Last week, I shouted out some of my favourite female characters in honour of International Women’s Day. This week I wanted to highlight some of my favourite male characters and praising them on other elements that are them strong not just physically or in a battle. As, you can be strong in so many ways.

Spoilers for:

• Mistborn
• Percy Jackson

Edward and Alphonse Elric – Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

You can’t deny these boys are powerful Alchemists but what they have alongside that power and ability is intelligence and compassion. They are loyal to both each other and their friends and they will go to ends of the world for each other and the people they care about. You would always want them on your team. They are also very determined individuals even when they get knocked down they get back up and I think this is largely to do with the fact they have each other.

Elend Venture – Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson

I want to shout out Elend particularly from Book 2 of this trilogy. After the fall of the Lord Ruler he starts to rule in his stead and no matter how hard it got, he stood by his people and put his people’s needs first. That is one of there strongest elements of his character. He is kindhearted, using his privilege to try and help others and doesn’t give up when things get hard. Also, watching him grow over the course of the book to become a strong leader was super satisfying.

Thomas Senlin – The Books of Babel Quartet by Josiah Bancroft

I am focusing more on Book 2 and 3 here. When we first meet Senlin he is a meek and slightly awkward man but over the course of the series he starts gaining confidence and experience after getting over every single obstacle that comes his way and that is due to his resourcefulness and intelligence. Numerous times he has save himself and/or his friends using his brain and I think we don’t talk enough about intelligence as a strength and how that can make a character a strong character.

Jean Tannen – The Gentleman Bastard Sequence by Scott Lynch

Jean is also a very strong man. I would not want to face in a fight ever! But he is also incredibly smart and insanely loyal. And while Locke may start to take things too far Jean is the balance that he needs. I love his loyalty to Locke and the other people in his life and I also think he doesn’t get praised enough for how smart he is. Also, I think it’s a feat just putting up with Locke half the time!!

Percy Jackson – Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Ok, so this boy stood up to GODS!! MONSTERS of every variety from 11!!!! He cares deeply for his friends, he always has your back no matter what but I think what makes him so strong is he stands up against power. He turned down immortality in book 5. He told off the gods for how they treated their kids and then went on to do it all over again basically in follow up series. He has been doing that since he was 11! I think standing up to the gods is and incredibly strong feat!!!