Definitely a foursome at the top: Gandalf and Ned Stark as the legends, with their genetically-blessed yet insecure proteges (is that the plural?) Aragorn and Jon Snow fulfilling classical-heroic destiny when the former depart
Next are the small ones who move mountains: Samwise, Frodo, Bilbo, and Arya
Then there's a great gap before the next hopeful tier. It's a wide tier, comprising the likes of Tyrion, Sansa, Harry Potter, James Bond, Galadriel...
I wonder about Odysseus and Achilles. I'd have to re-read Homer. I wish Tolkien used Arwen better. I wish GoT and Emilia Clarke did Daenerys better. Michael Scott is not far off this list. Dumbledore would be an obvious candidate if he didn't die so soon. I wonder about Snape. There are a few HP characters that could rise up when I read the books. Same with GoT. Same with Dune!
It is apparent that GoT and LotR are twin stars at the center of my fictional galaxy; and that my old favorites didn't offer lastingly lovable characters (Kaufman, PTA, Kubrick, various poets, other pessimists). Tolkien offered happy endings for my favorite characters, while Martin did not, but both nonetheless wrought lovability.
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