Everybody wants to live like them, that’s why there’s no shortage ofkings in movies. But any king worthy of his crown will have certainly worked hard for it, and while they might be perfect, they’re usually wiser and more responsible than others; well, the best andmost iconic kings in moviescertainly are like that.
RELATED:Best Movies Set In The 15th Century
They’re memorable enough to be recognized several decades past their heyday, and some of them might even be more popular than actual, real-life kings. Not all of them are shining beacons of wisdom, courage, and justice, some are simply megalomaniacs while others are just clever; all of them, however, are bound to be unforgettable.
8Kong (Monsterverse)
Not to be confused with the hopeless romantic apeKing Kong,Kong from the Monsterversefranchise (Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island,etc.) makes his kind proud and more dignified. He’s not chasing after some blonde in Manhattan, this Kong prefers to brawl with the meanest and toughest giants on Earth.
He acts as Earth’s reluctant protector, along with his reluctant frenemy, Godzilla. For his kind, Kong is definitely a king, and for mere humans, he’s a god, simply because he’s the Titan who’s the least likely to stomp humans in a tantrum, compared to Godzilla. As a king, however, Kong isn’t exactly a good example of eloquence and diplomacy; he doesn’t talk much.
7Odin (MCU)
Odin talks muchand is presumably more clever than a giant gorilla, but even he is brimming with faults as a monarch. While he’s best known as one of the most powerful beings in the MCU, he has made as many mistakes as triumphs. One of his biggest oversights is forgetting that he has a murderous daughter named Hela who would one day plan to destroy Asgard.
RELATED:Best Movies Set In The 17th Century
But even prior to that, his adopting Loki and keeping all kinds of secrets from his family caused more harm than good. Still, he’s the best protector Asgard had up to the day of his death. One could even go as far as to claim that he was the glue that held Asgard together, seeing as his kingdom tore itself apart in his absence.
6King Leonidas (300)
He’s not just a real-life king, Leonidas is also the typical inspiration for a ‘roided gym bro who shouts Spartan chants while pumping iron, even if they’re not even remotely Greek. That’s how iconic he’s become thanks to300, which is the adaptation of Frank Miller’s romanticized and fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae.
Leonidas’ plan to bring merely 300 wasn’t due to an overflow of testosterone. Leonidas wanted to delay the Persians and even expected to survive with the aid of 6,000 to 7,000 Greek soldiers from other city-states in addition to his 300elite Spartan guard. He wasn’t all shouts and flexes, in defending Thermopylae he was more responsible than other kings.
5Jareth, the Goblin King (Labyrinth)
Jareth,the Goblin KingfromLabyrinthis a different flavor of monarch because instead of the grand and eloquent posturing expected of a king, he was deceptive, manipulative, and charming. Being played by David Bowie helped with this illusion because Jareth prefers to lure his victims to the titular trap.
RELATED:Best Ruler Traits In Europa Universalis 4
But despite his intelligence, Jareth, near the end of the film, was nothing more than a sore loser. He represents all the negative and insecure aspects of being a king where he can’t accept defeat. Thankfully, Jareth was more rational than most royal villains and his love and compassion won over his other traits.
4Mufasa (The Lion King)
Simba might have been the main character inThe Lion King, but he wouldn’t be anything more than a spoiled brat if it wasn’t for his father, Mufasa. His living existence in the movie was rather brief, but even so, he established his character as a protective and just ruler— one that acted as a role model for the young Simba.
Needless to say, Mufasa made Simba into who he eventually would become. Because Simba could have easily turned out like his uncle, Scar. Mufasa’s death was tragic, but it had to happen for Simba to undergo some rough character development.
3King Arthur
There’s no shortage of King Arthur in movies whether it’s for kids or adults. And by the looks of it, he’s bound to reappear in live action every decade or so in a different take or attempt to recreate his legend. And while strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government, the Celtic Britons seem to have gotten lucky with their pick.
RELATED:Crusader Kings 3: Best Starting Rulers For Advanced Players
Arthur was the savior they needed in order to defend themselves against the Saxons, if we’re going by the most historically accurate account. Most scholars regard King Arthur as a highly fictional character, but it’s safe to say that his character was something that most monarchs at the time should have strived to be.
2Theoden (The Lord of the Rings)
It’s easy to point fingers at Aragorn when it comes to selecting the best king inThe Lord of the Rings, but he had nearly all the advantages in the world since his lifespan is twice or thrice that of regular humans. In the books, he’s even well past his 80s during the War of the Ring period, so in retrospect, Theoden is the more astonishing king here.
Despite his regular human age, Theoden fought in many wars, and during his twilight years, he stood up against giant elephants, Nazgul, and anigh-insurmountable army of orcsjust to save the people who did not come to his aid when he needed. Besides, no one orders a cavalry charge more valorous and inspiring than King Theoden.
1Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars)
All these kingspale in comparison to a literal paler king who wins based on dominion alone. Because Emperor Palpatine ruled a whole galaxy. Palpatine’s Galactic Empire had 1.5 million planets and 69 million colonies or puppet states in its grasp; that’s not just power, that’s unlimited power(!!!).
At the height of its power, Palpatine also made field armies and armadas nearly absolute thanks to a superweapon that could destroy whole planets in a snap. Prior to that, he did what most other villains couldn’t even plan properly; he defeated his more powerful enemies without much physical effort. It’s easy to see whyStar Warskept bringing him back; it’s hard to top this villainous king.
MORE:Ways to Make Gold in Classic WoW: Wrath of the Lich King
