BY
Htet Htet Nay Aung
People and npTribune Section Editor
Hype Issue #54

Published on

April 25, 2022

It’s been a long day. All you want to do is get home, take a piping hot shower, change into something comfortable and escape the world. Have you ever felt that? I have, and what I would usually do is put on a show and before I know it, my comfort characters will be making me laugh or cry and that’s all I need at that moment.

Urban Dictionary states that a comfort character is a character that makes you feel happy and safe when you’re feeling down. There are so many different types of comfort characters and they each bring about a different kind of solace to us.

They could be characters that remind you of yourself or characters who portray characteristics and morales that you look up to. They could also be characters that are nothing like you, but still bring you a sense of peace and joy. 

The best part about comfort characters is that they are everywhere. From books, games, novels, comic series to films, there are just endless sources. For me, my comfort characters come from classic television show series that could go on for over 10 seasons and even though that may be lengthy for some, I find long series somewhat comforting. It’s heart-warming to see my comfort character grow alongside other characters as the series develops as it feels like I’m embarking on the same journey of growth with them.

Phil Dunphy (Modern Family) 

Phil Dunphy is well known on Modern Family as the jokester of the family who has unconditional love for everyone and not to mention, his endless jokes. Photo taken from Pinterest.

Not to tell a sob story but Phil is the dad I never had. When I think of an ideal father and husband, Phil is the sole character that instantly comes to mind. With his fun, loving and golden retriever-like personality, there is never a dull moment for the other characters around him.

Father and husband figures are often portrayed on screen as masculine, know-it-all and less emotional than their female counterparts. However that’s not the case for Phil, and that’s one of the main reasons why people love and relate to him so much.

Phil embraces his tacky sense of humour and amusement of life, and he certainly isn’t afraid to show it to his family members. You think you know philosophy? Well not as well as Phil does. He even has a book all about it—Phil’s-osophy.

Phil’s-osophy has all the know-hows and ways of life by yours truly, Phil Dunphy. Photo taken from Amazon.

Underneath the humorous identity, Phil is undeniably an emotional character who outwardly expresses his emotions and love for his family members. Despite his family members sometimes brushing off his overly affectionate actions, they all know deep down that Phil loves them deeply and that he’s always going to be in their corner.

As for me, Phil has never failed to bring joy and comfort into my life and lift me up on my toughest days, just like he does for all his family members. When I need a laugh, he’s there to crack the silliest jokes. When I need a father figure to give me words of wisdom, he’s got all the wisdom I need under his sweater sleeves.

Comfort characters like him not only bring enjoyment and entertainment to our lives but also help us through many difficult times. The fonder you grow of them, the stronger the character-to-audience bond is.

Some might wonder why people confide in fictional characters that don’t even exist when they could be talking to their friends or family in the real world. As useful as physical interactions are, not all situations or bad days harbour a therapeutic chat with your loved ones, and sometimes all you need is to be alone to enjoy the content that you love and bond with your favourite comfort characters. In my opinion, that’s the most beautiful part about comfort characters. Who is your comfort character?