List of stock characters

List of generic characters

Claude Gillot (1673–1722) — Four Commedia dell'arte Figures: Three Gentlemen and Pierrot, c.1715

Stock characters from Italian: Commedia dell'Arte — which gave each character a standard costume, so easily distinguished — continued across many types of theater, dramatic storytelling, and fiction.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A stock character is a dramatic or literary character representing a generic type in a conventional, simplified manner and recurring in many fictional works.[1] The following list labels some of these stereotypes and provides examples. Some character archetypes, the more universal foundations of fictional characters, are also listed.

Some characters that were first introduced as fully fleshed-out characters become subsequently used as stock characters in other works — for example, the Ebenezer Scrooge character from A Christmas Carol, based upon whom the "miser" stereotype, whose name now has become a shorthand for this. Some stock characters incorporate more than one stock character; for example, a bard may also be a wisecracking jester.

Some of the stock characters in this list — reflecting the respective attitudes of the people of the time and the place in which they have been created — in hindsight, may be considered offensive due to their use of racial stereotyping, homophobia, or other prejudice.

Contents

* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* F
* G
* H
* I
* J
* K
* L
* M
* N
* O
* P
* Q
* R
* S
* T
* U
* V
* W
* Y
* Z

* See also
* References

## A

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

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Absent-minded professor / Boffin

An eccentric scientific genius stereotype who is so focused on his or her work that he has shortfalls in other areas of life, (remembering things, grooming, etc.).[2] The shortened term for this character is a boffin. It is the benign version of the mad scientist stereotype.

* Prof. Calculus in The Adventures of Tintin series by Hergé
* Sidney Stratton, played by Alec Guinness, in the 1951 satirical film The Man in the White Suit
* Prof. Julius F. Kelp, played by Jerry Lewis, in the 1963 film The Nutty Professor
* Dr. Egon Spengler, played by Harold Ramis, in the Ghostbusters film series
* Dr. Emmett Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd, in the Back to the Future film series[3]
* Prof. Frink in the animated American television sitcom series The Simpsons, drawn on Prof. Kelp
* Prof. Farnsworth in the animated American television sitcom series Futurama, drawn as an elderly Prof. Frink

Action hero

The brave and heroic protagonist of a story which portrays action, adventure, and often violence.[4] They are resourceful, courageous, and have strong commitment to their cause, and they are comfortable with the fast pace of events in the story. Often overlaps with "chosen one" and/or superhero.

See: List of action heroes.

Angry black woman

A negatively stereotypical assertive, overbearing, opinionated, loud, and "sassy" American black woman — typically of the working class — with an acid tongue, often depicted as nagging and emasculating a male character.[5][6] This stereotype is a more modern variant of the archetypes of the old shrew and the foul-mouthed and sharp-tongued fishwife character, exemplified by Molly Malone.

* Mammy Two Shoes in the Tom and Jerry series of short animated films from the 1940s
* Sapphire in the 1950s→1960s American radio and television series Amos 'n' Andy[7]
* Aunt Esther in the 1970s American television sitcom series Sanford and Son
* Florence Johnston in the 1970s→1980s American television sitcom series The Jeffersons
* Wilhelmina Slater in the 2000s American television series Ugly Betty[8]
* Mary Lee Johnston from the 2009 film Precious

Angry white man

A working class hidebound reactionary, white man whose frustration with progressive policies and social changes leading towards a more tolerant society — in which he has a lesser role and powerless to change this demotion — that leaves him at odds with accepted norms, so escalating into rage and on to violence, in extreme cases. In dramatic fiction, this usually leads to the character's downfall. In a running series, the angry white man may soften and become accepting with time to be more sympathetic — see also curmudgeon.

* Alf Garnett, played by Warren Mitchell in a career-defining role from the 1960s to the 1980s, in the BBC television sitcom series Till Death Us Do Part and the follow-on series Till Death... and In Sickness and in Health
* Archie Bunker in the 1970s American television sitcom series All in the Family
* William 'D-Fens' Foster in the 1993 film Falling Down

Annoying neighbor

A comic character known for pestering and hounding the protagonist. As they live next door to them, this creates a pretext for frequent unwanted or unplanned interactions.

* Tini in the mid-20th century radio comedy series Fibber McGee and Molly
* Newman in the 1990s American television sitcom series Seinfeld
* Ned Flanders in animated American television sitcom series The Simpsons
* Kimmy Gibler in the 1980s→90s American television sitcom series Full House

Antihero

A protagonist lacking conventional heroic qualities, such as courage or idealism.[9] An antihero has weaknesses and may engage in criminal acts at times, but lacks any sinister intentions and is usually, if begrudgingly and unconventionally, ethical.

* James "Slippery Jim" Bolivar diGriz in The Stainless Steel Rat book series, starting in the 1950s, by Harry Harrison
* The Man with No Name, played by Clint Eastwood, as the protagonist in the 1960s spaghetti Western Dollars Trilogy by Sergio Leone[10]
* Harry Flashman in the satirical The Flashman Papers book series by George MacDonald Fraser
* Eddie Valiant in the 1981 book Who censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf
* Deadpool in the Marvel Comics[11]
* Harley Quinn in the DC Comics

Arab and Muslim stereotypes |

Arab and Muslim characters in Hollywood films are often portrayed in an ethno-centric or stereotyped way.[12] These characters often were depicted as all generic relatively faceless and interchangeable, speaking in a heavy accent, being hostile and vicious, along with being connected to terrorism.[13] As well, American films and television shows may have stereotypical and pejorative depictions of Arabs and Muslims. The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee states that "Arabs in TV and movies are portrayed as either bombers, belly dancers, or [oil] billionaires".[14]

* Pejorative stereotypes of Arabs or Muslims as villains are common in late 20th century Hollywood action films including:
* Iron Eagle (1986)
* The Delta Force (1986)
* Death Before Dishonor (1987)
* Wanted: Dead or Alive (1987)
* Navy SEALs (1990)
* Patriot Games (1992)
* True Lies (1994)
* Executive Decision (1996)
* Achmed, the Dead Terrorist satirical puppet of the ventriloquist Jeffrey Dunham

Archenemy / arch-foe / arch-villain

See: Villain

Artificial intelligence (AI)

In science fiction stories, artificial intelligence (AI) are depicted as computational systems that are sophisticated enough to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. In contrast to mechanical robotic beings in fiction — some of which are depicted as having sophisticated AI capabilities — usually AI does not have a metal or humanoid body and they are instead depicted as residing in some type of computer system or network. AIs are depicted with varying degrees of ability to cause actions in the real world, ranging from communicating via text or speech synthesis to triggering digitally-connected devices. AIs may be depicted in a variety of ways, ranging from benevolent to neutral to hostile.

* HAL 9000, the sentient artificial general intelligence computer that controls the systems of the Discovery One spacecraft and interacts with the ship's astronaut crew in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey film of 1968.
* Skynet is a fictional group mind and artificial general superintelligence system that serves as the antagonistic force of the Terminator franchise.
* Wintermute is one half of a super-AI entity in the 1984 dystopian cyberpunk novel Neuromancer by William Gibson

Author surrogate

A character sharing the traits or appearance of its author or creator.[15] The author surrogate may be disguised to some degree, or there may be little attempt to make them appear different — for example, they may have the same first name and job.

* Peter Guillam, the trusted right-hand man, in the George Smiley series of novels starting with the 1961 Call for the Dead by John le Carré
* Ralphie Parker, the protagonist in Jean Shepherd's Parker Family Saga series of family-comedies starting with the 1966 novel In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash
* Henry Chinaski, played by Mickey Rourke in Charles Bukowski's comic semi-autobiographical 1987 film Barfly directed by Barbet Schroeder
* Jon Arbuckle in the Garfield cartoon strip series
* Steve Taylor, played by Jack Davenport, in Steven Moffat's 2000s British sitcom series Coupling
* Kyle Broflovski and Stan Marsh in the American television sitcom series South Park

## B

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

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Bad boy | See rake. |
Bard | An archetype in Medieval and Renaissance stories of a lute-playing singer-songwriter who sings about the events of the day to earn a living. The Bard may be a travelling troubadour going town-to-town and playing at inns and busking in the street. They may have a wealthy patron and entertain in a noble court — playing for royalty at feasts — so may overlap with the jester, if they use their songs to speak blunt truths to a king or entertain the nobles with humour, (also providing comic relief in the story). The bard may also be a wandering minstrel who voyages with the hero to chronicle the hero's exploits in song. |

* Cacofonix in the Asterix and Obelix French comic book series since the 1960s by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
* Dandelion / Jaskier in the fantasy book series The Witcher starting in 1990 by Andrzej Sapkowski
* Marillion in the fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire starting in 1991 by George R.R. Martin
* Cantus in the 1980s television puppet show series Fraggle Rock
* Gabrielle in the 1990s American television drama series Xena: Warrior Princess
* Edgin Darvis in the 2023 fantasy heist comedy film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Battle-axe | This is a traditional derogatory stereotype describing an old woman characterized as aggressive, brash, brazen overbearing, and forceful. The term originated in the early 20th century as a descriptor independent of gender, but became primarily applied to just women around the middle of the century. |

* Thelma Harper, played by Vicki Lawrence in the 1960s→1970s American television sketch comedy series The Carol Burnett Show
* Agnes Skinner, the domineering mother of Principal Skinner in the American television animated sitcom series The Simpsons
* Marie Barone in the American television sitcom series Everybody Loves Raymond

Beatnik

A hipster character, with a distinct counterculture style (usually wearing black or muted colors, turtlenecks, leotards for women, a beret, and sunglasses), loves jazz and avant-garde art and poetry, marijuana, bongo drums, and has a disdain for anything popular in mainstream culture.

* Eddy Crane, the leader of a crime gang in the 1960 film The Beatniks
* Maynard G. Krebs in the 1960s American television sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
* Dean McCoppin, voiced by Harry Connick Jr., in the 1999 animated film The Iron Giant based on Ted Hughes's 1968 novel The Iron Man
* Judy Funnie in the 1990s American television animated children's sitcom series Doug
* the cast of Off Beat Cinema

Bimbo

Typically a female character who is totally reliant on her appearance to get on in life and is normally supported by a someone with resources, such as a sugar daddy. This stereotype can be of little depth of character and poor intellect or contrariwise, can have hidden depths and keen wits who keeps her intelligence under wraps. In romances, the character is often an initial source of sexual attention for a hero, and a side-track of the story, before he realises that another is the love of his life and is the real heroine. Unlike the ingénue character, who grows emotionally and more worldly-wise through the story eventually fulfilling a heroine role, typically a bimbo does not and remains ultimately inconsequential, even if the pointlessness of her life is pointed out to her. A variant of this stereotype is the vacuous or empty-headed dumb blonde, who is usually a very attractive, young, and nubile blonde-haired woman with little common sense and very little, if anything, to say — literally dumb.

* Barbie
* Lorelei Lee in the 1953 film Gentlemen prefer Blondes
* Pola Debevoise in the 1953 film How to Marry a Millionaire
* The Girl, played by Marilyn Monroe, in the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch
* Goldie Hawn's characters in the 1970s→1980s American television sitcom series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
* Chrissy Snow in the 1960s→1970s American television sketch comedy series Three's Company
* Rose Nylund as an elderly version of the character in the 1980s→1990s American television sitcom series The Golden Girls
* Jennifer Johnson / G-Girl, played by Uma Thurman, in the 2006 film My Super Ex-Girlfriend
* Shelley Darlington, played by Anna Faris, in the 2008 film The House Bunny
* Leni Loud in the animated American television sitcom series The Loud House

Black best friend

In American films and television shows, the Black best friend is a secondary character, often female, who is used to "guide White characters out of challenging circumstances..." and "... support[s] the heroine, often with sass, attitude, and a keen insight into relationships and life".[16] One disparagement of this stock character is that not much of their inner life is depicted and have little or no character development.

* Renée Raddick, played by Lisa Nicole Carson — the friend of Calista Flockhart's eponymous protagonist — in the 1990s American television legal drama series Ally McBeal
* Andrea Marino, played by Aisha Tyler — the friend of Jennifer Love Hewitt's lead character, Melinda Gordon — in the 2000s American television supernatural drama series Ghost Whisperer
* Lily, played by Tracie Thoms — the friend of Anne Hathaway's lead character, Andy Sachs — in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada
* Liz, played by Liza Lapira, — the variant Asian-American best friend of Hannah Weaver, played by Emma Stone — in the 2011 film Crazy, Stupid, Love is a variant of this character.

Black knight

An evil warrior antagonist, whose identity is typically concealed behind his visor. He displays no coat of arms, in order to mask both his own identity and that of his liege. This character has a strong connotation to or is associated with death and this role is their to battle the good knight-errant for the latter to prove his worth.

* The Black Knight in the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail
* Nathan Garrett in the Marvel Comics
* Darth Vader in the Star Wars film series

Blind seer

A prophet and mystic who is sightless or has poor vision — very common in assisting a hero in his quest in ancient myth — but uses spiritual or psychic powers to sense the events and sights around them.

* The blind prophet Tiresias of Greek myth
* The three nymphs called Graeae, or Phoricdes, or the aged Grey Sisters of Greek myth who shared one eye and one tooth between them
* Phineus of Greek myth and character in the 1963 film Jason and the Argonauts
* The blind Taoist monk "One Hundred Eyes" in Marco Polo

Blind warrior

Especially as a warrior-monk, a seemingly harmless sightless warrior who uses spiritual or psychic powers to sense the events and sights around them — a trope more common in the Far East.

* Zatoichi, the Edo-period blind swordsman, of the 1948 Japanese story Zatoichi Monogatari
* Chirrut Imwe in the Star Wars film of 2016 Rogue One
* Kanan Jarrus, the blind Jedi knight, in animated US television series Star Wars Rebels

Bounty hunter

Bounty hunters are freelance fugitive trackers who take the risk of capturing criminals for the reward. They often operate in a legal grey zone, because while they may be permitted to capture the fugitives, and they may coordinate with law enforcement, they are not police officers. They are often lone wolves with a past in law enforcement, the military or crime. They range from honorable, noble former law enforcement officers who only take lawful bounties and who aim to bring criminals to justice to morally ambiguous characters with a mix of lawful and shady motivations to villainous ex-criminals who are only after profit, who take on illegal or shady bounties, and who use lawless tactics to capture or kill their prey. Bounty hunters are depicted in Westerns, Western-inspired science fiction set in lawless frontier planets, modern neo-Westerns, and in other modern day fiction.

Westerns:

* Douglas Mortimer, a former army colonel, played by Lee Van Cleef, and an unnamed taciturn gunfighter, played by Clint Eastwood, team up as bounty hunters in the 1965 film For a Few Dollars More
* In The Wild Bunch (1969), a team of bounty hunters[who?] chase the eponymous group of outlaws to Mexico.
* Django, played by Jamie Foxx — a former slave who becomes a bounty hunter to find and free his wife — in the 2012 film Django Unchained

Science fiction:

* Boba Fett and Greedo in Star Wars film series
* Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, in the 1982 film Blade Runner
* Spike Spiegel in the 1998 film Cowboy Bebop

Other fiction:

* Domino Harvey, played by Keira Knightley, in the 2005 film Domino
* Ralph "Papa" Thorson, played by Steve McQueen, in the 1980 film The Hunter
* Jack Walsh, a former police officer, played by Robert De Niro, in the 1988 film Midnight Run
* The Zeron Brotherhood, voiced by Darin de Paul and Ann Dowd, in the 2018-2019 animated series 3Below: Tales of Arcadia
* Birdie/Halcon, voiced by Fiona Shaw, in the 2018-2019 animated series 3Below: Tales of Arcadia

Boy next door |

A nice, average guy who is reasonably, but not too good-looking with few distinguishing quirks. If any quirks are exhibited, then these are minor or played for comedic effect.

* Rodney Trotter in the 1980s BBC television sitcom series Only Fools and Horses
* Marty McFly in the 1980s film series Back to the Future

Braggart / Miles Gloriosus / Falstaff

Originally, the ancient archetype of a boastful soldier whose cowardice belies his claims of a valour-filled past that dates to the Classical antiquity, tapping a rich vein in both satire and comedy. This stock character speaks with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about their achievements, possessions, or abilities, typically to prove their superiority and create admiration or envy. Some braggarts may misrepresent or exaggerate their accomplishments. His boasts may also extend to his purported feats in the bedroom.

In the comic theatre of ancient Rome, this stock character — as alazon and the two variants miles gloriosus and senex iratus — was often from a low class and he was typically engaged in sexual dalliances, excess drinking, and thievery.

In commedia dell'arte, the boastful Il Capitano was one of the four core stock characters. He brags about dubious tales of military or sexual prowess to hide his cowardly nature.

Sir John Falstaff created by William Shakespeare, is the popular epitome of the braggart with the comic character — noted for having the most appearances and more lines than any other character in the plays — who is depicted as a fat, vain, and boastful knight who spends most of his time carousing and hanging about with petty criminals; living on borrowed, looted, or stolen money. He is ultimately repudiated by other major characters who eventually see him for the debauched, dissolute character he is. The word "Falstaffian" has entered the English language with a connotation of being corpulent, jolly, and debauched. After overplaying his cards once too often with the king, he gets his comeuppance in Henry V.

* Classical archetypes are:
* Alazon
* Pyrgopolynices, the eponymous protagonist of the 3rd-century BCE play Miles Gloriosus, "The Braggart Soldier", by Titus Maccious Plautus[17]
* Il Capitano, the titular lead of the Italian commedia dell'arte play Il Capitano.[18]
* Falstaff in the 16th-century plays Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2 and as the protagonist in The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare. He has appeared in other works, including:
* Operas by Giuseppe Verdi, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Otto Nicolai
* In Orson Welles's 1966 film Chimes at Midnight
* Baron Munchausen in the eponymous 1785 novel Baron Munchausen's Narrative of His Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia by Rudolf Erich Raspe, with many stage adaptations including the 1988 film by Terry Gilliam
* Harry Flashman in 1970s The Flashman Papers satirical book series by George MacDonald Fraser
* Bob Pigeon played by William Richert in Gus Van Sant's 1991 film My Own Private Idaho
* Buzz Lightyear in the first Pixar CGI-animated film Toy Story in 1995 and its sequels
* Spence, the British mercenary who is revealed to be a coward, in the 1998 film Ronin
* Zapp Brannigan in the animated American television sitcom series Futurama
* Carlton Lassiter in the American television comic-drama detective series Psych
* Volstagg the Voluminous, a companion of Thor, in Marvel Comics.

Bug-eyed monster / alien

Staple evil aliens in science fiction of the 1930s onward were often described — or pictured on covers of pulp magazines — as grotesque creatures with huge, oversized or compound eyes and a lust for blood, women, or general destruction.[2]

* The Vogons satirised this stock character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams
* The xenomorph creatures in the film series Alien, ironically though, to make it seem more scary, these have no eyes at all
* Formics in the book series Ender's Game

Bully |

A villainous character often found in stories centered around youth, especially in school. They delight in tormenting the protagonist, often using emotional abuse and physical threats or assaults.

* Harry Flashman in Tom Brown's School Days 1857 book by Thomas Hughes
* Henry Bowers in the 1986 horror story It by Stephen King
* Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling
* Scut Farkus in 1983 comedy film A Christmas Story
* Biff Tannen in the 1980s film series Back to the Future
* Roger Klotz in the 1990s American television animated sitcom series Doug

Byronic hero |

Byronic heroes are dark, gloomy, and brooding where their passionate nature is often turned inward, as they ruminate on a private torment or a difficult secret from their past. They tend to be lonely and alienated, and have views or values that conflict with those of the wider community. The name refers to the Romantic poet Lord Byron, who was active in the 19th century.

* Lord Ruthven in 1819 book The Vampyre by John Polidori
* Edmond Dantes in the 1844 book The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
* Heathcliff in the 1847 book Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
* Rochester in the 1847 book Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

## C

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

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|

Career criminal

Usually, a cunning thief who has a strange gait, slouched posture, and devious facial expression.

* A. J. Raffles in E. W. Hornung's book series
* Bernie Rhodenbarr in Lawrence Block's Burglar book series
* Flynn Rider in the 2010 animated Disney film Tangled

Cat lady

An eccentric, lonely woman, often living alone. She may be depicted as dotty and benevolent or as unhinged.

* Crazy Cat Lady in the animated American television sitcom series The Simpsons
* Arabella Figg in the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling
* Angela Martin in the American version of The Office television series
* Susan Ashworth from the 2012 horror graphic adventure game The Cat Lady

Cavemen / cavewomen  | This stock character, which is loosely based on Neolithic people, is typically portrayed as wearing shaggy animal hides, and capable of cave painting like behaviorally modern humans of the last glacial period. They are often shown as armed with rocks, cattle bone clubs, spears, or sticks with rocks tied to them, and are portrayed as unintelligent and only capable of grunting. Stereotypical cavewomen are similarly depicted, but sometimes with slimmer proportions and bones tied up in their hair. See also Jungle boy and Jungle girl.  |

* Cavemen in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World (1912), fight with modern humans.
* In How the First Letter Was Written and How the Alphabet was Made are two of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories (1902), cave people are depicted.
* In Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Land That Time Forgot (1918), cave people are depicted.
* A genre of cavemen films was developed in the 1910s, typified by D. W. Griffith's Man's Genesis (1912); these cave people characters cannot talk, and use sticks and stones for weapons.
* In Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels (1977–1980), the titular caveman is hairy and carries wooden clubs.
* The comic strips B.C., Alley Oop, the Spanish comic franchise Mortadelo y Filemón, and occasionally The Far Side and Gogs incorrectly portray "cavemen" coexisting with dinosaurs.

Chosen one

A character destined by prophecy to save the world, frequently possessed of unusual skills or abilities — frequently going through extreme hardship and sacrifice, including martyrdom — this then overlaps into the "Christ-like figure" below.

* Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars film series
* Harry Potter in the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling
* Neo in The Matrix film series

Christ figure

A hero or major character who dies a martyr only to rise from the dead to fight evil, as in the story of Jesus — heavily overlapping with the "chosen one" character — this similarity may be intentional or not.

* Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
* Gandalf in the 1957 book The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
* The Doctor in the Doctor Who television series
* Spock in the Star Trek television and film series
* Neo in The Matrix film series
* Harry Potter in the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling

Chuck Cunningham

The opposite of the Cousin Oliver character: a secondary or minor character — usually a sibling of one of the main characters — who, when a breakout character emerges from a continuing series, quickly disappears without any notice nor explanation (retconned out of existence) and from then onward is never acknowledged as having ever existed. Named after the character in Happy Days, who disappeared shortly after Gavan O'Herlihy left the series after one season.[19] Notably, this is distinct from the phenomenon of killing off a character or sending them away, in such cases the character is still recognized in the fictional universe but is no longer present.

* Harold Hamgravy in the 1920s Thimble Theatre cartoon strip
* Shermy in the 1950s Peanuts cartoon strip
* Judy Winslow, played by Jaimee Foxworth, in the 1990s American television sitcom series Family Matters
* Mandy Hampton, played by Moira Kelly, in the 2000s American television political drama series The West Wing — a lead character was dropped at the end of the 1st season without any further mention, so coining the term "going to Mandyville" for this
* Sparky in the animated American television sitcom series The Fairly OddParents

Competent man

A character who exhibits a very wide range of abilities and knowledge, making him a form of polymath. The competent man, more often than not, is written without explaining how he achieved his wide range of skills and abilities. John W. Campbell set out the idea of "competent man" who can deal with any challenges. Despite the use of "man" in the name, there are female examples. Critics may view some examples of this stock character to be too perfect or competent (or competent in a way that is not supported by the story), and they may pejoratively label them as a "Mary Sue/ Marty Stu" stock character. While not the first to use such a character type, the heroes and heroines of Robert A. Heinlein's fiction generally have a wide range of abilities and so this character may be called a "Heinleinian hero".

* Lazarus Long and Jubal Harshaw in books by Robert A. Heinlein
* British secret agent James Bond can shoot any handgun or rifle and pilot a boat, submarine, helicopter, or plane and he also knows multiple languages, reads scientific papers, and knows upper class social etiquette for fine dining.
* Secret agent Angus MacGyver has a genius-level intellect, proficiency in multiple languages, superb engineering skills, excellent knowledge of applied physics, military training in bomb disposal. He can use everyday materials to create DIY methods to escape or solve problems.

Con artist

A person who tricks people out of money by gaining, and then betraying, their confidence.

* Artful Dodger in the 1838 book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
* Del Boy in 1980s BBC television sitcom series Only Fools and Horses
* The King and the Duke in the book series of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Conscience

A character, often supernatural or fable-like, who provides moral guidance and advice to the protagonist. This may be a "shoulder angel" (or "shoulder devil"), a character visible only to the protagonist who whispers advice to them.

* Jiminy Cricket in the 1883 book Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
* Angel Clarence in the 1947 film It's a Wonderful Life
* Old Georgie, played by Hugo Weaving, gives advice to Zachry (Tom Hanks) in the 2012 film Cloud Atlas

Contender  | A competitive, scrappy underdog who is driven to keep trying to win despite obstacles and poor odds. |

* Rocky Balboa in the Rocky film series
* Lightning McQueen in the Cars film series from Pixar Animation Studios
* Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid film series

Corrupt cop / dirty cop  | A law enforcement officer who betrays their vows to uphold the law and who commits crimes for personal gain, such as taking bribes or selling illegal drugs, sometimes directly working for the gangsters they are supposed to be arresting. The "dirty cop" differs from the "cowboy cop" who bends the rules to catch the bad guys because the corrupt officer breaks the rules for personal profit. A dirty cop often lives a luxurious lifestyle far beyond what their police paycheck could cover, due to bribes and they will betray fellow officers and use them as pawns in their corrupt activities. There are two types: obviously dirty cops who make little or no attempt to conceal their illegal activities, and "wolves in sheep's clothing" who may be outwardly respectable, decorated officers who have a hidden drug addiction or criminal enterprise.  |

* In the movie American Gangster (2007), Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) resells illegal narcotics that he confiscates and extorts a drug kingpin.

* In the movies Bad Lieutenant (1992) and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), a corrupt cop (Harvey Keitel and Nicolas Cage, respectively) engages in numerous illegal vices and uses criminal activities to pay his gambling debts and buy drugs.

* In Internal Affairs (1990) police officer Dennis Peck (Richard Gere) pretends to be a good cop to throw suspicion away from his murderous schemes.

* In Cop Land (1997), police lieutenant Ray Donlan (Harvey Keitel) is the head of a group of corrupt cops who run a drug trafficking scheme.

* In James Ellroy’s L.A. Confidential Police Captain Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) is an outwardly respected cop who is secretly corrupt and trying to take over the local Los Angeles mob.

* In Leon: The Professional (1994) DEA agent Norman Stansfield (Gary Oldman) runs an anti-drug squad, but he secretly sells drugs that he confiscates and ruthlessly kills any witnesses.

Corydon | A Corydon is a stock character for a herdsman in ancient Greek pastoral poems and fables and in much later European literature. The Corydon character may be portrayed as amorous or cowardly.  |

* A Corydon character is in the fourth Idyll of the Syracusan poet Theocritus (c.300 – c.250 BCE)
* A goatherd character named Corydon who is in love with another man, Alexis, in the second of Virgil's Eclogues
* A Corydon character is in Ecologues by Calpurnius Siculus, who may be an author surrogate
* Daphnis, the goatherd protagonist of the 2nd century CE Greek pastoral romance novel Daphnis and Chloe by Longus
* A cowardly shepherd named Corydon, who is afraid to help Pastorell when she is being pursued by a tiger, in Book VI, Canto X of The Faerie Queen by Edmund Spenser

Cousin Oliver | A young child who joins the cast of an ongoing series (usually a sitcom) after the previous younger characters have grown older and can no longer provide the comic plot lines they used to as child actors. Named after a character added in the final episodes of The Brady Bunch, after the youngest Brady stepsiblings had grown into preteens. |

* Nicky and Alex Katsopolis in Full House television series
* Ricky Segall in The Partridge Family television series
* Scrappy-Doo in Scooby-Doo television series. Scrappy-Doo was notably both a Cousin Oliver and a Chuck Cunningham, in that he was retconned out of the Scooby-Doo franchise nine years after his introduction.
* Dawn Summers, played by Michelle Trachtenberg, the younger sister of Buffy the Vampire Slayer created in 2000's, season 5

Crone

A misogynistic rendering of a cruel, withered old woman, often with occult or witch-like powers of prophecy. See: Witch

Cultured villain  | This stock character is intelligent, highly educated (either at a university or by being an autodidact), knowledgeable about arts, culture and music, and has impeccable manners. Despite this sophisticated and refined presentation, they are immoral villains who plan and execute reprehensible crimes.  |

* James Bond series villains are often refined, cultured, and murderous. For example, Dr. No loves fine paintings; Auric Goldfinger is into interior design and decor; Ernst Stavro Blofeld is cultured and treasures his aristocratic title; and Stromberg loves interior design, architecture and Bach.
* In The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Lecter is well-educated, making references in conversation to Shakespeare to Marcus Aurelius, and he loves classical music and fine wines. Despite this seeming refinement, he is a cannibalistic serial killer.
* Hans Gruber from Die Hard appears to be a well-educated, fashionably dressed, multilingual businessman. In fact, he is a ruthless heist planner and leader who executes a hostage in cold blood.
* Magneto in Ultimate X-Men (2001), has a deep appreciation for great works of art, which he tries to steal and hoard, but at the same time, he is planning to destroy all of the people on Earth.
* The wealthy investment banker Patrick Bateman from American Psycho has refined tastes in designer clothing, hi-fi systems, and fine dining, but this hides his secret life as a cannibalistic serial killer.
* The High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 appears to be a kind, enlightened being who loves art and music, but this hides his true nature: someone willing to kill an entire world that he feels is imperfect.
* In Apocalypse Now, Colonel Kurtz is a well-spoken Harvard graduate who loves poetry and literature. Despite his eloquent persona, he is leading a private army in unauthorized, murderous attacks.

Curmudgeon / Malcontent / Misanthrope

A ancient stereotyped character, who is usually an unhappy outsider, but always dissatisfied, observed in Classical theatre that went on to often appear in early modern drama. They observe and comment on the action, and are sometimes metafictionally aware that they are in a play. Usually, but not always, portrayed as a male middle-aged or elderly who outwardly is bitter, argumentative, and politically incorrect. The curmudgeon usually has more sympathetic traits that are revealed over the course of a work of fiction.

See also: Angry black woman

See also: Angry white male

* Knemon, the eponymous protagonist in the Ancient Greek comedy of 316 BCE Dyskolos ("The Curmudgeon" / "The Misanthrope") by Menander
* Hamlet in the 1600 eponymous play by William Shakespeare
* Malevole in the 1603 play The Malcontent by John Marston
* Vindice in the 1606 play The Revenger's Tragedy by Thomas Middleton (disputed)
* Bosola in the 1612 play The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster*eponymous protagonist in the 1666 comedy of manners The Misanthrope by Molière in a reworking of Menander's Dyskolos
* The Grinch in the 1957 book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr Seuss
* Alf Garnett, played by Warren Mitchell in a career-defining role from the 1960s to the 1980s, in the BBC television sitcom series Till Death Us Do Part and the follow-on series Till Death... and In Sickness and in Health
* Daisy Werthan, played by Jessica Tandy, in the 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy

Cyborg | A cyborg is a living organism that has restored function or enhanced abilities due to the integration of some artificial component or technology that relies on feedback such as: prostheses, artificial organs, implants or, in some cases, wearable technology.[20][21] A cyborg has both organic and biomechatronic body parts which may give it enhanced abilities.[21] |

* Tin Woodman in the L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)[22]
* Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader from the Star Wars series (1977)
* T-800 from the film The Terminator (1984)
* Alex Murphy / RoboCop from the RoboCop series
* Cyborg from DC Comics

## D

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
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Damsel in distress

A beautiful young lady who needs to be rescued from kidnapping or other peril by a brave hero. Critics have linked the helplessness of these stock characters to societal views that women as a group need to be taken protected by men. Throughout the history of the trope, the role of the woman as the victim in need of a male savior has remained constant, but her attackers have changed to suit the tastes and collective fears of the period. In fairy tales, a princess needs to be rescued from evil tyrants or monsters, traditionally from dragons. In contemporary 20th and 21st century films, the threat is more likely to come from criminals or terrorists.

* Disney princesses of the mid-20th century
* Daphne Blake in the animated American television sitcom series Scooby-Doo
* Andromeda from in the 1981 film Clash of the Titans
* Princess Peach in the Super Mario video-game series
* Princess Zelda in The Legend of Zelda video-game series

Dandy

A good-looking, well-off, foppish young man, more interested in fashion and leisure than business and politics, who is prominent in Regency period and Victorian literature of English and French languages. Affluent, flamboyant dandies of the mid-nineteenth century whe spend their days strolling the boulevards may also be called flâneurs.

* Henry Pelham in the 1828 book Pelham: or, The Adventures of a Gentleman by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
* Henri de Marsay in the 1835 novella La Fille aux yeux d'or (English: "The Girl with the Golden Eyes") by Honoré de Balzac
* Dorian Gray in Oscar Wilde's titular book
* Sir Percival Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel book series by Baroness Orczy

Dark lady

A beautiful and aristocratic woman whose dark, mysterious, and inscrutable personality makes her seem alluring. She could be an antagonistic character if her temperament is malicious or cruel. Her darkness is either literally, in the sense she has a colored skin, or in a metaphorical sense, in that she is a tragic, doomed figure. This stock character in the United States is pejoratively sometimes called the tragic mulatto, otherwise the Hispanic or Latin lady / lover stereotype. Some scholars have called this — and the male equivalent, Don Juan — the only two positive Hispanic stock characters.[23][24]

* Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare's tragic history play Macbeth
* Dolores Del Rio played various stereotyped roles in films such as Flying Down to Rio (1933) and In Caliente (1936)
* Miss Trunchbull in the comic book Matilda by Roald Dahl
* Annie Wilkes in the book Misery by Stephen King

Dark Lord

An evil and all-powerful sorcerer, who is though, often wounded, still powerful enough to defile the land. The character may just be a symbol of evil with little backstory or explanation of motivation, except for solely wanting power and dominion over the world — a Devil archetype.

* Morgoth, and then later his lieutenant Sauron, first epitomised this character in the series of books of Middle-Earth by J.R.R. Tolkien
* The Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader in the film series Star Wars [25]
* Lord Foul / a-Jeroth of the Seven Hells in The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant book series by Stephen R. Donaldson
* Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling
* Thanos in the Marvel Comics

Dastardly Whiplash

A classic villain archetype from the silent film era, who will tie a maiden to train tracks or burn down an orphanage as part of their schemes, all while twirling their long handlebar moustache. They have over-the-top personalities.

* Simon Legree in the book Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
* Dick Dastardly in the Wacky Races and the spin-off Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines Hanna-Barbera animated television series

Diva / Prima Donna

These stock characters depict celebrated performing artists such as singers or actresses who have impressive skills but demanding, difficult personalities. The two terms describe a similar character, although “Diva” may have more positive connotations and “Prima Donna” tends to be associated with artists who have a “queen bee” attitude, and who make huge demands for special treatment and have heated debates with the director on artistic issues. They are hostile to rivals and ignore the fans and hoi polloi who wait outside their luxurious dressing rooms. While mainly associated with performing arts, the terms may also be applied to successful people and leaders in other fields. While both terms have female origins, they can be applied to women or men.

* In The Phantom of the Opera, Carlotta, who sings a song called "Prima Donna", is upset over getting a minor performing role in a production.
* In Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), the lead performer Mike Shiner resists taking instructions from the Director and has a temper tantrum.
* In Sunset Boulevard, Norma Desmond is an aging former movie star who lives in a fantasy world and dreams that fans are still anxiously awaiting her next big film.
* In Glee, Rachel is one of the best singers in her school Glee Club, but she starts to think she is as good as top professionals and she becomes conceited and egotistical.
* In The Muppets, Miss Piggy craves attention, uses French phrases to impress people and dreams of superstardom.
* In Spamalot, the Lady of the Lake is portrayed as a needy diva. She sings “The Diva's Lament”, in which she bemoans her insufficient time in starring roles.

Donor |

A supernatural being in fairy tales and fantasy literature who helps the protagonist or tests them. The fairy godmother is a classic example in fairy tales.

* The Fairy Godmother in the Cinderella tale by Charles Perrault
* The Genie in the Aladdin tale, as well as pantomimes and films
* Cosmo and Wanda in the animated US television series The Fairly OddParents

Domestic servant (Black)

Black people in US books and films are often depicted as domestic servants, due to the extensive history of slavery. The common stereotypical depiction of these roles has little or no characterization or character development beyond the functionary role. The pejorative Mammy stereotype is a subcategory.

* Beulah, the titular lead in the novel by Augusta Wilson
* Mammy, played by Oscar-winning Hattie McDaniel; Pork, played by Oscar Polk; and Prissy, played by Butterfly McQueen in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind
* Hoke Colburn, played by Morgan Freeman, and Idella, played by Esther Rolle, in the 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy
* The Help book of 2009 by Kathryn Stockett and its 2011 film adaptation The Help worked to redress this stock character's role in fiction.

Doppelgänger

A character that usually very closely resembles, but with a malevolent or diversely contrasting temperament, who is not necessarily related to another benevolent character in the same fictional universe and may come from a parallel universe. Usually, they are portrayed on screen by the same actor in a dual role

See also: Evil twin

* Bizarro in DC Comics
* Mirror Universe characters in the Star Trek television and film series
* Katherine Pierce in The Vampire Diaries television series

Dragon Lady

In the United States, a stereotype of East Asian, (sometimes South Asian and Southeast Asian women, as well), as strong, deceitful, domineering, or mysterious.[26] It is a variant of the Dark lady archetype. The term's origin and usage arose in America during the late 19th century. This ethnic stereotype may negatively depict women as promiscuous, deceptive femme fatales.

* Anna May Wong's role of the princess in the 1931 film Daughter of the Dragon[27]
* Lucy Liu's roles in Charlie's Angels, Kill Bill, and Payback
* Wai Lin in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies
* Ming Lee, voiced by Sandra Oh in the 2022 Pixar film Turning Red

Drill sergeant

The staff sergeant, gunnery sergeant, or warrant officer in charge of instructing incoming military recruits in basic training. They are strict, demanding leaders who are either loved or hated; good drill sergeants earn respect of their recruits when the training and discipline they impart ends up saving lives, while bad or sadistic drill sergeants may be reviled or even fragged.[28]

* Sgt Snorkel in the comic strip from the 1950s Beetle Bailey
* William Hartnell's role of the titular Sgt Grimshaw in the first of the 31 Carry On films, Carry on Sergeant
* Battery Sergeant Major Tudor Bryn "Shut Up" Williams played by Windsor Davies in the 1970s BBC television sitcom series It Ain't Half Hot Mum
* Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman
* Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey) in the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket[28]
* Damon Wayans's titular role in the 1995 film Major Payne
* Herbert Sobel in the American television series Band of Brothers

Dumb blonde | See Bimbo

## E

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

El bandido /Greaser | This pejorative stereotype of a Mexican bandit was established early and common in silent era Western films. It depicted the characters as missing teeth, being poorly groomed (unshaven, unwashed hair), unintelligent, and as having a violent, treacherous, and emotionally impulsive disposition.[24] |

* The villain in Bronco Billy and the Greaser (1914)
* El Guapo and his band of bandits in ¡Three Amigos! 1986 American Western comedy film

Elderly martial arts master | A wise old figure who mentors the young disciple in his ancient craft. Typically an East Asian male, he is a near-invincible master of the martial arts, despite being advanced in age and presumably having a decrease in physical strength. Often he possesses the rank of sensei and is referred to as such by his student. The elderly master most often teaches either generic kung fu or an exotic style specific to the fictional period. During the films, the master often becomes close with his students, with the master becoming a guardian figure to the trainees, who are, in turn, looked upon as the master's children. |

* Yoda in the film series Star Wars
* Mr Miyagi in the film series The Karate Kid
* Splinter in the animated television series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
* Mr Lee in the film Sidekicks
* Kutang Pan in Kapitan Bomba
* Ra's al Ghul in the DC Comics

Everyman | An ordinary, humble individual, the Everyman may be a stand-in for the audience, narrator, or reader. |

* Homer Simpson in the animated television sitcom series The Simpsons
* Al Bundy from the American sitcom Married... with Children
* Dr Watson in the book, film, and television series of Sherlock Holmes
* Jonathan Harker in the 1897 book Dracula by Bram Stoker

Evil clown | Violent, malevolent beings that ironically resemble clowns. This stock character is a subversion of the traditional comic clown character, in which the playful trope is instead depicted in a more disturbing nature through the use of horror elements and dark humor. The character can be seen as playing on the sense of unease felt by sufferers of coulrophobia, the fear of clowns. |

* Art the Clown in the film series Terrifier
* Joker from the DC Comics.
* Pennywise the Clown in Stephen King's book It.

Evil twin | A malevolent character that resembles and is usually related to — most commonly a literal twin of — another, benevolent, character in the same universe; usually portrayed by the same actor in a dual role. |

* Adam Chandler in the television series All My Children
* Phoebe Buffet's twin sister Ursula, both played by Lisa Kudrow in the television sitcom series Friends
* Alex Drake in the television series Pretty Little Liars
* Cassandra Nova in the X-Men comic books

## F

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

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|

Fall guy |

Typically a minor or side character — may be a total innocent or a petty criminal — ignorant of their role in the villain's larger plot, who is duped and "framed" or "fitted up" to "carry the can" as the scapegoat, when the police arrive, to be called to account for a crime in court. The term "fall guy" for one whom blame is directed upon to shield other more important people in a scandal had appeared in mass public culture in the US at least by the 1920s. In 1925, it was the title of a Broadway comic play turned into a film in 1930, The Fall Guy, by James Gleason and George Abbott.

Separately, in the film industry, the term is used for a stuntman — the person who takes the fall instead of a leading actor, too valuable to put at risk.

* Johnny Quinlan, played by Jack Mulhall, the protagonist duped in the 1930 comedy film, The Fall Guy
* Wilmer Cook, a petty criminal and gunman, in Dashiell Hammett's 1930 hardboiled detective book The Maltese Falcon, played by Elisha Cook Jr. in the 1941 film
* Biff in the 1941 romantic comedy film The Strawberry Blonde
* Colt Seavers, a stuntman played by Lee Majors, in the 1980s US television action series The Fall Guy

Farmer's daughter |

A desirable, wholesome, and naive young woman, also described as being an "open-air type" and "public-spirited".[29][30]

* Elly May Clampett in the television sitcom series The Clampetts
* Bradley Sisters in the television sitcom series Petticoat Junction
* Mary Ann Summers in the television sitcom series Gilligan's Island
* Daisy Duke in the television series The Dukes of Hazard
* Daisy Mae Yokum in the comic strip Li'l Abner

Farmer's wife  |

The "long-suffering farmer's wife" is a foil against the leading characters, used as a contrast to the other female stock characters — the "hooker with a heart of gold" and the "schoolma'am" — and is common in Western films.[31] John Steinbeck, in his 1937 book Of Mice and Men, has Curley's wife, who is never named, which shows that she is just a stock character to emphasize this point.

* Mrs Hale in the 1916 play Trifles
* Grace Archer, Jill Archer, Peggy Woolley, and Clarrie Grundy in the BBC radio series The Archers running since 1950s

Female clown (Hispanic)  |

Also called a "Latin Spitfire" or "Mexican Spitfire", in this stereotype, a Hispanic woman's ditzy antics are used to make the audience laugh derisively at her. While she is alluring, her value as a full character is blunted by her comic treatment. This is the female version of the Male buffoon (Hispanic).[24]

* Carmen Miranda, noted for her extravagant head-wear.
* Lupe Vélez notably in the eight-film Mexican Spitfire series that gave its name to the stock character

Femme fatale |

An almost obligatory character who is integral in Film Noir, she is an antagonist originally appearing as a beautiful and alluring woman who is also cunning, deceptive, and traitorous. She may originally appear as a damsel in distress, but then she draws men into a honey trap, and may be motivated by money, power, revenge, and/or status.

* Salome, granddaughter of Herod the Great in the New Testament of the Bible
* Ruth Wonderly in the 1930 book The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
* Phyllis Dietrichson in the 1944 film Double Indemnity
* Catherine Tramell in the 1992 film Basic Instinct
* Bridget Gregory in the 1994 neo-noir film The Last Seduction
* Poison Ivy in DC Comics

Ferryman  | They are guides who are paid to transport characters in a vessel to get them to a hard-to-reach destination. In mythological or fantasy stories, the destination may be underworld, purgatory or a similar mystical realm. In some stories, there may not be mythological aspects and the character may secretly transport people or cargo to a very hard to reach destination or help people secretly leave an area controlled by the enemy. They may offer passage in some type of vessel (boat, flying craft, spaceship), or via magical or fantastic methods (teleportation, portals, or dream travel). The passengers typically pay the ferryman or guide. In mythological stories, gold coins on the eyes of the deceased or completion of a ritual or obligation may be required. In myths, they may act as a Deus ex machina.  |

* In Greek mythology, Charon is a psychopomp, the ferryman of the Greek underworld. He carries the souls of those who have been given funeral rites across the rivers Acheron and Styx, which separate the worlds of the living and the dead.

* Aqen was an ancient Egyptian deity of the underworld. He is first mentioned in the famous Book of the Dead. There, he guided the sun god Ra as the "protector of Ra's celestial bark" (a boat) by "bringing the shen-ring to his majesty".
* Heimdall from Thor
* In A New Hope, smuggler and pilot-for-hire Han Solo transports Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan in the Millennium Falcon on the dangerous trip to the planet Alderaan for a large fee.

Figaro |

The French polymath playwright Pierre Beaumarchais created the comic character of Figaro who plays the role of a barber who has become a cunning, scheming, insubordinate gentleman's valet across a satirical trilogy of plays — Le Barbier de Séville of 1772, Le Mariage de Figaro of 1778, and L'Autre Tartuffe ou La Mère coupable (The Guilty Mother) of 1792. The character is inspired by the commedia dell'arte stock character of Brighella,[32] and like his predecessor he is a clever liar; moral and yet unscrupulous; good humored, helpful and brave, though somewhat embittered and cynical. Though he is normally calm, collected and intelligent, he can be irrational when angered. Given that the Figaro character tries so protect his wife from the romantic advances of his aristocratic master, the Figaro character is viewed as a fighter for freedom from tyranny, and as a result, some governments censored works about Figaro. Beaumarchais, may have created the Figaro character as an author surrogate for The Barber of Seville, as the playwright served time in jail for insubordination to the nobility.

Beaumarchais's character appears in four opera adaptations of his plays:

* Giovanni Paisiello's The Barber of Seville of 1782
* Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro of 1786
* Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville of 1816
* Darius Milhaud's La Mère coupable of 1966

Final girl |

A "last woman standing" from a group left in a horror (slasher) film after a serial killer or monster has eliminated her companions.

* Mina Harker in the 1897 book Dracula by Bram Stoker
* Jess Bradford as the original model in the 1974 film Black Christmas[33]
* Kelli Presley in the 2006 remake film Black Christmas[34]
* Sally Hardesty in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series
* Laurie Strode in the Halloween film series
* Sidney Prescott in the Scream film series
* Abby Mills in the American television series Harper's Island

Flying ace / fighter pilot ace / air ace / ace pilot / daredevil pilot /starfighter pilot  |

The advent of aviation spawned a genre of adventure stories in which the skilled pilot was the natural hero. Traits often attributed to the ace in war films are "boisterousness, camaraderie, stoicism and [perceived] omnipotence".[35] In science fiction, this stock character is a "starfighter ace pilot."

* Aircraft - books and comics:
* Biggles in the eponymous series of adventure books by W.E. Johns of the early 20th century
* Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond in the eponymous series of adventure books by Sapper of the early 20th century
* Hop Harrigan in the 1940s All-American Publications comics
* Carol Danvers in Marvel Comics
* Aircraft - films:
* Geoff Carter played by Cary Grant in Howard Hawks's 1939 film Only Angels Have Wings
* Flying Tigers
* God Is My Co-Pilot[36]
* Maverick in the Top Gun film series[28][35]
* Starfighter ace pilots:
* Luke Skywalker, Poe Dameron and Han Solo from Star Wars
* Tom Paris from Star Trek: Voyager
* Hoban "Wash" Washburne from Firefly

Foil |

A character, especially in a double act, who is in most respects the opposite of the protagonist or straight man. The contrast between a character and their foil allows each characters' traits to be highlighted.

* Lou Costello in the Abbott and Costello film series
* Lucy Ricardo in the American television sitcom series I Love Lucy
* Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling

Folk hero |

A character whose heroic acts are left behind in their people's consciousness, often centuries after their death.

See: List of folk heroes

Fool |

A court jester who made the king and nobles laugh by telling rhyming jokes and riddles, and by doing physical feats like juggling. Jesters could criticise nobility at court and make fun of royal decisions, as long as the criticism was hidden amidst witty wordplay and riddles. Shakespeare used the fool as a main character so that he could have a character who could speak truthfully, even to a powerful king. This character often appear as either a simpleton or the opposite, (who only pretend to be simple as a ruse), with a very few falling in between.

* Simpleton fools:
* Nick Bottom in the play A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
* Costard in the play Love's Labours Lost by William Shakespeare
* Dogberry in the play Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
* Ivan the Fool in Russian folklore
* Wise fools:
* Feste in the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
* The Wise Men of Gotham
* The Fool in the 1988 book Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

Fop |

A pejorative character in English literature and especially comic drama, as well as satirical prints, the fop is a foolish "man of fashion" who overdresses, aspires to wit, and puts on airs. He may also overdo being fashionably Gallic by wearing French clothes and using French words. The fop may aspire to a higher social station than others think he has. He may be somewhat effeminate, although this rarely affects his pursuit of an heiress.

* Sir Fopling Flutter in George Etherege's 1676 play The Man of Mode, Sir Fopling Flutter
* Sir Novelty Fashion in Colley Cibber's 1696 play Love's Last Shift
* Lord Foppington in John Vanbrugh's 1696 play The Relapse

French maid |

A stylized, over-sexualized, flirtatious domestic servant with a distinctive black uniform with white lace and apron. Her uniform may range from a conservative knee-length skirt in more realistic period pieces to a short skirt, stockings, and garters in more fantasy-oriented depictions. She may use a feather duster. She is a version of the cheeky, saucy soubrette character.

* Magenta in the play and film musical of the mid-1970s The Rocky Horror Show
* Madamoiselle in the 1943 film Heaven Can Wait
* Young Moira O'Hara in the television series American Horror Story: Murder House

## G

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Gangster's moll

In film noir movies about crime, the gangster's moll is usually an attractive, blonde — often a variant of the bimbo stereotype — who may be a former showgirl. The gangster often uses the moll as a "trophy" to boost his status. She may also be called a "gun moll". "Gun" was British slang for "thief", derived from Yiddish ganef [37] and "moll" is also used as a euphemism for a woman prostitute.[38]

* Gwen Allen and Mamie, played by Jean Harlow and Joan Blondell, in the 1931 film The Public Enemy
* Hilda, played by Joan Bennett, in the 1939 film The Housekeeper's Daughter

Gay best friend

Beginning in the 1980s, screenwriters of romantic comedy films and television dramas set in high schools added the "gay best friend" stock character. Typically, this comedic character type has elicited controversy in the gay community, because while they have introduced "...queer storylines to mainstream audiences," they have also entrenched a stereotype that gay men's only "interests are makeovers, shopping and drama".[39] In addition, "gay best friend" characters tend to be sidelined into the role of giving relationship and fashion advice, with their character rarely having any depth or development. It has a parallel in the black best friend

* Tim, played by Nathan Lane, in the 1991 romantic comedy film Frankie and Johnny
* Damian Leigh, played by Daniel Franzese, in the 2004 teen comedy film Mean Girls
* Brent Van Camp (played by Paul Iacono) is a gay, but closeted teenage high school student in the 2013 comedy film G.B.F.
* Kurt Hummel in the American television musical drama series Glee
* William Clockwell in the American television superhero drama series Invincible

Geek

Originally, a nameless demented side-show freak, with depraved habits — such as biting the heads of small animals — to draw in crowds, and who is usually tied to drug addiction, typically alcohol in Prohibition-era U.S. as shown in the 1947 Film Noir classic Nightmare Alley.

Now, typically an eccentric or non-mainstream person who is an enthusiast obsessed with an unusual hobby — such as an anorak-wearing trainspotter — or odd intellectual pursuit. It has a general pejorative meaning of a "peculiar person, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, boring, or socially awkward".[40] This stock character heavily overlaps and is used interchangeably with the nerd stereotype, but the geek may be depicted still in a more negative fashion.

* "The Geek" in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles
* Dr. Egon Spengler in the American film series Ghostbusters
* Dr. Emmett Brown in the 1980s film series Back to the Future
* Sheldon Cooper in the American television sitcom series The Big Bang Theory

Gentle giant

A folklore figure who, despite the huge size and enormous strength, has a kind nature and sometimes is also soft-hearted.

Further information: Giants (Greek mythology)

.  |

* The eponymous giant at the tale's end in the 1988 short story The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
* Yukon Cornelius, in the 1964 American television Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
* Fezzik in the 1973 novel The Princess Bride by William Goldman
* Kronk in the 2000 Disney film The Emperor's New Groove
* Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling, and portrayed by Robbie Coltrane in the film adaptations

Gentleman thief

A sophisticated and elegant thief of the fin-de-siècle to the early 20th century. He has impeccable manners, courteousness, and charm, who typically tries to avoid violence by using deception, stealth, and his wits to steal. He goes for the thrill of the larcenous act itself, as well as to gain material wealth. This is often combined with correcting a moral wrong, selecting wealthy targets, or stealing only particularly rare or challenging objects. He is fairly similar to the confidence trickster. The female counterpart is typically referred to as a "lady thief".

* A.J. Raffles in the eponymous book series by E.W. Hornung
* Arsène Lupin in the eponymous book series by Maurice Leblanc
* Kaito Kuroba in the manga series Magic Kaito
* Sly Cooper of the eponymous video game

Ghost

A widely used character used since ancient times appearing in myths and legends of prehistory from around the world.

Ghost stories take as a premise the possibility of supernatural entity characters who are dead, but which can still communicate or characters' belief in these entities.[41][42] The ghost may appear of its own accord or be summoned by magic or by inciting events or triggers. Linked to the ghost is the idea of a haunting, where a supernatural entity is tied to a place, object, or person.[41] Ghost stories are commonly examples of ghostlore and they appear in supernatural fiction, weird fiction, and horror stories.

Originally, ghosts appeared in the narrative as sentinels, portents of doom, or prophets of things to come. From this, they went on deliver a morality tales and were common among Christmas stories, popularised by the many short stories of Sheridan le Fanu and M.R. James. From the first Gothic horror / romance stories The Castle of Otranto of 1764 by Horace Walpole, they were a staple, with the rise of scary ghost characters, while comic forms have also developed in the 20th century.

Literature and theatre:

* The spirits of the blind prophet Tiresias, Ajax the Great, and Anticleia encountered in Hades's realm by Odysseus and his crew in the epic poem Odyssey
* The ghost of Don Andrea and a ghost who is an embodiment of Revenge in the late 16th-century play The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd
* The ghost of the old king in the 1600 play Hamlet by William Shakespeare
* Ghosts in Richard III by Shakespeare
* The murdered Banquo's ghost in Macbeth by Shakespeare
* The Headless Horseman in the 1820 short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
* The Ghosts of Christmas that help Ebenezer Scrooge see the error of his ways in the 1843 novel A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Films and television shows:

* Elvira Condomine played by Kay Hammond in David Lean's 1945 film of Noël Coward's 1941 play Blithe Spirit and the 2020 film remake
* Capt Daniel Gregg played by Rex Harrison in the 1947 film The Ghost and Mrs Muir
* [who?] in the 1963 film The Haunting based on the 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House
* The vengeful ghosts of Captain Blake and his crew, who were deliberately shipwrecked, in the 1980 film The Fog
* Slimer in the 1980s Ghostbusters films
* Freddy Krueger in the 1980s film series A Nightmare on Elm Street
* Shoeless Joe in the 1989 American film Field of Dreams based on the 1982 book Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella
* [who?] in the 1990 American film Ghost
* Casper the Friendly Ghost, originally popular in cartoon form in the mid-20th century and latterly in the 1995 film Casper
* Sadako Yamamura in the 1998 Japanese film Ring
* Malcolm Crowe in the 1999 film The Sixth Sense
* Enola Sciotti, Margaret McDermott, and Pamela Upton, all played by Javier Botet, and Mrs Cushing and Lady Sharpe, both played by Doug Jones, in the 2015 Gothic romance film Crimson Peak by Guillermo del Toro

Girl next door

A sweet, innocent young woman with a wholesome demeanor who lives in the same neighborhood as the protagonist, so they know each other as childhood friends. While she is reasonably attractive, the key factor in her appeal is her wholesome character and the lifelong connection to a small town or rural area, which may be contrasted with the different allure of more glamorous, cosmopolitan female characters.

* Rachel Green in the 1990s American television sitcom series Friends
* Carrie Bradshaw in the turn-of-the-millennium American television series Sex and the City
* Bridget Jones in the 1990s newspaper column of The Independent and subsequent 1996 novel Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
* Leni Loud in the 2010s American television sitcom series The Loud House

Golden child  |

In stories about a family or other settings with a mother and / or father figures, then the "golden child" is a child (including a grown-up child), or a subordinate member of a group, who is praised as the "perfect one" / "apple of the parents' eyes", protected from criticism, while their siblings, (or their equivalents), are unnoticed for their achievements and subject to significant chastisement. While this child benefits from positive attention and favoritism, so may become entitled, they are also under a lot of pressure to live up to the parents' expectations.[43]

The child archetype is a Jungian the "divine child" archetype).[44][45] The opposite character is the "whipping boy", who is seen as the person who cannot do anything right, who is blamed for the family's (or organization's) problems and who gets minimum attention and resources.[46]

* Princess Ann, played by Audrey Hepburn — the young heir apparent, placed her on a pedestal by her family as the golden child, leaving her feeling stifled by the pressure to be perfect — in the 1953 film Roman Holiday.
* Jesse Conrad — believed to be the tulku or reborn great Buddhist teacher by Bhutanese monks — in the 1993 film Little Buddha
* The Dursley's biological son Dudley is the golden child, whereas the nephew, Harry Potter, serves as the whipping boy in the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling
* The titular character Ray is the golden child, favored by his mother, while his older brother Robert is the ignored scapegoat of the family, in the American television sitcom series Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005)

Gracioso

A stock character, popular in 17th-century Spanish literature, who is comically and shockingly vulgar.

* Clarín, the clown in the 1636 play Life is a dream by Pedro Calderón de la Barca

Examples of similar characters in Anglophone culture include:

* Bubbles in the television series Trailer Park Boys
* Wheeler Walker, Jr., the country musician alter ego of Benjamin Isaac Hoffman
* the stand-up persona of Bob Saget

Grande dame / Dowager

A haughty, flamboyant, and elegant woman of the upper classes, prone to extravagant and eccentric fashion — from the French for "great lady". She is a stereotype of an elderly aristocratic widow / high society socialite.[47][48][49][50]

* Lady Bracknell in 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
* Princess Dragomiroff in the 1934 Hercule Poirot crime novel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
* Lady Constance in the 2001 film Gosford Park by Julian Fellowes

Greaser

A caricature of working-class 1950s American urban youth, with a "tough guy" or "cool" demeanor, usually seen wearing a black leather biker jacket, white t-shirt, blue jeans, and (pertinently) a slick hairdo with generous amounts of pomade. He often has a thick Northeastern ethnic accent hoarse from cigarette smoking, with a love of rock and roll, along with customizing and racing motorcycles or hot rods. The British equivalent is the "rocker".

* Danny Zuko in the 1971 musical Grease
* Arthur Fonzarelli in the 1970s US television sitcom series Happy Days
* Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker in the 1990 film Cry-Baby
* Billy Nolan in the 1974 horror novel Carrie by Stephen King and the film adaptations

Grotesque

A deformed or disabled person whose appearance scares strangers or inspires pity, and who may be mistreated. The grotesque is a tragic figure.

* The unnamed monster in the 1818 book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
* Quasimodo in the 1831 book The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo
* Grizabella in the 1981 musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, adapted from the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats of T. S. Eliot
* Ben "The Thing" Grimm in the Fantastic Four by Marvel Comics

Gung ho American[51]

A jingoistic US military character who is overly enthusiastic and unquestioningly convinced about the right-mindedness of his nation's warmongering.[52][53]

* Gung-Ho (G.I. Joe) in the G.I. Joe comic series
* Peacemaker in the DC Extended Universe of comic books

Gypsy

A nomadic character having an irascible or passionate temper paired with an indomitable love of freedom, who lives in traveling caravans, making a living by playing music, juggling, or dancing. They are often shown using mystical powers of fortune telling, associated with sinister occult tendencies,[54] along with criminal cunning and thievery.[55] Romani women have been portrayed as mysterious, gaudy, exotic, and provocatively sexually available.[56]

The "gypsy" stock character is very loosely based upon the Romani people, who were historically and pejoratively known as gypsies. These stereotypical portrayals in popular culture of the Romani are on a par with the racist portrayals of Jewish people, with both groups stereotyped negatively as wandering, spreading disease, abducting children, as well as violating and murdering others.[57]

* Carmen in the eponymous novella by Prosper Mérimée and its opera adaption by Georges Bizet
* Esmeralda in the 1831 book The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo
* Preciosa, the eponymous 15-year-old little gypsy girl of the 1613 book La Gitanilla by Miguel de Cervantes

## H

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Hacker | They are technology experts who can exploit vulnerabilities to get into computer networks, even if they have advanced IT security, including passwords and encryption. In cyberpunk stories and thrillers, they are depicted as rebellious young tech wunderkinds who wear a hoodie, black trenchcoat, and spiked or goth hair, and use multiple computer screens, laptops, electronic devices, and racks of powerful, customized computers to bypass IT system security. They may be benevolent ("white hat hacker") or hacktivist types who help law enforcement or act as Robin Hood-style crusaders for justice; chaos-loving types who like doing pranks on big corporations for the "lulz" (or to show off to the hacker community); or malicious ("black hat hacker") types who hack for the highest bidder, even for criminals or terrorists. Given that they typically engage in illegal acts, they use pseudonyms or "handles" which may use L33tspeak. While they tend to be socially awkward loners, they may also work in a hacker collective where each member has special skills (cryptography, hardware hacking, etc.).  |

* In Neuromancer, Case is former hacker and hustler who is blackmailed back into hacking.
* In Little Brother, Marcus Yallow is a teen hacker who uses the "handle" "w1n5t0n". He is a "white hat" hacker who exposes government wrongdoing.
* In Snow Crash, Hiro Protagonist is a pizza delivery person and freelance hacker who uses his tech skills to explore the metaverse.
* In Ready Player One, a hacker with the "handle" Parzival explores the virtual reality named "Oasis" to find a mysterious Easter egg.
* In the Millennium Trilogy, Lisbeth Salander is a talented hacker (using the handle "Wasp") who uses her skills to fight injustice.
* In The Matrix, Neo is a hacker who uncovers a shocking truth about the world we think we see all around us.
* In Johnny Mnemonic, the eponymous character is a data trafficker who has important data stored in his brain.
* In Inception, Dom Cobb is a hacker who enters people's dreams to implant memories.
* In Murderbot Diaries, a part-cyborg part-humanoid robot security guard hacks its governor module and becomes free from its programmed restrictions.

See also List of fictional hackers.

Halfbreed harlot | This pejorative stereotype of a Mexican prostitute was common in Western films. She is the female counterpart to El bandido, a pejorative stereotype depicting a violent Mexican bandit. The "halfbreed harlot" is a secondary character who is depicted as a lusty nymphomaniac with a hot temper who is a slave to her passions. Filmmakers use the character to serve as a sex object and provide titillation to viewers.[24] |

* Chihuahua, the girlfriend of Doc Holliday in My Darling Clementine (1946)
* Helen Ramirez (played by Katy Jurado), a former prostitute and current mistress to one of the characters in High Noon.
* Santanico Pandemonium (played by Salma Hayek) in From Dusk till Dawn (1996), a horror film about men trapped in a Mexican saloon who have to defend themselves against a horde of vampires.

Hag

A misogynistic rendering of a cruel, withered old woman, often with occult or witch-like powers of prophecy. As a stock character in fairy or folk tale, the hag shares characteristics with the crone, and the two words are sometimes used as if interchangeable. See: Witch

Hardboiled detective

Typically, a police officer or private investigator — often, a one-time officer unjustly cashiered from the force — rendered bitter and cynical by violence and corruption. They are often hard-drinking antiheroes who use questionable tactics. They are usually the protagonist of hardboiled novels and pulp fiction and of film noir crime movies. Derogatory slang terms for the stereotype are:

* Gumshoe
* Private eye or private dick[58]
* Séamus or "shamus" — as very many American police forces recruited heavily from the immigrant Irish community in the late 19th and early 20th century
* 'Tec

* Sam Spade of the private detective book series by Dashiell Hammett
* Philip Marlowe of the private detective book series by Raymond Chandler
* Perry Mason of the detective book series by Erle Stanley Gardner
* John Rebus of the Scottish detective book series by Sir Ian Rankin
* Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch strand of the Discworld book series by Sir Terry Pratchett
* Eddie Ginley portrayed by Albert Finney in the 1971 British black comedy film Gumshoe by Stephen Frears
* New York private detective, Shamus McCoy portrayed by Burt Reynolds in the 1973 film Shamus by Buzz Kulik
* Lt. Vincent Hanna portrayed by Al Pacino in the 1995 film Heat by Michael Mann

Harlequin | A clown or professional fool who pokes fun at others, even the elite. He is a light-hearted, nimble, and astute servant, often acting to thwart the plans of his master, and pursuing his own love interest, Columbina, with wit and resourcefulness, often competing with the sterner and melancholic Pierrot. |

* Till Eulenspiegel
* Gregory Wolfe played by Robert Powell in the 1980 thriller film Harlequin
* Krusty the Clown in the American television animated sitcom series The Simpsons

Hawksian woman | This character archetype of the 1930s → 1950s of a tough-talking, self-possessed, and independent woman — a strong film role with much screentime and character development. This stock character sparked against and vied with the male lead role, often Gary Cooper or Cary Grant — and was popularized in the film noir thrillers and screwball comedy films of director Howard Hawks. The Hawksian woman is up-front and frank in speaking her mind, so keeping up with her male counterparts in quick-talking and witty banter — well able to beat a man in verbal sparring — as well as taking action to get what she wants.[59] The archetype was first identified by film critic Naomi Wise in 1971. This character is broadly related to or synonymous with the femme fatale.  | Actresses who played Hawksian women include:

* Jean Arthur and Rita Hayworth in the 1939 film Only Angels Have Wings
* Lauren Bacall playing opposite Humphrey Bogart in To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep
* Joan Crawford in the 1933 film Today We Live
* Ann Dvorak
* Ava Gardner
* Katharine Hepburn in the 1938 film Bringing Up Baby
* Carole Lombard in the 1934 film Twentieth Century
* Rosalind Russell in the 1940 film His Girl Friday
* Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
* Ann Sheridan in the 1949 film I Was a Male War Bride
* Barbara Stanwyck in the 1941 film Ball of Fire

Hero / heroine  | This stock character bravely faces natural or human threats with feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. The original hero in classical epics did such things for the sake of glory and honor. Post-classical and modern heroes, on the other hand, perform great deeds or selfless acts for the common good or justice instead of the classical goal of wealth, pride, and fame. The antonym is villain.[60] Other terms associated with the concept of hero may include good guy, white hat, superhero and an unconventional subtype, the antihero.  |

There are many types of fictional heroes, including: action hero, Byronic hero, folk hero, Randian hero, reluctant hero, romantic hero, superheros (heroes with superpowers) and tragic hero.

Hispanic maid | A Latina middle-aged servant who works for an American middle class family. Usually, she cannot speak English well, if at all — though sometimes this can be played with, in her abilities being better than her employers' — and is portrayed as being religious and having superstitious beliefs. She is the first person to witness paranormal activities such as ghosts in the house and run away. |

* Rosalita in the 1985 film The Goonies
* Rosario Salazar portrayed by Shelley Morrison in the American television sitcom series Will & Grace
* Consuela in the American television animated sitcom series Family Guy
* Martine in Paranormal Activity 2

Holmesian detective | A masterful police detective or private investigator who is modelled on the fictional 19th-century detective Sherlock Holmes. These characters may emulate his perceptiveness, intelligence, and use of deductive reasoning. |

* Dr. John Thorndyke in the early 20th-century detective novels of R. Austin Freeman, contemporaneous with Holmes
* Hercule Poirot in the early to mid-20th-century detective novels of Agatha Christie
* Detective Columbo as portrayed by Peter Falk in the eponymous 1970s television series
* Shinichi Kudo of the manga series Case Closed by Gosho Aoyama
* Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out Mysteries by Rian Johnson

Hooker with a heart of gold | A prostitute who lives on the fringes of the law, most often forced into this by need, but has a good moral compass and intrinsic morality. May also be known as a "tart with a heart". In historical works, her profession may be bowlderized and disguised to some degree (e.g., as a "dance hall girl").  |

* Nancy in the 1838 novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
* Marguerite Gautier in the 1848 novel La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils and as Violetta Valéry in the 1853 opera La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi
* Fantine in the 1862 novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
* Sonya in the 1866 novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
* Vivian Ward in the 1990 romantic comedy film Pretty Woman
* Inara Serra in the television series Firefly by Joss Wheedon

Hopeless romantic  | A loving, passionate character who expects to find "love at first sight", who is obsessive over, or the expectation of, a romantic partner / love interest — to the point where it is her or his dominant personality trait — and so is usually very optimistic in viewing life.  |

* Zeppo Marx
* Tom Hansen in the 2009 film 500 Days of Summer
* Ted Mosby in the American television sitcom series How I Met Your Mother
* Raj Koothrappali in the American television sitcom series The Big Bang Theory

Housewife | A stereotypical busy mother of the protagonist family, with a pinned-down and homely appearance, who does the mundane work of running the family home, taking care of the children, and doing the housework. |

* Jane Jetson in the 1960s American animated television sitcom series The Jetsons
* Marge Simpson in the American animated television sitcom series The Simpsons
* Morticia Addams created by Charles Addams is an inverted version of the stereotype

Hotshot | An action/adventure hero with an impulsive, maverick macho character, known for taking reckless risks and defying authority. Popular in American film and TV series. |

* Bret Maverick portrayed by James Garner in the American Western series Maverick
* James T. Kirk in the American television and film series Star Trek
* Axel Foley in the 1980s American film series Beverly Hills Cop
* Martin Riggs in the 1980s American film series Lethal Weapon
* Agent J in the 1990s-2000s American film series Men in Black

## I

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Idiot savant | A person with extraordinary genius in a narrow area who has a social or developmental disability, often consistent with being somewhere on the autism spectrum. |

* Forrest Gump in the 1986 book Forrest Gump by Winston Groom
* Raymond Babbitt, played by Dustin Hoffman, in the 1988 film Rain Man
* Nick Massi as portrayed in the film and musical Jersey Boys
* Abed Nadir, played by Danny Pudi, in the American television sitcom series Community
* Shaun Murphy, played by Freddie Highmore, in the American television series The Good Doctor

Igor / Ygor | The protagonist or antagonist mad scientist's assistant, who often is afflicted with many physical problems, typically: a dragging walking pace, a pronounced hunched back, speaks in a halted speech pattern and/or a low monotone accent, and an obtuse demeanor — embodied in Peter Lorre's original interpretation of the role that has now become the trope.

Though inspired by the assistant to Victor Frankenstein, in Mary Shelley's novel there was no such character, and this role originated instead in an early stage adaptation of the story who also was originally named Fritz.[61]

* Eyegor as portrayed by Marty Feldman in Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder's 1974 film Young Frankenstein
* Riff Raff as portrayed by Richard O'Brien in his 1973 musical The Rocky Horror Show
* Igor leading character in the 2008 animated film Igor
* Dr Nefario in the animated film series Despicable Me
* The race of Igors, who are all called Igor or Igorina, in the Discworld book series, where the stereotype is heavily lampooned by Sir Terry Pratchett

Immigrant  | A character from a foreign land whose bizarre manners, quirky behavior, and unusual traditions often clash humorously with Western cultural norms.

The characters may unintentionally violate social taboos or make cultural malapropisms and their struggle with their new language may be a source of comic relief.

* Luigi Basco in the American radio sitcom series Life with Luigi
* Latka Gravas, played by Andy Kaufman, in the American television sitcom series Taxi
* Balki Bartokomous in the American television sitcom series Perfect Strangers
* Fez in the American television sitcom series That '70s Show
* Borat Sagdiyev, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, in the film Ali G Indahouse and Borat spin-off film series

Incompetent military officer[28][62] | Usually from a wealthy background, the incompetent hidebound officer is usually senior to the hero — with whom he is often at cross-purposes — and an antagonist in military fiction. The incompetence is depicted either as stemming from a blinkered viewpoint, blind innocence, or fundamental stupidity. There is some overlap with Upper-class twit.[62] |

* Gen. Amos T. Halftrack in the American cartoon strip Beetle Bailey from 1950 by Mort Walker
* Col. Wainright Purdy III in the 1951 novel Teahouse of the August Moon by Vern Sneider
* Cpt. Cooney played by Eddie Albert in the 1956 film Attack
* Gen. Paul Mireau played by George Macready in the 1957 film Paths of Glory
* Lord Cardigan played by Trevor Howard in the 1968 film The Charge of the Light Brigade
* 1964 satirical film Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is fully populated by variants on this trope with:
* Gp Cpt. Lionel Mandrake, the effete British RAF exchange officer played by Peter Sellers
* Gen. Buck Turgidson, the libidinous US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, obsessed with reliving his war experiences, played by George C. Scott
* Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper, the insanely paranoid commander of Burpelson US Air Force Base, obsessed with the purity of "precious bodily fluids", played by Sterling Hayden
* Maj. T.J. "King" Kong, a US B-52 bomber's commander and pilot, obsessed with being a gun-toting Wild West hero, played by Slim Pickens
* Lt Steven Hauk, played by Bruno Kirby in the 1987 American war comedy film Good Morning, Vietnam

Ingénue | An attractive young woman who is endearingly innocent and wholesome who is the romantic object of desire for the hero. |

* The Disney Princesses[63]
* Dorothy Gale in the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum
* Sandy Dumbrowski / Olsson in the 1971 musical Grease

Innocent  | A character, often a child (or a child-like adult) who shows moral purity, kindness, and goodness. They may be naive, vulnerable, and afraid of abandonment. Despite having almost all positive traits, they do have some issues; with their sunny outlook, they may be blind to risks or unaware of the ploys of deceitful characters.  |

* Tiny Tim in the 1843 book A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
* Lennie Small in the 1937 book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
* Buddy the Elf in the 2003 Christmas film Elf
* Peter Pan in the eponymous 1904 play and 1911 book by J.M. Barrie[64]

Irish mammy

| This is a cultural stereotype[65] used in Ireland to describe Irish mothers of a traditionally matriarchal style,[66][67] who exhibit traits of over-protection or servitude towards their children and/or domestic visitors in general, but can also be exacting when needed.[68][69][70][71] | * Bridget (played by Jennifer Zamparelli), in the sitcom Bridget & Eamon (2016)[72]

* Agnes Loretta Brown (played by Brendan O'Carroll), in the sitcom Mrs. Brown's Boys (2011–present)[65][72]
* Bridget Fagan Brown (played by Brenda Fricker), in My Left Foot (1989)[73]
* Biddy Byrne (played by Mary McEvoy), in the Irish soap opera Glenroe (1983–2001)[72]
* Kay Curley (played by Ruth McCabe), in The Snapper (1993)[72]
* Rita Doyle (played by Jean Costello), in the Irish soap opera Fair City (1989–2013)[74]
* Anne Flanagan (played by Sean 'Hog' Flanagan), of the Irish comedy sketch group Foil Arms and Hog (2008–present)[75][76]
* Mary Riordan (played by Moira Deady), in the television series The Riordans (1965–1979)[77]
* Carmel Walsh (played by Philippa Dunne), in the sitcom The Walshes (2014)[78]

Irish person  | During the vaudeville era, the Irish stereotype was developed where it was called "stage Irish". It was an "exaggerated caricature of supposedly Irish characteristics in speech and behavior, which depicted Irish people as "garrulous, boastful, unreliable, hard-drinking, belligerent (though cowardly), and chronically impecunious".[79] In 1920s-era films, Irish characters were "fighters, gangsters, rebels, or priests".[79] In the 1950s, Hollywood films depicted Irish women as an "Irish colleen" with a "feisty independent spirit."[79] In the 1990s and 2000s, a new stereotype emerged: the "Irish male as a romantic ideal", with a soft, "soulful and poetic" demeanor.[79] During that same era, another Irish male stereotype emerged: the balaclava-wearing IRA bomb-maker or fighter, sometimes with an "indecipherable, tongue-twister accent".[79] |

All the forms of the exaggerated caricature / stereotype are heavily lampooned and deconstructed in the 1990s television sitcom series Father Ted.

* Paddy Tanniger in the American television animated sitcom series Family Guy
* The ensemble cast of Derry Girls, a period teen sitcom set in Derry, Northern Ireland

Italian-American person  | Italian-American stereotypes depict men with "over-the-top gaudy couture", an "insatiable libido that will sooner or later lead to infidelity", "temper problems", a lifestyle of "vanity and violence", "tough", "uneducated", involved in "illegal activities, like bribery", and having "connections to the Mafia". Italian-American women are depicted as "vain, hot-tempered, [and] power-hungry."[80] |

Characters in American mafia films and series:

* The Godfather
* Goodfellas
* Casino
* The Sopranos

Loretta Castorini and her mother, Rose, played by non–Italian Americans Cher and Olympia Dukakis in the 1987 film Moonstruck portray non-stereotypical characters amongst others that do conform.

* Jersey Shore
* The Real Housewives of New Jersey
* Frankie Valli and Tommy DeVito as portrayed in Jersey Boys

## J

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Japanese person |

From 1945 through the 1960s, Hollywood cinema propagated a racist stereotype depicting Japanese men as a "pint-sized man wearing black-framed spectacles, with protuberant incisors", like the "klutzy photographer Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany's" whereas Japanese women are depicted with the traits of the geisha: "feminine, subservient, eager and willing to please males". White actors in make-up to try to make them appear as Far East Asian — in what has come to be known as "yellow-facing" — were typically cast in Asian roles until the 1960s. By the 1970s and 1980s, Japanese people started being portrayed as a "fusion of tradition and high tech", with the historical references being to ninja and samurai, which are both "part of the 'mysterious East'" (e.g. Gung Ho[81] (1986)). Depictions of Japanese people also link them to sumo wrestling, kabuki, or eating sushi.[82]

* Sakini played by Marlon Brando in the 1956 film The Teahouse of the August Moon
* Mr. Yunioshi played by Mickey Rooney in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's
* The 1986 American comedy film Gung Ho[81]
* The 1989 American neo-noir thriller film Black Rain

Jews | Stereotypes of Jews in literature have changed over the centuries. While there are some sympathetic Jewish characters in fiction, there have been recurrent pejorative and racist anti-Semitic Jewish stereotypes in literature from the Medieval era until the 20th century. The first generation of Jewish-American authors presented "realistic portrayals" of Jewish immigrants presenting a sympathetic rendering of Jewish characters with proto-Zionist and Kaballistic ideas.[83] |

Anti-Semitic portrayals:

* The Faust legend version from 1587 has Faust borrow money from a Jew, who demands one of Faust's legs as security for the debt.
* Barabas, the merchant in the 1590 play The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe
* Shylock the moneylender in the play The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare.[84]
* The greedy banker and art collector character in the book series La Comédie humaine by Honoré de Balzac
* Fagin, the leader of a den in the 1838 book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
* Svengali, the hypnotist and manipulator in the 1894 novel Trilby by George du Maurier
* Veitel Itzig, the greedy and immoral Jewish businessman antagonist in the 1855 novel Debit and Credit by Gustav Freytag

Jewish characters are portrayed sympathetically:

* Riah as a paragon of virtue in 1865 book Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
* Anton Trendelssohn in the 1867 novel Nina Balatka by Anthony Trollope
* Daniel Deronda in the eponymous 1876 novel of George Eliot.

Jewish American Princess | A pejorative stereotype of well-off young women at Jewish "summer camps, Hebrew schools, [and] the suburbs of New Jersey" with a focus on grooming (flat-ironed hair), trendiness, "upmarket loungewear", luxury brands (Neiman Marcus, Filene's, etc.) "entitled dispositions toward luxury", and a liking for ease and comfort. They often engage in "manipulation and acquisitiveness" and they may act spoiled or engage in "pouting, complaining, [and] cajoling."[85] |

* Marjorie Morningstar in the eponymous 1955 novel by Herman Wouk
* Philip Roth's 1959 novella Goodbye, Columbus[85]
* Cher Horowitz played by Alicia Silverstone in the 1995 film Clueless
* Miriam "Midge" Maisel played by Rachel Brosnahan in the American TV series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Jewish mother | A nagging, loud, highly-talkative, overprotective, smothering, and overbearing mother, who persists in interfering in her children's lives long after they have become adults and is excellent at making her children feel guilty for actions that may have caused her to suffer. |

* Molly Goldberg in the American radio series The Goldbergs
* Auntie Nelda in the American television and film series of Ernest P. Worrell
* Sheila Broflovski in the American television animated sitcom series South Park
* Mrs Wolowitz in the American television sitcom series The Big Bang Theory

Jock | A popular American high school or college athlete stereotype who is focused on sports competitions, working out and hook ups with cheerleaders. He tends to be better at physical skills than in the classroom, so he may get the Nerd or the wholesome Girl next door to do his homework. He often bullies the nerds and is the boyfriend of the school diva or head cheerleader. |

* Brom Bones in the 1820 book The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
* Flash Thompson in the Spider-Man comic books
* Nathan Scott in the US television series One Tree Hill

Judas | These characters, named after the Biblical character Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus, are traitors or turncoats who sell out their comrades to the enemy for profit or advancement, or out of spite.  |

* Lando Calrissian in the 1980 Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back, (betrays rebel leaders Han Solo, and Princess Leia to Darth Vader)
* Cypher in the 1999 film The Matrix betrays Morpheus, Trinity, and Neo to the enemy "machines"
* Carter Burke, the representative of the biotechnology company in the 1986 film Aliens betrays Ripley and the space marines sent on the rescue mission

Jungle boy

A man who is separated from his parents as a very young boy and raised in the wild by animals. Despite isolation from civilization and lack of grasp of language, the jungle boy has an innate sense of civilization and morality and is usually portrayed heroically.

See also: Noble savage

* Mowgli in the majority of the tales in the 1894—1895 set of short stories, The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
* Tarzan in the eponymous book series from 1914 by Edgar Rice Burroughs
* Bomba, the Jungle Boy series of books
* George of the Jungle in the eponymous US television animated sitcom series

Jungle girl

An adult woman archetype of a female adventurer, superhero, or even a damsel in distress living in a jungle or rainforest setting. A prehistoric depiction is a cave girl.

See also: Noble savage

* Atalanta the heroine of Greek mythology
* Sheena, Queen of the Jungle in the eponymous comic book series
* Wonder Woman in the eponymous comic book series

## K

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Keystone Cop

A bumbling, incompetent American police officer or squad, named after the Keystone Cops comic silent film series inspired in good part by the Los Angeles police of the early 20th century, which did not have professional training of recruits until 1916. They show a great deal of action as they pursue a criminal, but they are uncoordinated and the attempt ends in chaos. Modern types may be depicted as lazy, overweight, and with a predilection for donuts. If set in the southern United States, the character is usually also portrayed as racist, corrupt and lacking regard for the rights of whom he is accusing.

* Barney Fife in the 1960s US television The Andy Griffith Show sitcom series
* Officer Charlie Dibble in the 1960s US television animated sitcom series Top Cat
* Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the 1980s US television action-comedy series The Dukes of Hazzard[86]
* Chief Clancy Wiggum in the US television animated sitcom series The Simpsons

Knight-errant

A noble knight on a quest for his Lady or who is seeking some object of significant, such as the Holy Grail. He expresses his courtly love for his beloved from afar.

See also: Youxia

* Sir Lancelot du Lac in the King Arthur legends
* Aragorn in the 1954 book The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
* Bronn in the saga of A Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R.R. Martin
* Jack Reacher, as a modern version as the protagonist of the series of crime thriller novels by Lee Child[87]

Kuudere | A Japanese manga and anime character, who is known for displaying a withdrawn or unemotional demeanor concealing a warmer side to their personality, in contrast to tsundere and yandere characters. |

* Rei Ayanami in the Neon Genesis Evangelion series
* Battle Angel Alita a.k.a. Gunnm in the 1990s Business Jump manga magazines
* KOS-MOS in the video game Xenosaga
* 2B android in the 2017 video game Nier: Automata

## L

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Latin Lady  | See Dark lady
Latin lover | In addition to the stock elements from the Rake character of being a handsome and charming seducer, the Latin Lover stock character added a southern European origin or appearance (darker skin and hair) to add an "exotic" or foreign element for American audiences. He conquers women with a sharp, focused glare and outbursts of passion (or romantic dancing) and he is a fighter for justice or freedom.  |
Legacy hero | A character thrust, often unwillingly, into the role of a hero through nepotism, sometimes having been previously unaware of their family's legacy. |

* Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars film series
* Frodo Baggins in the 1954 book The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
* Silk Spectre / Laurie Juspeczyk in the Watchmen comic book series

LGBTQ characters

In many forms of popular entertainment, gay men are portrayed stereotypically as promiscuous, flashy, flamboyant, and bold, while the reverse is often true of how lesbians are portrayed. Similar to race-, religion-, and class-based caricatures, these stereotypical stock character representations vilify or make light of marginalized and misunderstood groups.[88] In U.S. television and other media, gay or lesbian characters tend to die or meet an unhappy ending, such as becoming insane, more often than other characters.[89] For feminine lesbian characters, see Lipstick lesbian. For the pejorative gay stereotype (typically used in 1930s), see Sissy.

See: Gay characters in fiction and Media portrayal of LGBT people

Little Green Men

Small humanoid extraterrestrials with often scaly, green skin and sometimes with antennae on their heads. These characters are often associated with bug-eyed monsters / aliens. In science fiction fandom, they are also known familiarly as "LGM".[90]

* The Great Gazoo in the US television animated sitcom series The Flintstones
* The Martians in the 1996 comic science fiction film Mars Attacks! by Tim Burton
* Aliens / Little Green Men in the Toy Story film series

Loathly lady

A woman disguised as an ugly hag (often cursed), reveals her true beauty when the curse is lifted. The order may also be reversed. Male counterparts also exist such as the Beast from Beauty and the Beast.

* The Wife of Bath's Tale in the 14th century The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
* Princess Melusine in the 15th century poem The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle
* The Frog Prince in the 1812 Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm

Lolita | A young and attractive teenage girl who is getting into a sexual relationship with a middle-aged man. The teenage girl may be portrayed as "precociously seductive."[91] It originates from Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel Lolita, which portrays the male narrator's sexual obsession with and victimization of Dolores, a 12-year-old girl whom he privately calls "Lolita."  |

* Dolores in the 1955 novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
* Ivy and Lily in the Poison Ivy film series

Loner | An isolated, alienated person who struggles to connect with people. Their personality may range from benign and withdrawn to embittered and angry, but they tend to seek out solitude. A variant is to depict the person as able to have inconsequential social interaction, but incapable of feeling love or caring — e.g., Meursault in The Outsider.  |

* Meursault in the 1942 novella The Outsider by Albert Camus
* Holden Caulfield in the 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
* The Grinch in the 1957 book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr Seuss
* Boo Radley in the 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
* Stevens, the reserved butler in the 1989 novel The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
* Frank Castle in The Punisher comic book series

Lovable loser

A woebegone, yet sympathetic and usually determined, character for whom nothing goes right.

* Sad Sack in the eponymous mid-20th century comic strip
* Charlie Brown in the long-running late 20th century comic strip Peanuts
* Ziggy in the eponymous comic strip
* Meg Griffin in the US television animated sitcom series Family Guy
* Milo Murphy in the 2010s US television animated sitcom series Milo Murphy's Law

Lovers |

Alongside the hero, these are probably the oldest of archetypes, dating back to prehistory, occurring time and again in ancient mythologies from around the world. These main characters who fall in deeply love, often despite the blocking effect of other characters or events as star-crossed lovers that are strongly fraternizing with the "enemy". This pair of stock characters appear as the Innamorati in the 16th-century Italian theatre style of commedia dell'arte. In the plays, everything revolved around the lovers in some regard.[92] While commedia dell'arte lovers typically overcome all obstacles and are united happily at the end, later dramatic and literary works may have the young lovers face a tragic end.

* Cupid, the god of love, and the mortal Psyche with whom the god fell in love in the tale of 2nd century CE Cupid and Psyche found in the Metamorphoses of Apuleius
* Daphnis, the goatherd protagonist, and Chloë, a shepherd's daughter, of the 2nd century CE Greek pastoral romance novel Daphnis and Chloë by Longus
* Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet in the play Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare
* Tony and Maria in West Side Story, the 1950s musical adaptation of Romeo & Juliet
* Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater in the 1997 film Titanic

## M

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Machiavel[93][94] |

An amoral politician who is obsessed with power and willing to commit criminal acts to secure or enhance their position. The Machiavel character typically follows the principles set out by Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince, a guidebook for 16th century rulers. The Machiavel as a villain devises ruthless plots to eliminate rivals and their families and is willing to do anything, including betrayal of allies or murdering noncombatants, to win more power.[95]

* Richard of Gloucester in the play Richard III and both Edmund and Cornwall in the play King Lear by William Shakespeare
* Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the Shakespeare play Macbeth[96]
* The character Machiavel in Christopher Marlowe's play The Jew of Malta[97]

Mad scientist |

An eccentric or insane scientist, who is often amoral and the villain of the piece or else driven to insanity by their experiments.[2][98] Not all mad scientists are evil, with single-minded obsession with their field of study being mistakenly equated with mania — q.v. boffin. Some intend to be benevolent, but think little of the wider repercussions of their work in society or unintentionally cause an accident due to their hubristic attempt to play God in the laboratory. This character trope may well work alone or just have a single stereotyped hunchbacked assistant, often called Igor.

* Victor Frankenstein in the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
* Dr Henry Jekyll in the 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
* Dr Moreau in the 1896 novel The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells
* Sidney Stratton, the eponymous hero of the 1951 film, The Man in the White Suit

Magical Negro |

An American stereotype of a black person with special insight or mystical powers, who ends up coming to the aid of the white protagonist.

* Uncle Remus, narrator of the 1881 American folk tales of Joel Chandler Harris
* John Coffey in the 1996 novel The Green Mile by Stephen King
* Bagger Vance in the 2000 film The Legend of Bagger Vance

Magical Native American[99] |

A US stereotype of a person of First Nations origin, with shamanistic powers, who typically comes to help a family troubled by disturbed supernatural and/or evil forces.

* Taylor in the 1986 film Poltergeist II: The Other Side
* Thunderbird (John Proudstar) in the Marvel comic books
* Warpath in the X-Men comic books

Malcontent / Misanthrope

See Curmudgeon

Male buffoon (Hispanic)

This stereotype is used for comic relief. The characters' struggle to learn English or control their hot-blooded temper is used as a source of humor.[24]

* Pancho in The Return of the Cisco Kid
* Sgt Garcia in Walt Disney's Zorro
* Ricky Ricardo in I Love Lucy

Mammy archetype

An American stereotype of a rotund, homely, and matronly black woman who has a sunny demeanor and she is devoted to her role as a cook and caregiver. This archetype originated during the era of slavery, and it is considered to be a pejorative racial stereotype.

* Aunt Jemima brand of US pancake mix
* Mammy Two Shoes in the Tom and Jerry series of animated short films
* Calpurnia in the 1960 book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Man alone

A solitary, rootless nonconformist"[100] or antihero whose extreme moral beliefs have led them to be friendless. Associated with Literature of New Zealand.

* Johnson in the New Zealand novel Man alone
* Rorschach (Walter Kovacs), the strictly moral comic book character in Watchmen
* Sasuke Uchiha from the manga, Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto

Manic Pixie Dream Girl |

Usually static young female characters who have eccentric personality quirks and are unabashedly girlish, dreamy, and attractive. They often exist only to serve as a source of inspiration to the male character, and as such, little of their inner life is depicted.

* Zelda Spellman
* Bo Peep
* Debora from Baby Driver

Mary Sue | A (usually female; male characters of the type may be nicknamed a Marty Stu or Gary Stu) character who is exceptionally talented beyond her (or his) training and has very few, if any, character flaws or weaknesses, to the point of absurdity.[101] The term has strong negative connotations and is generally used as an insult; it was originally coined in the 1970s to describe the work of young, amateur fan fiction writers.  |

* Rey (Star Wars sequel trilogy)
* Jennifer Marlowe (WKRP in Cincinnati)
* Wesley Crusher (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Masked villain

A masked villain is a stock character in genre fiction that was developed and popularized in movie serials, beginning with The Hooded Terror in The House of Hate, (1918) the first fully-costumed mystery villain of the movies, and frequently used in the adventure stories of pulp magazines and sound-era movie serials in the early twentieth century,[102][103] as well as postmodern horror films.[104]

* "The Clutching Hand" in The Exploits of Elaine
* "The Hooded Terror" in The House of Hate
* Fur-coated Mystery Man in The Phantom Foe
* "Monsieur X" in The Trail of the Octopus
* "The Gargoyle" in The Spider Returns.[105]: 133
* "The Crimson Ghost" in The Crimson Ghost
* "The Wasp" in Mandrake the Magician
* "Captain Mephisto" in Manhunt of Mystery Island.[105]: 129
* "The Rattler" in Mystery Mountain[105]: 129
* "The Wizard" in Batman and Robin.[105]: 133
* "The Master Key" in The Master Key.
* The Colonel from The Man in the Brown Suit.
* A from Pretty Little Liars
* Anokata from Detective Conan.
* The Octopus from The Spirit.
* Tobi from Naruto.
* Gideon G. Graves from Scott Pilgrim.
* "All For One" from Boku no Hero Academia
* The Masked Osodashi from Jankenman.

Matchmaker

A matchmaker or "marriage broker" is a character who helps single people find a compatible pairing for marriage. In some cultures, the role of the matchmaker is professionalized, so the matchmaker may be compensated with a fee. In other cases, the matchmaker may be a family member, family friend, or member of the clergy. The matchmaker in a story may be altruistic and benevolent, and have noble goals, such helping to find a good love pairing or ensure long-term financial security for someone. On the other hand, some matchmaker characters may have more cunning political or strategic goals, such as securing business influence or affecting the balance of power between aristocratic families. Some matchmakers may be portrayed negatively, as manipulators or meddlers. In some romantic comedies, the matchmaker's planned love pairing for a couple may not work, but the matchmaker may themselves fall in love. A subtype in stories set in Jewish communities is the marriage broker or shadchan.

* Mrs Bennet, an inept and meddling amateur matchmaker for her daughters in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
* Emma Woodhouse, the titular character of the Emma by Jane Austen
* Raina plays matchmaker and to set up potential partners from the Indian community in The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli
* Jewish matchmaker characters appear in:
* Sara Glikman helping match couples in the book The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman
* Meant to be mine by Hannah Orenstein
* Mr Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer

Medium

A psychic person who helps the protagonist. Mediums may be depicted using spirit channelling, including séance tables, trance, and ouija.

* Madame Arcati in the 1941 comic play Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward
* Tangina Barrons in the 1982 film Poltergeist
* Whoopi Goldberg's fake medium, Oda Mae Brown, in the 1990 film Ghost
* Agatha Lively in Steven Spielberg's 2002 film Minority Report adapted from the 1956 short story by Philip K. Dick
* Cassandra Anderson in the 2012 dystopian film Dredd

Mean girl

Also known as the "school diva" or "queen bee" who is an attractive and popular high school girl who uses her status to bully others, primarily the protagonist. She is often the girlfriend of the school's popular jock.[106]

* Lucy van Pelt in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Shultz
* Regina George played by Rachel McAdams in the 2004 film Mean Girls
* Chloé Bourgeois in the French television animated series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir
* Nina Harper in the Canadian-Chinese television animated series Braceface

Middle child

In a family setting, usually the second of three children, who is often neglected and/or disrespected due to their parents (and the overall story) paying more attention to the youngest and oldest siblings.

* Jan Brady
* Stephanie Tanner
* Malcolm as the titular lead inverts this trope in the American sitcom series Malcolm in the Middle
* Chris Griffin[107]

Milkman

A delivery person roped into a sexual affair with a married customer. Common in pornographic films, the delivery person need not be delivering milk, though this specific type was a common joke when milk delivery was a common profession. Other varieties of this included window cleaners.

* Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)

Miltonic hero  |

A romanticized type of antihero who is both charismatic and wicked. The Miltonic hero resists the instructions of authority figures and feels that moral rules do not apply to them. The name refers to poet John Milton.

* John Milton's characterisation of Satan in the 17th-century blank-verse poem Paradise Lost
* Melmoth in the 1820 Gothic novel Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Maturin
* Heathcliff in the 1847 novel Wuthering Heights

Miser / Scrooge

This ancient archetype is a penny-pinching but wealthy boss with a preternaturally aged and dour demeanour, who refuses to spend money and prefers to hoard it. Primarily, the character is now based on the protagonists of Molière's Harpagon in The Miser and on Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. The latter's name has entered the lexicon as a shorthand term for this character. Misers range from excessively thrifty, but otherwise benign types, through to avaricious, cold-hearted types who are willing to harm others to gain wealth.

* Harpagon in the 1668 play The Miser by Molière
* Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1843 novel A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
* Mr Potter in the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life by Frank Capra
* Randolph and Mortimer Duke, played by Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy, in the 1983 comedy film Trading Places
* Frank Cross, a US television chief executive played by Bill Murray, in the 1988 satirical-comedy Christmas film Scrooged
* Jean Paul Getty as portrayed in the 2017 biographical crime drama All the Money in the World

Mother-in-law

A stereotypical portrayal of a character's spouse's mother; frequently a battle-axe and always disapproving of her daughter/son-in-law. There is typically ongoing antagonism between the mother and the character's spouse.

* Pearl Slaghoople in the US television animated sitcom The Flintstones
* Marie Barone, played by Doris Roberts, in the US television sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, who is extremely meddlesome and incessantly makes conceited remarks to her daughter-in-law Debra
* Viola Fields, played by Jane Fonda, in the film Monster-in-Law
* Adele Delfino, played by Celia Weston, in the US television series Desperate Housewives

Mother's boy

An awkward man who is excessively attached to his mother and who continues to act in a childish, submissive fashion even into adulthood. The character is depicted as having an unhealthy dependence on his mother at an age at which he is expected to be self-reliant (e.g. live on his own, earn his own money, be married). The character may be depicted as effeminate.

* Private Pike, played by Ian Lavender, in the 1970s BBC television sitcom series Dad's Army
* Howard Wolowitz in the US television sitcom series The Big Bang Theory
* Eddie Kaspbrak (Stephen King's It)
* Norman Bates
* Kes from Mother's Boys

Mutant

In comic books and science fiction, a mutant is a being with new phenotypes that go far beyond what is typically seen in actual biological mutants and often result in the mutated life form exhibiting enhanced or even superhuman abilities. In the Marvel Comics Universe, they are a persecuted minority who many people fear and hate.

* In the Marvel Comics Universe's X-Men series, they include a range of terrestrial and alien races, as well as robots, including Ariel, Danger, and Warlock
* In Foundation and Empire (1952) by Isaac Asimov, a "mutant" named The Mule possesses the ability to sense and manipulate the emotions of others
* In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the mutants are creatures with the genetic traits of two different animals.

Mythological king

A ruler in myth and/or legend, usually a wise and heroic one.

* Heracles
* Theseus
* King Arthur

## N

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

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Napoleonic villain

Named after the common (but false) myth regarding ruler and military commander Napoleon Bonaparte's supposed short height. This is usually comical villain whose short stature drives them to seek world domination.

* Boris Badenov in the 1960s US television animated sitcom series Rocky and Bullwinkle
* Plankton in the 2000s US television animated sitcom series SpongeBob SquarePants
* The Brain in the US television animated sitcom series Pinky and the Brain
* Lord Farquaad in the 2001 film Shrek

Former / hiding Nazi

A character who is a former Nazi military man, politician, or scientist and is often very clearly German, though attempting to conceal their past, (poorly and may be played comically). Former Nazi characters in places such as the United States and the Soviet Union are often rocket scientists or other educated professionals, whereas characters hiding out in South America will usually be officers or political leaders from the Third Reich who are trying to evade justice for their actions during the Holocaust.

* Dr Strangelove, played by Peter Sellers in one of his many roles, in the 1964 eponymous film by Stanley Kubrick
* Franz Liebkind in the 1967 film The Producers and the 2005 musical remake
* Dr Josef Mengele in 1970s book and film The Boys from Brazil
* Field Marshal Wilfried von Kluck played by Carl Reiner in his 1982 film Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
* Kurt Dussander, played by Ian McKellen, in 1998 film Apt Pupil

Nazi zombies

Typically these nameless and characterless dead Nazi soldiers reanimated as undead monsters, who become mindless killing-machine figures and the cannon-fodder for the heroes of horror-themed films and players of video games. Their bodies and uniforms are typically rotting, giving a horrific appearance.

* Call of Duty: World at War
* Dead Snow, a film about reanimated Nazi soldiers
* King of the Zombies

Nemesis

See: Villain

Nerd

A socially-awkward, obsessive, or overly-intellectual person. They are often interested in doing well in school (academically and in terms of behavior). They tend to dress in unfashionable clothes and behave in a clumsy way. The "geek" character is similar but may be depicted in more negative manner.

* Steve Urkel in the 1990s US television sitcom series Family Matters
* Napoleon Dynamite, the eponymous protagonist of the 2004 coming-of-age film[108]
* Will McKenzie in the 2000s UK television sitcom series The Inbetweeners
* Max Caulfield in the video game Life is Strange[109]

Nice guy

A young man of wholesome morals, agreeable personality and usually modest means. This character is closely aligned with the boy next-door role. In romantic fiction, he usually struggles with finding women willing to date him — since, as the phrase goes, "nice guys finish last" — in ideal happy endings, he finds a more appropriate woman (possibly a Manic Pixie Dream Girl) for him than those who rejected him.

* Marty Piletti in the 1955 romance film Marty
* Granville, played by David Jason, in the BBC television sitcom series Open All Hours
* Tim Canterbury in the UK television sitcom series The Office
* Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling

Nightclub act

Singers/crooners and other artistes who specialize in vaudeville performances in nightclubs. Nightclub acts are usually portrayed as bottom-of-the-barrel, "has-been" entertainers with limited talent.

* Gilda, played by Rita Hayworth, in the eponymous 1946 film
* Kitty Collins, played by Ava Gardner, in the 1946 film The Killers
* Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo, the Martin and Lewis impersonators in the 1952 film Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla
* Velma Kelly in the 1975 musical Chicago
* Lounge singers Rogers and Clarke in the 1987 film Ishtar

Ninja

A ninja (also known as "shinobi") is depicted as mysterious, black-masked Japanese fighter with advanced martial arts and ninjutsu skills in infiltration, assassination and deception. Ninjas may be depicted as having supernatural abilities such as invisibility, walking on water, and control over natural elements. There are many myths and legends about ninjas in popular culture.

* Sarutobi Sasuke
* Kōga Ninpōchō
* Enter the Ninja
* Revenge of the Ninja
* Ninja Assassin
* Akakage
* The Master
* Ninja Warrior
* Shinobi
* Ninja Gaiden
* Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Noble adversary

A villain who poses a legitimate threat but operates with honor and reason. The battle between the protagonist and the noble adversary is driven by different interpretations of justice rather than a clear demarcation of good and evil, and there may be enough common ground between the two for them to collaborate against threats greater than both.

* Magneto in the X-Men comic book series
* Killmonger in the Jungle Action series by Marvel Comics
* Chuck McGill in the 2010s US television drama series Better Call Saul

Noble savage

An idealized Indigenous person or otherwise "wild" outsider who is uncorrupted by civilization. The character is depicted in a romanticized way as living in a peaceful golden age of primeval happiness.

* Chingachgook in the early 19th century Leatherstocking Tales series of novels by James Fenimore Cooper
* Mowgli in the majority of the tales in the 1894—1895 set of short stories, The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
* Tarzan in the eponymous book series from 1914 by Edgar Rice Burroughs

## O

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Occult detective | A detective who uses traditional techniques to solve supernatural mysteries. The occult detective may have few or no supernatural powers of their own — or, if possessing such powers, little understanding of how to harness them — and instead rely on someone who does, such as a psychic or medium, as a sidekick. |

* Carl Kolchak in the 1970s US television drama series Kolchak: The Night Stalker
* Fred Jones in the animated US television sitcom series Scooby-Doo
* FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper in the 1990s US television satire series Twin Peaks
* Melinda Gordon in the 2000s US television drama series The Ghost Whisperer
* Reigen Arataka in the 2010s Japanese manga series Mob Psycho 100

Outlaw

A bandit in historical depictions or an armed robber in 19th-century or modern depictions who is depicted in a romanticized way. They are often charismatic and appealing, despite their lawless and violent conduct. The Robin Hood subtype steals from the wealthy and redistributes money to poor people.

* Robin Hood
* Billy the Kid
* Jesse James

## P

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Pantomime dame

A pantomime portrayal of middle-aged/elderly female characters by male actors in drag of the principal boy's mother or other close relative. She often appears as vain, ridiculous, and accident-prone to provide slapstick entertainment.

* Mother Goose in the adaptations of Old Mother Goose and the Golden Egg
* Widow Twankey in the 1788 pantomime Aladdin by John O'Keeffe
* Mary Sunshine in the 1975 musical Chicago

Pantomime principal boy

A pantomime portrayal of the protagonist, often a prince, as a young heroic male characters by female actors in drag.

Further information: Prince Charming

* Prince Charming, often nameless, in many pantomimes
* Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk
* Aladdin's in the 1788 eponymous pantomime by John O'Keeffe
* Peter Pan in the 1904 eponymous pantomime by J.M. Barrie

Paul Lynde-type villain

An easily irritated villain with a distinctive, whiny, and slightly effeminate voice — named after character actor Paul Lynde, who played numerous roles in this style during the prime of his career during the 1960s and 1970s and adopted by numerous others after Lynde's death in 1982.

* Professor Hinkle in Frosty the Snowman (portrayed by Billy De Wolfe, whose character type predated Lynde's but shared numerous similarities)
* Norman Normanmeyer in the 1992 US television animated sitcom series The Addams Family
* Roger the Alien in the US television animated sitcom series American Dad!

Petrushka

A Russian kind of Pulcinella-type jester, typically who is mischievous, self-serving, gluttonous, aggressive, and cowardly.[110]: 62 He is usually at the center of conflict in the Petrushka carnival plays, often getting himself out of trouble by killing the other puppets on stage with a swing of his club.

Pierrot

In French pantomime, a sad clown in a distinctive all-white attire and makeup, often pining for the love of Columbina, who usually breaks his heart and leaves him for Harlequin.

* Canio in the 1892 tragic operetta Pagliacci ("The Clowns") by Ruggero Leoncavallo
* Puddles the Clown as the alter-ego character in Puddles Pity Party modeled on Pagliacci
* The Tramp, created and played by Charlie Chaplin, updated this character in numerous silent films of the early 20th century

Pirate

A romanticized stereotype of high seas pirates of the 18th century. Features may include a black tricorn hat with skull and crossbones, unkempt facial hair, missing body parts (e.g. eyepatch, peg leg, hook for a hand), adventurous but surly demeanor, and a distinctive accent. Variants on the theme include air pirates and space pirates.

* Long John Silver in the 1883 adventure novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
* Captain Hook in the 1904 play and subsequent 1911 novel Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
* Captain Blood in the eponymous 1922 novel by Rafael Sabatini
* Patchy the Pirate in the 2000s US animated sitcom series SpongeBob SquarePants

Police inspector / chief of police

In detective stories and police procedurals, this can either be the investigating detective or the police officer is the leader of the law enforcement organization. The title often varies by country or region — chief constable, police commissioner, detective inspector, etc. — but they have a similar role, which is to lead the police detectives and uniformed officers and liaises with forensic experts and may be a Holmsian consulting detective in order to solve a crime or mystery. Police inspectors range from strict "by-the-books" types to those who will "bend" the rules to catch the perpetrator, as they feel "hampered by officialdom" (as Inspector Poirot states in The Patriotic Murders). A subtype is the chief who is a Corrupt cop.

* Inspector Lestrade in the Sherlock Holmes series of novels by Arthur Conan Doyle
* Inspector Columbo, a detective known for his rumpled appearance and unusual questions in the 1980s eponymous US television detective series
* Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse in the eponymous series of novels by Colin Dexter and the television adaptations Morse and Endeavour
* Chief Inspector Armand Gamache in the eponymous series of novels by Louise Penny
* Lieutenant Eve Dallas in Death by J.D. Robb

Preppy

A stock character of the 1980s films and television, or in other works set in this era, preppies are students or alumnus of Ivy League schools who have American upper class speech, vocabulary, dress, mannerisms and etiquette.[111] Like the related yuppie stock character of the 1980s, preppies range from benign (albeit materialistic and pretentious), to arrogant or even immoral.

* Jake in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles
* Steff McKee and Blane McDonough in the 1986 film Pretty in Pink

Prince Charming

A handsome and courageous stock character, who is the romantic hero of fairy tales who coming to the rescue of a damsel in distress or princesse lointaine and so must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell. This archetype is essentially interchangeable across many traditional folk tales — often given no name at all — serving as a foil to the heroine; in many variants, they can be viewed as a metaphor for a reward the heroine achieves for the decisions she makes.[112]

* Prince Tamino, the protagonist tenor role in the 1791 opera The Magic Flute by W.A. Mozart
* Prince James / David Nolan, played by Josh Dallas, in the 2010s US television series Once upon a time

The princes in:

* Cinderella
* Sleeping Beauty
* Snow White

Princesse lointaine

The princesse lointaine role is an idealistic romantic love interest and beloved sweetheart for a knight-errant or a Prince Charming. Usually, a wealthy woman of much higher noble birth, beautiful, and of admirable character. Often far distant from the knight, some having become smitten in love with the princess without seeing her, owing merely to hearing descriptions of her, due to her beauty and virtue.

* Queen Guinevere in the ancient British Arthurian Legends
* Dulcinea del Toboso, the unseen apple of the eponymous decrepit hidalgo's eye in 1615 two-part novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
* Princess Pamina, the heroine soprano role in the 1791 opera The Magic Flute by W.A. Mozart

Prodigal son

A wayward adult child as exemplified in the parable of The Return of the Prodigal Son. The wayward son has become estranged from their family and gone into exile, where they squander their inheritance on a debauched lifestyle, while their older sibling works hard.

* Jamie in the 1956 play Long Day's Journey into Night by Eugene O'Neill
* former student Quentin, greeted by Dean Fogg on his return to the magical school in the 2011 novel The Magician King by Lev Grossman

Psycho-biddy

Typically, an old woman who is embittered faded ex-celebrity, usually with psychotic tendencies.

* Baby Jane Hudson, played by Bette Davis, in the 1950 film Whatever happened to Baby Jane directed by Robert Aldrich
* Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson, in the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder
* Joan Crawford, as played by Faye Dunaway, in the 1981 biographical film Mommie Dearest

## Q

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Quincy punk

An "establishment showbiz" version of punks — dubbed "Quincy punks" after a 1982 episode of the TV series Quincy, M.E., about a crime-solving medical examiner, appearing in the episode "Next Stop, Nowhere" that depicted punks as nihilistic "spiky-haired teenagers and flippant young adults" full of "punk rage", who are "cartoonishly naive and short-sighted" thinking with a "rigid ideology and relentless hopelessness" — shown with "torn clothes, spiked hair, bizarre makeup, and (for some reason) bandanas".[113] Maclean's calls it a "fake Hollywood-ized version of a punk."[114]

* Abby, the rebellious teen played by Melora Hardin, in the 1982 episode "Next Stop, Nowhere" of the television series Quincy, M.E.
* Nameless punks who are vandalizing an observatory and then attempt to rob the titular humanoid robot in the opening of Terminator

## R

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Rake / bad boy / bounder / cad / libertine / Latin lover  | The "tall, dark, and handsome" sharply-dressed Byronesque archetype of a roguish and sometimes macho young, seductive man — or bad boy — who habitually behaves immorally, and especially is a gambler and womanizer. He is suave and confident in demeanor with elegant courtship and dancing skills, typically in the tango seen in the Latin lover. Paradoxically, he shows both tenderness and "sexual danger". He draws the woman into a passionate romance that is doomed due to the pair being enmeshed in an intrigue.[24] In his frequent sexual affairs, he shows manipulativeness and a little concern for the woman's feelings. The archetype is the prodigal son, prior to his redemption on returning home and is the antithesis of the boy next door. If this character's actions tip into criminality, then he is seen definitely as an antagonist or anti-hero. Typically, lovers of this self-destructive character are in the seriously mistaken belief that they can reform him or otherwise are a ride-or-die chick — the female equivalent. |

* The prodigal son in the Parables of Jesus in the Bible
* Don Juan / Don Giovanni in numerous 18th & 19th-century stories and plays
* Danny Zuko, the protagonist in the 1971 musical Grease
* Tony Manero, played by John Travolta in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever and its 1983 sequel Staying Alive
* Glenn Quagmire in the animated American television sitcom series Family Guy
* Dr Gregory House in the 2000s American television medical drama House
* Barney Stinson, played by Neil Patrick Harris, in the 2000s American television sitcom series How I Met Your Mother
* Tony Stark / Iron Man in the Marvel Comics

Raw recruit | Young, impressionable, and naive, who has to learn how to live with military discipline and understand the reasons behind the way the military works, often ending up in a position of leadership and / or may have a tragic death. |

* Charlie Sage and his fellow conscripts in the 1958 film Carry on Sergeant
* Juan Rico in the book Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
* a parody of this character is "Dead Meat" from the comedy Hot Shots!, whose obviously impending doom is played for laughs
* "Soap" MacTavish from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare also fits this category, becoming a captain in the sequel

Rebel / maverick | A character who refuses to follow society's rules and conventions, who may simultaneously be a loner or hotshot. |

* Jim Stark played by James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause
* Dirty Harry in the eponymous film series
* John Bender in the 1985 film The Breakfast Club
* Bart Simpson in the US animated television sitcom series the Simpsons

Redneck | A staple character in the 1970s "hixploitation" B movies, appearing as Appalachian or Southern "good old boys" involved in illicit moonshine operations. Redneck sub-types include the crooked Southern sheriff, the "back-road racer", and truckers.[115] |

* Bo and Luke Duke in the 1980s US television sitcom series The Dukes of Hazzard
* Buddy Thunderstruck in the eponymous US animated television sitcom series
* Bubba J, a Jeff Dunham ventriloquist character

Redshirts | Minor, expendable cannon fodder characters who are killed soon after being introduced. This term refers to characters from the original Star Trek television series, from the security or engineering departments of the starship, who wore red Starfleet uniforms. |

* Stormtroopers in the Star Wars film series
* Little Goomba in the platform video game series Super Mario Bros.
* Jenkins in the media franchise Mass Effect

Reluctant hero

A protagonist who is thrust against their will into a heroic role, which overlaps with the everyman character.

* John McClane in the Die Hard film series
* Harry Potter in the eponymous book series by J.K. Rowling
* Neo in The Matrix film series
* Shaun Riley in the 2004 film Shaun of the Dead

Ride-or-die chick | A woman willing to support her partner and their risky lifestyle, despite how this might endanger or harm her, who may even take an active role as an accomplice. This character is the female form of the rake character and is a variant of the gangster's moll. |

* Bonnie Parker played by Faye Dunaway in the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde
* McCoy and Baby Doll in the 1984 neo-noir film Streets of Fire
* Letty Ortiz in the Fast & Furious film series

Rightful king  | A usurped, just ruler whose return or triumph restores peace, who may be as well a reluctant hero, reticent to take the throne. |

* King Arthur in the ancient Anglo-Welsh legends
* King Richard in the legends of Robin Hood
* Duke Senior in the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare
* Pastoria
* Aragorn in the book The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
* Simba in The Lion King film series

Robots and androids  |

A staple of science fiction stories that include artificial mechanical beings, which are typically autonomous programmable machines including stark functional robots, such as an industrial robot, and more human-like robotic beings with flesh-like bodies such as androids. These robotic beings have varying levels of artificial intelligence (AI) or independent thought, spanning from a narrow range of programmed actions to beings constrained by strict rules, to having a human-like artificial intelligence beings with free will. Robotic beings may be depicted with a range of characters — ranging from benevolent, neutral, or aggressive killer robots — and typically having a vast range of informational knowledge, but little wisdom as to its application. See also Artificial intelligence and Cyborg.

* Robbie the Robot in the 1956 film Forbidden Planet
* The robot patients of the chief robopsychologist Susan Calvin in the 1950 book of short stories I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
* R2-D2 and C-3PO in the Star Wars film series
* Marvin the Paranoid Android, a depressed and neurotic robot, in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams
* Slave and Orac in the 1970s BBC television series Blake's 7
* Maximilian in the 1979 film The Black Hole
* Ava played by Alicia Vikander is an attractive and charismatic AI fembot in the film Ex Machina

"Runyonesque" characters |

Characters with colorful monikers, who use equally colorful street slang, appearing in short stories by US author and sports writer, Damon Runyon, which depicts a Prohibition era underworld populated by New Yorkers from Brooklyn or Midtown Manhattan — gamblers, bookies, boxers, hustlers, actors, and gangsters — few of whom go by "square" names, preferring creative nicknames. ["Runyonesque" refers to the type of situations and dialog that Runyon depicted,[116]]

* Nathan Detroit
* Benny Southstreet
* Big Jule
* Harry the Horse
* Good Time Charley
* Dave the Dude
* The Seldom Seen Kid

## S

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Scapegoat | The character made to be responsible for the ills or shortcomings in a group or the person who is held responsible for what has gone wrong and has to face justice (see the fall guy). In a family or similarly close-knit group, a "scapegoat" is another name for a "whipping boy", the person to blame for anything that goes wrong, thus allowing the favored golden child free rein.  |

* In the Harry Potter fantasy series, Harry Potter serves as the bullied scapegoat in the Dursley family that has grudgingly adopted him.
* In the TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005), the older brother Robert is the ignored scapegoat of the family, who is jealous of the attention that Ray (the Golden child) receives from their mother.

Schoolmarm[117] | Typically, a teacher in a 19th-century Mid-West frontier town or settlement with a wholesome, virginal demeanor, modest dress, and good education — representing civilization — in order to distinguish her from the other Western female stereotypes, especially whores at the brothel or "dance hall girls" at the saloon (the latter is a bowlderized version to placate censors). Young and pretty teachers are often the love interest for the hero, whereas older teachers, who tend to be spinsters, are strict disciplinarians. |

* Clementine Carter in the 1946 film My Darling Clementine
* Miss Turlock in the 1948 short film Goodbye, Miss Turlock
* Helen Crump in the 1960s US television series The Andy Griffith Show

Senex amans | This stock character in medieval romances and classical comedies is an old, ugly man who is married to a pretty young woman. The senex amans, which is Latin for "ancient lover", is depicted as having wrinkles, greying hair, and struggling with impotence. He is often cuckolded by a good-looking young man who charms the young wife. |

* Chaucer's Miller's Tale and The Merchant's Tale
* Marie de France's "Guigemar", and "Laustic", and Tristan and Iseult
* In Aphra Behn's Oroonoko, the old king of Ghana is a senex amans, as he is trying to seduce the young woman Imoinda

Senex iratus | A father figure and comic archetype who belongs to the alazon or impostor group in theater, manifesting himself through his rages and threats, his obsessions and his gullibility. |

* Pantalone
* Arthur Spooner
* Grampa Simpson (The Simpsons)

Sexy mother | An attractive middle-aged woman who has an open and active sex life, mostly with younger men (see: MILF or cougar). If she is a glamorous, successful woman with grey hair, she may be a silver vixen.

A similar term for elderly-aged women is known as "Sexy grandma" or "GILF". A younger mother may be referred to as a Yummy mummy.

* Mona Robinson
* Blanche Devereaux
* Sue Ann Nivens
* Jeanine Stifler / Stifler's Mom, played by Jennifer Coolidge in the American Pie film series
* Mamako Oosuki

Sexy dad  | A charismatic and attractive middle-aged man, either a literal father or a father figure, who is depicted as being attractive to younger women. There is overlap with the "silver fox" stock character for characters with grey or greying hair. Sometimes also called "hot dad", this is the male counterpart of "sexy mother" — see: DILF or sugar daddy.  |

* Jesse Katsopolis / "Uncle Jesse", played by John Stamos, from the US TV sitcom Full House
* FP Jones, played by Skeet Ulrich, and Fred Andrews, played by Luke Perry, on Riverdale
* Rafael Solano, played by Justin Baldoni, on Jane the Virgin
* Loving dad, fitness enthusiast, and police detective Sergeant Terry Jeffords (played by Terry Crews) on Brooklyn Nine-Nine
* Dr Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey — the character was nicknamed "McDreamy" — on the hospital drama Grey's Anatomy
* John Winchester, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, on Supernatural

Ship's captain or sea captain  | The ship captain is typically a rugged, confident leader who is cool under pressure and who has a wide-ranging competency in maritime matters through to an obsessive, authoritarian martinet. Whether they command a wooden or iron-hulled ship or a naval vessel, they inspire respect, or in some cases fear, from their subordinates. They are often depicted with a weathered or sunburned face, a beard (or stubble), a peaked officer's hat, sweater, and a blue wool navy pea coat and they may smoke a pipe. They range from honorable, law-abiding figures who insist on strict discipline to more ambiguous characters–often with a "salty" vocabulary–such as the tramp steamer captain or smuggling vessel captain, both of who tend to have a mysterious past and who are practiced in deception. Pirate captain, submarine captain and, in science fiction, spaceship captain, are variants.  |

* Captain Ahab obsessed in pursuit of Moby Dick, in the 1851 novel by Herman Melville, later played on film by Gregory Peck
* Captain Nemo in the 1870 novel 20,000 Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne, later played on film by James Mason
* Capt. William Bligh of the HMS Bounty as depicted in the Mutiny on the Bounty films of 1916, 1935, 1962, and 1984
* Captain Archibald Haddock in The Adventures of Tintin comics from the 1920s by Hergé
* Capt. Horatio Pugwash in the eponymous books from 1950 by John Ryan (cartoonist) and the adapted television series
* Captain Queeg, in 1951 novel The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk, later played on film by Humphrey Bogart
* Capt. E.J. Smith of the ill-fated RMS Titanic as depicted in Jean Negulesco's 1953 film and James Cameron's 1997 film
* Capt. "Lucky Jack" Aubrey in the Master and Commander 20-novel series by Patrick O'Brian
* Der Alte ("the Old Man") in the 1973 novel Das Boot by Lothar-Günther Buchheim and its screen adaptations
* Capt. Quint the shark-hunter in the 1975 film Jaws
* Capt Marko Ramius in 1984 novel The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy, later played on film by Sean Connery

Shonen manga hero  | A simple-minded yet spirited and friendly hero eager to face any challenge and prove his/her strength. |

* Goku
* Monkey D. Luffy
* Naruto Uzumaki
* Ash Ketchum
* Sora
* Pit
* Finn the Human

Shonen manga rival  | A stoic loner who serves as a foil to the hero. |

* Vegeta
* Sasuke Uchiha
* Char Aznable
* Shadow the Hedgehog
* Zuko

Shrew

A woman given to scolding and particularly nagging treatment of idolent and feckless men, with the application of occasional violence, typically of pots and pans being thrown in exasperation. Also called a harridan or virago.

Further information: Virago

* Katherina (Kate) Minola in the 1590s play The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare and also in its 1948 musical adaptation, Kiss me Kate
* Wilma Flintstone
* Debra Barone
* Lois Griffin

Sidekick | A loyal companion to the protagonist (or antagonist) who may also be the best friend, love interest, or partner in crime.  |

* Jim in the 1885 book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
* Samwise Gamgee in the 1957 book The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
* Robin (DC Comics)
* Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling
* Luigi in the Super Mario video games
* Tails in the Sonic the Hedgehog video games

Silver fox / Silver vixen  | These are older characters, typically in their 50s or older, with grey, white, or "salt and pepper" hair who is depicted as attractive, glamorous, and charming. While they no longer have a youthful appearance, they still have sex appeal due to their confidence, sophistication, and sense of style. Silver foxes may be depicted as suave and debonair. Silver vixens may be depicted as elegant and cosmopolitan. They are often successful professionals or leaders, which adds to their appeal, including to characters who are younger than them. There is some overlap with Sexy dad and Sexy mom stock characters.  | Silver foxes:

* In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the mentor figure to the titular lead character, the scholar and librarian Rupert Giles was depicted as a distinguished and attractive older man
* in Mad Men, Roger Sterling, the senior partner of the law firm, was depicted as witty, wise and attractive
* Ulysses Everett McGill, played by George Clooney, in the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou? by the Coen brothers
* Dr Mark Everett Sloan and Dr Derek Shepherd (plastic surgeons) in the US television drama series Grey's Anatomy
* James Bond, played by Sean Connery, in the 1983 film Never Say Never Again

Silver vixens:

* In the 2006 filmThe Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep plays the role of Miranda, a senior fashion magazine executive who is gray-haired, elegant and sophisticated
* in the western TV show Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, Dorothy attracts interest from much younger men

Sinnekins | Pairs of devilish, impish characters who exert their perfidious influence on the main character and are a staple of Disney animated films. |

* Flotsam and Jetsam in the 1989 film The Little Mermaid
* Pain and Panic in the 1997 film Hercules
* Thing 1 and Thing 2 in the book The Cat in the Hat
* Winged monkeys in the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum

Sissy  | In the 1930s, the "sissy" or "pansy" was a pejorative stereotype used as one of the earliest gay stock characters in Hollywood films. "Sissy" characters had an "...extremely effeminate boulevardier type sporting lipstick, rouge, a trim mustache and hairstyle, and an equally trim suit, incomplete without a boutonniere."[118] Filmmakers used the characters to elicit a "quick laugh", and they never had any character depth. These roles "...cemented the gross stereotypes of gay men that are still seen today."[118] |

* Blaine Edwards and Antoine Meriwether
* Mr Ernest in Our Betters
* Lindy in the 1976 film Car Wash

Sleazy lawyer  | A staple of American drama from the early 20th century, becoming regulars in film noir, corrupt attorneys use technicalities to get obviously guilty, but wealthy and well-paying, clients acquitted. Sleazy lawyers are driven by a mixture of desiring wealth and a ruthless, competitive desire to win at all costs. They are masters at manipulating witnesses, district attorneys, and judges to ensure they win. They range from lawyers who work within the law, by gaming the system or finding loopholes, to those who break the law by destroying evidence or intimidating witnesses. |

* Billy Flynn in the 1926 play Chicago
* Waldorf T. Flywheel, played by Groucho Marx, in the 1930s American radio sitcom series Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel
* Lionel Hutz in the animated American television sitcom series The Simpsons
* Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk in the US television drama series Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better call Saul

Sleazy politician

An elected official who is embroiled in corruption and scandals such as taking bribes, using secret slush funds, embezzling money, or engaging in affairs with staff (or other sexual misconduct). They may be hypocrites, who speak out against crime, while using illegal drugs and hanging out in brothels.

* Willie Stark in the 1946 book All the King's Men
* Boss Hogg in the 1980s US television action series the Dukes of Hazzard[119][120]
* Francis Urquhart in the 1990s British television political drama series House of Cards trilogy
* Frank Underwood in the 2010s American television political drama series House of Cards
* Peter Laurence, the Justice Secretary, as played by Hugh Laurie, in the 2020 BBC television drama mini-series Roadkill by David Hare

Slow burn  |

A character who begins as calm and collected, but increasingly becomes more angry and exasperated as the childish antics of those around them escalate.

* Squidward Tentacles
* Theodore J. Mooney
* Emil Sitka in the works of The Three Stooges

Smurfette

A lone lead female character in an otherwise all-male cast, named after the comic character Smurfette from The Smurfs. Often portrays exaggerated feminine traits. Her male counterpart is known as a Lincoln Loud, named after the cartoon character from The Loud House.

* Elaine Benes in the 1990s US television sitcom series Seinfeld
* Wonder Woman within the realm of the Justice League
* Miss Piggy in the television sitcom series The Muppet Show
* Beverly Marsh in the book It in Stephen King

Soubrette

A female character who is vain, girlish, mischievous, lighthearted, coquettish, and gossipy. The role of the soubrette is often to help two young lovers overcome the blocking agents, e.g. chaperones or parents, that stand in the way of their blossoming romance.

* Susanna in the opera The Marriage of Figaro by W.A. Mozart
* Violet Gray in the Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz
* Gretchen Wieners, played by Lacey Chabert in 2004 film Mean Girls
* Poison Ivy in the DC Comics

Southern belle

An elegant, beautiful young woman of the American Old South's upper class. She speaks with a Southern accent and is flirtatious. There is a good, wholesome variant and a vain, darker version.

* Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind
* Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar named Desire
* Elsie Stoneman in The Birth of a Nation
* Rogue in the Marvel Comics

Spear carrier |

A minor character who appears in several scenes, but mostly in the background roles. The term is a reference to minor characters in old plays set in Roman eras who would literally carry a spear as they played guard characters.

* Imperial Royal Guards in the Star Wars film series

Starving artist

An impoverished painter, jazz musician, singer,screenwriter, or novelist who is so dedicated to their artistic vision, that they refuse to sell out and do commercial art (or pop music, or mainstream feature films, etc.). They live in an attic or couch surf, dress shabbily, and struggle to put food on the table. The depiction ranges from a romanticized, rose-tinted glasses portrait of libertine, absinthe-sipping bohemians to a gritty social realist examination of the artist's impoverished existence. A starving artist may also be a troubled artist.

* Rodolfo, Marcello, and Musetta in the 1895 opera La bohème by Giacomo Puccini
* the painter and playwright[who?] in the 1932 play Design for Living by Noel Coward
* Joe Gillis in the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard
* Jerry Mulligan as depicted in 1951 film An American in Paris
* Both of the substance-abusing male leads in the eponymous 1987 film Withnail & I
* Various bohemians[which?] working as actors, artists, and writers in Moulin Rouge!
* Llewyn Davis in the 2013 film Inside Llewyn Davis
* Mark Cohen in the musical Rent, a reworking the opera La bohème

Straight man

A sidekick to a funny person who makes his partner look all the more ridiculous by being completely serious — not to be confused with heterosexual man

* Oliver Hardy in Laurel and Hardy films
* Bud Abbott in Abbott and Costello films
* Moe Howard in The Three Stooges films
* Burton Guster in the US television comedy-drama series Psych

Succubus

A demon that appears in the form of an alluring female lover. The male version of a demon-lover is an incubus. For another type of alluring, yet dangerous, female character, see Femme fatal.

* Chaucer's Wife of Bath
* Bo in the 2010s Canadian television drama series Lost Girl
* Megan Fox's character in the 2009 film Jennifer's Body

Superhero | A noble, brave being with extraordinary powers who dedicates their life to defending the general public.[2] Many superhero figures are a secret alter-ego personality of a "normal" person, e.g. Clark Kent/Superman, Bruce Wayne/Batman  | See: List of superhero teams and groups

Superfluous man

In 19th century Russian literature, a dashing young aristocrat or landowner who is bored from his privileged life, and who distracts himself from his sense of ennui by engaging in intrigues, casual affairs, duels, gambling, and drinking. He is selfish and manipulative, and cares little about others or broader issues in society.

* Eugene Onegin
* Ilya Ilyich Oblomov — a young, generous nobleman who is incapable of making important decisions or actions — the title character of the 1859 novel Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov
* Beltov — who destroys a poor man's happy marriage to a rich landowner's illegitimate daughter — in the 1845-46 novel Who is to Blame? by Alexander Herzen

Supersoldier / Space marine

A type of heavily armed, futuristic soldier or marine who operates beyond human limits or abilities with enhanced abilities may come from extensive training, mechanical implants, or superpowers. They may use body armor, powered armor, and advanced weapons with some types of enhancements. In some stories, this soldier may operate in outer space or on extraterrestrial planets and can be deployed by orbital dropships, a science fiction version of paratroop deployment. See also: Cyborg

* Juan Rico in the novel Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
* Captain America in the eponymous Marvel Comics series
* Master Chief in the Halo video game series
* Bloodshot in the eponymous comic series
* Universal Soldier[which?]
* Doomguy
* Space Marines in the Warhammer 40,000

Supervillain

The archenemy to the superhero, the supervillain is a sinister being who plots crimes against society. Their origin story, which explains why they turned evil, is important to their character.

See: Lists of villains

Surfer

A spaced out, marijuana-loving Californian surfer who wisecracks their way through life and uses youthful slang. Despite their lack of a job or fixed address, they have a happy-go-lucky demeanor.

* Jeff Spicoli in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High
* Tommy Chong's characters in Cheech and Chong

Swashbuckler

An exuberant and boastful swordsman of the Renaissance or Baroque era. He is chivalrous, courageous, and skilled in sword fighting and acrobatics as he seeks prevent the stratagems of the villain. In cinema, this character is popularly associated with the Golden Age of Piracy films.

* Cyrano de Bergerac as depicted in the eponymous play by Edmond Rostand and in the many adaptations including the 1990 film starring Gérard Depardieu
* D'Artagnan as depicted in the series of novels by Alexandre Dumas (père) and in the many film adaptations
* Zorro in the 1920s novels by Johnston McCulley
* Will Turner, played by Orlando Bloom in the 2000s film series Pirates of the Caribbean
* Space Adventure Cobra[which?]
* Ezio Auditore in the video game series Assassin's Creed

## T

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Theatre kid | A teen or young adult actor, usually a student, who openly displays a talent and/or passion for performance.[121] Common traits associated with the stereotype include obsession with or devotion to school plays,[122] the tendency to spontaneously perform or quote lyrics in everyday social situations,[123][124] a personal obsession with musicals,[124] sexual heterodoxy,[125] and not fitting in well with the rest of society.[125] | The casts of Glee and High School Musical
Thug | A henchman or gang member who commits violent crimes. In US films and television dramas, a subtype is the "black thug", which depicts African American men as "drug dealers, pimps, con-artists and other ... criminals". A criticism of this stock character is that the "disproportionate amount of black people playing criminals in Hollywood fuels the racial stereotype that black men are dangerous and drawn to illicit activities."[16] |

* Bill Sikes in the 1838 novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
* Francis Begbie in the 1993 novel Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
* Biff Tannen in the 1980s Back to the Future film series
* Ordell Robbie, the gun runner played by Samuel L. Jackson, in the 1997 film Jackie Brown
* Alonzo Harris, played by Denzel Washington, in 2001 film Training Day
* Most characters in the 2000s US television drama series The Wire

Tiger mom

| A stereotype of East Asian mothers who relentlessly push their children to achieve success. Tiger moms set the highest standards and insist that their children strive for top marks so they can get into the best schools. In US TV and movies, this ethnic stereotype depicts East Asians as a "model minority". |

* Bi Sheng Nan (Tiger Mom)
* Ming Lee (Turning Red)
* Evelyn Quan Wang (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Token black character

| A character with no distinguishing characteristics whose sole purpose is to provide nominal diversity to the cast. In 1980s TV shows, screenwriters introduced the "African-American workplace pal" stock character as a way to add a Black character in a secondary role.[126] |

* Tolkien Black (South Park)
* Franklin (Peanuts)
* Isaiah

Tomboy

| A girl or young woman with boyish and/or manly behavior. Sometimes wears clothes associated with men. |

* George (The Famous Five)
* Mulan (Walt Disney Pictures)
* Mérida (Brave)
* Rainbow Dash
* Princess Daisy (Super Mario)

Tortured artist

| A painter, sculptor, or other creator frustrated with their artistic challenges, or with being misunderstood. They may have mental health issues or addiction, and they are hard to be around due to their narcissism and frustration. |

* Brian Topp in the 1990s UK television sitcom series Spaced
* Vincent van Gogh, as played by Kirk Douglas, in the 1956 film Lust for Life by Vincente Minnelli

Town drunk

| A male in a small town who is intoxicated more often than sober. They often have a good heart and may end up helping the protagonist. He can also be a street hobo. |

* Barney Gumble
* Otis Campbell
* Uncle Billy

Tragic hero

| A hero with a flaw, mistake, or misconception (hamartia) that leads to their eventual death and downfall. Historically, they were the main character in a Greek or Roman tragedy. The flaw often arises due to the character's hubris. Despite the character's flaw, the audience usually finds them to be admirable or appealing at a broader level, which increases the dramatic impact of their downfall. |

* Michael Corleone
* Jay Gatsby
* Randle McMurphy

Tragic mulatto

| A mulatto who is sad or suicidal because they fail to fit in with white or black people. The tragic mestizo has a similar clash with whites and Native Americans.  |

* "Half Breed" — a popular 1973 song by American singer Cher
* Eliza Harris, Cassy, and Emmeline (Uncle Tom's Cabin)
* Peola Johnson in the 1934 film Imitation of Life

Trickster

| In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story (god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules and defy conventional behavior. Tricksters, as archetypal characters, appear in the myths of many different cultures. They are "boundary-crossers" [127] who break physical and societal rules, "playfully disrupting normal life and then re-establishing it on a new basis."[128] Often, this bending and breaking of rules takes the form of cunning deception and thievery. As well, there are many tricksters in folktale and mythology.  |

* Loki in Norse mythology
* Shakespeare's Puck
* the Cheshire Cat from Lewis Caroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
* Jerry from Tom and Jerry
* Bugs Bunny
* Pippi Longstocking
* Joker from the Batman series

Tricky slave

| A cunning individual, of a lower social class than the heroes (originally bound in slavery), who facilitates the story's completion in exchange for improvement of his lot. |

* Puss in Boots in the fairy tale by Giovanni Francesco Straparola
* Figaro in the 18th-century trilogy of plays starting with The Barber of Seville by Pierre Beaumarchais
* Jeeves in the eponymous series of books by P.G. Wodehouse
* Baldrick in the 1983 television sitcom series The Black Adder

Tsundere | In Japanese anime and manga, a character who is initially harsh (and sometimes even hostile; tsuntsun in Japanese) before gradually showing a warmer, friendlier side (deredere) over time. Similar in temperament to the curmudgeon, but usually young and female.  |

* Asuka Langley Soryu
* Sayaka Yumi
* Tsuyukusa (Amatsuki)
* Rin Tohsaka
* Lucy Van Pelt
* Helga G. Pataki

Tumblr Sexyman | A character who typically combines characteristics of the "theatre kid" and the "bad boy", developing a highly vocal following on social media as a result.  |

* The Once-ler (The Lorax (film))
* Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)
* Robbie Rotten

## U

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Übermensch[2]

A perfect — though usually, only seemingly — human being.

* Heracles, son of Zeus, in Greek mythology — called Hercules in Roman mythology
* Don Pedro in the 1598 play Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
* Superman in the D.C. Comics

Unseen character

A character who is frequently referenced in the script of a production but never seen. In stage, film and television, they may be indirectly present through hearing their voice offscreen (such as Carlton the Doorman), or from a first-person perspective as the cameraman, answering questions addressed to them by bobbing the camera up and down to nod or left and right to say no (as with Vern in the Ernest P. Worrell series). Unseen characters may become seen near the end of a series.

* Billy in the 1974 film Black Christmas[129]
* Elizabeth, the wife of Capt. Mainwairing, in the 1970s BBC television sitcom Dad's Army
* Vera, the wife of Norm Peterson, in the 1980s→1990s US television sitcom on Cheers
* Maris Crane, the wife of Niles Crane, in the 1990s US television sitcom Frasier
* Mrs Wolowitz, the mother of Howard Wolowitz, in the 2000s US television sitcom The Big Bang Theory is unseen, but is very loudly heard

Upper class twit / aristocratic twit

A wealthy, pampered person from a high or aristocratic social class who is affable, good-natured, and dim-witted. While their life of privilege may have given them an expensive and extensive education — with a smattering of pretentious classical references and foreign phrases — they have been so sheltered from everyday life by their retinue of servants and advisors that they often misjudge or misunderstand everyday situations when left to their own devices.

* Lord Dundreary, the brainless aristocrat from an 1858 play from where his name gave rise to two eponyms – "Dundrearies" and "Dundrearyisms".
* The early 20th century wealthy young gentleman Reggie Pepper, who does not do any work, having inherited a fortune from his uncle — even though he went to Oxford, he has no ambitions and spends his days in the lounge of his private club — appears in seven short stories by P.G. Wodehouse
* Bertie Wooster, the quintessential idle and affable upper class protagonist in the mid-20th century series of Jeeves and Wooster novels by P.G. Wodehouse and their adaptations. He is a member of the Drones Club gentlemen's private members' club in London, totally populated by twits:
* D'Arcy "Stilton" Cheesewright
* Augustus "Gussie" Fink-Nottle
* George "Boko" Fittleworth
* Cyril "Barmy" Fotheringay Phipps
* Hildebrand "Tuppy" Glossop
* Richard "Bingo" Little
* Archibald Mulliner
* Claude Cattermole "Catsmeat" Potter-Pirbright
* Alexander "Oofy" Prosser
* Rupert Psmith
* Reginald "Pongo" Twistleton
* The twins Claude and Eustace Wooster
* Female versions by Wodehouse include:
* Madeline Bassett
* Stephanie "Stiffy" Byng
* Roberta "Bobbie" Wickham

## V

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Valley girl

A teenage girl from the San Fernando Valley with a distinctive accent and emphasis on superficial traits. She is typically a materialistic upper-middle-class young woman.[130] The term in later years became more broadly applied to any female in the United States who embodied ditziness, airheadedness, or greater interest in conspicuous consumption than intellectual or personal accomplishment.[131]

* Moon Zappa's character in the 1982 song "Valley Girl" by her father Frank Zappa
* Cher Horowitz played by Alicia Silverstone in the 1995 film Clueless — a modern-day reworking of Jane Austen's novel Emma

Vamp

A woman with dark hair, usually seen wearing jet black dresses, and having a macabre sense of humor. A Gothic variant of the femme fatale, based on the vampire stereotype (below).

* Morticia Addams in The Addams Family cartoon series by Charles Addams
* Vampira in the 1950s US television series The Vampira Show
* Elvira in the US television series Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
* Natasha Fatale in the 1960s animated US television sitcom series The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends

Vampire

Dating from Middle Eastern Semitic and Greek mythology, a vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence — generally in the form of blood — of the living. Initially depicted as just female, from the 20th century male vampires came to dominate, typically depicted as exhibiting an aversion to sunlight, having a gaunt and pale immortal complexion, with dark swept-back hair in a widow's peak and noticeable fangs, along with a charismatic, suave elegance that makes them attractive to women. Female vampires are depicted similarly — see the "vamp" (above) — as literally very seductive femme fatales.

In mythology:

* The Lilim
* Followers of Hekate:
* Empusa
* Lamia
* Mormo

In novels:

* Lord Ruthven in the 1819 novel The Vampyre by John Polidori[132]
* Varney the Vampire from 1845 in the cheap penny dreadful publications
* Carmilla in the 1872 eponymous novel by Sheridan le Fanu
* Count Dracula in the 1897 eponymous novel by Bram Stoker[133]
* The Vampire Chronicles of 1976→2003 novel series by Anne Rice[134]
* The Twilight 2005→2008 novel series by Stephenie Meyer[135]

On film:

* Count Orlock in F.W. Murnau's 1922 German expressionist film Nosferatu
* Count Dracula in popular culture, notably as portrayed by Béla Lugosi in the 1931 US film Dracula
* Mamuwalde, an African count played by William Marshall in the 1972 US blaxploitation film Blacula
* Miriam Blaylock, played by Catherine Deneuve, in the 1983 film The Hunger
* Count Dracula in the 1992 US film Bram Stoker's Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola
* Angel, played by David Boreanaz, and Spike, played by James Marsters, in the US television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel
* Selene, the death dealer vampire, played by Kate Beckinsale, in the 2000s film series Underworld
* Count Dracula, played by Claes Bang, in the 2020 BBC television mini-series Dracula by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss

Vecchio

This is a category of aged, male characters from Italian commedia dell'arte theatre. They are overwhelmingly the ill-tempered antagonists, opposing the blossoming romance of the young noble lovers, the innamorati. The comic ending is produced when the Zanni (servants) manage to overcome the Veccio's blocking and unite the lovers.

* Pantalone, a decadent old merchant of much wealth
* Il Dottore, a learned old professor or doctor

Vice

The archetypal character of Vice is an allegorical evil part in medieval morality and passion plays. This can be a representation of one of the seven cardinal or deadly sins or a more general portrayal of evil as the tempter of man. Vice often takes the audience into complicity by revealing its evil plans, often through brief asides, longer soliloquies, or monologues.[136] Its enacting is frequently comic or absurd.

* Richard III in the 1590s eponymous play by William Shakespeare
* Iago — who plays up the more villainous aspects of the vice — in the 1603 play Othello by William Shakespeare
* Sir John Falstaff — who plays up the more comic aspects of the vice — in the 1590s plays Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2, along with the 1602 play The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare

Village idiot

A person known locally for ignorance or stupidity; this character often turns out to be brave and sweet, and is sometimes underestimated — see also the yokel and the wise fool stereotypes.

* Bertie Wooster
* Michelangelo in the animated US television sitcom series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
* Patrick Star in the animated US television sitcom series SpongeBob SquarePants

Villain[2]

An antagonist appearing as anevil, "cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime. This character constitutes an important evil agency in the plot".[137]

The antonym of a villain is a hero, for whom the villain's structural purpose is to serve as the opposition of this character and their evil actions and motives behind them drive a plot along.[138] In contrast to the hero, who is defined by feats of ingenuity and bravery in the pursuit of justice and the greater good, a villain is often defined by their acts of selfishness, evilness, arrogance, cruelty, and cunning, in displaying immoral behavior that can oppose or pervert justice — the ends justify the means.

An arch-villain / arch-enemy / arch-foe is a persistent, indefatigable, and undefeatable villain — equal to or better than the hero or superhero in skill and power — who thwarts all attacks and sometimes even reappears even after being killed, (particularly in comic books). The arch-villain is sometimes referred to as arch-nemesis, but should not be confused with Nemesis.[139]

The villain can also appear as an antihero.

Further information: Archenemy

Arch-villains include:

* Prof. Moriarty in the Sherlock Holmes book series by Arthur Conan Doyle
* Megamind in the eponymous 2010 film
* Omni-Man comic book character
* Sabretooth comic book character

See also: Lists of villains

## W

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

War veteran[140]

Typically, a former soldier who leaves home a naïve young man, experiences the horrors of war, and then returns home embittered and deranged — suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or other psychological problems often having flashbacks and nightmares about the war — unable to adjust to his post-war civil and daily life. This character therefore has family problems with an unhappy spouse or partner and his children due to violent emotional outbursts. This stereotype can be seen in most US action and drama films.

A late 20th century variant is the bitter Vietnam vet., a combatant in the Vietnam War. Because of the atrocities to human life, what was witnessed and went through during the war, and the disrespect received from domestic anti-war protesters, his mental state is portrayed as fragile and unstable. Similar variants can be seen with combatants from the Korean War and the World Wars, with the latest being from the Iraq War and Afghanistan War.

* Travis Bickle, played by Robert de Niro, in the 1976 film Taxi Driver
* Staff Sergeant Michael Vronsky, played by Robert De Niro, in the 1978 film The Deer Hunter
* John Rambo, played by Sylvester Stallone, in the eponymous 1980s film series[141]
* Jacob "Professor" Singer, played by Tim Robbins, in the 1990 film Jacob's Ladder

Wealthy Southern aristocrat

A usually male character who is well-dressed, well-educated, wealthy, arrogant, and haughty yet still has a healthy sense of humor.

* Rhett Butler in the 1936 novel Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
* Beauregard Claghorn in the US radio comedy series The Fred Allen Show
* Bill Bluff in the animated 1990s US television sitcom series Doug

Whisky priest

A priest or ordained minister who shows clear signs of moral weakness, either due to alcohol use, having a mistress, or doing other forbidden activities, while at the same time teaching a higher standard and showing courage and moral resolve on a broader level. The stock character name was coined by Graham Greene to describe the renegade priest in The Power and the Glory (1940).

* "The Whiskey Priest", nameless, in the 1940 book The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
* "Preacher" Harry Powell, the criminal impersonating a priest played by Robert Mitchum, in the 1955 film The Night of the Hunter
* Fr Donald Callahan in a number of horror novels by Stephen King
* "The Hot Priest", nameless, played by Andrew Scott, in the BBC television sitcom series Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge

White friend

In US fiction centered around a group and/or family of blacks or other people of color, the white friend is an exaggerated parody of stereotypes of white Americans, including having awkwardness around people of color, an inability to dance, and being an all-around "square".

* Chelsea Daniels in the US television sitcom series That's so Raven
* Tom Willis in the US television sitcom series The Jeffersons
* Zoey Howzer in the animated US television sitcom series The Proud Family

White hunter

Khaki-clad and pith-helmeted Caucasian big-game hunters or safari leaders in Africa, used to illustrate the Imperial mindset of the colonial era.

* Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard
* Professor Challenger by Arthur Conan Doyle
* Redvers Fenn-Cooper

White savior

A western white, person — almost always a man — who saves an indigenous population from an external threat.[142]

* T.E. Lawrence, played by Peter O'Toole, in the 1962 biographical film Lawrence of Arabia
* Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
* Jake Sully in the Avatar films

Wimp

A mild-mannered, ineffectual, and weak-willed character, who often is easily manipulated and not well-liked.

* Wallace Wimple
* Caspar Milquetoast
* Arthur Carlson
* Wimp in the 1990s US television sitcom series Herman's Head

Wise fool

A simpleton or a person who seems like an idiot, who may speak inarticulate nonsense in one moment, only to later show wisdom. The fool's mocking humour shows his ability to understand events or speak blunt truths to a leader.

* Puck in the play A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
* Goofy in various animated Disney films
* Chauncey "Chance the gardener" Gardiner, played by Peter Sellers, in the 1979 film Being There, based on the 1971 novel by Jerzy Kosiński
* Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks, the eponymous lead in the 1994 film, based on the 1986 novel by Winston Groom
* Pumbaa in The Lion King film series

Wise old man / Wizard

An elderly and wise man who serves as mentor / father figure to the protagonist. In fantasy, typically he may also be a wizard.

* Merlin in the Arthurian legends
* Gandalf in the books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
* Ged a.k.a. Sparrowhawk the Mage in The Earthsea Cycle book series by Ursula K. le Guin — especially the latter novels
* Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda in the Star Wars film series
* Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling

Witch

A user of magic, usually a woman, who can appear as neither wholly benevolent nor malevolent.[124][143] Often depicted as wizened, withered old hag — sometimes a fairy or deity — occasionally benevolent of cruel, malicious, malevolent nature, though can also be mysterious and alluring young woman or could take any appearance with shapeshifting magic, but sometimes chooses the appearance of such an old woman in the first instance of meeting.

The character is found extensively throughout mythology, folklore, and children's tales, often in groups or covens of three. The ancient magical triumvirate of the maiden, mother, and crone is linked directly to the key stages of women's lives and their development of their roles in society.[144][145][146] The words witch and hag can also be used synonymously.[124][143][147]

Further information: crone, hag, and fairy godmother

* In Greek mythology:
* Circe, the daughter of the sun god Helios and the Oceanid Perse, of the enchantress the isle of Aeaea in the Odyssey by Homer
* Calypso, the water nymph enchantress of isle of Ogygia, in the Odyssey by Homer
* Stygian Witches as depicted in the 1981 film Clash of the Titans
* The Morrígan or Badb in Celtic mythology and Irish folklore
* Baba Yaga in Slavic and Russian folklore
* The Three Witches who give the prophecy to the Lords Banquo and Macbeth in the 1606 play by William Shakespeare.
* Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault and the Disney adaptations
* The Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by the Brothers Grimm
* The old woman in the woods in the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm
* Wicked Witch of the West in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum
* In the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, there are a great many, but notably:
* Granny Weatherwax (crone)
* Nanny Ogg (mother)
* Magrat Garlick (maiden)
* Tiffany Aching
* In the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series by J.K. Rowling, there are a great many, but notably:
* Hermione Granger
* Professor McGonagall
* Molly Weasley
* Bellatrix Lestrange
* Dolores Umbridge
* The sisters Tina and Queenie Goldstein, played by Katherine Waterston and Alison Sudol
* Yubaba and her twin sister Zeniba in the 2001 Studio Ghibli animated fantasy film Spirited Away written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki

See also: List of fictional witches

## Y

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Yokel

An unsophisticated country person whose rural accent, lack of formal education, and coarse manners are used for comic relief — see also "village idiot".

* Cletus Spuckler in the animated US television sitcom series The Simpsons
* Dale Gribble in the animated US television sitcom series King of the Hill
* Ernest P. Worrell
* Trevor Philips

Youngest child

The underestimated youngest child in a family of many children, usually all of the same gender. Often portrayed as the most childlike of the children due to their youth; though, in a plot twist, this character may be portrayed as comically sinister. In a continuing live-action series, they may be effectively succeeded by the even younger "Cousin Oliver".

* Maggie Simpson in the animated US television sitcom series The Simpsons
* Bobut in the 1990s US television sitcom series Aliens in the Family
* Stewie Griffin in the animated US television sitcom series Family Guy

Youxia[148]

They are type of ancient Chinese warrior folk hero who defend the weak, celebrated in classical Chinese poetry and fictional literature. Most often depicted as swash-buckling wandering adventurers or knight-errants of China going back to the end Warring States period and the foundation of the Qin dynasty of the 3rd century BCE through to period of the Ming→Quing dynasties transition in the 17th century.

* The 12th-century Northern Song dynasty heroes of folk tales of The Water Margin of the mid-14th century adapted into a 1973 Japanese television series The Water Margin
* Fong Sai-yuk

Yuppie

A young, urban professional of the 1980s and early 1990s — typically an advertising executive, corporate businessperson, investment banker, stock broker, corporate lawyer, or similar — who is driven by their goals of achieving wealth, career success, and the status symbols that come with these, to the exclusion of all else. They have a love of materialism and exclusivity associated with success in a free-market economy of the neo-liberal politics driven by the Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher governments. They measure their lives by their luxury car (a BMW or Saab), their house in a trendy downtown neighborhood, dressing in designer clothes, and eating at exclusive restaurants. They have no time for any family life. Usually, they are depicted as immoral and villainous profiteers or for satirical purposes, may be benign swept up in forces beyond their control.

* J.C. Wiatt, played by Diane Keaton, in the 1987 film Baby Boom
* Gordon Gekko and Bud Fox, played by Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen, in the 1987 film Wall Street co-written and directed by Oliver Stone
* Denis Dimbleby Bagley and Julia Bagley, played by Richard E. Grant and Rachel Ward, in the 1989 satire film How to get ahead in advertising written and directed by Bruce Robinson
* Wall Street investment banker Patrick Bateman in the 1991 book American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
* Jordan Belfort, played Leonardo di Caprio, in the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street

## Z

[edit]

Character type  | Description  | Examples

|
|

Zanni

Servant characters in commedia dell'arte. Zanni were of two distinct types: one is an astute, cunning servant and the other is a silly, stupid servant. They were called First Zanni and Second Zanni. Mezzetino and Brighella are examples of the First Zanni; Arlecchino and Pulcinella are examples of the Second Zanni. The Second Zanni provides comic relief. The Zanni also help the young lovers to overcome the blocking efforts of the Veccio, or elderly male characters.

* Arlecchino (or Harlequin), Brighella, and Pulcinello
* Papageno, the flute-playing, bird-charming baritone servant of the Prince Tamino, in the 1791 opera Die Zauberflöte / The Magic Flute by Emanuel Schikaneder and W.A. Mozart

Zombie

A type of undead creature that appears across various media, typically appearing as a mindless destructive horde. It is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in which a zombie is a dead body reanimated through various methods, most commonly magical practices in religions like Vodou.

In modern popular culture, zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. Modern media depictions of the reanimation of the dead often do not involve magic but rather science fictional methods such as carriers, fungi, radiation, mental diseases, vectors, pathogens, parasites, scientific accidents, etc.[149][150]

* The zombie first-person narrating character known only as "R" in the 2010 book Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
* Necromorph
* Simon William Garth
* Solomon Grundy

## See also

[edit]

* Commedia dell'arte
* Stereotype

## References

[edit]

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## Sources and further reading

[edit]

* Silver, Alain; Ursini, James (1997). The Vampire Film: From Nosferatu to Interview with the Vampire. New York City: Limelight Editions. pp. 22–23\. ISBN 978-0-87910-395-8.
* Loukides, Paul and Fuller, Linda K. Beyond the Stars: Stock characters in American popular film. Volume 1. Popular Press, 1990.

* v
* t
* e

Stock characters

* List
* Archetype

By ethics and morality

| Heroes|

| Classic hero|

* Action hero
* Christ figure
* Chosen One
* Everyman
* Folk hero
* Knight-errant
* Legacy hero
* Mythological king
* Paladin
* Superhero
* Youngest son

|

Antihero|

* Byronic hero
* Man alone
* Tragic hero

Other|

* Cyberhero
* Super soldier
* Space marine

Rogues|

| Lovable rogue|

* Gentleman detective
* Jack
* Trickster

|

Tricky slave|

* Zanni (servants, clowns: Harlequin, Brighella, Scapino, Pulcinella and Pierrot)

Outlaw|

* Bad boy
* Gentleman thief
* Pirate
* Air pirate
* Space pirate

Other|

* Good cop/bad cop
* Rake

Villains|

| Antivillains|

* False hero

|

The mole|

* Double agent
* Evil twin
* Terrorist

Social Darwinist|

* Dark lord
* Mad scientist
* Supervillain

Monsters|

* Bug-eyed monster
* Evil clown
* Killer robot
* Killer toy
* Monster girl
* Skeleton
* Slime
* Swamp monster
* Vampires
* Zombie
* Nazi zombies
* Zombie animal

Other|

* Alazon
* Archenemy
* Folk devil
* Igor
* Masked villain
* Miser
* Vecchio (wealthy old men, Pantalone and Il Dottore)
* Il Capitano (self styled captain, braggart)

By sex and gender

| Feminine|

| Love interest|

* Bishōjo
* Blonde stereotype
* Farmer's daughter
* Girl next door
* Hooker with a heart of gold
* Ingénue
* Loosu ponnu
* Magical girlfriend
* Catgirl
* Monster girl
* Manic Pixie Dream Girl
* Vixen

|

Hag|

* Cat lady
* Crone
* Fairy godmother
* La Ruffiana
* Loathly lady

Hawksian woman|

* Dragon Lady
* Femme fatale
* Tsundere

Woman warrior|

* Jungle girl
* Magical girl
* Virago
* Strong female character

Queen bee|

* Princesse lointaine
* Southern belle
* Valley girl
* Yamato nadeshiko

LGBT|

* Class S
* Laotong

Lady-in-waiting|

* Columbina
* Mammy stereotype

Geek girl|

* Gamer girl

Damsel in distress|

* Final girl
* Princess and dragon

Masculine|

| Harlequin|

* Pierrot
* Scaramouche

|

Father figure|

* Wise old man
* Elderly martial arts master

Young|

* American mappillai
* Himbo
* Ivan the Fool
* Jack
* Jock
* Little Johnny
* Nice guy
* Nice Jewish boy
* Superfluous man

Prince Charming|

* Bishōnen
* Knight-errant

Primitive|

* Feral child
* Noble savage
* Caveman
* Mountain man

LGBT|

* Seme and uke
* Otokonoko

Bad boy|

* Pachuco
* Black knight

Others

* Adolescent clique
* Barbarian
* Clown
* Dragonslayer
* Donor
* Fool
* Identity formation
* Imaginary friend
* Innamorati ("The Lovers")
* Little green men
* Magical Negro
* Mole people
* Pop icon
* Redshirt
* Shoulder angel
* Sidekick
* Straight man
* Tokenism
* Town drunk
* Tragic mulatto
* Truck-kun
* Village idiot
* White savior

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template