Top 5 Non-Buffyverse Heroes

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pennydrdful asked me for this forever ago, when I did the "Top 5" meme, and it really did take me this long to think of them. I don't tend to think in terms of heroes, since the term seems often to fall under the categories either of They Who Do Heroic Things Can Do No Wrong, or of On the Scale of Heroism, This Person's Actions Don't Look All That Heroic, Actually.

Also, I'm a bit sad there aren't more women on the list, but the sorts of fabulous that female characters usually are don't seem to fall under 'heroism,' at least however my brain defines the term.

Finally, note again that I make no actual claims to supremacy; these are just five I like a lot who have stuck with me.

1. Don Diego de la Vega (Tyrone Powers) - The Mark of Zorro. Because he's clever, has a sly and wicked sense of humor, gets into the heroing business for all the right reasons, and gets out of it as soon as they're resolved. Also because he swashes buckles with the best of them (and with Basil Rathbone, no less, which can't but help any budding swashbuckler's reputation).

2. Eowyn - The Lord of the Rings. Because she's a shield maiden of Rohan, with all that implies. Because she goes to the battle and slays the witch-king and defends her people at all costs. When it comes to that, she's really the most traditional choice on the list.

3. Freddy Standen - Cotillion, by Georgette Heyer. Because sometimes, getting you out of a sticky social situation is the most heroic thing a man could do. Also because he's so terribly good-hearted and will put up with so very much to make the people around him comfortable.

4. Chuck Bartowski - Chuck. Because he's such a very nice reluctant hero; and because although he's sensibly terrified about his sudden promotion to espionage, he pulls himself together and does the heroic thing that needs doing, even if he panics about it afterwards.

5. Miles Vorkosigan - the Vorkosigan series, by Lois McMaster Bujold. Because he's smart enough and driven enough (my gosh, the energy) to accomplish whatever he thinks needs accomplishing, heroism included, but also complicated enough that he comes across less as "hero" and more as "human being."