8. Captain Nemo (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea/The Mysterious Island€”Various Adaptations)
This mysterious man is by all accounts an engineering genius. A man that has shunned and rejected the state of the current world, most importantly imperialism, the captain of the submarine Nautilus has abandoned all ties with the world on land and lives completely by and within the sea. Originating in Jules Verne's scientific novel, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, with more exploration of his background in The Mysterious Island, Captain Nemo has seen countless film adaptations throughout history. A rigid and calculating man, Nemo was of Indian royalty before giving it up for life under the sea. He was educated in Europe. Fluent in multiple languages, Nemo has shown in-depth knowledge in marine biology, electrical and mechanical engineering, and nautical navigation. Not to mention a passion for art. His greatest achievement is that of the Nautilus, a submarine that during Verne's time of writing was a call from the future. The Nautilus was an engineering marvel that was powered by electricity that set its guest in awe and was able to crawl through the ocean at depths and speed unthinkable to readers at the time. Designing ingenious mechanisms to collect oxygen, scuba dive, and hunt under water, Nemo was a man with intellect and talent to spare.