10 Characters Who Are Strong Enough To Be Gentle (ft. TCH2)

"Well, if you're going to be a hero, Peter, be a real hero. Don't be one of those pretend Hollywood heroes. Don't go yelling and screaming. Be compassionate, you know. Be understanding. Be strong enough to be gentle." - Larry Cullen

Those were the words famously spoken by the late Larry Cullen, brother of the late Peter Cullen, who died back in August. When Peter was auditioning for the role of Optimus Prime, it was Larry who gave him the advice that would define Peter's portrayal of the character and shape him into who he is today. Larry, who was actually a captain in the US Marine Corps, told Peter to be a real hero, to not be a Hollywood hero who acts tough, to be strong real. Tell the truth. Be strong enough to be gentle. Those words were truly inspirational to Peter and his portrayal of the iconic Autobot leader.

And it's inspired me and a friend to make a list in honour of those famous words. Larry may have told Peter that for his take on Optimus Prime, but there are quite a few characters in media who fit the quota of "be strong enough to be gentle". These are characters who are plenty strong in many ways, and some can be major asskickers, but by nature are pretty sweet or kind people who balance their strength with their gentle sides.

And that's what were here to talk about. This is a list talking about 10 characters whom we believe are strong enough to be gentle. But before we get started, let's welcome my friend. The list was HIS his idea after all. Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome back a familiar face to themediamanblog...Thomas Holmes!

(Thomas enters, holding a figure of Optimus Prime in his hands)

Thomas: Greetings and salutations, everyone. Yes, this list was my idea. In the wake of Peter Cullen's sad passing this August, the advice from his brother resonates with me more than ever. Kindness and gentleness are sorely undervalued these days, and I felt it best to shine the spotlight on those who have such values.

So, shall we begin, Media Man?

Media Man: We shall. These are 10 Characters Who Are Strong Enough To Be Gentle...

This list will be in no particular order. Let's begin with...

Superman

If it isn't Optimus Prime who's being used as the first example of this kind of hero, it's easily Superman. One could argue this guy INVENTED the "strong enough to be gentle" kind of character, or at least pioneered it.

There's a lot of characters in the DC Universe who fit the bill too with Wonder Woman being a close second. But we don't want too many characters from the same franchise taking up spots, and Superman deserves a spot all to himself, so he'll be our DC representative. Superman, aka Clark Kent, was a Kryptonian who ended up being evacuated to Earth to save him from the planet's destruction. He ends up being adopted by the kindly Kent family, Jon and Martha Kent, and raised as their own. But of course, he becomes more than just a farm boy as he grows up and becomes one of the most famous superheroes in media history, Superman.

Superman is a man who possesses strength beyond measure. Insanely strong, able to fly, fire heat vision from his eyes, is able to use X-ray vision, can run or fly at super speeds, freeze things with his breath and even regenerate from his injuries when he's in close proximity to the sun, Superman is more like a god than any living being he encounters. And yet in spite of all that, he is quite possibly among the kindest and gentlest people you'll ever meet...provided you're not Darkseid or Lex Luthor. XD In the Justice League: Unlimited finale episode, he gives Darkseid a speech on how he has to watch his strength because he's metaphorically walking around in a world of cardboard. I imagine this plays a huge factor into why he's such a gentle person by nature, and why he tends to be the most restrained when using his power. One wrong move and he could snap somebody like a twig, and as we know, Superman doesn't like to kill. The fact he's romantically involved with a human, Lois Lane, also means he has to be gentle with her. Same when he's hanging out with any of his friends. But all that strength he carries and his array of powers doesn't have him lording over others or seeing other beings as beneath him. On the contrary, he inspires others to be strong and to be kind like him, which is what any hero should do.

Thomas: Indeed so. Once, when Superman is talking with Nightwing in Central Park, they are found by a security guard. Upon recognising them, said guard stammers 'The park can't get any safer having you two guys patrolling it now, can it?' Superman responds with 'You mean having the three of us patrolling it.' This shows how he sees others as peers, provided they work hard and are responsible.

Superman has inspired millions, both in-universe and out, with his words. Most famously, in All-Star Superman, as a young girl named Regan is about to jump to her death, Superman comes along and says 'It's never as bad as it seems. You're much stronger than you think you are. Trust me.' She was a complete stranger, and yet, Superman still saved her. And that scene has even helped people in real life: DC ROUND-UP: How one page from ALL-STAR SUPERMAN saved my life

Another issue has Superman confronted by the Guardians of the Universe on Oa over whether or not he might be inadvertently deterring personal growth for humanity. Ultimately, Superman decides to only act in the event of natural disasters, but leave smaller-scale problems to those directly involved. And then, there's the time he confronts the Elite over their more extreme methods of dealing with villains. This was a bold and brilliant opposition to the edgy, ultra-violent anti-heroes that had become all the rage in the 90s.

But of course, Superman's kindness isn't just secluded to the comic book page; he's also shown it on TV and in film.

Media Man: Oh yes. While I haven't seen the Christopher Reeves Superman movies, I have seen Man of Steel and Superman 2025 and in those films, we definitely get Superman being strong enough to be gentle there...if we ignore Superman snapping Zod's neck in the former, of course. XD But the fact he was willing to kill to save a bunch of strangers really speaks volumes to his compassion. Batman V Superman even dedicates a portion of the film to showing a montage of Superman saving people and doing good deeds. The DC Animated Universe also showcases that well too, even if Superman does have his limits, especially regarding Darkseid and Lex Luthor. Many of the DC Animated Movies showcase it too, especially Justice League: Doom when we see Superman talking a man out of suicide. True, it turned out to be Metallo in disguise luring him into a trap as part of Vandal Savage's plan, but still.

If there's anything that I feel showcases Superman's strong enough to be gentle nature, it's easily that famous moment from Superman issue 705 where Superman saves a boy from an abusive dad. He acknowledges himself how he could've torn apart the asshole with his bare hands, but he didn't. He held back to show the boy that violence isn't the answer and he ends that comic by saying it didn't have to be down to him to solve the issue, just anyone with a voice, a phone and ten cents worth of compassion. That alone says so much of what a great guy Superman is.

With the power of the god and also the heart of an angel, Superman is a superhero that is worthy of being labelled as "super"...

Sonic the Hedgehog

Oh yes, the fastest thing alive, the blue blur, the hero of Mobius, Sonic the Hedgehog is another powerful hero like Superman, but he balances it out with a big heart that makes him a hero we can all look up to.

Thomas: Sonic values freedom above everything else. From the very beginning, he was fighting to save countless little animals from being used as living batteries for Robotnik's Badniks, simply because he cared about them. Okay, it was also because Sonic loves kicking evil to the curb as well, but the compassion is still there.

Sonic is a prime example of a hero who has both a big ego and a big heart. He's very boastful and loves tooting his own horn at every opportunity; yet, he will not hesitate to help others in need while asking for nothing in return. And he's willing to accept help from his friends as well, even if Sonic will sometimes say he could do it alone.

Despite his clear hatred of evil, Sonic rarely holds grudges against his enemies. He avoids seeking revenge and, like Superman, will never kill if he can avoid it. He can even be understanding towards them at times, like in Black Knight when he comforted Merlina over the prospect of Camelot coming to an end, telling her things being finite is what makes them valuable.

Media Man: Too true. There's even times where he's shown mercy to Dr. Eggman...confusingly enough. Who knows why he'd ever show that man mercy, but he has done so, mostly in the comics at least. I even remember a rather sweet moment in the final issue of the Archie Sonic X comics where he's having a tea party with Cream the Rabbit. He even said he promised her one on a slow day. It's obviously not something he'd do for his own amusement, but he did it anyway just to entertain Cream. That's so nice of him. Oh and need I bring up probably the most beloved moment in all of Sonic X where Sonic spent an episode avoiding the government and not attending this big fancy party just so he could give Helen, a disabled girl in a wheelchair, a good time? There's a reason many viewers who watched Sonic X love that episode. The hedgehog who smashes robots on a regular basis will go out of his way to make a kid happy. What's not to like? ^^

The live-action movies are another example of how compassionate Sonic can be. For his time on Earth, he takes an interest in Tom and his wife Maddie to the point he willingly risked his neck for Tom when Robotnik was threatening him. And then there's the third movie where Shadow injured Tom to the point it was possible he could've died. We know he survived in the end, but still, Sonic got pushed to the point he was wanting revenge on Shadow for it. In the end, he stayed his hand and learned from the experience. Definitely a great example of Sonic showing what true heroism is like.

It is a pity IDW Sonic misses all that and portrays Sonic as a gaslighting jerk, but that's another story... at least we have plenty of games, the live-action movies, Sonic X and some Archie Comics that showcase this part of his character the best.

Thomas: I'm not sure I wholly agree on IDW Sonic, but I can say he's still better than Fleetway Sonic, who was a massive jerk on the regular and never apologised for it. But again, that's another story.

Easily the biggest display of Sonic's kindness is how he treats his friends; whether it's his brotherly bond with Tails, always looking out for the genius cub when needed, especially in Adventures and the games; comforting Amy and Sally, his two most famous lovers across various continuities when they're down; choosing to continue helping Chip, even when he's revealed to be Light Gaia; his friendship with Blaze in general; or giving Shahra a mountain of handkerchiefs to cry with due to her grief.

There's no doubt that Sonic is the Fastest Thing Alive. But he's also, possibly, the Kindest Thing Alive too.

Mrs. Brisby

Both me and the Media Man have already covered why Mrs. Brisby is so great, but it bears repeating here.

Mrs. Brisby is easily one of the best mothers in all. Unlike the previous two, she isn't some big hero; she's just a mother willing to do anything to save her son Timmy; anything.

Media Man: And she's very true to her word too. She really does go through hell and back for her son in spite of her meek and timid nature! Over the course of the movie, she has to avoid the farmer's cat, Dragon, she bravely tries to stop the farmer's plough (though Auntie Shrew ends up doing it for her in the end), lets Jeremy fly her to the Great Owl despite not liking flying (I can relate), bravely visit the Great Owl despite knowing owls eat mice, then follows his directions and visits the Rats of NIMH and in probably her bravest act in the movie, volunteers to drug Dragon's food to keep him from being a problem to the Rats of NIMH when they carry out the plan to move the Brisby home. That mouse is a credit to us all! I bet even some humans wouldn't be able to pull off all the courageous acts that this one little mouse did!

And yet in spite of her courage and determination, Mrs. Brisby remained ever gentle and kind. Even if she was with people who were rude to her like Mr. Ages and Auntie Shrew, she was unfailingly polite to them and even though Jeremy evidently got on her nerves a few times, she was still friendly to him for the most part. And then there's how she is with her children. Even when scolding them for being rude to Auntie Shrew, she does the firm but fair approach and never shouts at her children or reprimands them harshly. Raising four kids ain't easy and I know you parents out there need the patience of a saint to handle being a parent, so this further shows how strong, yet gentle Mrs. Brisby can be. I wish all children in the world could have a mother like her. ^^

Thomas: This love for her children is fully demonstrated when she uses a mysterious stone given to her by Nicodemus to save them and her home from being lost to the mud. Her inexorable courage and heart shine through in possibly the most beautifully animated sequence of The Secret of NIMH. But despite the stone being a source of great power, ultimately, Mrs. Brisby is content with just being a mother to her children and lets Justin take the stone with him for safekeeping. All a sign of her humility and charitable nature.

Mrs. Brisby might be a small mouse, but it's no secret that she has a massive heart.

Frodo Baggins

Ah, Lord of the Rings… easily one of the most beloved franchises of all time, with the Peter Jackson film adaptations turning 25 this coming December.

The films, adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's popular books, have showcased some incredibly heroic characters, like Aragorn, Gandalf, Samwise Gamgee, Legolas and more. But in my opinion, the bravest of all is the main character, Frodo Baggins.

Like all Hobbits, Frodo lives a humble life, never really seeking adventure. But soon, an enormous burden falls into his lap when the Dark Lord Sauron seeks the One Ring, which is now in Frodo's possession. The only way to stop Sauron for good is to destroy the One Ring. And the only way to destroy the One Ring is cast it into the fires of Mount Doom from whence it came. Thus, Frodo must embark on a perilous journey to Mordor, all the while bearing the constant influence of the One Ring's dark power.

Media Man: It's not an easy journey, by any means. Not only is there the corruption of the One Ring threatening to take over Frodo as the journey goes on, but Gollum's after it too, Sauron's forces are also trying to get the ring back and then there's a whole bunch of other stuff to deal with outside of the One Ring. And yet, through it all, Frodo keeps on going until the end, even when the Fellowship get separated, and with only Samwise by his side, he keeps to the task no matter what.

I think the fact it took until the very climax of the trilogy for the One Ring to fully corrupt Frodo and have him saying "The ring is mine!" speaks volumes about how resilient this little Hobbit is. He was able to resist its corruption for most of the trilogy whereas other characters weren't as resilient. Need I mention how Boromir turned on Frodo and tried to take the ring off of him in The Fellowship of the Ring? Yes, it did corrupt him eventually and the day (ironically) had to be saved by Gollum's interference, but I still say we should give credit where credit is due. And yet despite the perilous journey and everything he went through, Frodo still remained a good and friendly person in the end.

Thomas: True, he didn't come out it unscathed; he lost a finger and was no doubt left traumatised by it all, but Frodo never lost who he was at his core. This vulnerability only makes him more relatable, if you ask me.

There are times when Frodo doubted if he could do this, as shown at the end of Two Towers after he almost attacked Sam. But after Sam's inspiring speeches about heroes, Frodo rediscovered the strength to keep going. He even acknowledged that he could never do this without Sam.

Frodo even showed pity to those who might do him harm. He understood why Boromir tried to take the Ring and initially considered going it alone, so no one could be tempted. And he wanted to help Gollum as well, knowing he used to be a Hobbit like himself and was now a tortured and broken soul who was constantly drawn to the Ring. True, Gollum took advantage of this, but that's on him.

Frodo Baggins, like Mrs. Brisby, proves that you don't need to be some bold, badass guy who punches, slashes, shoots or casts magic to be endearing. You just need to have enough heart and selflessness. And sometimes, you won't quite succeed. But the effort alone is always admirable. His uncle Bilbo raised him well.

If you ask me, Frodo Baggins is the bravest little Hobbit of them all.

Toa Gali and Toa Onua

Media Man: We have a legitimate tie for this one since both me and Thomas agree that these two equally fit the bill.

In the world of BIONICLE, there are six legendary heroes known as Toa. Consisting of Tahu, Gali, Lewa, Kopaka, Pohatu and Onua, this team of elemental powered heroes fight to protect the Matoran and save the world from the evil forces of Makuta Teridax, while also striving to awaken the Great Spirit Mata Nui. While the Toa are all heroic in their own right, the ones that I feel fit the "Strong enough to be gentle" type are Gali and Onua. Why is that? We'll tell you. Gali and Onua are often portrayed as the friendliest and most approachable of the Toa. They're also the ones who usually keep the group the most united too with Gali preaching the most about being united and working together while Onua is often quiet and thoughtful. Make no mistake though that both these Toa are quite capable in battle. Gali especially can form a sphere of water around your head and potentially suffocate you if she wanted and Onua...he has earth powers, that already tells you that you shouldn't make him mad. And need I bring up how Gali unleashed a Nova Blast just to take down a Makuta when everyone else was incapacitated? You do not mess with this girl!

But despite the power they possess, they are pretty gentle people by nature. One notable example is during the Bohrok saga when Lewa got possessed by a krana. Onua went out of his way to avoid hurting him as much as possible until he could find a way to get the krana off of his friend. As for Gali, it says a lot about how beloved she is among her fellow Toa when her being in danger, incapacitated or close to death is enough for them to get enraged and go ape on their opponents. And when it comes to how nice she is, she once scolded Tahu for burning a tree down and went out of her way to heal the Kardas Dragon. For context, that was the final boss the Toa Inika had to deal with to defeat Vezon and claim the Mask of Life, and yet Gali had no problems healing it. That and she's often the peacekeeper between the team. Talk about combining strength with gentleness.

Thomas: Gali truly is the one who holds the Toa Mata/Nuva together. Without her, it's all too likely the team would fall apart. Yet, she isn't perfect: she can hold grudges and is sometimes frustrated with her brothers, especially Tahu, as shown with the aforementioned tree burning incident, and also in the Mask of Light movie. But she is humble enough to admit her folly, and still went out of her way to heal Tahu from the Rahkshi's influence, at the cost of her own strength.

Onua, meanwhile, is often willing to let his comrades make mistakes, reckoning such errors are the best way to learn, which isn't untrue, even if it is rather risky. Still, it shows Onua values learning on the job rather than just lecturing others about how to do things. His Kanohi, the Pakari, also grants him incredible strength; yet, like Superman, he is able to keep a level of restrain of it, so as to not harm excess harm or collateral damage.

The Matoran of Mata Nui were gifted by the arrivals of their Toa guardians. They were certainly gifted with Gali, as reliable and healing as water, and Onua, as dependable and tenacious as the earth itself.

Media Man: No kidding. Now for the next entry, me and TCH2 both agree that the Disney Princesses deserve a spot on the list for how generally strong, yet nice they can be. But which one? Just about any Disney Princess deserves a spot on the list! It's a tough call, but we thought that in the end, only one truly deserves it...

Fa Mulan

Long time readers of the blog will remember that I've talked extensively about Mulan in the past, once in my Nice Girls list and again in my Favourite Disney Princesses list, so I won't talk about her too much.

What else is there left to say about her? Mulan's a badass, and easily among Disney's greatest heroes, and one of their deadliest too given she has a legit body count on her hands. This IS the woman who defeated an entire Hun army by starting an avalanche, need I remind you? XD But it's not just being a badass that makes Mulan as likeable as she is. It's her devotion to her family and desire to bring honour to them all. Despite it being against the law for women to be in the army, Mulan still risks it all anyway, and all just to prevent her dad from going and getting himself killed as he's in no shape to fight. If that doesn't tell you this woman has a heart of gold, then you have weird standards of what people should be like. I think one of the best examples of Mulan being strong enough to be gentle is how during the training montage, she wins over the other trainees by showing how smart and resourceful she is and despite them treating her badly at the start, she doesn't hold it against them and makes friends with them, especially Yao, Ling and Chien-Po. And then there's her rewards the emperor gives her for saving China from Shan Yu. He legit offers her Chi-Fu's job! But what does Mulan have to say to that? Just a thank you and she wants to go home because she's been away for too long. Her devotion to her family is above accepting a big job like that. I think that proves Mulan's worthy of this list.

Thomas: Furthermore, when she's discovered to be a woman, Mulan doesn't resist when it seems Shang is about to execute her for 'treason'. She knew she had broken the law, but she didn't care; Mulan had done so for a good reason, and she had defeated the Hun army. That was enough for her.

Mulan is yet another person of humble origin, yet she became one of the best soldiers in the army purely through hard work, determination and resourcefulness. This shows that, to quote BIONICLE, it's not what you've got; it's what you do that makes you a hero. Too bad the live-action remake missed the mark, but we don't talk about that.

Overall, the Emperor was right when he said this:

"'You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty.'"

And Zhou was indeed right when he said the greatest gift was having Mulan as a daughter.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

The Jedi Knights are guardians of peace and justice. They strive to use the Force to defend others from evil, and to never dominate others the way the Sith do. Humility and gentleness are hallmarks of a Jedi, and few embody that more than Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Media Man: Where do we even begin with this legend?

People often talk about how much Anakin got dragged through the dirt and all, but Obi-Wan arguably had his fair share of pain and suffering too. Over the course of the prequel trilogy and expanded media such as The Clone Wars, he's had to deal with the greedy Trade Federation, lost his master to Darth Maul, had to take on a Padawan much sooner than he possibly anticipated, was badly injured by Count Dooku and failed to stop the Separatists from getting away with the Death Star plans, lost many friends and colleagues during the Clone Wars, had to deceive his own Padawan and other allies with the Rako Hardeen plot, watched Duchess Satine (who he clearly fancied) get murdered by Darth Maul right in front of his eyes, had to watch Ahsoka Tano depart on bad terms, almost died when Order 66 occurred, had to deal with the loss and destruction of his own culture as a result of Order 66, had to duel his own Padawan to the death and leave him behind to burn on Mustafar, HAD TO GO INTO EXILE AND LIVE LIFE AS A SAD OLD HERMIT...and then at the end of it all, he got killed by the one he loved as a brother and raised as a Padawan. And we act like Anakin's life sucked. XD

But this is what the critical difference between Anakin and Obi-Wan is and also why Obi-Wan qualifies for the list. He went through all that and has been put through hardships that would destroy any normal person...but unlike his Padawan, he never fell to the Dark Side. He never gave into anger and hate and he never sought out petty revenge or the like. He remained true and pure in the Force and never stopped doing what was right. It especially says a lot when he kills Darth Maul a second time, but he comforts him in his dying moments and the whole thing is more bittersweet than a triumphant ending to their rivalry. Maul is arguably the one who has caused the biggest tragedies in Obi-Wan's life, and yet Obi-Wan never sunk to his level and still remained a hero through and through.

Thomas: And then, there's the way Obi-Wan conducts himself in battle. Jedi aim to defend rather than to attack, and Obi-Wan personifies this through his practice of the Soresu form of lightsaber combat. This form is purely defensive and energy-conservative, requiring the practitioner to become the 'calm eye of the storm as their enemies rage about them.' Obi-Wan is so proficient in this form that he was considered THE master of Soresu by Mace Windu. Rather than immediately trying to hack his enemies to pieces or move in for the kill, Obi-Wan lets his enemies come to him. He bats away the blaster bolts of shooters like they're flies, and with other duellists, he simply waits them out until they exhaust themselves, before finishing them quickly and cleanly.

When it comes to using the Force, again, Obi-Wan favours precise, minimalistic usage that causes the most effective results with little effort - whether calmly making a deathstick dealer rethink his life with the mind trick, slamming his enemies with carefully-timed Force pushes, gently moving explosives into position to take out the shield generator protecting the Separatist base on Bomis Koori IV, or distracting enemies to move about undetected. But he will not hesitate to use more destructive powers when necessary, such as when he blasted Durge apart from the inside, or when he lifted several rocks with telekinesis to pummel Darth Vader into submission.

Obi-Wan has always put the greater good above his own desires and struggles, though as mentioned, not without great struggle. It really is amazing how much sorrow this guy has suffered, yet he remained pure of heart and kind, despite everything. He even chose not to finish Darth Vader, partly because he still felt some pity for his former Padawan and friend, but also because he didn't want to risk tainting him with the Dark Side, lest he potentially pass that on to Luke.

Obi-Wan's purity was truly personified by his ability to ultimately transcend the material plane and become one with the Force, allowing him to appear to Luke in times of need or guidance - a shining beacon of hope for the future of the galaxy.

Media Man: Oh yes, very much so. The Force was definitely strong with this one...

Now for the next two entries, we're covering characters only either one is familiar with. For my side, I'm going to cover...

Ash Ketchum and Liko

Another legitimate tie here, for both the main protagonists of the Pokémon anime absolutely carry the phrase "strong enough to be gentle" proudly on their shoulders. And interestingly enough, I think both of them carry it in different ways. The best way to sum them up is that Ash definitely emphasizes the "strong" part more than Liko, while Liko emphasizes the "gentle" part more than Ash. I mean that in the sense that Ash is the more guan ho of the two, is more battle passionate and eager to get stuck in on the action, while Liko is more gentle by nature, is more about understanding the feelings of Pokémon and tends to only fight when absolutely necessary. But overall, the two are still a great example of Larry Cullen's advice to Peter.

Pokémon as a franchise preaches very heavily about friendship, companionship, teamwork and all that jazz, so it makes sense that you have characters who are strong enough to be gentle, and Ash and Liko are no exception. Both of them are portrayed as budding trainers who start off as novices, but as time goes on and they're tested on their skills as trainers more and more, they grow more experienced and capable and are able to pull off some pretty amazing feats. Both these characters have tangled with LEGENDARY POKEMON during their times on the show! That should tell you they're not a pair of nobodies who have nothing to their names! The two have also routinely used their skills as Pokémon trainers to fight evil villains and save the world. Whether it's Ash going up against the various evil teams from the games or Liko and her friends battling the Explorers, the two never hesitate to put a stop to whatever evil scheme is being carried out by the villains. Liko especially is at her angriest and most determined whenever the Explorers are involved, and it's VERY rare you ever see her that way! And we all know about Ash when you get on his bad side. He'll quickly make you regret it!

But the true strength of Ash and Liko comes from their big hearts that makes them worthy Pokémon trainers who deserve to carry a Pokéball. Both Ash and Liko are very caring and loving towards their Pokémon to the point they've been known to endanger their own lives just for their sake. Notable examples include Ash diving off of Lumiose Tower to save his falling Pikachu and Liko preparing to use herself to protect a Maushold from falling rocks. The two will also save and protect Pokémon that they don't even own. Whether it's their Pokémon or a wild one, they'll look out for them no matter what. It's their big hearts and kindness to Pokémon as to how they've ended up catching some of them too, namely Liko's Hatenna that later became a Hatterene and Ash's Charmander that later became a Charizard. And it's not just Pokémon either, the two will go out of their way to help humans too. How many times have Ash and friends stopped their journey just to help people in need? And need we forget that Liko was once such a people pleaser that it was once a big character flaw she had to overcome? It's so admirable how much these two are kind and compassionate kids and it's easy to see how they've made so many friends on their travels, both people and Pokémon.

No matter who's the protagonist of the anime, one thing that can be unanimously agreed on is that Ash and Liko are great people who are strong and capable trainers, but even stronger people who's skill as Pokémon trainers is only matched by their compassionate hearts.

Now it's over to Thomas for this next one, and then we move onto the grand finale. Take it away, Thomas!

Thomas:

Twilight Sparkle

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is full of characters who fit the quota, which makes sense, given the core theme of friendship, similar to Pokémon. But Twilight Sparkle fits it best of all.

At the beginning of the series, Twilight Sparkle was a studious unicorn who has little time for friends. But ever since she moved to Ponyville, her heart was slowly opened up to the magic of friendship, becoming one of the six Elements of Harmony alongside Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Together, they faced all kinds of challenges, be they slice-of-life problems with a fantasy bend to villains threatening to, what else, take over the world.

Twilight was recognised as one of the potent unicorns of her generation, yet she was never proud or boastful about it. She only showed off her power to either solve a problem or help others. Admittedly, she could get carried away due to potential OCD or OCPD, but over time, she learned to let go of her obsession with control and order. And though she sometimes thought she had to tackle a problem by herself, she was still willing to have her friends as backup if needed. Once, she even allowed Spike to be the one who saved the Crystal Empire from the return of King Sombra when it became clear she couldn't. Even after Twilight was transformed into an Alicorn at the end of Season 3 and became the Princess of Friendship, she never lauded her power over others and still treated others as equals, leading through compassion and understanding. And she never assumed she no longer needed her friends.

Befitting the show's theme of friendship, Twilight, like Sonic, was never one to hold a grudge or seek revenge. Instead, she came to believe in second chances and helping others see the light, such as Princess Luna, Sunset Shimmer, Trixie, Starlight Glimmer, Discord and Tempest Shadow. She even inspired others to try and reason with enemies (even if it did become a bit too common, especially with Equestria Girls). That said, Twilight didn't let this blind her to the possibility that some don't want to be redeemed, and will come down hard on enemies who dare to threaten those she cares about. Notably, though, like Superman, she generally strove to merely defeat her enemies rather than destroy them outright, King Sombra notwithstanding. This shows her restraint and her value of life.

This value of life and her inspiring actions ultimately led to Twilight becoming the new ruler of Equestria, and honestly, I couldn't think of a better option. Because Twilight is a pony who leads with honesty, generosity, kindness, laughter and loyalty, all taught to her by her friends. The magic of friendship truly shines through Princess Twilight Sparkle!

And last, but certainly not least... shall we say together, Media Man?

Media Man: You got it!

Optimus Prime

You're shocked, I can tell. =P

If we're making a list based around Larry's famous words to Peter that inspired his portrayal of the famous Autobot leader, we have to include Optimus himself on the list! Granted, not every version of Optimus Prime follows that mantra, especially the Michael Bay films where he acts like the very thing Larry told Peter NOT to be and is more like an axe-crazy serial killer than the character he's supposed to be, but that doesn't mean Optimus shouldn't have a spot here. For this list, we'll be going over the versions of Optimus that showcase this mantra the best.

Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobot faction, the very faction that battles against the Decepticons, and it's very easy to see how and why he's the one in charge. He's strong, he's brave, he can turn into a badass truck, he carries the powerful Matrix of Leadership and he's always willing to put himself in harm's way if it means protecting other races from Decepticon tyranny or putting Megatron down for good. When really pushed, he can take lethal action if necessary. But the thing that makes Optimus deserving of his leadership position isn't all those things I mentioned. They partially make up who Optimus is. But overall, the true essence of what makes Optimus the beloved leader he is is his compassionate side. Optimus is the kind of guy who will let Decepticons blow him to smithereens if it means saving Autobots in danger. It doesn't matter who you are, what your rank is, what your position on the team is, Optimus will save your life regardless, and he WILL take it hard if he loses even one Autobot during a battle against the cons. But his compassion doesn't stop at Cybertron's borders, far from it. His compassion expands beyond the universe. He doesn't care where he is or what the local lifeforms are like. If there's a planet with life on it, he WILL defend it from evil. Why do you think Earth has him to thank for all the times the human races has been saved from Decepticon attacks? This all boils down to Optimus' most famous quote:

"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

And he sticks by that belief, whether it's showing mercy to an enemy or defending a lifeform from another world he knows nothing about. Again, just forget about the live-action movies in this case for they really miss the damn point of the character...

Thomas: Yeah, even Peter himself didn't like that version of the character. And he voiced him!

Anyways, firstly, we naturally have the original version of Optimus Prime from the Generation 1 cartoon, given he was defined by those words. This Optimus truly was a father to his men, playing basketball once during their downtime, defending Mirage against Cliffjumper's accusations of treason and even giving Bumblebee a grateful hug after the latter saved him from Decepticon reprogramming. Most famously, and this was one of Peter's favourite lines, he said to a despondent Chip Chase:

'Hang onto your dreams, Chip. The future is built on dreams.'

Later in the same series, following his rebirth, Optimus used the Matrix to purge the Hate Plague from the galactic populace. This earned him the normally insane Galvatron's respect. That really is something.

Then, there's the Unicron Trilogy version of the character, who had to grapple with whether or not he truly was devoted to peace or not, and even questioned his worthiness as a leader. Notably, in the final part of the trilogy, Transformers: Cybertron, Optimus grew worried for the well-being of his men and wondered if he was needlessly leading them into danger and he even got angry when Megatron dared harm those he cared about. Ultimately, though, he overcame his doubts and proved himself a worthy leader in the end.

Media Man: That he did.

And naturally, we have to cover the Aligned continuity. While this Optimus was more stoic than the previous examples to the point some fans found him boring, even this Optimus stayed true to Larry's wise words. He could be brutal when pushed, yes, but was still a pretty warm and gentle person by nature. This is the same guy who buried Skyquake after Bumblebee was forced to kill him, and also the same guy who showed mercy to several Decepticons despite what they did. Oh and he ripped Knockout's car door off just to save a human he took hostage and willingly destroyed the Omega Lock just to keep Megatron from cyberforming Earth. And to top it all off? When Cybertron was in the process of restoration, his final act in his life was to give his own life up to the Well of Sparks just so that Cybertron could flourish and begin again. True he was restored to life in Robots in Disguise 2015, but we don't talk about that piece of crap. That should tell you how compassionate this Optimus was. What could possibly top giving your own life so your ENTIRE PLANET can create life again?

Thomas: Other notable incarnations of Optimus include the version from Bumblebee and Rise of the Beasts, whose journey to rediscover his old values was no doubt a breath of fresh air for Peter; and the guy from Transformers: One, who slowly matures from a carefree, irresponsible troublemaker to a noble, inspiring leader who is content with just exposing and dethroning the traitorous Sentinel, unlike his former friend D-16.

There have other versions of Optimus who, like in Armada, have often wrestled with the weight of his position, like in Marvel and IDW. But this only shows how sentient Optimus is. He isn't so proud as to claim it's easy to be a leader, but he always does his best and tries to put the greater good above everything else, including his own peace of mind. This was likely what Awakening sought to explore, but whether it did so well is debatable.

Still, there can be no doubt that Optimus Prime truly is an example to us all. We frankly need more leaders; too many leaders these days are more concerned with their own gain and pushing very specific agendas, rather than actually trying to serve those they claim to lead. If more leaders were like Optimus Prime, strong enough to be gentle, the world would be so much better.

Media Man: That is so true pal.

There are many versions of Optimus Prime, but they all have one thing in common: that they're strong leaders who are also compassionate souls...except for the Michael Bay films. It's no wonder Peter took his brother's advice to give this legendary character his heart and soul...

And that's it for this list. I hope you enjoyed it and I invite you all to share your thoughts down below. Did you like the list? Do you agree with our choices? Which characters would you have put on the list? Do tell me.

And I'd like to thank Thomas for joining me for this post. It's been a real pleasure to have you here again.

Thomas: My pleasure, pal.

I'd like to devote this list, not just to the late great Peter Cullen, but also to Captain Larry Cullen of the US Marine Corps. Semper fi to you both.

And remember, everyone: if you want to be a hero…

(He holds up his Optimus Prime figure.)

Thomas: Be a real hero. Be compassionate. Be understanding. Be strong enough to be gentle. Cheerio.

Media Man: Well said buddy.

Come back on Friday for my Most Iconic Girl Trios In Media post. See you then media fans!

Honorable Mentions

Wonder Woman

Sally Acorn

Luz Noceda

Luke Skywalker

Judy Hopps

Baymax

Mufasa

Yusei Fudo

The Iron Giant

Cassandra Cain/Batgirl

Support the blog here on my Patreon page.

In Memory of Captain H.L. Larry Cullen

June 30th 1940 - March 23rd 2011

For the man who fought for his country and helped Optimus Prime find his voice.