8. Luke Skywalker - Star Wars
There are plenty of heroes to be found in movies some follow the "hero's journey" model outlined by Joseph Campbell, but Star Wars does so perhaps more closely than any other film - indeed, Campbell would often cite the film and praise George Lucas for his understanding of the dynamics of the path towards heroism. Luke Skywalker's reveal on the deserts of Tattoine is actually one of the most understated hero introductions on this list, introduced out of nowhere as an everyman after the film's spent a good twenty minutes with bickering droids. But that's the brilliance of it; heroes, after all, are avatars for the fantasies of the viewer, and few have thrilled and excited fans as much as Skywalker.