Looking for a good paladin example (TV/Movie)

[Jeff Wilder]

A good example of a paladin who falls, inch by inch and excruciatingly slowly, is Seth Bullock, from "Deadwood." (God, I miss that show.)

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

They all just seem like fighters following a paladin's code....

True, there aren't many TV/movie representations of guys in armor whoopin' evil butt and laying hands to heal his wounded companions... but he's looking for personality mainly, and even if the characters mentioned in this thread don't show paladin powers, they show paladin-like attitude.

I'd suggest Parn from Records of Lodoss War (even if he's clearly a fighter).

AR

Well, yes. That's why I wanted to say Parn, but didn't. In an environment w/o magic, it's ok if a "paladin" example has none. But Lodoss was based from D&D and has blatant magic usage, and Parn is very clearly just a LG Fighter, so I decided not to name him. I guess he's more like Roy from oots: a LG Fighter who probably could be a Paladin, but just happens to not be.

Far as faith goes, it's never concerned me that much, so my selections are more focused on the code and ideals of being a paladin. My friends and I into philosophy years ago unanimously decided Immanuel Kant's ethics best matched for a Paladin, so I look for characters that fit such an outlook. That said, Spiderman, with his always "anonymous" (as far as Peter Parker's concerned) acts and definite sense of duty in performing them (sometimes clearly wishing he didn't have to) would be an amazing paladin.

Immanuel Kant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Not only does Kant do a good job of capturing the pure ideals of a paladin, he also is critiqued for being too hung up on punishing the wicked, so following his beliefs could cover a large spectrum, including room for the warped Miko paladins. All IMHO, of course.)

 

[JackSmithIV]

They all just seem like fighters following a paladin's code....

That's why I cited Peter from Narnia.

I don't know that he gets power directly from Aslan, but he certainly fights to magnify the glory of a deity.

 

[Ourph]

Superman is a paladin, as is Captain America (Steve Rogers, not James Barnes).

This.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Another not-really-a-paladin-but-would-fill-the-shoes-rather-well example: Benkei. Really, just replace the loyalty towards his lord with loyalty to x deity, and you're pretty much done.
Saitō Musashibō Benkei - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Ktulu]

Big-ears from Goblins - Life through Their Eyes - Sunday, February 15, 2009 is a great paladin with the BEST line from a paladin ever

Ears: (on detecting evil) Imagine the worst thing that's ever happened to you. Now imagine that it's not just happening to you, but to everyone you ever cared about. That's kind of what [detecting] evil feels like.
Chief: Blaa! That sounds unbearable! Why would anyone want to become a paladin!?
Ears:...So other's don't have to.

Richard from Legend of the Seeker (on TV more than in the books). He's really just a paladin like character in the show.

 

[cdrcjsn]

Buffy Summers.

Buffy Summers is defintely not a Paladin. Armor? Ugh. So not good for the figure.

Once PHB2 comes out, you'll definitely agree that she's an Avenger.

A divine striker that kicks butt in comfortable, yet fashionably hip clothes? Absolutely an Avenger. Divine Slayer class path even.

 

[Scarbonac]

Bird-Man.

Not the Birdman of Alcatraz, not Harvey Birdman, Attorney-at-Law, but BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRD-MAN!

Ray Randall, gifted with supernatural powers by the Priesthood of Ra, serving Mankind as the White-Winged Warrior of the Sun, Bird-Man! He hurls himself headlong at the foe, dealing out Justice and Whup-ass in equal amounts to the evil, the depraved and the unrighteous! He flies into the darkness unafraid, strengthened by the Sun, bearing a shield of bright colors and wielding a shining lance of holy light, prepared to do or die as befits a valiant bearer of Truth!


Bird-Man: Accept no substitutes!

 

[ruemere]

Caveat: Paladins in my opinion are guys, who work for a greater good, while striving to retain their humanity despite atrocities they are forced to commit (for example, killing is killing regardless of the reasons). Also, mercy or mercilessness, tolerance or righteousness, and an occasional show of weakness, are all possible traits of paladin.
This may differ from the common visage of a noble knight.

Superheroes:
- Batman - a paladin who follows his own code. He does not kill, refuses to use certain weapons, tries to outsmart his opponents and, though often ostracized, acts honorably. Obsessive. Perfectionist.
- Superman - a paladin who tries his hardest to appease everyone. Somewhat rigid, stubborn and somewhat dense, he still tries to do the right thing.
- Spiderman - a paladin who's always in danger of breaking down. The most human of the trio, he is also best at forming normal relations with ordinary people.

Fantasy:
- Carrot - unfathomably straight guy who must've heard about relativity of space:

This is one of Pratchett's Big Ideas- there's a quote somewhere along the lines of, "If you get captured, pray it's by an evil man. They'll get the urge to gloat, to prove to someone that they're beaten. If you're captured by a good man, they'll kill you without a word." (This was in the above book)

- Vimes - the smart paladin. He knows how the world works, and he knows how to make it run according to his laws.

Regards,
Ruemere

 

[DonAdam]

My number one choice:

Sir Didymus!

Actually, I think Labyrinth gives us the archetypal roles: Luddo the controller, Didymus the defender, the goblin striker and Jennifer Connely as the leader.

I also think of Leonardo from TMNT.