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Who are the most memorable of fantasy heroes in movies? Well, let us first re-imagine the world without Dorothy of Oz, Conan the Cimmerian, or even Harry Potter. And so let us look at these memorable heroes, and examine why they are so indelibly implanted in our consciousness.

1. Harry Potter. The Potter franchise, singlehandedly launched and birthed by J.K. Rowling, is a staggering example of success because of quality. Harry Potter is a wonderful hero because he inspires everyone. He is an orphan; that gets our sympathy. He is an athlete; he plays Quidditch like a pro. He is anti-authoritarian, always breaking meaningless or inconvenient rules, tweaking the nose of the self-important and pretentious. He is loyal and steadfast, always supporting and supported by his friends. Best of all, he fights against incredible odds to defeat the most terrible and significant evils.

Yes, he is reminiscent of King Arthur and Luke Skywalker, with his aged mentor Dumbledore at his side. His story is a bildungsroman, like Oliver Twist. But all this points out exactly why Potter is so phenomenal. He is an archetypical character that is larger than life, a great conflation of our hopes, dreams and fears.

Frodo Baggins. Now, it would be possible for me to go through every single one of Tolkien's creations and discuss their importance as memorable fantasy characters, but there is no need to do this, for those who love the series need only to be reminded, and those who don't love the Lord of the Rings novels or films are just troglodytes fit for nothing but Nancy Drew mysteries. Frodo is the little guy, the everyman, who must battle overwhelming fatigue, fear and obstacles in order to defeat the great evil. He has very few heroic qualities. Unlike Conan, he is tiny and weak. Unlike Potter, he has only his natural abilities at stealth to recommend him as a hero. Unlike Arthur, he is no king, no noble in disguise, not even very important in the grand scheme of things. Except that he is a good person. His heart is pure, and because of his integrity, he attracts the best and most loyal of allies in his quest.

2. King Arthur. The whimsical Sword in the Stone animated interpretation of White's The Once and Future King, is perhaps less grand than one could wish, and there is a lot to criticize in its animation, but Wart, who turns into Arthur, is a child who learns significant truths about life and reality. It is not the King Arthur of Mallory, perhaps, but it is a humanized and tender

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