19 Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror TV Characters of 2018

19 Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror TV Characters of 2018 (continued):

11. Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer)

Lucifer had quite the season. Lucifer has grown a lot since the pilot episode, and we’ve loved being along for the ride. The third season of the series brought on an identity crisis for our devil.

He appears in the desert with his wings, but he doesn’t know how he got there or why the wings are back. His first instinct is to blame his almighty father, thinking it’s just another manipulation from his part. We see a very lost Lucifer at the start of the season, he’s lost his devil face and no matter how many times he cuts his wings off, they come back.

Lucifer doesn’t react well to people telling him who he is, so we do see a bit of a regression. He tries to go back to giving favors and partying all the time but finds it’s not as satisfying anymore. Tom Ellis gives a wonderful performance throughout the season as Lucifer struggles with the idea of the wings and what they mean.

He had set out to tell Chloe the truth about who he was but finds that he can’t do that. Lucifer doesn’t like lying and he feels like the wings are a lie. Of course, this pushes Chloe away.

Our favorite devil truly reaches rock bottom and with it come some powerful realizations. He doesn’t want to lose Chloe, so he needs to finally come clean.

And in one realization that has been building since the pilot episode, he learns his father isn’t actually manipulating him — all his decisions have been his own. He took his devil face and he brought his wings back by saving his mother.

Now that everything is out in the open, we can’t wait to see where Lucifer goes from here.

12. Sara Lance (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow)

Sara Lance is the best part of Legends of Tomorrow. She’s a badass woman and a powerhouse who captivates, motivates, and inspires us all.

Her journey has been a tough one as she has had to overcome her guilt and lead her team through some pretty crazy missions. Over the years, her guidance and loyalty has become a cornerstone to the crew and even won over some of the more rebellious team members.

Her love story with Ava is one for the history books, and it’s about time Sara got to enjoy a committed and loving relationship. She is a guiding beacon for her team — especially Charlie this season — which is making her focus on moving forward in life. This character and her show is what television should be all about!

13. Ravi Chakrabarti (iZombie)

Ravi Chakrabarti’s had to deal with a big change over the last year after deciding to take one for the team and become at least part zombie.

His selflessness may have gotten them closer to what they were looking for, and his change has been managed wonderfully. Ravi’s brought the laughs and the heartwarming moments that just make you want to keep rooting for him.

14. Ed Nygma (Gotham)

One of Gotham’s best characters is the indelible Ed Nygma. Part of that comes from the writing, and part of it is thanks to Cory Michael Smith’s enigmatic charm.

Since the beginning, fans knew Ed Nygma was going to become The Riddler, given that it’s written in the comics. But viewers had very little idea as to how he’d get there. Season 4 was Nygma’s moment to really grow and evolve into the villain he’s best known for.

He takes over The Narrows with the help of Dark Lee. Together, they become lords of crime on a scale no one in Gotham expected. It’s a move that puts him ever closer to a fully realized, humorously cruel version of The Riddler, which fans are extremely excited about.

15. Thirteen (Doctor Who)

Viewers said goodbye to Peter Capaldi’s Doctor last Christmas with the 2017 Christmas Special “Twice Upon a Time.” The Twelfth Doctor regenerated, making way for Jodie Whittaker’s incarnation and marking the first time a woman has ever played the role of The Doctor.

The Doctor returned to our screens in October with Doctor Who Season 11 Episode 1, “The Woman Who Fell to Earth,” and Jodie Whittaker quickly slipped into the iconic role, delivering the comedic punch fans are used to seeing.

Fans might have mixed feelings about the writing on Season 11 of Doctor Who, but there is no question that the Thirteenth Doctor and Whittaker are well suited and can hold their own in a role that’s been around for over fifty years.

16. Zelda Spellman (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)

Zelda Spellman is a force to be reckoned with. She’s a powerful witch who is devoted to The Dark Lord and takes her responsibility to care for Sabrina very seriously. When we first meet Zelda, she is adamant that Sabrina goes through with her Dark Baptism.

Throughout the first ten episodes of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the writers have shown more than one side to Zelda. She’s the disciplinarian, but she’s also loving. She’s willing to protect both Sabrina and Ambrose when she has to, and she also has a complex relationship with her sister, Hilda.

By the time the first ten episodes concluded, Zelda’s story was just beginning and starting to signal a shift in her character’s beliefs. With more episodes returning in April, we can’t wait to see where that takes her.

17. Jefferson Pierce (Black Lightning)

Being a superhero is a full-time job. Add in a family with superpowers of their own, and life becomes daunting quite quickly.

Jefferson Pierce has recently dealt with all of this, plus the loss of his job as principal of Garfield. Not to mention the man that killed his father, Tobias Whale, is still on the loose.

It seems as though Jefferson’s whole legacy is being torn apart piece by piece. If you ever doubted that fighting crime is a thankless job, look no farther than Black Lighting himself!

18. Oliver Queen (Arrow)

Oliver Queen has had a very rough year, filled with tests and obstacles keeping him from the one thing he’s wanted all along — a life with his family.

But in the face of every difficult moment — from having his team turn on him, to turning himself in for the sake of the city, friends, and family, to Slabside — he has continued to show how he has evolved to become the selfless, caring, big-hearted man and hero that he is.

19. Black Siren (Arrow)

It’s not easy building a character who’s a mirror image of one that’s come before, even down to having the same name. But Arrow has done an admirable job this season with Black Siren, the Earth-2 version of Laurel Lance who’s become an integral part of the story in Season 7.

The show often struggled with what to do with the character in Season 6, waffling over whether she was meant to be a villain or an anti-heroine or something in between.

But in the wake of Quentin Lance’s death, Black Siren has made a concentrated effort to become a better version of herself in order to honor his memory, taking over Laurel’s job as Star City’s district attorney, helping Felicity battle Diaz, and fighting for Oliver’s release from prison.

It’s been great to watch her come into her own at last, rather than remain a shadow of the Laurel who came before her.

Sure, she’s stumbled plenty along the way — like nearly murdering a judge when a ruling didn’t go her way. But it’s clear to see that Black Siren is trying to be the person Quentin always saw in her and that she understands how hard it is to become a hero when no one expects you to be able to be one.

Where her journey goes from here is anyone’s guess, but it will definitely be interesting to watch.

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What characters from sci-fi, fantasy, and horror shows did you love this year? Did your favorite make our list? Let us know in the comments below.

Additional contributions by Lauren Busser, Samantha Coley, Erin Allen, Lacy Baugher, Mary Misasi, Charles E. Henning, Brianna Martinez, and Maii Trueba de Buen. 

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19 Most Compelling TV Villains of 2018