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I'm not sure if I've stated it in the past, but I will now: I'm a hopeless romantic. I always look forward to the romance in any given story, whether it's a book, play, movie, audio drama....
As such, I've had a lot of crushes. Ever since I can remember, the list has been building. If I'd had only one crush per year for every year of my life, I wouldn't be old enough to have all the crushes I've had. Currently the number rests at approximately 25 that I can remember.
Now of course, when a girl gets a crush, it seems like a very serious thing, especially when she's young. But now that I've gotten over each of these crushes, I can laugh about them. My friends and siblings and I have had loads of fun discussing our various crushes over the years.
The following list names some of my favorite and most significant crushes, and all of them on fictional characters. It was very rare for me to get a crush on a real person.
Just a warning... some of the characters listed are animals. Humanoid animals, mind. Those crushes all occurred when I was very young (probably between five and nine years old). At that age, it's mostly the idea of a character, not the actual physique, that matters. So don't think me weird for having a crush on, say... a dinosaur. It was the personality that I liked. ;)
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# 10
Basil of Baker Street
From: The Great Mouse Detective
Why:
I've always been attracted to the Sherlock Holmes type. Something about the intelligence, eccentricity, and absent-mindedness seems so cute. And the way that Basil stepped up to take care of little Olivia was very touching.
#9
Martin the Warrior
From: the Redwall animated series
Why:
Martin the Warrior was brave, convicted, and responsible. He fought tirelessly to protect his friends, and save his people from slavery. But he was not just a warrior; he was also gentle. He was a great leader, and he had his funny moments as well. "The Protector" type always was, and still is, attractive to me. I also remember really liking his voice.
#8
Little Foot
From: The Land Before Time
Why:
Like Martin, Little Foot was a protector. After the death of his mother, Little Foot takes on a rag-tag band of other dinosaur children who have lost their parents. Faithfully, he befriends them and attempts to lead them to the Great Valley, a place where he knows they will be safe, and hopefully find their remaining relatives. And those big eyes.... they were really cute.
#7
Robin Hood
From: almost any version
Why:
The idea of Robin Hood is what got me. The cunning, dashing, roguish hero who fought for the poor has been an icon of heroism for hundreds of years. His intelligence and bravery were the most attractive to me. Also, who doesn't love an archer? The popularity of Legolas and Hawkeye prove that archers are automatically liable to be liked.
As a side note, one of the incarnations of Robin Hood I liked most was the Disney version; a fox. This, coupled with the movie The Fox and the Hound, is likely why my favorite animal to this day is the red fox.
#6
Prince Rilian
From: The Silver Chair
Why:
I think it was pity that moved me for this one. The enchanted prince of The Silver Chair had "suffered more than any mortal can bear", and there's something about pity that just moves a young girl's heart. After that, it was mostly the image of him that I created in my mind, because we get to see very little of Rilian in the book. However, he did become attached to and protective of his rescuers, Jill, Eustace, and Puddleglum, giving him "The Protector" traits.
#5:
Prince Caspian
From: Prince Caspian (book and movie), The Dawntreader (book)
Why:
With this one, it definitely had to be looks. Looks first, then character later. Actually, I'm not so much of a fan of his character in the movie (being too disappointed with the differences from the book) but in the book I did like him. I'm not sure what it was... I think that in The Dawntreader it was his bravery and determination that got me.
#4
Peter Pan
From: Disney's Peter Pan
Why:
The reason this one isn't back there with the rest of the cartoon characters is this was such a HUGE and long crush. I was pretty young at the time... but I was old enough to write my first love song. The lyrics went something like...
I'm in love with
Peter Pan
I'm in love with
Peter Pan
I'm in love with...
Something like that. It was pretty repetitive. A girl's got to get her point across, right? Anyway, for Peter Pan, it was his looks and his impishness that got me. Humor and fearlessness were always attractive to me. I also liked to see him taking care of Wendy and the boys. And that scene where he's struggling to save Tinkerbell from the wreckage of their home touched me deeply.
#3
Luke Skywalker
From: Mostly Return of the Jedi
Why: He was a hero. His determination to save his friends and his father was very winning. I liked his responsible nature, and I admired his skills with the lightsaber. He wore a cloak, and an all-black outfit. Need I say more?
This crush was significant because it inspired my very first fanfiction series, before I even knew what to call that kind of story.
#2
Tyorl
From: Stormblade (Dragonlance Series)
Why:
Tyorl was an elf ranger who fell in love with a young human girl, but she never saw him as a possible love interest because she was already falling in love with his best friend, a human ranger named Hauk. Hauk had been captured by the enemy, and the girl Kelidha had insisted on accompanying Tyorl to rescue him. It was on this journey that Tyorl fell in love.
Tyorl, who was actually quite young by elven standards, never spoke of his feelings to Kelidha because of his love and respect for his friend. He knew where her heart lay, and knew that Hauk returned those feelings. Repeatedly throughout the book, Tyorl was exposed to tragedy, such as being abandoned by his people, watching many of his friends die, losing the woman he loved to another man... I think it was pity that touched me first with this one.
Also, Tyorl was honorable, and heroic, in a quiet, understated way. In the end, he sacrificed his life to save a dwarven king he didn't even know, all for the sake of his friends. It was so sad. After he died, I didn't have the heart to finish the series.
#1
Archmage Mochriadhemiach (right)
From: Nine Kingdoms Trilogy
Why:
Mochriadhemiach of Neroche, otherwise known as Miach, is the over-worked archmage of the realm. What attracted me about his character was... everything, really. He has the intelligence of the "Sherlock Holmes" type, the diligence and gentle nature of "The Protector", and the cunning of Robin Hood. He is described as being quite handsome, but is often disheveled because of lack of sleep. The poor man is so stressed by his constant vigilance against the evil wizards who would assail his kingdom. He is constantly looking after the affairs that his brother the king neglects, and he tends to be a worrywart. However, at the same time, he is charming, witty, and humorous, and never bitter. He is sensible, and wise, and extremely talented in magic. But he is also not arrogant; rather , he prefers to hide his talents until it is necessary to reveal them. Of course, he was not without his faults. There were times when he was wrong, mistaken, or just plain not good enough; but he was always willing to admit it and apologize for his faults.
In a way, his relationship with his oldest brother Adhemar reminded me of Thor and Loki, as they should have been. Adhemar was a bigger jerk than Thor, of course, but the similarities were undeniable.
What I found most attractive about Miach was his honor. Despite his tragic past, and poor treatment from his older brother, he was not bitter, and he still loved them dearly. He did not let his tragic past or inner darkness get the best of him; rather, he rose above them, and that made him one of my favorite heroes of all. Right up there with Beleg Cuthalion and Aragorn.
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Well, what do you think? There's certainly plenty to laugh about in here. Those of you in my audience who are female, have you shared any of these crushes? If so, let me know!
-Rayne Speryll
