Browse Characters

Explore popular fanfiction characters on AO3. Discover their stories, ships, and the tropes fans love to write about them.

219 characters 50 fandoms 54.4M tagged works

Most Popular Characters

Neville Longbottom

Harry Potter

497k works

Shy Gryffindor who grows into a courageous leader. Proves that bravery comes in many forms.

Zuko

Avatar: The Last Airbender

484k works

Banished Fire Nation prince whose redemption arc is considered one of the greatest in all of fiction. From villain to hero, his journey is legendary.

Ships: Katara/Zuko, Sokka/Zuko

Tartaglia

Genshin Impact

477k works

Fatui Harbinger who loves a good fight. Surprisingly warm with his family, dangerously enthusiastic about combat.

Ships: Tartaglia/Zhongli

Will Byers

Stranger Things

465k works

The boy who was taken to the Upside Down. Sensitive, artistic, and quietly struggling with feelings he can't express.

Kirishima Eijirou

My Hero Academia

458k works

Hardening quirk user with an unbreakable spirit. The definition of a manly hero — brave, loyal, and always smiling.

Ships: Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou

Bakugou Katsuki

My Hero Academia

457k works

Explosive-tempered prodigy with a fierce competitive streak. His journey from bully to hero is one of the series' best arcs.

Ships: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou

Fenris

Dragon Age

457k works

Former slave with lyrium tattoos burned into his skin. Angry, broken, and learning to be free.

Ships: Fenris/Hawke

Hannibal Lecter

Hannibal

450k works

Psychiatrist, serial killer, and connoisseur. Elegant, terrifying, and desperately in love with the one person who sees him fully.

Ships: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham

Finnick Odair

The Hunger Games

448k works

Golden boy of the Capitol who hides deep pain behind a charming facade. His love story with Annie is heartbreaking.

Sanji

One Piece

447k works

Chivalrous chef of the Straw Hats. His fighting style uses only kicks, his cooking heals the soul, and his heart is bigger than his ego.

Ships: Roronoa Zoro/Sanji

Arya Stark

Game of Thrones

446k works

The girl who became No One and then chose to be Arya Stark. Fierce, independent, and deadly.

Aizawa Shouta

My Hero Academia

438k works

Underground hero and homeroom teacher of Class 1-A. Appears apathetic but cares deeply about his students.

Ships: Aizawa Shouta/Yamada Hizashi

Kakashi Hatake

Naruto

437k works

Copy Ninja and Team 7's sensei. Perpetually late, reads inappropriate novels in public, and hides deep trauma behind a mask.

Ships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka

Derek Hale

Teen Wolf

437k works

Brooding werewolf haunted by family tragedy. Grumpy exterior hides a deeply protective nature and a capacity for great love.

Ships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski

Itadori Yuji

Jujutsu Kaisen

434k works

High school student who becomes the vessel for the King of Curses. His innate goodness and superhuman physicality make him a natural hero.

Ships: Fushiguro Megumi/Itadori Yuji

Husk

Hazbin Hotel

433k works

Grumpy cat demon bartender who's seen it all. His cynicism slowly softens under the hotel's influence.

Rose Tyler

Doctor Who

432k works

Shop girl from London who became the Bad Wolf. Her love story with the Tenth Doctor defined a generation of the show.

Alastor

Hazbin Hotel

429k works

The Radio Demon, a powerful overlord with mysterious motives. Charming, terrifying, and always smiling.

Harry Potter Characters

Neville Longbottom

497k works · 0 ships

Shy Gryffindor who grows into a courageous leader. Proves that bravery comes in many forms.

George Weasley

398k works · 0 ships

The other Weasley twin, co-founder of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Creative, loyal, and endlessly inventive.

James Potter

396k works · 1 ships

Harry's father, a talented wizard and Marauder. Arrogant in youth but grew into a brave man who died protecting his family.

Draco Malfoy

385k works · 2 ships

Pure-blood wizard from the Malfoy family, former Death Eater turned reluctant hero. Complex, sharp-tongued, and deeply conflicted about his loyalties.

Sirius Black

348k works · 1 ships

Harry's godfather, a wrongly imprisoned Marauder. Charismatic, reckless, and fiercely devoted to those he loves.

Harry Potter

341k works · 2 ships

The Boy Who Lived, a powerful wizard who defeated Lord Voldemort. Known for his bravery, loyalty, and lightning bolt scar.

Tom Riddle

313k works · 1 ships

The brilliant and terrifying young wizard who would become Lord Voldemort. Charming on the surface, deeply manipulative underneath.

Ron Weasley

290k works · 1 ships

Loyal best friend and strategic thinker from the Weasley family. Often underestimated but proves his worth time and again.

Ginny Weasley

269k works · 1 ships

Youngest Weasley and powerful witch in her own right. Fierce, independent, and an exceptional Quidditch player.

Fred Weasley

263k works · 0 ships

Half of the legendary Weasley twins, known for his pranks and humor. His loss is one of the most mourned in the series.

Hermione Granger

243k works · 2 ships

The brightest witch of her age, Muggle-born and fiercely intelligent. A key member of the Golden Trio who fights for justice and equality.

Blaise Zabini

225k works · 0 ships

Aloof and elegant Slytherin with a sharp wit. A popular side character in fanfiction for his mysterious background.

Lily Evans

218k works · 1 ships

Harry's mother, a Muggle-born witch of exceptional talent. Her love and sacrifice created the most powerful protection magic known.

Luna Lovegood

208k works · 0 ships

Eccentric Ravenclaw known for her dreamy disposition and unwavering belief in the extraordinary. A loyal and brave friend.

Severus Snape

205k works · 0 ships

Potions Master and double agent who loved Lily Evans until his dying day. One of the most complex and debated characters in the series.

Narcissa Malfoy

173k works · 0 ships

Draco's mother, whose love for her son ultimately leads her to defy Voldemort. A study in quiet strength and maternal devotion.

Albus Dumbledore

47k works · 0 ships

Headmaster of Hogwarts and one of the greatest wizards of all time. A complex figure whose greater good philosophy has lasting consequences.

Pansy Parkinson

28k works · 0 ships

Slytherin who navigates the social politics of pure-blood society. Often reimagined in fanfiction as a complex, layered character.

Remus Lupin

25k works · 1 ships

Werewolf, former professor, and Marauder. Gentle, intelligent, and struggling with self-worth due to his condition.

Marvel Characters

Wanda Maximoff

422k works · 0 ships

The Scarlet Witch, wielder of chaos magic. Her grief and power make her one of the most tragic and dangerous figures in the MCU.

Sam Wilson

413k works · 0 ships

Veteran and pararescueman who becomes Captain America's partner. Steady, compassionate, and an anchor for those around him.

Natasha Romanoff

400k works · 0 ships

Former Russian spy turned Avenger. Pragmatic, deadly, and fiercely loyal to her found family.

Stephen Strange

281k works · 1 ships

Former surgeon turned Sorcerer Supreme. Arrogant and brilliant, using magic to protect reality itself.

Tony Stark

263k works · 2 ships

Genius billionaire who becomes Iron Man. Brilliantly flawed, self-sacrificing, and driven by a need to protect the world from threats he helped create.

Steve Rogers

181k works · 2 ships

Captain America, the First Avenger. A super soldier with an unwavering moral compass and a heart from a different era.

Peter Parker

167k works · 1 ships

Teenage superhero trying to balance school with saving the world. Earnest, brilliant, and perpetually quippy.

Clint Barton

165k works · 0 ships

Master archer and Avenger with a complicated past. The most human of the team, grounded by family.

Loki

67k works · 1 ships

God of Mischief, Thor's adopted brother. A shapeshifting trickster whose villainy masks deep pain and a desperate need for belonging.

Wade Wilson

57k works · 1 ships

The Merc with a Mouth, a disfigured mercenary with accelerated healing. Fourth-wall breaking, irreverent, and surprisingly tender.

Thor

31k works · 1 ships

God of Thunder and Prince of Asgard. Combines godlike power with unexpected vulnerability and growth.

Bucky Barnes

7k works · 1 ships

Steve's childhood best friend, brainwashed into becoming the Winter Soldier. His journey of recovery and redemption spans decades.

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