There are so many events and holidays that June brings around, but because we celebrated Mother’s Day (in our Little Laos way)…we felt it was only fitting that we also celebrate Father’s Day…with one twist. So, we asked our staff, “who is your favorite fictional father?” It goes without saying that, while mothers seem to instinctively know how to heat our tempers up, fathers are more of an X factor.

Roll that dice! Is it a 5 hour long lecture where you become comatose and need mom to come give you a heart attack to revive you or did you roll a 6? Six is no good–that’s “do not pass go, do not collect $200” territory. Oh, a 3? Insert a sibling as a means of torture. Rolled a 4? BAM! Didn’t see that one coming, didya! Got a combo of any of the previously mentioned consequences? That’s lucky roll number 5. None of us have ever rolled a one, though. That’s territory I hope no one has ever found out the hard way. My Spidey sense tells me it’s like the wild night your family officially became refugees big-banged together with the first night you broke his heart, all artistically hammered together with the day he knew your relationship would never be the same.

DON’T ROLL A ONE.

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Donna Luangmany: Philip Banks is at the top of my list for parental role models. When I watched The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a kid, he was just scary Uncle Phil. But now as a parent myself, I can appreciate him as a tough, but fair and loving father. I admire his work ethic (I’ve always loved a good rags to riches story), intellect, and that he owns up to his mistakes. Plus, the fact that he welcomed Will into his family and treated him like his own speaks volumes. Many look at The Fresh Prince as simply Will’s coming of age story. But there’s a narrative of a growing nephew-uncle relationship, too. And it’s a great one.

Also on my list: Uncle Jesse and Joey from Full House, and Luke Danes from Gilmore Girls… I’ve just realized I have a deep respect for men who take on parental roles for kids who aren’t theirs. Perhaps they remind me of the awesome uncles who helped raise me. It takes a village!

A.Ou: God. There isn’t more to be said about that. I’m not even sure I follow a belief that classifies me as a believer of God but from what I’ve heard, he’s supposedly a good father.

Jason Rolan: Dr. Henry Jones, Sr. Sure, he may have a singular fixation on the Holy Grail and slightly aloof, but he is brimming with knowledge and up for adventuring. And in the end, he chooses his son over the old cup, anyway.

Janit Von Saechao: Ralph Angel Bordelon from Queen Sugar. Much of his narrative reminds me of the struggle of many of the men I was surrounded by growing up, including my own father.

Sai Sisavatdy: This one was a difficult one for me. Of course you want to choose the usual suspects like Atticus Finch or Ned Stark. But, they’re so real they’re no fun. So I’ll go with a combination of Mycroft Next and Colonel Next from the Jasper Fforde, “Thursday Next” series. Both embody some qualities I’ve always associated with my own father, as well as, the nature of our relationship.

Bryan Thao Worra: Darth Vader resonates with me at multiple levels and the questions he raises about how a child reconciles with his family’s heritage and legacy. In real life, if we’re going to be honest about it, people often have to grapple with father figures in their lives who are deeply complicated, and growing up, I appreciated that metaphor Vader embodied.

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Don’t forget to tell us your favorite fictional father!