I love characters with strict moral codes, but boy, do they frustrate me! Do you have any goody-two-shoe friends who’d die before bending the rules a bit? On the one hand, I have mad respect for them, and on the other, in the moment of crisis, all I want to do is whack them on the head.
The most interesting thing about moral codes is that they’re not restricted to the good guys. Even the greatest villains have strict moral codes, which distinguishes them from being just another bad guy.
So, whether it’s a moralistic antagonist or a Boy Scout protagonist, you end up loving them because they dare to live by their ideals even in the face of adversity or loss.
Maybe in that moment, you’re wishing that they’d be a little flexible about their beliefs and choose the easier way out, but they’re busy doing the right thing.
It’s never about the convenience—that’s who they are.
In the end, both our lives and films are wonderful because of such characters.
In this article, let’s celebrate some moralistic characters whose steely will to uphold their moral codes is inspirational.
9 Best Characters with a Strict Moral Code
1. Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)Source: Universal Pictures
To fight for a Black person who’s accused of rape in the 1930s would require a lot of courage, and Atticus Finch is one such courageous man who believes that every person, irrespective of their race, deserves a fair trial.
To ensure justice, this man is ready to go to any lengths, even at the risk of his own life and those he loves. Naturally, the principle is non-negotiable, even when his involvement in the case exposes his family to harassment and social ostracism.
So even when he is spit upon or knows that he is fighting a lost case before a prejudiced jury, he defends Tom Robinson with meticulous fairness. For him, he isn’t only fighting to win, but to rebel against institutionalized racism and to preserve his own conscience.
What distinguishes Finch is that he is not a man of words but a man of action—something he imparts to his children as well.
2. Angus MacGyver, MacGyver
Macgyver (1985-1992)Source: Paramount Global
DIY-ing something? MacGyvering is more like it! The titular character of the TV series, MacGyver, is a special agent who does not believe in violence. He’s probably not the one who’d wake up and choose violence, ever. Rather, he’d prefer solving any problems, big or small, with his mind and some science.
MacGyver is an educated man who’s always eager to act and work like it. His mantra is to substitute violence with knowledge.
3. Elle Woods, Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde (2001)Source: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 20th Century Studios
Elle Woods won hearts with her unwavering self-belief in Legally Blonde. Born into immense wealth and privilege, Elle could have easily chosen a life of complete leisure. But she didn’t.
The world around her tried to reduce her to a beauty with no brain, but Elle proved everyone wrong in style. While it’s true that she pursued a law degree only to get her ex-boyfriend back, she proved that she was capable of great things. She is able to balance femininity and achievement through sheer determination.
Her journey is a testament to the fact that one does not need to change oneself completely to achieve great things in life—it’s all about making the right adjustments. However, at the core of it all lies self-belief, and she’s full of it. She uses her newfound talents to help an innocent accused of murder, and through cheerfulness and charm, befriends everyone she meets.
4. John Wick, John Wick
John WickSource: Summit Entertainment
Our beloved retired legend, John Wick, may be an assassin, but he acknowledges the burden of his profession and therefore lives by a code of conduct.
Loyalty for those who offer respect and hospitality, respect for morally justified vengeance, and a commitment to one’s words are some of the most important principles that Wick lives by.
5. Omar Little, The Wire
The Wire (2002-2008)Source: HBO
HBO TV series The Wire presents Omar Little, the man who only robs those involved in the drug business. His violent ways make him infamous within the community, and yet, he is a man of honor who respects life outside crime.
For him, it’s either his way or the highway, and his way is an extremely honorable one, which is why he is a respectable character in the series, despite his background. Grandma Josephine raised her grandkid just right!
6. Katsumoto, The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai (2003)Source: Warner Bros. Pictures
One of the last samurai, Katsumoto, is an old-school soul who can’t let go of Bushido, the samurai code of conduct. This Tom Cruise war epic encapsulates the evolving relationship between Katsumoto and Nathan, a Western fighter, as he begins training under Katsumoto in Japanese martial arts and its code of conduct.
In a world where traditional ways are soon being replaced by modernism, Katsumoto’s allegiance to his code serves as the greatest conflict for Nathan when he is forced to choose between Omura’s Western policies and the Bushido tradition.
7. Batman, The Dark Knight Franchise
The Dark Knight (2008)Source: Warner Bros., Filmflex
The cardinal rule of a battle is to get rid of your enemy; only Batman in The Dark Knight franchise doesn’t quite believe in it.
The Dark Knight has all kinds of advanced weaponry at his disposal, yet he only fights when there’s no other way out. As a believer in justice being the ethical progress of civilization, Batman understands that “it is not who I am underneath but what I do that defines me,” and he lives by it.
8. Dexter Morgan, Dexter
Dexter (2006-2013)Source: Paramount Global Content Distributor
Dexter Morgan’s moral code makes him less of a serial killer and more of a vigilante (at least in his head). Burdened with a traumatic past, Dexter has developed an eerie bloodthirst. To reduce the blow on both sides, the forensic expert by day and serial killer by night lives by a code taught to him by his foster father. Dexter only kills the bad guys—those who fell through the cracks of the justice system.
All he needs is enough evidence to prove that his target is guilty of a heinous crime to send them to the afterlife.
9. Morgan Jones, The Walking Dead (2014)
The Walking Dead (2014)Source: AMC Networks
Morgan Jones was always aware that before holding a weapon, it was important to learn how to respect it. Only after losing his son did he become a bigger believer in non-violence.
After the tragedy, Jones went MIA in The Walking Dead for some time, but when he returned, he was a changed man with a strict moral code: never physically hurt an opponent, even in self-defense.
Having learned Aikido, a Japanese martial art that emphasizes defense without injuring the opponent, Jones leads a life distinguished from that of those who choose violence as the easy way out.
Did we miss any? Let us know who your favorite character is with a moral code so strict that it ends up frustrating you!
