I owe a lot of my love for speculative fiction to my Dad. We watched Star Trek religiously together. He introduced me to Star Wars, checked out dragon movies for me to watch, and gave me my box set of the Lord of the Rings. Oh, and he's also a Pastor who sang "Amazing Grace" while strumming the tune to the "House of the Rising Sun" on his guitar. He's talented like that.
With Father's Day tomorrow, I decided it would be great to honor those men who managed to protect both the galaxy and their kids at the same time. Here's my criteria for the list:
As always, this list is highly subjective and based on my personal opinion. If I've left someone out you'd prefer, please be sure to let me know in the comments. Also, as a general warning: spoilers ahead.
Batman
The truth is that Batman could be on a list of not-so-great dads as well, between Damian Wayne and Jason Todd. But focusing on the character in total, Batman has been a wonderful father figure to many children needing homes. Starting in 1940 when he adopted the original Robin, Dick Grayson, Batman has continually made room in his complicated life to help young boys facing the same trauma he did.
As noted, he's not been perfectly successful, but he does have a track record of producing very competent, successful protégés: Greyson eventually became the hero Nightwing, and the third Robin (Tim Drake) grew into a successful, well-respected crime fighter. Batman also mentored Batgirl and served as a key leader of the Young Justice team. In the 2000s television series Batman Beyond, an elderly Wayne turns the cowl over to young Terry McGinnis, both to bring the killer of the boy's father to justice and serve as a mentor to this teenager. He might not be the cuddliest man, but Batman knows how to reach out to troubled youth and equip them to face a dangerous world.
Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Kent (especially in Lois & Clark: the New Adventures of Superman), Mr. Incredible (The Incredibles), and Ben Parker (Spider Man)
Artos
There are many versions of the King Arthur myth, and each possesses a different appeal. When Elizabeth Wein penned The Winter Prince, she decided to focus on a relationship largely unexplored: the one between the king and his illegitimate child. Unlike in other legends, Wein's Artos publicly acknowledges his child Merdraut, honoring him with government positions and a place in his kingdom. He even entrusts the care and instruction of his heir, Prince Lleu, to his eldest. Merdraut is wooed to seek his father's destruction not out of anger for his father's neglect but jealousy of his half siblings.
Artos offers counsel as his son wrestles with these questions. He doesn't prevent tragedy or heartbreak: that's more than any father can do. But he does provide a model of leadership and compassion, one which Mordraut, even at his lowest, trusts and learns to follow. It's been many years since I read this book, but the tenderness of the emotions expressed still resonants with me today.
Honorable Mentions: the King (of The Frog Prince), the Merchant (Beauty's father in Robin McKinley's Rose Daughter), and Domingo Montoya (specifically The Princess Bride novel)
David Sheridan
David Sheridan only appeared on camera in three episodes of the excellent Babylon 5 television series. The real star was his son, Captain John Sheridan, the commander of the Babylon 5 space station and eventual leader of an interstellar alliance against the forces of darkness. But John wouldn't have gotten far without his dad, as he admits many times. Right before a big battle in season three, the soldier reveals to a friend that once he'd been super tired from studying for exams and couldn't sleep. His father knew his son slept easier when it rained and so sprayed a garden hose on the roof all night.
David Sheridan was a diplomat but proudly allowed his son to pursue his own path in the military, an important political figure who nevertheless made time for his son's questions and concerns. We also see the positive impact David had on his daughter in the series. Perhaps the biggest proof of David's good parenting came in the season three episode "Interludes and Examinations." John challenged a more advanced race to get involved in the coming war, unknowingly pushing an ally and friend into a life-threatening position. Just before death this alien enters John's unconsciousness to say a last goodbye. The most comforting, calming persona he could take on was David Sheridan. Even though it's not actually David saying the words, it's exactly the sort of thing he'd have said if present.
Honorable Mentions: Bail Organa (Star Wars), William Adama (original 1978 Battlestar Galactica), and Duke Leto Atreides (Dune)
