We collected input from hundreds of visitors to the site, convention attendees, and industry professionals to compile the list of the 100 Greatest Fictional Characters of All Time. You can see the beginning of the project here, where you’ll also find an index of all the results to date.
Today we bring you the next five in our list of 100.
10. Indiana Jones
Appears In: Indiana Jones series
Created By: George Lucas
Indiana Jones is the ultimate adventure hero, inspired by the pulp serials of old. As a college professor who moonlights as a whip-wielding archaeologist, Indy espouses intelligence combined with action, making him an iconic and unforgettable adventurer.
Voter Comments: “Mal Reynolds, Han Solo and Indiana Jones… what awesome guys. Life would be quite an adventure with any of them at my side.” – Ginny Keller
9. Mr. Spock
Appears In: Star Trek
Created By: Gene Roddenberry
The child of a human and a Vulcan, Spock straddles the line of the familiar and the foreign. Through his unfamiliarity with his own humanity, as well as his struggles to understand and conform with his Vulcan roots, Spock embodies the spirit of Star Trek and, truly, of science fiction in general.
Voter Comments: “He’s been boldly going where no one has gone before since the late ’60s and engaging us all with his irrefutable logic and curiosities over human behavior. To think, the producers wanted to get rid of the ‘guy with ears’!” – Serena Gulledge
8. Harry Potter
Appears In: Harry Potter series
Created By: J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter is the titular hero in J.K. Rowling’s series of fantasy adventures. As a character, Harry is believable and relatable, but his greatest impact has been as a symbol for literature. The Harry Potter novels brought countless kids back to reading and made books fun again.
Voter Comments: “7 trillion kids can’t be wrong. Harry Potter is a remarkable character because you get to watch him grow from a child to a young man.” – Dax Collins
7. Spider-Man
Appears In: Marvel Comics
Created By: Stan Lee
Arguably the most popular character in the Marvel universe, Spider-Man is one of the first superheroes to show flaws. Brainy and downtrodden Peter Parker is a character most comics fans could understand personally, so his transformation into Spider-Man strikes a fantastic and common chord that was missing from prior comic heroes.
Voter Comments: “While Superman and Batman might predate Spidey, he brought superheroes into the realm of the everyman. The nerdy kid from Queens was instantly relatable to anyone that picked up a comic book. Most important, he taught us one of the most beautifully succinct and important concepts in all of superherodom: with great power comes great responsibility.” – Roo Bots
Note: 6.7% of the Spider-Man vote called specifically for his alter ego, Peter Parker.
6. Darth Vader
Appears In: Star Wars series
Created By: George Lucas, Ralph McQuarrie, and Ben Burtt
Darth Vader is one of the most recognizable and feared villains in the history of cinema. Everything from his iconically raspy breathing to his sinister and quasi-robotic / quasi-samurai character design lends to his air of menace and evil.
Voter Comments: “Putting the prequels to the side, OT Vader is the ultimate bad guy and has not been matched in film for over 30 years now.” – James B (FilmRot.com)
Note: 2.8% of the Vader vote called specifically for Anakin Skywalker.
The list continues tomorrow with a look back at the previous 95 characters, leading up to next week’s reveal of the top 5 greatest fictional characters of all time!
Previous five: #15-11
Check out the next character revealed, #5!
YAY!! kudos for the Harry, Vader, Spocck, and Indy mention… must read more (if you notice i didn’t say Spidey, and that would be because I’m not much of a Marvel buff)
Anyone else disturbed by Sephiroth’s absence from this list
@Trevor: Sehiphiroth….from FF7? Definitely not. Can barely remember him, nor could I five years ago. Damn.
And no, it’s not remotely a mistake that Darth Vader, the most famous fictional villain on film so far, is “ahead” of…Harry (Potter???) and some guy named Snape who, what, that’s the Allen Rickman character? Yeah, I’m inclined to agree no one will remember him in seven years. Well, not many, in comparison. Perspective!
nerds get lifes
having snape behind potter is a disgrace. snape is one of the most complex and exciting characters ever, his entire story was decided right from the beginning, it’s almost genius.
Yay Potter is the best!!!
It better be a mistake that Spider Man and Darth Vader are before Harry Potter!
I’d find this list slightly acceptable if Luke and Harry had switched places.
I’d find this list very acceptable if Harry was replaced with any Tarantino character, like The Bride, or The Jew Hunter, or The Bad-ass Mother Fucker.
… or maybe remove Harry, and add another character, like Obi-Wan Kenobi, or a FRIENDS character.
Seriously, Harry’s position is pretty much the only thing I have a problem with.
The Top Ten is almost perfect. All are globally famous except for The Doctor and Buffy. TV characters aren’t as impactful as you think they are.
Indiana Jones sucks. Those movies are just all-around awful.
Spock definitely belongs on the list, but as with Kirk, I’d bump him down a spot or 20.
As much as I adore the Harry Potter books, I don’t think Harry himself merits top 50 placing, especially not ahead of Snape or Hermione (or Voldemort, who somehow isn’t here apparently?)
Despite my comments about Luke and Han, I’m actually completely okay with Darth Vader’s placement. Probably the single most iconic villain ever written.