faces and overcomes odds well beyond his years mr potter has no choice he is as of tonight a tri-wizard's champion he's always outmatched but his bravery leads him to do great things stand up in the face of injustices big and small save the lives of his friends and peers and eventually defeat the dark lord come on tom let's finish this the way we started together number nine aang avatar the last airbender franchise please come closer what is it well you go penguin selling with me uh sure when fate called on this young man to restore peace to his divided world he ultimately embraced the challenge and went on to become a legend symbol and hero part of what makes aang's story so inspirational however is that he initially fled from this responsibility i never saw gyatso again only after being frozen in ice for 100 years does he finally begin to fulfill his destiny all throughout his journey it's clear that aang is a reluctant hero he is after all just a kid naturally fun loving kind and free-spirited he wants to enjoy life for all his lightheartedness however he carries guilt about his past and when the moment comes he proves himself to be the hero that the world needs come on out little boy you're about to begin number eight wonder woman various until the release of her blockbuster live-action film in 2017 wonder woman's pop culture prominence had fallen on hard times to be clear comic book lovers and tv fans always held the character in the highest regard but despite being a household name with the masses she felt far more dated than her fellow members of the dc trinity she with you i thought she was with you thanks to gal gadot's performance and the direction of patty jenkins however wonder woman once again gets the widespread attention and respect she's always deserved the amazonian warrior princess is a master combatant with awe-inspiring power please don't make me do this [Music] she's also a natural no-nonsense sort of leader who even when navigating impossibly complex situations never loses her capacity for compassion wonder woman is truly a one-of-a-kind superhero number seven ironman various truth is i am iron man we're going to be honest with you if we were sticking to the comics iron man likely wouldn't have made the list tony stark has always been characterized as brilliant and charismatic across all media but when robert downey jr brought him to life in the mcu he gave the hero something he's often lacked a heart with their comparable recent successes we were tempted to include thor or black panther here but tony stark's 11-year mcu arc makes for one of the most heroic journeys ever committed to film sure he's cocky and he makes mistakes but he never fails to learn from them and when the world's in need of a hero he's willing to put everything on the line to save the day and i am iron man number six mario the mario franchise [Music] there's no video game character more recognizable or influential than this high jumping plumber now in keeping with our criteria his popularity by no means entitles him to the top spot in terms of video game heroes that's something he earns by never failing to step up when duty calls his quest to foil the machinations of the evil bowser have carried him through countless strange environments including outer space and other dimensions but no matter how dangerous the obstacles become he boldly charges forward wahooing the whole time what makes mario such a standout hero is not only the variety of adventures that he's had but the fact that jumping ability upgrades and gadgets aside he's just an unassuming plumber rising to the occasion number five obi-wan kenobi the star wars franchise obi-wan kenobi [Music] obi-wan now that's a name i've not heard in a long time luke skywalker is and will always be the central hero of the star wars franchise his evolution from naive young farm boy to legendary jedi master is a perfect example of the hero's journey complete with some darkness along the way what is it your father's lightsaber this is the weapon of a jedi knight not as clumsy or random as a blast an elegant weapon but a more civilized age but when looking at the franchise as a whole and ranking the various characters in terms of their heroism we have to give the title to obi-wan kenobi he strikes a perfect balance of good intentions honor and the willingness to act when faced with evil even when he was pushed to the brink when serving as a general in the clone wars he was never tempted by the dark side and in the end he willingly gave his life to secure the future of the galaxy if you define yourself by your power to take life a desire to dominate to possess that you have nothing number four spider-man various remember with great power comes great responsibility we know you've heard it a thousand times before but with great power comes great responsibility the fact that this variation on a line from the comics has come to be known as the peter parker principle is a testament to just how influential of a hero spider-man really is with great power don't dare finish that sentence don't do it when peter first got his abilities he wasn't about social responsibility after losing his uncle ben however peter became the hero we know love and look up to today it's worth remembering that for much of his early career spider-man was just a high school kid risking his life fighting super power to criminals many of them killers just a kid and older than my son but no matter how many beatings he's taken or hardships he's faced over the years he always puts the mask back on if you're nothing without [Music] if you're looking for a yardstick by which to measure yourself you couldn't ask for better than captain america how do we do this as a team yes he's a patriotic symbol of the united states and with the various superhuman augmentations given to him as a result of the super soldier serum it's easy for him to play the hero but what makes steve rogers so remarkable is how he chooses to use that power he never loses control he never wields his strength or influence for personal gain [Music] avengers assemble captain america might be old-fashioned but he genuinely lives by the values that he preaches even when no one's watching best of all he was every bit as noble and brave even when he wasn't super enhanced i can do this all day number two batman various what the hell are you i'm batman the caped crusader the dark knight the world's greatest detective call him whatever you want so long as you recognize that as far as non-powered heroes go he's the best there is sure he has trouble trusting others he keeps secrets and his methods can be just a bit brutal at times but at the end of the day everything that he does is for the greater good talon's right about one thing the choice you make tonight will define you for the rest of your life all heroes have to make sacrifices in the name of justice but few commit themselves so entirely to the cause batman doesn't have any superpowers he's just a mortal man albeit with a huge bank account and brilliant mind pushing himself to the limit and though he can be terrifying he's a fierce defender of the innocent who refuses to leave a victim behind [Music] before we unveil our most honorable number one pick let's take a look at some equally honorable mentions optimus prime the transformers franchise my name is optimus prime we are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet cybertron but you can call us autobots for short autobots all night my hero academia franchise that's my duty as the symbol of peace have no fear students because i am here buffy summers buffy the vampire slayer [Music] tarzan various [Music] jon snow game of thrones go on father's watching before we continue be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos you'll have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them if you're on your phone make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications number one stan lee now don't you move my hands aren't as steady as they used to be he's the godfather of the modern superhero comic and for the role he played in giving us so many relatable heroes we wanted to give him a special place on this list now on to our real top entry number 1 superman various [Music] a hero wholly committed to truth and justice superman is morality personified looked up to by countless people both within the dc universe and the real world he's a beacon of hope there's arguably no better fictional role model out there and to think he's not even human born on the dying planet krypton superman was sent to earth as an infant by his parents where he received a small town upbringing in kansas yes his near invulnerability and colossal powers means that his life is rarely on the line but his super heroics nonetheless often come with great personal expense psychologically emotionally and in terms of his personal relationships superman reminds us that you can and should always do the right thing even when it hurts i believe in truth but i'm also a big fan of justice do you agree with our picks check out this other recent clip from watchmojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos

Channel: WatchMojo.com

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Keywords: most heroic characters of all time, most heroic characters, heroic characters, heroic characters in film, heroic characters tv, heroic characters video games, heroic characters comics, heroic characters literature, movie heroes, tv heroes, literature heroes, video game heroes, best heroes of all time, superman, batman, captain america, spider-man, iron man, tony stark, mcu, marvel, harry potter, Film, Movies, Action, watchmojo, watch mojo, top 10, list, mojo

Id: HNVTpnsktZ0

Length: 24min 14sec (1454 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 11 2020