Tuesday Top Five: Heroes, witches, rebels, and more

[nevanna]

In recognition of Black History Month, here are five of my favorite Black characters from Western animation (some of whom I am including even though I recognize that they're from fantasy worlds that don’t recognize race in the same way that our world does). Also, I’m just one white fangirl and I am speaking for my own – and exclusively my own – preferences and tastes.

1. Amanda Sefton (X-Men: Evolution)

Amanda has very little screen time or characterization outside of being Nightcrawler’s Girlfriend, but I’ve always appreciated how she fits into the show even in that context, especially as the tensions between mutants and baseline humans became more central to the story. I like that she was already interested in Kurt before she knew that he was a mutant; that she wanted what was best for him even when she didn’t always know what that was; that she tried to keep the peace between him and her parents but defied their wishes when they told her not to see him again.

2. Kaldur’ahm/Aqualad (Young Justice)

I love Kaldur’s leadership abilities and willingness to make difficult choices for his team, but I’m also grateful that Season 4 (which I’m currently rewatching for the first time in quite a while) acknowledges the ways that his family and mentor treated him as an adult before he was probably ready to be one. Also, he’s the first YJ character that we see in a happy queer relationship.

3. Darius Bowman (Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous)

Camp Cretaceous is an ensemble show in many ways, but Darius is the first character that we meet, the one whose backstory and motivations are explored through (heartbreaking) flashbacks, and the one who Tells Us The Point Of The Story through the monologues that wrap up the first and last seasons. He’s brave and smart and tries to be a good friend, and although (arguably) Ben and Kenji have the most visibly dramatic character development, there’s also a lot to love about Darius’s growing recognition of how his “dino nerd” knowledge will and won’t be useful in a real-life survival situation.

4. Raine Whispers (The Owl House)

Dashing middle-aged nonbinary bard with divided loyalties and excellent fashion sense! I’ve been watching The Owl House with some new viewers, and Raine is one of the characters whom I’m most excited for them to meet.

5. TIED: Ekko and Mel Medarda (Arcane: League of Legends)

I love what both of these characters bring to the world of Arcane: Mel’s diplomatic poise and fraught relationship with her mother and her homeland; Ekko’s determination to lead a resistance and his bittersweet joy and heartbreak at how his life and world could have turned out. The show faked us out with his possible death a frustrating number of times, and I’m glad that he ultimately survived the second season.

Comments

[flo_nelja]

I love Ekko and Mel so much! (Raine too, but I didn't notice they were black ^^ )

[nevanna]

I always saw Raine as a POC but I accept that some people might not!

[beccadg]

The Fandom wiki for Raine calls his skin tone "medium brown," so can call him POC in my book. Not like every POC has to be as dark skinned as Gus to be POC.

[flo_nelja]

Yes, Raine is a PoC, I was wondering if there was some Word of God about them being specifically Black, since it's clearly an option but not the only one.

[nevanna]

As far as I know, there's no word of god about Raine's ethnicity, but then again, I haven't delved very far into creator commentaries. I was basing their inclusion on my own interpretation.

[lb_lee]

Rogan: Kaldur is my favorite YJ character and him getting to be queer in the end made my inner teenager very very happy.

[nevanna]

I've been watching YJ with a fandom friend and they love Kaldur too!