Graphic Novelty²

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly meme from Goodreads, created by Lainey from Gingerreadslainey and now moderated by Sam from ThoughtsOnTomes.

Today’s theme: favorite teachers and mentors! As a bonus challenge, the moderators told us not to pick any HP characters… but that was no problem for me =P

5 . Brom – Eragon

Brom was a mentor to Eragon even before he became a Dragon Rider. He would tell Eragon stories as he was growing up. After Eragon finds Saphira and sets out to avenge his uncle’s death, Brom joins him without a second thought. Brom teaches Eragon survival skills, the history of the Dragon Riders, and more. In many ways, Brom serves as Eragon’s compass and helped shape him into the man he would become.

4. Qui Gon Jinn – Star Wars

I have kind of a soft spot for Qui Gon, partly because he’s played by Liam Neeson and partly because we got so little screen time with him. Qui Gon is perceptive and calm in the face of danger. He believed so much in the prophecy that Anakin was the chosen one that he was wililng to break the rules and take on a second apprentice. When objections were made by the Jedi Council, he did not hesitate to point out that Obi Wan was ready for his trials to become a Master Jedi. He had great faith in Obi Wan as his student – that’s awesome!

3. Mikhail – Jill Kismet series

Mikhail is Jill’s teacher. He died soon before the series began. It’s interesting to me to begin a series after the teacher is already dead – most of the time, they’re killed off sometime after the series has begun! It’s evident that Jill is still in mourning. Mikhail saved her from a violent life before she became a Hunter, and taught her not to fear the darkness. Jill remembers lessons he taught her throughout the series, making it seem as if he’s still teaching her from beyond the grave.

2. Ted Grant (Wildcat) – Arrow

After Sara died, Laurel was filled with a rage she couldn’t control or get rid of. While working a case for the Arrow, she came across Ted Grant’s boxing gym. He offered her lessons to give her an outlet, which she initially refused, but came back and took him up on it. Ted was a lot more willing than Oliver to train Laurel, to teach her to use her anger as an outlet for doing good instead of continuing to let it chew her up from the inside (as Oliver would have done). Without Ted, there wouldn’t have been the Black Canary. Wildcat is a mentor to Canary in the comics, and it was great to see their relationship brought to the screen.

1. Gandalf – Lord of the Rings

Come on… who doesn’t love this wizard? Gandalf is by turns fiercely protective and intensely compassionate. He is, of course, very wise. He sees things that most people overlook – Saruman ridiculed Gandalf for hanging out with hobbits all the time, but as it turned out, there were some very important hobbits to hang out with! Gandalf saw their inner worth and helped Bilbo and Frodo see it for themselves. That’s what a mentor should do above all!

Any of my favorite mentors make your list, too?

– Kathleen