9 Plot Characters Who Captured Our Hearts

     What can be said about her that hasn't been commented on before? Hannah is the quintessential Neopets #1 heroine. Having started her story as a former barmaid, this sharp-witted, insightful and adventurous Usul became a full-fledged adventurer who has faced multiple enemies and always emerged victorious. From pirate captains, to evil beings of the lost desert or monsters of Terror Mountain; she faces anything and is an adventurer par excellence who always has an eye on the next challenge.

     Finally, it is important to note that she is one of the most characteristically prominent characters on Neopets. Not only has she has been a key participant in at least 3 plots directly; she’s also the star of 4 games, 1 avatar, and most recently is featured as the face of the Quest Log, a feature that all Neopians play on a daily basis. Hannah is a lovable face who is adventurous, kind, fearless and an absolute star of her era, still capturing the hearts of players to this day.

     Lisha

     First seen within the Champions of Meridell plot, one of the most notable characters was the bespectacled and intelligent sister of Jeran the knight: a young Aisha named Lisha. Within the context of this story, she was reunited with her long lost brother by accidentally tumbling upon the very portal that transported him to the past, arriving along with her friends in the land of ancient Meridell just at the height of the Darigan War. Not long after her arrival, she soon found herself in the midst of the battle against Lord Kass in which her knowledge and strong deduction skills helped her to recognize that she was immune to the Court Dancer's spell, then freeing King Skarl from its control and allowing Meridell to obtain the reinforcements it desperately needed to turn the tides on the war.

     Her contribution was vital as she alone was able to dispel the influence and reveal the identity of the evil sorceress who kept Meridell and its forces immobilised under her influence. With Skarl's help, Jeran was able to get the assistance he desperately needed to take on Kass and overturn a victory. Despite her small stature, Lisha earned our admiration through these several instances of bravery. From the beginning of her story where she stood up to the local bullies who hassled her friends, to the wartime endeavours where she stood strong before villainy using the power of her keen intellect and magical ability. Lisha went on to show that great things come from humble beginnings.

     Bruno:

     We don't talk about Bruno? Of course we do! And even more so when he was one of the main characters in the plot of Tale of Woe; that story that took place in Haunted Woods at the beginning and culminated with the appearance of the land of Neovia.

     Bruno, who in the beginning was a handsome Gelert looking for the attention of his romantic interest, had the problem of taking a potion that a sinister Krawk gave him, and this triggered a series of events that not only twisted the eventual fate of the citizens of Neovia, but turned Bruno into an unbecoming hero in the process. While Krawley's mysterious potion had initially succeeded in making Bruno into the handsome Gelert of his dreams, it soon deformed him into an ugly monster to the surprise of the town. The citizens of Neovia soon suffered similar mutations as they too had fallen for Krawley's promise, causing them to retaliate into blaming Bruno and thus persecuting him from the town. Despite the terrible curse that turned Neovia into a literal ghost town, Bruno eventually returned to help his sister Sophie break the curse and free the townsfolk from their spell, even at the expense of himself remaining deformed. This was an upstanding move that reflected Bruno's nature as a kind, generous and gentle giant. Moreso, it taught both Neopians to not judge a book by its cover. If a leading protagonist could stand up in the face of adversity and still choose to do good, so could they. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and Bruno taught us that superficial goals only get you so far whereas love and respect is earned through the actions you take.

     Armin:

     Introduced in Chapter 7 of Hannah and the Ice Caves, Armin is the meaning behind the phrase “big things come in small packages”. Believed to be one of the last Bori, Armin teamed up with Hannah in an attempt to curb the Thieves’ Guild's efforts and defeat the beast known as The Bringer of Night. Despite his tiny size and namesake of “Armin the Small”, Armin never shrank back from a challenge. Even though he was separated from the remaining survivors of the Bori, Armin sprung into action by informing Hannah about the monster that lay beneath the mountain and directing their humble party down the tunnels to their rescue. Additionally, when confronted with the traitor Kanrik who was just a stranger to him at the time, Armin didn't hesitate to attack the Gelert in defence of his newfound friend who was clearly in distress at the sight of the former thief. Famously, it was Armin who landed the final hit on The Bringer, taking him down and in turn saving the trapped Bori from its tyranny at the heart of the mountain. It's hard not to love Armin: his courageousness and kind heart alone speak for themselves, but it goes to show how a tiny little sidekick can steal the show and become a fan favourite hero.

     Kanrik:

     A caped Gelert with a fierce look that you won't soon forget, Kanrik has stolen our hearts as a character who has experienced nearly all sides of the hero spectrum. Hero might not even be the correct word to describe him, instead, he can be described as a redeemed morally grey villain. Despite having several appearances across Neopian events such as Battle of the Obelisk and The Faerie's Ruin, the bulk of what we know about Kanrik comes from his debut plot, Hannah and the Ice Caves. A high ranking member of the infamous Thieves Guild, Kanrik was introduced to us as a two-timing bandit who devised a plan to deceive the famous explorer Hannah using a story about his mortally ill sister as a means to contract her services and seek out the gem known as the Heart of the Mountain. Despite forming a positive relationship with Hannah along their journey together, Kanrik was quick to betray and abandon the Usul upon retrieving the treasure which he later used to free the monster known as The Bringer in a search for power within the Guild. Upon banishment, he inevitably found our group of heroes and chose to turn-coat, helping both Hannah and Armin defeat the Thieves Guild as well as the ferocious monster. Kanrik redeemed his villainous past, earned the trust of our heroes, and saw that a tragically ill Hannah was freed of her curse before taking the mantle of the new leader of the Thieves Guild. Now what part of Kanrik specifically captured our hearts? His true demeanour is up in the air as he is equally deceptive as he is heroic; it's hard to know where his true intentions, and history, lie beyond the actions we can see. It could be his captivating design, a hooded figure adorned with thieving tools and topped by a scar across the face is alluring at best, you could just tell that he meant business.. As if his fearsome demeanour as leader didn't speak for that enough. However it could also be the speculation that Kanrik and Hannah could be two sides of the same coin, who doesn't love an enemies to redeemed friends story?

     Amira:

     Now Neopets has absolutely no shortage of strong female characters: from marvellous leaders to brave and cunning adventurers, there are many strong contenders among the category. However, not enough can be said about the once Princess, now Queen Amira, who paved the way to a brighter future for the people of Sakhmet without the need for a beloved suitor at her side. During the Lost Desert Plot, Princess Amira was a beautiful and alluring leader who was adored by her people. As the eldest daughter of the late King Coltzan III, she attracted many suitors who sought the elegant princess’ hand in marriage, all of which she rejected as she was adamant that she was capable on her own. This included Prince Jazan, the villainous Prince of Qasala, who placed the Lost Desert within a cursed dimension upon rejection from the Princess. During this cursed period, her leadership never faulted. She continued to express concern for her citizens, ensuring they were well cared for by palace staff while she herself stood bravely in the face of danger, confronting Jazan’s proposal for the sake of her city’s continued safety. Her refusal to bend the knee and her continuous effort to stand bravely in the face of fear are what makes Amira such an admirable character, and to top it off, she’s wonderfully designed and radiates the spirit of a ruler. She has since had many notable appearances representing the Lost Desert, most recently in the council featured in The Void Within.

     Jazan:

     King Jazan, known in the past as a villain in Neopian history, is now understood and seen as a complex character who was driven by desperation and love for his people. As just mentioned before in Princess Amira’s story, he sought to force her into marriage as part of a plan to break the ancient curse on Qasala. After being rejected and during all this process, Nabile, the famous thief and long-lost princess, uncovered Jazan’s tragic past and true intentions, and fell in love with him. Their genuine love led to a wedding that was supposed to break the curse, but the curse continued.

     The story moved on and showed that the prophecy Jazan believed was a deception designed to release his malevolent father, Razul. In a fateful battle, Jazan witnessed a vision of his beloved Nabile’s tragic end at Razul’s hands, which spurred him to gain the strength to finally defeat his father. Even though his methods were once seen as villainous, Neopians now recognize that Jazan's motives were rooted in his dedication to saving his people and his city Qasala. Additionally, Queen Nabile believed in his goodness, and this definitely helped in reshaping how Neopians now view their Qasalan King, inspiring sympathy and understanding for the true hero he proves to be every day since. Since then, Jazan has made several appearances, notably in both the Faerie’s Ruin and Void Within plots, but this time he is notably represented as a protagonist and a face of the Qasalan leadership. Not only is his design stunningly captivating, but users overwhelmingly agree that Jazan has become one of Neopets’ most prolific faces, particularly when considering him as a redeemed villain.

     Lord Kass:

     Oh Lord, Oh Lord Kass! It is time to bring to topic one of the most iconic antagonists in Neopian History: The respected general of Darigan Citadel, Lord Kass. From hero to villain? Was he really a villain? That is uncertain, but what we know for sure is that Lord Kass is one of the most beloved characters in Neopia and with an unfair and hard ending, of which his fate is once again put into question due to a teaser seen within the recent Void Within plot. As one of his generals, he was the hero who prevented Lord Darigan from destroying Meridell after being corrupted by the orb. It was then when The Three influenced and manipulated Kass with their dark magic, taking over his mind and body which led him into launching another attack on Meridell. Defeated by Lord Darigan and Meridell’s forces, his fate ended in mystery. Today, Kass's legacy is a strong topic to debate: some argue that he was not truly a villain but an honorary pet who fell victim to powerful dark magic. This interpretation paints him not only as a formidable villain but also as a tragic figure manipulated into disgrace. But one thing is for certain, Kass is one of the most beloved and admired character designs to this day.

     Xandra:

     It is 2024, and Xandra, the powerful witch and former top student of Faerieland, remains a figure of debate in Neopia: Was she right or wrong? Many Neopians still believe that her vision of a world free from the tyranny of the Faeries had merit, sparking the often repeated phrase of “Xandra was right”. Her story is marked by one of the most epic plot twists in Neopian history: the revelation that she had premeditated and orchestrated the plan to turn the Faeries to stone. This twist led to one of the most iconic scenes in Neopian plots, when Xandra revealed her true nature and caused Faerieland to fall from the sky, crashing to the ground in flames behind her as she stood in valour. This moment solidified her legacy as both a tragic villain and a misunderstood visionary (also leaving behind an amazing background to customise your pets). Despite her stone imprisonment, the lingering hope that Queen Fyora and many Neopians share is to rehabilitate her and bring her back, anticipating a time where she may return to revindicate her story and to win back Neopia’s appreciation.