T5W – I Don’t Like You, But I Love You

Howdy-Ho! Today’s Top 5 Wednesday Topic is: Favorite “Unlikable” Protagonists!

I’ve actually read surprisingly few books where the main character is the bad guy (I’m not sure why; I’ve always loved a good villain), so I’m actually going to have to throw a few antagonists into the mix on this one.

Artemis Fowl — Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer)
Protagonist

At the start of this series, 12 year old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius, and criminal mastermind. He kidnaps a faerie so he can study magic and wackiness ensues. To be a bit fair, Artemis DOES do some good along the way, but my favorite bits are when he’s being a bad guy. He’s like a tech-savvy Moriarty, only without all the murder. This is a fun series, even for adults. I highly recommend it!

The Master — Doctor Who (Multiple Authors)
Antagonist

I adore The Master, in all his incarnations. He’s dastardly, clever, witty, and completely unpredictable…everything a good villain should be. And he’s the only antagonist who seems to truly be the Doctor’s equal. His newest regeneration, Missy, is fabulous. She’s every bit the character I remember from previous incarnations and I love her to bits.

Captain Hook — Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie & Others)
Pro/Antagonist

I know, I know, odd choice, right? I’ve just always loved Captain Hook (I blame Dustin Hoffman 😉 ). I am ecstatic that, now that the book is partially under public domain, other authors have started to explore this character more in-depth. There are a TON of good pre-Peter Pan novels out now, including several about how Capt Hook became Capt Hook. I’ve you’re looking for a good one, I’d definitely recommend Peter and the Star Catchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson.

Q — Star Trek: The Next Generation (Multiple Authors)
Pro/Antagonist

Ah, Q. How can anyone not love Q? He’s such a pest! 😉 An all-powerful being from an alternate dimension, the writers of Next Gen brought Q in as an antagonist for the pilot, where he tests the crew’s resolve and worth. He became such a fan favorite that he came back not only for several more episodes, but also appeared on several of the other shows, in books, comics…he even took on Spock himself in an audio drama called Spock vs. Q. Heck, John de Lancie is so well-loved as that character, that they spoofed him on My Little Pony…AND GOT HIM TO DO THE VOICE! Seriously, he’s totally awesome.

The Joker — Batman (Multiple Authors)
Antagonist

A vicious (though funny) psychopath hell-bent on destroying Batman, he’s done everything from personally beating one of the Robins to death to letting someone CUT OFF HIS FACE. He’s completely unpredictable because he honestly doesn’t care what happens. And that’s the mark of a really good villain, isn’t it? The Joker is the epitome of chaos; with him in the story…anything can happen.

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Who are YOUR favorite unlikable protagonists (or antagonists, same diff 😉 )?