Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse is one of the most unique cinematic universes existing today and just added another entry to its storied history with the release of Clerks III. Comprised of characters who are for the most part just normal people, rather than all-powerful superheroes, and whose appearances in other films are just usually casual pop-ins with no larger implications to the story, the View Askewniverse is easily one of the chillest, yet still unbelievably entertaining, franchises to ever be created.
While there are multiple franchise and properties within the View Askewniverse, each with its own characters and plot lines, several characters have found their way into Kevin Smith's stories time and time again. There are certainly some clear main characters of the View Askewniverse, yet there's also a few that will surprise audiences with just how much they've appeared over the nine-film saga.
To simplify the list, only the nine core films of the View Askewniverse will count toward the ranking. Clerks: The Animated Series, as well as any View Askewniverse adjacent films (Zack and Miri Make a Porno) will not be counted.
Brodie Bruce - 3 Appearances
One of the main protagonists of Mallrats, the perennial slacker Brodie Bruce has appeared three times throughout the View Askweniverse. The first time is in the aforementioned film, in which he goes on a journey of maturity and eventually wins back the love of his ex-girlfriend Rene, while also aiding his friend T.S. in winning the love of his flame, Brandi.
Brodie appears in the subsequent Jay and Silent Bob films, now the owner of a comic book store and the man who sets the pair off on their destructive voyages toward Hollywood.
Stan Lee - 3 Appearances
Marvel films weren't the only movies in which the legendary comic book creator would make appearances in, as Stan Lee popped in several times throughout the history of the View Askewniverse.
With Kevin Smith's having such a deep iration for comic books, and Captain Marvel sees his character reading the screenplay for Mallrats.
Alyssa Jones - 3 Appearances
Alyssa Jones's three appearances in the View Askewniverse tell quite the satisfying story arc, though that shouldn't be surprising considering she debuted in arguably Smith's most emotionally-moving work, Chasing Amy. That film follows her relationship with comic book writer Holden McNeil, specifically the turmoil the two face as Holden is unable to accept that Alyssa is lesbian.
Flash forward two decades later to Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, and audiences are treated to knowing that Alyssa and Holden are now not only good friends and business partners but are co-parenting a child that Holden helped conceive by donating his sperm.
Holden McNeil - 3 Appearances
Ben Affleck is by far one of the biggest Hollywood stars to ever make regular appearances in the View Askewniverse, something which has led to his many cameos throughout the Kevin Smith films being extra hilarious. However, Affleck has also played some significant characters throughout the franchise, none more so than the aforementioned Holden McNeil.
Holden is possibly the Smith character to suffer the most heartbreak (however self-inflicted it may be), but it leads to him having one of the best arcs in the series and maturing the most out of nearly any of the franchise's characters.
Walt The Fanboy - 4 Appearances
Almost never far from his pal Steve-Dave, whom he is always telling to "Tell 'em!" Walt the Fanboy is a character who, while never having any sort of major storyline, is undeniably memorable among Kevin Smith's legion of devoted fans.
The character is portrayed by Smith's real-life friend Walt Flanagan, who has cameod as other characters in several of Smith's movies. Flanagan also ran Smith's comic bookshop Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, as well as starred in the reality show Comic Book Men, which followed the daily happenings of the shop.
Randal Graves - 4 Appearances
Initially the deuteragonist of the in one of the most wholesome moments in a Kevin Smith film.
Randal and Dante re-open the Quick Stop together, and Clerks III follows Randal finally attempting to achieve something meaningful in his life by making a movie.
Willam Black - 5 Appearances
Another character whose roles within the franchise have been relatively minor yet extremely memorable, the mindless Willam Black has appeared in five films throughout the View Askewniverse. He holds the rare distinction of being one of the few characters within the franchise to be portrayed by different actors across the films.
Willam is most likely best known for his quotable catchphrase "That's beautiful, man," and his battle to see a sailboat in a Magic Eye poster throughout Mallrats.
Dante Hicks - 6 Appearances
While Dante's actor, Brian O'Halloran, shares the honor along with a select few others of appearing in every single View Askewniverse film, he does not always portray Dante within them (though he is always portraying a member of the Hicks family). Dante, however, does still appear in six of the View Askewniverse films.
Most notably, he is the perpetually miserable main protagonist of the extremely rewatchable Clerks franchise who desires anything other than the listless minimum wage life he is living. The trilogy of films highlights not only Dante's troubled work life but the love life he can't seem to stop self-sabotaging as well, and ultimately how he grows from these disasters.
Silent Bob - 9 Appearances
One half of the iconic View Askewniverse duo, portrayed by the franchise's creator Kevin Smith himself, Silent Bob has appeared alongside Jay in every single film within the shared universe. In a series of films whose plots dramatically range from a mundane day at work to the very end of the world, Jay and Silent Bob are the one constant.
Silent Bob, as the name implies, is much less talkative than his friend, his silence meaning that whenever he does end up speaking in a movie, it's either one of the funniest moments in the film or, such as in Chasing Amy, one of the most profound.
Jay 9 - Appearances
Of course, the duo of "hetero life mates" wouldn't be complete without the foul-mouthed Jay to accompany Silent Bob. While the two normally spend their days loitering around wherever Dante works and selling pot, they've gone on their own series of wild adventures as well, including their trips to Hollywood in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.
Jay, for all his faults, does mature throughout these journeys, not only falling in love with the criminal Justice but fathering a child with her as well, named Milly. Jay, upon discovering Milly's existence, decides to take an active role in her life, showing just how much he has grown over the decades of the View Askewniverse.
