Ranking (and Thanking) Uncharted's 40 Best Characters

With the release of Uncharted 4 and the end of developer Naughty Dog’s time with the series, we bid farewell to its illustrious characters. We’ve spent time with Nathan, Elena, Sully and their friends and enemies since Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, and it can be hard to say goodbye. To ease that sting, we offer these Thank You notes for the roles they played, from heroes to henchmen. As they say, nothing worthwhile comes easy, and many of these characters did their best to make things difficult for Nathan Drake and Co. every step of the way. Obviously, there are spoilers among these entries, but if you’re read this far, then you probably know what you’re getting into.

1 of 40 40. Jason Dante, thank you for being a walking foregone conclusion. Even without the spoiler-y prologue in Uncharted: Golden Abyss, you telegraphed "antagonist" with both your appearance and personality. The only puzzling thing about you was your fashion sense. For someone who sports a grimy tank top underneath a ragged denim shirt, we never understood why you got upset when you muddied your sea turtle boots.

2 of 40 39. Every Henchman Busy Climbing, your unwise but arguably necessary tactic to climb up and down shit made you the easiest target in the series. Nathan is often a one-man army so he'll take whatever breaks come his way, even if it's you, all exposed and everything. Did you not notice that your friends had more efficient methods for getting up and down places? Whatever the case, thank you for your sacrifice.

3 of 40 38. Lemur Who Stole Nate's Apple, we don't know how you snuck on this list. You're a thief and if Nate dies from not getting enough fiber and vitamin C, it's your fault. A Thief's End should've been named after you. You're a jerk.

4 of 40 37. Knot, being an antagonist's henchman is often a thankless job so we'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for lending your time to Naughty Dog. Along with your buddy Orca, you stepped it up during the last half of Uncharted 4 without stealing your scenes. You even had a surprise up your sleeve. With your linebacker build and inoffensive haircut, we're sure you're going to find employment again soon, probably in Gears of War 4 or Umbrella Corps, maybe?

5 of 40 36. Rika Raja, you're a slippery one. Thank you for carrying much of the narrative in Eye of Indra and for helping keep a temporary truce between Nate and your brother, Eddy. You certainly follow your own path and you're willing to kill in the process. You are missed, especially because you and Nate have unfinished business.

6 of 40 35. Smoking Sister, thank you for putting up with the young, no good Nathan Drake. The resignation in your voice is all you needed to earn our sympathies. And you unknowingly gave Nate some sneaking experience. So enjoy your smoke break; you earned it.

7 of 40 34. Panamanian Pirates, thank you for being the first sacrificial lambs in the Uncharted series. You even brought explosive barrels to celebrate! You sure are a resourceful and aggressive bunch, attacking Drake with multiple boats and boarding his boat in the process. We were reminded of your valiant assault during the prologue of Uncharted 4, which also began with multiple boats converging on Drake.

8 of 40 33. Talbot, as an illusionist, you were Uncharted's evil David Blaine. We're sorry your mentor died by drowning in sand, but in fairness to Drake, he did try to save her. Maybe if you weren't so filled with rage, you might've had a fighting chance against our hero. Wait, what are we thanking you for again?

9 of 40 32. Marisa Chase, thank you for serving as the "Elena" of Golden Abyss. Your reluctance to trust others is warranted, especially around guys like Nathan Drake. As a granddaughter of an archeologist, your occupational family ties gives you some Lara Croft-level cred. Your unwillingness to use a gun until the end of Golden Abyss also makes you the Al Powell of the Uncharted series.

10 of 40 31. Jonathan Burnes' Grandson, as one of the last corpses Nate comes across near the conclusion of Uncharted 4, you stand for every dead treasure hunter who died in vain in this series. If there is ever a videogame about your failed quest, we would hate to play it. Nate put it best: "Close but no cigar, Pal."