Homer Simpson is the greatest of the Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years, according to people have the guts to make such a list. Greater than Harry Potter, but how much greater than Halo's quiet Spartan, Master Chief?
Entertainment Weekly ranks the Chief at #59 in its latest issue, far outranked by Homer, Harry and Buffy (the Vampire Slayer!) in the top three, a list that is sure to be contentious for its inclusions—Friends character Rachel Green is that memorable how, exactly? And Pearl the Landlord?—and commended for its nod to Nathan Drake. (The star of Uncharted shares a spot at #93 with God of War's Kratos and Grand Theft Auto IV star Niko Bellic.)
The only other video game character to rank in the 100 character long list is Tomb Raider star Lara Croft, the transmedia heroine who lands at #17.
Here's the top ten, courtesy of LiveJournal community OH NO THEY DIDN'T.
1. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
2. Harry Potter
3. Buffy Summers - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. Tony Soprano - The Sopranos
5. The Joker - The Dark Knight
6. Rachel Green - Friends
7. Edward Scissorhands
8. Hannibal Lecter - The Silence of the Lambs
9. Carrie Bradshaw - Sex and the City
10. Spongebob Squarepants
The full list may suffer out of context—I mean, I'd certainly like to know how David Brent from The Office ranks so low—so pick up EW at your nearest newsstand or waiting room coffee table to learn more about the choices.
In the meantime, any suggestions for more memorable video game characters from the past two decades?