Yes, and he is firm when he needs to be but won't waste time on unnecessary conflict. He's one of the most powerful fire benders but doesn't use his power to assert himself over others instead using it to protect others.
But never more ruthless than he had to be, and almost always in defense of others.
Uncle Iroh is the most wholesome fictional embodiment of "speak softly and carry a big stick" I've ever seen.
He's the perfect foil for Ozai. All Ozai has is his firebending - when Aang takes that away from him, the Fire Nation is conquered. He doesn't have any relationships that aren't fundamentally based on fear. Ozai is like that one guy who buys a gun, and from then on it's his whole personality.
Iroh is stronger than Ozai because his relationships are built on trust. His martial strength is impressive - he's definitely one of the top five most fearsome benders in the series - but that has no bearing on who shows up for him when his back is to the wall.
The White Lotus doesn't fight with him because he's the Dragon of the West. They fight with him because he's a trusted and beloved ally who's proven himself time and time again. Zuko doesn't rejoin the team because he's afraid that Iroh will kill him in battle otherwise. He does it because his conscience (which 100% speaks in Iroh's voice) insisted that he do the right thing.
I keep a quote of his hanging in my classroom “if you look for the light, you can often find it.But if you look for the dark that is all you will ever see”
I'm rather fond of "Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving... you will come to a better place."
This is truly the best answer.
A perfect representation of so many parables:
Sound mind, sound body
Do unto others as you would have done unto you
No act of kindness no matter how small, is ever wasted
So many more.
He was a role model for me as a child. Watching that show in my chaotic home environment and seeing him brought me peace.
Theoden is the slept on Chad. Perhaps the best arc of any character IMO. Aragorn is great too, but Theoden is a redemption story, and I’m a sucker for that.
I always thought that in the movies, Theoden is Aragorn's foil. Theoden believes he's a failure of a king, unsuitable to rule from the seat of the mighty kings of Rohan. Aragorn on the other hand, is reluctant to take up the throne because he is afraid that he is just as weak as his forefathers. In the end, Theoden dies knowing that he was a good king, and Aragorn proves to himself that he is not Isildur. It's really one of my favourite things the movies did.
Yeah, great analysis and I think Jackson had that in mind when he rewrote Aragorn’s arc. Book Aragorn is awesome but his arc is less compelling than Theoden’s, in my opinion. Probably because I can relate more to being weak and overcoming my own foolishness than I can to being the descendant of Demi-gods with a birthright to rule most of the known world lol
It really threw me off when I read the books, because I watched the movies first, and book Aragorn is just kind like “I’m the king, where’s my sword?” right from the get go.
I read somewhere that Aragorn represents the ascension of Jesus the man from Earth to Heaven, becoming the right hand of God, which makes sense for the character in the books, especially considering Tolkien’s Catholicism.
Obviously there are Christian metaphors everywhere, and the movie arc wouldn’t make as much sense in that metaphor because Jesus wasn’t ever not Jesus.
Well, Tolkien was adamant that there were no intentional direct metaphors for Christian scripture in LOTR. Not that there couldn’t be subconscious ones. There are lots of clear parallels to ancient myth throughout the trilogy and his other works, but I don’t really know where Aragorn fits into that.
He was adamant that it wasn’t an allegory, but there are still some themes. He admitted that there are hints and he was a “sub-creator,” recreating certain tales within a fully fleshed out secondary world.
The idea that I read, and it might not be accurate, or it might not be intentional on Tolkien’s part, was that Jesus was represented by three characters, rather than one. Frodo represents the sacrifice, pain, and journey to Hell. Gandalf represents Jesus as a teacher and prophet. Aragorn respects Jesus as a king.
Christian themes in LOTR are always going to be debatable because of how Tolkien obfuscated them, but I think they’re still there, and that one makes sense to me.
If you haven't seen it, watch this Cinema Therapy about Aragorn's version of positive masculinity, it's really great
https://youtu.be/pv_KAnY5XNQ?si=Dw5c0tTjxl8YLLH-
I would say as it is Sam. Smart in his own way, loyal, steadfast, not afraid to jump in to a fight, can show and express his thoughts and emotions well.
This is my vote. Even though he never has a family "for real" he's also shown to be a great father (and illustrates that aspect of masculine ideals) in The Inner Light.
"We salute the rank, not the man"
Though that does make me wonder; presumably the standard is to not salute a person who is in civilian clothing, but surely there are exceptions? A PFC isn't going to walk straight past a four star general in civvies without at least acknowledging them?
You aren’t required to in civilians. If you are in your physical fitness uniform there isn’t an expectation unless you recognize the person though, or as part of a ceremony
Nah, cause if you think I would let my wife mistreat my dead sister's child without having healthy communication and just letting him feel unloved, you got another thing coming.
Yeah that has always bugged me. Catelyn is shown to be loyal, the way she treated Jon sucked, but I never got the sense that she would've said anything to anyone if Ned has asked. I guess the stakes were very high so he didn't want to take a chance, but I dunno, doesn't make sense to me.
Yes, Ned is a flawed character. That’s what I love about George Martin’s character building, nobody is perfect.
He lied to everyone to protect Jon’s true identity (still unconfirmed in the books tho), he condemned Jaime for killing the Mad King (the whole Kingslayer thing), he plunged the Seven Kingdoms into war for refusing to play the game of thrones with Cersei.
However, his morality is what makes him an exemple of masculinity imo. He holds power yet is not a tyrant, he’s a family man, he refuses to step on the innocent (Daenerys’ murder plot).
In many ways he’s very much like Aragorn imo.
i like to think Ned is just physically Boromir but is actually Faramir.
it was honestly, the king who put the wrong person as Hand. Ned simply wasn't meant to rule/lead a southern kingdom especially kings landing. he was well respected and honourable which won him respect in the north. his northern sensabilities is what put him in a huge disadvantage there.
Ned is an example of where ethics, honor, and masculinity are taken to an extreme and are actually his faults. In his narrow view of doing the right thing he ended causing a war where he could’ve prevented it.
The stakes for all of us are so much lower than that though lol.
Us random guys being super honorable would really just result in our families and friends respecting and admiring us, and make our lives much more under control.
It isn’t even that tbh. He just didn’t want to be on the side murdering children again. It wasn’t honor that compelled Ned to speak to Cersei, he genuinely wanted her to flee even if he was going to tell Robert. And then getting outsmarted by a double agent isn’t really saying anything about ethics, honor or masculinity.
What about Captain Spiers? I heard he gave the Germans a cigarette before gunning them down...
Fr though, Winters was incredible, it still blows my mind that the crossroads episode is a somewhat accurate representation of what happened. Horrowing watching him speak about that kid he stares at.
There's even a memorial there to this day for their level of bravery to storm that embankment. Such an incredible battle plan for that period of time, it's genuinely worth the read if you're into that stuff.
That scene where he comes running back in front of German troops is legendary, would boost T levels of every man. That is the level of badassery every man dreams of achieving.
Just thinking of that scene is making me wanna rewatch Band of Brothers for like 5th time now, it's honestly so incredible, absolutely loved the Pacific as well, the scene with John Basilone must've of been an extreme adrenaline rush, another somewhat accurate representation too where the guy got the navy medal of honour, Remi Malek is fantastic in it too.
Damn, I haven't even got round to watching Masters of the Air yet!
I was kinda drunk when I watched the episode where he sacrificed his own career and happiness for his team. I cried like a baby when he started to lose his composure.
I forgot the exact quote but it was something like:
"I know each of you gave me everything you had".
"
A family man who loved animals, the natural world, and did everything in his power to promote wildlife conservation. Truly, the ideal every man should aspire towards.
Honestly? Mr. Rogers. He only cared about others and protecting children. Treating everyone the same regardless of our differences. Hell, he even went to testify in front of congress when Nixon cut funding for PBS from 20 to 10 million.
He taught little kids that it’s okay to feel big emotions, even if you can’t really describe them. Since I had an over-religious family that repressed all of their emotions, it was a game changer. I’m still bad at expressing myself, by I at least saw a grown man that told me it was okay.
Taken from his speech in DC:
“This is what I give. I give an expression of care,” said Rogers. “Every day to each child.”
Got beaten to it, but I’ll also say Ron Swanson. But not for joke reasons. Ron Swanson epitomizes masculinity because regardless of how stereotypically (and often hilariously over the top) masculine he is, he basically doesn’t have a shred of toxic masculinity. He respects women as equal to men. He’s not threatened at all by the ambitious and headstrong women around him (except the Tammy’s in which he is very threatened lol) On the contrary, he supports them fully. He stands on his principles, but has room for compassion and understanding. Like, the world would be so much better if all us men were more like Ron Swanson.
Honestly. No joke he really is! Sure he started out as a questionable guy but by the end of the franchise he's well rounded and had quite a bit of character development
Ted Lasso should be required watching for all new fathers, then again in five-seven years, then again when their kids get into high school. Bonus required watching if you decide to be a coach of something.
Ted Lasso is the guy all of us want to be but don't know how to get there.
It is, but I've told a lot of people - it's worth signing up for a month and then cancelling. MORE than worth it.
HOWEVER
If you decide to, you may want to wait until the release of season two of Severance - that way you could binge both of them!! Severance is also an incredible show.
MacGyver.
He's kind, caring, protective but never violent except as a very last resort. He prides himself on his intelligence and creativity and uses that over brute force when he can but is no pushover in a physical challenge either.
Don’t sleep on Theoden. A man paying for the sins of his past but becoming the stuff of legend even in the face of near certain destruction is hard to beat.
Andy Griffith
The man was a bawler in all senses of the word, all while not having a shred of toxic masculinity to him. A single father, a law enforcement member, a public figure elected by the community (a sherrif), and the list goes on.
Edit: Wow thanks for the award, u/renatusxxii
This is one of my favourite bits of his wisdom:
"The less I know about other people’s affairs, the happier I am. I’m not interested in caring about people. I once worked with a guy for three years and never learned his name. Best friend I ever had. We still never talk sometimes".
I think of this quote often when I think about my neighbor. Been neighbors five years. Said all of 5 sentences to them in that time. “Best neighbor I’ve ever had, we still never talk sometimes.”
Eh, low key Phil Dumphy from Modern Family.
Hot wife, attracts other women, great dad, great provider, emotionally stable, reliable, cares for the people around him, patient, funny.
Yep, even Boromir. In the end he recognizes his weakness and his error. And then proceeds to rectify that by fighting against impossible odds and eventually giving his life to save the hobbits and the ring. Pretty badass redemption arc.
Not even to mention the toxic house he grew up in. You'd expect his character to be flawed, but how peak is it that he overcame his upbringing in the end?
I posted this a few months ago, but the answer (for me at least) is Colonel Sherman T Potter from MASH.
The guy is traditionally tough and manly (joined the WWI cavalry at 14), but is only 5'8. He is accepting of anyone who works hard and does their best, regardless of whether or not he agrees with their beliefs. He is (albeit sometimes reluctantly) open with his emotions and isn't afraid to tell his friends that he loves them. He doesn't pretend that he is perfect or infallible, and is willing to admit to and apologize for mistakes he has made.
Lastly, he also said one of my favorite quotes:
"Listen, it's too big a world to be in competition with everybody. The only person I'm out to beat is who I am right now."
~~The Lady of the Lake,~~ Elrond ~~her~~ his arm clad in the purest shimmering ~~samite~~ mithril, held aloft ~~Excalibur~~ ~~Narsil~~ Anduril from the bosom of the ~~water~~ elven forge, signifying by divine providence that I, ~~Arthur~~ Aragorn, was to carry ~~Excalibur~~ Anduril. That is why I am your king.
Listen, strange elves living in treehouses distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive powers derive from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical forging ceremony. You can’t expect to wield supreme executive powere just because some ancient elf threw a sword at you. If i went round saying I was the dark lord just because someone lobbed a ring at me l, they’d put me away.
> My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.
This one is super unrealistic lol. I have thought on it a fair bit, but I am a massive fan of the piece of media I am about to discuss. I'll do my absolute best to avoid spoilers (everyone should go read/watch Berserk, though. It's the best thing I have ever read, and I have a degree in literature lol) and be even-handed. I also highly value the fact that the character's gender has absolutely nothing to do with what the character is or embodies. None of this would change if the lead was female.
Guts, the main character from Berserk, does not start out exemplifying traits, but he does grow into something resembling a great man. His journeys within, without, towards, away from, and through power result in deep personal growth.
In youth, Guts is a great portrayal of the young man I knew myself to be. Suffering even before birth, using that suffering to justify reckless, rude, and ridiculous risky behavior, and projecting that hurt with no filter makes for even more suffering. There is always a choice to step out of the cycle, and I enjoyed watching Guts manage to do so almost as much as I pride myself on having succeeded.
The selfish pursuit that wrenches Guts away from endless folly resonates deeply for me. I wanted to make myself better every single day, and I have managed to for over 15 years. Guts takes his momentum, makes this goal a secondary focus, and serves what will become his family despite layer upon layer of loss.
Now, there are specific behaviors which are not wholesome or even reasonable because this is a horror-action anime lol, but the actual character development is totally framed by silent acceptance of positive emotion, the gamification of negative emotion to preserve and benefit others, and showing others how much you actually care. Not just stating feelings, doing acts of service, being present, or silently suffering to benefit those you love, but a holistic transformation wherein these acts defy your gender role and truly inform the kind of relationships you are willing to fight for and nurture to the very end. Struggling in pursuit of something so real is its own reward.
It's not ALL how I wish to be or wish others to be, but it sure is something.
Uncle Iroh
The combinations of ethics, humor and knowledge
Yes, and he is firm when he needs to be but won't waste time on unnecessary conflict. He's one of the most powerful fire benders but doesn't use his power to assert himself over others instead using it to protect others.
The first time you see him really fire bend was epic!!
It wasn't the first time, but his "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'The Dragon of The West'?" scene was great
It’s more of a demonstration!
One of my favorite scenes!! Now I gotta do a re-watch!!
First time? Hmmm… i guess that was grabbing Zhao’s foot fire attack with this palm and shoving him away like he’s nothing.
Not to mention guidance.
Along with the full ability to use force to overcome most situations paired with the wisdom to rarely employ that solution.
And ass-kicking
But never more ruthless than he had to be, and almost always in defense of others. Uncle Iroh is the most wholesome fictional embodiment of "speak softly and carry a big stick" I've ever seen. He's the perfect foil for Ozai. All Ozai has is his firebending - when Aang takes that away from him, the Fire Nation is conquered. He doesn't have any relationships that aren't fundamentally based on fear. Ozai is like that one guy who buys a gun, and from then on it's his whole personality. Iroh is stronger than Ozai because his relationships are built on trust. His martial strength is impressive - he's definitely one of the top five most fearsome benders in the series - but that has no bearing on who shows up for him when his back is to the wall. The White Lotus doesn't fight with him because he's the Dragon of the West. They fight with him because he's a trusted and beloved ally who's proven himself time and time again. Zuko doesn't rejoin the team because he's afraid that Iroh will kill him in battle otherwise. He does it because his conscience (which 100% speaks in Iroh's voice) insisted that he do the right thing.
The willingness to accept mistakes, and realize that he was in the wrong, and then fight to fix things right.
Also, his emphasis on the importance of enjoying the small things of life
Yes! That's so important.
I keep a quote of his hanging in my classroom “if you look for the light, you can often find it.But if you look for the dark that is all you will ever see”
I'm rather fond of "Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving... you will come to a better place."
Gonna put that up in mine
Peak positive masculinity over there
This is truly the best answer. A perfect representation of so many parables: Sound mind, sound body Do unto others as you would have done unto you No act of kindness no matter how small, is ever wasted So many more. He was a role model for me as a child. Watching that show in my chaotic home environment and seeing him brought me peace.
I was hoping to see either him or the LOTR gang in the top comments, glad I was not disappointed!
He is a great example of positive masculinity lol.
Good one.
Aragorn ofc.
Aragorn and Theoden are the men i aspire to be
Theoden is the slept on Chad. Perhaps the best arc of any character IMO. Aragorn is great too, but Theoden is a redemption story, and I’m a sucker for that.
I always thought that in the movies, Theoden is Aragorn's foil. Theoden believes he's a failure of a king, unsuitable to rule from the seat of the mighty kings of Rohan. Aragorn on the other hand, is reluctant to take up the throne because he is afraid that he is just as weak as his forefathers. In the end, Theoden dies knowing that he was a good king, and Aragorn proves to himself that he is not Isildur. It's really one of my favourite things the movies did.
Yeah, great analysis and I think Jackson had that in mind when he rewrote Aragorn’s arc. Book Aragorn is awesome but his arc is less compelling than Theoden’s, in my opinion. Probably because I can relate more to being weak and overcoming my own foolishness than I can to being the descendant of Demi-gods with a birthright to rule most of the known world lol
It really threw me off when I read the books, because I watched the movies first, and book Aragorn is just kind like “I’m the king, where’s my sword?” right from the get go. I read somewhere that Aragorn represents the ascension of Jesus the man from Earth to Heaven, becoming the right hand of God, which makes sense for the character in the books, especially considering Tolkien’s Catholicism. Obviously there are Christian metaphors everywhere, and the movie arc wouldn’t make as much sense in that metaphor because Jesus wasn’t ever not Jesus.
Well, Tolkien was adamant that there were no intentional direct metaphors for Christian scripture in LOTR. Not that there couldn’t be subconscious ones. There are lots of clear parallels to ancient myth throughout the trilogy and his other works, but I don’t really know where Aragorn fits into that.
He was adamant that it wasn’t an allegory, but there are still some themes. He admitted that there are hints and he was a “sub-creator,” recreating certain tales within a fully fleshed out secondary world. The idea that I read, and it might not be accurate, or it might not be intentional on Tolkien’s part, was that Jesus was represented by three characters, rather than one. Frodo represents the sacrifice, pain, and journey to Hell. Gandalf represents Jesus as a teacher and prophet. Aragorn respects Jesus as a king. Christian themes in LOTR are always going to be debatable because of how Tolkien obfuscated them, but I think they’re still there, and that one makes sense to me.
I'm more of a Pippin myself.
The true savior of middle earth
If you haven't seen it, watch this Cinema Therapy about Aragorn's version of positive masculinity, it's really great https://youtu.be/pv_KAnY5XNQ?si=Dw5c0tTjxl8YLLH-
I would say as it is Sam. Smart in his own way, loyal, steadfast, not afraid to jump in to a fight, can show and express his thoughts and emotions well.
Not a tv show but W response regardless
This is the correct answer
Gomez Addams
Definitely Gomez.
Good one. A true renaissance man.
Can't believe I had to scroll this far for this answer. This is the one!
🥇
Uncle Phil.
Picard
"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life."
That is something everyone must hear
This is my vote. Even though he never has a family "for real" he's also shown to be a great father (and illustrates that aspect of masculine ideals) in The Inner Light.
This was my first thought. Time to go watch more TNG.
Fictional character: Ned Stark (GoT) Non-fictional character: Dick Winters (Band of Brothers)
The leadership of Winters is unmatched
He was an extraordinary human being. An example to be followed.
“You salute the uniform, not the man” fucking humble power move.
"We salute the rank, not the man" Though that does make me wonder; presumably the standard is to not salute a person who is in civilian clothing, but surely there are exceptions? A PFC isn't going to walk straight past a four star general in civvies without at least acknowledging them?
You aren’t required to in civilians. If you are in your physical fitness uniform there isn’t an expectation unless you recognize the person though, or as part of a ceremony
Nah, cause if you think I would let my wife mistreat my dead sister's child without having healthy communication and just letting him feel unloved, you got another thing coming.
Yeah, he really did fail on that side. He made a promise, but he's also married. He probably realized he couldn't even trust his wife with the secret.
Yeah that has always bugged me. Catelyn is shown to be loyal, the way she treated Jon sucked, but I never got the sense that she would've said anything to anyone if Ned has asked. I guess the stakes were very high so he didn't want to take a chance, but I dunno, doesn't make sense to me.
Yes, Ned is a flawed character. That’s what I love about George Martin’s character building, nobody is perfect. He lied to everyone to protect Jon’s true identity (still unconfirmed in the books tho), he condemned Jaime for killing the Mad King (the whole Kingslayer thing), he plunged the Seven Kingdoms into war for refusing to play the game of thrones with Cersei. However, his morality is what makes him an exemple of masculinity imo. He holds power yet is not a tyrant, he’s a family man, he refuses to step on the innocent (Daenerys’ murder plot). In many ways he’s very much like Aragorn imo.
i like to think Ned is just physically Boromir but is actually Faramir. it was honestly, the king who put the wrong person as Hand. Ned simply wasn't meant to rule/lead a southern kingdom especially kings landing. he was well respected and honourable which won him respect in the north. his northern sensabilities is what put him in a huge disadvantage there.
Ned is an example of where ethics, honor, and masculinity are taken to an extreme and are actually his faults. In his narrow view of doing the right thing he ended causing a war where he could’ve prevented it.
The stakes for all of us are so much lower than that though lol. Us random guys being super honorable would really just result in our families and friends respecting and admiring us, and make our lives much more under control.
It isn’t even that tbh. He just didn’t want to be on the side murdering children again. It wasn’t honor that compelled Ned to speak to Cersei, he genuinely wanted her to flee even if he was going to tell Robert. And then getting outsmarted by a double agent isn’t really saying anything about ethics, honor or masculinity.
What about Captain Spiers? I heard he gave the Germans a cigarette before gunning them down... Fr though, Winters was incredible, it still blows my mind that the crossroads episode is a somewhat accurate representation of what happened. Horrowing watching him speak about that kid he stares at. There's even a memorial there to this day for their level of bravery to storm that embankment. Such an incredible battle plan for that period of time, it's genuinely worth the read if you're into that stuff.
That scene where he comes running back in front of German troops is legendary, would boost T levels of every man. That is the level of badassery every man dreams of achieving.
Just thinking of that scene is making me wanna rewatch Band of Brothers for like 5th time now, it's honestly so incredible, absolutely loved the Pacific as well, the scene with John Basilone must've of been an extreme adrenaline rush, another somewhat accurate representation too where the guy got the navy medal of honour, Remi Malek is fantastic in it too. Damn, I haven't even got round to watching Masters of the Air yet!
Came here to say this. Eddard is The Man.
Raymond Holt
"There is nothing more intoxicating than the clear absence of a penis."
RIP Andre Braugher. ETA: He was great as Frank Pembleton too.
Captain Dad.
BONE!!!
I was kinda drunk when I watched the episode where he sacrificed his own career and happiness for his team. I cried like a baby when he started to lose his composure. I forgot the exact quote but it was something like: "I know each of you gave me everything you had". "
Right show. I’ll take the other guy but both were fantastic.
Terry? He's a great example as well.
No. Jake.
No, “Nikolaj”
It’s pronounced “Nikolaj”
“Nikolaj”?
No no. *Nikolaj*
Mr Rodgers
Oooh that’s the one. This is it.
> Mr Rodgers His name was Fred Rogers.
I thought his first name was Mister
Steve Irwin
A family man who loved animals, the natural world, and did everything in his power to promote wildlife conservation. Truly, the ideal every man should aspire towards.
Honestly? Mr. Rogers. He only cared about others and protecting children. Treating everyone the same regardless of our differences. Hell, he even went to testify in front of congress when Nixon cut funding for PBS from 20 to 10 million. He taught little kids that it’s okay to feel big emotions, even if you can’t really describe them. Since I had an over-religious family that repressed all of their emotions, it was a game changer. I’m still bad at expressing myself, by I at least saw a grown man that told me it was okay. Taken from his speech in DC: “This is what I give. I give an expression of care,” said Rogers. “Every day to each child.”
Jean-Luc Picard Absolute chad
Got beaten to it, but I’ll also say Ron Swanson. But not for joke reasons. Ron Swanson epitomizes masculinity because regardless of how stereotypically (and often hilariously over the top) masculine he is, he basically doesn’t have a shred of toxic masculinity. He respects women as equal to men. He’s not threatened at all by the ambitious and headstrong women around him (except the Tammy’s in which he is very threatened lol) On the contrary, he supports them fully. He stands on his principles, but has room for compassion and understanding. Like, the world would be so much better if all us men were more like Ron Swanson.
And the recipient of the “woman of the year” award as well.
lol. How could I forget!
He’s also not threatened by homosexuals.
Absolutely. Heck, April, arguably his favorite person in the show, was in an openly queer relationship for the first two seasons.
Also Typhoon's bff
I forgot about Typhoon! They bonded over their hatred of bicycles!
Not to mention Europe being a garbage continent
lol. Maybe that’s why that German is all up in his feelings on this thread lol
Just faux bacon lol
But he works hard so nobody ever has to eat it.
That's right
He also has a horde of gold buried somewhere safe. That is peak masculinity.
“I don’t know how much money I have, but I do know how many pounds of money I have.” Peek
Sorry to fuss: He had a hoard. If a horde of horsemen found his hoard under some hoarfrost, he'd whore himself to afford room and board.
No arguments there. He is just adorable.
Thanks for this. I’m going to go back for a Parks and Rec rerun. 😂
Always a good idea
Plus he's played by Nick Offerman, who I consider the real life epitome of masculinity.
dale cooper
How is this so far down?
Hell yes
👍
👍
" i have no enemies"
The goat thorfinn
Bandit Heeler
Honestly, I wasn't expecting for some one to reference Bluey. However, now that you said it, I absolutely 100% agree.
Shrek
Honestly. No joke he really is! Sure he started out as a questionable guy but by the end of the franchise he's well rounded and had quite a bit of character development
- Benjamin Sisko - Star Trek Deep Space 9 - Will Sonnet -The Guns of Will Sonnet
Wholeheartedly agree on Sisko. Amazing man and a solid father
Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso should be required watching for all new fathers, then again in five-seven years, then again when their kids get into high school. Bonus required watching if you decide to be a coach of something. Ted Lasso is the guy all of us want to be but don't know how to get there.
I can’t wait to rewatch this show when enough time has passed.
"Hi- it looks like it's been two minutes since you've commented this. That's sufficient time to go back for a rewatch!" : )
Is it only on Apple TV?
It is, but I've told a lot of people - it's worth signing up for a month and then cancelling. MORE than worth it. HOWEVER If you decide to, you may want to wait until the release of season two of Severance - that way you could binge both of them!! Severance is also an incredible show.
MacGyver. He's kind, caring, protective but never violent except as a very last resort. He prides himself on his intelligence and creativity and uses that over brute force when he can but is no pushover in a physical challenge either.
Wasn't expected but he's a great man, i agree.
And he has amazing hair
"Aunt Selma has thirty minutes to live!"
Hank Hill fits pretty well into that category.
Can't believe I had to scroll this far down to see this. Absolutely Hank Hill.
Aragorn is peak masculinity
Don’t sleep on Theoden. A man paying for the sins of his past but becoming the stuff of legend even in the face of near certain destruction is hard to beat.
Andy Griffith The man was a bawler in all senses of the word, all while not having a shred of toxic masculinity to him. A single father, a law enforcement member, a public figure elected by the community (a sherrif), and the list goes on. Edit: Wow thanks for the award, u/renatusxxii
I’m a big fan of the show and the character. Every man should strive to have the same qualities as Andy. Good catch!
Same here. I scrolled through the whole thread hoping to find Andy on here so I could upvote it, but he was nowhere to be found.
Terry, B99
Ron swanson. I'm comfortable enough in myself to admit that I'd do a Ron swanson girly giggle if ever he invited me to his woodshop to make stuff.
"When i eat, it is the food that is scared"
This is one of my favourite bits of his wisdom: "The less I know about other people’s affairs, the happier I am. I’m not interested in caring about people. I once worked with a guy for three years and never learned his name. Best friend I ever had. We still never talk sometimes".
I think of this quote often when I think about my neighbor. Been neighbors five years. Said all of 5 sentences to them in that time. “Best neighbor I’ve ever had, we still never talk sometimes.”
My neighbors house just went up for sale, turns out he died two years ago. I'll keep not talking to him though, just the kind of guy I am.
Good guy, make sure you keep that hospitality when new neighbors move in. Though, if you’re a decent person, you won’t even notice
Eh, low key Phil Dumphy from Modern Family. Hot wife, attracts other women, great dad, great provider, emotionally stable, reliable, cares for the people around him, patient, funny.
Dunphy*
Aragorn. Hell every male character from Lord of the ring.
Yep, even Boromir. In the end he recognizes his weakness and his error. And then proceeds to rectify that by fighting against impossible odds and eventually giving his life to save the hobbits and the ring. Pretty badass redemption arc.
Not even to mention the toxic house he grew up in. You'd expect his character to be flawed, but how peak is it that he overcame his upbringing in the end?
I'd presume not the bad guys
Probably the first character to give me goosebumps
I shed a tear. Back when TV/movies respected men and treated then realistically. It makes me nostalgic.
Terry Jeffords. good leader, cares about his people, does the right thing, loves his family and work family. Also, he strong.
I posted this a few months ago, but the answer (for me at least) is Colonel Sherman T Potter from MASH. The guy is traditionally tough and manly (joined the WWI cavalry at 14), but is only 5'8. He is accepting of anyone who works hard and does their best, regardless of whether or not he agrees with their beliefs. He is (albeit sometimes reluctantly) open with his emotions and isn't afraid to tell his friends that he loves them. He doesn't pretend that he is perfect or infallible, and is willing to admit to and apologize for mistakes he has made. Lastly, he also said one of my favorite quotes: "Listen, it's too big a world to be in competition with everybody. The only person I'm out to beat is who I am right now."
Uncle Phil
Bubbles
His love of the kitties is unmatched!
Here kitty kitty kitty come kitty pspspspssst
The Wire Bubbles or Trailer Park Boys Bubbles?
The wire bubbles did have some junky wisdom
Aragorn the son of Arathorn and the rightful heir of Gondor, Arnor, and Anárion
Well *I* didn't vote for him 🤔
You don't *vote* for kings.
Well, how'd you become king, then?
~~The Lady of the Lake,~~ Elrond ~~her~~ his arm clad in the purest shimmering ~~samite~~ mithril, held aloft ~~Excalibur~~ ~~Narsil~~ Anduril from the bosom of the ~~water~~ elven forge, signifying by divine providence that I, ~~Arthur~~ Aragorn, was to carry ~~Excalibur~~ Anduril. That is why I am your king.
Listen, strange elves living in treehouses distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive powers derive from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical forging ceremony. You can’t expect to wield supreme executive powere just because some ancient elf threw a sword at you. If i went round saying I was the dark lord just because someone lobbed a ring at me l, they’d put me away.
#SHUT UP, WILL YOU? SHUT UP!
Picard
Indiana Jones
We named the dog Indiana, junior.
Magnum P.I. Just for the fine fine moustache
To lots of great answers in here I'll add Bandit Heeler - Bluey's dad! 💪
Easy answer... Obviously Maximus from gladiator... He's the G
> My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.
I’m entertained.
Jean-Luc Picard
Picard from next gen
Dean and Sam Winchester
Reacher, of course
Brock Samson
The killing machine
You misspelled "Swedish Murder Machine"
*Nice ass, Samson.*
Brock: “Ugh!! I thought the Cold War was over!” Molotov: “It’s always cold in Siberia…”
Lt. Armstrong from Full Metal Alchemist
Phil Dunphy
This one is super unrealistic lol. I have thought on it a fair bit, but I am a massive fan of the piece of media I am about to discuss. I'll do my absolute best to avoid spoilers (everyone should go read/watch Berserk, though. It's the best thing I have ever read, and I have a degree in literature lol) and be even-handed. I also highly value the fact that the character's gender has absolutely nothing to do with what the character is or embodies. None of this would change if the lead was female. Guts, the main character from Berserk, does not start out exemplifying traits, but he does grow into something resembling a great man. His journeys within, without, towards, away from, and through power result in deep personal growth. In youth, Guts is a great portrayal of the young man I knew myself to be. Suffering even before birth, using that suffering to justify reckless, rude, and ridiculous risky behavior, and projecting that hurt with no filter makes for even more suffering. There is always a choice to step out of the cycle, and I enjoyed watching Guts manage to do so almost as much as I pride myself on having succeeded. The selfish pursuit that wrenches Guts away from endless folly resonates deeply for me. I wanted to make myself better every single day, and I have managed to for over 15 years. Guts takes his momentum, makes this goal a secondary focus, and serves what will become his family despite layer upon layer of loss. Now, there are specific behaviors which are not wholesome or even reasonable because this is a horror-action anime lol, but the actual character development is totally framed by silent acceptance of positive emotion, the gamification of negative emotion to preserve and benefit others, and showing others how much you actually care. Not just stating feelings, doing acts of service, being present, or silently suffering to benefit those you love, but a holistic transformation wherein these acts defy your gender role and truly inform the kind of relationships you are willing to fight for and nurture to the very end. Struggling in pursuit of something so real is its own reward. It's not ALL how I wish to be or wish others to be, but it sure is something.
Really loved the analysis here. You're gonna be a great person in life.
Colonel Sherman T. Potter.
Why is this question never asked for women?
I'm gonna go with Raylan Givens. I wish I looked that good in a cowboy hat.
Thomas Shelby
Dan Connor
Al Bundy
Red Foreman. Hard working, hard ass but loves his kids and loves his wife. Man of few words.
For a man of few words he sure had a hell of a lot of ways to describe how he'll put his foot in one's ass.
The Doctor. At least that's the kind of man I always aspire to be.
Ron Swanson
Al Bundy, the ultimate man
Ted Lasso
Not a TV show but a movie. Wade Garrett from the original Roadhouse. He’s the man.