Here be spoilers!
[[Characters/TrueBlood Back to the main character index.]]

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Sookie Stackhouse]]
!!Sookie Stackhouse
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sookie_42.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I didn't have any say about being normal. We're born the way were are."'']]
->Played By: AnnaPaquin

->''"I'm a fairy? How fucking lame!"''

A telepathic waitress in a small-town restaurant and the protagonist of the series. Because of her ability, she has difficulty forming lasting human relationships. She becomes involved in a romantic relationship with a vampire, Bill, upon discovering that she can't read his mind. This relationship with a supernatural being causes controversy amongst the residents of her small town. Through Bill, she finds herself entering a world of creatures and supernatural conflict that surpasses even her worst nightmares.

* ActionGirl / ActionHeroine: For all the trouble she gets into, she's still managed to:
** Stake Lorena.
** Decapitate a SerialKiller with a shovel.
** Shoot a werewolf with a shotgun. ''Twice''. [[spoiler:Only the second time, it was Debbie and she shot her head clean off.]]
** Stake a vampire with chopsticks.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Her love interests are [[ManipulativeBastard Bill]] and [[PunchClockVillain Eric]]. [[DoggedNiceGuy Sam]] never was, [[spoiler: even before his anger issues]], neither is Alcide.
** [[spoiler: Alcide isn't, at least not until a drunken Sookie starts coming onto him in "We'll Meet Again".]]
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer
* AlliterativeName
* ApologisesALot
* {{Badass}}
** BadassAbnormal
** BadassDamsel
** TookALevelInBadass
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Piss her off, and she puts on her {{Badass}} gloves.
* BreakTheCutie: It's easy to forget Sookie started out as a cheerfull, open minded virgin who lived happily with her grandmother and her cat.
* CovertPervert
* ADateWithRosiePalms
* DeadpanSnarker: She has her moments. Many more in season 5.
* DistressedDamsel
* DrowningMySorrows
* DudeMagnet: [[spoiler: At least of a supernatural kind. It's one of her powers.]]
* EvenTheGirlsWantHer: Judging by Pam's words.
* EvilLaugh: Gives a pretty terrifying one when she flushes Talbot's remains down Fangtasia's garbage disposal.
* TheFairFolk: Taken to a strange level, Sookie is [[HalfHumanHybrid Half-Fae]] and thus only has half their powers. In a sense she also has their mood-swings, connection to nature, and the fae-realms.
** She also seems to have some of their legendary LackOfEmpathy. There are several examples, but her worst has to be in Season 2 when she [[spoiler: almost ''chides'' Jason for being upset at Amy's death, citing that she was "just a [[FantasticDrug V]] addict". This when she herself had been almost broken by Bill's apparent death ''twice'', and he was "just a vampire".]]
* GenreSavvy: Seems to have hit this in season 5.
-->'''Sookie''': "It's not gonna change. You say goodbye and the next thing, you guys are back in my house and a three thousand year old vampire wants to suck my blood. Must be Thursday!"
--> and
-->'''Sookie''': "[[LetsSplitUpGang First of all, I've seen enough horror movies to know you don't split up when you're in a big, scary asylum and there's a crazed killer on the loose.]] Second, I think it's fair to say my [[HalfHumanHybrid microwave fingers]] and the sun are about the only things around here that seem to have any effect on [[BigBad Russell]]. So the way I see it, it's *me* protecting *you* from *him*, instead of the other way around. Third, I got a headache, I gotta pee something fierce, so I'd just as soon get this over with."
* HalfHumanHybrid: She's part fairy.
* TheHeroine: Sookie is the protagonist and main character of the show.
* [[HeyItsThatGuy Hey It's That Girl]]: It's [[Film/{{X-Men}} Rogue!]]
* IJustWantToBeNormal
* MoralityPet: [[spoiler:Eric tries to use her on Bill this way in the season 5 finale. It doesn't work out, and it's actually looking like [[KickTheMoralityPet Bill is going to try and attack Sookie]].]]
* AMindIsATerribleThingToRead: Poor Sookie often views her unique attribute as a curse.
* MainCharacter: True Blood centres on Sookie and her relationships with the other characters.
* MindOverManners
* MsFanservice
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: The aforementioned force-field powers.
* OfficialCouple: With Bill until season 3 finale.
* PluckyGirl
* The Protagonist: Sookie is the main character of True Blood.
* SeenItAll: By season 5, she has.
* TraumaCongaLine: After four years the pattern is proven: Sookie gets beaten to a pulp, mauled by a bullmonster with giant claws, almost drained to the last drop and shot in the stomach. No season can pass without Sookie almost getting killed off in some horrible way.
* VampireWerewolfLoveTriangle: In the beginning, with Bill and Sam (not werewolf, but close enough). More recently it's developed to...
** UnwantedHarem: Two vampires, a shapeshifter, and a werewolf.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Bill Compton]]
!!William "Bill" Compton
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/compton_bill_3703.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Sookie, most of us, vampire, human or otherwise are capable of both good and evil. Often simultaneously."'']]
->Played By: Stephen Moyer

->''"Vampires have often found it advantageous to maintain a hidden presence in humanity's most powerful institutions and in the 1600's, that was the Catholic Church and today, as you all know, it's Google and Fox News."''

A vampire romantically involved with Sookie. Turned during the American Civil War against his will, Bill shows more compassion for human life than many other vampires. He is outwardly expressive of his emotions and holds onto memories of his past human life, behaviors that are unique amongst his vampire peers.

* [[spoiler:AffablyEvil:]] In season 5.
* [[spoiler: AGodAmI: After drinking the real vial of Lilith's blood.]]
* [[spoiler:AxCrazy]]:[[spoiler:Drinking the blood of Lilith is just making him a tad bit crazy.]]
* {{Badass}}
** BadassAbnormal
** HeartbrokenBadass
* BatmanGambit: [[spoiler:Defeating Salome by giving her silver-tainted blood contained in Lilith's original vial, tricking her into thinking it was Lilith's. He correctly predicted her narcissism and eagerness overran her cautiousness, but if 2,000 year old Salome hadn't, he had been in big trouble.]]
* BerserkButton: SOOKEH
** Also threaten any vampire in his kingdom. Then heaven help you as not even [[TheManbehindtheMan the Authority,]] will stop him coming after you and yours with an assortment [[CombatPragmatist of firepower and a RPG for good measure.]]
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Originally seemed like a quiet vampire who wanted to mainstream. Later revealed to be an agent of the Queen of Louisiana sent to seduce Sookie. Not only that, he was actually a DoubleAgent working for the Authority the whole time.
* [[spoiler: BigBad]]: Season 5. [[spoiler: And maybe of Season 6]]
* [[spoiler: BrainwashedAndCrazy]]
* CharacterDevelopment: Spent first three seasons with Sookie as his top priority. In season four, he ends up a King, spends more time focusing on protecting his people and bonding with his vampire daughter Jessica. His home also got an upgrade.
* TheChosenOne: Believes himself this [[spoiler: after seeing Lilith while having sex with Salome]].
** [[spoiler: DarkMessiah]]
* CombatPragmatist
* TheComicallySerious: While he has something of a sense of humor, he's just so dour looking that he is just hilarious when ever he has to do anything mundane.
* DeadpanSnarker: Is this after becoming vampire king of Louisiana. "Spellbound" is a good example:
-->'''Bill''': Ms Fortenberry.
-->'''Mrs. Fortenberry''': Vampire Bill. Did you know that Beulah Carter was a vampire?
-->'''Bill''': Because all of us vampires know each other?
* [[spoiler:MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning: Drinking all of Lilith's blood apparently kills him. Then he's reborn as Lilith's apparent avatar.]]
* {{Deuteragonist}}: Bill is the second most important character after the protagonist Sookie.
* DisappearedDad: Was one himself, having to abandon his wife and children upon being turned.
** DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou: Becoming a vampire is a legitimate reason to leave your human family behind, for their own safety, and he did return to bury his son and see his daughter on her deathbed.
* DoubleAgent
* [[spoiler: FaceHeelTurn: In Season Five.]]
* FakeAmerican
* FallenHero: Too much of Praise Lilith and too little of Sookeh tends to do that to Beehl.
* [[spoiler: FanDisservice: After drinking Lilith's blood, he rises naked from the puddle he dissolved into, completely covered in blood.]]
* FanNickname: "Beehl" is popular, due to the hokey accents on the show.
** And now there's [[spoiler: "Billith"]]
* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire: Subverted. He may look like one in the beginning, but in truth, he isn't that different from many other vampires.
** His friendly status was confirmed somewhat in Season four when it is revealed that Bill was part of a movement in the Eighties to promote mainstreaming. Joining the Authority as he believed that it was not necessary to kill humans when feeding and sought a better way. Of course being a vampire he still can be quite ruthless when he has a goal and still [[GreyandGrayMorality manages to kill humans if he thinks they are a threat or hurt those he loves.]]
* [[spoiler:TheFundamentalist after getting a taste of Lilith's blood and drinking from Salome and hallucinating he's having sex with Lilith herself.]]
** [[spoiler: KnightTemplarParent. In relation with Jessica]]
* GoodIsNotNice:[[spoiler: Until Season 5]]
* GuileHero
* HoneyTrap
* [[IHateYouVampireDad I Hate You Vampire Mom]]: To Lorena, as well as playing the role for a short while to Jessica, until they get better.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In season four he allows Eric to return back to Sookie even if it means she will take him as her lover. He even brings silver to chain him down to prevent Eric from walking into the sun.
* InSeriesNickname: Hoyt Fortenberry refers to Bill as '''Vampire Bill'''.
* KryptoniteProofSuit: After gorging on Sookie's blood, he temporarily gains the ability to tolerate sunlight.
* LargeHam
* LoveMakesYouDumb
* [[PapaWolf Maker Wolf]]
* MistakenForGay: When he goes shopping for clothes for Jessica and Eric shows up, the store clerk who has been hitting on him the whole time backs off in an "Oh, ''I'' see," way.
** Of course this was because of [[HoYay a conversation]] he was having [[FoeYay with Eric]].
* MoreThanMeetsTheEye: Revealed to be an agent of Queen Sophie-Anne sent to determine if Sookie is a fairy.
** And in Season 4 we learn he was TheMole for Nan Flanagan and the American Vampire League.
* NotSoDifferent: It turns out he really isn't that different from Eric as he'd like to be.
* OfficialCouple: With Sookie until season 3 finale.
* ParentalSubstitute: To Jessica, as her maker.
* PetTheDog: He does it fairly often, but especially notable is when Terry ambushes Bill with a hug at the Descendants of the Glorious Dead meeting and Bill hugs him back.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: As the new King in Town he really does seem quite reasonable in comparison to more flighty Sophie-Anne and unbalanced Russell. That being said he takes his duties seriously and [[AllCrimesAreEqual will enforce the rules firmly..]]
* TheReveal: In season 4 he's now the vampire king of Louisiana.
* [[spoiler:SanitySlippage: In season 5]]
* ShellShockedVeteran: Bill was a First Lieutenant of the Civil War in the 28th Louisiana Infantry before he was turned.
* TheStoic
** NotSoStoic
* TookALevelInJerkass: Got a AGodAmI / TheChosenOne complex [[spoiler:from drinking way too much of Lilith's blood]] in Season 5.
* VampireMonarch: Bill became the Vampire King of Louisiana.
* VegetarianVampire: Only snacks on Series/TrueBlood or Sookie. Or the occassional human if the need arises. [[spoiler: Completely averted in second half of season 5 where he went on a killing spree high on Lilith's blood.]]
* [[FireForgedFriends Fire Forged]] VitriolicBestBuds: He and Eric are starting to come off as this. [[spoiler: Comes to a screeching halt in Season 5]].
* WellIntentionedExtremist: His status as vampire king makes him this he have to protect all vampires against any threat against their kind and eleminate it with [[IDidWhatIHadToDo any means necessary.]]
** He is even worse in worse in [[spoiler:season 5. Salome gets him straight into KnightTemplar territory.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sam Merlotte]]
!!Sam Merlotte
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/merlotte_sam_2406.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I spent my whole life either running away from people or pinning my hopes on somebody I can't have. I'm done with that."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Sam Trammell

->''"I need a live animal in order to shift. You know, as a model. Kinda like an imprint."''

The owner of Merlotte's, where Sookie works.

* {{Animorphism}}: His shapeshifting abilities are limited to animals, because humans are too complex.
* {{Badass}}
** BadassAbnormal
* BenevolentBoss: He's very understanding of his employees' frequent need to take days off to deal with supernatural crises, possibly because he encounters his own share of them.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: He's generally a nice guy to the people he cares about, but when he's angry, you do ''not'' want to be on his bad side.
* BigBrotherInstinct
* BoundandGagged: Twice, first when he's prepared as a sacrifice in Maryann's wedding circa Season 2, and again in Season 5 when he's captured by the Authority.
* CallingTheOldManOut: Does this to his birth parents after discovering that they force his brother who's also a shapeshifter into dog fights.
* ChewToy
* TheDanza: Albeit coincidentally.
* DarkAndTroubledPast
* DoggedNiceGuy: [[IncrediblyLamePun Yes you may make the pun...]]
* FantasticRacism: Doesn't like vampires and werewolves. More because of his attraction to Sookie than anything else.
** As for his dislike of werewolves, we know he had some interactions with them during his time as a runaway, and considering that werewolves themselves seem to have a cultural FantasticRacism for shifters, it's likely what contact he had with them was unpleasant.
* FullFrontalAssault: [[spoiler:Against the Bud Dearborne and his flunkies]]
* HeroicBSOD: The stress of dealing with his birth family's drama led him to drinking and lashing out at his friends and customers.
* HomoeroticDream: He had a quite steamy one with Bill.
* IJustWantToBeNormal
* NiceGuy
* ParentalAbandonment
* PermaStubble
* TwoLinesNoWaiting: His plotlines in seasons three and four did not connect with the main story at all.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jason Stackhouse]]
!!Jason Stackhouse
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stackhouse_jason_4513.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Never really thought I was smart enough to get depressed."'']]
->'''Played By:''' [[HomeAndAway Ryan Kwanten]]

->''"We gotta fix things, Andy. I ain't lettin' weird shit take over my town!"''

Sookie's not-too-bright, self-involved brother, who is vigilant in defending and protecting Sookie. He supervises a road crew during the day, and is known for bedding the women of Bon Temps at night.

* TheAce: He's not really one, but to The Fellowship of the Sun he definitely is.
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: To [[{{Jerkass}} Luke]], the fanatical Soldier of the Sun.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Really to any woman, one of his better points.
* [[spoiler: BoundAndGagged: Well...mostly just gagged.]]
* BrainlessBeauty
* BloodKnight: After getting zapped by fairy powers, takes sadistic delight in killing vampires. Just bad ones mind ya.
* CartwrightCurse: Every woman he had slept with onscreen in the first season died.
* TheCasanova
* ChewToy
* ChickMagnet
* ClearMyName: MistakenForMurderer in season 1.
* DiggingYourselfDeeper: When he admitted to Hoyt that he slept with Jessica (albeit after Jess and Hoyt broke up), Hoyt heartbreakingly asks, "How?" Jason, being Jason, responded by listing all the positions they had sex in. Hoyt promptly punches him in the face before clarifying what he meant.
* DuctTapeForEverything: [[spoiler: When glamored by Steve Newlin.]]
* DumbBlonde
* FantasticRacism: After getting mistakenly zapped by fairy power, he shows noticable hatred towards vampires killing them out of absolute delight.
* HalfHumanHybrid: Like Sookie, he has faerie ancestry, although it's not as strong in him. It does explain his ability to attract women with very little effort.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Has been this with Hoyt for almost their whole lives. Until near the end of season 4, when Jason hooks up with Jessica, which makes Hoyt end their friendship. Near the end of season 5, Hoyt has Jessica glamour his memories of Jason and Jessica out of his mind permanently before going to Alaska, throwing away any chance of reconciliation.
* HomoeroticDream: A rather tame (and short) one with Eddie in the second season.
** Another one in season 4 when he began to fantasize about Jessica after drinking her blood; sometime during the dream, though, Jessica becomes Hoyt.
* IJustWantToBeSpecial: He's actually disappointed when it turned out that he wouldn't turn into a werepanther after all, following his ordeal in Hotshot.
* ImprobableAimingSkills
* {{Jerkass}}: In the early episodes mainly.
** JerkWithAHeartOfGold
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler: Steve Newlin makes him forget they ever had their brief meeting in the first episode of season five.]]
* MrFanservice
* ReallyGetsAround
* RunningGag: The third season had one where he claimed to be a cop, only to be forced to admit he wasn't one ''yet''
* [[spoiler: SanitySlippage: As of the Season 5 finale, he is hallucinating the ghosts of his parents which are rapidly goading him into becoming harsher and more racist against vampires, including Jessica, who he clearly had feelings for before the appearence of the "ghosts". Whether or not this is due to the bump on the head, the fearie Elder's energy blast, or something else entirely is currently unknown.]]
* ThoseTwoGuys: with Andy after he became cop.
* TooDumbToLive: It runs in the family. Although with Jason, it's played for laughs.
* TookALevelInBadass: After being trained by the Fellowship of the Sun and becoming a cop. He's still often too stupid to really put it to good use, though.
* UnknownRival: Luke. Not that Jason wasn't really aware with it he just didn't play along.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tara Thornton]]
!!Tara Thornton
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TaraThornton_6979.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Race may not be the hot-button issue it once was, but it's still a button you can push on people."'']]
->Played By: Rutina Wesley

->''"Everyone who's ever been with me has ended up dead. It ain't a long list, but it's a bad one to be on."''

Sookie Stackhouse's best friend since they were children. Tara grew up in a very abusive home with an alcoholic mother, and consequently finds it difficult to fit in with normal society or to trust people. She is very adept at reading people and constantly distances herself from others by speaking her observations candidly and plainly. As a result, she has difficulty holding down a job until she becomes a bartender at Merlotte's.

* AbusiveParents: Her mother is an alcoholic.
* AloneWithThePsycho: With Franklin in season 3.
* AmazonianBeauty: She is rather broad-shouldered and muscular, and quite attractive.
* [[AngryBlackMan Angry Black Woman]] and SassyBlackWoman.
* [[spoiler: BackFromTheDead]]
** [[spoiler:[[AndThenJohnWasAZombie And Then Tara Was A Vampire]]]]
* TheBartender: When she actually shows up to work.
* BetterAsFriends: Sam and Tara.
* BiTheWay: In season 4 [[spoiler: and decidedly in the finale of season 5]].
* BlackBestFriend
* [[BloodBrothers Blood Sisters]]: Tara and Sookie, due to their family troubles, consider each other to be like sisters.
* BrokenBird: Especially after Eggs is killed.
* ButtMonkey
* [[spoiler: CameBackWrong: Subverted. Sookie, Lafayette, and Pam were worried that Tara would come back brain damaged due to getting shot in the head, but it seems she was simply adjusting to her first night as a vampire.]]
* EverythingIsRacist: Hoo boy.
* FatalAttractor: Everyone she hooks up with has their own issues, but whether they hold a candle to hers is up to you.
* [[spoiler: FateWorseThanDeath:]] She sees [[spoiler: continuing life as a vampire]] as one of these, and told the people who did it to her that she'll never forgive them for it.
* HeroicWillpower: The only vampire shown in the show to have never killed a single innocent person. She almost attacks one girl but fights off the urge after seeing her own reflection, and she proceeds to satisfy her bloodlust by downing what appeared to be half a dozen cases of tru blood in one sitting. Keep in mind that Tru Blood is a drink that every single other vampire shown drinking it so far has considered revolting.
* HollywoodExorcism: She and her mom both had one. Hers didn't quite stick.
* [[spoiler:ICannotSelfTerminate: After she tries to kill herself to get out of living as a vampire, Pam orders her not to do it again, which due to their sire bond makes her physically incapable of harming herself.]]
* ImportantHaircut: In season 3 finale.
* [[spoiler: InterruptedSuicide]]: Several times. Once [[spoiler:Lafayette saved her when she tried to OD herself]], another time when [[spoiler:Pam went all "as your maker I command you" on her when she tried to fry herself.]]
* JerkAss
** JerkWithAHeartOfGold
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Unfortunately for her, this is how Jason sees her.
* LoveHurts
* MindControlEyes: When Maryann mind controls her, of course.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Let's say Tara definitely gets Franklin back for all the crap he did to her. She freaking clubbed him and caved his head in. You might almost call it ExtremeMeleeRevenge.
* TooDumbToLive: Definitely has moments of this.
* TookALevelInBadass: More like took an entire prestige class progression in it.
* TwoferTokenMinority: Described as being one by somebody she went to high school with, following her transformation into a vampire.
* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Again, to Jason.
* UnrequitedLove: For Jason in season 1, but then she met Eggs.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Andy Bellefleur]]
!!Sheriff Andy Bellefleur
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TropeAndy_1185.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"I just want to say that I’m sober, and I’m lonely, and I can be good to someone if they let me."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Chris Bauer

* TheAlcoholic
* {{Badass}}
** BadassNormal
** CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass
** TookALevelInBadass
* BadCopIncompetentCop: Though it seems to fluctuate by varying degrees.
* [[spoiler:BigDamnHeroes: He and the other cops save Sookie and Hoyt from Bud Dearborne and Sweetie DesArts]]
* ButtMonkey: In season 2 and 4 especially.
* ByTheBookCop
* TheCassandra: in Season 2, mostly because what he's trying to convince his fellow police officers of sounds ridiculous, and partially because he's almost continually drunk throughout the season.
* CluelessDetective: Though sometimes (surprisingly) not.
* CowboyCop: Has grown into this.
* CynicalMentor: To Jason. He really doesn't want to take Jason under his wing, but he sees the advantage to having a young, really athletic guy to run down all the crazies showing up in Bon Temps lately. That and he just [[PetTheDog feels bad for him.]]
* FanDisservice: [[spoiler: You get a nice big shot of him lying naked on his stomach in the first episode of Season 5, and yes, you see his ass and everything.]]
* FantasticDrug: As of Season 4 is addicted to "V".
** As of Season 5, [[spoiler: no longer an addict]].
* {{Jerkass}}
** JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He really is just trying to do his job and help people despite all the crap he put Jason through.
* MyBelovedSmother: Well, Grandsmother.
* NotNowKiddo: Tries to do this with Jason but it never seems to work. Jason just annoys him anyways.
* OnlySaneMan: In the whole freaking town!
* ProperlyParanoid: Often looks insane just because he's one of the few people who actually know what's going on.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: From time to time though not at all so far in season 4.
* ThoseTwoGuys : With Jason.
* [[spoiler: TooManyBabies]]
* TookALevelInKindness
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lafayette Reynolds]]
!!Lafayette Reynolds
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Lafayette_8181.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"It ain't possible to live unless you crossin' somebody's line."'']]
->'''Played By:''' [[TheInside Nelsan Ellis]]

->''"Well, hey there sweetness. You ready to party?"''

A short order cook at Merlotte's, a drug dealer, a member of Jason Stackhouse's road crew, and Tara's cousin.

* TheAggressiveDrugDealer: He's not really that aggressive, but just don't get on his bad side.
* AscendedExtra: In the first season he had a much smaller role, and by the third his is one of the main stories.
* {{Badass}}
** BadassGay
* BetaCouple: Starting in season 4 with Jesus.
* BlessedWithSuck: Congratulations Lafayette! [[PowerSource You have just discovered that your body has more supernatural energy than a whole Witch circle combined]] and you can see and channel spirits. Of course this also means [[BodySurf that said spirits can also take over your body without as much as a pretty-please .]] And go on wacky fun adventures like kidnapping and engaging in tense hostage situations...
* ButtMonkey
* ChewToy
* DeadpanSnarker
* FanNickname: "Lala" (his mom calls him this as well) and "Laffy"
* HomoeroticDream: Allegedly with Eric. It wouldn't be a problem if he didn't [[FoeYay hate/fear Eric]].
* MagicalNegro: One of the wisest and kindest characters on the show and hinted to have some kind of [[TheEmpath supernatural sense]], [[SubvertedTrope but also]] self-centered and, of course, a drug dealer.
* MagicalQueer
* MrFanservice
* [[SassyBlackWoman Sassy Black Gay]]
* SparedByTheAdaptation: In the novels he died early on.
* StereotypeGay
** CampGay: In the novels definitely, in the TV series he seems to be a mixture of this and...
** MachoCamp: All those muscles ain't just for picking up guys, though they're certainly a plus.
* TraumaCongaLine
* TwoferTokenMinority: Gay man of color.
* UrbanLegendLoveLife: Despite his talk of getting around, he's one of the very few characters never seen having sex on the show, not even with Jesus. [[ButNotTooGay As for why...]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Eric Northman]]
!!Eric Northman
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/northman_eric_230.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Tru Blood...it keeps you alive, but it will bore you to death."'']]
->Played By: Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard

->''"Humans... honestly, Bill. I don't know what you see in them."''

The Sheriff of Area 5, a vampire district in Louisiana. A Swedish Viking warrior in life, he is over 1,100 years old and is a powerful and wealthy member of the vampire community. He runs the vampire bar, Fangtasia, in Shreveport, and develops an interest in Sookie Stackhouse after discovering her unique ability to read minds.

* {{Adorkable}}: It's almost impossible to not fall for the cheesy grin of a man who's just eaten your fairy godmother.
* {{Badass}}
** BadassAbnormal
** BadassBoast: He has plenty of moments of bragging.
** BadassLonghair: In the first season before he got a hair cut.
** CulturedBadass
* BestServedCold: It took over 1000 years, but he finally killed Russell and avenged his family.
* TheBigGuy: At 6'4", he is the second tallest of the cast after 6'5" Alcide Herveaux.
* BilingualBonus: He speaks Swedish from time to time with Pam. Amnesiac!Eric takes it UpToEleven.
** He also speaks Russian with Estonian stripper Yvetta.
* BiTheWay
* BrotherSisterIncest: His relationship with his sister Nora is...interesting, to say the least.
** NotBloodSiblings: It lessens the {{Squick}} factor. Kind of.
* ChekhovsGunman: Didn't have that many scenes in season 1. Fast forward to Season 3...
* TheChessmaster: Is usually four or five moves ahead of everyone else.
* TheComicallySerious
* CunningLinguist
* DeadpanSnarker
* [[DefrostingIceQueen Defrosting Ice Sheriff]]: After his amnesia is cured. Good God he could out-brood Series/{{Angel}}.
* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler: Averted. He sees the spirit of Lilith destroy the spirit of Godric and pretends to and joins Salome and Russell. The next episode he's plotting his escape with Nora.]]
* TheDragon: To Russell - actually DragonWithAnAgenda. Becomes one to Antonia, though under mind control.
* FakeDefector: In season 3. [[spoiler:In Season 5 as well.]]
* GoodIsNotNice
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: It's very hard to tell who's side, if any, he's on. As of Season 5, [[spoiler:he is a face. Not that it really is helping him.]]
* JerkAss --> JerkWithAHeartOfGold
* HiddenDepths: Sookie finds this out during the "Save Godric" arc.
* HiddenHeartOfGold
* [[HornyVikings Horny Viking]]
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: At the end of "You Smell Like Dinner". Until "Burning Down the House".
* MeanCharacterNiceActor
* MoralityPet: Godric even after [[spoiler:he is dead. Doubles up as his conscience.]]
* NotSoDifferent: Him and Bill.
* PermaStubble: See the picture. Interestingly, disappears when he loses his memory.
* PetTheDog: His interactions with Pam, especially during season three. Also, taking Jessica under his wing and getting her on her feet when she was first turned and Bill was too busy angsting.
* PsychopathicManchild: After his memory is erased.
* PunchClockVillain: Not a hugely nice guy, but the majority of his worst moments are a result of his responsibilities as Sheriff.
* TheSheriff: Of Louisiana Area 5
* TheStoic
** NotSoStoic: Watch as he breaks down when he begs Godric to live.
* TakingYouWithMe: Has attempted this on Russell Edgington. It doesn't work.
* ThickerThanWater: Is very protective of his vampire family: dad Godric, sister Nora, daughter Pam and now granddaughter Tara.
* VampiresOwnNightClubs
* VillainsOutShopping: In season 2.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With his child, Pam. "You know I love you more when you're cold and heartless."
* YouKilledMyFather: Well, Russell did.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Arlene Bellefleur]]
!!Arlene Bellefleur (nee Fowler)
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Arlene_667.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I'm sorry you fell in love with a serial killer, alright, but honestly, who here hasn't?"'']]
->'''Played By:''' Carrie Preston

->''"Vamp club not all it was made out to be, huh?"''

* ArbitrarySkepticism: In season 5, she dismisses Terry's talk of the [[spoiler: fire demon]] as nonsense. Holly, a witch, calls her on it.
* {{Badass}}
** TookALevelInBadass: Against Patrick.
** BadassNormal
** CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass
* ButtMonkey: She simply can't catch a break, though this might be because she's hilarious when she's high-strung.
* DeadpanSnarker
* EyeScream: She bursts a vessel in her eye due to stress, but thinks baby Mikey did it when he looked at her.
* FatalAttractor: Her last Love interest was a SerialKiller and we don't know about her ex-husbands but they must be exes for a reason.
* FetusTerrible: She believed this while pregnant with Rene's baby, thinking Rene's evil is InTheBlood.
* FieryRedHead
* HappilyMarried: Arlene and Terry, in the fourth season.
* HeroesWantRedheads: She dyes her hair red, claiming some study that redheaded waitresses get bigger tips.
* HystericalWoman: Lapses into this at times.
* IHaveYourWife
* MistakenForRacist: Frequently.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: She's a divorced mom with two kids who just can't seem to catch a break.
* SoIMarriedAnAxeMurderer: Almost. She was engaged to Rene before TheReveal.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hoyt Fortenberry]]
!!Hoyt Fortenberry
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Hoyt_3223.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You can tell a lot about someone by the way they smile."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Jim Parrack

* AscendedExtra
* TheBigGuy: One of the tallest of the cast. This is deconstructed a little bit; he had a massive growth spurt in middle school that left him so unbalanced, he had to walk with a cane for months.
* BoyMeetsGhoul: Is dating Vampire-girl Jessica.
** [[spoiler: Becomes a fangbanger after breaking up with Jessica.]]
* ButtMonkey: Growing steadily into one.
* [[CallingTheOldManOut Calling The Old Woman Out]]: When he told his mother off for disapproving of his relationship with Jessica, after Maxine cancelled his cell phone service and made it look like he dumped Jess.
* EvilMatriarch: His mother. [[ControlFreak No,]] [[AbusiveParents seriously.]]
* [[spoiler:FaceHeelTurn]]: [[spoiler:Season 5 has him briefly joining an anti-supernatural hate group, but he quits when [[IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten they try to make him kill Jessica]].]]
* HeroesWantRedheads
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Has been this with Jason for almost their whole lives. Until near the end of season 4, when Jason hooks up with Jessica, which makes Hoyt end their friendship. Near the end of season 5, Hoyt has Jessica glamour his memories of Jason and Jessica out of his mind permanently before going to Alaska, throwing away any chance of reconciliation.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: The 6"5" Hoyt briefly dates 5"0" Summer, nearly a foot and a half shorter.
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope
* [[spoiler:LaserGuidedAmnesia]]: [[spoiler:He specifically requested Jessica to erase every memory of her or Jason from his mind before he moved to Alaska.]]
* [[spoiler:LoveMakesYouEvil]]: [[spoiler:But not to the point where he could actually kill Jessica.]]
* LoveMartyr
* LoveTriangle: With Summer and Jessica. Except he actually hates Summer. And now with Jessica and Jason.
* ManChild: At least up until he moves out of his mothers house to live with Jessica.
* MyBelovedSmother
* NiceGuy: He really is nice.
** Until he TookALevelInJerkass after Jessica and Jason hooked up.
* [[spoiler:PutOnABus]]: [[spoiler:He puts himself on a bus, moving to Alaska in season 5 after realizing he's tired of dealing with everyone he knows and their issues.]]
* OnlySaneMan
* SingleTargetSexuality: for Jessica "Other women don't even EXIST to me!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Terry Bellefleur]]
!!Terry Bellefleur
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TerryBellefleur_14.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I don't like feeling the pressure."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Todd Lowe

->''"Your Mama just gets a little crazy sometimes, which means we just have to love her that much harder."''

* {{Badass}}
** BadassNormal
** CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Usually seems to have difficulty just functioning but, when the situation calls for it, shows that he is one of the most competent characters in the supporting cast.
* BerserkButton: Endangering Arlene's kids is not a good idea around him.
* CallingTheOldManOut: Calling Sam out, actually, for transforming into a {{Jerkass}}
** Does this repeatedly with to his cousin Andy.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: A rather laid-back but definite example, seen by others as such due to being a CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass.
* DarkAndTroubledPast
* [[KickTheDog The Dog]]: Often, when the writers want to get the point across that a character is being a complete {{Jerkass}}, they do so by having that character be mean to Terry.
* HenpeckedHusband
* [[spoiler: MyGodWhatHaveIDone: In Season 5.]]
* NiceGuy
** Even with his dark past, he is still the most consistently good member of the cast - he never puts his own feelings first, always protects others, feels obligated to stay with Arlene,[[spoiler: happily raises a baby whose father was a psychotic serial killer]].. where does he stop?
* PapaWolf: threatening Arlene's kids, who he thinks of as his own, triggers a pretty serious BerserkButton in him
* ProperlyParanoid: He often has a vague suspicion that something is wrong when something really is wrong, only to be falsely reasured that everything is ok by someone who knows for a fact that there's a problem but wishes conceal said problem.
** On more than one occasion he's been the first person to notice a problem.
* SanitySlippage
* ShellShockedVeteran
* TokenGoodTeammate: [[spoiler: What he seemed to be in Iraq.]]
-->'''Terry''': (''on a dying woman'') We can still save her!
-->'''Patrick''': [[spoiler: I said DEAD CHECK HER!]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jessica Hamby]]
!!Jessica Hamby
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/JessicaHamby_925.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"No more rules... I'm a vampire!"'']]
->'''Played By:''' Deborah Ann Woll

->''"So, who's good to eat around here?"''

A young vampire "made" by Bill as a part of his punishment for murdering a fellow vampire. Having been raised in an overly strict Christian family, she relishes the freedom that comes with being a vampire, but her petulant attitude often tries Bill's patience.

* AbusiveParents: [[CallingTheOldManOut calls her old man out]] on this after becoming a vampire.
* AccidentalMurder: Kills a redneck in the end of season 2, which causes [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone quite a bit of angst]].
* AdaptationExpansion: See CanonForeigner
* BetaCouple: With Hoyt, naturally.
* BlackBraAndPanties: She rocks them in Jason's V induced fantasy of her.
* BlessedWithSuck: Because she was a virgin when turned, her hymen keeps regenerating no matter how many times she has sex, meaning every time she does it hurts like the first time.
* BloodKnight: Shows shades of this, particularly in season 4.
* [[BrattyTeenageDaughter Bratty Vampire Daughter]]: But she gets better.
* CanonForeigner: Didn't exist in the books, but [=Book!Pam=] and her share quite a few traits[[note]]having been turned around 18 years old, being friendly, being Sookie's only vampire friend[[/note]]
* DawsonCasting: Her actress is about nine years older than Jessica was when turned into a vampire.
** Made worse by the fact she is stuck at 17.
* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire: She may have difficulty controlling her vampiric impulses at times, especially within her first few months of being turned, but the descriptor of "friendly" definitely fits, and Jess is easily worlds more well-intentioned than most of the other vampires on the show. Even as she grows more comfortable with her vampirism, she avoids killing humans.
* HaveYouTriedNotBeingAMonster
* HeroesWantRedheads: At least Hoyt does.
* IHateYouVampireDad: Her initial relationship with Bill.
* MagicalGirlfriend: Fits this trope wonderfully when she hooks up with [[UnluckyEverydude Hoyt.]]
* MsFanservice
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: At the beginning of season 2.
* ShipperOnDeck: [[spoiler: To Pam and Tara]].
* [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan Single Vampire Seeks Good Man]]
* StarCrossedLovers: With Hoyt.
* TookALevelInBadass: In season 3.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pam de Beaufort]]
!!Pam Swynford de Beaufort
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Pamela_2194.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"My mad face and my happy face are the same."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Kristen Bauer van Straten

->''"I am wearing a Wal-Mart sweatsuit for y'all. That's not demonstration of team spirit, I don't know what is."''

A vampire made by Eric about a century ago. She is his loyal (albeit lazy) assistant and the bouncer at Fangtasia. Cynical and apparently devoid of feelings for anyone except Eric, she is often by his side.

* AdaptationDistillation: She is very different from her book counterpart, who has been turned younger and is described as the friendlier vampire Sookie knows.
* {{Badass}}: Witness her snark while being tortured by the Magister.
** BadassAbnormal
* BiTheWay
* BrilliantButLazy
* ChildHater: She showed great disdain to Arlene's kids. Thankfully her job doesn't involve children.
* DeadpanSnarker
* DefrostingIceQueen: [[spoiler:After turning Tara, she slowly learns to be a good mother figure.]]
* TheFashionista
* GoodIsNotNice: Despite being a total bitch, she's relatively benign.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Acts like a bitch and is snarky as hell, but often surprises people by doing the right thing.
* LesbianVampire: She may be [[BiTheWay Bi]], but she's way more interested in women than men.
* LivingForeverIsAwesome: Pam loves being a vampire.
* MoralityPet: Eric for her, she for him.
** And [[spoiler:Tara]] once Pam becomes her maker.
* MsFanservice
* TheStoic
** NotSoStoic: The only time she shows a soft side is when something happens to Eric.
* RescueRomance: Her love for Eric stems from when he saved her from being murdered back when she was human.
* SociopathicHero
* TwoFaced: Thanks to Marnie's spell.
* VampiresOwnNightclubs
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Eric.
* WomanInBlack: Most of her outfits.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Alcide Herveaux]]
!!Alcide Herveaux
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Alcide_765.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"It ain't a wolf/shifter thing. It's right and wrong."'']]
->'''Played By:''' [[SpiderMan Joe]] [[OneTreeHill Manganiello]]

->''"What if our hearts can't be trusted and it's our brains we should be listening to?"''

A werewolf who helps Sookie in finding Bill while Bill is held captive by Russell Edgington. He does this to relieve the debt his family owed to Eric Northman. Alcide is one of the few good werewolves introduced thus far.

* {{Badass}}
** BadassAbnormal
** BadassBeard
* BewareTheNiceOnes
* BigBrotherInstinct
* TheBigGuy
-->'''Marcus''': You're about 6'6 and you're wider than a door.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: With Sookie (more than once), with Debbie, with Tommy...
* HonorBeforeReason
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: To both Debbie and Sookie
* JustFriends: With Sookie, receiving end.
* MrFanservice
* NiceGuy
** [[IncrediblyLamePun Wolfed]] [[DoggedNiceGuy Nice Guy]]
* OurWereWolvesAreDifferent
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: He finally gives up on Sookie when it became clear she wasn't about to stop chasing vampires, having pulled her out of a firefight after she accidentally got shot--saving her life--and didn't so much as get a "thank you" out of her because she was too busy having {{UST}} with Bill.
** Again, when he sees Tommy getting beaten by his pack.
* [[spoiler: [[YouAreInCommandNow You Are Packmaster Now]]: After killing JD.]]
[[/folder]]