History Characters / NeedForSpeedPayback

'''Autolog Era:''' ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedShift Shift]]'' (''Shift 2: Unleashed'') | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedNitro Nitro]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedTheRun The Run]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedRivals Rivals]]''\\

'''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedAutologEra Autolog Era]]:''' ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedShift Shift]]'' (''Shift 2: Unleashed'') | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedTheRun The Run]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedRivals Rivals]]''\\

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: [[spoiler: Apart from driving any car as said from the roster, during "Double or Nothing", you get to play as Mac driving a '''''frickin' truck''''' that can wreck any cop in its way with just a single slam and plow through roadblocks very easily!]]

[-'''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedClassicEra Classic Era]]'''\\
'''Black Box Era''': ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedUnderground Underground]]'' (''1'' and ''2'') | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]'' (2005) | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedCarbon Carbon]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedProStreet ProStreet]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedUndercover Undercover]]''\\
'''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedAutologEra Autolog Era]]''': ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedTheRun The Run]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedRivals Rivals]]''\\

'''Ghost Games Era''': [[Characters/NeedForSpeed2015 (2015)]] | '''''Payback''''' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedHeat Heat]]'']]-]]]

'''Black Box Era''': ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedUnderground Underground]]'' (''1'' and ''2'') | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]'' (2005) ([[Characters/NeedForSpeedMostWantedRazor Razor]]) | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedCarbon Carbon]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedProStreet ProStreet]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedUndercover Undercover]]''\\

This Street League is themed around the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), with floral-and-skull pattern. They operate in the mountains and deserts of Fortune Valley.

* SkeletonMotif: Inspired from the Dia de los Muertos, members of the crew decorate their cars with unique {{Calacas}} skulls and religious charms.

* PrecisionFStrike: After being defeated, she has strong words for Tyler.
-->'''Nova:''' I may not be able to stop you from getting into the Rush, but you can bet your ''saggy ass'' that I'll do everything I can to stop you during it.

* LaResistance: The league's drift events are in a form of political protests against The House, similar to how Zephyr does against RCPD in Redview County.

* HateSink: Quite possibly ''Payback''[='s=] most despised character. This has gotten to the point where hating Natalia Nova in and of itself is a meme in the community.[[note]]Some playthroughs have even shown people not minding to make her crash (despite not crashing during a race actually being a challenge the game can reward the player for) just for the satisfaction of it.[[/note]]

* EvilWearsBlack: After revealing her true colors by betraying Tyler and his crew, she starts wearing only black and driving around in a black [=McLaren=] P1. Tellingly enough, she wasn't so inclined toward the color black before the betrayal.

[[folder:Lina Navarro]]

'''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedGhostGamesEra Ghost Games Era]]''': [[Characters/NeedForSpeed2015 (2015)]] | '''''Payback''''' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedHeat Heat]]'']]-]]]

-->'''Nova:''' ''[after Tyler wins Solar Sprint, their next-to-last challenge]'' ''Lame, lame, lame, lame, lame!!!'' You messed with the wrong HBIC, Nobody. Let's do this.\\\
'''Nova:''' ''[as Tyler is about to win his head-to-head race with Nova]'' No way! This is ''ridiculous!''

* UncertainDoom: [[spoiler:She is left in the mercy of the House’s goons for her failures, although the cutscene ends before it's revealed what they did to her.]]

* BadBoss: As Tyler keeps defeating the members of her league, she will dismiss it as them being bad racers, despite her having just called themselves "the best of the best" in the group's intro.

* SayingTooMuch: As Tyler keeps beating the members of her crew, Nova will slip that "it wasn't supposed to happen this way", which catches Tyler's attention, even confiding it with Jess. Later on, as Tyler keeps pressing, she will eventually reveal that One Percent Club is one of the House-affiliated leagues, and were already alerted about Tyler and his crew by them and tasked with stopping them.
* VillainousBreakdown: Her dismissive attitude ''finally'' breaks down when Tyler is just about to win their race.
-->'''Nova:''' No way! This is ''ridiculous!''

->''"They will either get out of the way or they won't."''

* SoreLoser: ''[[FelonyMisdemeanor Calling the cops on someone who just beat you fairly]]'' [[JerkJock doesn't do much for sportsmanship]].
--->[[spoiler:'''Mitko Vasilev:''' [[PreMortemOneLiner Goodbye, Mr. Morgan.]] [[SarcasmMode Enjoy jail.]]]]

* SoreLoser: On the contraty of the leagues not affiliated with the House, the three House-aligned leagues cannot accept their defeat and still commit to the House's ethics. [[spoiler:Lina and the House even send them during the first leg of the Outlaw's Rush in an attempt to stop Tyler, but are unsuccessful.]]

->See his character folder in the [[Characters/NeedForSpeedBlackBoxEra Black Box Era character page]].

[[header:[[center: [- '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed''''' [[Characters/NeedForSpeed Character Index]]\\
'''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedClassicEra Classic Era]]''' | '''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedBlackBoxEra Black Box Era]]''' (''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedUnderground Underground]]'' (''1'' and ''2'') | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]'' (2005) ([[Characters/NeedForSpeedMostWantedRazor Razor]]) | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedCarbon Carbon]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedUndercover Undercover]]'') | '''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedAutologEra Autolog Era]]''' (''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedTheRun The Run]]'' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedRivals Rivals]]'') | '''[[Characters/NeedForSpeed2014 2014 film adaptation]]''' | '''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedGhostGamesEra Ghost Games Era]]''' ([[Characters/NeedForSpeed2015 (2015)]] | '''''Payback''''' | ''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedHeat Heat]]'')]]-]]]

Although ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed2015'' had near-realistic live-action but an overall light-hearted story, ''Payback'' on the other hand tries a more serious approach by giving more in-depth features and core components.
----

* BadassCrew: Tyler, Mac, and Jess. These three are the can take on The House. Together.

* {{Determinator}}: 3 members in a crew against a full house of the House. They will stop at nothing to liberate Silver Rock from the hands of the House.

* InvoluntaryGroupSplit: [[spoiler: Earlier in the prologue, they were a BadassCrew with Lina alongside them. After stealing the Koenisegg from Marcus, Lina betrays Tyler, Mac and Jess when she sets them up to take the fall, leaving them to be in the mercy of the cops, splitting the team for good… or at least for 6 months.]]

[[WMG:[[center: [- '''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed''' [[Characters/NeedForSpeed Character Index]]\\
'''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedClassicEra Classic Era]]''' | '''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedBlackBoxEra Black Box Era]]''' ([[Characters/NeedForSpeedUnderground Underground]] ''(1 and 2)'' | [[Characters/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]] ''(2005)'' [[Characters/NeedForSpeedMostWantedRazor (Razor)]] | [[Characters/NeedForSpeedCarbon Carbon]] | [[Characters/NeedForSpeedUndercover Undercover]]) | '''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedAutologEra Autolog Era]]''' ([[Characters/NeedForSpeedTheRun The Run]] | [[Characters/NeedForSpeedRivals Rivals]]) | '''[[Characters/NeedForSpeed2014 2014 film adaptation]]''' | '''[[Characters/NeedForSpeedGhostGamesEra Ghost Games Era]]''' ([[Characters/NeedForSpeed2015 (2015)]] | '''Payback''' | [[Characters/NeedForSpeedHeat Heat]])]]-]]]

Although ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed2015'' had near-realistic live-action but an overall light-hearted story, ''Payback'' on the other hand tries a more serious approach by giving more in-depth features and core components.
----

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

[[folder:In general]]

---

* NoveauRiche: Their intro, talking about them being "hicks" yet at the same time bragging about having "cash in our hands [and] dirt in our toes" portrays them as this.

Although ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed2015'' had near-realistic live-action but an overall light-hearted story, ''Payback'' on the other hand tries a more serious approach by giving more in-depth features and core components.

Although the 2015 reboot of ''Need for Speed'' had near-realistic live-action but an overall light-hearted story, ''Payback'' on the other hand tries a more serious approach by giving more in-depth features and core components.

!!!Player's crew
[[folder:In General]]

* InvoluntaryGroupSplit: [[spoiler: Earlier in the prologue, they were a BadassCrew with Lina alongside them. After stealing the Koenisegg from Marcus, Lina betrays Tyler, Mac and Jess when she sets them up to take the fall, leaving them to be in the mercy of the cops, splitting the team for good. …but not until 6 months later.]]

[[folder:Tyler "Ty" Morgan]]

--->''"It's never been about luck."''
-->'''Car:''' Nissan Skyline GT-R ([=BNR34=]), Nissan Fairlady Z [=240ZG=], any car of your choice (Race and Drag class only)
-->'''Hails from:''' The Barrio, Silver Rock
-->'''Portrayed by:''' Jack Derges

One of the three main protagonists and the leader of the crew.\\
An experienced skilled street racer at only 24 years old who specializes in Race and Drag events.\\\

After Lina betrayed the whole crew, Tyler was left in the mercy of Marcus for stealing his Koenigsegg Regera. Deciding to protect Tyler from being arrested by the corrupted FVPD, Marcus recruits him as his personal valet driver.

* BornWinner: It’s what Ty was destined for. Though he self-proclaims that he's the best racer in town.
-->'''Tyler''': Racking up the wins.

-->'''Marcus Weir''': Tyler Morgan. Twenty-three years old. Mother '''Sylvia Morgan''', father unknown, [[SarcasmMode so sad]].

[[folder:Sean "Mac" [=McAlister=]]]

--->''"Focus, Mac. Gotta get through this. Find your smile."''
--> '''Car:''' Chevrolet Bel Air, any car of your choice (Drift, Offroad and Speedcross class only), Peterbilt 579 a.k.a. "[[ICallItVera The Mac Attack]]", Mini JCW Countryman, Lamborghini Diablo SV (''Heat'') (possibly)
-->'''Hails from:''' Hackney, London, United Kingdom
-->'''Portrayed By:''' David Ajala
One of the three main protagonists and the showman of the crew.\\\
A British stylish street racer at 32 years old who specializes in Drift, Offroad and Speedcross events.\\\

* [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent And Now For Something Completely Different]]: [[spoiler: Apart from driving any car as said from the roster, during "Double or Nothing", you get to play as Mac driving a '''''frickin' truck''''' that can wreck any cop in its way with just a single slam and plow through roadblocks very easily!]]

-->'''Mac''': The Mac Attack 2: Mac Strikes back!

-->'''[=HashTiger=]''': Hey, Mac. Did you get a shot of me puking?
* GoingNative: From England to America. Mac, who is British decided to settle in Fortune Valley to live UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream. This lead to him liking the open road and clear skies and the thrills in high speed driving. Something his country didn't offer.

-->'''Mac''': Air Mac!

-->'''Mac''': Heeey! Hushpuppy! Big fan of your channel!
-->'''[=HashTiger=]''': It’s Hashtiger.

[[folder:Jessica "Jess" Miller]]

--->''"Six months later and the first time I hear from you, you need something from me?"''
-->'''Car:''' BMW M5 ([=F90=]), Audi S5 Sportback, any car of your choice (Runner class only)
-->'''Hails from:''' Mount Providence, Fortune Valley
-->'''Portrayed by:''' Jessica Madsen
One of the three main protagonists and the wheelman of the crew.\\\
A level-headed GetawayDriver and covert specialist at only 27 years old who specializes in Runner operations.\\\

* CarFu: Unlike Ty’s or Mac’s car class, Jess is the only one who can wreck cops or House mooks easily, even just one touch would immediately wreck them! And that it the central theme for Runner class cars.

-->'''Jess''': I built this ride just for you boys. Let’s dance.

* KarmaHoudini: [[JustifiedTrope Justified]]. As a GetawayDriver, performing high-risk jobs, escaping the cops frequently and keeping a low profile is her [[ExtremityExtremist extreme specialty]].
-->'''Paulie''': You really are an escape artist.

!!!Supporting characters
[[folder:Ravindra "Rav" Chaudhry]]

--->''"Given enough time and attention, an artist can turn a pile of scrap into a supercar."''
-->'''Car:''' Volkswagen Beetle
-->'''Hails from:''' {{UsefulNotes/Singapore}}
-->'''Portrayed by:''' Ramon Tikaram
An accomplice of Tyler, Mac and Jess.\\\
Rav is a mechanical genius who specializes in tuning and fitting cars for the three.\\

[[folder:Marcus Weir]]

--->''"Imagine a city where risk is an illusion and every bet is rigged. That's what the House wants."''
-->'''Car:''' Koenigsegg Regera, Aston Martin [=DB11=]
-->'''Hails from:''' Unknown
-->'''Portrayed by:''' Robert James

-->'''Marcus Weir''': All in.

--->''"Call me the Broker."''
-->'''Car:''' Porsche Panamera Turbo (971)

* AndTheAdventureContinues: [[spoiler: In the aftermath of the Outlaw Rush and the House's departure, the Broker also leaves Fortune Valley for Japan to start her undercover operation against Kobashi.]]

!!!The House

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nfspaybackscreens_1.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Lina Navarro prior to her betrayal.]]
--->''"Didn’t Rav tell you what’s under the hood? My buyers are paying a fortune for it."''
-->'''Car:''' Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport (C7), [=McLaren=] [=P1=], Koenigsegg Regera (''Heat'') (possibly)
-->'''Hails from:''' The Barrio, Silver Rock
-->'''Portrayed by:''' Dominique Tipper

Lina is originally “the best fixer in Silver Rock” who grew up with Tyler and joined his crew. But suddenly betrayed them and taking every fall Tyler and his crew goes in favor of her own ambitions with The House, a notorious cartel operated by The Collector who controls the street races in Silver Rock.\\\
Her motivation is to reshape Silver Rock and Fortune Valley to her and the House’s liking by illegally taking over the FVPD under their payroll, rigging street races and an attempt to seize Marcus Weir’s casino. But mostly, her motivation is to get rid of Tyler, Mac and Jess from interfering with the House’s plans.

* BigBad: Not just the main antagonist of ''Payback'', but the second female main antagonist of the whole franchise after [[spoiler:Chase Linh of ''Undercover'']].
* BolivianArmyEnding: [[spoiler:Pretty much the very last we see of her after she's beaten.]]

--->'''Marcus Weir''': ''"Their leader is called the Collector. And he's got one addiction: '''cars'''."''
--> '''Car:''' Acura NSX ([=NC1=]), Mercedes-Benz [=G63=] AMG, Lamborghini Aventador [=LP700-4=]

Head of the House and Lina Navarro’s boss.\\\
Hence the name, The Collector is a very serious car collector, [[spoiler: pointing out why he wanted Marcus Weir’s [[CoolCar Koenigsegg Regera]] by force.]] Apart from his hobby, he also looks over Lina, that as planned, takes over Silver Rock’s street racing scene and gain control of the crew, just for his cause.

* TheCollector: ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. Marcus's quote mentioned above doubles as a MeaningfulName since he has passion for collecting exotic cars… [[spoiler: illegally]].

* GreaterScopeVillain: The Collector is like the [[{{Franchise/Terminator}} Skynet]] of ''Payback''. Keeping a good eye on his employer.

* LuredIntoATrap: The Collector loves to pull tricks on Tyler’s crew. He’s a trickster mastermind to keep Silver Rock under The House’s control.
** The Collector personally contacted Tyler to lose the Outlaw’s Rush on purpose as a bribe to take Lina’s position and among other perks The House had to offer. Losing the race has him [[{{Troll}} trolling]] Tyler as if the bargain is even the real deal.

!!!Street Leagues

* TheCavalry: [[spoiler: Majority of the street league bosses, including Mac himself saved Tyler's behind from the cops during the second leg of the Outlaw's Rush.]]

* GracefulLoser: Name any street league that are against the House. They'll consider Tyler or Mac a WorthyOpponent. [[spoiler: Later on, they will support the crew during the Outlaw's Rush]].

* SoreLoser: On the other hand, the latter three House-aligned leagues cannot accept their defeat and still commit to the House's ethics.

[[folder:Graveyard Shift]]

--->''"When you fly down the highway at 100 miles an hour, every decision is life and death. I am La Catrina, and this... is the Graveyard Shift."''.
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Race, Tier 1
--> '''Hails from:''' Fortune Valley Desert and Mountains

* SkeletonMotif: Inspired from the Dia de los Muertos, members of the crew decorate their cars with unique skulls and religious charms.

!!La Catrina
-->'''Car:''' Nissan Fairlady Z [=240ZG=]

[[spoiler: Defeating La Catrina will give Tyler a clue to a derelict of the Ford Mustang '65.]]

[[folder:League 73]]

--->''"Miles outside the city, it's just sky as fast as the eye can see. League 73: freedom happens at a hundred miles an hour and ten feet in the air."''
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Offroad, Tier 1
--> '''Hails from:''' Airfield 73, Liberty Desert

!!Udo Roth
-->'''Car:''' Subaru Impreza WRX STI (GR)
An offroad race with an attitude and leader of League 73. With the introduction of Mac, Udo in his perspective doesn't see him as an offroad race as he expects until he was underestimated by Mac's offroad skills.
----
* IShallTauntYou: At first, he sees Mac as a NewMeat to offroad, until the later shows what he can possibly do.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Of course, he's a brash and prideful hooligan who loves sneaking in the airfield. He maybe hard on Mac but he helps warm him up after admitting him as a WorthyOpponent and later supports the crew during Outlaw's Rush.
* MeaningfulName: He likes his name to be honest since Udo stands for "Unidentified Driving Object".

[[folder:Shift Lock]]
[[quoteright:160:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/untitled_1_88.jpg]]
--->''"Where will you be when the Revolution comes? We are the last stand against [[CorruptCorporateExecutive corporate tyranny]]. We are the drifting freedom fighters of the Misinformation Age. We are... Shift Lock."''
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Drift, Tier 1
--> '''Hails from:''' Downtown Silver Rock
Drift-class Street League based in Silver Rock.\\\
Shift Lock is comprised of drifting techno-anarchists, formed from an online community of conspiracy theorists and internet trolls. Drifting is their way of political protest, and as a form of art for their "performances".

* HackerCollective: A bunch of [[TheCracker Crackers]], intent to bring down the House via technoanarchy and drifting. [[spoiler:Their boss the Underground Soldier helps Jess with uncovering the House's plans.]]
* LaResistance: The league's drift events are in a form of political protests against The House, similar to how Zephyr does against RCPD in Redview County.
!!Underground Soldier a.k.a. [[spoiler:Charlie]]
-->'''Car:''' Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR32)
A young expert hacker who utilizes drifting as a PropagandaMachine and a WeaponOfMassDestruction against the House.
----
* GivenNameReveal: His revealed first name is [[spoiler:Charlie]].
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: While uncovering House and Arkwrigh files for Jess, his cover was blown when the cops are called.
* TokenEvilTeammate: Subverted. He's the only non-House affiliated league boss who never shows up in TheCavalry during Outlaw's Rush. [[spoiler:It's also hinted earlier that he expressed concern to Mac that he's working for Marcus Weir.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: After telling Jess to deliver the files to the Broker, he never shows up for the remainder of the plot. Justified that the Underground Soldier is forced to leave Fortune Valley as a result for his [[NiceJobBreakingItHero blown cover]].

[[folder:Riot Club]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/untitled_1_43.jpg]]
--->''"When you race in Silver Rock, every quarter mile is a battle. From burnout to finish, we put it all on the line. I am Big Sister and this... is Riot Club."''
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Drag, Tier 1
--> '''Hails from:''' Boomville, Silver Rock
Silver Rock's most top-notch Drag-class Street League consisting of young Korean-Americans, highly know for its Korean pop culture.

* CanisLatinicus: Their league's motto "Carpe Whatevs" (as seen in the logo) means "seize whatever"
* OtakuSurrogate: The whole crew are consisting of Korean-Americans, are fans of Korean pop culture.
* WhatAPieceOfJunk: The cars of Riot Club consist of mostly classic muscle cars.
!!Big Sister
-->'''Car:''' Ford Mustang Coupé (Gen. 1)
A resilient racer who utilizes her drag racing skills to showcase her unrelentling potential against the House. Despite this, she treats her crew like a family.
----
* AFatherToHisMen: She treats each of her crew members as a part of the family...
* MeaningfulName: ...which is why she uses that name to go with it...
* TheNicknamer: ...and also calls Tyler a "[[BigBrotherInstinct Big Brother]]" for some reason.

[[folder:The Silver Six]]
[[quoteright:160:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/latest_262.png]]
--->''"We were six warring leagues, exiled from the city by The House. But out here, we found our common cause. We are the Silver Six... and one day, you '''''will''''' hear about us."''
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Race, Tier 2
--> '''Hails from:''' Silver Canyon Casino, Silver Canyon
The Silver Six were once a separated, warring group of six street racing leagues... until the House took over Silver Rock with the goal of crushing the street racing leagues there. The six street racing leagues fled to Silver Canyon, where they banded together, forging a friendship along the way.

* AerithAndBob: Most of the members use codenames to identity themselves. The only exceptions are Gallo Rivera, Cassandra and Jake Paul.
* ColorMotif: Majority of the Silver Six members painted their car silver or gray, hence the name.
* TheExile: The group takes its name from the six exiled Silver Rock street racing leagues that it is formed from.
* FireForgedFriends: These six racing leagues were enemies at one point, but the House exiling them gave them a common cause, and they since became friends and joined forces.
* OutdatedName: They were known as "Sixth Street" before the incident.
* RedemptionRejection: Inverted. The Silver Six refuses to work for the House.
* SpecialGuest: American [=YouTuber=] [[{{Creator/JakePaul}} Jake Paul]] is one of the members of the crew. He's only available as a roaming racer who replaced Black Mamba after the December 2017 update.
!!"Gallo" Rivera
-->'''Car:''' Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8
A Hispanic street racer, leader of the Silver Six, and Tyler's childhood friend. He spent time in prison due to his resistance against The House, and (initially) has reservations against Tyler's vendetta.
----
* CoolCar: Gallo drives a 911 RSR 2.8, which was a ''[[WhatAPieceOfJunk decommissioned]]'' racing car to begin with. [[ImprobablyCoolCar In real world,]] [[RareVehicles there were only 55 genuine copies of it]].
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Earlier, Gallo and his crew were once arrested from an incidental race, causing him and Tyler to part ways.
* MeaningfulName: "Gallo" is Spanish for "rooster".
* NiceGuy: Quite possibly the nicest Race street league boss to Tyler (or his allies, if you face him as a roaming racer with Jess or Mac). This extends to being the only Race street league boss to not be on the House's payroll at any point in the game [[note]] La Catrina was bribed by the House to lure Tyler into a trap (although she later apologized for it and stated that she and Graveyard Shift would be there for Tyler when the Outlaw's Rush happens). Nova is... [[BitchInSheepsClothing Nova]]. [[/note]]

[[folder:Free Ember Militia]]
[[quoteright:160:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/latest_1_60.png]]
--->''"They say it's a man's world. I say shove it! Survive a day in the desert with us if you think you're so tough. We are... The Free Ember Militia."''
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Offroad, Tier 2
--> '''Hails from:''' Ember Valley
An all-female survivalist group of off-roaders based in Ember Valley, hence their name.\\\
Free Ember Militia (FEM) are known for their extreme daredevil stunts and performing very dangerous jumps.\\
Like Shift Lock, the Free Ember Militia consists of anti-government conspiracy theorists who are opposed to the House's control over Fortune Valley.

* AmazonBrigade: All of its members are women.
* ThrillSeeker: As Faith Jones, the leader, put it:
-->'''Faith Jones''': It's not racing if you're not gripping the wheel for dear life.
!!Faith Jones
-->'''Car:''' Ford [=F-150=] SVT Raptor (Gen. 13)
-->'''Voiced by:''' Elizabeth Saydah

* CoolCar: As a survivalist off the road, she goes well with a heavy rugged car. The Ford [=F-150=] SVT Raptor is her vehicle of choice. By popular demand, Faith's F-150 returns in ''Heat''.
* DrivesLikeCrazy: Her daredevil skills and attitude give [[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Kaze]] a run for her money.
* [[NiceGirl Nice Gal]]: Despite nicknaming Mac a showman, she is also affable and supportive.
* SouthernBelle: Being a racing cowgirl who loves the thrilling adrenaline, she has a thick Southern accent to go with it.

[[folder:Noise Bomb]]
--->''"We exist in curves and motion. We skirt the knife's edge between life and death, traction and freefall. I am Aki Kimura. Welcome to Noise Bomb."''
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Drift, Tier 2
--> '''Hails from:''' Fortune Valley
For more information on Aki Kimura, see his character folder in [[Characters/NeedForSpeedBlackBoxEra that character page]].
* TheBusCameBack: Aki and his entire league returns from ''[=ProStreet=]''.
* MythologyGag: The crew is named after a drift event organizer in ''[=ProStreet=]''.

[[folder:Diamond Block]]
[[quoteright:160:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/latest_1_87.png]]
--->''"You struggle through life while we toy with it. Nothing is ever exciting enough, dangerous enough, worthy enough for us. We are... Diamond Block. Never heard of us? Well, you must not be a millionaire then."''
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Drag, Tier 3
--> '''Hails from:''' Diamond Block, Silver Rock
One of the three House-associated Street Leagues in Fortune Valley, this drag-racing league is known for its choice of locations for doing so; dangerous, illegal, and oftentimes unsafe. They care little, because to them the thrill of danger trumps anything else.

* LocationThemeNaming: "Diamond Block" is named after their home location in Silver Rock.
* RichInDollarsPoorInSense: The richest of the richest, Diamond Block considers themselves superior against those 'city scum', all thanks to their social status and their ultra-rich outlet, all being under the House’s payroll.
* TheSyndicate: One of the three House-aligned Leagues.
* ThemeNaming: All the members are named after their business and political ranks. You have Ambassador, Boss, Commodore, Diplomat, Empress and Queen.
* ThrillSeeker: A darker take on this attitude; Diamond Block is made up of bored rich people who drag race along Fortune Valley's roads and highways, regardless of the danger it poses to civilians.
!! Mitko Vasilev

--->''"They will either get out of the way or they won't."''
-->'''Car''': Nissan [=GT-R=] Premium (2017)
An egotistical consul and self-proclaimed daredevil street racer who hails from Bulgaria.\\\
Mitko came from Colombia, and decides to spend his free time in Fortune Valley, where he establishes his racing league. Calm and prudent at first, his temper escalates as he pursues the thrill of joy behind the wheel.

* AssInAmbassador: An Eastern European consul with a dangerous disregard for civilian safety.
* BerserkButton: Losing. He may be calm at first, but when he loses, he loses it.
* CoolCar: A 2017 Nissan [=GT-R=] Premium is what he uses for drag racing.
* ItsAllAboutMe: It’s what Mitko thinks about himself: superior towards anyone.
* RenegadeRussian: Granted, he's Bulgarian, but he fits this trope to a T otherwise.
* SoreLoser: ''[[FelonyMisdemeanor Calling the cops on someone who just beat you fairly]]'' [[JerkJock doesn't do much for sportsmanship]].
--->[[spoiler:'''Mitko Vasilev''': [[PreMortemOneLiner Goodbye, Mr. Morgan.]] [[SarcasmMode Enjoy jail.]]]]
* TripleShifter: Diplomat by day, street racer at night.

[[folder:One Percent Club]]

[[quoteright:160:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/latest_383.png]]
--->''"We are on in 3...2...1... Ladies and gentlemen, you know her, you love her, it's Natalia Nova! Joining her, as always, the best of the best... the 1% Club!"''\\
'''Class/Tier:''' Race, Tier 3\\
'''Hails from:''' Mount Providence, Fortune Valley
Made up of rich kids with too much money, internet celebrities, and debutantes, the 1% Club is one of the three House-aligned leagues in the city, and a Race league whose members all drive expensive supercars.
---
* AerithAndBob: Even more so than other Street Leagues. There are Natalia, Jesse and Lindsay (common names), then Anastasia and Evangeline ({{Preppy Name}}s, but still plausible), then there's [=Tiffy3000=] (almost certainly an username). Justified since they are internet celebrities who some prefer to hide their real names.
* TheBeautifulElite: The entire League consists of internet celebrities, debutantes, and young people with too much money. All of whom drive gorgeous supercars.
* CoolCar: An ''entire'' League composed of these.
* SpecialGuest: Jeese Wellens, American [=YouTuber=], creator of [=PrankvsPrank=] and the one who attended the EA Play 2017, is surprisingly one of the members of the crew.
* TheSyndicate: One of the three House-aligned Leagues.
!!Natalia Nova
-->'''Car:''' Pagani Huayra BC
-->'''Voiced by:''' Janine Harouni
* AlliterativeName: '''N'''atalia '''N'''ova, fitting for a BitchInSheepsClothing.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: An AffablyEvil celebrity turning out to be a RichBitch? Natch.
* CoolCar: A Pagani Huayra BC is her choice of vehicle. Despite being a track-focused version of the vanilla Huayra, the BC is considered street-legal.
* HateSink: Quite possibly Payback's most despised character. This has gotten to the point where hating Natalia Nova in and of itself is a meme in the community.
* InstantHumiliationJustAddYouTube: Tyler, at this point just about sick of her near-constant trash talk, happily does this to Natalia by beating her in a one-on-one race which was being livestreamed ''[[HoistByHisOwnPetard by herself]]''.
* TheNicknamer: She loves insulting her opponents, especially Tyler, whose being called "The Nobody".
* RichBitch: '''''Ouch'''''. There is no person more accurate for this trope in the franchise than Natalia Nova.
* RichInDollarsPoorInSense: Has much more money than character, acting like a stereotypical AlphaBitch.

[[folder:Hazard Company]]
[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/latest_2_3.png]]
--->''"Hicks to the core, but I can GAR-UN-TEE we live better than you. Cashh in our hands, dirt in our toes and nothin' but the sky in front of us. We are... Hazard Company."''
--> '''Class/Tier:''' Offroad, Tier 3
--> '''Hails from:''' Ark Tower, Silver Rock
One of the three House-affiliated street leagues in Fortune Valley.\\\
Hazard Company comprises of rural industrialists who spends their extra money on building extreme offroad creations and take them outside Silver Rock in search for a challenge.

* MythologyGag: The Hazard Company is possibly named as a nod to one of the tracks in ''Motor City Online'' (also named "Hazard" there). No wonder Holtzman (or any of his crew members) was in Motor City restoring the old junkers, before it shut down.
* TheSyndicate: One of the three House-connected Leagues.
* ShoutOut: One of the hillbilly members, Cletus, is possibly a nod to ''[[{{WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons}} The Simpsons]]''.
* SuspiciousSpending: The whole crew is committed to spend all their payroll to build such fine scrap-metal creations.
* WhatAPieceOfJunk: Majority of the Hazard Company (except for Cletus and Leanne) consists of old, crappy offroad cars that can compete.
!!Holtzman
-->'''Car:''' Chevrolet C10 Sidestep Pickup
An admitted hillbilly offroad racer who appears to be friendly and affable to newcomers, but in the inside possesses an arrogant, foul-tempered and threatening demeanor. Being egotistical due to his own doing, but from the perspective from his crew members, they find Holtzman unhinged and deranged.
----
* CorruptHick: Admits as much in his intro.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Is quite foul-tempered and sneaky beneath his own affable personality.
* HalfWittedHillbilly: An arrogant and more evil version of Faith Jones. Accent included. Though he really admits that he really is.
* VillainousFriendship: With The Collector. Allegedly.
* WhatAPieceOfJunk: His choice of car is a very old [=C10=] pickup- yet he's still able to go toe-to-toe with other off-road cars, including the much newer ones.

!!!Other Characters
[[folder:[=HashTiger=]]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2021_05_12_at_102631_pm.png]]
-->''"[=HashTiger=] here live from the Hashmobile with the driftmeister, [=McAlister=]!"''
-->'''Car:''' Subaru BRZ Premium
A social media influencer who accompanies Mac for a mission.

* AnimalMotif: Subverted. He just peppers his words with the word "tiger" and blatantly acts like one.
* ButtMonkey: Poor [=HashTiger=]. He frequently gets teased by Mac and also got his high score beaten, as well as acting like a total wimp when he was nauseated by Mac's crazy drifting skills.
* {{Geek}}: A pop-cultured social media blogger? Natch.
* SelfieFiend: He's fond of this trope, muct to Mac's chagrin.
* VomitDiscretionShot: [=HashTiger=] is seen in the background throwing up after Mac pulled a [[DrivesLikeCrazy crazy drift run]].

[[folder:Kobashi]]
--->''"Say hello to your real masters for me. Tell them I shall see them soon."''
Kobashi is a Japanese business mogul and head of Arkwright, a mysterious organization that supplies Chidori specialty parts to turn cars into AutomatedAutomobiles.
----
* AmbiguouslyEvil: In regards to his supplying of parts to turn cars into AutomatedAutomobiles. While rigging street races definitely counts as "evil", it's unknown if the riggings are his orders or The Collector's particular way of doing business, and it's not even known if he's doing that for malevolent purposes or not.
* GreaterScopeVillain: A rare example of being this trope to another villain who is this trope too; he's The Collector's boss. Downplayed, due to him being AmbiguouslyEvil.
* SpottingTheThread: This is how he found out Jess doesn't work for the House- he notices that Jess isn't as dull and obedient as the typical House thug.

[[folder:Barracuda]]
!!Jason Munroe
-->'''Car:''' [=Infiniti Q60S=]
-->'''Voiced by:''' Lee Majdoub
* BigBad: Of the Speedcross DLC story arc.
* JerkJock: He's a really arrogant racer who's [[spoiler:affiliated with The House]].
* NiceToTheWaiter: Rav uses this trope to describe why Jason is trouble.
---> '''Rav''': Listen Mac, that guy's trouble. Treats his mechanics like his servants, for one.
* TheRival: To Mac.
* SoreLoser: Like Vasilev, Jason calls on the House goons to chase Mac.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Curator]]
--->''"Godspeed, racers. This is the Voice of the Streets."''
-->'''Voiced by:''' Elysia Rotaru
A mysterious radio DJ who relays the events of the campaign throughout.

* {{Leitmotif}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vll1wMqsa4 Burning Man]] by watt featuring Music/PostMalone plays whenever she speaks.
* MissExposition: When any of the main protagonists finish a story mission, she will come on the air to spread the word to all of Fortune Valley.

* SpicyLatina: A BitchInSheepsClothing with a Hispanic-like name who constantly trash talks other racers.

* AerithAndBob: Even more so than other Street Leagues. There are Natalia, Jesse and Lindsay, then Anastasia and Evangeline, then there's [=Tiffy3000=]. Justified since they are internet celebrities who some prefer to hide their real names.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/images_0343.jpg]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/untitled_1_44.jpg]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2020_07_17_at_10916_pm.png]]
--->''"Imagine a city where risk is an illution and every bet is rigged. That's what the House wants."''

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nfspaybackscreens_1.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Lina Navarro prior to her betrayal.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2021_05_12_at_102631_pm.png]]

!!!Main characters
[[folder:The crew as a whole]]

** TheLeader: Tyler.
** TheBigGuy: Mac.
** TheChick[=/=]TheLancer: Jess.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/itpdsdr4.jpg]]

* WrongSideOfTheTracks: He was born in the Barrio, a low-income neighborhood, bur was raised in the shadows of the casinos.
** TruthInTelevision, The "Barrio" also [[MeaningfulName means]] a city in the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates (usually a Spanish-speaking city) known for its high poverty.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ltpdsr8.png]]

Although the 2015 reboot of ''Need for Speed'' had near-realistic but cheesy live action, drawn-out, unlikable and uninteresting characters (except for some Driving Icons), ''Payback'' on the other hand tries a more serious approach by giving more in-depth features and core components.\\\
Even though the characters are still not as strong as the others in the franchise, each of them still at least have a few redeeming qualities they possess.\\\