WMembers of the U.S. Army Special Forces will emphatically assert that the "Green Beret" is a hat and not the man who wears it. Nevertheless, for a time in the 1960s the Green Berets and the men who wore them became a national fad emerging in a wide variety of popular culture referents. After a decline in popularity during the 1970s — coinciding with the American public's backlash against the Vietnam War — the Green Berets gripped the popular imagination again beginning with the Rambo film franchise in 1982. They continue to appear as both major and minor referents in popular culture — especially in movies and television — often serving as a shorthand signifier for a shady or covert military background for a fictional character. As a dramatic device, this can cut both ways — i.e., lead an audience to either admire or fear a character.
WSergeant Bosco Albert "B. A." Baracus, played by Mr. T, is a fictional character and one of the four protagonists of the 1980s action-adventure television series The A-Team. B. A. Baracus appeared on The A-Team from the series beginning in 1983 until its cancellation in 1987. He is arguably the breakout character of the series and has become a cult icon worldwide.
WBarracuda is a fictional character, a villain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
WBatwoman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Katherine Rebecca "Kate" Kane is a wealthy heiress who becomes inspired by the superhero Batman and chooses, like him, to put her wealth and resources towards a campaign to fight crime as a masked vigilante in her home of Gotham City.
WJack Bauer is a fictional character and the lead protagonist of the Fox television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C. during season 7. Within the 24 storyline, Bauer is a key member of the CTU, its director in Season 1, and is often portrayed as their most capable agent. Bauer's job usually involves helping prevent major terrorist attacks on the United States, saving both civilian lives and government administrations. On many occasions, Jack does so at great personal expense, as those he thwarts subsequently target him and his loved ones. He is not a crooked agent; however, Bauer's frequent use of torture to gather information has generated much controversy and discussion.
WBig Boss is a video game character from the Metal Gear video game series created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. He was first introduced in the Metal Gear 1987 game as the commanding officer of the main character, Solid Snake, later revealing himself as a terrorist leading a faction known as Outer Heaven. He is later featured in the prequel games, starting Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater as a younger version of the character named Naked Snake , an American Special Forces Operator and decorated war hero until political manipulations cause him to be disillusioned when facing his own mentor, The Boss, and gradually develops his own private mercenary company.
WSonya Blade is a video game character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise from Midway Games. Debuting in the original Mortal Kombat game from 1992, she was a late addition to the game following a decision that the game needed a female character. Within the series canon, she is the commanding officer of the United States Special Forces and later of a specialized U.S. government agency. Her goal in most of the games is to pursue and capture the villain Kano, as well as eliminate his criminal syndicate, the Black Dragon. In later games, she is joined in this effort by her comrade Jax Briggs, and her and Johnny Cage's daughter, Cassie Cage.
WSeeley Joseph Booth is a fictional character in the US television series Bones (2005–2017), portrayed by David Boreanaz. Agent Booth is a co-protagonist of the series with Dr. Temperance Brennan, whom he affectionately refers to as "Bones". The character made an appearance in the Sleepy Hollow episode "Dead Men Tell No Tales" as part of a two-part Halloween cross-over with Bones.
WKimball Cho is a fictional character portrayed by Tim Kang on the American TV crime drama The Mentalist. Cho is a former Senior agent for the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and is currently an FBI special agent. Cho serves as the polar opposite to Patrick Jane, but is keen to learn his powers of observation. He is portrayed as straightforward and direct, but sometimes makes witty jokes with much of the humour lying in his ability to deadpan. According to The Mentalist Code, he received his name from Dr. Richard Kimble, just as Red John received his name from Fred Johnson, the one-armed man on The Fugitive.
WClaymore is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline and comic book series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's covert operations officer and debuted in 1986.
WJoseph Colton, the original G.I. Joe, is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. He also appeared as a character later in the comic book series, but did not appear in any of the animated series. He is portrayed by Bruce Willis in the film G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
WDonald Cragen is a fictional character played by Dann Florek in the American crime drama television series Law & Order and its spinoff, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, on NBC. Cragen is a homicide captain with the New York Police Department who later becomes captain of the department's Special Victims Unit. A recovering alcoholic, Cragen is a tough police veteran who is loyal to his officers. He appeared in the first three seasons of Law & Order and in the first 15 seasons of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Having appeared in 400 episodes in the Law & Order franchise, Cragen has appeared in the second-most episodes of any character in the franchise; this mark is surpassed only by Olivia Benson, a main character on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
WCupid is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is an enemy of Black Canary and Green Arrow, the latter of whom she is romantically obsessed with.
WDeadpool is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in The New Mutants #98. Initially Deadpool was depicted as a supervillain when he made his first appearance in The New Mutants and later in issues of X-Force, but later evolved into his more recognizable antiheroic persona. Deadpool, whose real name is Wade Winston Wilson, is a disfigured mercenary with the superhuman ability of an accelerated healing factor and physical prowess. The character is known as the "Merc with a Mouth" because of his tendency to talk and joke constantly, including breaking the fourth wall for humorous effect and running gags.
WJohn Diggle, also known by his code name Spartan, is a fictional character in The CW's Arrowverse franchise, first introduced in the 2012 pilot episode of the television series Arrow. The character was created for the series by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. Diggle is portrayed by David Ramsey.
WDuke is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's First Sergeant, and debuted in 1983. The character is also featured in both the G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 animated series and comic books. Channing Tatum portrays Duke in the 2009 live-action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and the 2013 sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
WFalcon is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is a Green Beret with the G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1987.
WRick Flag is the name of three fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They are father, son, and grandson.
WFlint is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He was originally created as a character for the Sunbow G.I. Joe animated series in 1984, and later introduced into the comic book and produced as an action figure in 1985. He is portrayed by D.J. Cotrona in the 2013 film G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
WEscape from New York is a 1981 American science fiction action film co-written, co-scored and directed by John Carpenter. It stars Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau, and Harry Dean Stanton.
WJackson Briggs, nicknamed Jax, is a fictional character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games. Since his playable debut in Mortal Kombat II as the physically-imposing United States Special Forces superior of Sonya Blade, he has become a mainstay in the series canon, appearing in nearly every subsequent series installment, in addition to being the protagonist of the action-adventure spinoff title Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, and was one of the eleven characters representing the series in the crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. His most distinctive features in the game are his metal bionic arms, which first appeared in Mortal Kombat 3.
WKamakura is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is the first character created by Devil's Due Publishing to be made into a G.I. Joe figure, and later brought into the new animated series.
WMichael Knight is a fictional character and the protagonist of the 1980s television series Knight Rider, played by David Hasselhoff. The character first appeared in the opening scenes as Michael Long, played by Larry Anderson in the beginning of the pilot.
WColonel Walter E. Kurtz, portrayed by Marlon Brando, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Francis Ford Coppola's film Apocalypse Now (1979). Colonel Kurtz is based on the character of a nineteenth-century ivory trader, also called Kurtz, from the novella Heart of Darkness (1899) by Joseph Conrad.
WJames "Logan" Howlett, better known by his codename The Wolverine, is a fictional character from 20th Century Fox's superhero film series X-Men, portrayed by Hugh Jackman and based on the Marvel Comics character Wolverine, created by Roy Thomas, Len Wein and John Romita Sr..
WMercer is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is a member of the G.I. Joe Team as one of Sgt. Slaughter's Renegades and debuted in 1987.
WCaptain H. M. "Howling Mad" Murdock, played by Dwight Schultz, is a fictional character and one of the four protagonists of the 1980s action-adventure television series The A-Team. The character of Murdock was almost written out of the series before it aired, as the producers found the character too "over the top". The popularity of the character among the test audience convinced the producers to keep the part of Murdock.
WLieutenant Templeton Arthur Peck, played by Dirk Benedict, is a fictional character and one of the four protagonists of the 1980s action-adventure television series The A-Team A recognized war hero, he is often referred to as (The) Faceman, or simply Face. Although creators Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo had Benedict in mind for the role, studio executives initially insisted that the role be handled differently; Tim Dunigan played the role in the pilot episode, but after it was completed, he was thought by the same executives to look too young to be a believable Vietnam veteran, and he was, at 6'5" (196 cm) much taller than the rest of the cast, particularly the show's 5'10" (178 cm) muscleman Mr. T. He was replaced by Benedict for the rest of the show's run. Bradley Cooper portrayed the character in the 2010 film, while Benedict appeared in a post-credits cameo.
WS.D. Bob "Snake" Plissken is the protagonist of the films Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. He is portrayed by Kurt Russell, and created by director John Carpenter and screenwriter Nick Castle. An anti-hero, he is a former Special Forces operator/war hero in World War III turned criminal. The movies follow his apprehension by the United States Police Force and subsequent conscription to extract top-secret material from New York City and Los Angeles—which have, in this dystopian setting, been entirely converted into maximum-security prisons.
WJohn Rambo is a fictional character in the Rambo franchise. He first appeared in the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, but later became more famous as the protagonist of the film series, in which he was played by Sylvester Stallone. The portrayal of the character earned Stallone widespread acclaim and recognition. The character was nominated for American Film Institute's list 100 Years…100 Heroes and Villains. The term "Rambo" is used commonly to describe a person who is reckless, disregards orders, uses violence to solve problems, enters dangerous situations alone, and is exceptionally tough, callous, raw and aggressive.
WJake Red Cloud, seen first in Red Cloud Comics, has been a fictional character since 2012.
WRegina is a fictional character, created and designed by Shinji Mikami, in the Dino Crisis series of action-adventure video games by Capcom, serving as the main protagonist in the original Dino Crisis and the co-protagonist in Dino Crisis 2. "Regina" is actually just an alias of a female U.S. special forces operative, whose actual name is never disclosed.
WMartin Riggs is a fictional character from the Lethal Weapon film series. Riggs was originally played by Mel Gibson in all four films from 1987 to 1998, and later by Clayne Crawford in the Fox television series from 2016 to 2018.
WRoadblock is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's Heavy Machine Gunner and debuted in 1984.
WShockwave is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's S.W.A.T. specialist and debuted in 1988.
WPrincipal W. Seymour Skinner is a recurring fictional character in the animated sitcom The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the principal of Springfield Elementary School, which he struggles to control, and is constantly engaged in a battle against its inadequate resources, apathetic and bitter teachers, and often rowdy and unenthusiastic students, Bart Simpson being a standout example.
WColonel John "Hannibal" Smith, played by George Peppard, is a fictional character and one of the four protagonists of the 1980s action-adventure television series The A-Team. The producers originally had James Coburn in mind to play the part of Hannibal, but it eventually went to Peppard.
WSnake Eyes is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. He is one of the original and most popular members of the G.I. Joe Team, and is most known for his relationships with Scarlett and Storm Shadow. Snake Eyes is one of the most prominent characters in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero franchise, having appeared in every series of the franchise since its inception. He is portrayed by Ray Park in the 2009 live-action film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and the 2013 sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Henry Golding is slated to portray the titular character in the upcoming 2021 spin-off film, Snake Eyes.
WSniper Wolf Kurdish: Gurê Sniper is a fictional character from Konami's Metal Gear series. Created by Hideo Kojima and designed by Yoji Shinkawa, she appears in the 1998 stealth game Metal Gear Solid as one of the game bosses opposing the protagonist Solid Snake and his ally Meryl Silverburgh.
WSolid Snake is a video game character and one of the primary protagonists of the Metal Gear series created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. He is depicted as a former Green Beret and a highly skilled special operations soldier engaged in solo stealth and espionage missions, who is often tasked with destroying models of the bipedal nuclear weapon-armed mecha known as Metal Gear. Controlled by the player, he must act alone, supported via radio by commanding officers and specialists. While his first appearances in the original Metal Gear games were references to Hollywood films, the Metal Gear Solid series has given a consistent design by artist Yoji Shinkawa alongside an established personality while also exploring his relationship with his father and mentor Big Boss.
WSarge Steel is a detective/spy character published by Charlton Comics during the 1960s. As he was published during the time of Charlton's Action Heroes line of superheroes, and had loose ties to some, he is sometimes included with that group. He was purchased by DC Comics along with the other "Action Heroes".
W"The Principal and the Pauper" is the second episode of The Simpsons' ninth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 28, 1997. In the episode, Seymour Skinner begins to celebrate his twentieth anniversary as principal of Springfield Elementary School, when a man arrives claiming that Skinner has assumed his identity. Principal Skinner admits that his real name is Armin Tamzarian, and that he had thought the true Seymour Skinner, a friend from the Army, had died in the Vietnam War. Armin leaves Springfield, but is later persuaded to return as principal.
WColonel Samuel "Sam" Richard Trautman is a fictional character in the Rambo novel and film series, and other media in the franchise. His first appearance was in David Morrell's novel First Blood. His character was expanded on in the film series where he was played by Richard Crenna. The character has been variously described as a father figure to the main character, and as a symbol for the military or the American government and its relationship with soldiers. In the original novel of First Blood, Trautman serves as an allegory for "Uncle Sam", i.e., the United States Government which created Rambo to serve their military needs. In both First Blood and Rambo Trautman primarily exists as a background figure engaging in arguments with other figures who are pursuing or using Rambo for their own purposes, while in Rambo III, Trautman becomes a more central figure in the physical action of the film.
WThe Unit is an American action-drama television series created by David Mamet that aired on CBS from March 7, 2006, to May 10, 2009 with the total of four seasons and 69 episodes. The series focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force.
WMichael Alan Westen is a fictional character played by Jeffrey Donovan in the television series Burn Notice, created by Matt Nix. Westen, a spy and former Special Forces Operative of the Green Berets and Army Rangers, is widely known as a top CIA operative. As a result, in many circles he is greatly feared. He abruptly became the subject of a burn notice while on an assignment. Forced to return to his hometown of Miami, Florida, he finds himself cut off from the United States Intelligence Community. While searching for answers about his burn notice, Michael becomes an unlicensed freelance private investigator/troubleshooter to help those who have unique problems.