Scotland, our wee northern nation. Having only a population of around 5.5M, it’s sensible to say we aren’t always the most represented when it comes to tv, film and games - but when we are it’s always with an iconic character. Everyone remembers a Scottish character but how often do you get a real Scots input, here’s the five most unforgettable characters from our very own hills, glens, and rainy streets.

Demoman - Team Fortress 2

*Image: Demoman, TF2 (Edit: Kyle Sutherland)*

A stereotypical Scot when it comes to personality and language. Tavish Finnegan Degroot, also known as Demoman is a demolition specialist and one of the main protagonists from Team Fortress 2. Self-describing himself as a black Scottish cyclops and a scrumpy-swilling demolitions expert from Ullapool he is a great portrayal of a villain with a thick Scottish accent while also being funny and memorable. However, despite his comedy, Demoman is voiced by Gary Schwartz – an American from the state of New York who also plays the Russian, Heavy in TF2. Gary Schwartz might be convincingly versatile but from a Scottish point of view lack of authenticity marks him down on the list.

Captain MacMillan – Call of Duty

*Image: Captain MacMillan in a ghillie suit, Call of Duty (Edit: Kyle Sutherland)*

Now it might be a shock to some that he's so low down on this list, given that these days he is one of the most well-known video game characters from Scotland but despite having a lesser role, Captain MacMillan – originally from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is and old school memory for many. Most remembered for the mission “All Ghillied Up” - set just outside Chernobyl - Captain Macmillan provided good memories for all Call of Duty players with a brave and stern performance in this iconic mission which is widely regarded as a favourite to many. However, to a native Captain MacMillan loses points for being voiced by Zach Hanks – an American born in New York without Scottish roots. It's unfortunate to face it that one of the most iconic Scottish characters isn't even truly Scottish but on the bright side Zach did his research and portrayed a strong Glaswegian character accurately. Not too shabby for someone coined “the other Scottish guy in Modern Warfare” as per Scottish creator MarleyThirteen.

Jezz Torrent – Grand Theft Auto

*Image: Jazz Torent, Grand Theft Auto (Edit: Kyle Sutherland)*

One of the main characters in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Jezz Torent is a rampant lead singer of the band LoveFist and brings back authenticity being voiced by Kevin Mckidd (the original voice actor for Soap Mactavish). Although perhaps despite being an earlier representation of us, he might not be the best example with his character being a very typical rockstar quoted in game saying “Ain't we got a gig to go to? A racket to make? Groupies to abuse?” He’s definitely a mixed character when it comes to representation, while being humours its unsure whether it's really one we can be proud of but on the bright side it's an authentic Scottish voice and memories etched into players brains.

Horizon – Apex Legends

Voiced by Elle Newlands, Horizon (Dr. Mary Somers) is gravitational manipulator legend with abilities like “Gravity Lift” and “Blackhole.” Added to Apex Legends in late 2020, she’s always quick with a smart quip and makes use of a wide array of Scottish slang along with an emotive authentic Scottish accent certain to make Scots crack a smile. Some of her best voice lines make use of words familiar to Scottish ears such as "Don't watch, wee N.E.W.T. Yer maw's about to get a little unlady like." When the character is selected or “Haud onto your knickers darlin's.” when jumping from the ship. While It's common to have non-Scottish actors play Scottish characters, Elle Newlands is naturally Scottish – despite residing in Los Angeles – she studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama adding a much more authentic feel to her voice lines.

Soap McTavish – COD

*Image: Soap McTavish, Call of Duty (Edit: Kyle Sutherland)*

Finally, the undoubtedly most known Scottish video game character Soap McTavish stems from the same franchise as Captain MacMillan being Call of Duty Modern Warfare. Originally coming from Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare where he was the main playable character – he's made appearances in many games with a recent resurgence boosting his popularity and his banter with “Ghost” raising him higher in regard to players worldwide, clips of the pair went crazy on apps like TikTok and YouTube. If you ask a Call of Duty fan for a list of the coolest characters in the franchise, there's a big likely hood McTavish will be high up there. Being portrayed by not only one but two different Scottish actors, Soap claims the crowning honour on a list with his authenticity making a Scot feel like they're simply playing as themselves especially when he's not afraid to throw in some abruptly Scottish lines like when he tells Ghost “Away n’ bile yer heid.”

Top 5 Scottish characters in video games