20 Best Characters from Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Shows in 2021
Science fiction and fantasy TV series consistently deliver thought-provoking storylines, but those storylines wouldn’t go nearly as far without provocative characters to carry the stories forward.
This past year we’ve seen stories about people from the future inhabiting 19th Century women, people from the past ending up in the 21st Century, saw characters come into their own, and even some aliens in fish-out-of-water scenarios.
We’ve taken all those amazing characters and rounded up 20 of them to give you our top 20 characters from sci-fi and fantasy shows in 2021. (In no particular order.)
Here are the 20 Best Characters from Sci-fi/Fantasy TV Shows in 2021
1. Andre Davis (4400)
4400 arrived on our screens in October, and immediately gave us an interesting array of characters to follow. Andre was one of the ones that immediately caught our attention.
The 1920s doctor went missing while attempting to cure whooping cough and is mesmerized by the wonders of 2021. While he is invested in the medical advances of 2021, he is also finding a vocabulary for his identity as he learns words like trans for the first time.
Andre’s story is still unfolding and will likely continue to progress through 2022, however, these first few episodes show promise as this character comes into his own outside of the Detroit hotel.
2. Father Phil (SurrealEstate)
When you hear that someone is a fallen priest, a few images come to mind. SurrealEstate subverted that expectation when they introduced Father Phil.
Father Phil is a gay priest who left the priesthood by choice, and who is married and about to start a family with his husband. The series also gave Father Phil a meaty storyline in which he confronted his loss of faith and, more importantly, it came from a position where he didn’t feel guilty about who he was.
Stories like Father Phil’s are important. It shows that LGBTQ+ characters don’t need to be separate from faith and religion.
3. Waverly Earp (Wynonna Earp)
Waverly Earp got more than a haircut in 2021. When the show returned for the second half of the long-awaited Wynonna Earp Season 4, Waverly and Nicole were engaged (again!) and starting to plan their wedding.
Throughout four seasons, Waverly Earp has been the light to Wynonna’s dark, and her optimism shows throughout these six episodes. Waverly proves time and time again that love is her driving force even when she confronts Jolene and becomes a darker version of herself.
Waverly’s journey was not just about finding her true love, but also loving herself and coming into her own identity. In the end, she is a person that can stand on her own and is confident in who she is both in and out of her relationships with others.
4. Amalia True/Zephyr Navine (The Nevers)
There are two sides to this character, and it’s hard to talk about one without talking about the other. This past spring, The Nevers introduced us to the enigmatic Amalia True and her “turn” of seeing glimpses into the future.
Amalia immediately gave off the impression that she was a badass not to be messed with as the steward of the orphanage. However, it increasingly becomes clear that she’s hiding something, and that turns out to be who she is to her core.
Turns out, Amalia is really a woman from the future named Zephyr who was put into the body of a woman who threw herself into the Thames. Laura Donnelly plays the two sides to this character perfectly, delivering a shy a meek persona for the original Amalia, or Molly, and then changing herself completely for the version inhabited by a future woman.
We only saw the first half of The Nevers in 2021, and Amalia’s true story comes out at the very end, but that tidbit has us excited for what’s to come.
5. The Doctor (Doctor Who: Flux)
The Doctor has always been a character that changes and evolves, and this year was no different. Doctor Who: Flux presented viewers with a six-part adventure in which the Doctor had to save the universe from a destructive event. (It’s basically a Tuesday.)
However, Doctor Who had to reckon with some plot points set up at the end of Season 12 where the Doctor discovered that there are parts of her life that she doesn’t know.
Doctor Who: Flux did some work at bringing those events into focus, but it ultimately sets up for Jodie Whittaker’s departure from her tenure as the Doctor giving her emotional and heartfelt scenes that
6. Tali Craven (Motherland: Fort Salem)
JESSICA SUTTON
Tali Craven went on a journey on Motherland: Fort Salem Season 2. After briefly spending time as one of General Alder’s biddy’s she was allowed to return to her previous state and attend war college with Raelle and Abigail.
What seemed like a smooth transition didn’t stay that way for long when Tali started getting flashes of General Alder and a mysterious woman named Nicte Batan. Tali followed those memories like breadcrumbs and eventually uncovered the truth, even though she had to destroy her idolization of General Alder in the process.
Tali’s journey reminds us that it’s not only okay to question authority, but that it’s also necessary for truth to come to light.
7. Harry Vanderspeigle (Resident Alien)
Alan Tudyk made an appearance on our screens this year as Harry Vanderspeigle on Resident Alien. This quirky alien who is out to end all life on Earth started 2021 with a bit of a laugh as he tries to assimilate into life in the town of Patience, Colorado.
His comedic understanding of the world and how things work is a refreshing take after last year. And watching as he grew to understand, and maybe even like, humanity gave us a bit of a laugh.
We could definitely share a pizza with him.
8. Nynaeve Al’Meara (The Wheel of Time)
Nynaeve is the definition of a woman who is fierce and assertive but isn’t afraid to show it. This character is driven by her desire to heal. Following her on The Wheel of Time Season 1, we get to see the character learn about control and let go as she comes into her power.
While her fate is up in the air as of the first season, we expect more great things to come from this character in the future as learns more about her abilities.
9. Jane (Doom Patrol)
Technically, Jane — or Crazy Jane as she is sometimes known — is one of 64 personas that live in The Underground, the subconscious of a young woman named Kay (herself still a child in the Underground).
From the moment Jane burst onto the scene in Doom Patrol Season 1, she has been one of its most interesting characters. As the primary persona, Jane was constantly managing the fraught tensions and politics of The Underground. Still, at the end of the day they all had a shared mission, protect Kay.
That started to change in Doom Patrol Season 3. Kay started to show more independence and signs that she might be on a path to healing from her trauma. What it meant to protect Kay started to change and not all the personas responded well.
Watching Jane navigate that and realize what it could mean for her and the other personas was one of the best and most heartbreaking parts of Season 3. It also must be said that a huge part of what makes Jane such a great character is her portrayer, Diane Guerrero. She is absolutely brilliant as Jane and a number of the other personas.
Jane is one of the most versatile characters on TV played by an incredibly versatile actor. Wherever her character goes next, one thing is for sure, it will be fantastic television.
10. Jordan Kent (Superman & Lois)
It’s not easy being uprooted from a life where you were the popular kid. Jordan Kent’s storyline on Superman & Lois Season 1.
On top of starting off in a new school, he’s just learned that he has his father’s Kryptonian abilities. Jordan is up against a lot, struggling with the limited powers, and his grandfather’s belief that Jordan will never reach Clark’s caliber due to human DNA limiting his powers.
Watching Jonathan come into his powers and eventually being able to embrace them in the finale is a rewarding addition to a beloved hero and franchise. While comic book fans know that it could be years until Jordan matures, the possibility of who he will become is an exciting prospect.
11. Alex Danvers (Supergirl)
Supergirl’sAlex Danvers reminds us you don’t have to be a Kryptonian to fight for what you believe in. Through the show’s final season she continued to dedicate herself to her loved ones and helping others. Alex has come a long way from the woman we met in Season 1, who wasn’t entirely comfortable in her own skin and had complicated feelings about her sister becoming Supergirl.
She continued to grow as a character this season as she fought as her vigilante identity Sentinel, married the love of her life, and embraced motherhood.
Between almost losing her sister and almost losing her adopted daughter Esme, Alex overcame a lot this season. It’s clear Alex’s journey is personal to Chyler Leigh and she delivers incredible emotional performances as a result.
It’s comforting to know Alex gets the happy ending she’s dreamed of since Season 2 while keeping her sister by her side. Seeing her on The Flash “Armageddon” event working as the new head of the reestablished DEO was a nice bonus to fans already missing Supergirl.
12. Bloom Peters (Fate: The Winx Saga)
Sometimes you just need a character that transports you to a fairy world! Bloom on Fate: The Winx Saga did just that as she discovered her past and who she was over the six-episode first season of the series.
Bloom’s time at Alfea is anything but easy, but as she learns the truth about who she is and starts accepting help she comes into her powers and eventually saves the day.
One thing is for certain, Bloom’s powers have us excited for where she could potentially go in the second season.
13. Mary Hamilton (Batwoman)
Mary Hamilton is a vital member of the Bat team who often gets overlooked due to another Bat team member’s drama. This season, Batwoman acknowledges that fault head-on and gives Mary an amazing storyline worthy of both her and Nicole Kang’s talents — she becomes Poison Ivy.
A trip to the dark side is definitely unexpected, but it has been just what the doctor ordered. Not only does Poison Ivy allow Mary to stand up for herself to Luke and Ryan about how they’ve treated her, we’re able to see a totally confident version of Mary.
Plus, all those sister bonding scenes with Alice have been absolutely delightful. Mary Hamilton deserves the world, and Poison Ivy is giving it to her.
14. Wynonna Earp (Wynonna Earp)
The title character of Wynonna Earp kept the emotional heart of the series over four seasons. This year, Wynonna grappled with her falling out with her love interest and baby daddy Doc Holiday.
While she didn’t cope in some of the healthiest of ways, she ultimately had to learn that the Earp curse didn’t define her and that she didn’t have to bear the burden for all the bad things that happened in purgatory.
Ultimately, with a little help from her sister, Wynonna is able to confront what she really wants, and go after the man she loves. Watching them ride off into the sunset is one of the most rewarding moments in Wynonna’s storyline and it’s the happy ending the Earp heir deserves.
15. Claudette Williams (4400)
Claudette is a character that arrived in 2021 and wasn’t afraid to show her personality and independence. Throughout the episodes that have aired so far, we have seen her challenge her new ability, stand up to authority and assert her independence as only she can.
Her perspective adds a lot to 4400‘s already ambitious plotline showing how bigotry and hate can change their face.
16. Sylvie (Loki)
Did you really think you could leave this list without Sylvie showing up? The Loki variant came onto our screens and presented another side of the complex character we know and low.
Sylvie is a character who is fiercely determined and knows what she wants, but she does so in a way that centers her goals and interests. Sylvie has goals and she will do anything to accomplish them, even if it means displeasing her variant in the process.
She is the kind of person who needs to learn to trust slowly so that she can build relationships in her own time, and that’s always a story worth telling.
17. Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer)
18. Kristen (Evil)
Photo: Elizabeth Fisher/CBS ©2021Paramount+ Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Kristen spent Evil Season 2 wrestling with her anxiety about having killed Orson LeRoux, and almost found herself driven to kill again by the end of the season.
Her storyline in Season 2 involved a lot of unpacking those emotions and wrestling with what she’d done. We saw Kristen hit rock bottom this season and then pull herself back up in asking for forgiveness from David, the one person she believes in.
After the finale’s cliffhanger, Kristen is poised to grow more and more as they investigate the 60 families.
19. Talon (The Outpost)
Not many characters can pull off changing from warrior to wife to queen in a single season, but Talon, played by Jessica Green, certainly did it in style.
Over four seasons of The Outpost, Talon grew to be fierce, wise, and humble every step of the way. The final season of the series showed us the sum of everything she achieved, leaving us with tears of joy as she married her one true love.
20. Nancy Drew (Nancy Drew)
Nancy Drew came into contact with a lot of otherworldly beings when she opened a wall of Pandora’s boxes on Nancy Drew Season 2. As if fighting supernatural beings weren’t enough Nancy also had to deal with the fact that a villain she thought was done was actually attached to her.
To shed this villain, the wraith, Nancy ended up weaving her way through the labyrinth of her mind in a stunning performance that re-introduced her to her past selves. This forced her to acknowledge a major change or trauma that she’d endured before she got to the wraith within her subconscious.
That’s a pretty boss move!
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Who were your favorite characters from sci-fi and fantasy series this year? Do you agree with this list? Let us know in the comments below.
*Additional contributions from Breeze Riley, Sarah Fields, Allison Nichols, Charles E. Henning, and Mary Misasi
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Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.