Sir Evan's Top 10 Heroes of Movies and Television: Part II

Five More to Go... Thanks for Your Patience

(Remember, in no particular order...)

6) Frodo Baggins

This is a difficult one, simply because his portly companion, Samwise, is quite the hero himself, as is their bearded, pointed-hat adviser, Gandalf the White. But when it comes down to it, Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit from the imagination of writer, J.R.R. Tolkien, later translated to the screen by Peter Jackson, is the ultimate hero of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Frodo, an unassuming simpleton with very few ties to the bigger world, takes it upon himself to deliver the One Ring to its fiery end in the pit of Mount Doom. No one forces him to shoulder this responsibility; he does it out of moral conscience. Over the course of his epic journey, Frodo (Elijah Wood) faces one life-threatening obstacle after another, and - by the story's end - he has given up practically everything but his very life, what little semblance of it remains... Frodo reminds us that heroism knows no greater definition than personal sacrifice.


7) Sir William Wallace

Speaking of personal sacrifice. How about giving your life? Sir William Wallace, portrayed by Mel Gibson in the film, Braveheart, is the ultimate "medieval hero," who leads his fellow Scotsmen in a rebellion against the tyrannical English during the Wars of Scottish Independence. A man who gives everything he has for the freedom of his country, Wallace is both a hero on screen as well as in reality. Whether wooing fair damsels or waging bloody combat on the battlefield, Wallace shows true passion, and he takes it with him to the film's tragic, yet heroic finale. You may not agree with all of my choices for best heroes, but you will never take "OUR FREEDOM!!!"


8) Luke Skywalker

As far as epic conflicts between good and evil go, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is my favorite good guy. Anxious for adventure, Luke is a young man at the start of his space odyssey. From the Star Wars saga's inception to its climactic conclusion, audiences witness young Luke emerge from his identity as a lonely farm boy to a brave and skillful hero of the Rebel Alliance. Unwavering in his quest to face the dark and mysterious Darth Vader, he embarks down the path of the Jedi Knight, learns to use the force, and confronts the Dark Lord of the Sith in a grueling lightsaber duel. Twice! And let's not forget he sort of saves the galaxy from the Dark Side and brings hope to humanity. Not bad for a whiny kid who just wanted to "go to the Toshi Station to pick up some power converters!"


9) John McClane

"Another basement, another elevator. How can the same sh** happen to the same guy twice?!" He's one of those guys who always happens to end up in the wrong place at the right time. The average cop with the mean streak and the independent fervor to kick some real a$$! With 4 movies under his belt (Die Hard, Die Harder, Die Hard with a Vengeance, & Live Free or Die Hard) and a potential fifth, Bruce Willis has proven that his hero, John McClane, is a good guy to have in a fight. A sort of cowboy or a loose cannon, he has a hard time restraining his aggressive impulses, but in the kinds of situations he often finds himself in (hijacked airport in a blizzard, hostage situation in a high-rise office building, etc.), these characteristics actually come in handy. And don't mess with his wife or kids; he's a family man.


10) Harry Potter

The ultimate kid hero, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) of J.K. Rowling's famous novels, has faced the evil and nearly immortal, Voldemort, on numerous occasions, and lived to fight another day. And he isn't done yet. Six films down, two to go. The 7th installment in the series will be split into two, for sheer magnitude of content. Sounds good to me! Over the course of the Harry Potter books and films, readers and audiences have seen the boy wizard develop in maturity and skill. He shows courage in the face of great adversity and bears a load far greater than most teenagers... It isn't every day a 14 year old must face a fire breathing dragon, combat traitorous wizards, and duel the cruelest sorcerer in the world. He wields a wand and sports a nifty lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Let's face it. Scars are cool. And there is this prophesy that says he's "the chosen one" who must defeat the evil lord... Talk about responsibility...


Welp, that's it for now, folks. Sir Evan's top 10 heroes of movies and television. There are obviously many others, but I had to narrow it down to my personal favorites. Feel free to agree or disagree! Let me know what you think! And thanks for reading!