When a show begins, everyone wants most characters to be the best of the show. Audiences want to be able to choose their most favorites out of the bunch and say who's the best of the best. The truth is though, only a few characters do end up being the definitive greatest in a show, especially one like the HBO Max series Warrior.
An action series inspired by the writings of martial arts master and movie star Bruce Lee and set in San Francisco during the late 1800s', the series is only on its second season and has already introduced heroes, villains, and some in-betweeners who have become fan favorites.
Penelope Blake
Not every character in a show is going to be the best at what they do or the most interesting. What makes them great sometimes are their actions, especially when they step out of their comfort zone. Without a doubt, Penelope Blake is such a character.
Although she began the series as the wife of the unfaithful and piggish mayor of San Fransico, Penelope would slowly grow into herself as a person, taking over her father's business and trying to advocate for Chinese labor. Even though she ended season 2 locked up in an asylum, Penelope's story is no doubt far from over.
Mai Ling
In a show like Warrior, not every character is a good guy. There are plenty of characters who cross over the line of good and evil time and time again and Mai Ling, the sister of Ah Sahm, is a prime example.
Originally starting out as the love interest of one of the leaders of San Fransico's tong, Mai Ling rose through the ranks and eventually took the tong over. In the end, she now controls a large amount of crime in San Fran and has become a powerful foe not to be trifled with.
Bill O’Hara
Just because a character is among the best doesn't mean they begin that way. Officer Bill O'Hara for many started out as a largely unlikeable character, mainly due to his crass nature and brutish attitude.
Yet as the series progressed, O'Hara slowly became a much more complex and intriguing character. His time on the Chinatown special unit allowed for him to develop into a much more interesting and likable character.
Li Yong
Similar to Bill, Li Yong started the show as a largely unlikable character. An enforcer for the same tong Mai Ling served, Li is a brutal and hard-hitting fighter who nearly killed the protagonist, Ah Sahm in a one-on-one fight.
While he's still largely unlikable, one can't deny that Li Yong is an awesome character. From joining forces with Ah Sahm in one of the show's best episodes to scheming with Mai Ling to take over the tongs, Li Yong is a fantastic addition to the show.
Richard Henry Lee
There are multiple tropes that appear in shows, depending on the series. The theme of heroes starting out all high and mighty and falling from grace always seems to be a popular one and Richard Henry Lee falls under that category.
Beginning as one of the few likable cops in the police department, Lee started as a man on the run after killing his own blood, evolved into an honest cop, and slowly declined into a life full of alcohol, drugs, and anger. That's quite the fall for someone who began so mighty.
Hong
Side characters are often among a show's highlights. While they're likely to be more popular in sitcoms than an action series inspired by Bruce Lee's movies and writings, a character like Hong, who started off as a strange character, can become the best side character in a series.
Introduced in season two as a new recruit to Ah Sahm's and Young Jun's tong, Hong slowly became a hilarious and great addition to the series, keeping the show fresh and the humor solid throughout.
Wang Chao
Middle men are easy to find in tv shows. They're always people who aren't on either the side of good or the side of evil and benefit from both angels. Wang Chao, a weapons dealer and maker, is a man who fits this category all too well.
A powerful figure in San Fran with his hands in just about everyone's pockets and cookie jars, Chao is honestly one of the more entertaining characters in the show who manages to be witty, smart, and ruthless all at once.
Ah Toy
Action movies with awesome female leads are easy to come by. Shows that have awesome female characters though are a little harder to find and yet Warrior has multiple examples of them, including the epic Ah Toy.
Introduced as the owner of a brothel, Ah Toy went from being just a business owner to a sword-wielding assassin who can stand on her own. Even after the brutal beating she endured at the end of last season, Ah Toy is still a badass character who rises above the rest.
Young Jun
Son figures are typically interesting to see appear in any series. Young Jun begins the show as the stuck-up son of Father Jun, leader of a powerful Tong. However, since his meeting with the likes of Ah Sahm, Jun changed for the better.
While still somewhat pompous and full of himself, Young Jun has gotten some much-needed development that pushed him into the realm of the show's best characters alongside the number one choice.
Ah Sahm
It goes without saying that the protagonist will almost always be the best character of the show. Highly inspired by Bruce Lee, Ah Sahm represents the core elements of the show, starting as a simple man looking for his sister and slowly becoming emboiled in the tong wars.
A man just looking to do what's right in a world full of criminals, Ah Sahm is the one honest character in the show who's slowly becoming an icon following the epic events of "Enter The Dragon." After a finale like that, who knows what kind of character Ah Sahm will become.