Looking for a good paladin example (TV/Movie)

[Crothian]

Horacio Caine from CSI Miami

 

[Corinth]

American Superhero comics, in addition to Captain America (Marvel) and Superman (DC) has Captain Marvel (a.k.a. "The Power of Shazam!"). I add him as an example because a paladin's moral excellence has to base itself in a childlike (but not childish) innocence with regard to the world, from which--informed by knowledge and experience--the paladin can make manifest that childlike insistance upon things being right and fair.

 

[Mr. Patient]

Marshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper) from High Noon.

 

[Mallus]

The Middleman.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Assuming you're playing 4E, any warrior whose actions are determined by total faith (faith in god, nation, or organization) will suffice. As long as the character is willing to sacrifice himself (and anything/everything else) for that faith then you're good to go--that's the kind of selfless devotion that defines a paladin.

Captain America, Superman, and Batman are fine examples of heroes motivated by ideals (as opposed to personal profit). Sturm, from the age-appropriate Dragonlance series, is perhaps the finest example. Harry Potter is arguably being groomed by Dumbledore in Paladin ideals.

If you're playing 3E or earlier, there's a "Paladin's Code" and the Lawful Good requirement, which makes things much more specific & limited. You've got Joan of Arc and you've got Lancelot (a particularly good example because he falls when he breaks his code).

Speaking of fallen paladins, Anakin Skywalker in Episodes 2 and 3 is a perfect example of the fall of a 3E-style paladin / rise of a 3E-style blackguard.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I could see some good ones as

a) Corporal Carrot from the discworld novels (Guards! Guards! onwards)

b) Constable Benton Fraser from the tv series "Due South".

 

[RefinedBean]

Anime example: Paladin Alexander Anderson (or something) from Hellsing. Sinister guy, absolutely dedicated to a morally-ambiguous cause. Good times.

I love Paladins. They're the shining, happy face of murder in most D&D games.

 

[jdrakeh]

One of the best examples is probably er. . . Paladin. . . from the old TV series Have Gun — Will Travel. The first, third, fifth, and ninth incarnations of Doctor Who would be good examples, as well (his other incarnations lean more toward chaos, than order). Robert McCall of The Equalizer also fits the mold.

Really, the key elements are (as I see it): follows a code, fights to avenge those who cannot avenge themselves in the face of injustice or evil, does these things in a lawful (or at least orderly) manner, and has powers or influence that the normal man does not. In many ways, most TV protagonists are paladins.

 

[Jack7]

I'm tempted to say Paladin. (Richard Boone from the TV show of the same name, but he was actually more of a Ranger, IMHO.)

But if you want a true pally, you need to get hold of some episodes of The Lone Ranger with Clayton Moore. That's it, no others need apply.

(Interesting that the Ranger is a paladin and Paladin is a ranger! )

I was gonna say pretty much the same thing EL, and I think that is a very astute observation.

Ivanhoe is a great example as well.
Literature is filled with examples, but modern TV and movies far less so. Few modern heroes are outright good in the Paladin sense. Many modern heroes have much of the anti-hero, the flawed, or even the villain mixed in.

And I suspect you are shooting for more modern examples of TV and movie type Paladins are you not?

The Batman of the new Brave and the Bold series is a very good example. As are Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan. Superman of course.

 

[Kzach]

Horatio Hornblower! This is a seriously awesome TV series and the character is just so darn heroic and good he has to be a paladin.

He'll probably recognise the actor too as the stretchy guy from the Fantastic 4 movies