The Toughest Survivors Across Pop Culture

“The survivor” can be seen in almost every story. Usually a little more rugged than a typical hero, these tough-as-hell fighters are usually found in horror, sci-fi, action-adventure, apocalypse and, well, survival stories. Think of a standoffish person with few friends, excellent combat skills, and a boat load of trauma. They’re a survivor.

Like we said, these archetypal characters appear in a lot of media. You can probably picture plenty. But we’re most interested in the best of the best. Below, join us as we break down some of the toughest survivors across pop culture.

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Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead)

Daryl Dixon’s always had to fight to survive. Even before zombies emerged, he and his brother Merle lived off the land in Georgia. Then, they used all their expert skills to battle hordes of the undead. A fan-favorite, Daryl managed to make it through all 11 seasons of The Walking Dead.

Now, Daryl’s got his own spinoff show. New threats, new friends, and new foes will all emerge to test this biker, hunter, and absolute badass. But he’s got fortitude and gruff charm on his side. We aren’t too worried.

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Ellie (The Last of Us)

Survival is in Ellie’s blood. Literally. After being bit by an Infected, most people have mere moments before they turn into a dreaded Clicker. But not Ellie. Somehow, she’s immune. And thus that ability catalyzes the entirety of the The Last of Us video game series. In the first game, Joel’s goal is to bring Ellie to a hospital where they can develop a cure using Ellie. Except … Joel kills everyone before they can touch Ellie.

The second game shows us what survival means to everyone else. Who gets to live, who dies for the cause? Who deserves life, and who lives on despite being undeserving? Ellie’s story is a tough one to follow, but riveting nonetheless.

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Snake Plissken (Escape From New York)

What hasn’t Snake Plissken been through? The war hero turned criminal turned maximum security prisoner is tough as nails. Plus, he looks and acts like it. He negotiates his way out of his own sentence by promising to complete deadly, nearly impossible missions in the post-apocalyptic cityscapes of both NYC and Los Angeles.

Snake bears it all with a sardonic attitude. He’s the best at what he does, and he knows it. That well-earned confidence carries him through both Escape From New York (1981) and Escape From L.A. (1996).

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Philippa Georgiou (Star Trek)

 

Star Trek fans know that the final frontier is a wildly astounding yet extremely dangerous place. Warmongering Romulans and hostile alien environments wait around the turn of every nebula. Unless, of course, you’re a Terran.

While the Prime Universe’s Captain Philippa Georgiou was tragically killed, a new alternate universe version emerges to take her place. This Terran Georgiou is cut-throat — sometimes literally. She does whatever it takes to get the job done, and that means not always following Starfleet protocol. Though her methods cause everyone around her plenty of stress, there’s no question that she is nonetheless effective.

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Ash Williams (Evil Dead)

Anybody who is forced into the “Chosen One” role by destiny is a survivor. They have to be. Cue Ash Williams from The Evil Dead, an ordinary supermarket clerk before he encountered magic. A mystical book proclaims Ash “The Promised One,” and then he’s promptly thrown into a world full of demons.

Ash survives the living woods — a demonic forest at what turns into a terrifying cabin retreat. He gets trapped in 1300 AD, and encounters all sorts of monsters over his lifetime. Due to his fighting skills and sheer luck, Ash Williams emerges relatively unscathed every time — we aren’t counting the one time he had to replace his own arm with a chainsaw.

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Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan)

We’re absolutely awestruck by Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan. Although her outward demeanor is quiet and unassuming, she’s absolutely lethal in battle. As a cadet, she showed the most promise. Now, as part of the Scout Regiment’s Survey Corps, she gets the most kills and is absolutely ruthless toward the Titans.

She’s also willing to fight against her best friend Eren Yeager as he attempts to destroy the world. If somebody’s left standing at the end of his rampage, we’re sure it’ll be Mikasa. But if she isn’t — no spoilers! We’ve only watched the anime.

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Who are your favorite survivors in pop culture? Share your picks at side.show/geekgroup or in the Sideshow Social Network, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!