SF/F Characters with Disabilities

[JD]

I've been watching the Paralympics a lot over the past couple weeks, and I've really enjoyed them. They also got me thinking about the different characters with disabilities we've seen in Sci-Fi and Fantasy over the years. So who are you favorite disabled characters in SF/F?
Mine:
Geordi La Forge (blind)
Barbara Gordon/Oracle (paraplegic)
Charles Xavier/Professor X (paraplegic)
Luke Skywalker (arm amputee)
I know there have been others over the years, but those are the ones that first come to mind for me. There was one other I thought of, but I'm not sure if you would count her as disabled. Ana Marie/Rogue from the X-Men seems to me like she could be disabled since her mutation prevents her from being able to touch other people (or at least did, I think I remember someone saying she had her powers under control now).

 

[Davros]

My namesake from Doctor Who surely counts as would Captain Pike, Professor X, and Doctor Scott.

 

[Methos]

pretty sure there was an episode of DS9 that delt with a paraplegic woman who Julian was trying to cure...

I don't remember the specifics, only that she had to have a pretty much 'zero gravity' room for quarters, and a wheelchair to get around the station... been a long time since i've watched early DS9 though, so i could be mistaken

M

 

[JoeZhang]

pretty sure there was an episode of DS9 that delt with a paraplegic woman who Julian was trying to cure...

I don't remember the specifics, only that she had to have a pretty much 'zero gravity' room for quarters, and a wheelchair to get around the station... been a long time since i've watched early DS9 though, so i could be mistaken

M

She wasn't disabled, she was perfectly normal for her species. She struggled in a different environment but that is a question of fitness for purpose not disability.

 

[Silvercrest]

Daredevil, of course.

And the X-Men's Cyclops is unable to turn his power off and is pretty much dependent on the ruby quartz visor to be able to function. I'd say that counts.

 

[JoeZhang]

Let's see

Daredevil - Blindness
Hawkeye - Deafness (for a while at least)
Echo - Deafness

 

[Methos]

ahh sorry, just been a while since i've seen that episode, i only remembered bits of it

M

 

[Davros]

If being stupid counts as a disability then I would have to mention Philip J Fry

 

[JD]

My namesake from Doctor Who surely counts as would Captain Pike, Professor X, and Doctor Scott.

Gah, I can't believe I forgot about Pike and Davros. Who's Doctor Scott?

Daredevil, of course.

And the X-Men's Cyclops is unable to turn his power off and is pretty much dependent on the ruby quartz visor to be able to function. I'd say that counts.

I forgot DD too. I never really thought about Cyclops, but yeah if we count Rogue, then he would count too.

 

[Methos]

Doctor Mid-Nite... blind, introduced way before DareDevil...

Cyborg... Victor Stone from DC... Not sure how much of his body is missing in current continuity, but in 90's version he was missing at least 60% of his body...

Not sure if Aquaman still has a hook or 'magic hand' nowdays... but he had it cut off in the 90's.

Pretty sure Jericho (Teen Titans) was mute... or was at some point anyway

Could always consider Batman as well... from the Knightfall arc... where he was a paraplegic for about a year...

M

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Dr. Miles Hawkins from M.A.N.T.I.S. (paraplegic).

John Locke from Lost (paraplegic before the Island heals him).

Gary Bell (autism), Erin Way (can't retain long term memories) and Anna Levy (severe apraxia of speech and body movement) from Alphas. Initially, all the characters had frequently severe negative side effects to their enhanced abilities, but that's been less of a problem for some as the show has gone on and their skills have advanced.

Jason Stryker/Mastermind(sort of) in X2 who is confined to a wheelchair and mute after a lobotomy.

A bunch of veterans in Starship Troopers who were missing limbs (that were replaced by cybernetic ones) or had other combat-related ailments, including Lt. Rasczak, the recruiter, and the blind teacher played by Rue McLanahan.

Elijah Price (Mr. Glass) from Unbreakable (Osteogenesis imperfecta or Brittle Bone Disease).

Steve Austin and Jamie Summers --The Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman respectively-- both lost limbs and an eye and ear respectively in accidents before having them replaced by cybernetic implants.

 

[Nerys Myk]

If superhero secret ids count, Don Blake and Freddy Freeman were disabled (leg injuries).
Nick Fury is blind in one eye
The Doom Patrol's Chief is in a wheelchair. Not sure of the nature of his injuries.

 

[NrobbieC]

In Heroes, Emma was deaf and Daphne had cerebral palsy so couldn't walk without her power.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

• Darth Vader is a favorite I love to hate. (iron lung)
• Back in the day, I was a Professor Bergman fan. (artificial heart)
• Paul Atreides (blind from Dune Messiah on)

Others already mentioned:

• Christopher Pike (beep beep)
• Professor X
• Geordi

Honorable mention to:

• Dr. Miranda Jones (blind)
• Riva (deaf)

 

[Kegg]

Miles Vorkosigan from the Vorkosigan novels has a host of medical difficulties, including extremely brittle bones (requiring surgery for replacements to be able to walk) and in later life suffered from quasi-epileptic shock. It'd be fair to say that medical themes in particular are a recurring idea in those books, and his physical issues are a constant.

Joker in the Mass Effect series of games also had brittle bones.

If being stupid counts as a disability then I would have to mention Philip J Fry

Since he's so abnormally stupid he doesn't have brainwaves that most all human and animal life and some plants possess... yeah, he may arguably count.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

• Darth Vader is a favorite I love to hate. (iron lung)
• Back in the day, I was a Professor Bergman fan. (artificial heart)
• Paul Atreides (blind from Dune Messiah on)

Others already mentioned:

• Christopher Pike (beep beep)
• Professor X
• Geordi

Honorable mention to:

• Dr. Miranda Jones (blind)
• Riva (deaf)

You could add "no legs" for Vader.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

• Darth Vader is a favorite I love to hate. (iron lung)
• Back in the day, I was a Professor Bergman fan. (artificial heart)
• Paul Atreides (blind from Dune Messiah on)

Others already mentioned:

• Christopher Pike (beep beep)
• Professor X
• Geordi

Honorable mention to:

• Dr. Miranda Jones (blind)
• Riva (deaf)

You could add "no legs" for Vader.

Oh, yeah. Probably should have added "etc" to Vader. I just went by what was immediately apparent.

 

[Davros]

My namesake from Doctor Who surely counts as would Captain Pike, Professor X, and Doctor Scott.

Gah, I can't believe I forgot about Pike and Davros. Who's Doctor Scott?

Former professor and mentor to Brad Magors and Janet Weiss from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

 

[JD]

I can't believe I forgot Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones (or that no one else has mentioned him). I wasn't sure for a while if little people were considered disabled, but there have been several little person swimmers at the Paralympics, so they are.
And of course Vader and the Alphas characters would go on my list too. I forgot about the fact that they have had so many people on Alphas who's powers' disadvantage lead to a disability.
Ok, I know I said favorites, but I think we can just open up to a discussion of the topic in general, without picking just our favorite characters.
I also just remembered pre-timeline change Kevin from Eureka.

 

[Davros]

Elric Of Melnibone'