Reader Top Ten Greatest Science Fiction Film Characters: Jeremy Meyer

Reader Jeremy Meyer presents his list for ten greatest science fiction film characters, and there’s a new name in the number one slot!

Jeremy writes:

1. Dana Scully - The X-Files

Not simply there to be the rational counterpoint to Mulder. When people talk about character arcs and development, they should think first of Dana Scully. Well drawn to begin with, she then gets run through the mill for season after season (her abduction/cancer, death of father/sister, events that constantly seem to fly in the face of her commitment to scientific truth) and is portrayed with such consistent brilliance.

2. Spock - Star Trek

Similar to Scully in a way in that Spock is intended to complement the protagonist, yet it is Spock's battle between emotion and rationality that for me has always been at the heart of Star Trek and science fiction as a whole.

3. Dr. Zaius - POTA

As you've said many times, simply the best and deepest villain in the genre.

4. David - A.I.

A.I. is so often overlooked, and does admittedly have a poor ending, but David is exceptionally acted by Haley Joel Osment. I love this story for some of the same reasons as Blade Runner - that it's a cautionary tale how dangerous A.I. could be, not for humans, but for the evil which could all too easily befall those we create.

5. Roy Batty - Blade Runner

Roy's saving of Deckard makes him one of the most complete characters in movie history for me. 

6. Macready - The Thing

Stoic and nihilistic, along with Ethan Bishop from AOP13 Macready is the quintessential Carpenter hero.

7. George Taylor - POTA

Taylor's arc, from vague misanthropy to arguing for the rights of all humans, is simply brilliant. I have always found Heston wooden at times, not just in POTA, but Taylor is such a fantastic character that he still makes my top 10.

8. Darth Vader - Star Wars

I feel a little uncomfortable putting Vader here to be honest, having never been a huge Star Wars fan. Still, he's just about the only character not totally butchered in ROTJ, and the unmasking scene is wonderful cinema.

9. Elizabeth Shaw - Prometheus

In true Ridley Scott fashion, it takes a hell of a lot of balls to see your whole crew get butchered and STILL have enough left in the tank to perform a self-administered c-section. 

10. GERTY - Moon

I know HAL9000 will (quite rightly) get a lot of votes, but I'd like to make the case for a ship computer that doesn't have malicious intent. Brilliant cast as well; after Se7en and The Usual Suspects I expect Kevin Spacey to be villainous every time I hear him. Getting the audience to think of HAL and mistrust Spacey was key to the success of the movie in my opinion.

In addition to placing Dana Scully on this list, I admire the fact that Jeremy has also selected heroes, R.J. MacReady from John Carpenter’s The Thing, and Elizabeth Shaw from Prometheus.  Both of these characters face great physical danger -- and existential terror -- and hold their composures brilliantly.  I love ‘em both.

It’s been some time since I’ve seen A.I.  I remember that my wife and I wept through the movie, and I swore I would never make her watch it again.  Is it bad if I go back on my word? 

Keep sending me those lists at Muirbusiness@yahoo.com.