Arnold Schwarzenegger's 10 Strongest Characters, Ranked

10. Howard Langston From Jingle All The Way Is A Holiday Hunk

Any fan of Jingle All the Way knows all about the caliber of strength required to convincingly portray the superhero Turbo Man. Howard Langston is strong enough to knock down a reindeer with a single punch, and strong enough to take on the mighty Sinbad during an out-of-control shopping spree. The inattentive dad is far from Schwarzenegger’s most intimidating character, but in Jingle All the Way, his biceps are as impressive as ever. He didn’t bench press his way out of trouble in this Christmas movie, but he certainly could have done so if he’d wanted to.

9. In School Or On The Streets, Detective John Kimble Lays Down The Law

Despite being a nerd with enough strength to take on all the bad guys, Detective John Kimble is struggling with the impossible burden of raising a class of tall, very inquisitive kids. He’s still a formidable foe, so any lawbreakers would be wise to come out on the mat when Mr. Kimble tells them to. This kindergarten cop is certainly a hero, but he rarely shows any inclination to carry anything other than his gun or his ferret.

8. Detective Jack Slater From Last Action Hero

The real world may not be such a good fit for Jack Slater’s skill set, as he discovers rather devastatingly in Last Action Hero. Even with that in mind, this parody giant isn’t lazy when it comes to his strength. In a hilarious meta twist, Schwarzenegger also plays himself in Last Action Hero. Where the man behind the movie star fits in among his co-stars is probably a pointless question, but it’s funny that this movie at least lets us ask it.

7. Douglas Quaid From Total Recall Is Mars’ Muscliest Man

The hero has plenty of opportunities to demonstrate his strength during the mission to Mars in Total Recall. Noble in intentions, but not as physically imposing as some of Arnie’s classic characters, the only place Quaid has a claim to the title of “strongest of them all” is in his dreams. However, he probably wouldn’t be able to tell his dreams from his reality anyway.

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6. Julius Benedict From Twins Is A Test Tube Titan

The twin that got all the wins, Julius Benedict was selectively bred using the genes of six fathers with the hope of creating the perfect child. The result wasn’t far off, of course. Julius’ physique is up there with the best in the universe, and his sharp intellect and jaw-dropping athleticism make him a friend most would be glad to call their own. He can lift a car and keep his considerably smaller twin Vincent safe from all manner of hazards. Julius Benedict has mountains of muscles, and they’re only barely big enough to match the size of his heart of gold.

5. Dutch Schaefer From Predator Is The Ultimate Soldier

Uprooting the jungle, taking mud baths, and battling an utterly terrifying alien presence are all perfect pastimes for Dutch Schaefer. Predator’s hero is one of Schwarzenegger’s most iconic personas, and the fact that he managed to defeat the perfect hunter in a one-on-one battle ranks him among the deadliest Schwarzenegger characters to grace the big screen. Even surrounded by the rippling brutes of his elite paramilitary team, which includes hefty hunks like Carl Weathers and former WWE star Jesse Ventura, Dutch stands out as the biggest and baddest brawler of them all.

4. Colonel John Matrix From Commando

The biceps and body count don’t get much bigger in Schwarzenegger’s career than in the explosive action classic Commando. Colonel John Matrix is a master of wordplay and weaponry, and judging by the size of the bazooka he carries in the film, one of Arnie’s toughest movie characters. Undeniably heroic and utterly unstoppable, Commando shows the colonel mowing down enemies like he’s shooting fish in a barrel. Fortunately, none of Schwarzenegger’s other roles are Green Berets. Let’s not forget that John Matrix eats those Army aces for breakfast.

3. T-800 From The Terminator Franchise Is A Literal Machine

The Terminator has made short work of the majority of its human enemies and even managed to topple a couple of its own kind. Whichever installment in the mind-bending franchise is in question, Schwarzenegger’s machine man ends up as the top dog. Literally built with the sole purpose of terminating enemies, the T-800 has the strength to break a human in half and bend steel at will. The Cyberdyne series models may be near unstoppable.

2. Hercules From Hercules In New York Lives Up To The Lifting Legend

The sour grape of the bunch that is Arnie’s legendary filmography, Hercules in New York may well be his worst ever film. Still, a viewing today offers up a hilarious look at a young, inexperienced Schwarzenegger doing his best with the shoddy material he’s been given. Hercules is half-god and possesses superhuman strength, giving him the edge over any cyborgs. In this movie, he shows off his awe-inspiring muscles by winning a fight with a bear with tremendous ease.

1. Conan The Barbarian From The Conan Series Has Superhero Levels Of Strength

The epic sword swinger’s feats of strength are the stuff of legend, to the point where some tales even border on ridiculous. Whether he’s destroying foes or simply being a barbarian, Conan is an absolute stronger when it comes to his physical prowess and pure power. Few of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s other characters would even manage to lift Conan’s legendary sword. This warrior is fearless, with a frightful level of skill when it comes to combat, but his most awe-inspiring quality is his inhuman strength.