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* DirtyCop: Teasle is unable to invoke any law against Rambo when he specificall asks, just resorting to misfeasance as he boasts that [[IAmTheNoun he is the law]]. He also incurs on abusive convict treatment.
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* DirtyCop: Teasle is unable to invoke any law against Rambo when he specificall specifically asks, just resorting to misfeasance as he boasts that [[IAmTheNoun he is the law]]. He also incurs on abusive convict treatment.
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* DirtyCop: Downplayed, but of the abusive convict treatment and KnightTemplar kind.
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* DirtyCop: Downplayed, but of Teasle is unable to invoke any law against Rambo when he specificall asks, just resorting to misfeasance as he boasts that [[IAmTheNoun he is the law]]. He also incurs on abusive convict treatment and KnightTemplar kind.treatment.
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[[Characters/RamboJohnRambo John Rambo]] | '''''First Blood''''' | ''[[Characters/RamboFirstBloodPartII First Blood Part II]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboIII Rambo III]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboIV Rambo IV]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboLastBlood Last Blood]]''-]]]]]
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[[folder:Sheriff Will Teasle]]
!!Sheriff Will Teasle
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/BrianDennehy
->''"You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you're asking for trouble around here, friend."''
Sheriff of the small town Hope, Washington. He is the BigBad of the first film, an overzealous sheriff who harasses Rambo.
!!Sheriff Will Teasle
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/BrianDennehy
->''"You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you're asking for trouble around here, friend."''
Sheriff of the small town Hope, Washington. He is the BigBad of the first film, an overzealous sheriff who harasses Rambo.
to:
!!Sheriff Will Teasle
!!John James Rambo
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rambo_211sylvester_stallone.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"To survive war, you gotta become war."'']]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote:Rambo in ''Rambo (2008)'']]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmtyznjm0ndi1mv5bml5banbnxkftztcwodkxnzuzmw_v1.png]][[/labelnote]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote:Rambo in ''Last Blood'']]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wallpapersdencom_sylvester_stallone_in_rambo_5_2932x2932.png]][[/labelnote]]
!!!'''Played By:'''
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/FirstBlood'' | ''Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII'' | ''Film/RamboIII'' | ''Film/RamboIV'' | ''Film/RamboLastBlood''
->''"You
Added DiffLines:
* AbusiveParents: In his backstory his father Reevis Rambo was an alcoholic and a nasty piece of work who abused Rambo and his mother regularly. After his mother passed away, when Rambo was seventeen, Reevis tried to kill Rambo with a knife while he was intoxicated, forcing Rambo to shoot him with his compound bow, nearly killing his father in the process. Rambo ran away from home afterwards and ended up recruited by Trautman into the army, who became a genuine, caring father figure and mentor to young John. Despite this Rambo intended to reunite and reconcile with Reevis after the events of the fourth movie, but the fifth reveals Reevis died in 2000, meaning he never got the chance to.
* AccidentalMurder: Accidentally kills police sergeant Art Galt in self-defense when the latter tried to purposely kill him in cold blood in the first film (and even then, Rambo's actions are just throwing a rock at a helicopter while Galt was leaning out the door). In the book, he disembowels Galt in the police station for reaching for his gun after Rambo overpowered Teasle and stole the razor.
* TheAce:
** From what Trautman has said about him, Rambo is an incredibly exceptional and talented soldier who proved himself to be one of the best fighters the United States has had during their fight against Vietnam. He can take on multiple enemy forces and still come out the victor without having any major setbacks. That said, [[BrokenAce his mental health and perception of the world is far less than perfect]].
** The action toylines of the character's appearance in ''WesternAnimation/RamboTheForceOfFreedom'' also makes sure to emphasize this trope in their descriptions...
---> "His strength and skill allow him to accomplish dangerous missions that no ordinary man would attempt. Martial arts, weapons, explosives -- Rambo is MasterOfAll!"
* AcePilot: ''The Force of Freedom'' has Rambo be a competent pilot to further his credentials as a badass soldier. He mainly flies planes to travel to different countries under the military's commands as well as provide support for his allies and the occasional combat.
* ActionHero: The 80's emblem, and the 2000's resurgence of 80's action type as well.
* AdaptationalHeroism: Rambo was a much darker character in the ''First Blood'' book. The novel puts more emphasis on the fact that the whole situation mostly happens because of Rambo's own pride, and Teasle actually gives him several chances to leave the town peacefully, as opposed to the movie where he takes him in after coming back once. Rambo's actions also seem more like vengeance and he eventually realizes he is fighting [[BloodKnight because he likes it]], whereas in the movie they seem more like self-defense. And while in the film he only kills one person by accident, in the book he [[ShootEverythingThatMoves slaughters dozens of people]] and is basically like an evil version of what the character would become in later films, and more or less serves as the BigBad of the story.
* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In addition to being a lot more heroic than his novel counterpart was, the film iteration of Rambo is also a lot more cordial and reluctant to violence. Even at his worst and most jerkish, he's somewhat approachable and capable of doing the right thing, as opposed to the original, who was a straight-up BloodKnight.
* AndShowItToYou: In ''Last Blood'', [[spoiler: Rambo kills [[BigBad Hugo]] by ripping his heart out. Given what Hugo did, both for his profession and for hurting Rambo on a really personal level, it's tremendously satisfying.]]
* AndTheAdventureContinues: [[spoiler:In the end of ''Last Blood'', Rambo gets up from his chair, saddles up on his horse, and rides into the sunset.]]
* AnguishedOutburst: At the end of the first film, when Rambo has become too mentally exhausted from his battle against the police and Teasle, he gives out his peace of mind towards Trautman when he tells him to surrender. While Rambo has shown signs of being mentally broken and sullen, he really displays it in a bitter, sorrowful tone about how his experience and losses in Vietnam felt.
-->'''Col. Trautman:''' You did everything to make this private war happen. You've done enough damage. This mission is over, Rambo. Do you understand me? This mission is over! Look at them out there! Look at them! If you won't end this now, they will kill you. Is that what you want? It's over Johnny. It's over!\\
'''Rambo:''' NOTHING IS OVER! NOTHING! You just don't turn it off! It wasn't my war! You asked me, I didn't ask you! And I did what I had to do to win! But somebody wouldn't let us win! And I come back to the world and I see all those maggots at the airport, protesting me, spitting. Calling me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me, huh? Who are they? Unless they've been me and been there and know what the hell they're yelling about!\\
'''Col. Trautman:''' It was a bad time for everyone, Rambo. It's all in the past now.\\
'''Rambo:''' FOR YOU! For me civilian life is nothing! In the field, we had a code of honor! You watch my back, I watch yours! Back here there's NOTHING!\\
'''Col. Trautman:''' You're the [[SoleSurvivor last of an elite group]]. Don't end it like this.\\
'''Rambo:''' Back there I could fly a gunship! I could drive a tank! I was in charge of million-dollar equipment! Back here I can't even hold a job PARKING CARS!
* AntiHero: He's a brutal and merciless warrior who kills in massive swathes of numbers and his body count is usually gory, in addition to looking and acting glum and distant for the most part. That said, he's a {{Downplayed|Trope}} example as Rambo is clearly not fond of his acts and would rather not engage himself in combat, a far cry from the epic ActionHero popular media has made him out to be.
* AxCrazy: Particularly in the first movie where Rambo mistakes a kid out hunting game for one of the officers pursuing him and Rambo has to force himself to let the kid go. Col. Trautman himself lampshades this during the climax where he accuses Rambo of having wanted to initiate a fight from the beginning.
* BadassBandolier: Has worn bandoliers of ammo for his machine gun.
* BadassesWearBandanas: He's probably one of the most iconic examples.
* BagOfSpilling: Rambo actually did come well-armed and with the equipment he needed (the camera he needed) in ''First Blood Part II''. He just happened to lose it on the way down.
* BerserkButton: Murdock ''really'' should not have decided to abandon Rambo, and by extension, the [=POWs=] he wasn't supposed to rescue.
* BigBad: He's this and VillainProtagonist in the novel. Despite his sympathetic backstory, his actions by the end of the novel make any sympathy you have for him fade away when he kills the innocent townspeople.
* BigDamnHeroes: Especially in the fourth movie, as the Burmese Army found out firsthand.
* BloodKnight: Subverted. Despite the violence associated with him, Rambo actually doesn't enjoy killing and is perfectly content to be left alone. But when push comes to shove he [[CombatPragmatist doesn't hesitate to do whatever it takes to get the job done]]. Played straight in the novel though where he straight-up murders pretty much everyone he comes across and admits to himself that he missed the rush of battle.
* BornInTheWrongCentury: Stallone believes that Rambo would have been happier living 500 years ago as a samurai.
* BrokenAce: Rambo is simply unmatched in combat, able to carve a path through hundreds of enemies on a regular basis. He's also completely traumatized by the war and finds himself unable to integrate back into the civilian world.
* BullyHunter: He actively hunts the enemy who bullies their way to commit atrocities out of their satisfaction. He even fought back against Teasle and Galt for bullying him upon arresting him in the first film.
* ButNotTooWhite:
** In the novels, Rambo was mentioned as being half-Native American.
** While the character in the film is played by Sylvester Stallone, who is a combination of Italian, French, and Jewish Ukrainian, the second film notes Rambo as being ''of Indian/German descent''.
* ByronicHero
* CartwrightCurse: [[spoiler: He immediately loses Co-Bao in the second movie not long after she shares a kiss with him, and he later loses Gabriela in the fifth movie when he attempts to rescue her from the HumanTraffickers.]]
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Already physically tough and strong in the films, Rambo's strength is borderline superhuman in ''The Force of Freedom'', being able to break chains and even pick up and throw large blocks of concrete.
* ChekhovsHobby:
** In ''Last Blood'', Rambo has spent the last ten years digging a network of tunnels underneath his ranch and practically lives in them. [[spoiler: During the climax of the film, he lures Martinez and his men into the booby-trapped tunnels and slaughters them before collapsing the tunnels]].
** His bow-and-arrow target practice using playing cards, specifically the layout of the cards, comes into play later.
* ColdBloodedTorture: He's on the receiving end of one via a flashback to Vietnam where he was viciously tortured by having a large scar carved onto his chest. This resulted in Rambo developing PTSD, and the sight of a razor is what sets him off against the police of Hope, Washington.
* CombatPragmatist: Rambo does not fight fair, preferring to use stealth and kill you before you have a chance to defend yourself, as well as setting up a trap to kill/incapacitate his enemies. Given that he fought in Vietnam, where fights were usually chaotic and where the enemy was unpredictable and fought with no scruples, Rambo had to adapt and take a pragmatic stance in combat.
* ConditionedToAcceptHorror: Given his experience in Vietnam, Rambo has become mostly desensitized to the horrors and threats that he faces off throughout the films and usually engages in combat with a stern, serious, and occasionally rageful face, even if the threat is a dangerous one. Interestingly, this is PlayedForDrama in the first film when [[AnguishedOutburst Rambo breaks down and angrily tells Trautman of what he went through]], yet the sequels mostly gloss over this.
* CoolUncle: He's seen as this for Gabriela, which makes sense given that not only is he the closest she had to a parental guardian, but Rambo is also attentive and open to listening to what Gabriela has to say, even if there are disagreements.
* CopKiller: Killed sadistic policeman Art Galt in self-defense in the first film. Galt's death was accidental, falling from the helicopter after Rambo threw a rock at the windshield because he was leaning out the door with his seat harness unbuckled. Rambo at that point is unarmed, desperate, and looking for ''any'' way to return fire, and is visibly surprised when Galt falls to his death.
* CrewOfOne: In the climatic battle of ''Film/RamboIII'', Rambo is able to drive a Soviet tank while at the same time loading and firing the main gun and coaxial machine gun. Well, T-72 features an autoloader, but aiming and firing from the driver' station is out of the question. Neither is driving the tank from the gunner' station.[[note]]On a side note, Rambo hits this tank with an incendiary bottle, and its crew immediately starts to bail out, suggesting that the engine is disabled. Then Rambo kills the crew and takes the tank for a ride like no damage to it was done.[[/note]]
* CrimeOfSelfDefense: Him killing Art Galt was purely out of self-defense, and he wasn't even trying to kill him, but given just how much of a scumbag Galt was, in addition to being too trigger-happy in wanting to kill Rambo, he really couldn't be faulted on the situation.
* DeadpanSnarker: In the third film, Rambo actually manages to crack a few jokes (unlike the other films in the series, where he's dead serious most of the time).
-->''[Trautman and Rambo stand alone against an entire Soviet battalion]''\\
'''Trautman:''' Any ideas?\\
'''Rambo:''' Well, surrounding them is out.\\
'''Trautman:''' Hell of a time for humor, John.
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: He defeats and kills Lieutenant Tay in this fashion via blowing up his helicopter with an explosive arrow whilst Tay is deadset in trying to fight him.
* DentedIron: While Rambo is a badass OneManArmy, he's ''not'' invincible and in the event that he receives an injury, it sticks with him up until the end of the movie. Tellingly, he's still carrying the scars that were inflicted upon him during his days in Vietnam. That said, said injuries don't deter Rambo one bit from carrying on with his mission, mainly due to his training by Trautman.
* DeviousDaggers: John Rambo is a former Green Beret who prefers to use a knife while he's being hunted in the county woods by FatBastard Sheriff Teasle and his deputies. John Rambo can certainly use firearms well, but he knows that gunfire attracts attention and gives away his position. A knife is a silent killer, and he can exploit "ghost hunter" tactics with it to great effect. Rambo's knife finds the throat of Sheriff Teasle to punctuate his message "Stop pushing."
* {{Determinator}}: When engaging in combat or sent off to accomplish a task, Rambo's determination in getting the job done is unshakable and anything that gets in his way ''will'' be obliterated.
* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler: By the end of ''Last Blood'', Rambo is shown wounded and bleeding after killing Hugo and his men, after being shot twice. He has just enough strength to sit on a chair on the porch of his father's house, teasing the idea that he might pass out and die from his wounds despite his vow to keep fighting for those he loves. After the montage of previous movies are shown during the credits, he gets back up and takes a horse for another ride]].
* DoAnythingSoldier: In ''The Force of Freedom'', Rambo, in addition to being a feared and famed fighter, can also fly planes, drive tanks, and have a whole assortment of skills never seen in the films.
* TheDreaded:
** In the first film. Most of the police and national guardsmen who are hunting Rambo are scared shitless of him.
** When Murdoch hears Rambo say "I'm coming for you." he looks visibly scared, despite the fact that Rambo is being held in a Vietnamese prison camp with Soviet Spetznaz advisors present.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: After coming back from Vietnam, Rambo isn't seen as a hero, but rather as a crazed and unaccepted war fighter. This is TruthInTelevision as many Vietnam vets really did come back, only to be shunned by society and the very people whom they were fighting to protect. This line from Rambo illustrates it pretty well...
-->'''Rambo:''' Back there I could fly a gunship, I could a drive a tank, I was in charge of a million dollar equipment; back here, I can't even hold a job PARKING CARS!
* EarnYourHappyEnding: After years of recurring nightmares and being surrounded by death, John has finally found inner peace and returns to his father's ranch in Arizona at the end of the fourth movie. Sadly turns into a HappyEndingOverride when he loses everything in ''Rambo: Last Blood''.
* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: Zig-Zagged. Rambo is an elite Green Beret, with all the ass-kicking skills that go with it. However, he's also a ShellShockedVeteran with severe emotional scars who cannot fit into any civilian life. In addition, despite his status as a killing machine, he's still human and gets wounded or captured fairly often.
* EmptyShell: He's so mentally and emotionally desensitized from seeing the horrors of Vietnam that by the time he returns, he barely ever makes any kind of reaction. Even when arrested and forcefully inspected, Rambo doesn't bat an eye. While he is stoic in nature, what really makes this noteworthy is just how detached Rambo feels towards reality and his surroundings at times. That said, there are some moments where he does let out his peace of mind, or display that he is capable of emoting towards someone if the feeling is strong enough.
* FromCamouflageToCriminal: In ''First Blood'', he carries out a rampage in a small town after being harassed by police over a vagrancy charge.
* GeniusBruiser: Rambo's real strength isn't his combat skills but his mind. He is an excellent tactician who is extremely skilled at outsmarting opponents, thinking on the fly, using his environment to his advantage, gathering intelligence, analyzing situations quickly, surviving off the land, using whatever he can as a weapon, and tracking targets and sneaking up on them as well as setting traps to take out multiple opponents at once.
* GoodIsNotNice: In the fourth film. Very evident when he briefly argues with the missionaries over him saving their lives by killing the pirates.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: His torso is crisscrossed with scars from where he was cut by knives while a prisoner of war. In the third and fourth movies, he also has a burn mark on his cheek from when a Russian interrogator touched him with a red-hot knife in the second film.
* GoodVersusGood: Applicable in ''First Blood'' if [[DirtyCop Teasle]] and [[HateSink Galt]] are excluded; Rambo's first cinematic adversaries are a group of police officers who are simply trying to do their job and are hunting Rambo partly because of Teasle's orders and partly because of, as far as they know, Rambo is a dangerous fugitive that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. While Rambo acts no less vicious towards them as his future enemies in sequels, he incapacitates ''almost'' all of the cops rather than killing them. Even his only kill, Galt, was merely an accident and the only cop who could clearly be called bad.
* GunsAkimbo: He'll make use of every gun he has in possession and when on a massacring spree, expect him to hold a gun or two while he's mowing down enemy soldiers, all with a stern look and a loud battle cry.
* GuttedLikeAFish: He's on the giving end, delivering this method of killing to Pa Tee Tint in the climax of the fourth film by stabbing and disemboweling him. Of course, Pa Tee Tint ''more'' than had it coming.
* HairTodayGoneTomorrow: By ''Last Blood'' and thanks to his age, Rambo's hair, in addition to greying, is also noticeably shorter than it was a decade ago.
* HeartbrokenBadass:
** [[spoiler: After Co-Bao's death in the second movie]].
** [[spoiler: And again after Gabriela's death in the fifth movie.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: In the first film, when he was shunned by society, submitted to humiliation by anti-war "maggots" upon returning home, arrested for no good reason, and finds himself a fugitive from justice before turning himself in that leads to six years in prison until the sequel where he is pardoned. Despite getting a presidential pardon at the end of the second film, Rambo still felt he has been unofficially banned from ever returning to the United States following his experience at the hands of fellow American citizens in the first film, leading to self-exiling himself to Thailand in the third and fourth films.
* HeroicBSOD: Has a major one at the end of ''First Blood''.
* HeroicBuild: Particularly in Parts II and III, likely due to doing hard labor in prison since the first film. While not particularly tall as [[EvilIsBigger 6'3 Teasle manages to tower over him]] in the first movie, he's extremely muscular.
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: He's done his fair share of heroic deeds over time, but a consistent character trait for Rambo is that he's not exactly happy about the kind of person he turned out to be during and after his services in Vietnam
* HonorBeforeReason: "Live for nothing, or die for something!"
* HonoraryUncle: In the fifth film, he becomes one for Gabriela. She calls him "Uncle John" due to Rambo being a more noticeable parental presence than her father ever was.
* HotBlooded: Rambo looks like a stoic war vet on the surface, but underneath he's ''burning'' with rage.
* HumansAreBastards: Rambo discusses the capability of malice and evil humans commit when he talks to Sarah in the extended version of the fourth film.
-->'''Rambo:''' We're like animals! It's in the blood! It's natural! Peace? That's an accident! It's "what is"! When you're pushed, killing's as easy as breathing. When the killing stops in one place, it starts in another, but that's okay... 'cause you're killing for your country. But it ain't your country who asks you, it's a few men up top who want it. Old men start it, young men fight it, nobody wins, everybody in the middle dies... and nobody tells the truth! God's gonna make all that go away?
* ILetGwenStacyDie: [[spoiler: Co's death in the second movie and Gabriela's death in the fifth movie sparks his RoaringRampageOfRevenge against the villains.]]
* {{Iconic Item}}s: Rambo has used a very wide range of weapons, but three of them remain synonymous with the character; a hunting knife that he's been using from the series's origin, and in the second film onward, his main long-range weapons of choice are a bow with customizable arrows and the M60 machine gun.
* ImYourWorstNightmare: This is his response to Zaysen whilst using one of his fallen men's walkie-talkies to communicate with the latter.
* ImprovisedWeapon: He knocks out a Soviet soldier with a radio transmitter. Given that Rambo was trained to be as pragmatic as possible, [[JustifiedTrope this manages to make sense]].
* InelegantBlubbering: At the end of ''First Blood'', when talking to Trautman about his DarkAndTroubledPast.
* IronButtMonkey: He's a badass, but let's face it, ''nothing'' goes right for Rambo in any of the films.
* ItsPersonal: [[spoiler: Gabriela's death results in Rambo at his angriest, with the end result being a messy, bloody swath of the corpses of Mexican cartel criminals as well as Victor and Hugo Martinez, the latter of whom Rambo decided to rip his heart out in cold vengeance]].
* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: He uses this very ruthlessly in ''Last Blood'' in order to find out where Gabriela is, pulling out then breaking the collarbone of a Mexican associated with the human trafficking ring that's taken Gabriela.
* JaywalkingWillRuinYourLife: Invoked. Rambo gets picked up by the police for "vagrancy," which leads to them messing with him and dredging up his Vietnam War trauma, which leads to rapidly escalating troubles, which leads to a dead cop and, [[Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII eventually]], Rambo working a prison quarry. Towards the end of the movie, during the police's NearVillainVictory HopeSpot when they ''think'' they've managed to kill him, Rambo's old commander has this to say:
-->'''Trautman:''' Vagrancy, wasn't it? That's gonna look real good on his gravestone in Arlington: "Here lies John Rambo, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, survivor of countless incursions behind enemy lines, [[UndignifiedDeath killed for vagrancy in]] [[CrapsackWorld Jerkwater]], [[{{Eagleland}} USA]]."
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: In the fourth movie. He's grumpy, sullen, and rude, but he risks his life to save the missionaries. Though the fifth movie has Maria praising him for being a great father figure to Gabriela for many years.
* KnightInSourArmor: He has to deal with fighting every day, and no matter how much he hates it, he still has to push on.
* LargeHam:
** His breakdown at the end of the first movie famously begins with him screaming "NOTHING IS OVER! NOTHING!"
** The fourth movie has him losing it at the missionaries who chastise him for killing a boatload of pirates to protect Sarah.
--> "They would have RAPED her 50 times, and cut all your FUCKIN' HEADS OFF! WHO ARE YOU?! [[FunetikAksent WHOUHANNYOYOU!?]]"
** Then there's his trademark war cry. '''''"AAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!"'''''
* TheLeader: In ''The Force of Freedom'', Rambo serves this position in the titular group, also composed of Turbo, a mechanic, Kat, a disguise expert, and Trautman, his mentor and supervisor.
* LightningBruiser: Fitting for a veteran who has to run long distances.
* MaddenIntoMisanthropy: By the fourth movie he has abandoned civilization and humanity almost entirely.
* ManlyTears:
** At the end of ''First Blood'' he cries about all the horrors that he has witnessed in Vietnam.
** He also does this in ''First Blood Part II'' when [[spoiler: Co dies.]]
* MoralityPet: He has one in Gabriela in ''Last Blood'', to the point where they even share a father-daughter relationship despite not being related. [[spoiler: Gabriela's death triggers Rambo into a rampaging frenzy that results in an entire cartel organization and their leaders becoming messy corpses]].
* MoreDakka: He uses a ''lot'' of automatic weapons. Arguably the most iconic moment of the whole series is when he uses an M60 as a makeshift assault rifle during his final attack on the prison camp in the second film.
* MookHorrorShow: He kills {{Mook}}s on a wide scale with his weaponry, all without really taking much damage or resistance. That, and he becomes a figure of intense fear towards those who are lucky enough to survive his onslaught, or who are unlucky enough to face his wrath personally.
* MuggingTheMonster: He's on the receiving end of the trope by the police of Hope, Washington. And when Rambo does strike back, things do ''not'' look good for the police, especially Teasle.
* MysteriousPast: Mild example. While we know that he is a decorated Green Beret, we will never know how he ended up in Special Forces and what rank he held.
** At least one theory surmises, that he was a Junior Officer, who got a battlefield commission for his outstanding service as an NCO, but lack of formal education stalled his career possibilities.
* NamedByTheAdaptation: In regards to his first name. The books only referred to him by his surname, Rambo, whereas John, his first name, was an invention by the films.
* NeverMyFault: In the end of ''First Blood'', he insists that [[IDidWhatIHadToDo he only did what he had to do to win]] like he's been trained since "they drew first blood, not [him]." Trautman is more sympathetic, knowing of Rambo's PTSD, but he also points out that Rambo "did some pushing of [his] own" by both deliberately walking back into town and stubbornly stone-walling with the deputies before he finally snaps from mistreatment when he could have just walked away and avoided it all. He could have even [[FakingTheDead walked away after the National Guard failed to blow him up and bury him]] since almost everyone but Trautman [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat wrote him off as dead]], but he decides to start his "private war" by attacking the town of Hope.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Rambo is [[http://mentalfloss.com/article/64286/16-things-you-might-not-know-about-rambo partially based on]] Creator/AudieMurphy, one of the most decorated soldiers of the Second World War. In particular, the infamous "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZeDq4Yo6Jk .50 caliber scene]]" from ''Film/RamboIV'' is based on a real-life incident in which Murphy hijacked a damaged German tank's machine gun emplacement and single-handedly held off some fifty advancing enemy troops.
** Rambo's career in Vietnam bears an uncanny resemblance to one of a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Howard Green Beret Robert Howard]] that was nominated for the Medal of Honor three times over a 13-month period. Unlike Rambo, however, Howard stayed in service and became a Colonel himself.
* NoIndoorVoice: On the occasion, he gets riled up, mainly during battle, he'll let out an epic battle cry that'll echo out for a good period of time. And those cries are one of pure rage and bitterness. Sometimes it comes off as a shock, given how Rambo tends to be stoic and quiet when outside of combat.
* NominalHero: In the first movie, he's only fighting to survive and is rather brutal with his methods (despite refusing to kill his enemies).
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: As far as supplementary material and dialogue from the films shows, Rambo is supposed to be from Arizona, yet he speaks with a noticeable Brooklyn accent.
* NotSoStoic: Normally cold and quiet at initial glance, Rambo is actually holding back a lot of pent-up frustration, sadness, and rage that has been lingering with him ever since he came back from Vietnam, his experience from Hope, Washington, and from the missions Trautman sent him in. Considering the kind of shit he's been through, he does a remarkable job at holding a lid on his emotions, so it's a sight to behold when Rambo finally lets his feelings out, either when he emotionally breaks down, or he's had enough and starts a one-man rampage.
* OldSoldier: In his 60s by the time of ''Rambo IV'' and 70s by the time of ''Last Blood'' and still just as lethal to those in his way.
* OlderAndWiser: In the fourth movie, he is more world-weary and a much more hardened battle veteran than he was in the previous movies.
* OneManArmy: Yeah, he's pretty much the TropeCodifier as far as 1980s action heroes go. Taken to absurd levels in the third movie and toned down to a much more believable extent in the fourth.
* TheOnlyOne: A major reason for why he is dragged out to fight in war zones again, regardless of his unwillingness, is because Rambo is said to be the only one who is brave, skilled, and determined enough to get the job done.
* PapaWolf: He becomes one to Gabriela in the fifth movie and he is fiercely protective and affectionate for her. [[spoiler: Her death drives Rambo into him at his angriest and on a mass killing spree]].
* ParentalSubstitute: Rambo is technically an uncle to Gabriela, but considering how her parents don't bother to make contact with her and that Rambo is the guardian that's been the closest to her, he's more-or-less Gabriela's father.
* ThePerilsOfBeingTheBest: He is Trautman's masterpiece as far as his trainees go; Rambo is an expert combatant as well as a pragmatist of the highest order, doing whatever he needs to do to subdue and kill his enemies quickly, effectively, and without altering attention, has an insane amount of determination and wouldn't give up until his objective is complete, and his success record is overwhelmingly high. In short, he really is the best of the best. Unfortunately, Rambo doesn't desire a soldier's life and simply wants to live out a quiet, retired life where he can peacefully rest. Unfortunately, Trautman and life itself aren't so kind to him, with Rambo getting dragged back into combat and war situations without his consent, mainly because as far as the circumstances go, he's the only one who can stop the threat.
** The worst part for Rambo is that the '''[[StrangerInAFamiliarLand Reverse Culture Shock]]''' is too strong to deny. At the end of the first movie he despaired about how during his days in the army he drove vehicles that cost millions of dollars, and as a civilian, he cannot get a job parking cars, he spends months without talking with another person, and his RoaringRampageOfRevenge was also a cry for help. The sad reason Rambo keeps [[InHarmsWay coming back to war for all those movies]] is that he PrefersRocksToPillows and being the best warrior is the only thing he has left.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: Let's just say that Rambo '''IS''' the bomb, minus the nuclear, plus all the lead.
* PragmaticHero: He is willing to try and solve his problems peacefully, but if you push him too far he will soak rivers with your blood.
* PrecisionFStrike: He delivers the only "F-line" in the third film; before fighting the Soviets, Rambo replies with "fuck 'em!".
* PrizedPossessionGiveaway: At the end of the third movie, after the Soviets have been defeated, Rambo gives his jade necklace to his young Afghan kid sidekick as a memento, the same necklace which is a TragicKeepsake from Rambo's lover Co Bao who died in the previous movie.
* PunchClockHero: In the third film, he pointedly turns down mercenary jobs to live peacefully at a monastery in Thailand. He only comes out of retirement to save Trautman.
* RealAwardFictionalCharacter: Sometime in his wartime experience, he was awarded a Medal of Honor by Trautman, which would indicate just how influential and legendary Rambo's reputation is to his mentor and other military associates.
* ReluctantWarrior: Despite being accomplished and more than capable, Rambo simply wants to put as much distance as he can from his days in Vietnam and doesn't want to go back to fighting. The only reason he does so is because he is either forced into a tense situation or he has to be convinced that the only way to achieve his freedom is to accomplish a war mission that only he is able to complete.
* RetiredBadass: Former Green Beret, having previously served in Vietnam. He always has time to fight.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Rambo goes on one in the second and fifth film in the franchise.
** Especially this memorable quote from ''Rambo: First Blood Part II'', after being abandoned under Murdock's orders.
---> "Murdock..." *clinches microphone* "''I'm coming to get '''you'''.''"
* SchrodingersCast: Rambo's characterization is completely different in the book than in the film iteration we all know and love.
* ScreamingWarrior: His trademark as of Rambo: First Blood Part II. He always makes a loud yell somewhere when fighting against his opponents.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight; In the second movie he risks his own life by disobeying orders to save some prisoners of war who are being abused.
* SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou: Rambo does this quite often whenever he's about to make an arrow shot, usually during the climax. It's even made it as a promotional cover for the fourth film.
* SelfSurgery: In the third film, Rambo digs shrapnel out of his side and then [[HealItWithFire cauterizes the wound with burning gunpowder]].
* ShellShockedVeteran: Of the classic "has 'Nam flashbacks" variety. Rambo was a POW in the Vietnam War who endured ColdBloodedTorture at the hands of the Vietcong and is the SoleSurvivor of his unit (he learns at the beginning the only other survivor is dead). He ends up abused in police custody, bringing all his memories of the war back, which soon includes a memory of said torture that triggers an extreme fight-or-flight response, setting off the action.
** This also comes up in Rambo's monologue at the end, in which he recalls the death of his friend from a bomb in a shoe-shine box, which ended with "[[LudicrousGibs pieces of him all over me]]" - as Rambo speaks, he rips the ammo bandolier from his chest in a panic, clearly reliving that moment.
* ShoutingShooter: Rambo may as well be the TropeCodifier; one of his trademark acts is to continuously fire an M60 before raising it upwards and shouting loudly in anger.
* SixthRanger: Rambo becomes an extra, if begrudging, member of a BadassCrew of American missionaries during their fight against the Burmese military, led by Major Pa Tee Tint
* SociopathicHero: While not antagonistic (or at least not trying to be), Rambo is nonetheless extremely ruthless, cutthroat, and brutal when it comes to dealing with his problems and enemies, and he is no stranger to causing all sorts of collateral damage along the way. While most apparent in ''First Blood'', the sequels downplay, if not, subvert this by showing that for all of Rambo's emotional baggage, he does feel deep emotions, doesn't like what he does, feels despondent over losing close ones and really just wants to retire.
* SoleSurvivor: In 1971 Rambo's [=SOG=] unit, Baker Team, was ambushed by the North Vietnamese Army while on a long-range reconnaissance mission near the Chinese-Vietnamese border. The survivors were imprisoned in a POW camp and repeatedly tortured. In 1972, Rambo and his only surviving teammate Delmore managed to escape from captivity. ''First Blood'' opens with Rambo visiting Delmore's home, only to learn that Delmore has since died from cancer, leaving Rambo as the sole surviving member of Baker Team. And even more so when their commander, Trautman, passes away between III and IV.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Is killed via shotgun blast to the head by Trautman at the end of the ''First Blood'' novel. An alternate ending where Trautman kills him was filmed before they went for the ending that was put on screen, and it appears quickly in a dream sequence/flashback in the fourth movie (and is available on the DVD collection).
* StrangerInAFamiliarLand: After fighting in Vietnam for years, Rambo returns to the United States as an alienated citizen who is instead disliked for his actions, something that furthers his tragic character and his desire for a peaceful retirement.
* TheStoic: He's usually unfazed by his surroundings and doesn't react to much. That said, it has more to do with the fact that he's desensitized by his past and thus, feels socially and emotionally detached from society. He's also far more emotional than he appears but does a damn good job at keeping it on hold.
* StrongAndSkilled: He's got an impressive physique and is an extremely deadly combatant who demonstrates skill in Boxing, Karate, Judo, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Taekwondo, and Brazilian JiuJitsu.
* StuffBlowingUp: Rambo is not above using explosive weaponry if it means giving him a tactical advantage in combat or a means to escape a fight that he could easily lose. One of the most well-known weapons is an explosive arrow that he holsters onto his bow whenever he wants to be an awesomely explosive spectacle.
* SuperSoldier: Rambo is a more realistic and {{Deconstructed|Trope}} example; he was trained by Trautman to specifically be the best in the field of combat, espionage, tactical thinking, and quick-thinking, all of which would make him the ultimate soldier to fight in Vietnam. However, while Rambo retains those skills even after quitting his services and even proves instrumental in several other missions, they don't save him from his pastime horrors and his PTSD, and his skills aren't exactly equipped for everyday life, which cripples Rambo's ability to settle down and retire to a peaceful life, which furthers his tragic nature.
* TankGoodness: In ''The Force of Freedom'', Rambo is revealed to also be able to drive a tank as well as using it for battle effectively. He also invades and usurps control over a Soviet tank in the third film, using it to battle and eventually ram Zaysen's chopper. Of course, Rambo wins thanks to his vehicle's weight and his own thinking.
* ThouShaltNotKill: In the first film, Rambo tries to avoid killing anyone. The only kill he has in the film, Galt, was entirely out of an accident and was all Galt's fault, given his own trigger-happy desire to snipe Rambo without being properly seated and harnessed in the helicopter he was riding in.
* TookALevelInBadass: Rambo does this in-between every film (at least if the number of kills he manages to rack up is any indication).
* TookALevelInJerkass: In the fourth movie - although he is still one of "the good guys" - he is portrayed as more rude and cynical than in the first three movies.
* TradingBarsForStripes: Rambo's main plot drive in ''Rambo II''; he is given an offer by Trautman that if he completes a mission to find American prisoners in Vietnam, he will be released from prison. Despite his reluctance to enter battle, Rambo agrees.
* TragicHero: A WarHero who is undeservedly a HeroWithBadPublicity. He constantly finds himself in one trouble and battle after another, and the fact that he is traumatized by his experience in Vietnam really doesn't help matters. In the novel, he's more of a TragicVillain.
* TragicKeepsake: Rambo takes Co's necklace after her death in the second film and is still seen wearing it at the start of the third film.
* TrapMaster: He's this in ''Last Blood'', with Rambo not only have set up a network of caves with crossing passageways as part of his personal domain but also lacing them with several traps in the event it is invaded by enemy forces. This ends up coming to play in the second half of the movie.
* TrespassingHero: In the first film, Rambo is viewed as one by Teasle, who thought Rambo was trying to trespass into his town of Hope. Teasle seemingly treats it as private property and arrests him for it with the charge of vagrancy as a more likely substitute for it due to no such charge as trespassing into a town that in general is usually a public area.
* TrickArrow: Rambo carries along a wide range of arrows with customizable tips in the event that he would need something specific to take on his enemies. The most famous one, of course, is the one with the explosive tip that causes large explosions.
* TrueCompanions: He has this dynamic with Trautman, as vitriolic as Rambo can be about him. It comes with the fact that Trautman is the only person who can ostensibly recognize Rambo's plights in life and him being a father figure to him, in addition to Trautman seeing Rambo as the best soldier he's brought up.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Again, he's on the receiving end by the Hope policemen. This becomes especially glaring when Trautman himself steps in to talk to Teasle about just what is Rambo truly capable of, yet Teasle remains ignorant and opts to kill Rambo. [[CurbStompBattle It goes about as well as you'd expect]]. And if anything, Teasle and the rest of the policemen would have been dead had Rambo not been suppressing his rage into being murderous.
* UniversalDriversLicense: During Rambo's emotional breakdown in the first movie, he remarks how "back there," he was able to drive a tank and fly a gunship, and in the sequel, Murdock specifically mentions that Rambo was trained as a helicopter pilot. By the events of the third movie, however, he became able to use helicopters and tanks with no prior knowledge of internal layouts and controls of these specific models.
* TheVietnamVet: One of the most iconic examples in fiction. Rambo was once a soldier who fought in the Vietnam War and although he proved himself to be an exceptional warrior who proves to be legendary, both during his services and after, the experience of his battles and losing his comrades during battle has left him a little more than just shell-shocked.
* VigilanteMan: His actions are never sanctioned by the military or police. In ''Rambo III,'' he has no jurisdiction in Afghanistan. Doesn't stop him from staging a successful rescue mission.
* VillainProtagonist: In the first film, he's a HeroWithBadPublicity, but he gives the police every chance to walk away. The novel, however, has Rambo slaughter countless townspeople for getting in his way.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: He's often stripping his torso naked at some point in the first three films. While Sylvester Stallone is noticeably well-built and the films do have a knack for manliness, there's also an emphasis on his bodily scars, a reminder that Rambo has endured just as much physical pain as he does mental ones.
* WarHero: He's TheVietnamVet who was highly decorated including the Congressional Medal of Honor.
* WarIsHell: He has this form of perspective towards war after coming back from Vietnam. Given the physical and mental trauma that he faced and endured there as well as seeing several fellow soldiers from his side getting killed, Rambo's views are justified. This is also one of the reasons why he tries to shy away from entering combat again, though unfortunately for him, circumstances pull him back into fighting regardless.
* WarriorPoet: In the fourth movie.
-->"When you're pushed, killing is as easy as breathing."\\
"Live for nothing, or ''die for something.''"
* WeDoTheImpossible: Why does Trautman think Rambo is the best soldier he's ever made? Because he has the capability of accomplishing tasks and missions that other soldiers and military personnel would otherwise think would be impossible to complete, and Rambo has the skills, determination, firepower, and pragmatism required to finish them. [[DeconstructedTrope That said]], this is one of the reasons why Rambo's attempts at living a retired life are cut short, much to his dismay.
* WildHair: Rambo's hair is noticeably thick and messy, which goes hand-in-hand with his nomadic characterization in the first film and the maniless she showcases in the sequels. His hair grows out in the third and fourth films before becoming shorter and less bushy by the fifth film.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: His novel counterpart is still soberingly sympathetic, and he destroys anything that crosses him.
* WouldNotShootAGoodGuy: He goes out of his way to avoid deliberately killing any of the policemen but rather trying to take them down non-lethally. The only exception was a complete accident (and would qualify as self-defense given the circumstances even if it wasn't accidental).
* YourHeadAsplode: Rambo is on the giving end of the trope the moment the films start becoming gorier. Case in point, he would use a shotgun to ''obliterate'' the head of whatever sap tries to attack him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Col. Samuel "Sam" Trautman]]
!!Colonel Samuel "Sam" Trautman
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/trautman.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You're always going to be tearing away at yourself until you come to terms with who you are. Until you come full circle."'']]
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/RichardCrenna [[labelnote:Other Languages]]Creator/PierreHatet (European French, ''First Blood'')[[/labelnote]]
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/FirstBlood'' | ''Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII'' | ''Film/RamboIII'' | ''Film/RamboIV'' [[note]]Flashback (archive footage)[[/note]]
->''"God didn't make Rambo... I made him."''
Colonel in the United States Army Special Forces, 5th Special Forces Group, later 1st Special Operations CMD. He is the GreaterScopeParagon of the series, being Rambo's mentor.
----
* AdaptationalHeroism: Trautman is more of AFatherToHisMen type in the movie than in the book, where he was more of a PunchClockHero and a NominalHero who doesn't get too close with his subordinates.
* AnimalMotifs: He's described in the novel as resembling a sleek and efficient predator like a weasel.
* BigDamnHeroes: Subverted in ''Rambo: First Blood Part II''. Despite having the helicopter close to the ground, he is forced by Murdock, and his mercenaries (by gunpoint) to abandon Rambo. He knew Murdock would regret that decision.
* BigGood: Of the films, as he was the one who recruited, trained and commanded Rambo on missions since Vietnam. He is also a ParentalSubstitute for him and was able to talk Rambo into surrendering in the climax of the first film.
* ColonelBadass: But really, what did you expect from the man who trained ''Rambo''?
* GreaterScopeParagon: He become this of the fourth film in his absence following the death of his actor Richard Crenna in 2003 five years prior to the fourth installment's theatrical release, due to his influence on Rambo.
* HeroOfAnotherStory: The DVD extras contain a biography of Trautman, revealing that he served with distinction in the Korean War; it can be presumed that his combat experience in Korea is what helped established a more civil relationship with the first film's BigBad Teasle who is a fellow Korean War veteran like Trautman.
* IgnoredExpert: Teasle intentionally ignores Trautman's advice on how to handle Rambo, despite the track record so far.
* KickedUpstairs: Explains to Rambo that he was shuffled off to a do-nothing desk job at the Pentagon some time after the war ended:
-->'''Rambo:''' I tried to get in touch with you, but the guys at Bragg never knew where to find you.\\
'''Trautman:''' Well, I haven't been spending much time there lately. They've got me down in D.C., I'm shining a seat with my ass.
* TheMentor: He's the man who recruited Rambo into Special Forces and trained him to be a OneManArmy.
* MoralityChain:
** Usually the only one who can talk Rambo out of his more screwed up moments. He was able to talk Rambo out of going through with his massacre while he's been pushed, and not only lived, but even convinced him to surrender!
** In the first film, Trautman also tried to be this towards Teasle, presumably as Teasle himself is not only a fellow military vet, but specifically a fellow Korean War vet like Trautman who likely understood how he felt. Unfortunately, Teasle does a RedemptionRejection towards Trautman's attempts to reason him that leads him to be wounded by Rambo in battle.
* ThePardon: He offers Rambo this in the beginning of the second movie; conduct a top secret assignment (take photographic evidence of existence of [=POW=]s in Vietnam), and get pardoned for the crimes he committed in the first movie.
* ParentalSubstitute: Lampshaded with his first words on screen.
* SaveTheVillain: In the first film, he make this trope clear about his intent:
--> '''Col. Trautman:''' I don't think you understand. I didn't come to rescue Rambo from you. I came here to rescue you from him.
-->'''Sheriff Teasle:''' Well, we all appreciate your concern Colonel, I will try to be extra careful.
** Trautman up to the end of the first film made good on his word on this when he talks down Rambo into surrendering and to not kill Teasle, though not without accepting Teasle to be absolutely BeyondRedemption despite being NotWorthKilling when Trautman and Rambo shared a look of scorn towards the DirtyCop as he is loaded onto an ambulance.
* SchrodingersCast: His relationship between Rambo and him is completely different in the novel than in the films (more akin to that of [[Franchise/{{Halloween}} psychiatrist Dr. Samuel "Sam" Loomis and his homicidal mental patient Michael Myers]], as the two Sams are handlers of the young maniacs and were sent to stop them), also Trautman is a Captain in the book.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In the fourth film, Trautman only appears briefly in a flashback scene. It's never mentioned what happened to the character following ''Rambo III''. This was probably done out of respect for actor Richard Crenna, who passed away in 2003, five years before the release of the fourth movie.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sheriff Will Teasle]]
!!Sheriff Will Teasle
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/BrianDennehy
->''"You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you're asking for trouble around here, friend."''
Sheriff of the small town Hope, Washington. He is the BigBad of the first film, an overzealous sheriff who harasses Rambo.
----
* AccidentalMurder: Accidentally kills police sergeant Art Galt in self-defense when the latter tried to purposely kill him in cold blood in the first film (and even then, Rambo's actions are just throwing a rock at a helicopter while Galt was leaning out the door). In the book, he disembowels Galt in the police station for reaching for his gun after Rambo overpowered Teasle and stole the razor.
* TheAce:
** From what Trautman has said about him, Rambo is an incredibly exceptional and talented soldier who proved himself to be one of the best fighters the United States has had during their fight against Vietnam. He can take on multiple enemy forces and still come out the victor without having any major setbacks. That said, [[BrokenAce his mental health and perception of the world is far less than perfect]].
** The action toylines of the character's appearance in ''WesternAnimation/RamboTheForceOfFreedom'' also makes sure to emphasize this trope in their descriptions...
---> "His strength and skill allow him to accomplish dangerous missions that no ordinary man would attempt. Martial arts, weapons, explosives -- Rambo is MasterOfAll!"
* AcePilot: ''The Force of Freedom'' has Rambo be a competent pilot to further his credentials as a badass soldier. He mainly flies planes to travel to different countries under the military's commands as well as provide support for his allies and the occasional combat.
* ActionHero: The 80's emblem, and the 2000's resurgence of 80's action type as well.
* AdaptationalHeroism: Rambo was a much darker character in the ''First Blood'' book. The novel puts more emphasis on the fact that the whole situation mostly happens because of Rambo's own pride, and Teasle actually gives him several chances to leave the town peacefully, as opposed to the movie where he takes him in after coming back once. Rambo's actions also seem more like vengeance and he eventually realizes he is fighting [[BloodKnight because he likes it]], whereas in the movie they seem more like self-defense. And while in the film he only kills one person by accident, in the book he [[ShootEverythingThatMoves slaughters dozens of people]] and is basically like an evil version of what the character would become in later films, and more or less serves as the BigBad of the story.
* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In addition to being a lot more heroic than his novel counterpart was, the film iteration of Rambo is also a lot more cordial and reluctant to violence. Even at his worst and most jerkish, he's somewhat approachable and capable of doing the right thing, as opposed to the original, who was a straight-up BloodKnight.
* AndShowItToYou: In ''Last Blood'', [[spoiler: Rambo kills [[BigBad Hugo]] by ripping his heart out. Given what Hugo did, both for his profession and for hurting Rambo on a really personal level, it's tremendously satisfying.]]
* AndTheAdventureContinues: [[spoiler:In the end of ''Last Blood'', Rambo gets up from his chair, saddles up on his horse, and rides into the sunset.]]
* AnguishedOutburst: At the end of the first film, when Rambo has become too mentally exhausted from his battle against the police and Teasle, he gives out his peace of mind towards Trautman when he tells him to surrender. While Rambo has shown signs of being mentally broken and sullen, he really displays it in a bitter, sorrowful tone about how his experience and losses in Vietnam felt.
-->'''Col. Trautman:''' You did everything to make this private war happen. You've done enough damage. This mission is over, Rambo. Do you understand me? This mission is over! Look at them out there! Look at them! If you won't end this now, they will kill you. Is that what you want? It's over Johnny. It's over!\\
'''Rambo:''' NOTHING IS OVER! NOTHING! You just don't turn it off! It wasn't my war! You asked me, I didn't ask you! And I did what I had to do to win! But somebody wouldn't let us win! And I come back to the world and I see all those maggots at the airport, protesting me, spitting. Calling me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me, huh? Who are they? Unless they've been me and been there and know what the hell they're yelling about!\\
'''Col. Trautman:''' It was a bad time for everyone, Rambo. It's all in the past now.\\
'''Rambo:''' FOR YOU! For me civilian life is nothing! In the field, we had a code of honor! You watch my back, I watch yours! Back here there's NOTHING!\\
'''Col. Trautman:''' You're the [[SoleSurvivor last of an elite group]]. Don't end it like this.\\
'''Rambo:''' Back there I could fly a gunship! I could drive a tank! I was in charge of million-dollar equipment! Back here I can't even hold a job PARKING CARS!
* AntiHero: He's a brutal and merciless warrior who kills in massive swathes of numbers and his body count is usually gory, in addition to looking and acting glum and distant for the most part. That said, he's a {{Downplayed|Trope}} example as Rambo is clearly not fond of his acts and would rather not engage himself in combat, a far cry from the epic ActionHero popular media has made him out to be.
* AxCrazy: Particularly in the first movie where Rambo mistakes a kid out hunting game for one of the officers pursuing him and Rambo has to force himself to let the kid go. Col. Trautman himself lampshades this during the climax where he accuses Rambo of having wanted to initiate a fight from the beginning.
* BadassBandolier: Has worn bandoliers of ammo for his machine gun.
* BadassesWearBandanas: He's probably one of the most iconic examples.
* BagOfSpilling: Rambo actually did come well-armed and with the equipment he needed (the camera he needed) in ''First Blood Part II''. He just happened to lose it on the way down.
* BerserkButton: Murdock ''really'' should not have decided to abandon Rambo, and by extension, the [=POWs=] he wasn't supposed to rescue.
* BigBad: He's this and VillainProtagonist in the novel. Despite his sympathetic backstory, his actions by the end of the novel make any sympathy you have for him fade away when he kills the innocent townspeople.
* BigDamnHeroes: Especially in the fourth movie, as the Burmese Army found out firsthand.
* BloodKnight: Subverted. Despite the violence associated with him, Rambo actually doesn't enjoy killing and is perfectly content to be left alone. But when push comes to shove he [[CombatPragmatist doesn't hesitate to do whatever it takes to get the job done]]. Played straight in the novel though where he straight-up murders pretty much everyone he comes across and admits to himself that he missed the rush of battle.
* BornInTheWrongCentury: Stallone believes that Rambo would have been happier living 500 years ago as a samurai.
* BrokenAce: Rambo is simply unmatched in combat, able to carve a path through hundreds of enemies on a regular basis. He's also completely traumatized by the war and finds himself unable to integrate back into the civilian world.
* BullyHunter: He actively hunts the enemy who bullies their way to commit atrocities out of their satisfaction. He even fought back against Teasle and Galt for bullying him upon arresting him in the first film.
* ButNotTooWhite:
** In the novels, Rambo was mentioned as being half-Native American.
** While the character in the film is played by Sylvester Stallone, who is a combination of Italian, French, and Jewish Ukrainian, the second film notes Rambo as being ''of Indian/German descent''.
* ByronicHero
* CartwrightCurse: [[spoiler: He immediately loses Co-Bao in the second movie not long after she shares a kiss with him, and he later loses Gabriela in the fifth movie when he attempts to rescue her from the HumanTraffickers.]]
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Already physically tough and strong in the films, Rambo's strength is borderline superhuman in ''The Force of Freedom'', being able to break chains and even pick up and throw large blocks of concrete.
* ChekhovsHobby:
** In ''Last Blood'', Rambo has spent the last ten years digging a network of tunnels underneath his ranch and practically lives in them. [[spoiler: During the climax of the film, he lures Martinez and his men into the booby-trapped tunnels and slaughters them before collapsing the tunnels]].
** His bow-and-arrow target practice using playing cards, specifically the layout of the cards, comes into play later.
* ColdBloodedTorture: He's on the receiving end of one via a flashback to Vietnam where he was viciously tortured by having a large scar carved onto his chest. This resulted in Rambo developing PTSD, and the sight of a razor is what sets him off against the police of Hope, Washington.
* CombatPragmatist: Rambo does not fight fair, preferring to use stealth and kill you before you have a chance to defend yourself, as well as setting up a trap to kill/incapacitate his enemies. Given that he fought in Vietnam, where fights were usually chaotic and where the enemy was unpredictable and fought with no scruples, Rambo had to adapt and take a pragmatic stance in combat.
* ConditionedToAcceptHorror: Given his experience in Vietnam, Rambo has become mostly desensitized to the horrors and threats that he faces off throughout the films and usually engages in combat with a stern, serious, and occasionally rageful face, even if the threat is a dangerous one. Interestingly, this is PlayedForDrama in the first film when [[AnguishedOutburst Rambo breaks down and angrily tells Trautman of what he went through]], yet the sequels mostly gloss over this.
* CoolUncle: He's seen as this for Gabriela, which makes sense given that not only is he the closest she had to a parental guardian, but Rambo is also attentive and open to listening to what Gabriela has to say, even if there are disagreements.
* CopKiller: Killed sadistic policeman Art Galt in self-defense in the first film. Galt's death was accidental, falling from the helicopter after Rambo threw a rock at the windshield because he was leaning out the door with his seat harness unbuckled. Rambo at that point is unarmed, desperate, and looking for ''any'' way to return fire, and is visibly surprised when Galt falls to his death.
* CrewOfOne: In the climatic battle of ''Film/RamboIII'', Rambo is able to drive a Soviet tank while at the same time loading and firing the main gun and coaxial machine gun. Well, T-72 features an autoloader, but aiming and firing from the driver' station is out of the question. Neither is driving the tank from the gunner' station.[[note]]On a side note, Rambo hits this tank with an incendiary bottle, and its crew immediately starts to bail out, suggesting that the engine is disabled. Then Rambo kills the crew and takes the tank for a ride like no damage to it was done.[[/note]]
* CrimeOfSelfDefense: Him killing Art Galt was purely out of self-defense, and he wasn't even trying to kill him, but given just how much of a scumbag Galt was, in addition to being too trigger-happy in wanting to kill Rambo, he really couldn't be faulted on the situation.
* DeadpanSnarker: In the third film, Rambo actually manages to crack a few jokes (unlike the other films in the series, where he's dead serious most of the time).
-->''[Trautman and Rambo stand alone against an entire Soviet battalion]''\\
'''Trautman:''' Any ideas?\\
'''Rambo:''' Well, surrounding them is out.\\
'''Trautman:''' Hell of a time for humor, John.
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: He defeats and kills Lieutenant Tay in this fashion via blowing up his helicopter with an explosive arrow whilst Tay is deadset in trying to fight him.
* DentedIron: While Rambo is a badass OneManArmy, he's ''not'' invincible and in the event that he receives an injury, it sticks with him up until the end of the movie. Tellingly, he's still carrying the scars that were inflicted upon him during his days in Vietnam. That said, said injuries don't deter Rambo one bit from carrying on with his mission, mainly due to his training by Trautman.
* DeviousDaggers: John Rambo is a former Green Beret who prefers to use a knife while he's being hunted in the county woods by FatBastard Sheriff Teasle and his deputies. John Rambo can certainly use firearms well, but he knows that gunfire attracts attention and gives away his position. A knife is a silent killer, and he can exploit "ghost hunter" tactics with it to great effect. Rambo's knife finds the throat of Sheriff Teasle to punctuate his message "Stop pushing."
* {{Determinator}}: When engaging in combat or sent off to accomplish a task, Rambo's determination in getting the job done is unshakable and anything that gets in his way ''will'' be obliterated.
* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler: By the end of ''Last Blood'', Rambo is shown wounded and bleeding after killing Hugo and his men, after being shot twice. He has just enough strength to sit on a chair on the porch of his father's house, teasing the idea that he might pass out and die from his wounds despite his vow to keep fighting for those he loves. After the montage of previous movies are shown during the credits, he gets back up and takes a horse for another ride]].
* DoAnythingSoldier: In ''The Force of Freedom'', Rambo, in addition to being a feared and famed fighter, can also fly planes, drive tanks, and have a whole assortment of skills never seen in the films.
* TheDreaded:
** In the first film. Most of the police and national guardsmen who are hunting Rambo are scared shitless of him.
** When Murdoch hears Rambo say "I'm coming for you." he looks visibly scared, despite the fact that Rambo is being held in a Vietnamese prison camp with Soviet Spetznaz advisors present.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: After coming back from Vietnam, Rambo isn't seen as a hero, but rather as a crazed and unaccepted war fighter. This is TruthInTelevision as many Vietnam vets really did come back, only to be shunned by society and the very people whom they were fighting to protect. This line from Rambo illustrates it pretty well...
-->'''Rambo:''' Back there I could fly a gunship, I could a drive a tank, I was in charge of a million dollar equipment; back here, I can't even hold a job PARKING CARS!
* EarnYourHappyEnding: After years of recurring nightmares and being surrounded by death, John has finally found inner peace and returns to his father's ranch in Arizona at the end of the fourth movie. Sadly turns into a HappyEndingOverride when he loses everything in ''Rambo: Last Blood''.
* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: Zig-Zagged. Rambo is an elite Green Beret, with all the ass-kicking skills that go with it. However, he's also a ShellShockedVeteran with severe emotional scars who cannot fit into any civilian life. In addition, despite his status as a killing machine, he's still human and gets wounded or captured fairly often.
* EmptyShell: He's so mentally and emotionally desensitized from seeing the horrors of Vietnam that by the time he returns, he barely ever makes any kind of reaction. Even when arrested and forcefully inspected, Rambo doesn't bat an eye. While he is stoic in nature, what really makes this noteworthy is just how detached Rambo feels towards reality and his surroundings at times. That said, there are some moments where he does let out his peace of mind, or display that he is capable of emoting towards someone if the feeling is strong enough.
* FromCamouflageToCriminal: In ''First Blood'', he carries out a rampage in a small town after being harassed by police over a vagrancy charge.
* GeniusBruiser: Rambo's real strength isn't his combat skills but his mind. He is an excellent tactician who is extremely skilled at outsmarting opponents, thinking on the fly, using his environment to his advantage, gathering intelligence, analyzing situations quickly, surviving off the land, using whatever he can as a weapon, and tracking targets and sneaking up on them as well as setting traps to take out multiple opponents at once.
* GoodIsNotNice: In the fourth film. Very evident when he briefly argues with the missionaries over him saving their lives by killing the pirates.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: His torso is crisscrossed with scars from where he was cut by knives while a prisoner of war. In the third and fourth movies, he also has a burn mark on his cheek from when a Russian interrogator touched him with a red-hot knife in the second film.
* GoodVersusGood: Applicable in ''First Blood'' if [[DirtyCop Teasle]] and [[HateSink Galt]] are excluded; Rambo's first cinematic adversaries are a group of police officers who are simply trying to do their job and are hunting Rambo partly because of Teasle's orders and partly because of, as far as they know, Rambo is a dangerous fugitive that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. While Rambo acts no less vicious towards them as his future enemies in sequels, he incapacitates ''almost'' all of the cops rather than killing them. Even his only kill, Galt, was merely an accident and the only cop who could clearly be called bad.
* GunsAkimbo: He'll make use of every gun he has in possession and when on a massacring spree, expect him to hold a gun or two while he's mowing down enemy soldiers, all with a stern look and a loud battle cry.
* GuttedLikeAFish: He's on the giving end, delivering this method of killing to Pa Tee Tint in the climax of the fourth film by stabbing and disemboweling him. Of course, Pa Tee Tint ''more'' than had it coming.
* HairTodayGoneTomorrow: By ''Last Blood'' and thanks to his age, Rambo's hair, in addition to greying, is also noticeably shorter than it was a decade ago.
* HeartbrokenBadass:
** [[spoiler: After Co-Bao's death in the second movie]].
** [[spoiler: And again after Gabriela's death in the fifth movie.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: In the first film, when he was shunned by society, submitted to humiliation by anti-war "maggots" upon returning home, arrested for no good reason, and finds himself a fugitive from justice before turning himself in that leads to six years in prison until the sequel where he is pardoned. Despite getting a presidential pardon at the end of the second film, Rambo still felt he has been unofficially banned from ever returning to the United States following his experience at the hands of fellow American citizens in the first film, leading to self-exiling himself to Thailand in the third and fourth films.
* HeroicBSOD: Has a major one at the end of ''First Blood''.
* HeroicBuild: Particularly in Parts II and III, likely due to doing hard labor in prison since the first film. While not particularly tall as [[EvilIsBigger 6'3 Teasle manages to tower over him]] in the first movie, he's extremely muscular.
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: He's done his fair share of heroic deeds over time, but a consistent character trait for Rambo is that he's not exactly happy about the kind of person he turned out to be during and after his services in Vietnam
* HonorBeforeReason: "Live for nothing, or die for something!"
* HonoraryUncle: In the fifth film, he becomes one for Gabriela. She calls him "Uncle John" due to Rambo being a more noticeable parental presence than her father ever was.
* HotBlooded: Rambo looks like a stoic war vet on the surface, but underneath he's ''burning'' with rage.
* HumansAreBastards: Rambo discusses the capability of malice and evil humans commit when he talks to Sarah in the extended version of the fourth film.
-->'''Rambo:''' We're like animals! It's in the blood! It's natural! Peace? That's an accident! It's "what is"! When you're pushed, killing's as easy as breathing. When the killing stops in one place, it starts in another, but that's okay... 'cause you're killing for your country. But it ain't your country who asks you, it's a few men up top who want it. Old men start it, young men fight it, nobody wins, everybody in the middle dies... and nobody tells the truth! God's gonna make all that go away?
* ILetGwenStacyDie: [[spoiler: Co's death in the second movie and Gabriela's death in the fifth movie sparks his RoaringRampageOfRevenge against the villains.]]
* {{Iconic Item}}s: Rambo has used a very wide range of weapons, but three of them remain synonymous with the character; a hunting knife that he's been using from the series's origin, and in the second film onward, his main long-range weapons of choice are a bow with customizable arrows and the M60 machine gun.
* ImYourWorstNightmare: This is his response to Zaysen whilst using one of his fallen men's walkie-talkies to communicate with the latter.
* ImprovisedWeapon: He knocks out a Soviet soldier with a radio transmitter. Given that Rambo was trained to be as pragmatic as possible, [[JustifiedTrope this manages to make sense]].
* InelegantBlubbering: At the end of ''First Blood'', when talking to Trautman about his DarkAndTroubledPast.
* IronButtMonkey: He's a badass, but let's face it, ''nothing'' goes right for Rambo in any of the films.
* ItsPersonal: [[spoiler: Gabriela's death results in Rambo at his angriest, with the end result being a messy, bloody swath of the corpses of Mexican cartel criminals as well as Victor and Hugo Martinez, the latter of whom Rambo decided to rip his heart out in cold vengeance]].
* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: He uses this very ruthlessly in ''Last Blood'' in order to find out where Gabriela is, pulling out then breaking the collarbone of a Mexican associated with the human trafficking ring that's taken Gabriela.
* JaywalkingWillRuinYourLife: Invoked. Rambo gets picked up by the police for "vagrancy," which leads to them messing with him and dredging up his Vietnam War trauma, which leads to rapidly escalating troubles, which leads to a dead cop and, [[Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII eventually]], Rambo working a prison quarry. Towards the end of the movie, during the police's NearVillainVictory HopeSpot when they ''think'' they've managed to kill him, Rambo's old commander has this to say:
-->'''Trautman:''' Vagrancy, wasn't it? That's gonna look real good on his gravestone in Arlington: "Here lies John Rambo, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, survivor of countless incursions behind enemy lines, [[UndignifiedDeath killed for vagrancy in]] [[CrapsackWorld Jerkwater]], [[{{Eagleland}} USA]]."
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: In the fourth movie. He's grumpy, sullen, and rude, but he risks his life to save the missionaries. Though the fifth movie has Maria praising him for being a great father figure to Gabriela for many years.
* KnightInSourArmor: He has to deal with fighting every day, and no matter how much he hates it, he still has to push on.
* LargeHam:
** His breakdown at the end of the first movie famously begins with him screaming "NOTHING IS OVER! NOTHING!"
** The fourth movie has him losing it at the missionaries who chastise him for killing a boatload of pirates to protect Sarah.
--> "They would have RAPED her 50 times, and cut all your FUCKIN' HEADS OFF! WHO ARE YOU?! [[FunetikAksent WHOUHANNYOYOU!?]]"
** Then there's his trademark war cry. '''''"AAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!"'''''
* TheLeader: In ''The Force of Freedom'', Rambo serves this position in the titular group, also composed of Turbo, a mechanic, Kat, a disguise expert, and Trautman, his mentor and supervisor.
* LightningBruiser: Fitting for a veteran who has to run long distances.
* MaddenIntoMisanthropy: By the fourth movie he has abandoned civilization and humanity almost entirely.
* ManlyTears:
** At the end of ''First Blood'' he cries about all the horrors that he has witnessed in Vietnam.
** He also does this in ''First Blood Part II'' when [[spoiler: Co dies.]]
* MoralityPet: He has one in Gabriela in ''Last Blood'', to the point where they even share a father-daughter relationship despite not being related. [[spoiler: Gabriela's death triggers Rambo into a rampaging frenzy that results in an entire cartel organization and their leaders becoming messy corpses]].
* MoreDakka: He uses a ''lot'' of automatic weapons. Arguably the most iconic moment of the whole series is when he uses an M60 as a makeshift assault rifle during his final attack on the prison camp in the second film.
* MookHorrorShow: He kills {{Mook}}s on a wide scale with his weaponry, all without really taking much damage or resistance. That, and he becomes a figure of intense fear towards those who are lucky enough to survive his onslaught, or who are unlucky enough to face his wrath personally.
* MuggingTheMonster: He's on the receiving end of the trope by the police of Hope, Washington. And when Rambo does strike back, things do ''not'' look good for the police, especially Teasle.
* MysteriousPast: Mild example. While we know that he is a decorated Green Beret, we will never know how he ended up in Special Forces and what rank he held.
** At least one theory surmises, that he was a Junior Officer, who got a battlefield commission for his outstanding service as an NCO, but lack of formal education stalled his career possibilities.
* NamedByTheAdaptation: In regards to his first name. The books only referred to him by his surname, Rambo, whereas John, his first name, was an invention by the films.
* NeverMyFault: In the end of ''First Blood'', he insists that [[IDidWhatIHadToDo he only did what he had to do to win]] like he's been trained since "they drew first blood, not [him]." Trautman is more sympathetic, knowing of Rambo's PTSD, but he also points out that Rambo "did some pushing of [his] own" by both deliberately walking back into town and stubbornly stone-walling with the deputies before he finally snaps from mistreatment when he could have just walked away and avoided it all. He could have even [[FakingTheDead walked away after the National Guard failed to blow him up and bury him]] since almost everyone but Trautman [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat wrote him off as dead]], but he decides to start his "private war" by attacking the town of Hope.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Rambo is [[http://mentalfloss.com/article/64286/16-things-you-might-not-know-about-rambo partially based on]] Creator/AudieMurphy, one of the most decorated soldiers of the Second World War. In particular, the infamous "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZeDq4Yo6Jk .50 caliber scene]]" from ''Film/RamboIV'' is based on a real-life incident in which Murphy hijacked a damaged German tank's machine gun emplacement and single-handedly held off some fifty advancing enemy troops.
** Rambo's career in Vietnam bears an uncanny resemblance to one of a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Howard Green Beret Robert Howard]] that was nominated for the Medal of Honor three times over a 13-month period. Unlike Rambo, however, Howard stayed in service and became a Colonel himself.
* NoIndoorVoice: On the occasion, he gets riled up, mainly during battle, he'll let out an epic battle cry that'll echo out for a good period of time. And those cries are one of pure rage and bitterness. Sometimes it comes off as a shock, given how Rambo tends to be stoic and quiet when outside of combat.
* NominalHero: In the first movie, he's only fighting to survive and is rather brutal with his methods (despite refusing to kill his enemies).
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: As far as supplementary material and dialogue from the films shows, Rambo is supposed to be from Arizona, yet he speaks with a noticeable Brooklyn accent.
* NotSoStoic: Normally cold and quiet at initial glance, Rambo is actually holding back a lot of pent-up frustration, sadness, and rage that has been lingering with him ever since he came back from Vietnam, his experience from Hope, Washington, and from the missions Trautman sent him in. Considering the kind of shit he's been through, he does a remarkable job at holding a lid on his emotions, so it's a sight to behold when Rambo finally lets his feelings out, either when he emotionally breaks down, or he's had enough and starts a one-man rampage.
* OldSoldier: In his 60s by the time of ''Rambo IV'' and 70s by the time of ''Last Blood'' and still just as lethal to those in his way.
* OlderAndWiser: In the fourth movie, he is more world-weary and a much more hardened battle veteran than he was in the previous movies.
* OneManArmy: Yeah, he's pretty much the TropeCodifier as far as 1980s action heroes go. Taken to absurd levels in the third movie and toned down to a much more believable extent in the fourth.
* TheOnlyOne: A major reason for why he is dragged out to fight in war zones again, regardless of his unwillingness, is because Rambo is said to be the only one who is brave, skilled, and determined enough to get the job done.
* PapaWolf: He becomes one to Gabriela in the fifth movie and he is fiercely protective and affectionate for her. [[spoiler: Her death drives Rambo into him at his angriest and on a mass killing spree]].
* ParentalSubstitute: Rambo is technically an uncle to Gabriela, but considering how her parents don't bother to make contact with her and that Rambo is the guardian that's been the closest to her, he's more-or-less Gabriela's father.
* ThePerilsOfBeingTheBest: He is Trautman's masterpiece as far as his trainees go; Rambo is an expert combatant as well as a pragmatist of the highest order, doing whatever he needs to do to subdue and kill his enemies quickly, effectively, and without altering attention, has an insane amount of determination and wouldn't give up until his objective is complete, and his success record is overwhelmingly high. In short, he really is the best of the best. Unfortunately, Rambo doesn't desire a soldier's life and simply wants to live out a quiet, retired life where he can peacefully rest. Unfortunately, Trautman and life itself aren't so kind to him, with Rambo getting dragged back into combat and war situations without his consent, mainly because as far as the circumstances go, he's the only one who can stop the threat.
** The worst part for Rambo is that the '''[[StrangerInAFamiliarLand Reverse Culture Shock]]''' is too strong to deny. At the end of the first movie he despaired about how during his days in the army he drove vehicles that cost millions of dollars, and as a civilian, he cannot get a job parking cars, he spends months without talking with another person, and his RoaringRampageOfRevenge was also a cry for help. The sad reason Rambo keeps [[InHarmsWay coming back to war for all those movies]] is that he PrefersRocksToPillows and being the best warrior is the only thing he has left.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: Let's just say that Rambo '''IS''' the bomb, minus the nuclear, plus all the lead.
* PragmaticHero: He is willing to try and solve his problems peacefully, but if you push him too far he will soak rivers with your blood.
* PrecisionFStrike: He delivers the only "F-line" in the third film; before fighting the Soviets, Rambo replies with "fuck 'em!".
* PrizedPossessionGiveaway: At the end of the third movie, after the Soviets have been defeated, Rambo gives his jade necklace to his young Afghan kid sidekick as a memento, the same necklace which is a TragicKeepsake from Rambo's lover Co Bao who died in the previous movie.
* PunchClockHero: In the third film, he pointedly turns down mercenary jobs to live peacefully at a monastery in Thailand. He only comes out of retirement to save Trautman.
* RealAwardFictionalCharacter: Sometime in his wartime experience, he was awarded a Medal of Honor by Trautman, which would indicate just how influential and legendary Rambo's reputation is to his mentor and other military associates.
* ReluctantWarrior: Despite being accomplished and more than capable, Rambo simply wants to put as much distance as he can from his days in Vietnam and doesn't want to go back to fighting. The only reason he does so is because he is either forced into a tense situation or he has to be convinced that the only way to achieve his freedom is to accomplish a war mission that only he is able to complete.
* RetiredBadass: Former Green Beret, having previously served in Vietnam. He always has time to fight.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Rambo goes on one in the second and fifth film in the franchise.
** Especially this memorable quote from ''Rambo: First Blood Part II'', after being abandoned under Murdock's orders.
---> "Murdock..." *clinches microphone* "''I'm coming to get '''you'''.''"
* SchrodingersCast: Rambo's characterization is completely different in the book than in the film iteration we all know and love.
* ScreamingWarrior: His trademark as of Rambo: First Blood Part II. He always makes a loud yell somewhere when fighting against his opponents.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight; In the second movie he risks his own life by disobeying orders to save some prisoners of war who are being abused.
* SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou: Rambo does this quite often whenever he's about to make an arrow shot, usually during the climax. It's even made it as a promotional cover for the fourth film.
* SelfSurgery: In the third film, Rambo digs shrapnel out of his side and then [[HealItWithFire cauterizes the wound with burning gunpowder]].
* ShellShockedVeteran: Of the classic "has 'Nam flashbacks" variety. Rambo was a POW in the Vietnam War who endured ColdBloodedTorture at the hands of the Vietcong and is the SoleSurvivor of his unit (he learns at the beginning the only other survivor is dead). He ends up abused in police custody, bringing all his memories of the war back, which soon includes a memory of said torture that triggers an extreme fight-or-flight response, setting off the action.
** This also comes up in Rambo's monologue at the end, in which he recalls the death of his friend from a bomb in a shoe-shine box, which ended with "[[LudicrousGibs pieces of him all over me]]" - as Rambo speaks, he rips the ammo bandolier from his chest in a panic, clearly reliving that moment.
* ShoutingShooter: Rambo may as well be the TropeCodifier; one of his trademark acts is to continuously fire an M60 before raising it upwards and shouting loudly in anger.
* SixthRanger: Rambo becomes an extra, if begrudging, member of a BadassCrew of American missionaries during their fight against the Burmese military, led by Major Pa Tee Tint
* SociopathicHero: While not antagonistic (or at least not trying to be), Rambo is nonetheless extremely ruthless, cutthroat, and brutal when it comes to dealing with his problems and enemies, and he is no stranger to causing all sorts of collateral damage along the way. While most apparent in ''First Blood'', the sequels downplay, if not, subvert this by showing that for all of Rambo's emotional baggage, he does feel deep emotions, doesn't like what he does, feels despondent over losing close ones and really just wants to retire.
* SoleSurvivor: In 1971 Rambo's [=SOG=] unit, Baker Team, was ambushed by the North Vietnamese Army while on a long-range reconnaissance mission near the Chinese-Vietnamese border. The survivors were imprisoned in a POW camp and repeatedly tortured. In 1972, Rambo and his only surviving teammate Delmore managed to escape from captivity. ''First Blood'' opens with Rambo visiting Delmore's home, only to learn that Delmore has since died from cancer, leaving Rambo as the sole surviving member of Baker Team. And even more so when their commander, Trautman, passes away between III and IV.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Is killed via shotgun blast to the head by Trautman at the end of the ''First Blood'' novel. An alternate ending where Trautman kills him was filmed before they went for the ending that was put on screen, and it appears quickly in a dream sequence/flashback in the fourth movie (and is available on the DVD collection).
* StrangerInAFamiliarLand: After fighting in Vietnam for years, Rambo returns to the United States as an alienated citizen who is instead disliked for his actions, something that furthers his tragic character and his desire for a peaceful retirement.
* TheStoic: He's usually unfazed by his surroundings and doesn't react to much. That said, it has more to do with the fact that he's desensitized by his past and thus, feels socially and emotionally detached from society. He's also far more emotional than he appears but does a damn good job at keeping it on hold.
* StrongAndSkilled: He's got an impressive physique and is an extremely deadly combatant who demonstrates skill in Boxing, Karate, Judo, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Taekwondo, and Brazilian JiuJitsu.
* StuffBlowingUp: Rambo is not above using explosive weaponry if it means giving him a tactical advantage in combat or a means to escape a fight that he could easily lose. One of the most well-known weapons is an explosive arrow that he holsters onto his bow whenever he wants to be an awesomely explosive spectacle.
* SuperSoldier: Rambo is a more realistic and {{Deconstructed|Trope}} example; he was trained by Trautman to specifically be the best in the field of combat, espionage, tactical thinking, and quick-thinking, all of which would make him the ultimate soldier to fight in Vietnam. However, while Rambo retains those skills even after quitting his services and even proves instrumental in several other missions, they don't save him from his pastime horrors and his PTSD, and his skills aren't exactly equipped for everyday life, which cripples Rambo's ability to settle down and retire to a peaceful life, which furthers his tragic nature.
* TankGoodness: In ''The Force of Freedom'', Rambo is revealed to also be able to drive a tank as well as using it for battle effectively. He also invades and usurps control over a Soviet tank in the third film, using it to battle and eventually ram Zaysen's chopper. Of course, Rambo wins thanks to his vehicle's weight and his own thinking.
* ThouShaltNotKill: In the first film, Rambo tries to avoid killing anyone. The only kill he has in the film, Galt, was entirely out of an accident and was all Galt's fault, given his own trigger-happy desire to snipe Rambo without being properly seated and harnessed in the helicopter he was riding in.
* TookALevelInBadass: Rambo does this in-between every film (at least if the number of kills he manages to rack up is any indication).
* TookALevelInJerkass: In the fourth movie - although he is still one of "the good guys" - he is portrayed as more rude and cynical than in the first three movies.
* TradingBarsForStripes: Rambo's main plot drive in ''Rambo II''; he is given an offer by Trautman that if he completes a mission to find American prisoners in Vietnam, he will be released from prison. Despite his reluctance to enter battle, Rambo agrees.
* TragicHero: A WarHero who is undeservedly a HeroWithBadPublicity. He constantly finds himself in one trouble and battle after another, and the fact that he is traumatized by his experience in Vietnam really doesn't help matters. In the novel, he's more of a TragicVillain.
* TragicKeepsake: Rambo takes Co's necklace after her death in the second film and is still seen wearing it at the start of the third film.
* TrapMaster: He's this in ''Last Blood'', with Rambo not only have set up a network of caves with crossing passageways as part of his personal domain but also lacing them with several traps in the event it is invaded by enemy forces. This ends up coming to play in the second half of the movie.
* TrespassingHero: In the first film, Rambo is viewed as one by Teasle, who thought Rambo was trying to trespass into his town of Hope. Teasle seemingly treats it as private property and arrests him for it with the charge of vagrancy as a more likely substitute for it due to no such charge as trespassing into a town that in general is usually a public area.
* TrickArrow: Rambo carries along a wide range of arrows with customizable tips in the event that he would need something specific to take on his enemies. The most famous one, of course, is the one with the explosive tip that causes large explosions.
* TrueCompanions: He has this dynamic with Trautman, as vitriolic as Rambo can be about him. It comes with the fact that Trautman is the only person who can ostensibly recognize Rambo's plights in life and him being a father figure to him, in addition to Trautman seeing Rambo as the best soldier he's brought up.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Again, he's on the receiving end by the Hope policemen. This becomes especially glaring when Trautman himself steps in to talk to Teasle about just what is Rambo truly capable of, yet Teasle remains ignorant and opts to kill Rambo. [[CurbStompBattle It goes about as well as you'd expect]]. And if anything, Teasle and the rest of the policemen would have been dead had Rambo not been suppressing his rage into being murderous.
* UniversalDriversLicense: During Rambo's emotional breakdown in the first movie, he remarks how "back there," he was able to drive a tank and fly a gunship, and in the sequel, Murdock specifically mentions that Rambo was trained as a helicopter pilot. By the events of the third movie, however, he became able to use helicopters and tanks with no prior knowledge of internal layouts and controls of these specific models.
* TheVietnamVet: One of the most iconic examples in fiction. Rambo was once a soldier who fought in the Vietnam War and although he proved himself to be an exceptional warrior who proves to be legendary, both during his services and after, the experience of his battles and losing his comrades during battle has left him a little more than just shell-shocked.
* VigilanteMan: His actions are never sanctioned by the military or police. In ''Rambo III,'' he has no jurisdiction in Afghanistan. Doesn't stop him from staging a successful rescue mission.
* VillainProtagonist: In the first film, he's a HeroWithBadPublicity, but he gives the police every chance to walk away. The novel, however, has Rambo slaughter countless townspeople for getting in his way.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: He's often stripping his torso naked at some point in the first three films. While Sylvester Stallone is noticeably well-built and the films do have a knack for manliness, there's also an emphasis on his bodily scars, a reminder that Rambo has endured just as much physical pain as he does mental ones.
* WarHero: He's TheVietnamVet who was highly decorated including the Congressional Medal of Honor.
* WarIsHell: He has this form of perspective towards war after coming back from Vietnam. Given the physical and mental trauma that he faced and endured there as well as seeing several fellow soldiers from his side getting killed, Rambo's views are justified. This is also one of the reasons why he tries to shy away from entering combat again, though unfortunately for him, circumstances pull him back into fighting regardless.
* WarriorPoet: In the fourth movie.
-->"When you're pushed, killing is as easy as breathing."\\
"Live for nothing, or ''die for something.''"
* WeDoTheImpossible: Why does Trautman think Rambo is the best soldier he's ever made? Because he has the capability of accomplishing tasks and missions that other soldiers and military personnel would otherwise think would be impossible to complete, and Rambo has the skills, determination, firepower, and pragmatism required to finish them. [[DeconstructedTrope That said]], this is one of the reasons why Rambo's attempts at living a retired life are cut short, much to his dismay.
* WildHair: Rambo's hair is noticeably thick and messy, which goes hand-in-hand with his nomadic characterization in the first film and the maniless she showcases in the sequels. His hair grows out in the third and fourth films before becoming shorter and less bushy by the fifth film.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: His novel counterpart is still soberingly sympathetic, and he destroys anything that crosses him.
* WouldNotShootAGoodGuy: He goes out of his way to avoid deliberately killing any of the policemen but rather trying to take them down non-lethally. The only exception was a complete accident (and would qualify as self-defense given the circumstances even if it wasn't accidental).
* YourHeadAsplode: Rambo is on the giving end of the trope the moment the films start becoming gorier. Case in point, he would use a shotgun to ''obliterate'' the head of whatever sap tries to attack him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Col. Samuel "Sam" Trautman]]
!!Colonel Samuel "Sam" Trautman
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/trautman.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You're always going to be tearing away at yourself until you come to terms with who you are. Until you come full circle."'']]
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/RichardCrenna [[labelnote:Other Languages]]Creator/PierreHatet (European French, ''First Blood'')[[/labelnote]]
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/FirstBlood'' | ''Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII'' | ''Film/RamboIII'' | ''Film/RamboIV'' [[note]]Flashback (archive footage)[[/note]]
->''"God didn't make Rambo... I made him."''
Colonel in the United States Army Special Forces, 5th Special Forces Group, later 1st Special Operations CMD. He is the GreaterScopeParagon of the series, being Rambo's mentor.
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* AdaptationalHeroism: Trautman is more of AFatherToHisMen type in the movie than in the book, where he was more of a PunchClockHero and a NominalHero who doesn't get too close with his subordinates.
* AnimalMotifs: He's described in the novel as resembling a sleek and efficient predator like a weasel.
* BigDamnHeroes: Subverted in ''Rambo: First Blood Part II''. Despite having the helicopter close to the ground, he is forced by Murdock, and his mercenaries (by gunpoint) to abandon Rambo. He knew Murdock would regret that decision.
* BigGood: Of the films, as he was the one who recruited, trained and commanded Rambo on missions since Vietnam. He is also a ParentalSubstitute for him and was able to talk Rambo into surrendering in the climax of the first film.
* ColonelBadass: But really, what did you expect from the man who trained ''Rambo''?
* GreaterScopeParagon: He become this of the fourth film in his absence following the death of his actor Richard Crenna in 2003 five years prior to the fourth installment's theatrical release, due to his influence on Rambo.
* HeroOfAnotherStory: The DVD extras contain a biography of Trautman, revealing that he served with distinction in the Korean War; it can be presumed that his combat experience in Korea is what helped established a more civil relationship with the first film's BigBad Teasle who is a fellow Korean War veteran like Trautman.
* IgnoredExpert: Teasle intentionally ignores Trautman's advice on how to handle Rambo, despite the track record so far.
* KickedUpstairs: Explains to Rambo that he was shuffled off to a do-nothing desk job at the Pentagon some time after the war ended:
-->'''Rambo:''' I tried to get in touch with you, but the guys at Bragg never knew where to find you.\\
'''Trautman:''' Well, I haven't been spending much time there lately. They've got me down in D.C., I'm shining a seat with my ass.
* TheMentor: He's the man who recruited Rambo into Special Forces and trained him to be a OneManArmy.
* MoralityChain:
** Usually the only one who can talk Rambo out of his more screwed up moments. He was able to talk Rambo out of going through with his massacre while he's been pushed, and not only lived, but even convinced him to surrender!
** In the first film, Trautman also tried to be this towards Teasle, presumably as Teasle himself is not only a fellow military vet, but specifically a fellow Korean War vet like Trautman who likely understood how he felt. Unfortunately, Teasle does a RedemptionRejection towards Trautman's attempts to reason him that leads him to be wounded by Rambo in battle.
* ThePardon: He offers Rambo this in the beginning of the second movie; conduct a top secret assignment (take photographic evidence of existence of [=POW=]s in Vietnam), and get pardoned for the crimes he committed in the first movie.
* ParentalSubstitute: Lampshaded with his first words on screen.
* SaveTheVillain: In the first film, he make this trope clear about his intent:
--> '''Col. Trautman:''' I don't think you understand. I didn't come to rescue Rambo from you. I came here to rescue you from him.
-->'''Sheriff Teasle:''' Well, we all appreciate your concern Colonel, I will try to be extra careful.
** Trautman up to the end of the first film made good on his word on this when he talks down Rambo into surrendering and to not kill Teasle, though not without accepting Teasle to be absolutely BeyondRedemption despite being NotWorthKilling when Trautman and Rambo shared a look of scorn towards the DirtyCop as he is loaded onto an ambulance.
* SchrodingersCast: His relationship between Rambo and him is completely different in the novel than in the films (more akin to that of [[Franchise/{{Halloween}} psychiatrist Dr. Samuel "Sam" Loomis and his homicidal mental patient Michael Myers]], as the two Sams are handlers of the young maniacs and were sent to stop them), also Trautman is a Captain in the book.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In the fourth film, Trautman only appears briefly in a flashback scene. It's never mentioned what happened to the character following ''Rambo III''. This was probably done out of respect for actor Richard Crenna, who passed away in 2003, five years before the release of the fourth movie.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sheriff Will Teasle]]
!!Sheriff Will Teasle
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/BrianDennehy
->''"You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you're asking for trouble around here, friend."''
Sheriff of the small town Hope, Washington. He is the BigBad of the first film, an overzealous sheriff who harasses Rambo.
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* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: His attempt to shave Rambo, brandishing a razor, [[TraumaButron triggers Rambo's PTSD flashbacks to him being sliced across the chest by an enemy officer]]. Ward even unwittingly says almost the exact same thing as Rambo's torturer: "Don't move. I don't want you to cut your throat." The Vietnamese officer in the triggered flashback says (in Cantonese) "Don't move! Or I'll kill you!"
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* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: His attempt to shave Rambo, brandishing a razor, [[TraumaButron [[TraumaButton triggers Rambo's PTSD flashbacks to him being sliced across the chest by an enemy officer]]. Ward even unwittingly says almost the exact same thing as Rambo's torturer: "Don't move. I don't want you to cut your throat." The Vietnamese officer in the triggered flashback says (in Cantonese) "Don't move! Or I'll kill you!"
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* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: His attempt to shave Rambo, brandishing a razor, triggers Rambo's PTSD flashbacks to him being sliced across the chest by an enemy officer. Ward even unwittingly says almost the exact same thing as Rambo's torturer: "Don't move. I don't want you to cut your throat." The Vietnamese officer in the triggered flashback says (in Cantonese) ""Don't move! Or I'll kill you!"
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* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: His attempt to shave Rambo, brandishing a razor, [[TraumaButron triggers Rambo's PTSD flashbacks to him being sliced across the chest by an enemy officer.officer]]. Ward even unwittingly says almost the exact same thing as Rambo's torturer: "Don't move. I don't want you to cut your throat." The Vietnamese officer in the triggered flashback says (in Cantonese) ""Don't "Don't move! Or I'll kill you!"
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[[WMG:[[center:[-''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' '''[[Characters/{{Rambo}} Main Character Index]]'''\\
[[Characters/RamboJohnRambo John Rambo]] | '''''First Blood''''' | ''[[Characters/RamboFirstBloodPartII First Blood Part II]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboIII Rambo III]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboIV Rambo IV]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboLastBlood Last Blood]]''-]]]]]
[[Characters/RamboJohnRambo John Rambo]] | '''''First Blood''''' | ''[[Characters/RamboFirstBloodPartII First Blood Part II]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboIII Rambo III]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboIV Rambo IV]]'' | ''[[Characters/RamboLastBlood Last Blood]]''-]]]]]
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One of Hope's deputies who is only featured in the novel.
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->Played by: Creator/BrianDennehy
->"You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you're asking for trouble around here, friend."
->"You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you're asking for trouble around here, friend."
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!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/BrianDennehy
->''"You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you're asking for trouble around here, friend.
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->Played by: Jack Starrett
->"Hey, if you're looking for trouble, you've come to the right place, buddy. "
->"Hey, if you're looking for trouble, you've come to the right place, buddy. "
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!!!'''Played By:''' Jack
->"Hey,
->''"Hey, if you're looking for trouble, you've come to the right place,
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One of Hope's deputies who is only featured in the novel.
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* HateSink: Downplayed. While he primarily serves as someone the audience can hate for his unjust mistreatment of Rambo, he is nowhere near as corrupt as his more despicable underling Galt and does care for his deputies and the townspeople ... but not enough to overcome his bloodlust for vengeance.
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* HateSink: Downplayed. Subverted. While he primarily serves as someone the audience can hate for his unjust mistreatment of Rambo, he is nowhere near as corrupt as his more despicable underling Galt and does care for his deputies and the townspeople ...townspeople... but not enough to overcome his bloodlust for vengeance.
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* HiddenDepths: According to DVD's Survival Mode, he was once a league coach and won the Kiwanis Service Award for his service.
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* AdaptationalHeroism: se ByTheBookCop and TokenGoodTeammate. In the book, he's a bit of a DirtyCoward.
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* AdaptationalHeroism: se While a ByTheBookCop and TokenGoodTeammate. In TokenGoodTeammate in the film, in the book, he's a bit of portrayed as a DirtyCoward.
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* DemotedToExtra: Was Teasle's NumberTwo in the novel, which was taken by TheDragon Art Galt in the film.
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* DemotedToExtra: Was He is Teasle's best friend and NumberTwo in the novel, which was taken by TheDragon Art Galt in the film.
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* AdaptationalWimp: see NoOneGetsLeftBehind.
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* AdaptationalWimp: see NoOneGetsLeftBehind.His NoOneGetsLeftBehind heroism from the book is cut out.
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* PoliceAreUseless: He was amongst those overpowered by Rambo when he first escapes and never saw him coming when he dispatches him in the forest during the first manhunt.
** Mostly averted in the book.
** Mostly averted in the book.
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* PoliceAreUseless: He In the film, he was amongst those overpowered by Rambo when he first escapes and never saw him coming when he dispatches him in the forest during the first manhunt.
** Mostly averted in the book.manhunt.
** Mostly averted in the book.
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* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Becomes more eager to join the manhunt to find Rambo to avenge the death of friend Art Galt.
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* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: {{Revenge}}: Becomes more eager to join the manhunt to find Rambo to avenge the death of friend Art Galt.
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* VillainousBSOD: Has one after Rambo pins him to a tree and threatens him to leave him alone. Has another after thinking Rambo's been killed by the incompetent National Guardsmen and expressed reconsidering his RoaringRampageOfRevenge and acknowledge that he may have been in the wrong to Trautman at the town bar before ultimately doing a RedemptionRejection upon finding out Rambo's still alive.
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* VillainousBSOD: Has one after Rambo pins him to a tree and threatens him to leave him alone. Has another after thinking Rambo's been killed by the incompetent National Guardsmen and expressed reconsidering his RoaringRampageOfRevenge vendetta and acknowledge that he may have been in the wrong to Trautman at the town bar before ultimately doing a RedemptionRejection upon finding out Rambo's still alive.
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* EstablishingCharacterMoment: In the film specifically: during his first appearance, he asks if Rambo was lost, then decides to drive him out of the town in hopes of him not coming back. After getting denied of eating at town, Teasle shows his true side by telling Rambo that he doesn't want people like him come to his town and making it look bad.
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* VigilanteMan: Downplayed. While he leads the manhunt of Rambo because he's an escaped fugitive, Teasle's persistence is fueled by wanting to avenge Art Galt's death.
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* VigilanteInjustice: Wants to avenge Galt's death against Rambo as an ulterior motive beneath his primary objective in leading a manhunt for an escaped fugitive, but in doing so he's wronging Rambo as Galt was an AssholeVictim who attempted to kill Rambo against police protocol, prompting the former to accidentally kill the latter in self-defense.
* VigilanteMan: Downplayed. While he leads the manhunt of Rambo because he's an escaped fugitive, Teasle's persistence is fueled by wanting to avenge Art Galt's death. Can double as VigilanteInjustice.
* VigilanteMan: Downplayed. While he leads the manhunt of Rambo because he's an escaped fugitive, Teasle's persistence is fueled by wanting to avenge Art Galt's death. Can double as VigilanteInjustice.
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* BigBadWannabe: Teasle is the BigBad, but Galt is more of a villain than Teasle is and loved to express how much a vile DirtyCop he is.
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* MoreHateableMinorVillain: Teasle is the BigBad, but Galt is more of a villain than Teasle is and loved to express how much a vile DirtyCop he is.
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* VillainousBSOD: Has one after Rambo pins him to a tree and threatens him to leave him alone.
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* VillainousBSOD: Has one after Rambo pins him to a tree and threatens him to leave him alone. Has another after thinking Rambo's been killed by the incompetent National Guardsmen and expressed reconsidering his RoaringRampageOfRevenge and acknowledge that he may have been in the wrong to Trautman at the town bar before ultimately doing a RedemptionRejection upon finding out Rambo's still alive.
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[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Sheriff Will Teasle]]
->Played by: Creator/BrianDennehy
->"You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you're asking for trouble around here, friend."
Sheriff of the small town Hope, Washington. He is the BigBad of the first film, an overzealous sheriff who harasses Rambo.
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* ActorAllusion: Teasle is a Korean War veteran, which is funny as his actor Brian Dennehy early in his acting career had appeared in an episode of the Korean War-set television series ''Series/{{MASH}}'' (which the series, as well as the [[Film/{{MASH}} movie]], that ironically featured Rambo's actor Stallone as an extra and [[Literature/{{Mash}} book]] they were based on, was seen as the same as the Vietnam War, which Teasle ironically bares prejudice against veterans of in this film). Interestingly enough, Dennehy's character on the show had the rank of Sergeant First Class, whilst Teasle in the novel was state to have been a Marine master sergeant.
* AdaptationNameChange: Full name only; he was Wilfred Logan Teasle in the novel, but according to the Survival Mode on the film's DVD, he's William Wright Teasle. This name change is proper, considering the AdaptationalVillainy and SchrodingersCast makeover this film's Teasle received in contrast to the novel's Teasle.
* AdaptationalUgliness: Teasle in the novel was described as being a smaller man, around 5'7 in height and average weight, in the film, he's a FatBastard.
* AdaptationalVillainy: While Teasle was still a bit of a jerk in the novel, he was also a far more complex character and somewhat of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold. The novel goes into great detail on his motives, his relationships with his family and other members of the town, and acknowledges several similarities between him and John. He arguably comes off as more sympathetic than Rambo and even reveals himself to be a ReasonableAuthorityFigure when he drives Rambo to a diner to have something to eat before taking him to town limits. The film makes him into a one-dimensional asshole who the audience has no trouble rooting against, even though he has his PetTheDog moments, which were minimal in comparison to the amount he had in the novel. Also, if Teasle in the film is a decorated Korean War hero like in the novel, the film makes him more of a FallenHero to that than in the book.
* AffablyEvil: While he was FauxAffablyEvil towards Rambo initially when they first met, he can also be considered to be this due to actually caring for his town and his deputies under his command and is more civilized than his top henchman and best friend Art Galt. Despite having a dislike for Trautman for also being a Vietnam vet, he does have respect for him with one of the presumed factors being that Trautman is also a fellow Korean War vet like him to confide to, prompting him to PetTheDog towards Trautman at the town's bar and nearly considered to take Trautman's advise to drop his vendetta against Rambo before doing a RedemptionRejection at the climax.
* AlasPoorVillain: In a way, as everything he tried to do was to prove what Korean War vets are made of after being shunned for so long and to uphold the law in his duty as a policeman, yet now he's wounded in a pathetic state, having finally accepted bitter defeat and is about to take more flak than he's ever before imagined.
* AntiVillain: Type III with aspects of Type II (but the latter is greatly emphasized in the novel). Teasle may have been a {{Jerkass}} and something of a DirtyCop, but everything he's done was to keep his town safe and to uphold the law as well as to put forgotten Korean War vets back in the light again.
* AvengingTheVillain: Wants to avenge the villainous Art Galt's death.
* BadassNormal: Rather than using a Hind gunship to battle Rambo, Teasle must have a lot of VillainousValor to just face him with nothing but his thought for foot combat tactics and a rifle for the final confrontation.
* TheBadGuysAreCops: He's the town sheriff and the BigBad.
* BadgesAndDogTags: He's a Korean War vet-turned-sheriff.
* BenevolentBoss: He genuinely cares for his deputies, heck, Galt's death is one of the main reasons why he chases after John. However, he is also considered to count as a PointyHairedBoss, due to neglecting to notice Galt's abuse of Rambo, being a BadBoss towards the more rational Deputy Mitch Rogers by ignoring his advice and even grabbing him by his hair to show him Galt's corpse and vowing vengeance before finally failing to properly organize his deputies to capture Rambo that leads them to be easily overpowered. Also, most notably, he is completely oblivious to the fact his friendship to his fallen deputy Galt was completely one-sided due to the latter's insubordination and deliberately ignoring Teasle's orders at the time of his death. It does show he still cares as when he and his men were outmaneuvered, Teasle helped a deputy named Balford who was injured by a booby trap built by Rambo. However, due to his poor treatment of Mitch, who is a ByTheBookCop unlike most of his deputies, Teasle appears to be benevolent ''only'' to fellow {{Dirty Cop}}s under his command like himself and Galt.
* BerserkButton: He's always glad to drive drifters to the edge of town closest to their destination, but God help the drifter who dares come back and test his patience.
** Also, it's a bad idea to suggest letting the state police deal with the guy who unwittingly caused the death of his so-called best friend. Just ask Mitch for details.
* BeyondRedemption: If Trautman's look of scorn towards him as he is taken to the ambulance after the latter does a ShutUpKirk RedemptionRejection towards the former is any indication.
* BigBad: Of the first film. Not present in the novel, however, where he's ultimately the true hero.
* BreakTheHaughty: After Rambo overpowers his posse during the manhunt initially with just Teasle and his deputies, Rambo pins the sheriff to a tree with a knife on a his throat and was able to paralyze the arrogant sheriff with fear upon warning him what Rambo's capable of and telling him to leave him alone while he still has the chance. After departing, Teasle just sinks down [[TearsOfFear sobbing upon experiencing an amount of fear, humiliation and broken pride]].
%%* BrokenAce: See FallenHero and RetiredBadass below.
* BrokenPedestal: Once the townspeople of Hope finds out what their beloved sheriff of their community did that leads to the town's destruction.
* BullyingADragon: His (but mostly Galt's) mistreatment of ShellShockedVeteran Rambo is what led Rambo to go on a rampage.
* ByTheBookCop: Downplayed and ultimately Subverted, Teasle starts out as a RabidCop, but while Teasle wants Rambo just as bad he's still willing to go by the book on apprehending him. That is until Art Galt’s death where he’s more than happy to [[TakeNoPrisoners open fire on Rambo while he was trying to turn himself in]], [[StopOrIWillShoot even though to be fair to him Teasle warned him not to move otherwise he'll shoot and only did when Rambo was slowly backing away that prompt him to do so.]]
* CouldSayItBut: He arrested John Rambo for vagrancy for choosing to walk into Hope after telling him he is not welcomed, which is basically trespassing in his eyes in all but name, as there is no such thing as trespassing into a public town as a crime unless the town was private property which in general isn't.
* CruelMercy: Was spared from Rambo's wrath under Trautman's orders, but did not get his own victory and revenge and is left badly wounded and most likely a cripple. Also, it's implied things will go dark for him once the reason why Rambo go on a rampage through town in the first place goes out in the open.
* DefiantToTheEnd: Downplayed, unlike future ''Rambo'' villains where they play this trope straight by fighting to the very end, Teasle does accept defeat after getting gunned down, but eggs Rambo to GetItOverWith and FinishHim after being wounded in battle, knowing that his death at Rambo's hands would be something of a posthumous victory for Teasle as killing Teasle not only have the State Police sharpshooters to arrive in time to execute him for his death, but would also damn Rambo and bordering on IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim, which can be considered to be AFateWorseThanDeath for a character like Rambo.
* TheDeterminator: Almost as much as Rambo in the novel. After surviving his initial encounter with the escaped vet in the woods, he is diagnosed with extreme exhaustion and various injuries, and everyone from his doctor to Trautman to State Police Captain Kern tells him to get some reason or he'll only get worse. His determination to catch or kill Rambo, however, leads him to just pop painkillers like candy and continue insinuating himself into the investigation, to the point where his physical, mental and emotional condition deteriorates rapidly over the course of the story, but he continues trudging ahead with no concern for his own well-being.
* DirtyCop: Downplayed, but of the abusive convict treatment and KnightTemplar kind.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: It is implied (and the director's commentary mentions) that part of the reason Teasle is so hateful about Rambo is because of the Korean War (where he served) being pretty much forgotten by the American people while Rambo (a UsefulNotes/VietnamWar vet) is a symbol of the new, controversial thing. Explicit in the novel.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: He is married in both the novel and movie according to the DVD's extras, in the novel it is revealed Teasle is estranged from his wife and it's implied by the DVD commentary that Teasle is similarly estranged from his wife too in the movie and only has his military veteran pride to keep close by in general.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: When Rambo first escapes from the station, Galt was about to open fire until Teasle stops him as Galt would have harmed an InnocentBystander while shooting at Rambo. Then during the initial manhunt, when Teasle hears the gunshots from Galt's attempt to personally execute Rambo out of spite, he tries to radio Galt to remind him that Rambo is to be taken in alive as part of police protocol. Even after Galt was killed and Teasle vows to get his revenge, he still wanted Rambo to be taken in alive, only this time is the case of TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou as he wants to be the one to deliver the final blow against him. Also see PetTheDog below for more information.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: When Trautman tries to explain to Teasle that Rambo would listen to him to stand down because he is not just his commanding officer, but also a trustworthy ParentalSubstitute, Teasle responds:
--> '''Teasle:''' Jesus Christ, where the hell do you people come from?
* EvilVirtues: Teasle is a despicable DirtyCop BigBad, but in contrast to the later villains, he is more fleshed out in comparison due to being a BenevolentBoss towards his deputies, being more civilized than his dragon Galt, having PetTheDog moments with the deleted scenes showing more of this aspect, having hints of him being a TragicVillain and a TragicBigot for being a Korean War vet having to live in another's shadow, believing in HonorBeforeReason for himself as a Korean War vet even it overlaps with RevengeBeforeReason for Galt's death, deciding to just use his infantry tactics and a M16 rifle for the showdown than a helicopter gunship that the Russians would use and finally choosing to FaceDeathWithDignity after accepting defeat by Rambo.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: Is willing to kill Rambo or die trying, as when Trautman attempts to warn Teasle about his final confrontation with Rambo, Teasle scoffs, "Everybody dies," justified as Teasle is a Korean War vet who must have experienced risks like this and was willing go along with this (although, it might have something to do with feeling personally humiliated from his last confrontation with Rambo where he was frozen up with fear upon facing him, so Teasle this time does not want to show vulnerability and have his pride broken the next time he's given the opportunity to face Rambo). This is proven true as after Teasle was wounded by Rambo and accepting defeat, Teasle just eggs Rambo to FinishHim.
* FacingTheBulletsOneLiner: Gives a DefiantToTheEnd one to Rambo after accepting defeat and trying to FaceDeathWithDignity.
* FallenHero: A decorated Korean War veteran WarHero who is reduced to an overzealous KnightTemplar DirtyCop.
* FatBastard: While not exactly fat and more big boned, he has an imposing physique and described by Rambo to be "king shit."
* AFatherToHisMen: more pronounced in the book, where he works hard to save his men from Rambo after the hunt turns into a MookHorrorShow [[spoiler: and is consumed by vengeful desires when he fails]].
* FauxAffablyEvil: When he and Rambo first met, Teasle at first seemed to be courteous to a man on a cold December morning and offered him a ride. Teasle's true colors then show when he casually tells Rambo that because he is a scruffy and long-haired drifter, he is not wanted in the town of Hope. According to a deleted scene with Kern and Teasle, this trope is probably what Teasle meant when he said he initially and ''very'' briefly treated him as "one of (his) neighbor's kids."
* FightingIrish: His actor is of Irish-American descent and Teasle on-screen is portrayed as a HotBlooded {{Jerkass}} who presumably carries the same heritage as his actor.
* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: He absolutely views Rambo as the dangerous fugitive criminal needed to be taken down while not caring if Galt's abuse started this mess nor Rambo's PTSD that he suffers from.
* FriendToAllChildren: He may be a despicable DirtyCop BigBad, but according to the DVD's Survival Mode easter egg trivia, Teasle was a little league coach, likely to substitute his yearn to be a father due to his wife and him not having children of their own.
* FromCamouflageToCriminal: Goes from a noble and highly decorated Korean War vet to a DirtyCop.
* GetItOverWith: After being shot and severely wounded, he urges Rambo, "Go ahead, you crazy son of a bitch, finish it!" before Trautman intervenes.
* GreenEyedMonster: His IrrationalHatred of Rambo is fueled by the fact he is a Vietnam veteran stealing attention away from Korean War veterans like Teasle himself.
* HairTriggerTemper: Teasle in the first act increasingly loses his patience with Rambo, starting with Rambo returning to Hope, then his refusal of going through the process of being booked while in police custody before finally culminated in Galt's death that really pushed Teasle over the edge.
* HateSink: Downplayed. While he primarily serves as someone the audience can hate for his unjust mistreatment of Rambo, he is nowhere near as corrupt as his more despicable underling Galt and does care for his deputies and the townspeople ... but not enough to overcome his bloodlust for vengeance.
* HeroAntagonist: He is performing his duty defending the well being of his town, after all, and still ''genuinely'' believes so as he goes about at the expense of Rambo. Subverted since he's also TheBully and something of a DirtyCop, as the reason Rambo goes on his rampage in the first place is because of how he and his deputies mistreated him for no good reason.
** Also Subverted in the fact that he only pursued Rambo out of his need for vengeance rather than justice, and that it’s his actions that escalated the plot, not Rambo’s.
** Teasle plays this role completely straight in the novel to a point he is revealed to be the true hero.
* HonorBeforeReason: While his man hunt for Rambo and his refusal to back down is driven by his RevengeBeforeReason desire to avenge Galt's death, it's also driven by Teasle's dislike of Vietnam vets and to prove that that Korean War vets are much as efficient as any other soldier who fought in combat and is willing to FaceDeathWithDignity rather than retreat, grovel or cry like some DirtyCoward if Rambo ever does get the upper hand.
* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Teasle is genuinely friends with Galt and wants to avenge his death, but not only Galt was a despicable piece of work not worth to avenge, his so-called friendship with him appears to be one-sided due to Galt's own selfish disloyalty towards Teasle at the time of his death.
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: In a deleted scene, he argued to state police officer Kern that he did his duty as a police officer to book Rambo for vagrancy and resisting arrest:
--> '''Teasle:''' I did my job, Dave, I booked him for vagrancy and resisting arrest.
* InspectorJavert: He stubbornly views himself as the police officer who holds the responsibility to stop criminals no matter the cost and views Rambo as the criminal needed to be caught.
* {{Jerkass}}: Even though he believes he's doing his duty, he does seem to enjoy throwing his weight around. However, in the novel, Teasle is more of a JerkassWoobie (although the movie's version still count him as this).
* JerkassHasAPoint: While the manhunt is driven by Teasle's dislike of Vietnam vets and Rambo's AccidentalMurder of Galt, he is valid that Rambo should not be let off that easy after committing, what Teasle thought was first degree murder (Rambo was also responsible for destruction of property). Subverted in the fact that he [[KickTheDog opened fire on Rambo while he was giving himself up.]]
--> '''Teasle:''' Now don't give me any of that crap Trautman. Do you think Rambo was the only guy who had a tough time in Vietnam? He killed a police officer for Christ's sake!
** Furthermore, when he first arrested Rambo, he was correct that Rambo should not be carrying a dangerous combat knife in the public which makes it at least one (possibly the ''only'') good reason to prosecute him and to make matters worse, Rambo was probably carrying it without a license as he could not afford one due to being shunned by the public to support him. It also does not help that Rambo was not giving out a straight clear answer when Teasle, who already worn out his patience by Rambo's return, first questions him over it. However, the penalty Rambo received was harsher than the crime itself, thanks to the other charges for vagrancy and resisting arrest. Also subverted as Teasle only found the knife when he searched Rambo's bag without Probable Cause, a violation of the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution's Bill of Rights (unlawful search and seizure) that would have resulted in any judge throwing the case out of court for police misconduct.
** However, there is one fact that can mostly be agreed with Teasle, though in his case he is RightForTheWrongReasons, that Rambo is a dangerous individual who is a threat to public safety.
** While arresting Rambo for vagrancy seems like DisproportionateRetribution today, but it was legitimately a criminal offense in the post-Vietnam years and Teasle was just fulfilling what other officers in America were commonly doing at the time towards the homeless vets. The novel includes a NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer in the foreword of more recent editions.
** This trope is played completely straight with Teasle in the novel.
** Ultimately Subverted in the film as while Rambo was a fugitive, he was only made one by Teasle’s abuse. Rambo would’ve turned himself in once he calmed down. In the end Teasle is more of a hypocrite who lets his ego and vindictiveness overcome his sense of duty.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Teasle is this mostly in the novel due to showing more of his characterization and the film's version could also qualify except downplayed due to his amount of PetTheDog moments he has with the deleted scenes ReCut for television showcasing more of his softer moments (see PetTheDog below for more information). Also, despite tensions with Trautman, he was at least more polite towards him and even went to a bar he was at DrowningHisSorrows just to apologize for his RabidCop behavior and trying to part on good terms with him.
* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: He plays this straight in the film. Despite the occasional PetTheDog moments he’s little more than a vindictive, RabidCop who’s more interested in [[RevengeBeforeReason getting his revenge rather than protective the people of Hope.]]
* KnightTemplar: Feels he has his town's best interest at heart when he uses heavy-handed protocol against vagrants.
* KnowWhenToFoldEm: Throughout the movie, Teasle refuses to stand down unless Rambo stands down first, but by the climax, it has to take Teasle being riddled with M60 bullets to get to his conscience to accept defeat.
* ALighterShadeOfBlack: In contrast to the sequel {{Big Bad}}s and TheDragon Art Galt, he's by far ranked the least terrible and villainous out of the major foes that Rambo faced.
* {{Mundanger}}: In contrast to the latter overblown caricature villains, he's a down-to-earth antagonist.
* NecessarilyEvil: Teasle is a KnightTemplar DirtyCop driven by mostly hatred against drifters and Vietnam veterans, but believes his methods are the way to bring justice.
* NeverMyFault: Does not care that his and his department's mistreatment of Rambo is what caused him to go bonkers in the first place, never accepting responsibility for it.
-->''*After Lester revealing Galt and the other deputies had been BullyingADragon towards Rambo, with Kern calling out Teasle's deputies for causing this situation in the first place.*''
--> '''Teasle:''' It doesn't make one goddamn bit of difference, Dave, and you know it! [[LoopholeAbuse If one of my deputies... gets out of line with a prisoner then the prisoner comes to me with it. And if I find out it's like he says I kick the deputy's ass!]] ''Me!'' The ''Law!'' That's the way it's gotta be! People start fucking around with the law then all hell breaks loose!
** In a deleted scene from Teasle's and Trautman's initial encounter, Trautman tells Teasle that he picked the wrong man to push (referring to the mistreatment he and his deputies gave to Rambo), but Teasle argues ''Rambo'' picked the wrong man (likely referring to Rambo trying to deliberately walk into town to Teasle's opposition that led to Rambo's arrest):
-->''*After being told by Trautman that he picked the wrong man to push.*''
--> '''Teasle:''' No, Trautman. ''He'' picked the wrong man!
** However, Teasle's side of the story is more justified in the novel, as he actually gave Rambo several chances to leave the town peacefully, as opposed to the movie where he takes him in after coming back once.
* NobleBigotWithABadge: He is extremely prejudiced against Vietnam War vets, but however, he is more respectful towards Colonel Trautman, likely due to Trautman being not only a Vietnam War vet, but also a Korean War vet like Teasle, which is only thing that prevents Teasle from being totally hostile towards him unlike to Rambo. Even earlier when Rambo first escapes from custody, he initially wanted to take in Rambo alive as part of police protocol despite his prejudice against him for his background unlike Galt who just want to kill him for petty reasons. It's only after his friend Galt had been killed that Teasle loses any moral restraint he has inside to kill Rambo to avenge him.
* NotWorthKilling: Trautman, who is determined to SaveTheVillain that he stated to Teasle the first time he meets him, convinces Rambo that he is this and to give him CruelMercy instead.
* OfficerOHara: He's a police officer played by FightingIrish-American actor Brian Dennehy. It can be speculated he shared the same heritage as his actor.
* OnlyICanKillHim[=/=]TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: In the novel, he firmly believes that not only does he and he alone have the right to kill Rambo, but that Rambo ''wants'' it that way, misinterpretating Rambo's destructive doubling back through town as the troubled vet seeking a confrontation with him. In reality, Rambo is simply trying to get away again, and while he ''does'' eventually seek a showdown with Teasle, it's only after his plan fails and he realizes there's no way out for him.
* TheParanoiac: He initially drove Rambo out of town and then arrested him when returning due to him being a drifter who Teasle believes would disrupt harmony in Hope. In the novel, however, Teasle is ProperlyParanoid, due to Rambo being more of a irredeemable psycho than the movie.
* PetTheDog: He is a police officer after all and these moments makes Teasle human and fallible. In a deleted scene, he shows remorse towards Galt's widow, who's grieving over Galt's corpse, and attempts to apologize to a deputy's wife for her husband's injuries Rambo caused. He then justified his man hunt by listing out the devastation Rambo caused ranging from his deputies' incapacitation to Galt's widow's grief. In the bar scene, he has a civil talk with Trautman (even started his talk with him by apologizing for being "out of line") after thinking Rambo was killed by the National Guard, confessing his desire to kill Rambo himself to him. In a deleted part of this scene, at the beginning of the scene, he returned the gesture of being congratulated for Rambo's "death," while at the end of the scene, he then offered Trautman a ride to the airport. During the manhunt, when Orval was wounded, he tends to Orval's wounds and then when Deputy Balford was wounded by a booby trap, he freed Balford. Also, just before his final showdown with Rambo, he alerts the townspeople to get off the streets and hide in their homes to be away from danger when Rambo arrives.
** According to the DVD's Survival Mode easter egg trivia, Teasle's resume in his profile included being a little league coach. Teasle and his estranged wife had no children, so it's possible he took up this job to be a surrogate father to the little leaguers.
** This is demeaned however, in a deleted scene involving an argument with Kern where Teasle tries to justify his treatment of Rambo, claiming that he "tried to do him a favor" and treated him like "one of (his) neighbor's kids" (likely referring to Teasle's initial civil and jovial welcome to Rambo while trying to escort him out of town and trying to hold back his IrrationalHatred of Rambo being a 'Nam vet while being civil with him, before Rambo pushed his BerserkButton by purposely returning to town that prompts him to arrest and mistreat him out of said irrational hatred):
---> '''Teasle:''' I tried to do him a favor, I treated him like he was one of my neighbor's kids.
** However, the novel's depiction of the character has more PetTheDog moments than the movie's depiction and was more of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold in a way.
* RabidCop: A {{Jerkass}} cop who uses heavy-handed protocol against vagrants and gets other officers to do the rest of his dirty work for him at the station.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Play straight in the novel, while played with in the movie. While it is mostly averted in regards to his general despicable behavior, treatment of Rambo and his lust for vengeance for Galt's death, especially in comparison to State Police Captain Kern, his deputies Mitch and Lester and Colonel Trautman (who all play this role straight unlike Teasle), he still care for the welfare of his town and his deputies and did shown some respect towards Trautman despite tensions for being Rambo's associate and a Vietnam vet and doing a RedemptionRejection towards him at the climax. Also, he proved that [[EvenEvilHasStandards he had the basic decency to be able to acknowledge that he may have been in the wrong]], and was more misguided and overzealous than actively malicious until Galt's death whereupon he was emotionally compromised and was clearly acting irrationally.
* RedemptionRejection: After [[spoiler:thinking Rambo is dead]], Teasle mellows down and meets with Trautman to apologized for being a {{Jerkass}} RabidCop about the ordeal and confessing his desire to kill Rambo to him, making it seem he is preparing to walk away from his personal manhunt to TookALevelInKindness, [[spoiler:but when he hears Rambo is still alive]] and Trautman still tries to reason Teasle, [[ShutUpKirk Teasle aggressively rebuffs Trautman's attempts]] to take on the chance to achieve his own ends by killing Rambo.
--> '''Teasle:''' This is ''[[ItsAllAboutMe my]]'' job, Trautman, this is ''[[ItsAllAboutMe my town]]'' [[HonorBeforeReason and I'm not giving up to you or to Rambo or to anybody else]]. [[ShutUpKirk Now you just stay the hell out of my way]].
* TheResenter: Towards Rambo, as his clashing with Rambo began with his jealousy of the more popular Vietnam vets.
* RiddleForTheAges: His open-ended fate following the events of the first film left fans with countless questions and speculation that are left unanswered and never officially confirmed by neither WordOfGod or WordOfStPaul. The passing of his actor Dennehy in 2020 also destroys any hopes of him reappearing in a sequel if given.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Becomes more eager to join the manhunt to find Rambo to avenge the death of friend Art Galt.
* ShutUpKirk: Constantly gives Trautman this when the former tries to advise him an alternative way in apprehending Rambo. His final one was enough for Trautman to realize that Teasle's BeyondRedemption.
* SoreLoser: He accepts defeat, though not without being bitter about it.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Dies at the very end of the ''First Blood'' novel (and his death is the very last thing written on it). Severely wounded but alive on the movie.
* StarterVillain: He is the first villain Rambo encounters and confronts in the franchise.
* SupportingProtagonist: In the novel, due to equal amounts of focus and backstory. By the end of the novel, it is clear that Teasle has become TheHero against Rambo, who is a VillainProtagonist in the novel.
* TakingYouWithMe: Implied after Teasle get defeated by Rambo in a showdown, Teasle eggs Rambo to finish the job, which in turn the State Police would arrive to kill him to either avenge Teasle's death or to save him if they weren't too late. Fortunately, Trautman comes in to defuse the whole thing.
* TautologicalTemplar: See HeWhoFightsMonsters and HeroAntagonist above.
* TragicBigot: Mostly in the novel, as while he bares FantasticRacism against Rambo for being a Vietnam War veteran who overshadowed the existence of Korean War veterans, he is more of a JerkassWoobie due to losing a father in a hunting trip, being divorced from his wife and overall portrayed more sympathetically. Downplayed in the film adaptation.
* TragicVillain: Hinted to be one in the film. Played straight with Teasle in the novel.
* TroubledAbuser: Despite his despicable behavior following arresting Rambo and his persecution of him in general, it's pretty clear that he suffers from pitifully severe issues in regards to his decorated Korean War veteran past being ignored and fogotten by the public. His medals implied that he was a much better and nobler human being before TheVietnamVet trend came in.
* TroubledSympatheticBigot: Downplayed in the film, but played straight in the novel. He is prejudiced against Vietnam veterans in general, only because he felt his Korean War veteran service and the services of his fellow comrades from that war has been pushed aside and erased from history by the Vietnam controversy. However, he established a more better relationship with Rambo's C.O. Trautman and even though he wanted to kill Rambo to avenge Galt and bring justice for the town of Hope, he is actually internally confused on exactly what he wants.
* UnwittingPawn: Implied to be one for FalseFriend Galt, who only used his so-called VillainousFriendship with Teasle just to get a free pass to do whatever he pleases under Teasle's protection.
* VigilanteMan: Downplayed. While he leads the manhunt of Rambo because he's an escaped fugitive, Teasle's persistence is fueled by wanting to avenge Art Galt's death.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: In the eyes of the town of Hope, he is their sheriff hunting for an escaped fugitive and a HeroAntagonist after all. In addition, according to the DVD's Survival Mode, Teasle had many affiliations in the Hope area and was a beloved member of the community, as shown in the film when he seemed to know everyone who walked past. Teasle at one point won the Hope Little League Coach of the Year award, as well as the Kiwanis Service Award in 1968, a Hope community service award in 1973 and a Mayor's Circle award in 1978. He was a member of the local Hope Kiwanis and Elks Clubs, the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Rifle Association. However, if the ending is any indication, this [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty trope will end for him]] [[BrokenPedestal once the truth about what happened to Rambo that led to his escape and rampage through town gets out]].
* VillainousBSOD: Has one after Rambo pins him to a tree and threatens him to leave him alone.
* VillainousFriendship: He has one with the sadistic Art Galt, though it appears to be one-sided and hollow due to Galt not listening to Teasle at the time of his death.
* VillainRespect: Despite disliking Trautman for being a Vietnam veteran and Rambo's superior officer, Teasle does have some respect towards him, likely due to Trautman being also a Korean War vet like Teasle.
* VillainousUnderdog: A retroactive example. Unlike future {{Big Bad}}s in the sequels, he is no genocidal warlord or some LargeHam madman, just an InspectorJavert HeroAntagonist small town sheriff trying to apprehend an escaped fugitive with moments of being a TragicVillain which drove him to have a bias towards Rambo, while he relies on his Korean War combat experience to fight the iconic OneManArmy. Ironically, the first film was a "cheer for the underdog" story with Rambo being the underdog, more so than Teasle himself if he applies as this trope.
* VillainousValor: Unlike the later outrageous DirtyCommunist villains in the sequels, Teasle here is just a hick town sheriff doing his job even he counts for being a DirtyCop and wanting to avenge Galt's death. However, he is also a Korean War veteran who wants to prove himself to be better than Vietnam veterans after being sick of being in someone else's shadow for so long and relied on his old fashioned infantry combat experience he used in Korea to combat Rambo from thinking of a skirmish line tactic during the initial manhunt to using the rooftop of the police station with nothing, but a rifle and what he learned in past combat rather than an EvilIsBigger Soviet gunship that the later villains used. When the chips are down, Teasle, despite being wounded and accepting defeat, attempts to angrily FaceDeathWithDignity and goads Rambo to GetItOverWith. All of this actions above are quite noble and honorable even for the absolutely wrong dishonorable reasons.
* WarHero: He was a decorated Korean War veteran, but instead sunked down to that of a horrible FallenHero and somewhat a TragicVillain because of his own rancorously jealous bias against anyone who's TheVietnamVet at the time of the film. In the novel not only Teasle was more of a TragicVillain compared to the film's depiction of him, he was also a TragicHero rather than Rambo in the film because of his own WarIsHell experience during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir he partake in.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Deputy Sergeant Art Galt]]
->Played by: Jack Starrett
->"Hey, if you're looking for trouble, you've come to the right place, buddy. "
Senior and most trusted Teasle' deputy. He's a sadistic and cruel one too, who likes to brutalize people.
----
* AccidentalMurder: Only in the movie. Arguably. It's probable Rambo's only intention chucking the rock was to scare Portis into flying away. If he'd intended to kill Galt, he would've thrown the rock at ''him''. This it was entirely unintentional that Galt fell out when Portis lost control of the chopper.
* AdaptationalUgliness: Galt in the novel was a young man who had a similar slender physical frame compared to Mitch, in the film, he's a FatBastard.
* AdaptationalVillainy: In the novel, Galt is no better or worse than any of Teasle's other men. In the movie, he's an abusive {{Jerkass}}.
* AgeLift: He's a young man in the novel, middle-aged in the film.
* AllThereInTheManual: According to the DVD's Survival Mode easter egg trivia, Galt served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953 to 1957 as a motorpool sergeant at Camp Lejeune and then served in the reserves from 1958 to 1973. This might as well explain why Galt was trigger-happy and a ColdSniper in the film. It's also state Teasle is a Korean War veteran and both he and Galt have been friends for a long time, since Deputy Mitch Rogers was still a little kid. Also, given Teasle's prejudice against Rambo for being a Vietnam vet and Galt's cruelty against Rambo, it could also imply Galt's bullying of Rambo stems from both officers sharing the same dislike of Vietnam veterans as both Galt and Teasle served in the military at a decade that has been forgotten by the public at the time of this film. In addition, despite being a cop, Galt also has criminal record, which shows Galt is a {{Hypocrite}} due to his occupation and also explains what kind of character he is based on his behavior in the film.
* ArtisticLicenseLaw: Identified as a deputy in the novel despite working for a municipal police department run by a chief. This makes more sense in the movie, where Hope's police are county cops headed by a sheriff.
* AssholeVictim: A right sadistic bastard who was going out of his way to kill Rambo when he dies.
* AxCrazy: Very violent and borderline psychotic. He darkens what was already a pretty intense film.
* TheBadGuysAreCops: He is a deputy sergeant and the film's secondary antagonist who is TheDragon for the BigBad Teasle.
* BadgesAndDogTags: He's an ex-marine-turned-deputy sergeant.
* BigBadWannabe: Teasle is the BigBad, but Galt is more of a villain than Teasle is and loved to express how much a vile DirtyCop he is.
* BloodKnight: He takes joy in committing brutality for his own self-interests and was a non-combat Marine who is extremely rancorously jealous of combat vets.
%%* TheBully
* BullyingADragon: His mistreatment of Rambo is what led to Rambo to snap and flee and his attempt to summarily execute him personally is what led to his death.
* CardCarryingVillain: While not actually saying he's evil himself, he clearly makes no secret with his body language and actions what he does is deplorable and he knows and enjoy it.
* {{Catchphrase}}: "Son of a bitch" is his favorite insult.
* CommunicationsOfficer: Was first shown operating one of the station's radios when he was first introduced when Teasle initially brought Rambo in to be booked.
* CompositeCharacter: Insofar as many of Teasle's nastier qualities from the book are transposed onto Galt for the movie. And because he lives longer in the movie, he performs the actions of other deputies from the book, such as Shingleton recklessly pulling his gun on the escaping Rambo in public and Lang firing from the police helicopter.
* TheCorrupter: For Teasle with his ToxicFriendInfluence from his VillainousFriendship and the lower-ranking deputies under his command. Under Galt's influence, Teasle and his staff become as bad as Galt.
* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation: In the novel, Galt is killed when Rambo first escapes the police station when Rambo [[GuttedLikeAFish slices open his stomach]] with a straight razor. In the movie, he survives long enough to participate in the manhunt and is killed by falling out of the police helicopter.
* DirtyCop: He's considered to be the most corrupt member of the sheriff's department who's willing to abuse then kill Rambo against the orders of the sheriff, who is his own best friend.
* DisneyVillainDeath: He's killed when the helicopter he's in makes a hard bank and pitches him over the side to smash face-first onto a rock.
* TheDragon: For Will Teasle.
* DragonWithAnAgenda: Unaware to Teasle, who initially wanted to apprehend Rambo after he escapes police custody, Galt planned to just kill Rambo upon finding him, which results in his death.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: In a deleted scene, he had a wife who grieves for him.
* EvilIsPetty: The reason he wanted to kill Rambo was for his hatred of Vietnam veterans and to retaliate for being physically assaulted back in the station when Rambo first escaped from custody which was prompted by his mistreatment.
* FallenHero: Was a fellow military veteran like Rambo, Trautman and his one-sided best friend Teasle, despite not seeing combat unlike the latter three. It's that after receiving an honorable discharge Galt began to fall into a dark path, leaving behind a considerable criminal record of acts of violence before becoming a DirtyCop, possibly to vent out his outrage at not going to war prior to his discharge and his own financial issues stemming from the Sasquatch Burger fast-food restaurant he initially tried to run going out of business in 1966.
* FalseFriend: It is implied his friendship between him and Teasle was fake from the get-go if not just one-sided that Teasle was oblivious of, given his despicable characterization that makes viewers wonder what Teasle and his wife sees in him and Galt refusing to listen to Teasle's orders to take Rambo alive like a true friend should if not just a subordinate.
* FalselyReformedVillain: Has left behind a considerable criminal record and had been arrested in the past according to the DVD's Survival Mode easter egg trivia, yet unlike Mitch who is a ReformedCriminal who became a deputy out of community service and genuinely became a better person, Galt hasn't learned a thing from his crimes and abuses his position as a deputy sergeant up to his death. It can also be presumed he may have manipulated Teasle and used their so-called friendship to get him a job to act out his violent tendencies with no consequences as long Teasle backs him up.
* FauxAffablyEvil: He has a carefree attitude to the horrible acts he regularly commits. In his debut, he channels his ability to demonize those lesser than him through condescendingly put on a laid-back and somewhat jovial veneer, but when he loses his patience, his true colors show. Even when mistreating Rambo, he acts as mostly a SoftSpokenSadist. Then during the manhunt, when trying to get a bead on Rambo, he cheerfully and sadistically shouts "Hey soldier boy!" to him just for him to stick his head out to blow away.
* FromCamouflageToCriminal: Goes from a honorably discharged marine to a common criminal then to a DirtyCop.
* GreenEyedMonster: Perhaps worse than Teasle, as his hatred of Rambo is due to the fact he's a veteran who had seen combat while Galt as a Marine has not. His disobedience (as shown during the time of his death) and implied hidden contempt towards his superior Teasle despite their one-sided VillainousFriendship may also relate to Teasle seeing action in Korea, while Galt has not. Galt may also resented Teasle behind his back due to the combat experienced latter given the highest rank of sheriff, while non-combatant Galt is a deputy sergeant much to his outrage.
* GuttedLikeAFish: In the book, when Teasle tries to shave Rambo, Rambo overpowers him and swipes the razor, then disembowels Galt when he reaches for his pistol.
* HateSink: Galt is easily one of the most despicable characters in the series. What with his sheer sadism and poor treatment of Rambo.
%%* InNameOnly
* {{Jerkass}}: By far the nastiest specimen out of the group hunting Rambo down, and thoroughly enjoys abusing prisoners under his watch at the county jail.
* KarmicDeath: After abusing and tormenting Rambo and then going against orders to kill the man himself, during which he neglects his own safety to land the fatal shot, Galt is sent plummeting to his death when Rambo is forced to defend himself against the helicopter. His death may have been accidental on Rambo's part, but certainly not what one can call undeserved given his recklessness and sadism.
* KickTheDog: Art Galt tortures Rambo for no reason, triggering his PTSD-induced rampage in the first place. Then he decides to kill Rambo in cold blood for beating him up.
* KillerCop: Tries to gun down Rambo in cold blood.
* LastNameBasis: Only known by his surname in the novel. In the movie, he's given the first name Art.
* LeaderWannabe: He clearly wants to be in charge of the town's police to rule with an iron fist over Teasle who is oblivious to that, even if Galt had to manipulate his superior Teasle as his puppet from behind the scenes to make sure his atrocities gets a free pass.
* TheManBehindTheMan: Was this for Teasle, manipulating him with his VillainousFriendship so his corruption would spread like a virus within the system of the police department and ensure Teasle and the other deputies like Ward were {{Dirty Cop}}s like him.
* ManipulativeBastard: It's implied the VillainousFriendship between Galt and Teasle is completely one-sided and Galt may have manipulated Teasle into thinking they're friends to get him a job as a policeman so he could get a free pass to do whatever heinous thing he wants with no consequences and make Teasle think his crooked actions benefits their service to the law. By the time of the film, Teasle has been completely brainwashed by Galt's ''very'' ToxicFriendInfluence to point of wanting to avenge his death for the rest of the film.
* TheMillstone: Galt's crooked actions against Rambo is what kick off action of the first film.
* MundaneHorror: Grounded he may be, his atrocities are quite deplorable.
* {{Mundanger}}: In contrast to the latter overblown caricature villains, he's a down-to-earth scumbag antagonist. However, he crosses over to MundaneHorror territory when he attempted to kill Rambo from a helicopter, with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsjiRaVJK3A music]] reflecting on this aspect.
* NeverMyFault: His mistreatment of Rambo was what caused him to snap and escape, assaulting Galt in the process. However, Galt never owns up to his mistake and tries to kill Rambo to retaliate for assaulting him.
* PoliceBrutality: His pointless cruelty is what caused Rambo to freak out and make a run for it in the first place.
* PsychoForHire: He's sadistic and brutal when it comes to treating Rambo in incarceration and reckless when it comes to hunting him.
* PsychopathicManchild: The fact he tried to kill Rambo in petty retaliation can come across as senselessly immature.
* RabidCop: He is downright sadistic and brutal when he mistreats Rambo and reckless during the manhunt for him when he doesn't give second thought to a InnocentBystander in the way when trying to kill Rambo or Teasle's orders to capture Rambo alive.
* SchrodingersCast: He is a completely different character in the novel, more along the lines of in terms of physical appearance and personality of Deputy Mitch Rogers from the film version.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: He only lives up to the first act of the film, but Galt's PoliceBrutality towards Rambo, his one-sided VillainousFriendship with Teasle and death was what begins the film's man hunt for the latter and Teasle's determination to hunt Rambo down out of AvengingTheVillain.
* SociopathicSoldier: He was in the Marines, but it's unknown if he was an abhorrent nasty back then too. However, due to never seeing combat, he harbors selfish and vicious jealousy towards veterans who had seen combat.
* TheStarscream: Was using his one-sided VillainousFriendship with Teasle make him his puppet to call the shots of the sheriff's department to do corrupt deeds from behind the scenes.
* TokenEvilTeammate: While Teasle wants Rambo just as bad he's still willing to go by the book on apprehending him but Galt is not only the most corrupt of the town's law enforcement he was willing to do whatever it takes to bring Rambo down, to the point of attempting to open fire on him in the middle of a crowded sidewalk, with no regard for the pedestrians he could have hit (Teasle stops him at the last second).
* TooDumbToLive: Unbuckling your safety harness while in a helicopter, then leaning out the door of said helicopter while it's several hundred feet off the ground in order to shoot at an unarmed man, isn't a very smart idea. Let's just say a helicopter is ''not'' a very stable shooting platform, and when the pilot has to react to something unexpected...
* ToxicFriendInfluence: He is a sadistic brute with a VillainousFriendship with Teasle, who is fellow {{Jerkass}} like Galt and its likely both characters encouraged each others' bad behaviors that made them {{Rabid Cop}}s and {{Dirty Cop}}s (Teasle however is a KnightTemplar and a WellIntentionedExtremist, but likely his reliance on his bad friend Galt may have play a part in Teasle going down the route of HeWhoFightsMonsters that makes him bad as Galt and even causing his fall from grace to his decorated Korean War veteran past). He even made a posthumous influence on Teasle after his death that prompts Teasle to misguidedly avenge his death against Rambo that further makes him goes down further into darkness.
* UnstoppableRage: He has a fit that last up to his death, focusing on killing Rambo in retaliation for assaulting him during his escape.
* VillainousBreakdown: He absolutely loses his cool after Rambo assaulted him, making him content on killing him in retaliation, even if he had to disobey police protocol and his own best friend Teasle and threatened the helicopter pilot to fly straight.
* VillainousFriendship: Has one with Teasle. However, it seemingly appears to be one-sided and hollow that was oblivious to Teasle as Galt ignores Teasle's orders on the radio to take Rambo alive and tries to gun down Rambo in cold blood, which would lead to his death.
* WithFriendsLikeThese: For being a supposed best friend of Teasle, he doesn't show any real loyalty to the latter.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Orval Kellerman]]
->Played by: Creator/JohnMcLiam
Dog handler, employed by the sheriff's office.
----
* DemotedToExtra: He has less importance in the movie than the novel.
* FriendToAllLivingThings: He refers to his hunting dogs as his babies.
* HeroAntagonist: He was recruited under the belief he was doing his town a service of capturing a criminal.
* MoralityPet: He act as this for Teasle in the novel, trying to tell him how he is doing his job the wrong way and how it would lead to the HeWhoFightsMonsters path. Orval's death only fuels Teasle with vengeance against Rambo.
* {{Mundanger}}: He's quite down-to-earth in contrast to latter {{Mook}}s in the sequels.
* ParentalSubstitute: Acts as the surrogate father figure for Teasle after Teasle's dad was killed accidentally in a deer hunt in the novel.
* PunchClockVillain: While volunteering for the manhunt, he is a FriendToAllLivingThings who thought he was helping the town's law enforcement to capture a dangerous criminal.
* SchrodingersCast: While still fulfill the role of the dog man, his character and focus is different in the novel than the movie, revealing to be Teasle's ParentalSubstitute after his father died in a deer hunt. Also, Orval being killed was Teasle's subject of revenge against Rambo rather than Art Galt, who was that in the movie.
* SparedByAdaptation: He is only injured in the leg, but alive. In the novel, he is killed and was the result of Teasle's vengeance against Rambo.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Captain Dave Kern]]
->Played by: Bill [=McKinney=]
Captain in the Washington State Patrol.
----
* ByTheBookCop: He's just an honest state police captain.
* HeroAntagonist: Perhaps more so than Teasle.
* JurisdictionFriction: With Teasle. A ''lot''. As far as Teasle is concerned, Kern and his State Troopers are interfering in his very personal manhunt. From Kern's P.O.V., Teasle is a loose cannon gone hog wild and shouldn't be involved anymore.
* LastNameBasis: Only identified as Captain Kern in the novel, the movie gives him the first name Dave.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Compared to Teasle in the novel. He listens to Trautman more, and refuses to needlessly risk the lives of his officers.
* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: In contrast to Teasle's InspectorJavert.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Deputy Mitch Rogers]]
->Played by: Creator/DavidCaruso
Young and inexperienced deputy.
----
* AdaptationalWimp: In the book, he braves a flood trying to rescue Orval after most of the other deputies decide ScrewThisImOuttaHere.
* ByTheBookCop: He's just an honest deputy.
* CluelessDeputy: Downplayed, as he is the only few of Teasle's deputies to have a conscience and manages to sense what they are dealing with, but could not restrain Rambo when he first escapes, while he himself lampshades that Rambo went through him and his colleagues like they weren't there and later was the first to be dispatched in the forest hunt as he wasn't careful enough to avoid Rambo's ambush.
* CompositeCharacter: He's a combination his novel counterpart and Galt's novel counterpart as a meek and decent young deputy who tried not to be in Rambo's way back in the station.
* FriendToAllChildren: Was first seen chatting with a couple of Hope's child civilians while OutOfFocus when Teasle first took in Rambo to the station to be booked and incarcerated.
* HeroAntagonist: Perhaps more so than Teasle.
* {{Mundanger}}: Subverted for being a TokenGoodTeammate, but he's quite down-to-earth in contrast to latter {{Mook}}s in the sequels.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Due to him being a ByTheBookCop ReasonableAuthorityFigure TokenGoodTeammate amongst Teasle's deputy staff who is not a DirtyCop nor look the other way to the PoliceBrutality, Mitch gets the unfortunate honor of being given the BadBoss treatment by Teasle, who appears to be a BenevolentBoss ''only'' to fellow {{Dirty Cop}}s like him and ignores Mitch's advice and even grabbing him by his hair to show him Galt's corpse and vowing vengeance.
** In the book, after [[spoiler: Orval dies in the flood]]. Teasle furiously hits Mitch when he shows up too late to help, even though Mitch actually did try to help, unlike most of the others.
* PoliceAreUseless: Downplayed, but during the first manhunt, Mitch was the first to be dispatched by Rambo, yet gets the least painful injury due to being a ReasonableAuthorityFigure TokenGoodTeammate. Also, when Rambo first escapes from the station, Mitch was amongst those overpowered by Rambo.
* PunchClockVillain: Appears to be JustFollowingOrders under Teasle's entourage.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Compared to Teasle, who ignores his advice, was against Galt's abuse back at the station, expressed concern for Rambo's well-being after witnessing his multiple battle scars all over his body and initially refuses to needlessly risk the lives of his colleagues during the first manhunt in the woods.
* RedHeadedHero: The only nice deputy, and he has red hair.
* ReformedCriminal: According to the DVD's Survival Mode easter egg trivia, Mitch was once a car stereo and speaker thief who owned marijuana, for all of that he was busted and became deputy out of performing community service. By the time of the film, Mitch became a better person in contrast to his aforementioned criminal record and his leniency towards Rambo was likely due to knowing out of personal experience of being an ex-con himself and making sure he'll be treated fairly possibly out of Mitch being mistreated similarly by authorities himself following his own past conviction.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Dies along with everyone else in Teasle's posse during the first manhunt in the novel, but in the movie, Rambo only slices his leg to disable him.
* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: In contrast to Teasle's InspectorJavert.
* TokenGoodTeammate: Is the only officer to show anything even remotely resembling compassion for Rambo.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: He shows up one last time in the police tent after Rambo takes down Teasle's posse, but disappears afterward.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Deputy Lester]]
->Played by: Alf Humphreys
One of Hope's deputies.
----
* AdaptationalHeroism: se ByTheBookCop and TokenGoodTeammate. In the book, he's a bit of a DirtyCoward.
* ByTheBookCop: He's just an honest deputy.
* CluelessDeputy: Downplayed, as he is the only few of Teasle's deputies to have a conscience, but still not quick-witted enough to avoid getting tripped and have his nose broken.
* CompositeCharacter: Suffers Preston's broken nose from the novel, but without the... nastier effects (see below), and also takes on some of Shingleton's characteristics as well, such as being the man Teasle leaves at the foot of the mountain trail.
* HeroAntagonist: Played Straight more so than Teasle.
* {{Mundanger}}: Subverted for being a TokenGoodTeammate, but he's quite down-to-earth in contrast to latter {{Mook}}s in the sequels.
* PoliceAreUseless: Downplayed, but he never saw Rambo coming when he trips him and then broke his nose while escaping, otherwise, he's a ReasonableAuthorityFigure TokenGoodTeammate in general.
* PunchClockVillain: Appears to be JustFollowingOrders under Teasle's entourage.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Did not partake in Galt's abuse back at the station and is a decent deputy.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Dies along with everyone else in Teasle's posse during the first manhunt in the novel, but in the movie, Rambo only breaks his nose to disable him.
* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: In contrast to Teasle's InspectorJavert.
* TokenGoodTeammate: He doesn't take part in Rambo's torture, and when Mitch confesses the truth, that it was Galt's torment that set Rambo off, Lester comes and relays this information to Teasle. He seems ashamed of what was done even though he didn't take part in it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Deputy Preston]]
->Played by: Don [=MacKay=]
One of Hope's deputies.
----
* BaldOfEvil: For a given definition of evil, anyway. He's a somewhat aggressive cop and has male pattern baldness.
* CluelessDeputy: Downplayed, as he is the only few of Teasle's deputies to have a conscience, but bolts when his work buddies are being attacked when Rambo first escapes.
* DirtyCop: For following orders of the equally corrupt Teasle and Galt without question.
* DirtyCoward: Emphatically doesn't help Galt, Ward and Mitch fight Rambo, running from the room instead.
* GoForTheEye: During his escape from the station in the novel, Rambo breaks Preston's nose, sending bone splinters into his eyes, permanently blinding him.
* HeroAntagonist: Downplayed, but compared to Teasle, he appeared to be just a deputy doing his job in the line of duty.
* {{Mundanger}}: He's quite down-to-earth in contrast to latter {{Mook}}s in the sequels.
* PoliceAreUseless: He bolts when Rambo begins to FreakOut and overpower his jailers.
* PunchClockVillain: Appears to be JustFollowingOrders and his facial expressions while hosing Rambo down appeared he doesn't seem to enjoy it as much as Galt.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: When Rambo freaks at Ward trying to shave him and starts fighting with him, Galt and Mitch, Preston runs from the room.
* SoleSurvivor: He is the only officer in the novel who doesn't get killed, and only then because Rambo's blinding him during his escape leads to Preston being hospitalized and thus removed from danger.
* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: Downplayed, but he does seem to be a PunchClockVillain JustFollowingOrders like how a low ranking deputy in any Sheriff's department should be and appears to regret hosing down Rambo.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Deputy Shingleton]]
->Played by: David Crowley
One of Hope's deputies.
----
* BaldOfEvil: Is balding, but not as much as Preston.
* CluelessDeputy: He and his colleagues have no idea what they're dealing with when hunting Rambo.
* DemotedToExtra: Was Teasle's NumberTwo in the novel, which was taken by TheDragon Art Galt in the film.
* DirtyCop: For following orders of the equally corrupt Teasle without question.
* HeroAntagonist: Downplayed, but compared to Teasle, he appeared to be just a deputy doing his job in the line of duty.
* {{Mundanger}}: He's quite down-to-earth in contrast to latter {{Mook}}s in the sequels.
* PoliceAreUseless: He never saw Rambo coming when he dispatches him last before threatening Teasle in the forest during the first manhunt.
* PunchClockVillain: Appears to be JustFollowingOrders under Teasle's entourage.
* SchrodingersCast: Was Teasle's NumberTwo who suffered both a BoomHeadshot death and a MoeGreeneSpecial death in the novel, in the film he's just another deputy and survives Rambo's wrath.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Dies along with everyone else in Teasle's posse during the first manhunt in the novel, but survives in the movie.
* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: Downplayed, but he does seem to be a PunchClockVillain JustFollowingOrders like how a low ranking deputy in any Sheriff's department should be and is not as actively malicious as his superiors. Even during the immediate aftermath of Galt's death, Shingleton was the deputy who first noticed Rambo's initial attempt to turn himself in.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Deputy Lang]]
->Played by: N/A
----
* AdaptedOut: In the novel, he's the cop who shoots at Rambo from the helicopter and gets killed in that scene. In the movie, his role is taken by Galt, and Lang himself never appears.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Deputy Ward]]
->Played by: Chris Mulkey
One of Hope's deputies.
----
* AdaptationalVillainy: In the book he is a fairly heroic character and isn't even at the police station when Rambo gets shaved.
* AdaptationalWimp: see NoOneGetsLeftBehind.
* BullyingADragon: Had not Ward gleefully taunted Rambo not to move otherwise he'll have a SlashedThroat when trying to dry-shave him, Rambo would have cool his jets and not to escape from the station that started this mess.
* CluelessDeputy: He and his colleagues have no idea what they're dealing with when hunting Rambo.
* CompositeCharacter: In the novel, Galt is the one who tries to shave Rambo, not him.
* DirtyCop: For following orders of the equally corrupt Teasle and Galt without question. He even revels in taunting Rambo when trying to dry-shave him back at the station that prompted him to escape in the first place.
* GroinAttack: Gets a kick below the belt when Rambo freaks out.
* {{Mundanger}}: He's quite down-to-earth in contrast to latter {{Mook}}s in the sequels.
* NoOneGetsLeftBehind: in the book, when floodwaters from the rain are threatening to wash the injured Orval away, Ward grabs him and tries to carry him on his back, uphill, to safety [[spoiler: although ultimately he can't hold on to him long enough]].
* PoliceAreUseless: He was amongst those overpowered by Rambo when he first escapes and never saw him coming when he dispatches him in the forest during the first manhunt.
** Mostly averted in the book.
* PunchClockVillain: Appears to be JustFollowingOrders under Teasle's entourage, however, unlike the others, he does seemed to enjoy in tormenting Rambo, just not the same extent as Galt though.
* RabidCop: Downplayed in comparison to Teasle and Galt, but was willing to be abrasive towards Rambo while incarcerated.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: His taunting of Rambo while trying to dry shave him is what set the latter off to make a break for it.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Dies along with everyone else in Teasle's posse during the first manhunt in the novel, but survives in the movie.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: His attempt to shave Rambo, brandishing a razor, triggers Rambo's PTSD flashbacks to him being sliced across the chest by an enemy officer. Ward even unwittingly says almost the exact same thing as Rambo's torturer: "Don't move. I don't want you to cut your throat." The Vietnamese officer in the triggered flashback says (in Cantonese) ""Don't move! Or I'll kill you!"
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Deputy Balford]]
->Played by: Michael Talbott
One of Hope's deputies.
----
* AgeLift: He's described as very young in the book, but clearly middle-aged in the movie.
* BringMyBrownPants: Craps himself out of sheer terror in the novel.
* CluelessDeputy: He and his colleagues have no idea what they're dealing with when hunting Rambo.
* CommunicationsOfficer: Was operating a radio while wearing headphones at the time of Rambo's escape from jail that he tried to stop to no avail.
* DirtyCop: For following orders of the equally corrupt Teasle without question.
* DonutMessWithACop: Was first shown OutOfFocus when Teasle first took Rambo in to the station to be booked and jailed eating pieces of a donut while relaxing by a file cabinet.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: In a deleted scene ReCut for television and OutOfFocus in the theatrical cut, he is married to his wife named Barbara whom Teasle apologizes for Balford's injuries and tells her he'll call her at the hospital to make sure everything's okay.
* HeroAntagonist: Downplayed, but compared to Teasle, he appeared to be just a deputy doing his job in the line of duty.
* MadnessMantra: When the manhunt goes wrong, Balford takes to muttering "Never so scared" over and over.
* {{Mundanger}}: He's quite down-to-earth in contrast to latter {{Mook}}s in the sequels.
* NewMeat: Is implied to be a rookie in the novel.
* NominalImportance: Despite having a name, he is constantly called "the young deputy" in the novel.
* PoliceAreUseless: He was kicked away at ease when Rambo first escapes and never saw him coming when he dispatches him with his booby trap in the forest during the first manhunt.
* PunchClockVillain: Appears to be JustFollowingOrders under Teasle's entourage.
* SchrodingersCast: Was an easily scared rookie in the novel, but not in the film.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Dies along with everyone else in Teasle's posse during the first manhunt in the novel, but survives in the movie.
* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: Downplayed, but he does seem to be a PunchClockVillain JustFollowingOrders like how a low ranking deputy in any Sheriff's department should be and is not as actively malicious as his superiors.
[[/folder]]
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