My Modern "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" Fantasy

Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is one of the most uniquely conceived superhero teams ever.  Why?  Because it’s a team consisting of characters from classic Victorian literature, and that is a brilliant and original concept.  Then, in their adventures, they would also encounter scenarios, elements, and antagonists derived from literature.  Pure genius.      

That’s why – as a thought experiment – hypothetically constructing out a modern reincarnation of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (LXG) concept is a lot of fun.  It has been done and discussed in a lot of forums in the Internet.  Now, I want to share my own ideas.  I will be discussing here my dream line-up for a modern LXGteam, the recurring characters they would encounter, and the villains of the story.

But, first, I used these guidelines:

1. It shall be made up of characters from modern novels.  Sure, these guys have been portrayed in comics, movies and/or TV shows already, but their original debuts and depiction were in books.  Thus, characters that have been originally from comics, movies, and TV – even if they were later on depicted in books – were disqualified for consideration.  This is for the purpose of conforming to the original model of LXG – a team made up of characters from literature.
2. For the purpose of conceptualizing this modern LXG, the definition of “modern” here is from 90’s to the present.  Thus, the characters and literary elements considered are those that are relevant during that given period or have appeared in books printed during that period.  
3. The characters should have existed – in their respective narratives – sometime during the modern period.  Thus, those characters from novels that were set in the past or future are disqualified.  Just as the original LXG characters could “realistically” encounter each other due to existing in the same time period (Victorian Era), so will the characters of this modern LXG.  (Pity, Katniss Everdeen would have been a fine addition to this team.  Of course, if using “time travel” is allowed…) 
4. The original LXG team has been mostly British, since literature of that era was dominated by the British.  At the present, like all aspects of pop culture, America dominates modern literature.  However, to be as close to the original “feel” of the team as possible, a significant amount of priority was given on characters from British literature to be in my line-up.  Still, a lot of members are Americans (or have American origins).
5. The roster of my modern LXG is small-sized, just like the original.  The original had five.  The movie had seven.  I will up the notch a bit.  My fantasy team will have eight (at most) at a time.  (What do I mean by “at a time”?  Read on to see what I mean) 
6. This is, first and foremost, a presentation of which modern literary characters will appear in the story, and NOT at all a full discussion of the story itself.  I don’t have a complete and organized plot and narrative in mind.    I have ideas on how some things will turn out, but I have no idea on how it would get there.  All I have are some vague story details, which I will share in connection to the characters.  

THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN

The initial line-up is going to be composed of Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowlseries by Eoin Colfer), Lisbeth Salander (Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson), Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz), Neville Longbottom (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling), Ronald Deschain (The Dark Tower series by Stephen King), Iorek Byrnison (His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman), Henry DeTamble (The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger) and Edward Cullen (Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer).  Later on, one of the original members (continue reading to know who it would be) will leave and will be replaced by Abraham Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith).         

A 12-year old Artemis Fowl (maybe, even 14 at most; an older Artemis than that, the boy-leader charm could be lost) is going to be the leader of this team.  As the mastermind, the success of the team is dependent on his planning and schemes.  And I intend for this team to be almost invincibly successful.  Artemis will be able to put every detail and contingencies into consideration while formulating his flawless strategies; he will be steps ahead of everyone most of the time, and would make use of his team members efficiently.  Even when it appears that Artemis made a mistake or had failed, it will be revealed later on that that “mistake” or “failure” has been part of his general plan all along.  Oh, there will be times there will be legit setbacks and real mistakes, but Artemis will be able to figure out a way to bounce back with a vengeance and adjust his tactics. 

The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, Lisbeth Salander, shall be the tortured and sole female of the group (as what Mina Harker was in the original LXG).  Though Artemis Fowl is already a very capable hacker, he will assign all the hacking and tech stuff to Lisbeth.  Lisbeth will be the “intelligence officer” of the team.  But her information gathering is not solely dependent on her hacking.   As what was depicted in the books and movies, she is also very capable in doing physical, investigative legwork.  She will be constantly on the go on her bike.  She will be extremely dogged in doing her work, capable of doing everything to get what she wants – even conducting atrocious deeds like blackmail and ruthless torture.    

As what Spider-Man (Peter Parker) was with the Avengers, so will Odd Thomas' role be on my fantasy LXG.  He will be the most moral and charming of the group, as well as the funniest and most talkative (thus, the guy we would all love).  He will be constantly blabbing out witty comments, wisecracks, and random trivia.  His ability to see ghosts and ability to be psychically drawn to people he wishes to find will come invaluable to the team; he will be doing most of the detective work – with the help of the clues provided by ghosts – to help the team connect the dots.  As Elvis and Frank Sinatra became Odd’s ghost companions in America (in the books), his regular ghost companions (since he’ll be in London when this team is assembled) shall be Sir Winston Churchill, Queen Victoria, and the deceased Beatles (he would also encounter other ghosts of famous British and European people).  Being a sort of detective, Odd will be constantly paired with Lisbeth on missions.  Odd’s warm, witty, and chatty personality and Lisbeth’s dark, anti-social personality will definitely clash when they are together – with Odd annoying Lisbeth constantly with his constant gabbing, but Odd remaining good-natured  even when Lisbeth lashes at him or ignore him – and that would make some awesome entertaining moments.  There will be no romance between them, but there will be heavy romantic chemistry.           

  

I consider Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood first (because there’s no way Harry Potter is going to be on my team.  He’s okay, but he’s not the most interesting character in his own series) to serve as the magician figure of this team, but I feel that Neville Longbottom is going to be a better fit.  And the more I consider it, the more I felt that he’s perfect for a roster spot.  My version of Neville is of him being an adult already, and is now a badass Auror.  Not only is he a powerful wand wielder, but he has also figured out a way to summon the Sword of Gryffindor at will and is highly adept in using it.     

Roland Deschain (making the connection between Roland Deschain and Britain is easy, considering the significance of Arthurian legend to Roland’s background and reality) and Iorek Byrnison shall be the badass “big guns” of this team.  The two of them would be doing the most damage when the modern LXG finally found themselves in combat.  Whenever they enter a room, a huge bodypile will sure to happen.  Here’s how it will go: In one of his looped journeys (this could be even his last trip) to the Dark Tower (since, on the way, he travels through different realities because of informal interlaps between them) Roland, the last gunslinger, will find himself lost in the reality that the bear king, Iorek Byrnison, is in.  After getting acquainted with each other (maybe even after a minor skirmish between them), they would be drawn towards a dimensional door that would send them both to modern London.  And since the two of them are both not of this world and being both hardened warriors – and Iorek seeing the obvious similarity between his late comrade-at-arms, Lee Scorseby, with Roland – the two of them will easily bond with each other better than with the rest of the team. 

Henry DeTamble, who has the ability to time travel but has no control of it, won’t be a regular help to the team.  But I still find his inclusion in my fantasy LXG fascinating.  There’s a potential for narrative brilliance when his unique ability is properly explored and exploited.  The least contribution he can do for the overall flow of the story is providing some funny moments, with his sudden time travelling and appearing out of nowhere naked (since whenever he time travels, the clothes that he is wearing can’t come with him).  And, at most, when the story focuses on him, he can provide for some interesting, unique and dynamic narrative.  Also, Artemis Fowl will surely find a way to efficiently make use of him.  I don’t know yet how it will be so, but I believe he will be the most important part in the success of this modern LXG – both in the sense of the team’s adventures and the actual product.

The inclusion of Edward Cullen in this line-up has surely come as a surprise for you.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I despise Twilight.  It’s horrible.  But there’s no denying the fact that it is a huge literary and cultural impact. Heck, it’s one of the top 10 most bestselling books in history.  So it makes sense to include a character from it.  Besides, despite how lame and terribly emo the portrayal of Edward is, he’s still a vampire.  Thus, he can rip lungs out and break necks with ease.  He has superhuman strength, speed, and senses.  On top of that, he is a telepath.  If Edward Cullen is written properly, he can be a legit interesting and badass vampire character.  He can crush trucks, move faster than a human eye can follow, and can read minds.  Surely, he is a bonafide asset on my modern LXG team.     

It was revealed at the end of the book (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) that the President Abraham Lincolndid not actually perish after being assassinated.  He has gained immortality by being transformed into a vampire.  And since his transformation, he has continued slaying evil vampires up into modern times.  A vampire plot, originating in London, to enslave humanity will bring Lincoln to Britain.  Lincoln will then be joining the team after the departure of one of the original members.   And, yes, Honest Abe is going to be with his trademark customized shotgun-axe.      

RECURRING CHARACTERS

I first consider Hannibal Lecter (from Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris) to become part of the team, and then as a main villain.  But both didn’t feel right.  And then I thought of making him a “third party” – neither part of the LXG nor a villain – recurring character.  And that’s the best option.  Sure, Hannibal’s terrifying cannibalism will remain a part of him in this story, but, just like in the books, he will only murder and eat those that have caused offense on him – and almost all of those that fit that description (as what have been described in the books) are unlikable d-bags that deserve to die anyway.  He will have a villainous nature, but only bad guys will suffer his villainy.  The LXG will initially go up against Lecter, but he will prove to be an intellectual superior to Artemis Fowl.  However, Lecter won’t be a real villain to the team, but rather will “point out” to them a deeper and bigger evil that they need to address.  Eventually, the LXG and Lecter will have an informal truce.  And though he would remain a target for the LXG, he will be an invaluable indirect ally and benefactor to the LXG, occasionally. 

I also figure that Robert Langdon (from Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, and Infernoby Dan Brown) will be an ally to the LXG.  He will provide some important information to the team from time to time.  In the story, during the recruitment phase of the team, Langdon will be considered for it, but will eventually get a pass.            

The badass CIA spook John Clark (from Tom Clancy’s “Ryanverse” books) shall be responsible for the creation of this modern LXG.  He will be the “Nick Fury” to this modern LXG’s Avengers.   As the leader of Rainbow Six – a group of elite soldiers from different nations – which is stationed in the UK, John Clark will find himself given the responsibility (maybe by Sir Basil, UK’s head spook in the “Ryanverse”) to create a superhero task force that would deal with rising cases of supernatural matters.  He will be the one – with the help of Artemis Fowl – doing the recruitment of the team.  He will also be briefly training them.  In exceptional instances, he will even come along with the team in some of their adventures.  Clark is the LXG’s government connection, and Artemis Fowl reports to him.              

I really, really want Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games trilogy by ) to be part of this for she is probably the strongest female character conceived in recent literature.  Maybe Henry DeTamble can meet her during his time travelling trips.  And heavy implications of Katniss becoming a member of the LXG someday (through time travel maybe) will be constantly given in every time she appears in the story

THE MAIN VILLAINS

After the LXG obtained and enjoyed their early, initial success – like stopping an evil corporation or society from mass producing Monster Blood (from Goosebumps by R.L. Stine) or releasing a “Captain Trips” (from The Stand by Stephen King) bio-weapon to the world or causing a zombie apocalypse (with heavy allusions to World War Z used); and having an adventure in Isla Nublar (the land of dinosaurs in Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton) – they would be facing their first real juggernaut threat: Pennywise(from It by Stephen King) and Bellatrix Lestrange (from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling), resurrected (don’t ask me how) and teaming up for some massacre (not just murder, but massacre) sprees, mayhem, and terror.  Harry Potter and Percy Jackson will team up to initially face of the two villains, but would be brutally annihilated.  The LXG, of course, will be the ones saving the day, but with extreme effort. 

       

Then, as typical of the LXG, one of the original members will betray the team in the start of the second volume of the story, and will be the central villain.  That traitor will turn out to be an insane Edward Cullen (after Bella had an affair with Jacob Black, and left him), who has been only helping out with the LXG in saving the world so that he can conquer it himself.  All along, he has been the secret mastermind behind the vampire plot of conquering the world, and enslaving humans like cattle.  He has planned to do it one nation at a time, and decided to start with the UK.  It will enforce the fact, that as a general rule, vampires are corrupted, evil, and frightening, and NOT at all cute.  The mad vampire, Edward Cullen, will gather his vampire army, which he has been amassing through the years, in London.  His important subordinates will consist of different vampire characters from recent vampire novels – like Lestat Lioncourt and other vampires from Anne Rice’s vampire novels, vampires from The Southern Vampire mysteries by Charlaine Harris (to be honest, I have no idea of the mythos of this series.  I only know of it as the series in which the TV series True Blood is based from.  And I haven’t seen one episode of it), etc.  Moreover, it will be revealed that Cullen has been able to make himself the master of the terrifying soul-sucking Dementors (from Harry Potter), who will answer to his every command.  After his betrayal of and departure from the team, that’s when Abraham Lincoln will come in and take his place.  Then, in the epic final battle  between the LXG and their allies versus Edward Cullen’s evil army, Edward Cullen will perish after being simultaneously struck down by Abraham Lincoln and Neville Longbottom (Abe severs Cullen’s head with his axe, while at the same time, Neville severs Cullen’s trunk with the Sword of Gryffindor).

LMAO!  That’s one heck of a crazy and wild take on a modern League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.  Nonetheless, if ever, by some absurd miracle, what I ranted above becomes a reality, I will definitely be the first in line to buy the collected volume of this comicbook series (or the first to download each issue). 

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An Inspirational Food for Thought from Captain America

A bit of a background:

This happened during the “Civil War” event back in ’06 (if I recall the year right).  After leaving the Pro-Registration side because his conscience couldn’t stomach their methods (like imprisoning non-registered heroes in the Negative Zone), Spider-Man wrestled with a moral dilemma.  He knew that the Iron Man and the Pro-Registration side were wrong, but they were the ones on the side of the government, enforcing the Superhuman Registration Act; he was uncomfortable of switching sides, considering the fact that those in the Anti-Registration side are the ones breaking the Law.

Captain America, the leader of the Anti-Registration side, gave Spidey a very thought-provoking speech that finally put him at ease.  When I read that, it felt to me that Captain America was really delivering this speech in person in front of me.  It gave me goosebumps ; its powerful truth echoed through my bones.    

Beautiful.  /slowclap /tears 

Captain America, from time and time again, has proven that he’s loyalty doesn’t lie with the US government.  His allegiance has always been for the values and principles that America is founded upon; he believes that these are the essence of America, thus, by extension, the essence of his being Captain America.  (Now I like to think that, even as American values and morality gradually deteriorates due to the ongoing poisoning of liberal philosophy on American society, the American nation has been solidly founded on wonderful values of freedom and morality.   I like to think that this perception is a historical fact, and not a mere product of romantic thought.  And these American values are represented and personified by Captain America.)        

Anyway, the point of Captain America’s speech was this:

Doing what is right is never dependent on what the majority or what authority says is right.  In fact, time and time again, you will find that the objective right thing is actually at odds with the world’s definition of “the right thing.”  It takes true courage and guts to make a stand, to do the right thing, to never give in to pressure, to never compromise, when everything – everyone or every power – around you is against you. 

I coin Captain America’s philosophy as “moral badassery” (you heard this from me first. lol) – the best kind of badassery that could possibly be.  And I really want to emulate this.  I want to have the courage of doing the right thing no matter what the circumstance and cost to me are – to steadfastly hold my ground, stare down the incoming charge of the world’s fallacious principles, and say, “No, you move.”    

I want to be a moral badass like Captain America.        

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Top 10 Boy Geniuses in Fiction

As far as this list is concerned, what I mean by “boy” here are those that haven’t hit their teenage years yet.  Thus, they should be 12 years old or below.  Oh, some of them might have got to reach adolescence during the run of their respective stories, but they should have at least have been in their pre-teens or childhood during their introduction in the story. 

  

10.) STEWIE GRIFFEN

Stewart Gilligan Griffin, or “Stewie” for short, is the youngest “boy genius” character in this list for he is merely a year old!  But despite of his very young age, he is already capable of speaking properly and is highly literate.  He is already an expert in physics and mechanical engineering, and he can build science fiction-type of gadgetries and mechanisms (e.g. mind control device, weather control machine, teleportation machine, robots, laser guns, clones, time machines, etc.).  However, he still retains some adorable limitations and qualities of a baby, like adoring the Teletubbies, talking to his teddy bear as if it is alive, and believing someone truly disappears when playing Peekaboo.         

Stewie is quite an interesting character.  But he’s also a disturbing one.  Stewie is not only a genius, but a mad genius obsessed with violence and world domination, an archetypal quality of a villain.  He has done countless violent and criminal acts, from robbery to killing.  Moreover, he is also passionate on committing matricide someday.  Yikes!  

Thus, for that reason – plus I never am a fan of Family Guy anyway – Stewie only takes the last spot.  

9.) RYOMA ECHIZEN

While most of the characters here are geniuses in terms of scientific or mental aspects, Ryoma Echizen, however, is a genius in terms of playing a sport.  Ryoma is a 12-year old tennis prodigy, whose father is a former legendary pro tennis player.  Because of his great talent, even though he was merely a middle school freshman, he was able to become a regular member of his school’s tennis club.  He possesses a rich arsenal of special shots and abilities, and continues to evolve and improve as a tennis player for he can learn new techniques after only observing them being done a few times.                

8.) JIMMY NEUTRON

 

At first, I thought of Jimmy Neutron as a mere attempt to ripoff the character that got the number 2 in this list.  It might be that the number 2 of this list had a hand in the inspiration of this character’s creation, but I found that Jimmy has his own charm and uniqueness as a “boy genius” character.  In fact, Jimmy has had, probably, more interesting successes and adventures than the number 2 of this list. 

Jimmy Neutron has an IQ of 210, and at a young age, he has already been capable of endeavoring in “nuclear scientist”-level of science projects and building extremely high-tech inventions.  However, there are times that his inventions would go terribly wrong and would create quite a big mess, but Jimmy – with the help of his friends – would eventually figure out a way to make things right again.          

6.) & 7.) PHINEAS FLYNN & FERB FLETCHER

Sharing the 6 and 7 spots are the titular characters of the fantastic animated TV series, Phineas and Ferb.  Phineas and Ferb are stepbrothers who both possess high aptitude in building complex contraptions.  To fight boredom during their summer vacation, the two of them – with Phineas usually taking the lead – by doing an outlandish project (e.g. a roller coaster in their backyard) each day.  Between the two, Phineas is more of the designer while Ferb is more of the builder. 

 

5.) LEROY “ENCYCLOPEDIA” BROWN

 

Encyclopedia Brown is included in my “Top 10 Odd Detectives in Fiction” list.  Here’s what I got to say about him and his intellect:

     Leroy Brown is very intelligent and he retains massive amounts of facts from the books he read.  He was even likened to “a complete library walking around in sneakers.”  For that he was given the nickname, “Encyclopedia Brown.”  With his intelligence, he always wants to be helpful to others.  As a walking encyclopedia, he graciously answers whatever questions are thrown at him.  But he always waited a moment to answer – pretending to think – since if he answers too quickly, he is afraid that people will not like him for sounding too smart.

     Possessing a rich range of information and facts comes highly invaluable to Brown in solving his cases.  He easily finds significance on seemingly mundane details of a case but are in fact vital for its solution.  He has shown versatility in handling cases of different kinds – ranging from petty offenses and misdemeanors (particularly between children) to those serious and criminal in nature.  

    It is even implied that it was because of Encyclopedia Brown that criminals are always caught in Leroy’s town, Idaville.  His father is the chief of police in the town.  And during their family’s dinner time, Chief Brown would present his hard cases to his son.  Before they leave the table, Encyclopedia has already provided the solution. 

4.) ANDREW “ENDER” WIGGIN

In a society where a two-child policy is strictly imposed, Ender – the youngest of three children – has been degradingly labeled as a “third.”  Thus, he was constantly downed and bullied.  The harshness of his situation would make him independent at a very young age. However, despite being a “third”, Ender proved to be a brilliant military strategist.  Having his education in Battle School, where child prodigies are trained to become commanders for humanity’s war against Formics or “Buggers”, Ender excelled among the lot.  The military, being aware of his talents, eventually made him a real commander of the human forces, disguising this fact to him by misleading him that the battles he was on were mere simulations.

3.) ROBIN

The Boy Wonder.  Several have come under Batman’s tutelage and have taken the mantle of “Robin”:  Dick Grayson (who would become “Nightwing”), Jason Todd (who would become “Red Hood”), Tim Drake (who would become the most beloved “Robin” of all time, and has taken the mantle of “Red Robin”), and Damien Wayne (currently deceased; but has the birthright to take the mantle of his father, Bruce, as Batman; and is my favorite Robin).  They have different personalities and have their own different strengths as characters and as Robins (except Jason Todd, who was unremarkable and annoying as “Robin”), but all of them have been, more or less, boy geniuses.  All Robins started out as children, but they have already shown superior athletic and cognitive talents even in a young age.  And as they grew up, with Batman’s training and with their own experiences as superheroes, they became smarter, more skillful and versatile, and better heroes (except Jason Todd, who is more of an anti-heroic a-hole).       

2.) DEXTER

 

Dexter, even if he has a fragile and short stature, is a massive genius.  He has an impressive secret laboratory that he can access from a secret door behind the bookcase of his room, where he houses and makes his inventions.  He is constantly pestered by his sister, Dee Dee, whose clumsy ways often causes damages and destruction in Dexter’s lab.      

Dexter could be the earliest “boy genius” character I have ever encountered in fiction, thus, his impact as a character had been significant for he was greatly appealing due to the novelty brought by such kind of character (“boy genius”) at that time.  That past appeal still lingers, hence, he gets a high spot on this list.

1.) ARTEMIS FOWL II

 

I was 12 years-old, and it was during that time that I got introduced to both Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl – who were, at that time, were 12-year olds, too – at the same time.  Thus, I was able to compare them.  And between the two, it was Artemis Fowl who I found as the superior character.  I liked Harry Potter, but I found him a generic, unremarkable hero.  Artemis Fowl, however, was an intriguing, multi-faceted character.   

Like Harry, Artemis had to deal with the supernatural.  But instead of magic, Artemis heavily relies on technology, his bodyguard, and – most importantly – his genius intellect to achieve his goals.  Even as a 12-year old, Artemis was already a cold criminal mastermind capable of formulating brilliant strategies and orchestrating elaborate operations.  He has been described as a “plotter” and a “schemer”, possessing “the ability to visualize a hypothetical situation and calculate the likely outcomes.”  He is versatile in several skills and is knowledgeable of a wide range of fields. 

At first, the schemes of Artemis – displaying his criminal nature – were for the purpose of obtaining wealth and glory.  He antagonized the fairies for that purpose.  He eventually won against them – due to being able to stay steps ahead of the fairies most of the time.  However, as he grows older and with each passing adventure, Artemis’ selfishness would gradually lessen, and would even gain some friends and allies belonging to the fairy community.       

Artemis Fowl is not only my most favorite boy genius in fiction, but he’s one of my most favorite fictional characters ever.  Thus, I’m glad that a movie is (finally!) going to be made.  

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Top 10 Fictional Characters That Come to Mind to Personify “Badass”

The word “badass” nowadays is being lavishly used (i.e. misused/overused) as much as the words “awesome”, “cool”, and “epic” are being lavishly used (i.e. misused/overused).  In fact, while “awesome”, “cool”, and “epic” tend to become somewhat of synonyms already in the sense that they are being exaggeratedly used informally as adjectives to compliment something of good-quality, “badass” is also oftentimes being used by many on that same context. 

For me, in its purest definition, “badass” means extreme testosterone toughness.  Now, by “testosterone”, I don’t mean that there are no badass females.  There are.  But what I mean by that is “having the balls” – and if you know slang, that doesn’t need to be something literal; it means having guts, potency, and/or boldness.

Being a badass means having hardcore tenacity when making a stand or when enduring pain and pressure.  A badass displays reckless ferocity when pursuing an objective – or in destroying a target. A badass doesn’t cringe in the face of antagonism and danger. 

Violence could be the most tangible measurement of a badass.  It doesn’t necessarily mean a badass takes pleasure in violence, but it means that when there is a need for violence – when it is the only option left – a badass can be brutally aggressive without being squeamish.     

Now, with the definition above, it is particularly applicable to a person.  Discussion on the appropriate usage of “badass” on something inanimate (e.g. a badass gun) is for another day.  And with the definition above, we set the standards for those belonging in this list. 

Now, there are a lot of badass fictional characters out there.  I would be missing plenty of notable badass characters out there, but there is only room for ten.  How were that ten picked? They were the first ten that came to mind as I was writing this list.  It means that their badassery had struck me the most significantly that I was able to recall them the swiftest. 

10.) “DIRTY” HARRY CALLAHAN

“I know what you're thinking. 'Did he fire six shots or only five?' Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?”

That is indeed something a true badass would say.  Pretty chilling, right?    

9.) JOHN RAMBO

 

When I first encountered John Rambo as a kid, he struck me as the ultimate action hero.  

A Green Beret, Rambo is tough and well-trained to kill and survive.  He had several times endured heavy amounts of brutal torture (it had given him PTSD though, making him prone to violence – which merely added a layer to his badassery).  Even with just knives, a bow, and arrows, he can still pile up quite a body count of armed enemies.  He modifies his arrows to explode.  When being hunted by a large quantity of enemies, he smartly employs guerrilla tactics to cut their numbers.  He pilots a chopper, pretends to be unconscious, and as the enemy chopper hovers to check him out, suddenly lifts a rocket launcher, shooting through his cockpit’s windshield to destroy the enemy.  He shreds entire armies with heavy machine guns.  Truly, he can be easily identified as a badass.           

8.) THE TERMINATOR

Whether he’s the bad guy on an assassination mission or the (reprogrammed) good guy tasked to protect someone from another cyborg assassin, the Terminator would show hardass durability and dogged dedication in carrying out his mission down to the last seconds of his functionality.  He would never stop unless he is thoroughly destroyed – which is a hard thing to accomplish.  As a machine, he is coldly unconcerned with collateral damages (but when he was reprogrammed to be a good guy, he, of course, avoided killing humans even when they are attacking him), thus, he freely expresses his fondness for using high-caliber weaponry.        

7.) KING LEONIDAS

 

Leonidas I was an actual historical figure, and I don’t know if he was as badass as the fictional depiction of him in the epic movie, 300 (based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel).  Magnificently portrayed by Gerard Butler, the fictional Leonidas could be more iconic than the real-life one.  

To protect Greece from Persian invasion, Leonidas would lead 300 Spartan soldiers against hundreds of thousands of the Persian Empire’s soldiers.  And despite of being greatly outnumbered, the Spartans – with Leonidas at the frontlines – would consistently slaughter their enemies due to their superior military training and of their disciplined use of the phalanx formation.  Though the 300 would ultimately lose (after being betrayed and outflanked), Leonidas and his men were unyielding until death.

6.) JOHN McCLANE

 

“Yippie kai yay, motherf@#%$!”  McClane has been forever immortalized for that iconic badass, funny quote. 

As the protagonist of the Die Hardseries, this tough NYPD cop, for several times, has unluckily found himself having to deal with terrorist threats that are way above his paygrade. But because he’s a big badass, kicking their butts is no big deal for him.  Even when bloodied and beaten up – which routinely happens to him in every adventure he’s in – he would just shrug off the pain; would continue being a smartass; and go on with blowing stuff up, emptying magazine clips, breaking necks, and saving the day. 

“Yippie kai yay, motherf@#%$!” indeed.

5.) JAMES BOND

 

007, the greatest fictional spook ever,  is a mix of smooth suave and rough badassery.  He freely shifts between the two airs as well as simultaneously projects both.  He can be charmingly warm one second and then ruthlessly cold the next.  That’s what is special with Bond’s brand of badassery. 

His badassery is in full glorious display whenever he would endure and overcome no matter what painful obstacle he faces.  His steel of a resolve never breaks, no matter what – even in the presence of threat or actual application of hellish torture on him. 

4.) THE PUNISHER

  

It would take a brutal and horrible origin story to push Frank Castle into becoming “the Punisher”: the gunning down of his family by the Mob.  With his extensive military training, heavy arsenal, tendency to go for the overkill, and “nothing to lose” reckless attitude, Frank Castle declared a one-man war on crime after that tragedy.

In a world where superpowers are a staple in the war between crimefighters and criminals, the Punisher has made himself relevant.  His methods are not heroic at all, thus, he is even at odds with most superheroes.  So he rarely team-up well with superheroes, who mostly adhere to a “no-killing” policy (Frank is lucky, though, that the current superhero team he is on, the Thunderbolts, has no problem with killing evil doers).  Still, it can’t be denied that he’s efficient in stopping criminals permanently.  Castle is more concerned with dealing with street crime, common scumbags, and organized crime. But if supervillians are stupid enough to cross his path, the Punisher can handily annihilate them. 

Frank Castle is one of the dangerous men in the Marvel Universe and a bona fide badass; he’s more than deserving to be in this list.  It also helps that his simple but stylish outfit is badass as well.     

3.) KENPACHI ZARAKI

Among all Bleach protagonists, Kenpachi is my most favorite character.  Yes, I even like him more than the main character, Ichigo.  His badassery easily makes him the most interesting and complex character in Bleach.  He is immensely powerful that even though his fighting style is unrefined and he has never learned Bankai yet, he is one of the most powerful captains in the Gotei 13.  Heck, he is even capable of beating two captains at once!    

 

Kenpachi is a deadly, brutal, and very powerful warrior.  Despite being one of the good guys, he is a bloodthirsty killer.  Still, even though he has a violent nature, he does maintain a code of ethics. 

His primary interest and motivation have always been finding thrill in battle.  The more dangerous and powerful his foe is, the more enjoyment he gets.  He would even completely put a handicap on himself to lengthen the fight and make it more challenging for him – all for the purpose of deriving more excitement from the battle!  He put bells on his hair, so that his opponent would know that he is coming.  He has an eyepatch on, which not only covers his good eye, but also serves as a power limiter, preventing him from unleashing his full power.  He wields a sword with just one hand, since a two-hand attack from him causes tremendous damage; he would only attack with two-hands when he feels he will lose if he doesn’t.  Also, there would be instances where he would allow his opponent to freely strike him or wound him.  He holds back a lot, and still manages to win his battles. 

When his opponent is too injured to properly fight back, he would seemingly grow bored with the fight – or it could be mercy in the guise of disinterest – and proceed to walk away, claiming that he isn’t interested with “weaklings that can’t fight back.” 

Moreover, it was revealed later on that not only is Kenpachi consciously holding back his full power but he’s also unconsciously holding back as well.  When Kenpachi was a young boy, growing in a lawless region filled with cutthroats and murderers, he learned to become a very talented swordsman and has killed many opponents.  Eventually, he would encounter and duel with Retsu Unohana – the mild mannered captain, revealed to be the original battle-thirsty Kenpachi and a captain already at that time.  Experiencing for the first time fighting a formidable opponent, he felt for the first time the thrill of battle and unconsciously sealed his power so that he can fight her longer.  That experience is probably where his habit of consciously holding back his full power started, which had extended into continually unconsciously sealing his true power.

For Kenpachi to be able to be strong enough to fight the Wandenreich, Unohana proceeded to aid him in unleashing his true power, which he had unconsciously sealed.  Unohana and Kenpachi fought in a series of duels, which Kenpachi consecutively lost.  But after each mortal blow that Unohana delivers, she would heal Kenpachi to full health, and they would proceed to fight again.  With each succeeding duel, Kenpachi grew stronger until he finally got the upper hand over Unohana.  With Unohana’s death, Kenpachi was finally able to tap on his true power.  In the aftermath, Kenpachi’s Zanpakutō spoke to him for the first time. 

It hasn’t been revealed yet how powerful Kenpachi is and what would his Bankai be. 

2.) & 1.) WOLVERINE & BATMAN

The top two spots belong to Wolverine and Batman, two of the greatest comicbook characters ever.  Both are tenaciously enduring, and would come back from anything you throw at them with the same kind of doggedness, determination, and toughness – if not with a vengeance – that they previously displayed.  It’s as if the enormous assaults they would receive are mere annoyances to them.  They can’t be intimidated; rather they are the ones that do the intimidating.  They never back down, and nothing can keep them down.  They understand the ugliness, insanity, and darkness that the world is capable of, and don’t cringe when there is a need to get their hands dirty.  Moreover, an argument can be made that they are borderline psychopaths.      

These two simultaneously came to mind first when I was making this list, but I have to give a slight edge to Batman.  Wolverine has the benefit of an indestructible skeleton and a healing factor, which basically makes him immortal, and adamantium claws that can rip through mostly anything, thus, Wolverine can leap into danger with berserk recklessness.  But Batman displays the same level of badassery as Wolverine even though he is vulnerable.  Consider this fact: in a Justice League filled with heroes with godlike powers, not only can a non-powered Batman stand equally with them, but he is even considered as the most dangerous among them!   So the top spot is Batman’s – but just by a hair. 

BONUS: DARK CLAW

The only thing that can be possibly more badass than Wolverine and Batman is someone that is a combination of both.  And such character actually exists.  Back in the 90’s, Marvel and DC created Amalgam Comics, which featured characters that are combinations of a Marvel character and a DC character.  Dark Claw is the combination of Wolverine and Batman. 

However, Dark Claw’s character hasn’t been properly expounded or developed, thus, there was no room for him to develop his own badassery.    Therefore, he doesn’t make this list.  It wasn’t observed if he is as badass as the summation of the two badass characters’ badassery.  And it seems like cheating anyway to include him, when Batman and Wolverine already has the top two spots.  Also, I don’t like the godawful character design.  

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