The Best Fantasy Characters Across Media

Ollie Ander

Is probably just a couple cats in a trench-coat—the hair shedding and sunlight napping are highly suspect.

Every major fantasy franchise worth its reputation has a caste that spurs hot debates among its fans over "whose the best character?" These wars will never have true winners, as the criteria is subjective—and unfortunately, we cannot survey every fan on earth for a definitive answer. In these discussion spaces, though, some of the very best characters tend to get pushed aside for the flashier, "cooler" offerings. This list is an attempt to sway the masses’ general recognition for amazing fantasy characters that get unrightfully sidelined. From movies to anime to games, let me present some oft overlooked favourites of mine! :)
Samwise GamgeeSamwise Gamgee is half of the titular duo sent to save Middle Earth, in the most recognized epic fantasy story ever written: The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. Sam is best friend to the ring bearer, Frodo Baggins, and he is the loyalest companion ever concocted.
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Sam would rather drown while chasing after Frodo than let his bestie take on the burden of saving the world alone. When Frodo is manipulated by Gollum into distrusting his true friend—and led straight into a trap—Sam does not abandon him; even in the face of death-by-giant-spider!
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There are plenty of awesome warriors in The Lord of the Rings franchise that overshadow the hobbit characters and dominate conversations of "who’s the best?": There’s Aragorn, the stoic Strider and unbeknownst rightful king, Legolas, the graceful sharpshooting elf prince, and Gandalf, the powerful, wise, and jovial wizard. But let us not forget, it is only through Sam’s dedication, smarts, and perseverance that they make it to the end of their journey; that all the "cooler characters' battles" amount to anything. Samwise Gamgee is the sidekick that saved the world!
Arya Stark There are so many complex, compelling characters in A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, that it’s hard to pick a favourite—or even narrow it down to a top 5—but Arya Stark is a star repeat among fans’ lists, no matter which House they’re rooting for.
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The youngest daughter of the noble Stark family, Arya was a tomboy who bristled against highborn conventions; her "dancing lessons" were secretly spent learning the way of the sword. When her beloved father Ned was wrongfully executed, and the realm fell into bloodthirsty factions and turmoil, Arya’s adventures took her far and wide in search of reuniting with her family. 
Brave, capable, unyielding, Arya found mentors in the most unlikely places, and when the royals’ petty squabbles had resolved enough that they could finally focus on the real threat to the Realm, the Night King, Arya had grown into one of the strongest of its defenders! Many fans would name Daenerys Targaryen as the most influential woman of the series, but Arya’s got just as many titles tacked onto her name!
Elizabeth SwanThe Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (produced by The Walt Disney Company) is high fantasy in an unexpected disguise—while still using historical factions/locations, "the High Seas," with all its creatures and mythos, is its magic system; its other world. Everyone knows the iconic, quirky, and usually quite drunk character, Captain Jack Sparrow. Jack appears in every movie in the franchise, but he is arguably not the best character of the main trilogy: that would be Elizabeth Swan.
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Elizabeth is the catalyst of the PotC trilogy. As a child, if she’d never been so daring as to steal one of the cursed pieces to protect a washed up young boy from suspicion of being a pirate—and the gallows!—none of the main events would have transpired that thrust the main trio into their adventures later in life (or survived, for that matter). 
Elizabeth is shown in adulthood as a conforming but stifled "proper young woman." Once her town comes under attack by unkillable pirates, Elizabeth takes her fate into her own hands, fighting when she must and outwitting her enemies at every step. Elizabeth doesn’t just leave behind her roots as a governor’s daughter, she becomes the King of the Pirates, commanding the remaining Pirate Lords against Davy Jones himself!
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FrierenFreiren: Beyond Journey’s End (manga by Kanehito Yamada) is a newer high fantasy anime that’s captured people’s hearts. The show follows the main character Frieren, as she adventures to a place where she can speak with the dead, having realized only after his death, how much her old companion, Himmel the hero, really meant to her. 
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Freiren’s struggle with the passage of time and the impermanency of those she cherishes contrasts against her own immovable position in the world—as a rare elf with a long life span, but also as the most powerful of mages.
Frieren is impossibly strong and good of heart. Viewers get to watch Frieren discover the value of new camaraderie while reclaiming that which she’d lost. "There will always be later," transforms to an unprecedented and emotionally gripping adventure about living in the now.
Roy MustangFullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (manga by Hiromu Arakawah) has a magic system based in alchemy and "the law of equivalent exchange," so just about anything is possible… just about anything. Whether you like good guys or bad guys, Roy Mustang is a perfect contender for best character across the franchise.
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Colonel Roy Mustang is a state alchemist who can conjure explosive bursts of fire with the snap of his fingers. He got his nickname as the "Flame Alchemist" for his signature move, and acquired military prestige for his brutality in the Ishvalan war. 
Haunted by his past, Roy carries on, using his position within the government to acquire knowledge and thwart a conspiracy threatening to start yet another war: the pursuit of the philosopher stone. Roy starts as a mysterious figure enabling the main protagonists, but eventually joins the fight in earnest, seeking redemption, and fighting on as one of the most powerful alchemists alive, despite suffering disabling physical injuries. 
SenshiSenshi from Delicious in Dungeon (manga by Ryoko Kui) is the embodiment of "the glue that holds all adventuring parties together." When Laios, Marcille, and Chilchuk dove back into a dungeon that had already almost killed them, in the desperate attempt to rescue a teammate that’d been left behind, they were not prepared. Laios’s interest in eating monsters introduced them to Senshi, a kindly dwarf with expertise in harvesting and preparing dungeon resources so expeditions can continue longer—and safer.
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Senshi is protective, physically and emotionally: He’ll shield his allies with ancient cookware and make sure they’re healthy by providing well-balanced, nutritious meals! Not that you need any more reason to love Senshi, but he’s also got a surprisingly sad backstory as to why he’s spent so long in the dungeons…
AstarionAstarion is basically the poster child for Baldur’s Gate 3 (produced by Larian Studios). Whether you’re playing an Honor Mode run or succumbing to Dark Urge tendencies, he’s the best Rogue for any sneaky job. BG3 has a stacked cast of endearing fantasy characters, but Astarion is just complex (and smooth-talking) enough to appeal to almost everyone. With the ability to form individual relationships with every party member, Astarion can slowly reveal a backstory that’s hard not to sympathize with:
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Turned into a vampire spawn, Astarion spent 200 years being abused by his Lord, Cazador, and compelled to lure unsuspecting victims to their lair with his wiles. Just as Cazador was bringing a devious plan to fruition, his key pawn, Astarion, was ripped away by the hands of fate. Astarion is determined to take down his former master, unfortunately, his own thirst for power threatens to consume what soft parts of him are left. As the player, you get to help shape his path to the light—physically and metaphorically.
Geralt of RiviaGeralt from The Witcher franchise (originally written by Andrzej Sapkowski) is more than some strong, stoic, monster slaying hero. Spend some time with him and you’ll find a softie under that rough exterior. The process of becoming a witcher takes a lot of humanity/emotion out of people, but Geralt’s held onto his morals and sass.
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Geralt will always do what needs to be done to complete a contract, but he doesn’t jump in head-first—that’d get even the strongest Witchers killed. Geralt is intuitive, and though a bit grumpy, can’t deny he enjoys the presence of companions. Geralt is just a really good guy, and a protective bear to those he cares about.
TheresaA major throwback, Theresa is the one and only recurring character from the nostalgic fantasy game series: Fable (produced by Lionhead Studios). Her first appearance in the Fable game parallels the main player—and frankly, in many ways, overshadows them. Whereas your playable character is sequestered away to a mage’s training school after their village is attacked, their sister, Theresa, is captured and blinded by bandits—but that doesn’t stop her!
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Theresa garners power despite her disability, becoming a seer that rules the very bandits who took her, and later guides her brother in a quest to avenge their family. Theresa’s fate in the main game varies depending on the player’s choices, but in the subsequent second and third Fable games, she returns as the mentor and guide to future generations of Heroes. Theresa is an often overlooked character, but fans may just see her again in the long-awaited release of Fable 4 (pending 2026).
From film to anime to games, those are some of the best fantasy characters—in my opinion. ;) 
If you found these characters compelling, I highly recommend checking out their source material. It’s not procrastinating, it’s research! And if you decided to check out this list looking for inspiration, here’s an additional $ 50 Fantasy Character Ideas To Tweak & Make Your Own$ !