More anti-hero than hero, Crichton makes the all-star list more for his journey from squeaky clean good guy to interstellar, slightly insane, bad boy than any other trait.
In fiction a hero is only as good as their character arc, and Crichton had a doozy. Thrown into another part of the galaxy by a random wormhole, pursed left, right and centre by people who either wanted to kill him or suck his brains out, all John wanted was to find a way home (Earth).
Surrounded by alien shipmates, outcast from their own societies, who neither liked or respected him Crichton was the classic underdog.
Over the course of the next four and a bit seasons, Crichton’s defining feature was his humanity, as he strove to take the high road in his conflicts, never stooping to his enemies’ level. Ultimately though, he was never fast enough, or smart enough, or strong enough to defeat them once and for all. In the end, it was only by holding an entire galaxy hostage that he came out on top.
It was his constant try, fail, try again attitude and the slow wearing of the all-American hero into something leaner, meaner and more ruthless, someone willing to destroy the galaxy, that made Crichton an all-star.