As far as fictional heroes go, popular choices generally include Batman (who saves the civilians of Gotham from The Penguin and Mr. Freeze), Harry Potter (who saves the wizard and muggle worlds from Voldemort), and Katniss Everdeen (who saves Panem from oligarchy and the horrid President Snow). Not to downplay the obstacles these characters overcame, but Brooke Davis from The CW’s "One Tree Hill" saved herself, and to me that’s even more awe-inspiring. After watching all nine seasons twice, I have compiled a list of 15 reasons why Brooke Davis is my fictional hero, and should be yours (if she’s not already).

1. She loved people even when they didn't deserve it. When her friends and family made mistake after mistake, she was always giving second, third, and fourth chances. Her mom said that was naive, and that was why she was always left hurt and alone. She saw Brooke's unconditional compassion and ability to forgive under any circumstance as a weakness, instead of as one of her most beautiful qualities.
2. She wasn't perfect. She could be mean, childish, and impulsive, but we all have our faults. It was reassuring to see people care about her even when it seemed like she didn't deserve it. And by embracing her imperfections, she encouraged us to accept ours, because perfect is not only impossible, it's boring.
3. She understood what it was like to feel unwanted. Peyton was the one who constantly said, “people always leave,” but I think it applied to Brooke more. The people that left Peyton didn't want to. They died or had to support their family. The people that left Brooke did so because they chose to. They got bored of her, cheated on her, or chose someone else. Peyton, no matter what she was going through, knew she was loved, but Brooke never had that. Brooke was the one throughout the majority of the series who never really had anyone. She kept opening her heart to people, only to be let down every time.
4. She was open about her feelings, even though it made her feel vulnerable. Eventually all of the leaving, all of the betrayal, and all of the pain, instilled this idea in her that she wasn’t good enough to be loved. And even though it was terrifying for her to confide in Chase about it, it proved that she wouldn't let her heartbreak make her cold and closed off.
   
5. She took a stand and turned her pain into something important. That feeling of inadequacy, whether in the aftermath of a parent's divorce, an eating disorder, an agonizing break up, or a friend's deciet, showed anyone who watched that everyone feels this way. Even when it seems like someone has their life together, you don't know their story, and it's imperative to remember to be kind.
6. She was blunt about the double standards women have to face every day. In her time capsule video, she emphasized how inequality can often be disguised as social norms, but also how it is crucial not to let these injustices continue thriving.
7. She stood up for mental illness. She showed viewers that someone's suffering should never be a punch line or a way to make a profit. She made it clear that despite the stereotypical normalcy of eating disorders in the fashion world and Hollywood, her company would never be part of perpetuating ideas of negative body image.
8. So did the actress who played her. Mark Schwahn couldn't have picked a better person to play Brooke Davis, because Sophia Bush has that same fighting spirit Brooke has. In 2010 Urban Outfitters produced a shirt with "Eat Less" scrawled across the front. Sophia Bush was so infuriated that she wrote a letter to the company explaining how horrified she was with their behavior, and started her own campaign against them. She's just as fabulous as Brooke, and without her passionate acting, Brooke Davis wouldn't have been half the hero she turned out to be.
9. She showed us that it's okay to hurt. While everyone else was reiterating how necessary it is to just to move on and forget about the person, or the job, or the expectation, that disappoints us, she reminded us that these feelings of loss are normal. It hurts, because it meant something. Eventually you will get over it, but there is no set timeline.
10. She was the only one who believed in her dreams, and that's all she needed. After everyone acted as though she wasn't good enough, and told her she could never amount to anything more than being the party girl cheerleader she was in high school, she pursued her dreams anyway. She was driven enough to create her own company out of nothing, twice, even though she knew that she could make all of the clothes in the world, and it wouldn't make the people who left her come back. No one ever had as much strength determination as Brooke Davis.
11. She was a warrior. When she was attacked in her store and in the parking garage, she was traumatized, but she faced adversity like no one expected her to. She fought back. She learned how to protect herself and stand up for herself, so she'd never be in that position again. Brooke Davis tackled the issue of violence twice, showing viewers not only how to refuse to let it tear you apart inside, but also how to use it to make yourself stronger.
12. She was the queen of sass, and was was never afraid to stand up for herself and her choices. If I was ever in a fight I'd want Brooke Davis to be on my side and kick some serious ass with her wit.
13. She was selfless. Her mother often called her selfish, but everyone could see that Victoria was wrong, yet again, when Brooke and Jamie were stuck in that car in the river. If anyone had doubts about whether or not Brooke would become and amazing mother, her complete selflessness and unfaltering love for her godson proved them wrong in those tear-inducing moments.
14. She had the most beautiful journey. She was the stereotypical promiscuous cheerleader, and became a courageous, graceful, and empathetic friend, mother, and wife when all of her circumstances were against her. Somehow she learned all on her own that the girl in the back of Lucas's car wasn't what was under all the clothes. She saw that she was enough, that she mattered, and that she didn't need anyone else to love her to be whole, because she loved herself more than anyone ever could have. And when someone couldn't see her transformation, she didn't hesitate to put them in their place.
15. She proved we all have the potential to be great. Maybe Brooke Davis didn't change the world like Lucas said she would, but she did change mine. Mark Schwahn created a character so original, and so relatable. Brooke Davis changed a lot of worlds, a lot of people, and a lot of stigmas. But the reason for this whole article comes down to the simple fact that most importantly Brooke Davis showed us, however many of us there are, that we are not alone. Brooke Davis is my fictional hero, not just because she saved herself, but because she showed me I could save myself too.