My Number 1 Favorite Literary Character

The opening line is the most impportant line you will write. I believe the best opening line ever to a book was this:
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."
I am a major C.S. Lewis fan, and love a lot of his stuff, but the Narnia books have always held a special place in my heart. And my favorite character is Eustace Clarence Scrubb. Why? Well I guess because he turned out to be such a pleasant surprise. Now don’t get me wrong, I liked the other Narnia children, The Pevensies, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, Shasta and Princess Aravis. However, for the most part they tended to have a just a bit too good to be true quality about them, although they did have their moments of unpleasantness (especially Susan, read the books if you want to know more). I know, you are going to bring up Edmund, but he seemed to be unpleasant because they needed an unpleasant character in the book. The why of it was alluded to, but never fully explained. I loved the plot of salvation of a sinner, but you knew he was going to reform eventually.
Eustace, on the other hand, was another kettle of fish all together and at first he stank just as bad. He was a nasty piece of work with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Why? Because he had been spoiled rotten by his parents. Brilliant, easy to understand, and easy to buy into. In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader he was mean, selfish and a major pain in the neck to everyone and I just bet he loved every minute of it. He was a drag on the whole story of adventure and friendship and you just loved to hate him. The first time my friends and I read the book (a long time ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth) we couldn’t wait for him to get his comeuppance. But then a funny thing happened, when that comeuppance finally came, you didn't feel any satisfaction, instead you found yourself feeling sorry for him. There’s just something about a crying dragon that tugs on the old heartstrings I guess. Anyway, he does reform, although he does have his struggles which makes it believable and satisfying.
Well from then on Eustace had me hooked. Through the rest of the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (major shout out to the Duffers, absolutely hilarious) you knew this kid was going to be a great force for good. In his other adventures in the Silver Chair and the Last Battle with Jill Pole, another complex child character, the stories were engaging and you really had to pay attention or you were going to miss something. I mean he rescued a lost prince and defended Narnia in what was, and was not, a lost cause. Don’t worry, it makes sense when you read it.
Now remember all of this is my opinion, I’m sure you have yours. But to this day, I love that boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb. I guess because he proves you can't give up on a character because he just might suprise you.