10 Fictional Characters We All Want as a Best Friend

What makes a best friend? Perhaps it’s a person’s loyalty? Their compassion? Their unwavering commitment to fun? Or maybe it’s their crush-on-ableness? Whether your emotions toward your number one ride-or-die are outwardly platonic or secretly romantic, one thing is clear: we all need someone to depend on in our lives. And while the real world certainly has its pick of quality candidates, fictional characters give real people a run for their money. These are 10 characters across film and TV we’d all want for a best friend, maybe even a secret crush? That’s for you two to work out.

Samwise Gamgee

Let’s start with the best friend blueprint, the most loyal man in Middle-earth: Samwise Gamgee. The Lord of the Rings trilogy’s greatest hero isn’t the strongest or wisest. He’s no great wizard or warrior king. But what he lacks in traditional heroic trappings he makes up for in pure, unadulterated heart. Picture this: you’re given the lonely task of saving the world all by yourself, when suddenly your uncle’s gardener decides to accompany you on a cross-continental trek into the heartland of evil for no reason but to provide emotional support. That’s someone you’ll want to keep around forever. Samwise Gamgee wasn’t thinking of gold or glory when he (sometimes quite literally) carried Frodo Baggins along on his journey to destroy the One Ring. Like a loyal Golden Retriever, he did it purely out of love and duty. His reward? Nothing but a well-deserved forehead kiss. Frodo gave him that, but I’m sure you can do better. Maybe a seat on the boat to the Undying Lands? Samwise deserves nothing less.

Rebecca

The number one rule of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners? Trust no one but yourself. Unless that person is the trigger-happy ride-or-die Rebecca, you can put your life in her oversized cybernetic hands. Despite being a hardened mercenary on the mean streets of Night City, Rebecca refuses to let the brutality of this hi-tech-low-life world get her down. Unlike 99.99% of the city’s residents, Rebecca is the furthest thing from cynical and sad. She’s always packing two things: a smile and a plethora of loaded guns. From the moment young David Martinez joins up with Maine’s gang, she brings both of these things on every mission. Even when the odds are stacked against her, she’s an unwavering source of support for her team. While this unquestioning, nigh-suicidal loyalty did her in at the end of the series, I’m sure you’d convince her not to make the same mistakes she did for David. You’d never let her challenge the world’s strongest cyborg mercenary, Adam Smasher, to a fight… right?

Jake the Dog

Adventure Time‘s Finn and Jake are one of the greatest best-friend pairs in all of fiction; are you really gonna insert yourself into their relationship and steal Jake away for yourself? When a friendship with a magical talking dog is on the line, I won’t judge you for doing what needs to be done. Jake the Dog is prime bestie material. He lives in an awesome treehouse. He loves to party. He appreciates classical music. He chefs up some mean bacon pancakes. And best of all, he’s magic. Trying to reach something on a too-high shelf? Call Jake. Need to vault over traffic on your way to work? Call Jake. There’s an evil wizard in your neighborhood whose face needs a good oversized fist punch? Call Jake. This stretchy dog can handle just about any situation, and due to his dog-ish loyalty, he’s happy to help anytime.

Mako Mankanshoku

What is a best friend if not your number one cheerleader? And what is Mako Mankanshoku if not the best cheerleader in all of anime? While Ryuko Matoi is the hero of Kill la Kill, she wouldn’t have gotten half as far as she did without the undying support of Mako. When Ryuko showed up to Mako’s school trying to cut the head off the student council president with a giant scissor blade, did Mako ask questions? No, Mako gave her a safe place to hide at her family home when the plan went awry. When Ryuko began waging a one-woman war against every after-school club at Honnoji Academy, did Mako run away and hide? No, she showed up to every battle to cheer on her bestie. And when Ryuko was on the verge of giving up, did Mako give up on her? No, she convinced her to keep fighting with the promise of a sapphic ice cream date — like any queer bestie worth their salt should.

Shaggy

Shaggy doesn’t have superpowers. He’s not particularly brave or bright. He’s just a simple man with a van, a dog, and a love of oversized sandwiches. Sometimes, that’s really all you need in a bestie. What Scooby-Doo‘s stoner hero lacks in brains or brawn, he makes up for in impeccable vibes. Whether it’s on the shag carpet of the Mystery Machine or in the bowels of a haunted house, he’s always down to hang. Whether it’s to the 7-Eleven or through a spooky forest, he’s always down to make a midnight snack run. And whether it’s unmasking local criminals or sharing half of a quintuple-decker sandwich, he’s always down to do the right thing. He’s the ultimate college-coded friend, a dorm-room buddy without peer.

Brienne of Tarth

In Game of Thrones, loyal friends are few and far between. This dire-wolf-eat-dire-wolf world runs on blood and betrayal, and the only allies you can count on are the ones that you’ve paid for with gold. But Brienne of Tarth? She’s the exception to the Red Wedding rule. Perhaps the only honorable knight in Westeros since Ser Duncan the Tall, Brienne of Tarth shows unwavering loyalty to anyone on the side of good (or at least not pure evil). She’s brave, she’s strong, she’s compassionate, she’s committed to seeing the quest through until the bitter end. Who wouldn’t want a six-foot-tall warrior as a bestie? Someone insults you? Brienne will draw her sword to defend your honor, as you, like Podrick in the picture above, look on in pathetic amazement.

Asami

The Avatar universe is full of bestie potential. Sokka. Iroh. Katara. Aang. Toph. Post-redemption Zuko. All winning choices. But when it comes to true ride-or-dies, The Legend of Korra‘s Asami Sato is hard to beat. It’s no secret that Korra is one of the more emotionally dysregulated Avatars in the cycle (multiple encounters with PTSD-inducing villains would do that to anyone), and while Korra’s support system can often get frustrated with her, Asami is always there as a pillar of understanding and compassion. Asami’s loyal. She’s brilliant. She’s brave. She’s got an awesome car. And she’s perhaps one of the most crush-on-able characters in the Avatar universe. If she were your bestie, I’m sure that, like Korra in the picture above, you too would look up at her with barely contained adoration.

Toothless

Man’s best friend is no longer the dog, it’s the dragon. The central firebreather of How to Train Your Dragon is prime bestie material. He’s got the playfulness of a cat, the protectiveness of a dog, and the awe-inspiring aura of a mythical beast. Just think of how cool you’ll look on your commute to work riding Toothless! Think of all the money you’ll save on not having to pay for parking! Think of the adoration you’ll win from your peers as the only human being in history to have tamed a creature of legend! And of course, think of the legendary time you’ll have soaring around the world together! You’ll smell like raw fish at all times because of your bestie’s diet, but you’ll be too happy to care.

Kim Wexler

Everyone needs a good lawyer and a good bestie. Better Call Saul‘s Kim Wexler is the whole package. Smart, fierce, and dedicated to creating just the right amount of chaos, Kim Wexler is one of the most lovable characters in the Breaking Bad universe. One of the things that makes her romance with Jimmy McGill so charming is that they’re genuinely best friends. They watch movies while binging ice cream. They throw beer bottles off the roof. They play increasingly intense pranks on that jerk Howard Hamlin. And even when Jimmy starts riding the line between legal and illegal in his practice, Kim’s always there to support him. Planning a crime? Kim will be there to drive the getaway car, and then get you off scot-free in court. What else are friends for?

Genie

Listen, I’m no Disney adult, but even a world-weary cynic like me can see the bestie potential in Aladdin‘s Genie. Genie’s best friend perks are numerous. 1) He’s voiced by Robin Williams — an inexhaustible font of hilarity and good vibes. 2) He can give you anything you want. While you risk going mad with power (like Jafar did), I’d say the pros certainly outweigh the cons. And if you (like Aladdin) use your third wish to release Genie from his lamp, then congratulations, you’ve just earned yourself a best friend for life. After all, true friendship isn’t about what your bestie can do for you, but what you can do for each other. In this case, sing spontaneous musical duets! Just imagine it: an unlimited supply of impromptu showstoppers for the rest of your days!

(featured image: HBO)

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