• Traditionally the protagonist of a story
• Often his past is a mystery
• He is the champion, king, leader or savior of many
• Endures pain and sorrow that all lead to a greater good

• Serve as a teacher or counselor to the initiate or future hero
• Role Model
• Sometimes a Father or Mother figure

• Young heroes who must endure training
• Must complete some type of quest
• They are innocent and often wear white

• A hero is spirited away as a young man and raised by strangers
• Later returns home where he is a stranger who looks to find a solution to problems

• Loyal to the hero
• Group willing to face dangers in order to be together

• Symbolic of abundance, fertility, and knowledge
• Offers spiritual and emotional advice or nourishment to those she meetsIn

• Sensuous with beauty
• The hero is physically attracted to her but she will ultimately bring about his downfall

• Woman, married to a man she sees dull
• Attracted to a more interesting or handsome man
• Commits an act of InfidelityHelen

• Vulnerable woman who must be rescued by the hero
• She is often used as bait to trap the hero

• These two characters are engaged in a love affair
• Fated to end tragically
• Society, family, or friends do not approve of the relationship

• Somewhat heroic
• Similar to a servant with hero-like qualities
• Duty: Protect the Hero

• Banished by society or a social group
• Destined to become a wanderer
• Moves from place to place

• Shows characteristics of the hero
• Finds villains threatening and may attempt to warn the hero
• Loyal only to the hero & the hero’s companions

• A redeemable devil
• Saved by the love or faith of a hero
• May have started out good, then through a fall becomes evil, but returns to good in the end

• Creature of a Nightmare
• A monster usually summoned from the deepest, darkest parts of the mind
• Threatens the life of the hero
• Often a perverse or desecrated form of human

• Human or animal
• Public death is a sin of the community
• Death makes him a more powerful force than when he lived

• Evil incarnate
• Offers worldly goods
• Will tempt, cheat, steal, lie, and destroy anyone or anything he comes into contact with

• are those characters who are generally supportive,
• but may (for good or bad reasons) do things to hinder the Hero.

• An advisor much wiser and more experienced than the Hero,
• may be hard to win over as a potential source of information or help.
• may mislead or manipulate the Hero as a form of "teaching."

• The Hero's confidant,
• always ready to lend a hand –
• may hold the Hero back out of fear for his safety or fear for the loss of their close friendship.

• A "secure base" and a shoulder to cry on,
• the character the Hero should be closest to by the end of the story.
• Need not be a mate per se; may be a child or a pet.

• characters who mostly hinder the Hero, without necessarily meaning him ill;
• a Rival is not a Villain,
• may be a form of Antagonist.

• Uses verbal humor and practical jokes to keep everything on a comedic rather than dramatic level,
• may prevent people from getting down to discussing important issues.
• Craves attention and may lie or mislead others for the fun of it.

• Well-intentioned but clumsy, or otherwise capable of causing physical havoc without meaning to ("What does this button do?").
• Most times the Hero can't even bring himself to scold the character.

• Consciously tries to mess things up for the
Hero –
• true rivalry here
• when things really get bad might even lend a hand to get things back to normal.
• Would not enjoy life nearly as much if the
Hero weren't around to spar with.

• Asks questions, demands details,
• generally slows things down and saps the
Hero's patience.
• Has little understanding of "acceptable risk"
• doesn't want the Hero to make decisions based on limited data, even in a time crunch.

• Points out everything wrong with the Hero's plan, and everything that could possibly go wrong, completely undermining the Hero's confidence.
• Doesn't believe anything will ever work, so never gives anything a try.
• Is a natural Devil's Advocate.

• At her best, uses predictions to guide the Hero
(thus almost a type of Magi);
• usually, however, she withholds information and masks the truth,
• may seek to be acknowledged for her unique powers.
• Needn't be a real psychic; can be, for example, a psychologist or behavioral analyst who can predict what people are going to do next.