by Barb Hopkins

Created on: March 14, 2008   Last Updated: February 21, 2009

A Jedi, a Hobbit and a righteous dude top my list of favorite fictional characters. Luke Skywalker, Samwise Gamgee and Ferris Bueller may differ in personalities, temperaments, and fashion sense but each character has that special spark that makes him stand out among the multitudes of fictional characters.

Luke Skywalker ranks as my number one favorite fictional character because even after thirty years my heart still swells when he proclaims to Princess Leia while aboard the first Deathstar, "I'm Luke Skywalker and I'm here to rescue you!" He is a timeless character, this quintessential young hero on a quest. We may have seen this character many times on the screen and in books but we are still drawn to the wide-eyed farmboy that was destined for greatness.

Farmboy, starfighter pilot, Jedi Knight, Rebel leader, teacher, brother, Jedi Master, husband, father, and Jedi Grand Master are all sides of Luke Skywalker. What other fictional character has evolved like him? From his onscreen debut as a Tatooine teen to the "Star Wars" novels that continue to chronicle his journeys, loves, and triumphs, Luke Skywalker is a character that fans have been able to "grow-up" with. When things are uncertain in our own world, it's nice to escape to another where a classic hero is still around to save the day.

A Hobbit named Samwise Gamgee is second on my list of favorite fictional characters. Why do I choose a secondary character from the legendary "Lord of the Rings" tales? It's simple, I like Sam. He is one of the few fictional characters that no matter how many times I hear or read his words I have to grin at their simple truthfulness. Sam may be Frodo Baggins' gardener, but it is in his role as Frodo's journey companion that we see the depth of Sam's character.

Fiercely loyal, Sam's promise to Gandolf, to always stay with Frodo on his journey, is a promise Sam will never break. He may enact the part of "servant" at times with Frodo, but he plays an essential role that must be appreciated for its complexities. He is a mood-lightener, cook, friend and encourager. It is this simple little Hobbit that gives us one of the greatest speeches of encouragement at the end of part two of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. This speech is what cements Samwise Gamgee as my number two favorite fictional character.

Sam says, "It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because

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