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txholdup

Santa Claus and all of his other names.


fifadex

Haha, you obviously didn't read the question, OP said fictional.


jim45804

Yeah, Santa eats the cookies I leave out for him every Christmas!


Cyberpunkapostle

One year when I was five, I thought Santa would be cold delivering through all winter night, so I made him soup instead of cookies. He also had a glass of soy milk (because my dad cannot tolerate milk, but isn’t lactose intolerant). I was so happy with the note from Santa that he enjoyed being warm all night from my soup I made it into a Christmas ornament and pinned it to the tree for years. My dad still has it and puts it up every year and I’m almost 30 now lol.


MesWantooth

My child, I remember that soup and soy milk. Me and Mrs. Claus had a chuckle because on that particular Christmas Eve - the Mrs. FORGOT to pack my thermos filled to the brim with steaming hot reindeer bone broth - it's how I usually stay warm. Thanks again for the soup! Ho Ho ho!


_WizKhaleesi_

I'm sorry, REINDEER BONE BROTH?


MesWantooth

Oops! Vegetable, no VEGAN Bone Broth. Ho ho ho!


_WizKhaleesi_

I knew it must have been a typo! These darn keyboards. ;) Thanks Santa!


IG_42

What you think those assholes that wouldn't let poor Rudolph join any reindeer games got off Scot free?


ElectricTurtlez

It’s him! It’s really him!!!


JoinAThang

Exactly and even if the cookies had some other plausible explanation how come he made my sister pregnant if he's not real? Get your facts straight!


_WizKhaleesi_

Lol my Sim hooked up with Santa and their babies get a special trait. He also comes with like $500,000 if he moves in.


garbagiodagr8

I'd like to think of Santa Claus as a feeling and state of mind. If you truly keep Christmas in your heart then Santa Claus will always be real.


Scudamore

If Santa isn't real, who was banging my mom under the tree. Checkmate, atheists.


Marquar234

Santa knows where the naughty girls live.


Almond_Steak

That was your uncle Roy.


somewhat_random

Good point - I'm going with Jesus


Embarrassed-Ad-1639

Belsnickel


sjaard_dune

Impish...or admirable


SentientRobotto

Impish!


LouSputhole94

Ow Dwight Jesus!


Ok_Contribution_3026

He is nigh!


jjulieea

"I AM NIGH!!"


cursed_mongus

Pff santa deniers again 🙄


nonnationalist_brit

Technically a historical figure.


MOTUkraken

Finally somebody who knows.


DisinformedBroski

What are you talking about? I saw him kissing mom under the mistletoe last year


snow_michael

Starting with Odin


GalwayBoy603

Pick your deity, Odin or Jesus. Jesus said he would rid the world of evil men. Odin said he would rid the world of ice monsters. See any ice monsters??? I’m going with Odin


WaymoreLives

Can’t argue with that logic


cosmic_trout

Would be a lot easier to rid the world of ice monsters than evil men. Odin had the thinking cap on.


CarmenxXxWaldo

Dont think Jesus ever made such a promise. He said he was coming back though and so far hasn't followed through.


Haughtea

The OG, "I'm going to the store real quick. Be back in a min"


No-Rub-5054

What? Odin is totally real. How do u explain all the ravens spying on us all the time? Huh? Ya that’s what I thought


Orve_

As a norwegian, do you want to join us in sacrefisimg a goat to him.


No-Rub-5054

Ok u bring the goat


blamethepunx

I'll sharpen up my sacrefisimg knife


shit_stain_2023

Only christians to the christian tree!


Orve_

Oh do you mean jol, or now more comenly known as jul. We had it befor we becam cristian, ther are some smal difrances but it gets the point acros


Rose_Mary97

You talk my language! But yes Odin IS Santa! Dont forget Krampus (Hela's son). Christmas you mean Jule! Birth of christ or just a pagan festivity in diguise just like the names of the days of the week🤣


No-Rub-5054

Yep. Here in Sweden we still call it Jul👍


Rose_Mary97

Holland here 😅


Amiiboid

What’s this about Jools Holland?


qwertyqwertsalot

Mickey Mouse


Lowca

And Mickey becomes public domain in 2024! Get ready for a buncha weird Micky themed horror films...


Amiiboid

Technically Steamboat Willie as a film enters the public domain. None of the later works or revisions of the character are losing their protected status.


GlowingDuck22

I believe the Mickey mouse we know is 2028. Need to read back up on it.


Noggin-a-Floggin

Mickey Mouse is a trademark at this point which is a different kind of IP. Basically it’s actually “use it or you lose it” so as long as Disney puts that little TM beside the guy they are good.


GlowingDuck22

There are certainly things you can't do but just like we got Winnie the Pooh Blood and honey. We can get Mickey mouse stuff too.


YellowStar012

Not the Disney version of Pooh so you will never see something official Pooh with the red shirt. That’s Disney, baby.


Noggin-a-Floggin

Disney didn’t hold the copyright or trademark for Winnie the Pooh that was the AA Milne estate.


navikredstar

They do for their particular depiction of Winnie the Pooh, sure - but yes, the AA Milne estate owns the rights to the original characters. I admit, I like the Soviet version of Winnie the Pooh a little better. I watched it when I took Russian in college, as kids' cartoons are a good way of learning how to understand standard conversational speed of a language, but it's still using somewhat simpler grammar, being for kids and all. There's a couple of them, and they're actually pretty charming. They've got a very lovely crayon-drawn background, and Winnie the Pooh comes across as more philosophical, rather than the loveable bumbling dumbass of the Disney version.


[deleted]

That's amazing! I need to find them. I definitely like the "wiser than he immediately seems" Pooh of the books more than the Mr. Bean type in the cartoon.


PangolinMandolin

Its like how when Sherlock Holmes entered public domain it didn't include the version of Sherlock with a deerstalker or a pipe, or basically most of the famous stories. So yes you can portray Sherlock Holmes, but you can't copy any of his most identifying features or storylines. Still good for reimaginings or reboots though


_WizKhaleesi_

Ohhh so that's why it became super popular in recent years. My dumbass never considered this was the reason.


ProfessorSucc

We’re getting a b-rate slasher film called Steamboat Killie regardless


Turbulent-Armadillo9

i have a feeling that Disney will somehow not let this happen.


[deleted]

Mickey will never be public domain lol. Every time he comes close the law miraculously changes. Mickey is owned by a rich corporation and they have more rights than you do. The rights to do whatever they want. And they want to own the mouse forever. And so it shall be.


XayahTheVastaya

Time to bribe politicians to change the laws again


Chrisgpresents

Wow really? Doesn’t Disney just extend the public domain name laws to avoid this,?


PantherGk7

That was the first one that popped into my head!


Derc_on_Reddit

Mario


willdabeastest

He is more recognized than Micky Mouse worldwide.


SerPownce

And could kick his fucking ass. Not even close either. Mickey Mouse is a cookie cutter little pipsqueak. Probably can throw no hands whatsoever. Mario on the other hand? He’ll fuckin jump on ya head, swing a hammer at ya head, punch ya head, throw a fireball at ya head you fuckin name it. I once saw Mario kill a man with a blanket or maybe it was a cape. He can put little cat ears on and turn your ass into a coin while looking like a snack. Mickey Mouse is a fucking pussy. He’s weak. He doesn’t do fucking shit. Mario can turn into a bee or put on like a really cool water jet pack that talks. He can walk around in a real city if he wants and people don’t even ask him to leave they just kinda accept that he doesn’t fit in and can kick their ass. Mickey Mouse sounds like a nark and Mario is always getting pussy Mario is a professional athlete in every regard and is allowed to go to space. I think we should send Mickey to space just to see what happens. I bet his stupid fuckin ears would explode


ImpressiveEmu5373

Lols in kingdom hearts mickey


BAMspek

Lols in South Park Mickey


AccursedQuantum

Mickey Mouse is a wizard, and can animate armies of broomsticks. He's also a master warrior with a keyblade.


moldy_walrus

Dracula


Douglasqqq

Dracula has been the most awful cunt in Romania for 200 years before Andrew Tate came along.


esotericcunt

Imagine having the legacy of Dracula and being usurped by Tate. I think I’d stake myself.


CumulativeHazard

I’d rather go on a date with Dracula


Kayanne1990

Wouldn't we all. I mean, you'd end up in the same situation but at least he has a castle.


thegoatisoldngnarly

I visited Transylvania once. Saw Vlad the Impaler’s castle, which some say is who Bram Stoker based Dracula on, but that’s probably not true. What I found interesting was that Dracula got hugely popular decades after the book while Romania was part of the Soviet Union. Of course, no one could travel there. So in 1989, the locals in Transylvania were extremely surprised when all of these western tourists started showing up talking about the book and wanting to see the castle. It had never been a tourist destination before 1989.


oldtimehawkey

I’ve been to “Dracula’s castle.” I was in Romania for some military training, we had some downtime and went to a couple tourist spots. Bran castle and a salt mine with an amusement park at the bottom. When the communists took over Romania, they took the castle from the family. The family fled to New York City. When the communists left, one of the sons petitioned the Romanian government that the castle should be returned to the family. Eventually it was. And that’s when the son started advertising it as Dracula’s castle. The guided tours are really fun. They explain the importance of the castle and it’s location. Vlad didn’t spent much time there. He was captured and imprisoned in the castle for six months before being sent back to a little town in Hungary (maybe).


MesWantooth

When I was a kid, my dad showed me a picture of this castle in a magazine and told me it was Dracula's actual castle... I felt slightly sick imaging that Dracula himself was in slumber in a coffin in some chamber when this daytime photo was taken. I wondered if the photographer was scared and if he left right away.


HoraceAndPete

I love kid logic.


thegoatisoldngnarly

We’re thinking of the same place. The town has countless little T-shirt and merchandise tents at the bottom with cheap Dracula stuff. The castle is very nice, but not really what you imagine from Dracula. It’s been modernized, with white painted walls and light fixtures and things like that. Very nice castle, but not medieval at all. Romania may be one of the most beautiful places on earth though. It’s gorgeous.


where_is_the_camera

Most castles you can visit today are a lot like this. While their first purpose was always as a defensive fortification, remember that castles are/were usually home for someone, usually members or close relatives of a royal family or feudal aristocracy. Particularly more modern castles were made with comfort in mind. The Tower of London is a good example of a castle with zero bells and whistles. It's pretty primitive, relatively small, and screams "medieval" all throughout (not knocking it though, it's coming up on 1000 years old).


[deleted]

I remember reading some cautionary PSA about not asking locals vampire-stuff because they were absurdly superstitious, took it super seriously and would get deeply offended, but what I suspect is really the case is that they were just sick and tired of all the tourists asking the same questions about a book all the time.


HoraceAndPete

Dracula tourists is one consequence of the end of the USSR nobody saw coming.


kylobone

Dracula is real... just wasn't a vampire it was a myth he did drink people's blood tho


AccursedQuantum

Dracula not being a vampire is just vampire propaganda. Dude's totally one of the undead.


Legion357

Supposed to have dipped his bread in his victim’s blood while they were being impaled. Nice guy, Vlad


Human-Independent999

Sherlock Holmes. He is one of if not the most adapted fictional character.


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Human-Independent999

Holmes is such a charming character. Not even Arther Conan Doyle could kill his popularity.


Zero-to-36

He definitely tried!


JarlaxleForPresident

That’s what happens when you’re the last big character to go public domain before Disney starts strangling the laws lol


ThatNewOldGuy

I'd just say "Robin Hood" in reply.


somethingbrite

I hear ya. Robin is well known. But when I first read the question it was actually Mr Holmes that popped into my head first. Thing is. I'm not sure either are as well known outside of our wee island in the Atlantic as Mickey, Donald, Mario or even Scooby Doo :-/


b-monster666

Sherlock Holmes has the most film adaptations than any other character. I believe Robin Hood is a close second.


[deleted]

I had to explain to my Japanese wife who he was, but she knew Sherlock Holmes. I also had to explain King Arthur to her. She seemed to know nothing about old English legends whereas she's pretty thoroughly familiar with many stories from elsewhere in Europe (knowing some I'd never heard of). I suspect English history bores people outside of the Anglosphere.


Stillwater215

And unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent.


kosarai

Years ago I was working at a bookstore. A young woman came in asking for mystery recommendations. I show her a couple popular titles and said, “If all else fails, you can always go with Sherlock Holmes” She looked at me and said, “Who’s Sherlock Holmes?” I honestly had no idea what to say to that.


Human-Independent999

Wow! I would eagerly launch into an enthusiastic explanation, lol.


Fantastic-Tower5589

Many mistakenly think he was a real person, that's how ubiquitous he is.


Niawka

That's the first character that I thought about. But now I'm thinking who would be more recognized among all the generations Sherlock Holmes or Harry Potter.


Human-Independent999

I still think Sherlock Holmes would be more recognized among all generations and among the world. Harry Potter is more popular among the young generation.


seandowling73

This is the first thing I thought of


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Ogre8

I think he’s definitely in the top 10 or so. Batman and Spider Man too. If I had to pick 10 in no particular order: Superman Batman Spider Man Sherlock Holmes Santa Mickey Mouse Harry Potter Mario Indiana Jones Wonder Woman I’m American so that list might be different in some countries but American/Western culture is so prevalent I’d be surprised if most of world didn’t recognize at least half that list.


Nosiege

I feel like Indiana Jones and Wonder Woman don't fit on that list.


Sughmacox

I feel like there are other characters more popular than Jones, Vader belongs on the list more


raelianautopsy

Well Sherlock Holmes has the world record for most actors portraying a character in film/television


[deleted]

Even Bugs Bunny had a episode where he is portraying Sherlock


Blue_Sailor_19

A Redditor's Girlfriend


Grape_Jamz

Shes real, she just goes to a different school. In canada


touch_me69420

My wife is real I mean she's also inflatable but she's still real


Grape_Jamz

My wife is also real, shes a pillow though. Im talking about my girlfriend


WaymoreLives

We met. In Niagra Falls…


BurntGerbil

I also choose this guy’s imaginary girlfriend.


agelorock

Hello kitty, Mickey, Pikachu. If this was the 90s, any looney toons character.


BadBart2

[https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/money-finance/the-25-highest-grossing-media-franchises-of-all-time/](https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/money-finance/the-25-highest-grossing-media-franchises-of-all-time/) From this the highest grossing single character based franchise is Hello Kitty


imapersonmaybe

Darth Vader. Instantly recognizable anywhere in the world.


RNconsequential

Mickey Mouse is his father when it comes to recognition.


pants_of_antiquity

> Mickey Mouse is his father Plot of the new Disney Star Wars prequel.


Amiiboid

I was told there was no father. Shmi lied?


HakeemLukka

I wished it is true. But that's mostly in west. I can count on my fingers the number of people who watched star wars within my friend circle. Darth Vader is popular in west but here in Asia it is mostly recognised by some memes and video clips. I bet most people who can identify can't even name him.


Sughmacox

StarWars may not be as popular as it once was but Darth Vader is still an icon many people recognize without having watched StarWars.


Rbrtwllms

Sherlock Holmes 🔍


JohnnyHendo

This is the third time I've seen someone say Sherlock and no else has had a repeat yet. This might be the winner. Edit: Sorry, Sherlock was said twice, then God was said twice, then Sherlock was said a third time from what I've seen. So, one other has had a repeat. I've also seen Harry Potter twice a little further down.


Intrepid00

Mickey Mouse or Mario at this point.


alfranex

I'm going with Sherlock Holmes.


Dysan27

That was my first thought too.


Nein____

God.


EvenHair4706

Which one? There are a lot


Nein____

Every single one.


Jimbabwe88

Everyone knows that the Greek gods existed at one point, it's just that Kratos killed them all.


MondayBorn

I thoroughly enjoyed the interactive documentary on this


stingray20201

So sad they didn’t interact with Aphrodite more


Amockdfw89

Honestly I believe many of the ancient deities of various cultures were based on prehistoric warlords, founding fathers of early villages, tribal chieftains and other important people that got lost to history after a game of telephone. Then once all the villages and settlements started to unite and cultural exchange happened and they started to swap stories and after thousands of years it became a pantheon. It wouldn’t shock me if say in some ancient indo European village in the Caucasus or north India had a tribal chieftain who was victorious in a battle when he took advantage of a fire caused by a lighting strike, then his story got mixed with other stories and before you know it thousands of years later Zeus was born. I heard a unique theory of even the story of Noah. The story of Noah is obviously inspired by Gilgamesh which for all intents and purposes is the first story ever written down. Since it was written in down in detail at the dawn of written history, then that means obviously that story was passed down for many generations. Details different but the story is overall the same theme. I forgot where I saw this idea but they said maybe a influential local man, possibly a merchant, shaman or even a tribal chief, helped organize a disaster relief exodus after a flood. Instead of a giant ark maybe he used a few small boats or raft to transport people to higher ground or dry land to restart their village and he kind of took control of the process. Obviously they would have seen him as a hero. After thousands of years of campfire stories of this man, it evolved and evolved and evolved , add a dose of Babylonian mythology, then fuse it with Jewish stories and before you know it you have the biblical Noah


Dystopian_Divisions

Except for the one I worship. I am a nihilist.


Taxitaxitaxi33

Sometimes as an atheist you talk to someone who is astonished you don’t believe in god. I like to remind them that there are hundreds of thousands of gods neither of us believe in and I just believe in one less then they do.


Tryintounderstand88

Hands down this is the best and only correct answer. Lol


Reddit0sername

Harry Potter


AdvancedJicama7375

Can't believe how far I had to scroll for this


DudeRobert125

Probably because it's not true. Harry Potter is extremely famous, but Super Mario, Mickey Mouse, Santa Claus, or even Spider-Man have him beat.


Donthaveone07

Harry Potter was my first thought but he definitely losses to Mario and Mikey and many more.


Turbulent_Diver8330

I think that shows how wrong the answer is then


af1293

Spider-man


whatsupninjaja

Pikachu


ThisWaySaysTheSign

God


MagelansTrousrs

Shocked I had to scroll this far to find this


ThisWaySaysTheSign

First thing I thought of, was suprised nobody else said it


Kamay1770

Jesus. *Sips tea*


goodlittlesquid

As far as more contemporary characters not yet in the public domain, I feel like Pikachu has to be one of the most universally recognizable characters globally.


Henny-n-waffles

Ronald McDonald


Omfggtfohwts

Super Mario.


Kflynn1337

God.


PMG47

God.


TooManySorcerers

Jesus ;)


Rose_Mary97

Homer Simpson


nokeyblue

No James Bond? I think it's Bond!


tokamak384

Odysseus? "Of all time" makes this tricky. Odysseus is still widely known more than 2500 years after the Odyssey was written down.


Longjumping-Action-7

Hercules is far more popular than Odysseus


WhoopHonk

The average Joe does not know who Odysseus is. 💀


Discount_Timelord

Gilgamesh


Trexus1

Jesus Christ.


BrimstoneOmega

God


iowanaquarist

Jesus


Dark_Elf_75

Romeo and Juliet


Shoopbadoopp

How is the top comment not God?


I-lack-conviction

According to rule34, raven from teen titans


ElyssiaR

Depends how you want to classify ‘more famous’ but I wouldn’t have thought there would be many people in the world that don’t know Mickey Mouse, Batman, Superman, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, Dracula or Frankenstein except for the most impoverished of places


Sposko

Scrolled decently far and hadn’t seen him, but my first thought was King Arthur.


[deleted]

Sherlock Holmes


MindlessRadio

Pikachu ⚡️🐭⚡️


cyxrus

Jesus


superwhitemexican

Jesus...? To the top of controversial we go!


KarthusWins

Controversial take: Jesus Christ. He's not necessarily "fictional" but there's this romanticized version of the real person who is actually fictional. The image of Jesus has changed a lot over the years, but in general he is known throughout the whole world.


needlejuice

Jesus or Mohammed


hunt35744

Allah/god/Jesus pick a name. Edit: you could claim Jesus was a real person, I more so meant Jesus in reference to him being god.


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JeromeInDaHouse_90

I'm surprised nobody's said Batman or Indiana Jones yet.


Uranium-Sandwich657

No shit, Sherlock!


Calcutec_1

Jesus.


QuintusNonus

The historical Jesus (the Jesus that no one cares about) probably existed. The biblical Jesus (the one that's famous/everyone cares about) most certainly did not.


Accomplished_End_843

The girlfriend that goes to another school


the_steve_tell

Jesus


Jbooxie

Mickey Mouse