Hail to The King #1: Supergod

Champions #2: Team-Up

Champions #1: Ragtag

Diner: The Times They Aren't A Changing

So, I wrote an extended scene from the film Diner for a class, and figured, "Hey, why not post it somewhere?' So here you go, true believers!

Why We As An Industry Need "The Boys"

Let's stop and think for a sec, folks. When was the last time we saw a deconstruction of a superhero film in which the superheroes were actually torn to pieces with anything other than a shrug and a knowing wink to the audience? If you said Deadpool, you're wrong, because it embraces the cliches it spends most of it's time mocking, which was the same deal with Kick-Ass, which actually has the message of "Regular people can't be superheroes...unless they know what they're doing." 

Given how oversaturated this genre as a whole is threatening to become, I think it's time we get a superhero property that actually hates superheroes. Ladies and gentleman, that's why we need The Boys. For those of you unaware of The Boys, it's a comic series written by Garth Ennis, who famously hates all but a handful of superheroes, detailing the story of a CIA black-ops unit tasked with keeping unruly at best and monstrous at worst superheroes in line. It's darkly comedic, disturbing, and an incredibly good read if you're willing to go all the way through. 

The reason I think we should all be excited for the Boys is because we have yet to get a superhero movie that really portrays superheroes saving the day as the wrong thing. In Man of Steel, Clark chooses to have a brawl with Zod in a highly populated city center, and the sequel chooses to ignore this plotline and focus on  Superman being framed for a shooting in an African village or something. In Civil War, we're supposed to see the Sokovia Accords as a potentially good idea, but it completely ignores the fact that a) a dozen people died while the Avengers regularly saved millions of lives, but that's somehow important to government that are willing to bomb villages full of innocents if it means killing terrorists, b) the actual bill would turn the Avengers into a UN-sanctioned military squad, and c) the incident that led to the bill being signed led to a dozen deaths, when hundreds could have died, alongside the only person capable of leading the Avengers. 

In superhero movies focused on deconstructing heroism, they ultimately come to the conclusion that the heroes are always doing the right thing. The Boys never comes to that conclusion, and the heroes in the story are portrayed as destructive and idiotic, regularly doing more harm than good. How good would it be to see a superhero knock over a building full of innocents, then actually get called out on it, and be wrong? Hell, that's how the series opens. 

The idea of superheroes being totally useless to the greater good is an incredibly fascinating idea that will never really be explored by Marvel or DC (and nor should they), so why not let a third party (in this case, Garth Ennis and Seth Rogen) tell the story I (and you) want to see? 

Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments below.

Rating the Superhero Show Finales from Worst to Best

So, superhero TV season has come to a close, and it's time for me to give my two cents on all those finales. Which were fun, which were failures? Read and find out! (Also, if you're expecting my two cents on Gotham, Agents of Shield, and Agent Carter, prepare to be disappointed, because I'm super behind on those.) ALSO, SPOILERS.

5. The Flash

After a season of clunky pacing and false starts, Flash looked ready to redeem itself with an exciting, fast-paced finale that raised tantalizing questions about the Multiverse and dispatched big bad Zoom in a fitting fashion...only to lurch awkwardly into a needlessly depressing last 5 minutes in which a mopey Barry severs all ties and destroys the timeline as we know it, raising more problems than it solves. (So, I guess Wally wasn't a speedster after, or Jesse for that matter.) 

Numerical Score: 4/10

Reaction Score: This

4. Jessica Jones 

Although the show lost a lot of steam after it's first 10 episodes, Jessica Jones more than made up for it with an intense conclusion that focused entirely on the series's strongest aspects. Not only did it perfectly set-up the Defenders, a Luke Cage spin-off, and the show's next season, it also finally brought an end to Jessica's arc with Kilgrave, though killing off the show's best character could pose some issues in the future. 

Numerical Score: 7/10 

Reaction Score: *satisfied nod*

3. Daredevil

Daredevil took on the seemingly impossible task of introducing not only the Punisher, but also Elektra and the Hand this season, but rather than stumble and drop the ball (or balls), it brought them together in a well-done fashion. Despite the disturbing lack of miniguns, the Punisher and Matt team-up against the Hand is a satisfying scene, as is Matt Murdock's crusade finally blowing up in his face and costing him damn near everything. It's not a Daredevil story without a bittersweet ending, and the show delivered, though the lack of real closure to the major plotline is odd...to say the least. 

Numerical Score: 8/10 

Reaction Score: "Now I have to wait a year. Goddamnit."

2. Arrow

There are times when TV manages to transcend it's lower budget and deliver a truly cinematic experience. Becoming a tightly-knit action thriller in it's final episode will certainly be that moment for Arrow, as it brought the meltdown of Damien Dahrk to a brutal conclusion that still found time to reflect on how this war has affected the people fighting it, including Oliver taking steps to becoming the Green Arrow we know and love with a phenomenal and awe-inspiring speech delivered masterfully by Stephen Amell. Of course, including an epic street brawl helps. My only issue with this finale was that it feels too much like a finale, wrapping characters up in a nice bow even though there's going to be a season 5, and that the Flash finale has probably rendered it pointless, so thanks for that, idiots.

Numerical Score: 9/10 

Reaction Score: *Applause*

1. Legends of Tomorrow

After a rocky start, Legends ended on an incredible high-note that singlehandedly removed the show's weakest aspects in an organic fashion and had one of the most cathartic beatdowns in TV history. After a season of watching him slip through their fingers, the Legends killing three Savages is immensely cathartic, and leads to the removal of the Hawks, the show's worst characters. It could've ended there and I would've been satisfying, but the Berlanti crew throw in a JSA cliffhanger, leaving my jaw scraping the floor and eagerly awaiting next season. 

Numerical Score: 10/10

Reaction Score: "OHHHHHHHHHH!"

A Troubling Confession

I have something to say, you guys, and you're probably not gonna like it. But hey, this is a place where people can speak their minds, dammit, and I'm gonna speak my mind. Here goes...I think this season of Arrow is way better than this season of Flash. WHAT? Blasphemy! Get your torches and burn me in the street and all that, but you'll realize I'm right. And then you'll (probably) regret killing me. 

This season of Flash has been a total mess structurally and pacing-wise. A fun, enjoyable mess that I really enjoy watching and discussing, certainly, but still way too messy for it's own good. For one thing, it's all over the place story-wise, and it really hasn't been until the Earth-2 arc that we got the sense the show's writers had figured out what they were doing. Up until then, it's been a lot of awkward wheel-spinning and story set-up. While the Zoom storyline is compelling, the show never seemed as interested in it as it should be, and we've just now unmasked Zoom with only 2-3 episodes left this season. What was another CW show with bad pacing that crippled the story? Oh right, Arrow last season, which enabled Flash to overtake it as the more beloved, both commercially and critically, show. 

Arrow, meanwhile, has stayed consistent and focused this season. Sure, there's been some rough patches (the continued usage of flashbacks struggles to stay relevant to the main plot) but think of how well Arrow is using it's singular focus on the Damien Dahrk to create great storytelling. The Constantine team-up that brings back Sara. Oliver's brutal beatdown of Merlyn. The Vixen team-up. The "redemption" of Andy that showcases the brotherhood and camaraderie of Team Arrow. Even when confronted with immortal lunatic Vandal Savage, the show still found a way to make Oliver's character arc work into an epic storyline organically, and it's all anchored by a strong villain and fascinating mythos. 

Damien Dahrk is everything Arrow's last 3 big bads haven't been. A charming, over-the-top mastermind who doesn't see himself as a hero, or a necessary evil, but just a businessman who really loves his job. Neal McDonough steals every scene he's in, and his power levels are consistent enough that it feels immensely satisfying and justified when Oliver manages to score a victory over him. On the other hand, Zoom was incredibly underused throughout much of Flash, and while it makes his limited appearances much scarier, it leads to us failing to really understand him as a character, especially since the show dragged it's feet into a reveal they should've done some time ago. (Fun fact: I predicted it several weeks before it happened, and was immediately told by everyone that there was no chance that would happen.) Anyway, Zoom's also more-or-less invincible, and while it worked last season because Reverse-Flash was compelling enough to sustain interest, repeating it just feels like Barry hasn't learned anything from the mistakes he's made last season. (Seriously, you go after Zoom with the boot and monologue long enough for him to escape. Everyone on this show is smarter than this.) 

Seriously, just do this again, but with a dozen more heroes.

I'm not saying Zoom's a bad villain, just like how I'm saying Flash isn't a bad show, but it's time the writers did what Arrow's did last season and learned from their mistakes. Focus the storytelling, plan out what you're gonna do, and DO NOT drag out plotlines. Also, stop going on unexplained hiatuses, as it also cripples the pacing of the show. You're doing good, but you could just do better. 

Of course, you could do A LOT worse. 

Daredevil Season 2, Episode 5: "Kinbaku" Review

Things are never easy for poor Matt Murdock. Anyone who's followed the character throughout the years are well-aware of Marvel's refusal to just let the poor guy be happy for a bit, or even get a chance to rest. True to form, Kinbaku continues this trend as Matt, just hours after bringing down Frank Castle, is approached by troublesome ex-girlfriend Elektra, who wishes to hire him to for a case. Naturally, Matt wants nothing to do with her, and she storms off, though it's clear that won't last or hold. 

Throughout the episode, we flash back to Matt and Elektra's whirlwind of a relationship during their respective college years. The scenes play up Elektra as a mischievous force in Matt's life, which clearly draws inspiration from how Frank Miller portrayed the character in the Man Without Fear series, and how she and Matt are clearly two broken people who try to complete each other. The difference being that Matt's issues (his need to do good, his conflicting views on how to do it) and Elektra's (her general sociopathic behavior) are far too different for them to ever really work as a couple, an idea represented well in two scenes, one where Matt refuses to kill his father's murderer at Elektra's urging, which ultimately brings an end to the relationship between the two, and the sex scene at Matt's old gym, which does a good job of showcasing the inevitable toxicity of the relationship. 

Of course, the flashbacks wouldn't work as well without a look into Matt's current situation with Karen, and while I'm still a little bit against the pairing, the dates between the two are somewhat sweet and a nice offset to the grimness of the rest of the season thus far. Karen isn't just Matt's date for this episode though, and she begins working with Ellison (Ulrich's boss from the first season) to uncover why the DA wants Punisher's past buried. I, personally, think it's odd that Castle's short and simple origin is given a conspiracy angle, but it's still too early to really complain about it. Even Foggy gets a little to do, as he discovers an anti-vigilante suit in the works for not only the Punisher, but Daredevil and Jessica Jones(!) as well. I'm glad to see Foggy doing some real investigating and lawyer work, as it helps make him more than just the comic relief/conflicted best buddy of the show.

The main plotline of this episode is still all about Matt and Elektra, and Matt finds Elektra (and her company) embroiled in a plot apparently involving the Yakuza. When he attempts to confront her about it at her penthouse, she simply reveals that there's something larger at play, and tells Matt to suit up as Yakuza prepare to storm her penthouse, ending the episode on yet another (and arguably unnecessary) cliffhanger. Even without the Punisher, Daredevil hasn't skipped a beat, and it'll be interesting to see if the show can expand so large in scale without falling to pieces. 

Score: 8/10 

Notes:
*I say arguably because I really believe that episode could've ended in Matt and Elektra fighting the Yakuza thugs and still ended organically. Of course, it will make for an interesting opening in the next episode. 

*How is Jessica Jones a vigilante? Her vendetta against Kilgrave is likely the most superheroing she'll really be doing unless she crosses over into the Marvel cinematic universe at large. I thought the cameo was a little bit forced, but it felt nice to have a crossover between the two shows, given how little effort Jessica Jones put into universe mingling. 

*Also, it's a real dick move of Elektra to steal Matt's suit. What if he had decided to go superheroing before going to see her? 

*Turns out I was right about Finn Cooley. Rad. 

*"Why is it gray?" "One of life's mysteries." 

*I kind of wish they had gone full Miller with Elektra and given her that nonsensical 80's hair. 

Daredevil Season 2, Episode 4 Review: "Penny and Dime"

This is a very bittersweet episode of Daredevil. On one hand, this is easily the best we've seen of the Punisher thus far, but on the other, it's kind of the last we see of him as an antagonist to Daredevil's storyline. (That I know about.) It certainly ends on a hell of a high note, with Finn, a new head of the Kitchen Irish mafia, stepping in to head a major assault and finish the Punisher off as once and for all. 

In the brief time we have with the character, Finn comes off as somewhat over-the-top and we never really get the chance to understand his motives enough to see him as anything other than cannon fodder for the Punisher. Even the brief scene where he appears to be mourning the loss of someone he cares about is undercut by him flying into a rage and tipping over the coffin of one of his men, ruining the attempts to find him sympathetic. (Him kidnapping Frank's dog and threatening to kill it doesn't help his case either.) 

But, I guess the point of Finn was really not to be a compelling foe, just someone we want to see hurt. And to that effect, it works, as it's fairly satisfying when a captured Frank breaks out of his chair and empties a shotgun into his face. Anyway, the rest of the episode was fairly great. What was I talking about before I went on that weird rant about Finn? 

Right, the rest of this episode. Finn rounds up men to capture Frank as he gazes upon the carousel where his family used to go when they were alive, and he naturally doesn't go down without a fight, leaving a trail of bodies for Daredevil to follow. Until then, we get a bit of interaction between Finn and Frank, where Jon Bernthal gets yet another chance to shine as he nonchalantly shrugs off Finn's torture and threats. You really get the sense that Frank doesn't care if he lives or dies, so long as he gets to take as much scum as he can with him. It's a chilling, somewhat cathartic scene when he gives up the location to the Kitchen Irish's money, only for it to be revealed to be a bomb. 

When Matt arrives, we get another excellent fight scene as Daredevil and the Punisher take out the mobsters, including several bits of dark comedy as Matt repeatedly thwarts Frank's attempts to kill people, much to his annoyance. "No killing." "Boyscout." After the brawl, Matt takes Castle to the gravesite where his family is buried, and in what might be my favorite scene of the series, Frank breaks down as he admits why "One batch, Two batch." is a personal anthem of his. It's a heartbreaking scene, acted to perfection by Bernthal, who manages to perfectly mix both woeful and angry. Even Matt cries, and when the speech is done, Frank just kind of...slumps, defeated, just in time for Officer Mahoney to arrive and attempt to arrest the duo, with Matt, hoping to end the cycle of vigilantism he seems himself as responsible for, urging him to take credit for arresting Frank. 

The episode ends on a hope spot, as a happy Matt celebrates with Foggy and Karen, and actually, finally, strikes up a relationship with Karen, only for an old flame (Elektra!) to show up, ending the episode on yet another strong cliffhanger. 

Overall Score: 9/10

Notes: 

*I swear, next episode I'm going to actually talk about Karen and Foggy in the main review. 

*Finn was likely a reference to Finn Cooley, one of the primary villains of Punisher MAX's Kitchen Irish arc. If so, it's a very different change, given that Finn a) had horrific facial wounds and b) was a die-hard member of the IRA. Making him a mobster was a smart move, if you ask me. 

*I really hope Punisher doesn't spend the rest of the season behind bars. It'd be a real waste, if you ask me. 

Daredevil Season 2, Episode 3 Review: "New York's Finest"

The fun of a Marvel team-up has always come from watching two characters with very different ideals and skills coming together against a common enemy. The best part of Punisher team-ups is watching characters who refuse to kill try to a) rein him in and b) ultimately fail because the Punisher never learns anything. While this episode was far from a team-up, it's still an interesting clash of Daredevil and Punisher's worldviews, as they're both men defined by tragedy, determined to get back at the criminal element that scarred them  through drastic measures. 

That's pretty much the major focus of "New York's Finest", and it's fantastic. Bernthal and Cox are both giving terrific performances here, and they're actually boosting off each other and making each other better. Some credit should obviously go to the writers as well, as the show does a great job of making both Matt and Frank's arguments credible, without making Matt come off as preachy or Frank come off as psychotic. 

This dialogue ultimately comes to a head when Frank reveals that he's captured Grotto, and in a recreation of a scene from Garth Ennis's "Welcome Back, Frank", tapes a gun to Matt's hand and forces him to either shoot Frank before he kills Grotto, or let Grotto die and allow that blood to be on his hands. In an interesting play on the comic, Matt manages to free himself, but can't stop Frank from shooting Grotto in the chest. Grotto's interesting because we've actually been given time to know this deeply flawed (he did kill that old woman) character, and it makes his death sting. Of course, that's nothing compared to what comes next, as it's revealed that Frank set up shop right next to a base for the Dogs of Hell motorcycle gang (I meant to mention Foggy's run-in with them in the first episode, but forgot because it didn't seem important at the time.) As Matt holds a dying Grotto, Frank blows up the gang's bikes before he can be subdued, forcing Matt to fight his way through an army of pissed-off bikers. 

The fight scene in question is a clear attempt at one-upping the hallway scene from Season 1, as Matt, armed with a chain and one duct tape wrapped hand, clears out three floors of bikers. Like the hallway fight, he doesn't come out unscathed, but he comes out on top. The scene is well-shot, though the usage of quick cuts near the end of it somewhat weakens it, as there were no cuts in the original hallway fight. Victorious, the adrenaline wears off as Matt realizes that Frank took the opportunity to escape. 

"New York's Finest" more than makes up for the wheel-spinning of last week, and leaves me greatly excited to see where the show goes next. 

Overall Score: 10/10

Notes: 

*I completely forgot to to mention Foggy and Karen's plotlines, in which Karen is mad at Foggy for not standing up to the DA, then uncovers evidence of a further conspiracy surrounding the Punisher, while Foggy visits Claire (the always great Rosario Dawson) to see if she's heard from Matt, then breaks up a fight between two injured thugs. Henson's really stepped up this season, and the speech he gives to the thugs is intense. 

*"I like to keep it thuggish." 

*We get another "Awww Frank's a good guy" scene this week, as Frank has a polite conversation with the Vietnam veteran who owns the building he's keeping Matt on. It's a brief scene, but really does a good job of further helping us understand Frank's worldview. "Hey, marine. Semper Fi."

*Having Matt break out of the chains was a nice twist on the original story, in which he simply goes with the Punisher's choice and tries to shoot him, only to discover that the firing pin has been taken out. Either way, he still couldn't save Grotto. 

Daredevil Season 2, Episode 2: "Dogs to a Gunfight" Review

After last week's episode, "Dogs" feels a bit like a set-up for bigger and better things. It's not that this episode wasn't good, it's just that it feels like wheel-spinning. Following Matt's defeat at the hands of Frank Castle, he's left reeling as the gunshot wound to his head briefly shuts down his ability to hear. Charlie Cox and the show do a great job of showing Matt's terror at the situation as he suddenly begins hearing tiny things much louder, then hears nothing at all. For most of the episode, he just kind of lounges about in his apartment, trying to lick his wounds, though he does pick up the interesting development from Melvin that Frank apparently shot him in the part of the helmet that wouldn't have broke, suggesting Castle doesn't want to kill him. 

Speaking of Castle, we get to see some scenes from his perspective as he goes out and buys a police scanner to get another shot at Grotto, the sole survivor of his Irish mob massacre. The scene's a surprisingly laid-back one, as he simply buys the scanner from the world's sketchiest pawn shop owner, takes the man's ammo, then either savagely beats or kills him after discovering that the man sells child pornography on the side. Jon Bernthal as the Punisher was one of those casting choices I didn't realize worked until I really thought about it, and he does a great job selling Frank's intensity and casual intimidation. The moment he hears the man say "no older than 12", you know that he isn't coming out of the scene unscathed. 

 Grotto is also the major driving force of Foggy and Karen's plotline, as they're forced by the aggressive DA into taking part in a failed sting on the Punisher with Grotto as bait. Grotto is a surprisingly likable character, in spite of being a criminal, and we begin to feel for him as he's forced into an increasingly dangerous situation that almost ends with his death. The sting ends with both Grotto and Matt, who attempted to stop Frank once again, missing, the Punisher slipping through the police's clutches, and Karen thoroughly angry with both the DA and Foggy for not standing up to her. 

All in all, this was one of the weaker episodes of Daredevil, though not as bad as some of the later episodes of the first season. (I'll take weak crime drama over weak cookie cutter superhero stuff anyday.) 

Overall Score: 7/10

Notes: 

*The "girl ain't older than 12" line was likely a reference to Frank Miller's Man Without Fear series, in which one of Kingpin's men kidnaps a girl to take part in a prostitution ring and says an almost identical line. 

*Having the Punisher keep the Irish gang's dog rather than kill it is one of a few "see, he's not a real villain" scenes that the show has thrown us thus far. It's working, to a degree, though that could change depending on how ruthless Frank gets this season. 

*Foggy struggling to find Matt was another good scene, as his panic rises higher and higher as he searches for him and works as a nice callback to last episode, where Foggy mentions dreading the day he or Karen simply finds Matt in a coma or dead.

*I'm watching an episode ahead of these reviews, so it's hard not to accidentally mix things up from time to time. 

Daredevil Season 2, Episode 1: "Bang" Review

Daredevil season 1 was, to say the least, excellent. So I immediately had high expectations for season 2. To hear they were tackling not only further Daredevil plotlines, but also introducing the Punisher? As a lifelong fan of Frank Castle, my expectations only climbed further. Could they really bring a character infamous for being incapable of proper adaption to the screen? After watching the first episode of Daredevil's second season, I'm gonna say.... 

Maybe. Look, I'm only an episode in, and it's not fair to pass judgement. So let's go into the actual review, shall we? 

It's been a few months since Daredevil brought down Wilson Fisk, and despite the victory, Matt's still dealing with the ensuing power vacuum created by Fisk's downfall, with everything from the Irish gangs to the cartels attempting to fill the role. Meanwhile, a mysterious newcomer is wiping these groups out with military precision. Who this newcomer is and what their motives are is the driving question of the first episode, and it's a little unfortunate that the answer to the question has been spoiled by all of the promotion. The answer, obviously, is Frank Castle, the Punisher, who's introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a suitably intense and nerve-wracking one. As Matt works his way through a warehouse of slaughtered cartel members, he confronts a dying man mounted on a hook and interrogates him for information. 

"Tell me who they are." He asks as the man bleeds out in his arms. Struggling to speak, the man leans in and says, "Not they. Him." It cuts to the Punisher as he nonchalantly walks into a hospital, shotgun slung over his back, and blasts it up as he gives chase to Karen and one of the sole survivors of one of his massacres. The show takes clear cues from Garth Ennis's Punisher MAX, portraying the Punisher as more of a singleminded killing machine than a person. Even during his fight with Matt, he only says one word as he brawls with military precision, culminating with him nonchalantly shooting Daredevil in the head. 

The show is, as always, well-shot. The fight scenes in particular continue to shine as some of the best fight scenes in any medium, mixing just the right amount of chaos and precision. The cast is solid, and even Elden Henson has improved, coming off as less comic relief and more an actual person. 

All in all, I'm excited to see how the rest of the show plays out, given how much praise I've heard for the later episodes. 

Overall Grade: 8/10

Notes: 

*The sequence where the Punisher wipes out an Irish gang is a particular highlight of the episode, as we're given a brief highlight of a group of gangsters, each with their own personalities, and then watch as they're gunned down by a terrifying unseen force. 

*Matt taking out those weird bank robbers one by one was a little too on-the-nose for a superhero show like this. I'm not saying it wasn't cool, but for a show like this, it's weird and out-of-place for the tone. 

*Matt and Karen is not a ship I support. MattxClaire and FoggyxKaren 4 lyfe. 

MY Favorite Fictional Characters (by Ryan Mains)

So, seeing as how Patrick has a list of his favorite fictional characters, I figured I'll include a list of mine, the difference being that mine isn't a top 10 and just a list of characters I love. There's some spoilers, I guess. Also, I'll probably update this over time as I think of other great characters.

                                                                                          Nightwing

C'mon, who doesn't love the fabulous flying Dick Grayson? Snarky, cool, and every bit as badass as (and far more likable than) the Dark Knight, it's a shame DC rebooted everything and did away with Dick taking up the Cowl. Also, get Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Batman v. Superman. You know he's perfect. 

  Wolverine

Despite being oversaturated as all hell, Wolverine was popular for a reason, bub. As a kid, something about his defiant, ruthless attitude made me take notice when compared to the other X-Men. Also, he did give us one of the best comic book movie casting decisions of all time. 

Thane Krios

The deadliest assassin in the galaxy, Thane's religious attitudes and aloof nature made him one of Bioware's best characters. Slowly picking apart his personality was one of the highlights of Mass Effect 2, and his final battle in Mass Effect 3 is an example of Bioware's skill as writers when they're not cramming garbage down our throat. You will be missed, siha. 

Han Solo

Harrison Ford's best character (suck it, Indy!), Han Solo is a badass gun-slinging rouge in a world of space wizards, who has the audacity to question the powers of all those space wizards. And he gets the girl and saves the day. Why does everyone say Luke is the hero again?  

Louis "Lou" Bloom

Less a man and more a bottomfeeder clinging to whatever profits him most, Lou Bloom is a character whose Joker-level brilliance, determination, and charisma should be inspiring, but instead come off as horrific. Like the accidents he films, he's incredibly difficult to look away from.  

Jesse Pinkman

The best character in a show of great characters, Jesse's love-hate relationship created one of the most interesting father-son dynamics ever, and his redemption gave everybody something to root for as Breaking Bad got darker and darker. He's everything Jason Todd could be, if DC's writers could get their act together. Plus, he's the show primary provider of comedy. (Magnets, bitch!)

Rorschach

It's a good thing Alan Moore wasn't allowed to use The Question and had to make original characters instead. The Batman of Watchmen, Rorschach shows what happens when a black-and-white worldview combines with a ruthless sense of justice. Bitter and nihilistic until the very end, Rorschach doesn't stop believing in the truth and nothing but. Maybe that's a worldview we all should have.

Rust Cohle

Far more than his depressed demeanor suggests, Rust is a man who's given up on the human race, and probably life in general. Rather than take him seriously, True Detective goes out of it's way to mock (and ultimately) disprove him, making him something of an odd man out. At the end of the day, Rust ain't a bad man. Just the only man brave enough to admit his own flaws. 

Gustavo Fring 

A dark mirror of Walter White, Gus Fring is a man who hides his own monstrosity under a calm and polite facade. Seemingly friendly, the mere presence of Gus instills fear into every character, and even the audience. The perfect example of a villain who doesn't need to go over-the-top, Gus is the best of Breaking Bad's (fantastic) set of villains,

Old Man Logan

It's Wolverine, except old and thoroughly finished with being a superhero. It's unfortunate that the character is being dragged through the Secret Wars dimension-hopping nonsense, and Fox's general dickishness has made making a perfect Old Man Logan movie impossible, because Mad Max with Wolverine is an amazing idea. 

Spider-Man

When I was a kid, I used to get old Spider-man comics from the newspaper, and was crushed when they stopped. Point is, I (like a lot of kids) got into comic books through Spidey, and he's incredibly easy to empathize with regardless of age. And y'know what? I liked Superior Spider-Man. Come at me, internet. 

The Trinity Killer

Dexter Morgan's deadliest foe, the Trinity Killer is a character stooped in tragedy, but is never so sympathetic you forget how evil and broken he truly is. He works, both on his own and as a representation of a possible future for Dexter. His final moments are easily the show's highest point. 

Samwise Gamgee

The true hero of Lord of the Rings, Sam is strong-willed, loyal, and pure of heart, raising the question of why Gandalf didn't just give him the ring. 

Walter White

An anti-hero who corroded horrifically before the eyes of the audience, Walter White is a) one of the greatest performances by any actor and b) one of the few characters in TV history to change over time to the point where he's unrecognizable. Easily one of the greatest character arcs on television. 

Max Rockatansky

In a world without heroes, Max is a man who does his damndest to focus on survival, but his sense of heroism always wins out. Choosing to step in and risk his neck, but never losing his sense of pragmatism, Max is the ultimate survivor. 

Deadpool

While he's gone through a bit of overhype in recent years, Deadpool is a blast to read. Who knew a character that could do anything he wanted would be so much fun? While his game was pretty meh, and his first film outing was crap, I'm excited to see if Deadpool can break through nerddom and become a household name. 

Dr. Horrible

A socially awkward mad scientist with supervillian aspirations, Dr. Horrible is Joss Whedon's best character, and Neil Patrick Harris's performance makes the character's fall into true evil incredibly poignant. And rather than give this character the sequel he deserves, Whedon chose to make Agents of SHIELD. Great.  

Phillip Jennings

Loving family man by day, ruthless Soviet spy by night, Phillip has slowly grown into the heart of The Americans, largely due to his conflicting loyalties to Russia and his increasing love of the American way of life. As his wife grows more dangerous and unlikable, he becomes the opposite. 

Loghain Mac Tir

Loghain's brilliance stems largely from his inital setup as a dastardly one-dimensional bad guy, because it makes the slow reveal that he's far more than meets the eye all the more effective. A man who gave everything (even the love of his life) for his kingdom, only to watch it seemingly decay under an incompetent ruler, Loghain is noble, well-intentioned, and way better than Alistair, making it barely a decision when the game forces you to choose between them. 

Jon Snow

Jon's interesting to me because he's the only Stark that manages to stick to the moral code and come out more or less unscathed, He's a character operating with some level of honor, while everybody else is playing a cuthroat game of life-or-death. 

Ezio Auditore Di Firenze

One of the greatest character arcs in anything ever is Ezio's turn from an inexperienced and cocky teenager to a grizzled mentor. Easily the most interesting character in Assassin's Creed. 

Ellie 

In a genre of grizzled, cynical survivors, Ellie stands out because she manages to be an idealist without being naive. She's also snarky, badass, and funny, but in a real, human way. 

Ellen Ripley

The badass sci-fi hero, Ripley is a take-no-guff survivor of anything the galaxy throws at her, and she's the crowning achievement of James Cameron's career. Here's hoping Alien 5 doesn't ruin her anymore than the other sequels did. 

The Driver

The brilliance of the Driver is the mystery of him. When we're introduced to him, we see a cool-headed, stoic, badass professional.  But as time goes on, he becomes more and more human, falling in love and killing a foe in a brutal fit of rage. It's a shame Nicholas Refn is a jerk who makes bad movies, because this character should be in everything. 

Tyler Durden

Tyler Durden was one of the first characters who I was really interested in, largely due to the fact that he's so charismatic you fail to realize he's a hypocrite who's far worse than whatever it is he's fighting. It's still my favorite Brad Pitt performance in my favorite David Fincher film.  

Plastic Man

The idea of being able to do whatever you want, with the only limit being your imagination, is very appealing to me. And unlike a certain green idiot named Jordan, Plastic Man can and will do anything. He's also a hell of a lot of fun, and our only hope of stopping a rouge Martian Manhunter. Awesome. 

Aquaman

Aquaman gets bullied so relentlessly that he's on this list largely out of pity. And because he's a badass. But mostly pity. 

Nick Valentine

Valentine is an example of Bethesda's skill and creativity at creating characters, given that he's a friendly, good-hearted, robot detective and one of the main character's first allies. Sounding like a 40's detective may have something to do it. 

Superman

Truth, justice, and the American way. I love Superman because what he fights for are far more interesting and honest than "Crime took my family so fuck crime." He's a man who loves everything, and does everything he can to bring hope and inspiration to the people of Earth. And, no, he would not lose a fight with Batman. That's over in at best a couple punches.