Brooklyn Nine-Nine boasts an eclectic cast of interesting and well-written characters that each have a distinct collection of personality traits. Seeing as the majority of characters in the show work as detectives, they often demonstrate bravery and courage, particularly the main characters.
Almost every character in Brooklyn Nine-Nine has displayed moments of incredible bravery during the show’s eight seasons, and not just the police officers, for courage tends to lie within everyone in the show, to a certain degree. The bravest characters in Brooklyn Nine-Nine are those who have stood tall in the face of adversity and risked their safety for the benefit of something or someone other than themselves.
Michael Hitchcock
There is often a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and Hitchcock is certainly someone that blurs this boundary. Regardless, he definitely showcases his courage at certain points throughout Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Although Hitchcock is not the most likable character in the show, nobody can doubt his bravery, having been a police officer for many years.
A prime example of his fortitude is portrayed in the season 6 episode entitled “Hitchcock & Scully,” where a young Hitchcock risks his life for the badge and meets with a dangerous drug dealer to arrest him. Having made the arrest in style, Hitchcock then proceeds to put his own career on the line by funding a witness protection program for the drug dealer's innocent ex-concubine.
Norm Scully
Scully is the oafish yet lovable detective that is often portrayed as sitting at his desk with a snack, as opposed to out in the field with a gun. Regardless, he is genuinely one of the bravest characters in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, particularly when it comes to looking after his best friend and long-time police partner, Hitchcock.
Scully rarely sees any real action, especially in comparison to his younger and fitter detective colleagues. Despite this, he manages to showcase incredible mettle on multiple occasions throughout the show. A moment of particular heroism came in season 3’s “House Mouses,” where Scully put his life on the line to rescue Hitchock from some armed kidnappers.
Kevin Cozner
Although Kevin is not a detective, he is a brilliant and brave character that improves any episode that he appears in. While his profession doesn't necessarily require bravery, Kevin still manages to showcase his courage on multiple occasions in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
The most obvious example takes place in season 5’s “Safe House,” where he rescues his husband, Captain Holt, from a group of armed and dangerous kidnappers. Love can make one act without thought of consequence, and Kevin proves this with his heroics during this episode.
Gina Linetti
It is fair to say that Gina is generally a loose cannon, and with this sometimes comes elements of bravery and courage. Gina shows herself to be fearless at almost every juncture and is an invaluable member of the Nine-Nine because of it.
One of Gina’s strongest moments comes in season 4’s “Coral Palms: Part 3,” where she accompanies the squad to the Fun Zone in Florida to help rescue Captain Holt and Jake from Jimmy Figgis. While Figgis attempts to flee the Fun Zone, Gina crashes a van at full speed into his vehicle to prevent his escape, which ultimately leads to his long-awaited arrest.
Amy Santiago
Amy is one of the many gutsy detectives in New York’s 99th precinct and one of the boldest characters in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. As one of the show’s main characters, Amy is often placed in situations that require a great deal of courage to overcome.
In season 7’s “Lights Out,” Amy displays incredible strength and composure during a citywide blackout. As chaos begins to descend on a powerless New York, a heavily-pregnant Amy steps up and takes control of the police operations in the 99th precinct. During the episode, she begins to go into labor, but she courageously continues to run 99 despite her overwhelming discomfort, which is a testament to her fortitude.
Terry Jeffords
As a Sergeant (and later a Lieutenant) in the NYPD, a crucial part of Terry’s profession is to be brave. An NYPD detective seldom goes through their career without having to risk their safety, and this is reflected in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Terry sees his fair share of action throughout the show and he is resolute in every instance.
A moment that perfectly exemplifies this occurs in season 1’s “Christmas,” where he apprehends a deranged gunman despite not being officially cleared for fieldwork. Without Terry’s actions, Captain Holt would have almost certainly been shot, which would have crushed the spirits of squad and audiences alike, to say the least.
Jake Peralta
As the main character of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and one of the 99's brightest and most brilliant detectives, it is no surprise that Jake is also one of the bravest characters in the show.
Jake often finds himself in very dangerous situations that require incredible fearlessness to deal with successfully. An example of one of these situations takes place in season 3’s “Yippie Kayak,” where he relishes the chance to enact a real-life Die Hard situation. During the episode, Jake showcases how dauntless he is by taking down a group of armed robbers, all while showing no signs of fear throughout.
Rosa Diaz
Rosa is one of the finest detectives in the 99 and is seldom afraid in the face of adversity. Her physical and emotional toughness is underpinned by her pluckiness, and Rosa has many badass moments in Brooklyn Nine-Nine that reflect this.
While she showcases her bravery on multiple occasions throughout Brooklyn Nine-Nine, few moments exemplify her spirit better than the events depicted in season 5’s “Game Night.” During the episode, Rosa reluctantly reveals to her parents that she is bisexual, and despite their poor reaction, Rosa remains resolute and strong.
Charles Boyle
Although coincidental, it is fitting that Charles’ last name rhymes with loyal because that is precisely what he is. Charles’ loyalty to his friends throughout Brooklyn Nine-Nine means he is willing to put everything on the line to keep them safe, which is, of course, incredibly irable and brave.
Charles has many moments of incredible valor throughout Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but one of his most significant came very early on in the series. In season 1’s “Christmas,” Charles jumps in front of a bullet for Rosa, potentially saving her life. He receives a medal of valor for his actions, and this prestigious award perfectly summarizes how incredibly heroic Charles is.
Raymond Holt
Captain Holt is the hard nucleus around whom the 99 detectives form a formidable squad, and this is down to his fantastic leadership qualities. A good leader must be brave, and Captain Holt is no exception to the rule.
This is evidenced constantly throughout Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s eight seasons, both in his police work as well as his battles against discrimination. Captain Holt often speaks of the difficulties he faced as a young detective, which mainly related to his experiences of racism and homophobia in the workplace. However, thanks to his tenacity and courage, Captain Holt managed to stand tall in the face of adversity and ultimately become a police Captain.