Are you — much like Bonnie Tyler — holding out for a hero? We certainly are: For an upcoming issue, Entertainment Weekly will be compiling a list of the top 20 heroes in pop culture, past and present. But we also want to know, who are your top do-gooders? Indiana Jones? Luke Skywalker? Neo? The Little Mermaid? Wolverine? They could be from movies, TV, books, or comic books. So write your picks below, even if they’ve already been suggested: We’re going to compile the top vote-getters and announce them in the issue. (And we know what you’re thinking: "My mom or dad is my real hero." That’s all fine, but come on: Do they have a utility belt, bullwhip, or ability to save a roomful of hostages? We thought not. Let’s go for the biggies.)
Let’s hear your suggestions!
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Indiana Jones is fine, but for a real hero, I’ll go with Han Solo. Heck, he even made those Ewoks tolerable! Who didn’t want to be Princess Leia when he leaned in for that kiss on the Millenium Falcon? What a man!
On the female side, I nominate Sydney Bristow from Alias. Sure, Buffy is an icon, but she had her group of friends to help her slay evildoers. Sydney didn’t even know if she could trust her father! She was a gorgeous and compelling heroine all the way.
Rocky Balboa!!!!
…no wait. Mad Max in the Road Warrior
I nominate Buffy Summers and Sydney Bristow!
The Doctor (from Doctor Who)
Definitely Indiana Jones and Han Solo.
Daniel LaRusso — THE Karate Kid. No other hero had to overcome such adversity (class war, racial slurs, the entire Cobra Kai!!) to achieve the pinnacle of success (The All Valley Under 18 Karate Championships).
Daniel LaRusso — THE Karate Kid. No other hero had to overcome such adversity (class war, racial slurs, the entire Cobra Kai!!) to achieve the pinnacle of success (The All Valley Under 18 Karate Championships).
frodo baggins!!!
Daniel LaRusso — THE Karate Kid. No other hero had to overcome such adversity (class war, racial slurs, the entire Cobra Kai!!) to achieve the pinnacle of success (The All Valley Under 18 Karate Championships).
Is there a more interesting, complex, and dynamic hero than Buffy Summers? Gender be damned, she’d kick the ass of anyone else qualified for a hero list and she’d be quippy while doing so. You know . . . Chosen One and destiny and all that.
I’ll have to go with Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Belle from Beauty and the Beast. They were the first Disney heroines who didn’t just sit around and wait for the prince to come rescue them. Belle gets extra points for being a bookworm. These two paved the way for the ultimate badass Disney heroine: Mulan.
I nominate all of the hobbits from LOTR, not just Frodo. They were seemingly “small” people who fought all odds to accomplish the impossible…and they did it together. They showed the importance of, not only being a hero, but depending on and supporting those close to you. As Tolkien himself said, “I’ve always been impressed that we are here, surviving, because of the indomitable courage of quite small people against impossible odds.”
John McClane
She-Ra, because she’s the Princess of Power.
This is so hard!!! I think Wolverine is great! But I would also vote for Luke Skywalker for the killer opening of Return of the Jedi only! For a long time, I tried to control my sisters with my Jedi power of mind! (did not work, but…)
Before Alias, before Buffy, before even Xena there was . . .
Diana Rigg as the incomparable Emma Peel.
“Mrs. Peel, we’re needed . . . .”
I’m also gonna have to nominate Tony Stark/Iron Man and Bruce Wayne/Batman. Both deeply flawed men who can put their issues aside and do battle for the greater good…and with no powers a la Superman (though I guess being multi-millionaires with unlimited resources sort of makes up for the lack of supernatural abilities).
Buffy Summers, definitely, not only did she defeat the bad guys for seven years, she saved the world at least seven times, and she bridged the gender gap, what more of a hero could you ask for?
Batman. The coolest hero ever.
Theo Faron.
I’m going to say either Wolverine or Buffy. Both are deeply flawed, highly entertaining and most importantly, badass
Jack Bauer!
I have to go with Jack Bauer. The man just freaking rocks. He is the perfect hero: selfless, hot, and flawed. He’s also apparently bulletproof.
I think we all want Superman to fly in and save us. Superman has also been with us through comics, movies, and tv and endures through multiple generations.
Superman….70 years and still going strong
-Buffy the Vampire Slayer
-Frodo AND Sam (“I can’t carry the ring, but I can carry you!”)
-Han Solo
-Wall-E
Why bother. Of course EW is going to make Edward Cullen #1.
Superman!
As honorable mentions I also nominate: James Bond (Daniel Craig version) – cool car, cool gadgets, cool all-around, and Harry Potter – the kid defeated all kinds of evil before he even graduated high school.