5 TV Heroes That Totally Crushed It in 2015

This has been an absolutely amazing year for heroes in television. There are more comic book shows than ever on the air, and the variety of dramas out there has ushered in a whole new era of heroic characters.

From Supergirl to Jessica Jones, here are five that crushed it in 2015.

 

1. Kara Zor-El, Supergirl

Kara is relatively new to our TV screens, but the earnest heroics and moral quandaries that make up Supergirl have quickly endeared her to audiences everywhere. Kara is kind, strong, and hugely empathetic. Her flaws only make her stronger–Kara wants to save everyone, all the time, and her desperation to do so is the centerpiece of her character’s inner turmoil over accepting that she cannot, in fact, do it all. Supergirl may just be starting out, but she’s already proved herself to be tried and true hero for everyone.

2. Matt Murdock, Marvel’s Daredevil

On anyone else, the tortured vigilante would be a tired, overdone trope. On Matt, it’s the most compelling, heartbreaking drama that rarely defines a leading hero. Matt is a determined and often violent man who has no regard for his own personal safety, and a one-track mission that puts he and the people he loves in danger (whether he likes it or not).

But Matt is the do-gooder kind of vigilante, and so the complexity of his deep empathy for the human race paired with his need to keep Hell’s Kitchen safe makes him the best kind of hero there is: one who will do anything to get the job done.

3. Clarke Griffin, The 100

What do you mean, Clarke isn’t a superhero? The girl who fell from the stars and conquered the ground went through a lot this year, from falling in love with a woman who was ultimately forced to turn her back on her, to sacrificing hundreds of innocent people to save her own. Clarke isn’t your typical hero at all (but then, who really is?), but her determination, quick mind, and ruthless pursuit of what she thinks is right make her a hero to those in the universe of The 100.

4. Daisy “Quake” Johnson, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Daisy (nee Skye) started out as your typical mouthy (yet brilliant) hacker, and slowly morphed into a one-woman warrior that was not unlike her Supervising Officer, Melinda May. But it was an encounter with some mysterious alien crystals and a showdown with her morally dubious parents that quite literally turned Daisy into the superhero known as Quake.

Today we get to see Daisy evolve episode after episode into a strong, determined leader who fights for the rights of her people, the Inhumans, alongside her coworkers and friends at S.H.I.E.L.D. Daisy’s story is one of a true regular joe to superhero tale, and it’s a joy to watch her discover and use more of her powers.

5. Jessica Jones, Marvel’s Jessica Jones

There is something completely unapologetic in the heroism of Jessica Jones. She’s angry, and sarcastic, and she makes no show of hiding the trauma Kilgrave put her through while she was under his control. Jessica is a totally different type of hero. She uses her super strength to help as many people as possible, in as rough a way as possible–not unlike her Hell’s Kitchen counterpart, Daredevil.

But it’s Jessica’s season-long struggle with her PTSD and her slow re-learning to let the people her life who just refuse to leave in (whether she wants them or not) that makes her a true hero, and also makes her one of the finest heroes on television today.

Who were your favorite heroes of 2015? Who are you excited for in 2016? Let us know below!