[[foldercontrol]]

!Film Series

!!Introduced in ''The Exorcist'':

[[folder:Chris [=MacNeil=]]]
!!Chris [=MacNeil=]
[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmtq2nji1mjy2m15bml5banbnxkftztywmtyzmtg2_v1.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:260:]]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/EllenBurstyn (1973, 2023), Creator/SharonGless (2016)
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/TheExorcist'' | ''Series/TheExorcist'' (series) | ''Film/TheExorcistBeliever''

->''"You show me Regan's double, same face, same voice, everything. And I'd know it wasn't Regan. I'd know in my gut. And I'm telling you that ''thing'' upstairs isn't my daughter. Now, I want you to tell me that you know for a fact that there's nothing wrong with my daughter, except in her mind. You tell me for a fact that an exorcism wouldn't do any good. You tell me that!"''

A famous actress temporarily living in Georgetown to complete an ongoing film project. When her daughter Regan shows signs of a DemonicPossession, Chris has an emotional breakdown and eventually turns to Father Karras to exorcise her child.
----
* BrokenBird: Quickly has an emotional breakdown from Regan's behaviour, Burke's death, and the demonic mayhem causing chaos for her family.
* DeathCryEcho: Has one when Pazuzu implies Regan murdered Burke.
* {{Determinator}}: Chris goes through a lot of trauma in the movie, but never stops fighting for Regan.
* HairTriggerTemper: Quick to anger, she often snaps at those who can't explain what is happening to her daughter.
* MamaBear: Devoted to her daughter despite her busy schedule, and goes to the ends of the earth to free Regan from Pazuzu's control.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Chris pretends to be dumb so people can explain things to her.
* ScreamingWoman: Poor dear does a lot of this, but with good reason.
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler:In the series she is killed by a possessed Reagan.]]
* TookALevelInJerkass: In the series she is revealed to have exploited Regan’s possession to save her own failing career and published a book on it, leading to Regan leaving Chris and changing her name. She later returns to reconcile with Regan, and they eventually overcome their differences. [[spoiler:Chris is all set to start a new relationship with Regan until a once more possessed Regan kills her.]]
* ThatThingIsNotMyChild: The impression Chris eventually gains when Regan goes crazy. Actually says it word for word when speaking to Karras, convincing him to inspect Regan.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Regan [=MacNeil=]]]
!!Regan [=MacNeil=]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmjiynjizyjqty2rkzc00mtg5lwe5otytmwjkmzg3zdkxyjizxkeyxkfqcgdeqxvynjgxmjk3mtk_v1.jpg]]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/LindaBlair (1973-1977), Creator/GeenaDavis (2016)
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/TheExorcist'' | ''Film/ExorcistIITheHeretic'' | ''Series/TheExorcist'' (series) | ''Film/TheExorcistBeliever''

Chris' twelve-year old daughter. Introduced as a sweet, innocent girl, Regan starts exhibiting abnormal behaviour after making contact with "[[ImaginaryFriend Captain Howdy]]" via a Ouija board. It soon becomes clear that a demon has possessed her, replacing the kind Regan with a foul-mouthed, violent, blasphemous monster hellbent on consuming the girl in body and soul.
----
* AndIMustScream: The message she writes for Karras while Pazuzu is possessing her body says it all.
-->HELP ME
* BloodSplatteredWeddingDress: Make that bile-splattered pyjamas. Regan wearing a nightgown that gets covered in green gunge and blood throughout the film.
* BodyHorror: As Pazuzu's possession progresses, her body is increasingly mutilated and scarred, her skin becomes flaky and dry, and towards the end her skin turns a sickly grey with numerous cuts and bruises, and empty inhumanly green eyes.
* BreakTheCutie: Regan is clearly terrified by her behaviour and Pazuzu's cruelty. Though she forgot or at least suppressed what happened at the end of the film.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Emphasized in the film through Regan's possession.
* CreepyChild: Becomes one during the film, becoming quiet, eerie, before becoming more aggressive, rude, and eventually is taken over by Pazuzu.
* DemonicPossession: Without a doubt the most famous in cinema history.
* ExorcistHead: The TropeNamer.
* FightingFromTheInside: When Father Karras comes in to look at Regan, Pazuzu gleefully toes the line and refuses to demonstrate absolutely conclusive proof that he is a real demon possessing Regan. The conclusive proof instead comes when the linguist Karras has consulted tells him the tape he made of Regan mumbling "gibberish" is actually perfect English ''spoken backwards''. Immediately thereafter, Sharon summons him to show him the words "Help me" rising out of Regan's skin, ''in her handwriting'', indicating that the subsumed Regan managed to send an undeniably supernatural message out from under Pazuzu. These things are the proof Father Karras needs to immediately request an exorcism.
* ImaginaryFriend: Regan treats Captain Howdy as this. She was wrong.
* NiceGirl: In the book especially, which stresses how sweet and innocent she is at first, presumably to make her whole possession all the more horrifying and heartbreaking.
* SplitPersonality: Chris speculates that Regan has this, the doctors tell her it's very unlikely but suggest that she may be dissociating out of "guilt" over her parents' divorce. They're the ones who explain "somatiform possession" (a person ''believes'' he is possessed) and suggest the exorcism. Chris says if Regan feels guilty it's because she killed Burke -- a secret that Chris is determined never to reveal until she distraughtly spills it to Fr. Karras. Naturally Regan wasn't the one who killed him.
* UsedToBeASweetKid: Regan was very sweet, cheery and innocent before Pazuzu drops in for a visit. In fact, she is somewhat shy and diffident, not the type to even contemplate any of this stuff.
* VomitIndiscretionShot: Poor Regan vomits out green bile throughout the film, blowing chunks into Karras' face when he asks Pazuzu what his mother's maiden name is. Does it again when Merrin begins the exorcism.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Father Karras]]
!!Father Damian Karras
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bm2e2mmeyyjctnmu4yi00ogjjltg4ndqtogi3ntk2yjdmnmi5xkeyxkfqcgdeqxvynjgxmjk3mtk_v1.jpg]]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Jason Miller
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/TheExorcist'' | ''Film/TheExorcistIII''

A troubled priest and psychiatrist, Father Karras lives in poverty with his mentally ill mother. Leaving her in New York has left him with a CrisisOfFaith. He is asked by Chris to investigate Regan's behaviour, prompting him to prepare for an exorcism and regain his faith in God and himself.
----
* AndIMustScream: After Pazuzu puts The Gemini Killer’s soul inside Karras, Karras is left totally suppressed by the Gemini, forced to watch him kill innocents and his friends and unable to do anything about it.
-->'''The Gemini Killer:''' The cruel ones... the Master. He thought my work should continue. But in this body. This body in particular, in fact. Let's call it revenge. A certain matter of an exorcism, I think, in which your friend Father Karras expelled certain parties from the body of a child. Certain parties were not pleased, to say the least. The very least. And so, my friend, the Master, he devised this petty scheme as a way of getting back, of creating a stumbling block, a scandal, a horror to the eyes of all men seeking faith, using the body of this saintly priest as an instrument of, well, you know - my work. But the main thing is the torment of your friend Father Karras as he watches while I ''[[SuddenlyShouting rip]]'' and ''cut'' and '''''mutilate''''' the innocent, his friends, and again, and again, on and on! ''He is inside with us! He will never get away!'' '''''His pain won't end!'''''
* BeatTheCurseOutOfHim: After all of the traditional exorcism techniques fail, and Merrin dies of a heart attack, Karras proceeds to beat up Regan to get Pazuzu to possess him instead. In the book, he hurls sarcastic taunts at Pazuzu, daring him to take on a grown man instead of a little girl.
* BigNo: Karras' final word before throwing himself out the window to his death, possessed by Pazuzu and unwilling to harm Regan.
* BreakTheCutie: Life seems determined to break him. After constantly witnessing the dark side of humanity, dealing with a CrisisOfFaith, and having his mother die, Karras has to deal with a demon who loves to psychologically torture him ForTheEvulz. Things get worse for him in ''The Exorcist III'', where he gets the Gemini Killer’s soul shoved inside him by Pazuzu in an act of petty revenge.
* CleanPrettyReliable: In the film, Karras' attempt to peform [=CPR=] on Merrin fails, just thumping Merrin on the chest without performing mouth to mouth.
* CoveredInGunge: Gets hit in the face with a load of green bile in the first film’s infamous projectile vomit scene.
* CrisisOfFaith: Has one when in DC. His work as a psychiatrist combined with leaving his mother alone in New York has done a number on his faith. Before completing the exorcism, it appears that he's overcome this. In the book, Chris tells Fr. Dyer "You said he had a problem with his faith. I can't believe that. I've never seen such faith in my life."
* DeadpanSnarker: Enough of one to be able to engage both Father Dyer and Lt. Kinderman in SnarkToSnarkCombat.
* DemonicPossession: Karras forces Pazuzu to possess him, then immediately throws himself out a window to his death.
* DespairEventHorizon: While its implied that his mother’s death was the last in a long line of traumatic events, it is the thing that finally causes him to lose his faith.
* FightingFromTheInside: He does this while the Gemini has control of his body, but is only able to take control for brief periods of time. During the climactic exorcism, Karras is able to force Pazuzu out of his body and takes control of his body long enough for Kinderman to shoot him, ending the Gemini's reign of terror.
* HeroicSuicide: Throws himself out Regan's window to save her when Pazuzu possesses him.
* ItsAllMyFault: Places the blame for his mother’s death squarely on himself.
* MeaningfulName: A guy whose name sounds like "demon" (Damien means "to tame or subdue") ends up possessed by a demon.
* RageBreakingPoint: After being psychologically tortured by Pazuzu for the entire film and having to deal with trauma after trauma otherwise, he finally loses it after Merrin dies and beats the demon out of Regan and forces it into himself, before pulling a HeroicSuicide and jumping out the window.
* TakeMeInstead: How he gets Pazuzu to switch bodies.
* VocalEvolution: His voice is much deeper and raspier in the third film.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Father Merrin]]
!!Father Lankester Merrin
[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmtu4otmznju4nv5bml5banbnxkftztywmzyzmtg2_v1.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:260:''"The power of Christ compels you!"'']]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/MaxVonSydow (1973-1977), Creator/StellanSkarsgard (2004-2005) [[labelnote:Other Languages]]Louis Arbessier (European French, 1973, first dub), Creator/MarcCassot (European French, 1973, second dub), Creator/MarcAlfos (European French, 1977)[[/labelnote]]
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/TheExorcist'' | ''Film/ExorcistIITheHeretic'' | ''Film/ExorcistTheBeginning'' | ''Film/DominionPrequelToTheExorcist''

An elderly priest and archeologist living in Iraq at the beginning of the film. When called upon to save Regan, he joins forces with Karras to rescue her from Pazuzu, whom he previously exorcised from a child in Africa.
----
* AmbiguousSituation: [[spoiler:It's left unclear if Pazuzu killed him, or he just died from a heart attack at the most inconvenient time. The film implies it's the former, with Pazuzu sitting there smugly as Karras discovers the body.]]
** [[spoiler:Conversely, the book strongly implies the latter, with Pazuzu screaming at Merrin in rage for escaping.]]
-->'''Pazuzu:''' [[spoiler:You would have lost and you knew it! You scum, Merrin! Bastard! Come back!]]
* BadassPreacher: Doesn't carry a gun or magical weapons. Just the Bible, a crucifix, and his faith in God to thwart evil.
* CoolOldGuy: He does archeology work at his age in the blazing hot Iraq and also is a determined exorcist who risks his life and health to save Regan. [[spoiler:He ultimately dies of a heart attack.]]
* GoodIsNotNice: While a moral and compassionate man, Father Merrin comes across as quite stern, even overbearing, in his conversations with Karras. He's quite dismissive when Karras tries to offer his own insights into the possession - justified to a large extent since Merrin, unlike Karras, had experience with possessions and exorcism, and with Pazuzu in particular.
* TheMentor: To Karras during their time together.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Father Merrin is loosely based on the Jesuit priest and paleontologist Teilhard de Chardin.
* SacrificialLion: He's established as by far and above the most capable person for dealing with Regan's exorcism, so his death during his second attempt immediately sets the stakes as more dire, leaving the shaky Father Karras to deal with the demon himself while lacking the discipline or experience.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pazuzu]]
!!Pazuzu / The Salesman
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pazuzu_9.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"What a wonderful day for an exorcism."'']]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Eileen Hietz (1973), Robert Emmett Lunney (2016)
!!!'''Voiced By:''' Mercedes [=McCambridge=] and Ron Faber (1973), Karen Knapp (1977), Colleen Dewhurst (1990), Rupert Degas (2004), Creator/MaryBethHurt (2005), Creator/DavidHewlett (2016)[[labelnote:Other Languages]]Creator/PerrettePradier (European French, 1973)[[/labelnote]]
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/TheExorcist'' | ''Film/ExorcistIITheHeretic'' | ''Film/TheExorcistIII'' | ''Film/ExorcistTheBeginning'' | ''Film/DominionPrequelToTheExorcist'' | ''Series/TheExorcist'' (series)

A sinister demon who possesses Regan after posing as her imaginary friend Captain Howdy. He has a history with Father Merrin, having been previously exorcised from another child, and wants revenge against the elderly priest. Pazuzu is a violent, foul-mouthed creature, able to control Regan's body at will and has a variety of supernatural, terrorising powers.
----
* AdaptationalVillainy: In Myth/MesopotamianMythology, Pazuzu brought famine and drought, but he was also frequently invoked to protect mothers and children from harm. This Pazuzu lacks the good qualities of his counterpart from the original mythology and has zero problems with harming children.[[labelnote:note]]Interestingly, though, the museum curator says, "Evil against evil" when he sees the Pazuzu amulet, possibly hinting at his mythological counterpart.[[/labelnote]]
* AdaptationalWimp: In the original myths, he's a god, or at least a [[DemonLordsAndArchDevils demon lord.]] Here, he's weak enough that two mortal priests are able to give him the boot.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: Or should we say, ''un''comfortable? [[spoiler: Throughout the series, Pazuzu continuously changes appearances; from being a simple man in a business suit, to his disguise to Regan as "Captain Howdy", and in his scenes in the first season finale, a charred humanoid...''thing'' with long fingers ending in points.]]
* AnimalMotifs: Pazuzu loves his locusts.
* ArchEnemy: To Father Merrin.
* AxCrazy: When he possesses Regan he acts savagely all the time, giving a painful GroinAttack to a psychiatrist, throwing around objects, and shouting obscenities at everyone.
* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: In the first season finale of the series, [[spoiler: Angela fights Pazuzu's possession this way. And backed by her family's love and Tomas' prayers, ''beats the shit out of him''.]]
* BigBad: Of the book and film series.
* ClusterFBomb: Most of his dialogue involves him cursing like a sailor, usually with sexual or blaphemous insults. Amongst his greatest hits:
-->"Stick your cock up her ass, you motherfucking worthless cocksucker!"
* ConsummateLiar: As pointed out by Merrin.
* CrossoverCosmology: Although several Near Eastern deities were reinterpreted as Christian demons historically, Pazuzu was not one of them.
* DeadpanSnarker: Occasionally, usually when he tells a joke it's more disgusting and/or terrifying than funny.
-->(Karras enters Regan's room, where he sees her (while possessed by Pazuzu) restrained to her bedpost.)
-->'''Karras:''' (To Regan) I'm a friend of your mother's, I'd like to help you.
-->'''Pazuzu:''' You might loosen these straps, then.
* DemonicPossession: His speciality.
* EverybodyHatesHades: As noted above in AdaptationalVillainy, Pazuzu goes from a dangerous but occasionally helpful demon to a downright evil one. This fits with how, from a Christian perspective, all non-Christian deities (whether benevolent or not) would automatically be understood as being false gods or demons in disguise.
* EvilerThanThou: [[spoiler: When Simon and a Pazuzu-possessed Angela finally meet, Simon openly ''states'' that he's been preparing for Pazuzu's return. The demon's thanks? [[KneelBeforeZod Forcing him and the rest of the Friars to bow down]], while offhandedly [[AssholeVictim killing other members simultaneously]], as well as calling out Maria for being a SpoiledBrat.]]
* EvilIsPetty: His defining trait. Once someone crosses him in anyway, he will do anything to take revenge. Merrin exorcises him? Gotta kill him. Karras exorcises him? Have a serial killer pull a GrandTheftMe on him. Anyone who, no matter how indirectly, helped Karras to exorcise him from Regan? They gotta die.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Judging by how Regan's voice gets demonic deep when he's in her body, this must be his natural voice.
* EvilSoundsRaspy: He speaks with a raspy voice.
* ExorcistHead: Does it twice. It is implied he may have killed Burke by doing this to him.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Acts relatively polite and even chummy to Karras, but this quickly vanishes when Merrin is summoned to remove him.
* ForTheEvulz: Except wanting revenge on Merrin for having him exorcised from a child's body, he seems to possess people and causing mass killings simply because he likes it.
* GigglingVillain: Pazuzu giggles a lot during the exorcism, particularly when Karras walks in to find Merrin dead. (In the book he doesn't -- he rails at Merrin and demands he "come back".)
* GoodWingsEvilWings: Pazuzu's statue has four bird-like wings.
* GreaterScopeVillain: In ''III'' he takes a seat and lets the Gemini run the show, though he takes control of Karras's body at the end to do battle with Kinderman and Father Morning.
* GroinAttack: A rather gruesome, bloody version when he rapes Regan using a crucifix.
** Also attacks a psychiatrist by grabbing his testicles.
* HateSink: As one of the most famous portrayals of a demon on film, Pazuzu is a vulgar, disgusting monster without an ounce of charm or likability. Everything he does is played for sickening horror, especially the trauma he inflicts on poor Regan.
* HumanoidAbomination: [[spoiler: His "Salesman" form looks human, but his demeanor is most certainly not.]]
* ImmortalImmaturity: Despite being a demon who's been around since at least ancient Mesopotamia, he comes across as more like an overgrown bully who likes to trash talk people and gross them out as much as possible.
* {{Jerkass}}: He takes a great enjoyment in tormenting not only Regan but the people close to her.
* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: After suffering no real consequences for his actions, he is finally [[spoiler: severely beaten up and possibly ''killed'' by Angela]] in the series.
* KickTheDog: Likes doing this to Karras during their encounters, using his guilt for letting his mother die.
* LargeHam: He's prone to screaming, freak outs, and very loud and crass threats.
* LaughablyEvil: His constant [[SirSwearsALot swearing]] and [[DeadpanSnarker snarking]] makes him come off as this.
* LightIsNotGood: The brief glimpse of him in the original shows he has pale white skin, and he definitely isn't a good guy,
* MadnessMantra: "I am no one. Fear the priest. I am no one. Fear the priest. I am no one. Fear the priest." Spoken ''[[SdrawkcabSpeech backwards]]'' for good measure too.
* MindScrew: Enjoys messing with Chris and Karras, using voices of the dead to torment them.
* MoodSwinger: Alternates between acting calm and FauxAffablyEvil and ''utterly losing his shit'', screaming, growling, and making profane threats and statements.
* NightmareFace. The few moments he shows himself we see a white pale face with dark rings around his dull, red eyes and brown, crooked, rotting teeth.
* NoNameGiven: Pazuzu is not actually named onscreen.
** He is named in ''Exorcist II'' when Lamont [[spoiler:encounters Pazuzu posing as Regan's succubus doppelganger.]]
* NotSoImaginaryFriend: Poses as Captain Howdy to possess Regan.
* PestController: The second movie has him attacking people with swarms of locusts.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: The demon seems to prefer possessing young women because it regards them as inherently weak. [[spoiler: This just makes the aforementioned NoHoldsBarredBeatdown delivered by Regan herself all the more ironic and satisfying.]] It's possible that Pazuzu is homophobic too, as when he blurts out two more cuss-filled rants towards Father Merrin, he calls him a "motherfucking worthless cock-sucker" and a "faggot". Charming fellow.
* PsychopathicManchild: He's a seemingly powerful demon who can kill people with his mind, and yet, he likes to spend his time in a little girl's body, and talks like an adolescent.
* SayMyName: Screams Merrin's name at the top of his lungs once he arrives at the [=McNeil=]s' house.
* SelfAbuse: A rather violent example with RapeByProxy. He makes Regan stab herself in the genitalia with a ''crucifix'' and tries to force her mother to lick her bleeding area.
* SirSwearsALot: He's quite foul mouthed.
* SoreLoser: Is he ever. The only reason why he possesses Regan is to kill Merrin in a bid of petty revenge for casting him out of a child in Africa.
* ThisCannotBe: As the demon is being exorcised for good, it expresses shock at the fact that it's being beaten not just by Tomas' prayers, but by [[spoiler: Angela]], a ''woman'', who it sees as naturally weak.
* VillainRespect: Genuinely seems to admire the Gemini for being as evil as he is.
* VillainousBreakdown: Seems perpetually on the verge of having one, what with all his random freak outs.
* VoiceOfTheLegion: Pazuzu pretends there are numerous demons inside Regan, but Merrin reveals he is lying.
* WouldHurtAChild: He not only causes Regan to harm herself, but he goes into Karras's body so that he could use him to ''kill'' her [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness because she was worthless to him now]].
* WouldYouLikeToKnowHowTheyDied: Invoked by Pazuzu to Chris, using Burke's voice and manner to tell her Regan murdered Burke.
* YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm: We only see his pale face for just a second. However, the monstrous winged statue seen at the beginning of the film is based on the actual Pazuzu of Babylonian mythology.
* YourMom: Often insults Karras' late mother.
-->"Your mother sucks cocks in Hell, Karras, you faithless slime!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Burke Dennings]]
!!Burke Dennings
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_exorcist_burke.jpg]]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Jack [=MacGowran=]

Chris' friend and an eccentric film director. He is mysteriously killed halfway through the film, falling out of Regan's bedroom window down the infamous flight of stairs below.
----
* TheAlcoholic: Drunk as a skunk during Chris' party.
* SirSwearsALot : [[CountryMatters "Cunting"]] is a particular favourite adjective.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Killed offscreen, but revealed to have fallen from Regan's window, down the steep flight of stairs below, and found with his head twisted around backwards.
* DeadpanSnarker: Even when he is dead.
* ItAmusedMe: Hounds Chris' butler Karl for being German, referring to him as a Nazi, but admits it was for a laugh.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:William Kinderman]]
!!Lt. William F. Kinderman
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/517ad54d_1a92_4c4f_9971_bd7df63a28d0.png]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/242a2077_559a_4710_afd9_b9904317d4b2.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"The whole world is a homicide victim."'']]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/LeeJCobb (1973), Creator/GeorgeCScott (1990)
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/TheExorcist'' | ''Film/TheExorcistIII''

->''"Oh yes... yes, I believe... I believe in death. I believe in disease. I believe in injustice and inhumanity and torture and anger and hate... I believe in murder. I believe IN PAIN. I believe in cruelty and infidelity. I believe in SLIME and stink and in every crawling, putrid thing... every possible ugliness and corruption, YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH!'' '''I BELIEVE'''... ''in [[{{God}} you."]]''

A detective investigating the mysterious death of Burke Dennings, and striking up a friendship with Karras in the process. He later serves as the protagonist of the third film.
----
* AbsurdPhobia: Of carp. He gives a monologue to Father Dyer about how his mother-in-law currently has a carp living in their bathtub until it is time to eat it, and how the thing terrifies him so much that he refuses to go into the bathroom out of fear he'll kill it on sight.
* AmbiguouslyJewish: It's explicit in the novel ''Legion'', where he frequently drops Yiddish words, bemoans his daughter wanting to change her last name, and remarks to himself how strange his friendship with the Jesuit Dyer is, but it's not discussed in the movies, save for Kinderman calling out a coworker for antisemitism.
* AscendedFanboy: He’s secretly a big fan of Chris, and asks her for an autograph [[BlatantLies for his daughter]], only to immediately admit it’s for himself.
* AscendedExtra: He serves as the protagonist of the third film.
* DeadpanSnarker: Every word out of his mouth is a sarcastic quip.
* FireForgedFriends: With Karras.
* HairTriggerTemper: In the third film, he tends to blow up on anyone who pushes his buttons for too long. Justified, since he’s under a great deal of stress, and his friend [[spoiler:Father Dyer]] was brutally murdered.
* HiddenDepths: He is pretty knowledgeable about ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'', and gets into a discussion about its themes with one of his colleagues.
* LargeHam: When played by George C. Scott.
-->'''Kinderman:''' It is NOT! ''IN THE FILE!'' IT IS ''NOT!''
* NiceGuy: Kinderman is friendly, good natured, and amiable with everyone he runs into.
* PluckyComicRelief: In the first film, both his and Father Dyer’s snarkiness and sense of humor provide what little humor the film has.
* OddFriendship: Forms one with Father Karras and later Father Dyer.
* SkepticNoLonger: At the end of the third film.
* StepfordSnarker: In the third film, he uses his sarcasm to cover for his stress and constant worrying.
* TookALevelInCynic: In the third film. All his years on the police force have left him far more cynical, and he’s heavily implied to have lost his faith in God.
* TookALevelInJerkass: Downplayed in the third film, but all his up years on the job have left him far more cynical, on edge, and more than willing to insult or scream at anyone who annoys him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Father Dyer]]
!!Father Joseph Kevin Dyer
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' William O'Malley (1973), Ed Flanders (1990)
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/TheExorcist'' | ''Film/TheExorcistIII''

A priest and a good friend of both Father Karras and Chris [=MacNeil=].
----
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler:After being paralyzed with drugs by the Gemini Killer, he has all of his blood drained from his body and is then decapitated.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: About on Kinderman’s level of snarkiness, though he mainly uses his quips as an opportunity to make others laugh.
* GoodShepherd: He is kind, caring, and is shown comforting Karras over his mother’s death and trying to help him through his grieving.
* NiceGuy: Kind, caring, the epitome of the GoodShepherd, has a good sense of humor, and cares deeply for the well-being of others.
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler:Killed by the Gemini Killer in ''Film/TheExorcistIII''.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Father Kanavan]]
!!Father Kanavan
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Tom Birmingham (1973), Harry Carey Jr. (1990)
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/TheExorcist'' | ''Film/TheExorcistIII''

The President of Georgetown University, and the superior of Father Karras and Father Dyer.
----
* BigGood: In the first film, as he is the one who sends Karras to investigate Regan's case.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: He has a minor role in the first film, but he’s the one that sends Karras to investigate Regan’s apparent possession and summons Merrin to perform the exorcism.
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler:Murdered by the Gemini Killer early on in the third film.]]
[[/folder]]

!!Introduced in ''Exorcist II: The Heretic''

!!Introduced in ''The Exorcist III''

[[folder:The Gemini Killer]]
!!James Venamun/The Gemini Killer
[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/14a7e32f_6d7c_4427_9eb5_0ab1740fa5ef.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:256:''"Am I raving? Forgive me, I'm mad."'']]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/BradDourif

->''"[[HannibalLecture It's too bad about Father Dyer. I killed him, you know. An interesting problem, but finally... it worked! First, a bit of the ole succinylcholine to permit one to work without, ah, annoying distractions, then... a three foot catheter threaded directly into the inferior vena cava — or, superior vena cava. It's a matter of taste, I think, don't you? Then the tube moves through the vein, under the crease of the arm, into the vein that leads directly into the heart, and then, you just hold up the legs and you SQUEEZE the blood manually into the tube from the arms and the legs. There's a little shaking and pounding at the end for the dregs — it isn't perfect, there's a little blood left I'm afraid. BUT, regardless, the overall effect is astonishing! And isn't that REALLY what counts in the end? Yes GOOD SHOW BIZ, Lieutenant, the EFFECT! And then, off comes the head without spilling one single drop of blood. Now I call that SHOWMANSHIP, Lieutenant!]]"''

An infamous serial killer who killed people whose names began with the letter K as a way to eternally kill his much loathed father, he was executed on the same night Father Damien Karras died. Pazuzu, admiring the Gemini's work and aching for revenge on Karras, placed his soul inside Karras' body and forced Karras' soul to stay. After recovering from the injuries Karras sustained, the Gemini quickly got to work on continuing his killing spree.
----
* AdaptationalVillainy: In ''Legion'', Venamun underwent a serious TraumaCongaLine. His father, in addition to being a fundamentalist, was an alcoholic who abused him and his mentally handicapped brother who was sent to a mental hospital after being traumatized when their father threw him into a dark basement, only to die of frights when a nurse shut off the light in his room, which led to Venamun becoming the infamous Gemini Killer. None of this is mentioned in the movie, except that his father was a religious fanatic.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: A very dark example. He tends to go off on a deranged rant in the middle of a conversation, something he lampshades when he apologizes to Kinderman for going off on a rant about Karras’ FateWorseThanDeath.
* AttentionWhore: He demands that the papers give him credit for the murders he's committed.
* AxCrazy: Even outside of being a SerialKiller, the Gemini goes the extra mile to be as insanely brutal as possible.
* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler:After killing everyone involved with Regan's exorcism, he declares as such]].
* BerserkButton: Doesn't take well to being told that he's dead.
* CallingTheOldManOut: His killings are designed to shame his Christian fanatic father, as well as to figuratively relive his murder of his father.
* CardCarryingVillain: The Gemini Killer has no illusions of being a good person and takes a lot of pride in his work, and admits to Kinderman that he, at least partially, does his killings ForTheEvulz.
* DemonOfHumanOrigin: He was so evil in life that Pazuzu gave him the powers of a demon.
* TheDragon: Serves Pazuzu, doing most of his dirty work for him by killing everyone affiliated with the exorcism from the first movie.
* EvilSoundsDeep: He has a deep, intimidating voice that oozes sinisterness.
* FauxAffablyEvil: He acts downright chummy with Kinderman and treats him like an old friend, and gleefully describes the details of his killings and [[AndIMustScream Karras's situation]] to psychologically torture him, alongside the occasional death threat.
* ForTheEvulz: He admits to Kinderman that his killings are motivated partially by this, gleefully telling him about how he picks victims at random because he finds it fun.
* HannibalLecture: He is the ''master'' of this, even more so than the TropeNamer.
* HeroKiller: He murders [[spoiler:Father Dyer]] at the behest of Pazuzu.
* IncomingHam: When he's told that he's dead.
-->'''Gemini:''' (camera shifts from Jason Miller to Brad Dourif) ''NO, I'M'' '''''NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!'''''
* {{Jerkass}}: He's a sadistic madman who really goes the extra mile to taunt Kinderman, at one point provoking him into punching him hard enough to break his nose.
* KickTheDog: He ''loves'' doing this. Whether it be brutally murdering a young boy, forcing [[spoiler:Karras to watch as he kills everyone involved with the exorcism and several innocents he just felt like murdering]], or taunting Kinderman with disturbing lectures, pretty much everything the Gemini does is designed to make someone innocent suffer.
* LargeHam: Prone to shouting at the top of his lungs and going into unhinged rants. He is well aware of this, sheepishly apologizing to Kinderman after going into one of his rants.
* MadArtist: He refers to his work as art, and goes on several rants about how he puts in horrific extra touches.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Based directly on the Zodiac Killer, right down to his original span of killings taking place in San Francisco. Amusingly, the real Zodiac once referred to the original movie as "the best saterical (sic) comedy [he has] ever seen."
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: He's implied to be a racist, since he murdered a young black boy, decapitated him, and replaced his head with that of the head of a statue of Jesus Christ painted in {{Blackface}}.
* ResurrectedMurderer: James Venamun, aka the Gemini Killer was a multiple murderer who carved a Gemini symbol into the hands of his murder victims. Venamun's spirit became a body swapping demonic entity upon his death. Now the Gemini killer mutilates and murders people as a spirit like he did well alive.
* {{Sadist}}: The Gemini goes the extra mile to ensure his victims suffer. He injects them with a drug that paralyzes them and forces them to watch him slowly kill them as they slowly die of asphyxiation.
* SuicideByCop: [[spoiler:He asks for Kinderman to shoot him in the director's cut, and he's happy to oblige. In the theatrical cut, Karras does it instead after taking back control of his body. This isn't the case in the novel, where after finally convincing Kinderman that he is the Gemini Killer, he simply wills himself into dying, having no more reason to kill after his father dies offscreen.]]
* SelfMadeOrphan: He murdered his father, and his later killings are an attempt to relive this killing.
* WickedCultured: Thinks of himself as such, anyway. He's a huge fan of ''Theatre/TitusAndronicus''.
* WouldHurtAChild: He brutally murdered Thomas Kintry, a young boy, just for shits and giggles.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Father Morning]]
!!Father Morning
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/NicolWilliamson

A priest and experienced exorcist who Kinderman contacts to help deal with the Gemini Killer.
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* CoolOldGuy: He manages to survive two exorcisms and succeeds, without dying.
* {{Expy}}: Of Father Merrin. He's an old priest who did an exorcism that nearly killed him in the past, and is summoned towards the end of the film to help stop the demonic antagonist.
* HeroOfAnotherStory: He completed an exorcism that nearly killed him in the past, something that is no easy feat.
* LockedIntoStrangeness: His white hair is allegedly the result of his previous exorcism.
* NoodleIncident: The exorcism he participated in. All we know is that it turned his hair white and nearly killed him.
* UnexplainedRecovery: After Pazuzu rips off large chunks of his skin, he manages to recover enough to get Karras to fend off Pazuzu and temporarily suppress the Gemini Killer. It's implied that it was caused by divine intervention, contrasting the demonic resurrection of the Gemini.
* UncertainDoom: It's unclear what happened to him after exorcising Karras or if his wounds were fatal or not.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Dr. Temple]]
!!Dr. Temple
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/ScottWilson

One of the doctors at the hospital, who is asked by the Gemini to do "favors" for him.
----
* DeathByAdaptation: [[spoiler:In ''Legion'' he survives the novel, though he is left with severe brain damage after a stroke. In ''The Exorcist III'' he is DrivenToSuicide.]]
* DirtyCoward: He does the Gemini favors after he cows Temple with his threats, and Temple [[spoiler:kills himself rather than do any more favors.]]
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Ultimately ends his own life rather than do any more of the Gemini’s sick "favors."]]
[[/folder]]

%%[[folder:Mel Atkins]]
%%!!Sgt. Mel Atkins
%%!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Grand L. Bush

%%A rookie cop working with Kinderman on tracking the Gemini copycat.
%%----
%%[[/folder]]

%%[[folder:Nurse Allerton]]
%%!!Nurse Emily Allerton
%%!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Nancy Fish

%%A cold nurse working at the hospital.
%%----
%%[[/folder]]

%%[[folder:Nurse Keating]]
%%!!Nurse Amy Keating
%%!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Tracy Thorne

%%A sweet rookie nurse at the hospital.
%%----
%%[[/folder]]

!!2016 Series

[[folder:Father Tomas]]
!!Father Tomas
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_exorcist_tomas.jpg]]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/AlfonsoHerrera
----
* TheChosenOne: Possibly. In season 1 he was given visions that led him to Father Marcus, and seems to be set upon the road to be an exorcist by divine intervention.
* CrisisOfFaith: Has one ongoing over the course of season 1 as he decides whether to continue his adulterous ways and become part of the CorruptChurch, or chose the harder and more righteous path of being an exorcist.
* {{Expy}}: Of Father Karras from the films.
* NaiveNewcomer: He certainly seemed to think that the process of exorcism would be a lot simpler and safer than it is.
* NiceGuy: In general, Thomas is very friendly and always selflessly helps his parrish.
* RaisedByGrandparents: Was raised by his Abuela in Mexico, while his sister grew up in the US.
* SexyPriest: Played by the gorgeous Alfonso Herrera, and In-series is the subject of a lot of female interest, and is [[spoiler: having an affair with a married woman]].
* SympatheticAdulterer: Played With. While Tomas is still decent and sympathetic the affair is still seen in a negative light despite Jessica being in an unhappy marriage. The affair creates guilt within him which is can be used as a source of manipulation by demons.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Father Marcus]]
!!Father Marcus
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_exorcist_marcus.jpg]]
!!!'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/BenDaniels
----
* AbusiveParents: His father was not a nice guy to say the least, to the point where he murdered his mother.
* BadassPreacher: A exorcist for the church means this is practically his profession.
* CynicalMentor: Marcus is teaching Tomas how to be an exorcist but his teaching comes reluctantly. At the start of the series Marcus is in a assisted care facility after an exorcism gone wrong made him lose faith with the whole church.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Was [[spoiler: raised to be an exorcist by the church after his abusive father murdered his mother]]. His conduct as an exorcist is the past alluded too as being reckless, to the point where [[spoiler: it resulted in the death of a little boy]].
* DysfunctionJunction: His father [[spoiler: murdered his mother]] when Marcus was 7. The church then bought him, and raised him to be an exorcist. No wonder he’s a bit prickly.
* RealMenLoveJesus:
** Marcus doesn’t care much for Christianity or the church, but he is devoted to and ready to die for God.
** This is fueled by a vision he had when he [[spoiler: performed his first exorcism, and when the demon was banished he saw a brief vision of God's face)]].
* SourOutsideSadInside: Marcus in a prickly cynic who initially does everything he can to drive Tomas away, but there are a lot of hints that his DarkAndTroubledPast has left him with a lot of mental and emotional scars.
* TrainingFromHell: It’s implied that the churches exorcist training that Marcus underwent as a child was dangerous and abusive.
[[/folder]]

!!Introduced in ''The Exorcist: Believer''
[[folder: Lamashtu]]
!!Lamashtu
A Mesopotamian demon who takes possession of Angela Fielding and Katherine. She is the main antagonist of the film.
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* TheBadGuyWins: She is expelled from Angela's body, but she succeeds at taking ownership of Katherine's soul.
* BigBad: She usurps Pazuzu becoming the main antagonist of the direct sequel to the original film.
* ContrastingSequelAntagonist: Lamashtu has a very different MO, personality, and approach from Pazuzu. Unlike Pazuzu's vulgar and arrogant personality, Lamashtu is more vicious and sadistic, enjoying tormenting the girls without resorting to Pazuzu's trademark trash talk. She's also much less of a subtle operator, whereas Pazuzu took his time and intentionally misled characters into thinking Regan was only mentally ill, Lamashtu instigates supernatural activity in her victims homes almost immediately, exposing her nature with every display of power she can think of. She doesn't take her conflict with the exorcists personally, staying focused on her goal instead of getting distracted by vengeance. And finally, unlike Pazuzu, she's not a SmugSnake who overestimates her intelligence. Throughout the film, she effortlessly manipulates both families and plays on Tony's weak-willed nature to trick him into giving up his own daughter's soul, winning without expending any significant effort.
* DraggedOffToHell: After she tricks Katherine's family into allowing their daughter to die, Lamashtu takes her soul.
* Expy: She's essentially playing the exact same role as Pazuzu, and even has a raspy voice like him. Essentially the only difference between Lamashtu and Pazuzu, aside from their genders, is that Pazuzu is far more foul-mouthed, crass and hateful while Lamashtu is more of a generic *JerkAss*.
* KickTheDog: Much like Pazuzu, Lamashtu mocks her targets the most insensitive being when she taunts Ann over her being forced to abort her unborn daughter.
* NoNonsenseNemesis: Unlike Pazuzu, who is arrogant, smug, and prone to taking revenge on everyone who wrongs him, Lamashtu stays focused on her goal of breaking two families by taking one of their daughters to Hell, and every action she takes contributes to that goal.
* WouldHurtAChild: Possesses two girls with the intent of killing one of them after violently possessing them and mutilating their bodies.
[[/folder]]