20 TV Characters from 2019 Who Are Out of This World

Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror television shows create an expansive universe where we can imagine worlds beyond our own reality, filled with magic, space travel, and superheroes. Amidst the fantastical settings of genre television, the best of these stories are rooted in the characters. 

The best characters are those that we can see ourselves in: from the Queen of the North to the Queen of Hell and everyone in between. In no particular order, here are 20 of the best characters from sci-fi, fantasy, and horror television in 2019: 

1. Michael Burnham (Star Trek: Discovery)

With a complicated past and an even more complicated present, Michael Burnham is one of the most compelling characters on television right now. Burnham brings something fresh to Star Trek: Discovery, taking the primary perspective of the show from the captain for the first time in Trek history.

Surrounded by a diverse and incredible group of characters, Burnham anchors the show and brings in gravitas far beyond her years. Star Trek can be fun silly adventures through the galaxy, and it can also be a profound political commentary driven by a small group of people with strong moral compasses. Burnham carries both aspects particularly well.

She also pairs so well with any other member of the crew, creating a near-infinite number of possibilities in the storytelling.

Burnham and Tilly’s friendship brings a levity to the show, while her complex relationship with Mirror Georgiou brings a level of angst and drama that is absolutely captivating. Not to mention her endearing relationship with Captain Pike bringing home the classic found family energy of Star Trek.

2. Bellamy Blake (The 100)

Bellamy Blake had perhaps his strongest season yet on The 100 this year.

He showed real growth as he stood up for change and also stood up for himself in creating healthy boundaries to allow for healing in all of his relationships. On The 100 Season 6, Bellamy took the reigns while Clarke was body-snatched, and he did an incredible job both introspectively and in maintaining the moral compass of his rowdy bunch of earthlings.

Bellamy set boundaries with Octavia for probably the first time in his life allowing their relationship to finally heal in a healthy way. He mourned the loss of Clarke Griffin but was still the first to notice she might still be alive and fight tooth and nail to get her back.

Through the hardships of finding themselves on an alien planet, already embroiled in a virtual civil war, Bellamy managed to keep the core group together, reminding them of what’s right.

Honorable Mention: Clarke Griffin was missing for a good chunk of Season 6, but what we did see of her was nothing short of incredible.

She fought from the inside out to stay alive and get back to her friends. She did what she’s always done, carrying the weight of humanity on her shoulders in order to keep them alive. She lost her mother and her agency this year and still came out of it in one piece.

3. Max Mayfield (Stranger Things)

If you need a zoomer in your party, look no further than Max Mayfield.

Stranger Things Season 3 was brimming with incredible characters, intriguing adventure, and passionate story, but Max stands out this year. We blessedly get to see her friendship with Eleven move into a beautiful new stage, while also seeing her deal with the trauma of both who Billy was as a person and losing him as a family member. 

Max brought in a much needed feminist energy on Stranger Things Season 3.

El was in desperate need of a friend like Max, someone to show her that there’s more to life than stupid boys. Max also solidified her place in the group standing up for El and fighting alongside her friends against the threats from the Upside Down even when they possess her own brother.

4. Angela Abar (Watchmen)

A former detective turned vigilante superhero, Angela Abar bakes cookies and cakes by day and takes out criminals by night as Sister Night. She fights crime with little more than her own two hands and a rosary, with a particular predilection for taking out racists, especially those from the Seventh Kalvary.

Angela loves her adoptive children and her husband Cal; she fights to make the world a little more bearable for all of them. She’s an absolutely rivetting protagonist on Watchmen, and her presence is desperately needed in 2019.

5. Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)

In a final season that left little satisfaction among fans, Sansa Stark managed to acquire one of the only endings that truly felt right. Sansa maintained her composure through the war with the Night King and the battle for the iron throne, and in the end, she took her place as the rightful Queen of the North. 

Sansa endured unspeakable acts over the course of Game of Thrones‘ run, somehow always rising above the things that happened to her, maintaining an air of intelligence and strength that led to her endgame.

6. Lilith/Madam Satan (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina struggled to find it’s footing during its first season but rose to the challenge on Part Two.

Through all of that Madam Satan, a.k.a. Lilith, has remained one of the best and most intriguing characters of the series. On Part Two, we got to see her back story as well as her ascent to the throne as she teamed up with the Spellman family to finally take down Satan and begin her long-awaited reign as the Queen of Hell.

Lilith: I want the throne and crown. I’ve worked for them. I’ve earned them. They’re mine, and if he won’t give them to me then lets gut the bastard and I’ll take them for myself.

Lilith was the first woman and the first witch, and she rises from a place of subservience to absolute royalty, bowing to no man.

7. Margo Hanson (The Magicians)

Margo dealt with a lot on The Magicians Season 4.

Her best friend, Eliot was possessed by a monster, and she dealt with it by throwing herself into finding a way to save him. She was so dedicated to this cause that she even gave up the throne to Fillory to find a solution. On her quest, she found the tool that would rid Eliot of the monster.

In the process, she developed a relationship with Josh that quickly evolved from a friends-with-benefits situation to her realizing she actually had feelings for “this goddamned guppy.” That’s character development for you.

8. Kate Kane/Batwoman (Batwoman)

Kate Kane is Gotham’s and the Arrowverse’s newest reluctant hero, rising to the challenge after Batman’s disappearance.

She becomes the hero Gotham needs if not the one Gotham deserves; while she’s still overcoming a considerable amount of baggage, she’s well on her way to becoming a symbol of hope for the struggling city.

Kate also breaks ground as one of the first lesbian leads on a superhero show actually played by a lesbian actress, creating a space for more voices to be heard and helping more people to see themselves as the hero.

9. Dutch (Killjoys) 

Dutch has had one hell of a year. She starts out living a false life, courtesy of The Lady, and once she manages to break free of it, and drag the rest of Team Awesome Force out from under the haze of the fake memories, then she has a Quad to save.

One of the most rewarding moments this season is when Dutch finally yells at Khlyen. To say they haven’t had the easiest father-daughter relationship is putting it way too mildly, and so watching Dutch finally stand up to him and explain everything he’s done to her — how he’s hurt her — is applause-worthy.

We’ll miss having Dutch on our screens every summer, but we’re thankful for the five seasons we had with this sarcastic badass killjoy.

10. Liz Ortecho (Roswell, New Mexico)

The Roswell, New Mexico reboot arrived this year winning hearts and gaining new fans thanks to the incredible force that is Liz Ortecho.

Liz’s story is poignant and so relevant as the daughter of undocumented immigrants. After losing her sister she left Rosewell, only to return ten years later to protect her father and uncover the mystery of her sister’s death, aiming to bring her killer to justice.

Liz: I became a scientist to help people. 

Liz is a compassionate protagonist that your heart can’t help but love as she faces the complicated emotions inherent to the strange town she grew up in and everything that comes with being the daughter of immigrants whose high school sweetheart turns out to be an otherworldly alien.

11. Claire Fraser (Outlander)

Many of the characters on Outlander are nothing short of captivating, but the audience keeps coming back for Claire Fraser time and time again. She’s no one’s damsel in distress, fighting for herself and her loved ones no matter where in time she finds herself.

Claire has been through absolute hell and back, traveling into the past, back to the future, and into the past once more to follow her duty and her heart. She’s the first one to admit that she’s far from perfect. But she stands by what she believes in and she will do anything for the people that she loves.

12. Crowley and Aziraphale (Good Omens)

These star-crossed guardians of the universe captured hearts and minds this year with their chaotic relationship and their coordinated efforts to save humanity from itself. An angel and a demon, for all intents and purposes their relationship shouldn’t work, but it does.

Crowley’s dark humor mixed with Aziraphale’s pure-hearted hope for the world drew fans to Good Omens and kept us watching with pure delight all season long.

13. Oliver Queen (Arrow) 

From finding out that he’s going to have a daughter, to discovering that he’s fated to save the Multiverse by making the ultimate sacrifice, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster of a year for Oliver Queen.

But through it all, he’s more than proven that not only has he grown as a person, but as a hero, and a leader over the last 8 years. Oliver’s emotional journey throughout 2019 has resonated and has been played so heartbreakingly well by Stephen Amell, bringing that growth into stark relief as Oliver heads into the Crisis.

14. Anissa Pierce (Black Lightning)

Anissa Pierce is Thunder, now Blackbird, on Black Lightning, and she’s one of the best superheroes on The CW that you aren’t paying attention to. Anissa is a black, lesbian, superhero fighting as a vigilante alongside her father and standing by her girlfriend as she figures out her own powers this season.

Anissa is still finding her own way outside of her father’s shadow, but she’s fighting for what’s right with all her heart even when that means clashing with the ones she loves most.

15. Amy Bellafonte (The Passage)

Our time with The Passage was shortlived, but our love for Amy Bellafonte transcends the show’s single season. They thought that she wouldn’t be missed, but she quickly becomes the only girl with the capability to save the entire human race from an epidemic created by well-meaning scientists.

Amy was the absolute heart and soul of The Passage, reminding those around her of the humanity they so quickly lose sight of in the face of their own twisted motivations and mistakes.

With the series ending with a seemingly immortal Amy almost 100 years after the events of the first and only season, fans will have to pick up the novel by Jason Cronin to find out where Amy’s story goes from here.

16. Klaus Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy)

The Umbrella Academy boasts an impressive ensemble and an even more impressive soundtrack.

Klaus is perhaps the most chaotic member of this forced family, but he’s also the one with the most humanity. He also has one of the most interesting and heartbreaking journeys of the first season.

Klaus can talk to the dead, which is perhaps the darkest of the abilities of the members of The Umbrella Academy. He brings humor and levity to the show as he jokes his way through almost any situation, but his humor covers deep trauma and heartache.

17. Magnus Bane (Shadowhunters) 

Magnus Bane is the character-to-watch on a show teaming with complex individuals. Not only is he the resident warlock, but he’s also a character of color — which is a nice reprieve on a show overrun with white characters.

He provides the LGBTQ+ community with a strong, stable role model as a centuries-old, confident bisexual. The character lives his life by his heart but doesn’t let it get in the way of making the tough decisions for their world.

Part of the allure of Magnus is definitely the acting choices of Harry Shum Jr., who brings a bit of style and grace to what could easily be a role that fades into the background. Shum Jr. is a genius at finding the perfect balance between tough, sweet, emotional, and funny.

18. The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian)

The Mandalorian may have just arrived, but with the presence of Baby Yoda, it has become an instant fan favorite. Yes we know he’s called The Child, but we’re still going to call him Baby Yoda.

The Mandalorian takes us back to classic Star Wars as this rebel with a cause explores the galaxy lurking in the shadows and fighting for justice where he can.

Set between the fall of the empire and the rise of the first order, The Mandalorian expands our knowledge of the Star Wars universe with a pair of characters as compelling and compassionate as each of our heroes from this series.

This single dad and his little fifty-year-old adopted green son have stolen our hearts and we can’t get enough of the bond they share.

19. Liv Moore (iZombie)

iZombie came to an end this year and protagonist Liv Moore brought the series home with an immense amount of heart and passion. In the face of so much darkness in our current television landscape, iZombie gave fans a happy ending as Liv chooses to live on as an immortal zombie with Major on a secluded island.

Over the years Rose McIver portrayed an abundance of personalities inside Liv Moore but none more compelling than the zombie lab tech herself. The final season was one of Liv’s best and we couldn’t be more pleased with where her story ended up.

20. Henry Cole (Impulse)

Henry is the lead of the YouTube series Impulse. Henry’s life is turned upside down when a classmate attempts to assault her, and she uncovers a power she didn’t know she was capable of and one that she cannot control.

Henry is an outcast in her small town; it’s hard enough being the new girl in town over and over again and dealing with the usual angst of being a teenager, but Henry’s seizures that come with teleportation and telekinesis certainly don’t help.

Henry’s story is just beginning, but it’s one we’re absolutely captivated by.

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What characters make your list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Additional Contributions by: Brianna Martinez, Mary Misasi, Allison Nichols, and Lauren Busser. 

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