18 Standout Sci-fi / Fantasy TV Characters of 2023

Sci-fi and Fantasy stories offer viewers an escape from the constraints of reality. Through these stories, we can travel to far-off worlds, uncertain futures, and places where magic is commonplace. As with any good story, the characters at the center make any Sci-fi or Fantasy story great.

Whether they are superhuman, aliens from another world, or just people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances, the best of these characters speak to the human experience and have something to say about the world we live in.

From superhumans trying to save the world to normal humans just trying to survive, the best characters touched our hearts, inspired us, scared us, and captured our imaginations.

In no particular order, here are the 18 best characters from Sci-fi / Fantasy shows in 2023.

1. Ellie (The Last of Us)

The world first met Ellie when she appeared in the video game The Last of Us, and ten years later, they saw her brought to life on television.

Bella Ramsey did not disappoint with their performance as Ellie. They strike a careful balance between a curious girl whose grown up in post-outbreak America and a little girl. Ellie is the character who is given a deal that she didn’t ask for in a world that she didn’t create. She’s had everything ripped from her and is overall angry when we meet her.

But that changes as she sets on the road with Joel. Their father-daughter bond is a delight to watch on screen as the two balance each other out during their travels, and Ellie starts to trust someone for the first time in a long time.

There is still plenty to Ellie’s story, and the second season of The Last of Us is still to come in 2025. 

2. Joel (The Last of Us)

Taking on an already-established character can be a challenge, but it is clear that Joel was in great hands with Pedro Pascal on The Last of Us.

We meet Joel as a man who has lost everything, including hope. However, as the episodes go by, he seems to find that hope back in Ellie and their journey together.

Whether viewers knew him from the video game or came to learn of his story for the first time, Joel became a beacon of hope and resilience among characters in 2023. His storyline brings heartbreak and hope in equal parts, inspiring audiences to never give up. 

3. Claire Fraser (Outlander)

Nothing can keep Claire Fraser down, and nothing can keep her from doing what she believes is right. Played by Caitriona Balfe, Claire Fraser on Outlander has lived a complicated life filled with love, family, hard work, and… time travel.

The beginning of Outlander Season 7 saw Claire held as a prisoner, but thanks to her clever nature and brilliance as a doctor, she put herself in a position to be saved. Claire has been a fighter from day one, not only for her own survival, but for those she loves.

She and Jamie have saved each other countless times, and knowing what she knows of history makes Claire that much more passionate about the troubles they face — even if it means putting themselves in the middle of a war or encouraging her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren to leave forever if it means saving the youngest. 

4. Ben Song (Quantum Leap)

The revival of Project Quantum Leap is thanks to brilliant quantum physicist Dr. Ben Song. Who better to dissect the mysteries behind the Project Accelerator than the man who uses it to leap for love? After learning about a plan to kill his fiancée, Addison Augustine, to prevent an apocalyptic future, Ben tries to save her by leaping himself.

Unfortunately, he becomes perpetually stuck in leap mode, constantly hopping through time and changing lives for the better wherever he lands. Despite his predicament, Ben never lets it deter him from his desire to help people and find a way home.

Ben is charismatic, with a sharp sense of humor and an equally strong moral compass to match. In addition to his intelligence, Ben approaches high-stakes situations from a place of pragmatism and level-headedness. His strength is beyond admirable. 

5. Lois Lane (Superman and Lois)

Lois Lane has been and will always be an icon.

Superman & Lois Season 3 follows Lois, played by Elizabeth Tulloch, as she breaks a massive story about Bruno Mannheim, leading to discoveries about Lex Luthor. Unsurprisingly, the superhero drama’s female lead goes toe-to-toe with the infamous antagonist with zero fear. She also confronts her journalistic biases, becoming an even more reputable figure in that field.

Nevertheless, Superman & Lois’s third season sees Lois in her biggest fight yet — one against breast cancer. Its threat goes beyond any that Mannheim or Luthor could wield. Her season-long battle against the disease is chronicled in considerate writing and direction and embodied through a beautiful and vulnerable performance by the always-amazing Elizabeth Tulloch.

Thankfully, Lois ends the season healthier and stronger, with her husband, sons, and friends who have become family by her side. Though it’s disappointing that we won’t get to spend five or six seasons with this iteration of the iconic character, at least there is one more Superman & Lois season, filled with adventures and investigations, to celebrate Tulloch in Lois Lane’s shoes and signature color — purple. 

6. Nikolai Lantsov (Shadow and Bone)

Adaptations of beloved novels are always tricky because expectations are high. Fans of the books have been waiting for the chance to see their faves on screen, and they won’t accept anything less than perfection.

Shadow & Bone exceeds expectations with Sturmhond/Nikolai Lanslov. Patrick Gibson does a phenomenal job of bringing both our favorite pirate privateer and King of Ravka to life.

Whether it’s negotiating with Kaz or teasing Mal, Nikolai has great chemistry with everyone he encounters, and you find yourself eagerly awaiting his next encounter with another one of your favorite characters.

Through both his Sturmhond persona and his position as the King of Ravka, Nikolai does the best he can to make things better for both Grisha and Otkazat’sya.

7. Rita (Doom Patrol)

Doom Patrol Season 4 was Rita’s season. It was the culmination of Rita’s journey from the depressed, selfish recluse we first met four seasons ago to her becoming the heart and moral compass of the team.

On every episode, April Bowlby breathed life into the writer’s brilliant words for Rita’s big scenes. Together, they created moments that grabbed viewers’ attention and brought the episodes’ emotional themes into sharp focus.

Whether it was the vulnerable conversation she has with Larry on Doom Patrol Season 4 Episode 10, “Tomb Patrol,” her fraught relationship with Madame Rouge, her rousing speech on Doom Patrol Season 4 Episode 9, “Immortimas Patrol,” or her touching goodbye on the series finale, Rita’s big moments were the highlight of any episode.

Rita’s arc has always been captivating storytelling, and the conclusion of her story this season was one of the most satisfying character arcs of 2023. 

8. Loki (Loki)

Loki Season 2 was all about Loki finding his glorious purpose, and it served as a reminder of why Loki is such a complex yet likable character.

While he spent all season looking for a way to save the TVA, we were also given glimpses of why Loki is a fan-favorite character. His sense of humor shined through and delivered amazing one-liners.

If the MCU has given us a great gift, it is Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki. 

9. Uhura (Strange New Worlds)

Taking on the role of a character as iconic as Nyota Uhura is no small task. However, Celia Rose Gooding quickly proved she was more than up to the challenge. 

She took this character, so well established in people’s imagination, and made the role her own. Gooding lights up every scene she’s in and has expanded our understanding of a pop culture touchstone for two seasons. 

This season, Uhura struggled to balance her work and personal life, as well as the pressure she put on herself to manage all of her responsibilities. 

She grappled with unresolved feelings about the death of both Lieutenant Hemmer last season and her parents before she joined Star Fleet on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 6, “Lost In Translation,” one of the season’s most emotional episodes. 

However, the chef’s kiss to Uhura’s excellent season was her saving the day by leading the Enterprise in song on the season’s musical episode, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 9, “Subspace Rhapsody.”

It is a moment that captures all the charm, warmth, and heart that made viewers fall in love with this version of Uhura. 

10. La’an Noonien-Singh (Strange New Worlds)

Captain Christopher Pike’s Enterprise crew wouldn’t be complete without its resident Chief of Security, La’an Noonien-Singh. Resilient and tenacious, La’an is no stranger to operating in survival mode. Her traumatic childhood as the sole survivor of a Gorn planetary nursery is something she works through during the first two seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Healing from trauma and grief is no easy feat, and after decades of repression, La’an makes a conscious effort to put herself first. In Season 2, a relationship with an alternate version of James T. Kirk cracks the usually reserved La’an wide open in the best way. Even after suffering from heartache, La’an chooses to open herself up to love and companionship. That’s immense growth.

La’an also doesn’t allow her ties to her ancestor, the infamous Khan Noonien Singh, to color her opinion of herself. Season 2 sees her acknowledging that she’s not Khan and can forge a path separate from his tainted legacy. Her capacity for empathy, desire to grow, and unwavering loyalty to her crew make her a downright inspiration. 

11. Kat (The Way Home)

Played by Chyler Leigh, Kat Landry on The Way Home is another time-traveling mother just trying to do what’s best for her family. After returning to her childhood home with her only daughter, she finds herself revisiting the past — including the trauma of losing her baby brother when she was a teenager.

After discovering that her daughter has found a way to time-travel to the ’90s, where she became her mother’s best friend as a teen, Kat found herself desperate to change history and save her baby brother.

Working to overcome her trauma while trying to repair her current relationship with her daughter made for complex storytelling in the first season, with Kat being a remarkably dynamic character. And based on the The Way Home Season 1 finale, we’ve only just scratched the surface of what that means.

12. Marie (Gen V)

The new spinoff of The Boys, Gen V, centers on a group of college-aged Supes getting their education at the superhero academy Godolkin University.

The newest student is Marie Mouraeu, played by Jaz Sinclair, who arrives just in time to be there when all hell breaks loose. She’s a resilient, determined character with plenty of flaws that only make her that much more interesting.

Already working to overcome the trauma of accidentally killing her parents with her superhero abilities as a teen. Those abilities? Controlling her blood and using it as a weapon. Unfortunately, before knowing what her powers were or how to control them, she got her first period, and the blood became a dangerous weapon that she didn’t understand. 

In the present time, an ambitious, struggling Marie arrives at Godolkin University comes with the goal of joining the Seven and proving that she wasn’t a monster. But eventually, she finds herself more focused on being a good person — and the kind of hero who really helps people.  

13. Emma (Gen V)

The students at Godolkin University are powerful and clever, and Emma “Little Cricket,” played by Lizzie Broadway, is one of the most well-rounded characters on Gen V, so far. 

Emma’s superhero ability is to make herself small — something we’ve seen once on The Boys. But in her case, she has to do something traumatic to make it happen every time — she has to make herself throw up. It’s a direct parallel to an eating disorder and means Emma struggles with her self-worth. 

The amount of growth (no pun intended) that she experiences throughout the first season makes her a standout character, but Emma also manages to be one of the funniest, most loyal characters on the series as well. 

14. Sabine (Ahsoka)

Star Wars character Sabine Wren finally made the jump from animation to live-action in the series Ahsoka. This version of Sabine may be older and a little wiser, but she’s every bit the rebel fans have always loved.

Actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo perfectly captures Sabine’s attitude and humor while showing the trauma and vulnerability underneath the character’s surface that makes her so relatable. It’s a joy to watch Sabine on her journey of self-discovery as she strengthens her connection with the force and trains as a Jedi while still embracing her Mandalorian heritage.

The other thing to admire about Sabine is her true devotion to her friends. Even though she makes some mistakes along the way, watching her finally find her long-lost friend, Ezra, is enough to bring any Star Wars fan to tears. 

15. Maddie Nears (School Spirits)

In an afterlife of scene-stealing spirits, Peyton List’s tormented teen sleuth scares up an emotional performance in the search for her killer.

A loyal friend with a retro grunge aesthetic, Maddie’s angst grounds the mystery of School Spirits in compelling, heart-aching realism. Whether Maddie is attending homecoming with sweet jock Wally or breaking through Rhonda’s cynical exterior, these delightful ensemble pairings elevate her performance.

And, after that shocking Season 1 finale, it is clear Maddie’s reign is just getting started.

16. Lucy Carlyle (Lockwood & Co.)

In a world where the dead roam the streets of London terrorizing locals, Lucy Carlyle stands ready with her sharp sword, sharper detective skills, and headstrong moral values.

Ruby Stokes is the teen heroin younger generations deserve to see in action, and she’s the leading lady Lockwood & Co. needs to ground its fantastical ghost lore.

Her performance has a warm charisma reminiscent of Madison Reyes’ charm in the equally-ghost-packed series Julie and The Phantoms. Lucy balances her struggle for confidence with a brave need to see the good in the evilest entities. And Stokes’ undeniable chemistry with Cameron Chapman’s Lockwood empowers her as the two get their flirt on.

The rest is history as she embraces her new family at Lockwood & Co. and solidifies herself as a memorable footnote in the show’s success. 

17. Crowley (Good Omens)

Crowley from Good Omens had quite a season on his hands now that he’s no longer the #1 Demon of Hell. While his ineffable partner in crime was off worrying about what Heaven was up to and why Gabriel couldn’t remember who he was, Crowley was left to babysit and do some more local research.

During this time, Crowley begins to realize that his very human emotions toward the world itself and Aziraphale can’t be ignored. To watch him grow so much as a character that he ends the season confessing his love for Aziraphale is well worth watching this show again and again.

We still aren’t over Aziraphale’s rejection, and neither is Crowley. All this proves once and for all there is quite a bit of good in the demon after all. 

18. Egwene al’Vere (Wheel of Time)

Throughout The Wheel of Time Season 2, Egwene is tested in ways she cannot expect. Her time at the White Tower isn’t as fruitful as she would’ve hoped, what with novice training involving more cleaning than training, but she remains hopeful that everything she’s going through has a purpose.

After being betrayed by Liandrin, Egwene becomes enslaved by Seanchan, forced to be a damane, leashed to Renna.

Egwene’s strength is admirable. It’s devastating to watch her slowly get beaten down into submission, but she is stronger than anyone realizes and bides her time until an opportunity presents itself to strike back.

Hopefully, next season will be kinder to Egwene, although we know she’s more than capable of handling whatever the wheel throws her way. 

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Who were your favorite characters from Sci-fi and Fantasy shows this year? Let us know in the comments below!

*Written by Ashley Bissette Sumerel, Allison Nichols, Alicia Gilstorf, Sarah Fields, Breeze Riley, Melody McCune, Lauren Busser, and Lara Rosales.

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