I love films and cinematography and all, but the characters are truly what makes the story. When you fall in love with a character, you fall in love with their story. You go through all the best adventures and happiest moments with them but as well as all the pain, heartbreak, and struggles they experience.
Last week, I wrote an article about the most comforting films, so I thought it would be fitting to talk about the most comforting characters: the characters that are so special, the ones that just make you feel warm—the ones you just can’t help but want to hug and adventure with.
Here are some of the characters I absolutely adore that have a special place in my heart.
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Harry Potter
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Of course, Harry Potter is everyone’s favorite nostalgic character. He’s the OG chosen one. We watched him grow up, both in the films and in the movies. We watched him be an abused orphan to a man who lost so much yet found so much love. He’s one of the strongest and bravest characters. Most Harry Potter characters deserve so much love for everything they’ve been through.
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Percy Jackson
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I’m an OG Percy Jackson fan. I especially love Percy, the main character, because he’s not your typical hero. At first, he was just a troubled kid with ADHD and dyslexia. After a 15 year journey, Percy Jackson has grown to be one of the strongest demigods in the world. Like Harry Potter, I grew up with Percy Jackson. I read and saw him grow to be such a wonderful character book after book. Rick Riordan is an amazing author, and we need to give him so much credit for making these books so entertaining and hilarious while creating such a wonderful community inclusive of everyone, no matter what gender, sexuality, or nationality you are.
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Peeta Mellark
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Following the fantasy train, next up we got Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games. I recently re-read The Hunger Games just because…well, the state of our world in 2020 and it really made me think so much differently of the entire story and its characters from when I first read it in middle school. Peeta Mellark is such a sweet and strong character. He loves Katniss more than anything and would literally die for her. He’s not physically as strong or competitive as her, but he’s so necessary in the entire plot and becomes such a large part of Katniss’s life and happiness. I just adore him and he deserved nothing that happened to him.
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Will Byers
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Although Will is one of the main characters of Stranger Things, he is often overlooked. He has literally been through hell (the upside down) and back all while his friends were growing up and falling in love. He’s still a kid at heart, but he didn’t get much of a chance to spend time with them so now it seems they have all moved on. Like the other stories, we have watched these kids grow up and now it’s so sad to see Stranger Things ending. Will deserves all happiness and friendship.
- Stiles Stilinski
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Another character I fell in love with in middle school was Stiles Stilinski from Teen Wolf. He’s your typical nerdy sidekick who has no powers, yet is so much smarter than everyone else. He’s the comic relief when things are so dark. He went through so much, yet still remained a positive part of the show.
- Mia and Sebastian
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Two characters that deserved everything are Mia and Sebastian from La La Land. They truly loved each other and the art they were both creating, but they both stood in the way of each other’s dreams. Although they didn’t end up together in the end, they found their way to pursue their passions and fall in love with others. Although it was right for them to end the relationship and they made their way back to each other, the story still breaks my heart.
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Beth March
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Although all of the Little Women characters deserve the best lives and happiness, Beth is really the one that brought them all together. She is the sweetest girl and is extremely talented. She got really sick and couldn’t live her life and pursue her dreams just like the rest of her sisters. They loved her so much and Beth is a ray of sunshine in their darkest moments. So, when she died, the Little Women were never really complete again. I absolutely adore the March sisters, but Beth deserved more time and love.
- Charlie Kelmeckis
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Charlie Kelmeckis from Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of the most well-known characters with mental health issues. He’s been through so much pain yet is so shy and caring. I love Charlie and all his friends, and his story is so important. I just want to give him a big hug and wish I could help all his problems go away.
- Chidi Anagonye
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On a brighter kind of story, Chidi Anagonye from The Good Place is an excellent character. He is absolutely iconic, hilarious, and so smart. I love all his rants about philosophy and when he complains about getting a stomach ache because he has to make a decision. I love him and Eleanor’s relationship so much. Chidi quite literally saved mankind and is such an amazingly written character.
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Miles Morales
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Miles Morales from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a gem. I’m a sucker for underdogs and Miles is just so fun and unique. Spider-Verse was such a great movie because of the variety of characters and how special Miles is as a character and hero.
Connecting with a fictional character can almost feel like connecting with someone real who just gets you. These stories are so special because their characters make you feel like you’re not alone in the best ways.
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