Line #63 Characters/DayOfTheDead1985


1	[[foldercontrol]]
2
3	[[folder:Dr. Sarah Bowman]]
4	-->'''Played by''': Lori Cardille
5
6	* ActionGirl: She is capable of using a gun when she needs to. Such as escaping the base when the trio decided to cut their losses and killing crowds of zombies to make their escape.
7	* AdaptationNameChange: Her name is Sarah Bowman in the original, but she's renamed Sarah '''Cross''' in the [[Film/DayOfTheDead2008 2008 remake]], Zoe Parker in ''Bloodline'', and Sarah '''Blackwood''' in the [[Series/DayOfTheDead 2021 series]]. The other Sarah-esque character in the series (See DecompositeCharacter below) is called Amy.
8	** The 2021 series' name change [[FridgeLogic doesn't really make sense]], considering that a Bowman family exists, yet Sarah is part of a different family in this version.
9	* AdaptationalJobChange: She's a scientist in the original and ''Bloodline'', but in ''Film/DayOfTheDead2008'', she's a corporal. A much more confusing case happens in ''Series/DayOfTheDead2021'', where she used to work for Special Forces, but now works in a frac crew, and Amy works as a life coach.
10	* AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul: She and Salazar were dating in the original. In the 2008 remake, her romantic interest is Bub (At least, until he turns into a zombie). [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in ''Bloodline'', but played straight with the 2021 series, where her relationship with the series' version of Salazar is instead given to Amy.
11	* AdaptationDyeJob: Brunette in the original, blonde in the 2008 remake, redheaded in ''Bloodline'', and raven-haired in the series. Amy is brunette, making the series the only version to (partially) [[AvertedTrope Avert]] this.
12	* AdaptationalNationality: Amy is Canadian.
13	* [[spoiler: AndThenJohnWasaZombie: ''Literature/TheLivingDead'' revealed that at some point Sarah died through unknown means and reanimated as a zombie in the universe of that book.]]
14	* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Unlike [[Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968 Barbra]] and [[Film/DawnOfTheDead Francine]], Sarah is the most proactive protagonist of the two. Where Barbra and Francine would freak out during the ZombieApocalypse, Sarah keeps herself cool and is capable of defending herself against zombies.
15	* DecompositeCharacter: In the series, her first name is still Sarah, and she's still the protagonist, but her relationship with a male lead is given to a new character called Amy.
16	* FindTheCure: Her priority solution to the ZombieApocalypse.
17	* HeroicBSOD: She is already teetering on the brink of it after having to amputate Miguel's arm, which is then followed by listening to Logan's tape, which undeniably proves that her colleague has well and truly lost his marbles. What really sets her off, though, is seeing the severed, undead head of Pvt. Johnson (who was accidentally shot by Pvt. Miller when the latter was attacked and bitten by a zombie), which Logan has been using for his experiments. She is only stopped from [[MercyKill shooting it]] by [=McDermott=]'s intervention, who reminds her that firing her gun would only bring in Rhodes and his men.
18	* OnlySaneWoman: Sarah is hands down the most stable and rational person in the film.
19	* RaceLift: She's usually Caucasian, but she's Lenape in the series.
20	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: She's the only female among the main cast.
21	* WomenAreWiser: She's the only one advocating everyone working together, the most practical solutions, and staying calm.
22	[[/folder]]
23
24	[[folder:Pvt. Miguel Salazar]]
25	-->'''Played by''': Anthony Dileo Jr.
26
27	* AllTheOtherReindeer: Is picked on by the other soldiers, especially Steel and Rickles, and it's clear Rhodes, his superior officer, doesn't give a damn about him either. While him nearly getting Rickles killed in the beginning is a factor, it's heavily implied that his relationship with Sarah, the sole woman in the facility, is the real cause of resentment toward him by the other military men.
28	* AmputationStopsSpread: Sarah amputates his arm after he gets bitten in the hopes of saving him. Unfortunately, Miguel is DrivenToSuicide before anyone finds out whether it would have actually worked.
29	* AdaptationalBadass: Much higher ranking in ''Bloodline''.
30	* AdaptationalNameChange: A weird variation in the 2008 remake. His first name is never mentioned, but his last name is still Salazar.
31	* AdaptationalJerkass: Due to being a CompositeCharacter with Rhodes in ''Bloodline'', he becomes a lot more of an obnoxious jackass.
32	* CompositeCharacter: He's somehow both this and DecompositeCharacter in ''Bloodline''. He has the name of Salazar, but he has the same personality and military ranking as Rhodes.
33	* DecompositeCharacter: In ''Bloodline'', he has the name of Salazar, the personality and ranking as Rhodes, but his original counterpart's personality and role in the story is given to a new character called Baca.
34	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He's whiny and often insults Sarah. But he does pull off a HeroicSacrifice to save his friends.
35	* RaceLift: Black in the 2008 remake.
36	* SanitySlippage: He [[GoMadFromTheApocalypse becomes more and more unstable throughout the film]]. After he's bitten and Sarah cuts off his arm in an effort to save him, he completely snaps, and commits suicide by zombie, letting himself be DevouredByTheHorde while simultaneously letting the zombie horde into the complex.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39	[[folder:John]]
40	-->'''Played by''': Terry Alexander
41
42	* AdaptedOut: Not featured in any of the remakes.
43	* [[spoiler: AndThenJohnWasaZombie: ''Literature/TheLivingDead'' revealed that at some point John died through unknown means and reanimated as a zombie in the universe of that book.]]
44	* TheAntiNihilist: Even though he knows things are looking bleak, he tells Sarah he intends to enjoy the time he has and tells her to do the same.
45	* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Defied. The film's climax when the zombies invade the complex make it look like this is about to happen, but he's saved at the last second.
46	* TheImmune: [[spoiler:An early draft implied that John is this when he dies in the finale, but his body doesn't zombify. His body was kept watch until his body starts to decay, indicating that he was immune. This is subverted in ''Literature/TheLivingDead'']].
47	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Makes no secret of his desire to take off for an island if things get hopeless. Ultimately, he goes through with it.
48	* StepfordSmiler: He's largely upbeat in group settings, but while sharing a private drink with Sarah, he reflects on his own personal belief that the zombie horde is God punishing humanity and that the situation is so hopeless that all they can do is enjoy their limited time.
49	* ZombieApocalypseHero: John is just a helicopter pilot, but he kills more zombies (mostly with his gun but some by bludgeoning them) than any of the soldiers and is the character with the best plan on how to survive long-term.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Captain Henry Rhodes]]
53	-->'''Played by''': Joseph Pilato
54
55	* AssholeVictim: Getting eaten alive by zombies was definitely well-deserved for this psycho.
56	* AxCrazy: It's clear that the bleak situation, being cut off from his superiors, not receiving results from the scientists and the stresses of command have worn down Rhodes' psyche. He yells, he points guns at people and even kills Dr. Logan and Fisher.
57	* BigBad: As all too often happens in Romero's zombie films, the true bad guy is a human or at least humanity and its various faults. In this case we have Rhodes, the slimy, jerkish, domineering, would-be tyrant whose attempts to bully others and assume control winds up killing most of what's left of the staff.
58	* BreakTheHaughty: He starts out big and bad when it comes to bullying the living, treating the Zombie situation like an active war zone. However upon facing Bub who is armed, he's reduced to running, screaming and getting wounded, before becoming a screaming mess when faced with an Overrun. He does get a cool line in the end though.
59	* DefiantToTheEnd: As scummy as he is, Rhodes loses no points for grit when he's on death row--when Bub caps him twice with a gun, Rhodes refuses to stop scrambling away while defiantly roaring "''come on!''" to his pursuer, and his final words when he's eaten are a spiteful "choke on 'em!"
60	* DevouredByTheHorde: His ultimate fate.
61	* DirtyCoward: He freaks out when the zombies find a way downstairs (courtesy of Miguel), flees with the only available vehicle and even locks his own men out of the compound. Though, he does regain some points with a series of badass final words.
62	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Rhodes, as with the other soldiers, is initially introduced as your typical Jerkass military meathead who really couldn't care less about the scientists' problems. In the meeting scene soon afterwards, he orders Steele to shoot Sarah for disobeying his orders. Steele takes it as a joke, so Rhodes makes it quite clear that he's not joking when he threatens to kill Steele instead. The other soldiers are not too likable either, but even they're clearly shocked to find out their leader doesn't enjoy defiance too much.
63	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Psychotic and unhinged as he is, Rhodes is still disgusted to learn that [[MadScientist Logan]] has been using the bodies of his own men to use in his experiments, and promptly kills him over it.
64	* AFatherToHisMen: ZigZagged big time, he balks once he learns Logan has been feeding Bub bits of his men's corpses, but [[DirtyCoward abandons his men in order to save his own skin]]. [[spoiler: It doesn't do him much good though.]]
65	* FacingTheBulletsOneLiner: Say this much for him: when he's about to be eaten by a mass of zombies, he provides one of the finest examples of this trope. His final words as the zombies start to eat his intestines?
66	-->'''Rhodes''': [[RegretEatingMe Choke on 'em!]] ''[[RegretEatingMe CHOKE ON 'EM!!]]''
67	* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: As he's DevouredByTheHorde, he's ripped in half at the waist.
68	* LargeHam: Pilato was clearly having a ball playing this role, though it's also [[JustifiedTrope justified]] according to [[WordOfStPaul him]], since he was attempting to portray someone who was clearly losing his mind and he felt his performance reflected that.
69	* TheNeidermeyer: He's this trope to an almost ridiculous degree. Constantly screaming at everyone around, attempting to take control of every situation by force, ordering his men to kill people for minor offenses... they really should have found someone more mentally stable to be in his position.
70	* OhCrap:
71	** His reaction when [[spoiler: Bub suddenly pulls the slide back on a handgun, indicating that yes, he does know how to use it.]]
72	** At the end, when running from [[spoiler:Bub]], he opens a door and comes face to face with [[spoiler: a horde of zombies. His only reaction is to scream in utter terror.]]
73	* OnlyAFleshWound: Averted. He's shot in the shoulder and unable to do anything with that side of his torso. Then he gets shot in the leg and is essentially crippled.
74	* RegretEatingMe: His last words("Choke on 'em! CHOKE ON 'EM!") are both this and a FacingTheBulletsOneLiner.
75	* SanitySlippage: The zombie apocalypse has clearly taken its toll on his sanity, and it eventually turns him into a monster who doesn't care who gets hurt as long as he survives.
76	* SirSwearsALot: He says "fuck" in about half of his sentences. Though excessive profanity is the ''least'' heinous of his characteristics.
77	* SuddenlyShouting: He's rather prone to this, especially when his authority is challenged.
78	* TyrantTakesTheHelm: While his predecessor Major Cooper is implied to have not been very pleasant himself, Rhodes takes it to a whole new level when he threatens to have Sarah killed, after which he makes it clear that any person in the facility who questions his authority will be executed following a [[KangarooCourt court martial]]. It's actually stated that while Cooper was an "asshole," he was still a "sweetheart" compared to Rhodes.
79	* VillainHasAPoint: While he's a complete bastard, Rhodes still makes a lot of logical points that are hard to argue with. He spent months surviving the ZombieApocalypse inside an unused mine, protecting the scientists who were supposed to be working on a cure. Then he finds out the chief scientist has wasted countless hours training a zombie to be docile, plans on doing it to other zombies, and was feeding said zombie the bodies of Rhodes' deceased friends. He rightfully points out that he and the rest of the soldiers risked their lives everyday for a pointless cause, demanding that they scrap the plan and simply take a helicopter out of the mines in search of someplace safe.
80	* VillainousValour: For all his assholish and dominating attitude, Capt. Rhodes does go out like a total psycho badass. "Choke on 'em!''
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:Dr. Matthew Logan]]
84	-->'''Played by''': Richard Liberty
85
86	* ApocalypticLog: When Sarah and Bill are searching through Logan's office, they decide to listen to his recorded lab notes, which quickly degenerate from clinical analysis of one of his zombie test subjects into an argument with his dead mother, where he claims that "[The zombies'] minds are talking to me," proving to them that the doctor has totally lost it.
87	* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Logan is definitely...off and spends more time doing his experiments on civilizing zombies.
88	* {{Expy}}: Of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, which is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by the people around him calling him Frankenstein as a nickname. Much like the doomed scientist of Shelley's book, he is determined to create a new form of life through corpses, though Logan uses the whole body for his experiments, while Victor stole parts to create his monster.
89	* ForScience: He believes he can teach the zombies good manners - an obsession that comes to a head when the soldiers guarding the place find out he's using the corpses of their fallen comrades as positive reinforcements.
90	* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Thinks that domesticating the zombies is an answer to the hordes of monsters out there, or that the soldiers wouldn't turn on him in a heartbeat if they found out about his experiments with the corpses of their fallen comrades.
91	* LackOfEmpathy: Does not care at all about dissecting the corpses of the fallen soldiers protecting him, even if they were all {{Jerkass jerks}} to him.
92	* MadScientist: Nicknamed "Franchise/{{Frankenstein}}" by the soldiers, is the embodiment of this trope. He is so obsessed with his work he fails to consider how the soldiers will react to him cutting up their deceased comrades for his experiments. Sarah already calls him out on this in the beginning when she thinks that the worst that he's done is using the re-animated corpse of Major Cooper, the previous commanding officer, in his experiments.
93	* MoralityPet: Bub develops some affection and loyalty to Logan after a while, and Bub is visibly upset about Logan dying.
94	* SanitySlippage: The apocalypse has taken a toll on his sanity, and his audio recordings suggest that he's completely lost it.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder: Dr. Edward "Ted" Fisher]]
98	--> '''Played by''': John Amplas
99
100	* LabCoatOfScienceAndMedicine: He wears one, with it being notably cleaner than Logan's.
101	* NerdGlasses: Wears a pair of spectacles which help emphasize his role as a scientist.
102	* OhCrap: He has a subdued version of this upon finding out the truth about Dr. Logan's experiments.
103	* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: He works with Sarah in looking for a vaccine for the zombies, but also assists Dr. Logan in some of his attempts to behaviorally condition the zombies.
104	* OnlyFriend: Normally a serious, irritable man who views almost everyone else around them as crazy or unreasonable, he gets along well with Sarah, warns her about the soldiers, and is willing to joke with her.
105	* SurroundedByIdiots: Has this attitude toward the soldiers who are supposed to help the scientists with their work. To be sure, it's implied that their sloppiness and negligence is making the scientists' work that much harder, as according to his words half their work winds up "getting flushed down the toilet" because of it.
106	* WeAreStrugglingTogether: He really doesn't get along with Rhodes.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder: Pvt. Steel]]
110	--> '''Played by''': Gary Howard Klar
111
112	* AlasPoorVillain: PlayedWith. While the guy's a grade-A AssholeVictim, his death is played somewhat somberly. It's clear he doesn't want to kill himself, but he also doesn't want to be DevouredByTheHorde, so he does what he must.
113	* AteHisGun: [[spoiler: After being bitten and cornered by a horde of zombies, Steel opts to punch his own ticket rather than face an inevitable, painful death at the hands of the horde. He does so by placing his gun in his mouth and firing.]]
114	* TheBrute: Steel's a big and tough guy with little to no subtlety and self-control.
115	* HiddenDepths: Gently performs a MercyKill for a fellow soldier and is hinted to be religious [[spoiler: during his death scene]].
116	* OldSoldier: A middle-aged man who [[ArtisticLicenseMilitary is honestly older than the Army would allow a private to be]].
117	* SayMyName: Furiously screams Rhodes' name when the Captain escapes with the cart leaving them behind.
118	* ThoseTwoGuys: He shares most of his scenes with Rickles.
119	* TookALevelInJerkass: He was always crude and unpleasant towards Miguel and the civilians, but isn't outright threatening or homicidal until after [[spoiler: Johnson and Miller]] die, at which point he becomes nearly as AxCrazy as Rhodes towards Sarah and her allies.
120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder: William "Bill" [=McDermott=]]]
123	--> '''Played by''': Jarlath Conroy
124
125	* TheAlcoholic: He spends a good amount of the film [[DrowningMySorrows drinking to cope with the situation]].
126	* [[spoiler: AndThenJohnWasAZombie: ''Literature/TheLivingDead'' revealed that at some point Bill died through unknown means and reanimated as a zombie in the universe of that book.]]
127	* CommunicationsOfficer: He's the only one who can work the group's radio, although given how long it's been since they've heard from anyone else, and as the equipment he's working with is sub-par, it's become a relatively moot point. [[spoiler:Which in turn ultimately makes him expendable as far as Rhodes is concerned]].
128	* {{Oireland}}: A pretty stereotypical one, including being the bunker's resident drunk.
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder: Pvt. Rickles]]
132	--> '''Played by''': Ralph Marrero
133
134	* AssholeVictim: Despite the graphic nature of his death, he was a jerkass who had it coming.
135	* CruelAndUnusualDeath: He was a prick, but damn...getting eaten alive is still a nasty way to go.
136	* EyeScream: Gets his eye torn out as he's DevouredByTheHorde.
137	* {{Jerkass}}: He's probably the most odious and hot-headed of the soldiers besides Rhodes himself.
138	* LaughingMad: When he's surrounded by zombies, with no chance of escape.
139	* MeaningfulName: Rhymes with 'tickles', and prone to laughing it up when he's stressed.
140	* ThoseTwoGuys: He and Steel are generally paired together.
141	[[/folder]]
142
143	[[folder: Pvt. Torrez]]
144	--> '''Played by''': Taso N. Stavrakis
145
146	* BetrayalByInaction: He just stands by and watches, betraying no emotion, when Rhodes, Steel and Rickles turn on the scientists and the pilots and kill [[spoiler:Logan and Fisher]].
147	* CruelAndUnusualDeath: '''''GOOD GOD'''''. [[spoiler:While escaping from a a large horde of zombies, he gets swamped by a crowd of them and they rip him to pieces. The cruel part of the death is his head getting ripped off and his vocal cords rising higher in pitch]].
148	* OffWithHisHead: [[spoiler:The most gruesome example ''ever'']].
149	* TheQuietOne: He only has a single line of dialogue in the film even though he survives until [[spoiler:the last fifteen minutes]].
150	* TheStoner: Is introduced watering marijuana plants.
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder: Pvt. Johnson]]
154	--> '''Played by''': Gregory Nicotero
155
156	* BearerOfBadNews: He informs Sarah and the others of the death of Rhodes' commanding officer, Major Cooper, and that there've been more zombies arriving every day, when they return from a search for other survivors.
157	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He's not terribly friendly, but is more respectful towards the scientists than any of the other soldiers (with the possible exception of Miguel) and is less hot-headed and neurotic than his comrades.
158	* MildlyMilitary: He is introduced lounging around reading a magazine, and seems more laidback than the other soldiers.
159	* TheStoner: Is seen smoking marijuana during Rhodes' meeting.
160	[[/folder]]
161
162	[[folder:Bub]]
163	--> '''Played By:''' Creator/ShermanHoward
164
165	* AvengingTheVillain: Shoots Rhodes and leaves him to be devoured by the zombies.
166	* DumbassNoMore: Logan's lessons stick, and he learns to use guns.
167	* [[EvilDetectingDog Evil Detecting Zombie]]: Bub growls at Rhodes and no one else in the room, either due to the latter refusing to return his salute or just general dislike out of Rhodes' hostile attitude toward him. Later, he seems to work out on his own that the soldiers had killed Dr. Logan, as he fires at Steel and later hunts down Rhodes.
168	* ItCanThink: Bub is revealed to be much smarter than his fellow zombies, and Logan takes an interest in him as he demonstrates that he can remember shaving, reading a book, and listening to music. [[spoiler: He expresses sincere grief when he sees Logan dead and eventually uses a gun to take revenge on Rhodes for killing Logan.]]
169	* TokenHeroicOrc: The only zombie to defy his usual instinct to eat human flesh, and has an avuncular relationship with Logan.
170

Context Characters / DayOfTheDead1985