History Characters / Stardust

* AbledInTheAdaptation: In both the book and movie Tristan burns his hand. In the book this injury permanently injures his hand to the point of it being useless. In the movie the burns is painful but not debilitating.

* LiarRevealed: Played with but ultimately subverted. He believes that his crew only follows him due to his [[TheDreaded fearsome reputation]] and fears they’d abandon him if they found out he was really a softhearted [[spoiler:WholesomeCrossdresser]]. In fact when they burst into his cabin to rescue him from Septimus [[spoiler:(while he is wearing a ladies’ petticoat)]] they reveal not only that they don’t care [[spoiler:about his orientation]] but that EverybodyKnewAlready and they follow him because he’s a good captain and they like him.

* LiarRevealed: Played with but ultimately subverted. He believes that his crew only follows him due to his [[TheDreaded fearsome reputation]] and fears they’d abandon him if they found out he was really a softhearted [[spoiler:WholesomCrossdresser]]. In fact when they burst into his cabin to rescue him from Septimus [[spoiler:(while he is wearing a ladies’ petticoat)]] they reveal not only that they don’t care [[spoiler:about his orientation]] but that EverybodyKnewAlready and they follow him because he’s a good captain and they like him.

* SecretKeeper: He works out that Yvaine is a star in human form, and promises that he won't reveal it to anyone. He even gives her some advice on how to keep her secret from those who would harm her. [[spoiler:His crew are all this for him, as they knew about his sexuality and crossdressing all along, but kept it to themselves.]]

* BigBadDuumvirate: With Lamia. [[spoiler: At least, until Lamia kills him off and takes her place as the sole BigBad.]] However, his goals do not necessarily clash with Tristan's, and the two team up to take on the witches.

* DraggedOffToHell: [[spoiler:Unlike his brothers, whose souls turn blue and ascend, Septimus' soul turns red and goes down below]].

-->'''Lamia:''' ''[opens the carriage door, revealing herself to Yvaine]'' Planning to enter Wall, were you?\\

'''Lamia:''' ''[walking over to Yvaine with a slightly evil smile]'' If ''death'' is what you wish for, my dear, I'd be ''more'' than happy to assist you.

* {{SentientStar|s}}: A star that fell from space and takes the form of a young girl.

* DeathBySex: In the book, Tertius dies having sex with a prostitute.

* GagHaircut: Shakespeare gives Tristan a haircut as part of his makeover; Tristan's ordinary short hairstyle is cut even brutally shorter, before magically growing a foot past his shoulders, eventually ending up about six inches below his ears.
* ImportantHaircut: Shakespeare cuts his hair as part of his badass makeover from shop boy to Pirate Captain's nephew. Subverted in that after being cut off (see above) it magically grows out before being trimmed again.

* ImportantHaircut: Shakespeare cuts his hair as part of his badass makeover from shop boy to Pirate Captain's nephew. subverted in that after being cut off (see above) it magically grows out before being trimmed again.

* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Before he starts his training with the pirates, Shakespeare (having claimed he is actually his nephew) gives him a makeover befitting his new identity; in the course of styling his originally-short hair, it magically grows into different styles before settling on the shoulder-length locks he sports for the remainder of the film.
* ImportantHaircut: subverted (see above); Shakespeare cuts his hair but instead of getting shorter it grows longer at first.

* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Shakespeare gives him hair extensions when he starts his training with the pirates, and with them he [[TookALevelinBadass takes a level in badass]].

* PurpleIsPowerful: Each of the princes has a different colour theme, and Primus' colour is various shades of purple, appropriate to his status both as the oldest son and the one who'd likely have made the best king if the method of succession wasn't so messed up.

* AbsurdlyYouthfulMother: There is a seven-year age gap between Kate Magowan, who plays her, and Charlie Cox, the actor playing Tristan. It's possible that her prolonged youth is part of the spell she's under.

* MeaningfulName: Yvaine's name originates from Scotland, meaning "evening star" or "first star of the night". Tristan lampshades this when he realizes that Yvaine is '''literally the Evening Star'''.
-->'''Tristan''' (looks up in the sky): The Wall's north. And if you look up in the sky, even during the day, you can see...(realization kicks in) the evening star. That's so weird.\\
'''Yvaine''' (limps over to a tree): [[SarcasmMode Hilarious, my sides are splitting.]]\\
'''Tristan''' (smiling in amazement and disbelief): Wait, that... [[MacGuffinTurnedHuman that was you! Really?]]

* FauxAffablyEvil: Despite cursing or killing them, Lamia is always professional and amiable when dealing with others. She is doubly so for Yvaine, whom she's not only '''dead-set''' on gruesomely killing, but even tells her as much, while always pleasantly addressing her as [[TermsOfEndangerment "my love" or "my dear"]].
-->'''Lamia''' (opens the carriage door, revealing herself to Yvaine): "Planning to enter Wall, were you?"\\
('''Yvaine''' looks at Lamia, shocked and somewhat fearful.)\\
'''Lamia''' (walking over to Yvaine with a slightly evil smile): "If '''death''' is what you wish for, my dear, I'd be '''more than happy''' to assist you".

* BalefulPolymorph: Ditchwater Sal typically keeps her in the shape of a bluebird, only changing her back into her human form when she has a task for her.

* SimpleStaff: His weapon of choice. At first appearing like a mere support for an elder man, he actually uses it like a martial arts bô.

--->'''Lamia''' (opens the carriage door, revealing herself to Yvaine): "Planning to enter Wall, were you?"\\

* JacobMarleyApparel: As ghosts, their appearances are stuck as how they looked at the moment of death. Quintus has an axe embedded in his head, while Quartus appears to be covered in ice.

[[folder:The Slave Girl]]

The opportunistic heir of the crown of Stormhold searching for the royal crown that Yvaine wields.

* AdaptationalBadass: In the book his preferred weapon was poison, and he dies quite easily against the Witch. In the film he's a blade-wielding badass and ends up killing one of the witches before being defeated.
* BigBadDuumvirate: With Lamia. [[spoiler: At least, until Lamia kills him off and takes her status as the sole BigBad.]] However, his goals initially do not clash with Tristan's, and they team up to take on the witches.
* BigBadWannabe: [[spoiler:Ultimately proves no match for Lamia and her sisters, as after he kills one, Lamia easily finishes him off and turns him into an [[PeoplePuppets undead puppet]].]]

* DraggedOffToHell: [[spoiler:Unlike his brothers whose souls turned blue upon ascending above, Septimus' soul turns red and goes down below]].
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Una disappeared for years and is presumed dead, and Septimus is known to have killed several of his older brothers, but he is still deeply offended that everyone assumes he must have killed Una as well. As he points out, he would have no ''reason'' to kill her, given that Stormhold is an HeirClubForMen--as a daughter she's not in the line of succession anyway.
* EvilPrince: Not purely evil, just the most unscrupulous and opportunistic of his family.
* OpportunisticBastard: He's a scheming, backstabbing and generally cunning prince who's ready to seize every chance he can get.

* CanonForeigner: There was a lighting harvesting ship captain in the book but outside of the profession and retrieving the heroes, Shakespeare is a completely different character with a much larger role in the story.
* CampGay: [[spoiler:His dark secret. Turns out everyone knew anyway.]]
* EverybodyKnewAlready: When he's accidentally [[spoiler: outed as CampGay ]] in front of his crew, they tell him they always knew.

* MeaningfulName: He adopted "Shakespeare" as his pirate name for the double meaning. His crew and enemies think it means "Shakes Spear" but he knows it's a nod to [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare the Bard]].

* SecretKeeper: He works out that Yvaine is a star in human form and promises not that he won't reveal it to anyone. He gives her some advice on how to keep her secret from those who would harm her. [[spoiler:His crew are all this for him as they knew about his sexuality and crossdressing but kept it to themselves.]]
* WholesomeCrossdresser: [[spoiler:After the reveal that he's not a bloodthirsty monster who killed Tristan we learn that he has a hidden closet full of dresses.]]

* AdaptationalJerkass: Nice and sweet in the book but an AlphaBitch in the movie.
* AlphaBitch: Has this role in the village. Becomes a LovableAlphaBitch in the book.

* SatelliteLoveInterest: Tristan would do absolutely anything to win her heart, though she's due to marry another man. And that's pretty much all we know about her. As his relationship with Yvaine the fallen star grows, Yvaine even [[LampshadedTrope points out that she's not exactly proving her love to him the way he is to her...]] [[spoiler: and eventually, he figures this out himself and dumps her for Yvaine.]]
* SpoiledBrat: In the original book, she was [[SpoiledSweet actually sweet]] whereas here her only sweetness is that she's nice to Tristan out of pity, and stops being nice the minute she actually expects something of him. Otherwise, she only thinks of herself.

Tristan's father, who has ventured beyond the Wall eighteen years ago.

The second heir of the crown of Stormhold.

* AdaptationalHeroism: In the book he killed Secundus years before the start of the story, whereas in the film Septimus is the one to do the deed.
* AdaptationalWimp: He was a lot more cunning in the book. He was always highly suspicious of Septimus, and in the book Tertius was killed by poison at a later stage in the story, while Primus always made sure to carry his own prepared drink. In the film Primus only survives the poisoning through sheer luck (though by the time he gets to Lamia's inn, he's wise to it, and makes sure not to drink anything but his own drinks). Other scenes, like when he outwits Septimus at the harbour, were omitted.
* BlueBlood: The first born son of Stormhold's king. [[spoiler:Also turns out to be a literal example of the trope when he gets his throat cut by Lamia.]]
* NakedPeopleAreFunny: [[spoiler:He dies in the bath at the hands of Lamia and when he reappears as a ghost, he wears nothing but a ModestyTowel -- or, failing that, HandOrObjectUnderwear]].
* NiceGuy: While still a bit snooty (he ''is'' a Prince), he is friendly and welcoming to Tristan.
* PurpleIsPowerful: Each of the princes has a different colour theme, and Primus' colour is various shades of purple; appropriate to his status both as the oldest son and the one who'd likely have made the best king if the succession wasn't so messed up.
* TokenGoodTeamMate: He's pretty much the one unambiguously decent guy out of all the Princes of Stormhold. [[spoiler: Except for Tristan, not that anyone but Una knows it.]]
* TooDumbToLive: Zig-Zagged. He's smart enough not to accept the drink, but he does walk straight into Lamia's trap.

* EvilOldFolks: He doesn't mind having his sons murdered by their own brothers to be the heir of the crown. After all, he did the same thing in his youth. Though he did consider an ancient alternative by finding the royal jewel.
* MoralityPet: It is implied his lost daughter Una is this for him; he doesn't seem to mind his sons dying but is still calling out for Una when he dies decades after she vanished.

* SmallRoleBigImpact: His decision of retrieving the royal jewel is what sets the whole plot in motion.
* ThirteenIsUnlucky: It's uncertain whether he was actually the last born in his family, but he had twelve brothers and they were ''certainly'' unlucky when it came to the succession.

* PrinceCharming: He's even played by the guy who was Prince Charming in the ''Shrek'' films!
* SparedByTheAdaptation: In a manner of speaking. Introduced early in the movie, and swiftly killed by Septimus. In the book he was dead before the story even started.
* TooDumbToLive: Just after the King of Stormhold talks about having killed all of his brothers to become king...he tells Secundus to look out of the window, which happens to be ''right'' next to an immense drop. Secundus sees nothing suspicious about this, and is promptly killed by Septimus.

* GreekChorus: Only visible to the audience, they love commenting whatever is happening during the course of the film.
* JacobMarleyApparel: As ghosts their appearances are stuck how they looked at the moment of death. Quintus has an axe embedded in his head while Quartus appears to be covered in ice.
* PowerPerversionPotential: Tertius spies on Tristan and Yvaine when [[spoiler:they have sex during their night at the inn]], while his brothers call him out on this.

* AbsurdlyYouthfulMother: There is a seven-year age gap between the actress playing the slave woman and the actor playing Tristan. It's possible that her prolonged youth is part of the spell she's under.
* BalefulPolymorph: Ditchwater Sal typically keeps her as a bluebird, only changing her back into her human form when she has a task for her.
* BlueBlood: [[spoiler:She is actually princess Una]].

* MamaBear: In a non-biological way towards Yvaine. [[spoiler:Una]] has a subtle Mama-Bear moment [[spoiler: when Lamia followed Yvaine and Una down to Wall to capture her]]. This is a downplayed example in that [[spoiler:Una]] doesn't lose her temper, threaten Lamia or throw a punch like the usual example of this trope would. Instead she stands tall against Lamia and body-shields Yvaine from her as a realistic mother would do to protect their child from a suspicious stranger. She also comforts her in a maternal fashion as they ride in Lamia's carriage as well.
* MoralityPet: [[spoiler: Is apparently this to her whole family, her father who laughs when her brothers are killed still calls out for her as he dies and when she is revealed in the end all her brothers call out happily. Even Septimus seems somewhat happy to see her.]]
* MissingMom: She decided to give Tristan to Dunstan and never had the chance to raise him. They met later when Tristan reached his twenties and arrived to Stormhold.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Upon noticing Yvaine leaving for the Town Of Wall, [[spoiler:Una]] hijacks Ditchwater Sal's cart (at the risk of severe punishment from her mistress) and races to the wall to stop Yvaine from crossing the gap or Yvaine will be reduced to '''literal stardust''' and stands up for Yvaine out of no motive than to save an innocent girl's life. In fact, this is [[spoiler: Una]] and Yvaine's first time meeting each other. [[spoiler:Una]] gets repaid by being magically enslaved '''again,''' but this time by Lamia. Fortunately,[[spoiler: Lamia gets vaporized by Yvaine's PowerGlow]] and Una is freed from slavery for good.
* TrueBlueFemininity: Both her dresses are blue [[spoiler:to reflect how she's much calmer and more sensible than her brothers.]]
* WomenAreWiser: She is much more caring and not ambitious as [[spoiler:her brothers]].

* AffablyEvil: She enslaved Tristan's mother and would have used Yvaine for her own purposes if she knew what she was, but she does keep her promises such as taking Tristan to the market even though she turned him into a dormouse.

* {{Jerkass}}: Let's face it, he's kind of an ass. Not especially malicious, but not pleasant, either.
* MotorMouth: He never, ever shuts up so Lamia [[spoiler:turns his voice into that of a monkey]]. This winds up being his downfall at the hands of [[spoiler:Septimus]].

* JerkJock: Humphrey gets a line that implies he's been bullying Tristan since their school days—specifically that he whupped him in their fencing lessons.

* TheBeastmaster: Mormo's main power. [[spoiler:Though unfortunately, the animals eventually turn against her and maul her to death.]]

* PlayingWithFire: Empusa's speciality, though Lamia's no slouch either.

The guard of the limits between the town of Wall and the fantasy world of Stormhold.

* OldMaster: Despite being over 90 years, he can still fight using martial arts as demonstrated against Tristan when he tried to cross to Stormhold like his father did.

* SimpleStaff: His weapon of choice. At first like a support for an elder man, he actually uses it like a martial arts bô.