The Top 10 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Friendships

Throughout the sci-fi/fantasy world there have always been two or three people that have shared a bond that transcends everything. To quote the theme tune of a show: “I’ll be there for you (when the rain starts to fall).” Yes, I am talking about friends. No, not that show, though… nah. This article will focus on the friendships that have occurred in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, counting down from number ten…

10. Nite Owl II and Rorschach (Watchmen)

This friendship made its debut in the comic book series Watchmen, created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.  On one hand you’ve got Rorschach, an antihero with severe psychological issues and a penchant for vigilanteism; on the other, you’ve got Dan Dreiberg, the second Nite Owl, a real world view on how a Batman-like character could be like.  This friendship makes it into this countdown because, even though they have contrasting world views, they have the same belief towards crime: it must be fought against.  Also, they are always willing to help each other — most clearly seen when Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II decide to spring Walter “Rorschach” Kovacs from the prison in which he is being held.

9. Legolas and Gimli (The Lord of the Rings)

This friendship made its debut in 1954’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, written by the brilliant author J.R.R. Tolkien.  These two friends couldn’t be any different: Legolas, an Elven Prince of Mirkwood, and Gimli, son of Gloin, the most dwarf-iest dwarf you could find in Middle-Earth. But the two are drawn together when Sauron poses a threat to the whole world and the Fellowship of the Ring is formed.  Throughout the course of their adventures the two distant comrades become rather competitive when it comes to killing Orcs and Uruk-Hai.  But towards the end of the War of the Ring the two become friends and stick together through thick and thin, breaking the elven-dwarven animosity that plagued Middle-Earth for a long time.

8. Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck and Peregrin “Pippin” Took (The Lord of the Rings)

These friends appear in the same work as the two previous friends, but these two share something more than being of the same race: they are also part of the same family, being cousins.  In the first volume of the trilogy these two friends are the young, naïve members of the band of Hobbits that travel to Rivendell. Later on, when the Company of the Ring is formed, they are the last two to be chosen to go.  But when they go their own way, they mature and become leaders in their own rights as they fight against Saruman in Isengard, Pippin at the Battle of the Black Gate, and then both of them in the Battle for the Shire.

7. James Bond and Q (James Bond)

This friendship began its life in the 1960s when Sean Connery was 007 and the late, great Desmond Llewelyn was Q, everybody’s favorite gadgetry man.  It has lasted throughout the decades, with five different 007s (Connery, George Lazenby, Sir Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan) and two different Qs (Llewelyn and John Cleese), but nonetheless this friendship comes complete with light and witty banter, a dash of instructing, a huge amount of loyalty, and dollop of admiration on both sides.

6. Artemis Fowl II and Capt. Holly Short (Artemis Fowl)

Fan art by Acaciathorn

This friendship begins in Eoin Colfer’s novel Artemis Fowl when the young 12-year-old eponymous character kidnaps the elven LEP (Lower Elements Police) Recon Captain and holds her for ransom.  After the whole incident Holly, helps Artemis recover his father from a Russian Mafia. As the novels progress, these two become best friends and in the sixth novel, The Time Paradox, there is a bit of a hint that these two may become potential love interests for each other.

5. Han Solo and Chewbacca (Star Wars)

In George Lucas’ 1977’s Star Wars, these two friends help Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker smuggle R2-D2 and C-3PO to Alderaan.  They could not be more different: one of them is a Wookiee from Kashyyyk, while the other one is a Corellian former space pirate. But these two have been through it all inside everyone’s favorite space ship, the Millennium Falcon.  Unfortunately, the friendship ends sadly when the Wookiee dies saving his friend’s youngest son from certain doom.

4. Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)

Here’s another set of unlikely pals. One is a human being from the planet Earth, the other is an alien from a planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse. Arthur, the human, saves Ford, the alien, from an incoming car and the rest, as they say, is history.  From then on these two go to the end of the universe and back again — literally.  The only thing they have in common is that they both come from the imaginative mind of writer Douglas Adams.  The greatest thing these two friends can teach us are these words of advice: 1) Don’t panic. 2) Always remember where your towel is.

3. The Doctor and Brigadier Sir Alistair G. Lethbridge-Stewart (Doctor Who)

The pair first appears in the 1968 serial “The Web of Fear” when the then-Colonel (Nicholas Courtney) faces off alongside the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) against the Yeti and Great Intelligence.  After Alistair is promoted to Brigadier in charge of the British contingent of U.N.I.T. (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce), the old team of Doctor and Brigadier reunite to defeat the Cybermen.  And when the Doctor regenerates into his Third form (Jon Pertwee), the Brigadier and the Time Lord join forces on many more missions and adventures. Through it all they hold a deep sense of respect for and unnerving loyalty to each other.  Even though the Brigadier is mostly associated with the Third Doctor, he also shares adventures with Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, Peter Davison’s Fifth Doctor, and Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor.

2. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

They first meet in the J.K. Rowling novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone as three students starting their witch and/or wizardry education at Hogwarts.  In their seven magical years at the school they survive everything from a challenging gauntlet in their first year, an attack on the student body in their second year, a deadly confrontation with shocking revelations from the past in their third year, a mortally dangerous tournament in their fourth, an anti-Potter-and-Dumbledore propaganda campaign in their fifth, a shocking end to their sixth year, and a climatic final battle in their seventh year.  No matter what, though, they remain a source of support for each other and an incredible bond of loyalty to their common cause: to destroy Lord Voldemort and all he stands for.

1. Capt. James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Star Trek)

In the 1960’s series Star Trek, William Shatner portrayed Captian James T. Kirk, Leonard Nimoy portrayed half-Vulcan-half-Human First Science Officer Mr. Spock, and DeForest Kelly portrayed Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy as part of the commanding crew of NCC-1071, the Starship Enterprise.  These three friends have gone through so much: life, death, and everywhere in between.  After the original series ended, the motion pictures pick up the story as the crew of the Enterprise push the boundaries of what they can do, as well as push these friends to the breaking point and help solidify their friendship until their dying days.