The sword is considered to be one of the most quintessential symbols of thefantasygenre. Stretching back to even the earliest myths, upon which modern fantasy is based, the sword has been the weapon of choice for heroes of all kinds. Whether defending kingdoms, slaying dragons, or standing up to ancient evil, in almost every fantasy story the hero will draw their sword and face their adversary head on.
The tradition of heroes wielding swords continues in modern television, and with the popularity of the fantasy genre, there is an abundance of great swordsmen and women for audiences to enjoy. Let’s take a look at the very best examples from our favorite television series, and count down the top 10 TV swordfighters of all time.
10Richard — Legend of the Seeker
In a television adaptation of Terry Goodkind’s legendarySword of Truthbook series, Craig Horner plays Richard, the Seeker of Truth and classical fantasy genreChosen One archetype, albeit one that adamantly does not believe in prophesy. Richard’s familiar journey inLegend of the Seekeris kept fresh and entertaining through brilliant acting choices and genre savvy commentary that is genuinely fun to watch.
As the wielder of the Sword of Truth, Richard gets into his fair share of scrapes. A lot of the prowess displayed is thanks to the magic of his weapon; however, the duels we see play out on screen depict a swordsman of exceptional skill and determination. The character goes from a simple woodsman to legendary hero over the course of the series, and, in that time, faces opponents with significantly more experience and accomplishments in battle, and generally comes out ahead.
Related:How Fantasy is Emerging as the Next Big Film and TV Genre
9Arthur Pendragon — Merlin
In the BBC’s retelling of the legendary tale ofMerlin, Bradley James portrays a young version of King Arthur, beginning the series before he even takes the throne. During the course of the series, we are treated to Arthur’s journey from brash and arrogant youth to wise and just king. Naturally there are quite a few sword fights thrown in as well.
In whatGQranks as one of the top 10 depictions of the character, Arthur demonstrates outstanding prowess, both in actual battle and in the dueling arena. Time and again, he consistently proves that he is the most skilled swordsman in the setting, with all of his defeats on screen being due to magic or trickery. His skill at arms also helps to highlight his early characterization, with his first response to most problems being to draw his sword and face them head on before developing a more careful and strategic approach later on.
8Jade — Willow
Jade Claymore, the skilled and dependable knight in training, is played by Erin Kellyman in the 2022 Disney+ series,Willow. As the most martially capable member of the main cast, Jade spends a considerable amount of time wielding her sword in defense of her friends, as well as sparring with childhood friend and love interest, princess Kit played by Ruby Cruz.
Kellyman described the training for her character forUSA Today, as well as touched on the character’s cultural role in bringing representation to the screen. With a well-written arc, and characterization based on her skills and struggles, Jade has been a strong and compelling addition to the new series. With more of the story to tell, we can look forward to seeing even more of this talented swordswomanin future seasonson Disney+.
7Duncan MacLeod — Highlander
Inspired by the highly popularHighlanderfilm series, the television version ofHighlanderfocused on a new member of the MacLeod clan played by Adrian Paul. Duncan began the series as a very similar substitute for the movies' Connor, who had been played by Christopher Lambert, before developing into a distinct and compelling character in his own right, eventually taking over as the main focal point of the continuing film series as well.
As an immortal swordsman, Duncan brought lifetimes of experience to the battlefield as he contended with adversaries from all across history. In addition to the excellently choreographed fight sequences, Duncan examined what the life of an immortal being might be like. More than a simple warrior, he served as a teacher and mentor for many members of the cast, and managed to bring a level of humanity to the fantastical setting, all while battling his way through whatever threat came for him or his allies.
6Xena — Xena: Warrior Princess
Originally a character featured inHercules: The Legendary Journeys,the Amazon Princess, Xena, proved overwhelmingly popular, getting her own series in 1995,Xena: Warrior Princess, which ultimately became one of the most popular television programs of the era. Portrayed masterfully by actress Lucy Lawless, Xena is considered by many fans to have opened the door for more action-oriented roles for women in a time when some studios and filmmakers were skeptical on the subject.
As a princess of a warrior culture and ally of Hercules, Xena’s martial ability is a given, and through the series, the audience is treated to her going head to head with monstrous opponents straight out of myth in glorious fashion. By the end of the series' run, she had even slain several of the setting’s gods. Through the last half of the 90s, Xena was a force to be reckoned with, and the impact of the show can still be felt in many of the films and television programs audiences enjoy today.
5Daemon Targaryen — House of the Dragon
In HBO’s prequel to the massively popularGame of Thronesseries,House of the Dragon, Matt Smith plays “the Rogue Prince” Daemon Targaryen. This morally gray member of House Targaryen carries on a series tradition of ruthless and pragmatic fighters, which was well established in the original program. As a much more martially driven and bloodthirsty character and foil for his brother Viserys, Daemon Targaryen provides extraordinary displays of brutal swordsmanship.
The fighting technique that Daemon employs serves as more than an exciting bit of choreography. Every move is tailored to eliminate his adversary by any means necessary, and he isn’t above using deception to achieve victory. This speaks to the character’s direct approach out of combat as well, as he addresses every interaction in the same way he does a martial confrontation. As his social and martial methods are the same, his character traits don’t stop being shown when he fights, and that makes him all the more entertaining to watch.
Related:House of the Dragon: Where Season 2 Could Go
4The Widow — Into the Badlands
AMC’s wuxia-inspired seriesInto the Badlandsfeatures an entire cast full of masterful fighters, with each one bringing their own unique style to the screen. However, Emily Beecham’s character, referred to simply as “The Widow”, manages to seize the focus in any scene she enters. Despite her antagonistic role in the series her ideals and determination make her a compelling character, while her attitude and graceful fighting style provide some of the best moments in the series.
With the series' focus on the action, and numerous one-on-one fights, The Widow’s particular technique stands out as one of the most interesting and characteristic. Her entire approach is based off of precision and fluid motions, not unlike one would find in the show’s wuxia inspiration. As she is constantly pitted against more physically imposing opponents, the choreography echoes the political side of her plot line, the struggle against a more established and overtly powerful system that is in place.
3Jaime Lannister — Game of Thrones
Jaime Lannister, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in HBO’sGame of Thronesseries, is a character with an incredible reputation which he backs up every time he draws his sword. Unlike most of the other Lannister characters featured on the show, Jaime’s cocky attitude is tempered with surprising humility, and he shows respect for many of his opponents even before any character development even begins to take place.
The audience gets to see Jaime fall from his highest point, then build himself back up again as the series goes on. Aside from the development which expands his character, Jaime also deals with the loss of a hand, and his efforts in combat from this point highlight just how skilled he is and how he got that way in the first place. Over time the audience gets to see him rebuild his martial skills, eventually facing down skilled opponents with a technique that contrasts with his early appearances and showcases his growth as well as his overwhelming skill at arms.
2Galadriel — Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
In a major departure from her character in both the original source material and the 2001 film trilogy, the version of Galadriel featured in Amazon’sRings of Poweris an absolute master swordswoman who is right at home on the battlefield. This is an expansion on her description in Tolkien’s works as having “something of an amazon disposition” and makes the original comment into a massive understatement.
Galadriel is often seen in full armor and wielding her blades to graceful but deadly effect. Every movement serves a purpose and there is no energy wasted on flourishing or needless motion, which is not only effective, but in line with her martial attitude in this version of the character. As a character who takes such an active and direct role in the fight against evil in Middle Earth, it is appropriate that her technique should be direct and effective as well, and the choreography delivers exactly this, highlighting her skill while being immensely entertaining to watch.
1Geralt of Rivia — The Witcher
Portraying a well-known character from both literature and video games was always going to be difficult, and this is something that the team behind Netflix’s adaptation ofThe Witcherknew going in. Geralt of Rivia is a professional monster hunter with decades of experience, and his extremely dominant and direct fighting technique, performed masterfully by Henry Cavill, reflects this core aspect of the character.
In combat with monsters, Geralt literally deconstructs the threat piece by piece, pragmatically focusing on vulnerabilities presented by the creature’s monstrous physique. Against human adversaries, he moves swiftly and decisively, leveraging his strength to immediately dispatch his opponent and then immediately moving on. It is a detached, mechanical approach that reminds the audience that Geralt’s lethal skills are not just something he can do when pressed, but are literally the primary method of doing his job, and he is very, very good at his job.
