Cinema has given us some great heroes over the years. These admirable protagonists have struck down villains, saved entire worlds, or just simply helped those in need. But these heroes' journeys wouldn't be successful without their trusty mentor.
These characters guide the hero along their path, imparting advice that leaves a profound impact on the protagonist -- and also on the audience. It doesn't matter if these movie mentors live in a world of trolls and magic, or in an animated 2D world of animals; their wisdom reaches us through the screen, sticking with us long after the movie fades to black. Their lessons can be applied to our own lives and guide us along our own path. Here are the ten wisest movie mentors with the best life advice.
10 John Keating - Dead Poets Society (1989)
Although Robin Williams is a comedy icon, the actor has turned in some amazing dramatic performances. Dead Poets Society is one of them. His portrayal of the unorthodox teacher John Keating created one of the most heroic characters in cinema. Throughout the film, Keating urges his high school students, and also the audience, to pursue their passions in life. "But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for," he says. His greatest lesson can be summarized in two famous words: "Carpe, carpe. Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." Keating also encourages the boys to use their voice knowing that their words and ideas can make a difference. And nothing makes this lesson more evident than the movie's emotional final scene, where Keating's class stands on their desks to salute their Captain.
9 Mary Poppins - Mary Poppins (1964)
Mary Poppins is a classic Disney film that brought everyone's favorite nanny to the big screen. Although she has a stern approach, Mary Poppins encourages fun and imagination as she uses magic and song to watch over the Banks children. "Why do you always complicate things that are really quite simple?" she asks us, reminding us not to make a mountain out of a molehill. "Never judge things by their appearance, even carpetbags," she says while glancing into a mirror. One of her greatest life lessons can be found in the iconic song A Spoonful of Sugar. "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down," sings Mary, telling us that no matter how dreadful a task may seem, we can always choose to see it positively.
8 Mufasa - The Lion King (1994)
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Disney's The Lion King is an animated classic and is regarded as one of the best films of the Disney Renaissance. And that's partly due to the movie's iconic mentor, Mufasa. As king of the Pride Lands, Mufasa ruled justly and wisely. He didn't look at other animals as merely sustenance (as a massive lion, he definitely could have). Mufasa viewed them all with respect and saw every living creature as "part of the great circle of life," an important cycle that has to maintain balance in order for life to thrive.
He also taught that fear can be felt by anyone, even a mighty king, and that bravery only comes from those fearful moments. Mufasa spent most of the film sharing these life lessons with his son Simba, which would leave an indelible mark on the cub and shape him to be the future king. "So whenever you feel alone just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you," Mufasa reminds both Simba and the audience while gazing up at the stars. "And so will I." And with the powerful voice of James Earl Jones behind those words, how could we not believe him?
7 Alfred Pennyworth - The Batman Franchise
Alfred Pennyworth is probably the most famous butler in movies. Although the character has been played by a number of actors across many films, the purpose of Alfred remains the same: he is Batman's advisor and support system and the conscience that anchors Bruce Wayne to reality. "Young men with a mind for vengeance need little encouragement," he says in Batman Forever. "They need guidance."
And it's true. Without him, the Dark Knight might have gone down a much darker path. In The Dark Knight trilogy, Alfred reminds Bruce and the audience to pick ourselves up whenever we fall. He also tells us that things sometimes have to get worse before they get better, a sentiment that Alfred echoes in Batman Forever with the line, "Broken wings mend in time." It doesn't matter which Batman series you're watching; you can always rely on Alfred to impart wisdom and life lessons.
6 Professor X - The X-Men Franchise
The X-Men franchise wouldn't exist without the man who started it all: Professor X/Charles Xavier. He's the powerful, telepathic leader of the X-Men, a father figure who nurtures and supports lost or rejected mutants. Professor X has appeared in every X-Men film and is always the voice of reason that everyone follows, even the stubborn Wolverine.
He teaches us that there's good in everyone, including his adversary Magneto, and believes in the power of kindness and redemption. "Just because someone stumbles and loses their way doesn't mean they're lost forever," he tells us. Sometimes, the Professor's words are eloquent and belong in a political speech: "When an individual acquires great power, the use or misuse of that power is everything." Other times, his message for us is more blunt: "The next time you feel like showing off... don't."
5 Albus Dumbledore - The Harry Potter Franchise
What's a list of movie mentors without a few wizards? Albus Dumbledore was Harry Potter's guide throughout the Harry Potter franchise, constantly bailing him out of jams and helping him to become a better wizard. It was Dumbledore who set Harry on the path to defeat Lord Voldemort, collecting Deathly Hallows and Horcruxes. From the time Harry was an orphaned baby, the old wizard was there for him.
Despite his quirky personality, there was lots of wisdom behind Dumbledore's words. "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live," he said, emphasizing the importance of being in the present. He also taught that potential can be found anywhere, even in the unlikeliest of people: "It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be." But Dumbledore's most important lesson, and one that he championed throughout the series, was the power and importance of love.
4 Morpheus - The Matrix Franchise
Morpheus is Neo's guru throughout the The Matrix franchise, the guide who truly makes Neo believe that he is The One. As soon as he steps on screen, Morpheus radiates mystery, riddles, and wisdom. His red pill vs. blue pill question has become a modern philosophical metaphor for free will and existentialism. Morpheus champions the power of belief and the importance of freeing your mind. But like all great mentors, Morpheus "can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it." His words make us question the nature of our reality and reflect on the decisions we make during our journeys.
3 Gandalf - The Lord of the Rings Franchise
Gandalf is an iconic movie wizard. A major character in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic, he's appeared in the critically acclaimed The Lord of the Rings franchise and the not-so critically acclaimed The Hobbit franchise. Gandalf is everything you'd expect a fantastical mentor to be: a bearded, pipe-smoking wizard, who walks with a wooden staff and serves as the voice of reason to the group. One of his most recurring and prominent life lessons is to value life. He preaches mercy with quotes like, "Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment" and "True courage is about knowing not when to take a life but when to spare one." Like John Keating, Gandalf wants us to seize the day, telling us, "All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us."
2 Mr. Miyagi - The Karate Kid Franchise
Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) is so much more than the martial arts master of the Karate Kid franchise. He's regarded as one of the best coaches in cinema. After taking on Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) as his student, Mr. Miyagi teaches the teenager karate principles that can also be applied to his life. One of his biggest lessons was to use karate for defense, never for revenge. "You look revenge that way, you start by digging two grave," he warns Daniel. Mr. Miyagi also stresses the importance of using your head and exercising patience. "First learn stand, then learn fly." he says. His greatest lesson though could be summarized in this quote: "Inside, you have strong root. No need nothing except what inside you to grow." In other words, you have everything you need to reach your full potential.
1 Yoda - The Star Wars Franchise
The powerful Jedi Yoda isn't just the greatest mentor in the Star Wars franchise; he's the greatest mentor in all of cinema. Small in stature but large in mind, Yoda had about 900 years of wisdom to share with his students, and also with the audience. As he indicates with the line "Pass on what you have learned," it's important to pass along our experiences and learnings so that others may grow from them. He also teaches us that it's OK to fail, as long as we learn from it. "The greatest teacher, failure is," he says. Yoda spends a lot of time warning us against the power of fear and how we can only overcome that fear by facing it. But his greatest life lesson can be summarized with this famous line: "Do or do not. There is no try."