Innocent / Characters

Main Characters

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General

Adaptational Jerkass: The real Marie-Joseph worked as a maid by the end of her life, and her marriage with her cousin is implied by many sources to be a slightly less pragmatic one (source: Dictionnaire Historique et anecdotique des bourreaux). Charles-Henri, in the manga, is a LOT more dismissive to servants than his real life counter part (heck, he had a warm relationship with his right-hand man, and according to some sources, he had a daughter who married said right hand man.) Quite far away is it from the scene were he reproched André for entering a church. Also, that slasher smile in Innocent Rouge tells it all. Quite far cry from the remorse-tortured man in the Mémoirs.
Blue Oni, Red Oni: Charles is blue to Marie's red.
Catchphrase: Marie is not the only one that has a catch phrase, depending on translation. In the Original japanese version, Charles is constantly apposing. In the french translation, Charles says "Ne vous en déplaise" ("May that not displease you") every time he does something to defy an authority. And of course, everyone knows Marie's "This sucks".
The Executioner: Both of them!

Charles-Henri Sanson

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/charles_sanson_6.jpg

The eldest son of Jean-Baptiste, and the future fourth Monsieur de Paris. The series begins with Charles' struggle with his destiny as an executioner.

Adaptational Badass: A bit of a zig zag. The real Sanson was known to be quite clumsy and incompetant according to many historians. (Jacque Delarue, Michel Desmorest, Edvard Radzinski and heck even the Memoirs of the Sanson make plenty of display of his clumsiness and lack of social skills. He did grow out of it, thankfully, albeit quite late in his life). In the manga, Charles-Henri has moderately good social skills (at least he doesn't get his dad's friends drunk just so he can talk to somebody, nor did he stalk a girl, than give her a boring lecture in an attempt to woe her), is a good swordsman and his execution skills are a lot better here and he grew out of his clumsier phase in his mid-twenties. Subverted when it comes to his intelligence. The real Sanson was able to figure out by himself that he should cut the tendons of Damien. However, he does not posses his historical self's talent to survive angry mobs, somehow still alive despite that.
All of the Other Reindeer: He was greatly ostracized as a child, such as being told to pray in an isolated room at church, or other students leaving school, just because he happened to have been born into a family of executioners.
Apologizes a Lot: He was especially prone to this when he first started out as an executioner.
Big Brother Mentor: He was once this, to Marie-Joseph when they were younger, teaching her in secret what he knew about the human anatomy, as well as Latin.
Big Little Brother: A bit of meta here, but if you look at Madeleine-Claude-Gabrielle's date of birth in the family tree, you will see she is actually the eldest sibbling. Despite this, Charles seem to be much taller and have much more adult facial features.
Cain and Abel: His relationship with Marie dissolves to this.
Calling the Old Man Out: Symbolically by the latter half of Innocent Rouge. After seeing Marie tortured, Anne-Marthe in the painting, tells Charles that none of it would've happened if Marie only followed her traditional role as a "woman". Charles defies against that thinking, saying that happiness is created by someone's own choices, and Marie doesn't want a fate that's been passed down to her. After Anne-Marthe "telling" Charles that he might as well fall into Hell, Charles destroys the portrait by stabbing it with a fire-poker.
Character Development: He is introduced as a meek and sensitive boy who hates the fact that his family's profession causes him to be shunned and ostracized by the rest of french society. Gradually however he comes to accept his role as Monsieur de Paris and develops a much more confident, masculine and patriarchal attitude as the head of the Sanson family, not dissimilar from his father.
Disease Bleach: While he noticeably starts to grow grey around the middle of Innocent Rouge, most of Charles' hair has turned completely white by July 28th 1794.
Dissonant Serenity: On many panels, Charles-Henri has a peaceful face expression when executing someone. It's quite creepy yet beautiful.
The Dutiful Son: Takes up the mantle as the Monsieur de Paris, after his father becomes too ill to fulfill those duties.
Empty Eyes: He gains these after "executing" Marie's wax figure and helping her escape, knowing that he'll never see her again.
Expository Hairstyle Change: Charles slicked back his hair after his first sexual encounter with Madame du Barry. Later on in Rouge, Charles parts his hair to the side, after being snapped back to his senses by Marie and her...interesting methods .
Free the Frogs: Did that as a kid. Got punished for it.
Heroic B So D: Falls into this hard after witnessing the suicide of his son Gabriel. Months following this event, Charles goes so far as to cover his face in pitch-black ink, among other unknown actions, as if he wants to disappear fro the world.
Hypocrite: Of the Double Standard kind. As Zero points out, Charles didn't cry for the convicted young man at all, but the moment that his youngest son Gabriel, dies moments after, Charles mourns. This finally leads to Charles "opening" up his heart again.
Jerkass Has a Point: Despite his attempt to tie his sister down by having her married and quite her job, he was right that her actions of having a sexual affair with the 14 year old Dauphine were putting a strain with the alliance with France and Austria.
My Master, Right or Wrong: Regardless of his feelings on a condemned's innocence or guilt he will carry out the sentence regardless. Likewise if a reprieve is ordered he will obey regardless of guilt.
My Greatest Failure: Considers being forced to execute his first friend, Jean, as well as the suicide of his youngest son Gabriel to be this. By the end of the manga, they're Charles' attempts to abolish the death penalty.
Odd Friendship: With Louis XVI and Robert Damiens.
Passing the Torch: By the end of the series as a whole, Charles passes the title of the Monsieur de Paris to Henri.
Prone to Tears: Charles cried a lot more easily when he was younger. However, when his idealism is stripped away, Charles forced himself to lock up his feelings in order to execute people.
Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Fits himself to a T.
Psychotic Smirk: Sports a rather chilling one in Rouge after encouraging a random man to use the guillotine, only for the man to die on the spot just to make a point that the Sansons are the only ones who are able to execute people without a hint of emotion.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The serene, controlling blue to Marie's unconventional, defiant red.
Sanity Slippage: His mind unravels after the death of one of his sons, but he snaps out of it later with Marie's help.
Sex as a Rite-of-Passage: An interesting case, as Charles is around his early 20s when he has his first sexual encounter with Marie-Jeanne Becu, aka Madame du Barry. The rest of the trope applies as, after he sleeps with her, Charles feels as if he's now "powerful".
Screw Destiny: In Innocent, after saving Marie from being tortured further by Anne-Marthe, Charles declares that he and Marie will change the future. Unfortunately, see Turn Out Like His Father for why Charles does away with this belief for a while.
Slasher Smile: If you want to have nightmares tonight, then look at page.
2 + Torture = 5: When tortured by his father, Charles has some kind of lucid dream, and thinks he is dead. He quickly snaps out of it, though.
Turn Out Like His Father: Charles becomes very much like Jean-Baptiste regarding his desire to uphold family traditions, which occurs right after having his first sexual encounter with the future Madame du Barry. This is also shown when Charles uses the brodequin on his 3-year old son, Henri, for merely breaking the rule of never entering the torture room. Charles, like Jean-Baptiste, also is disappointed whenever his sons exhibit fear and disgust at being an executioner. Unlike his father, Charles-Henri is shown to be more sadistic and sneaky, prefering ruse to brute force.
Tender Tears: See Prone to Tears
You Can't Fight Fate: Earlier in the series, he strongly believes that when one is born into the Sanson family, they're either meant to become executioners themselves, or be married off and have children of their own. He gets better though.

Marie-Joseph Sanson

The youngest daughter and Charles' half-sister, Marie picks up an interest in executions and medicine at the age of five. At age 11, Marie becomes the Prevote de L'Hotel.

Action Mom: Marie later becomes this after having Zero, her child.
Affectionate Nickname: Marie is called "Little Marie" by her friend, lover, and as her second for a duel, chevalier D'Eon.
All of the Other Reindeer: The ostracization against Marie is doubled because of that fact that she started out as a young girl who was interested in decapitating and hanging folks.
Amazonian Beauty: In order to live up to the role of an executioner, she goes trough hard training from an early age. This ends with her developing a lean muscular physique, which further boosts her androgynous appearance. The cover artwork for Innocent Rouge's first volume showcases this in very suggestive manner◊.
Anti-Hero: She embodies the ideals of this trope much earlier than her brother and embraces it much more quickly, whereas Charles only gradually sinks into it as the harsh politics and realities of the French society gradually strips away his idealism.
Awesome Anachronistic Apparel: Actually her hair, mostly, all of which just scream 2010s high fashion. Combined with the manga's lavish artwork, they're beautiful to look at and accentuate her passionate rebellion against the patriarchal conventions of 1700s France.
The Ace: At just five years old, Marie was already dissecting and storing specimens just from overhearing her father's lectures.
Badass and Baby: Marie becomes this in one chapter; fighting off her brothers with one hand, while holding Zero in the other.
Black Sheep: Marie was first viewed as this by the rest of her family, since she's the only daughter who sincerely desires to become an executioner.
Blood Knight: Relishes splatting the heads of convicts on the platform, and is always ready for a good fight that gets her blood pumping.
Bodybag Trick: Chapter 87 of Rouge reveals that the real Marie-Joseph was put in the casket while the wax replica was placed on the guillotine. Afterwards, it was explained that the fake casket was buried while Marie escaped in a carriage, and left for England.
Breaking the Cycle of Bad Parenting: From how Marie and Zero interact with each other, it can be assumed that, unlike Charles', Marie raised Zero without repeating the abusive parenting style that she grew up under.
Bus Crash: In the final chapter of Innocent Rouge, Marie is revealed to have died from an illness offscreen.
Calling the Old Man Out: When little Marie was stepping up the platform to help Charles with Damiens' execution. When their grandmother demanded Marie to come down, Marie tells Anne-Marthe to can it, as unlike Marie, Anne-Marthe doesn't have Sanson blood running through her veins
Catchphrase: "This sucks," which she gradually dropped as she grew up.
Crazy-Prepared: At 6, Marie was already aware of how violent her grandmother could be. So Marie, sometime prior to being sent to the torture chamber, put suture needles in her hair, much to Anne-Marthe's shock. In Rouge, once Marie knew that Robespierre had set his sights on executing her, she wasted no time in ordering a life-size wax replica of herself in order to use it for her escape.
Creepy Child: After seeing Charles get tortured with the brodequin, Marie is already shown copying it on her "torture doll". She also exhibits this with her interest in hanging and killing people at age 5.
Crucified Hero Shot: In the music video, Marie, played by Nakashima Mika, is first shown in this pose on a cross covered in blue roses. The description for this image of Marie, made for a fashion exhibition, mentions how her pose is reminiscent of a crucifixion.
Cold-Blooded Torture: In chapter 86 of Innocent Rouge, Marie, after she and the Sansons are dragged out of the house by St. Juste and his army, is brutally and horrifyingly tortured through a combination of A Taste of the Lash, No-Holds-Barred Beatdown, and spiked weapons, for the "crime" of stirring up the royalist faction following Antoinette's execution - though it's actually because Robespierre fears that Marie will kill him. In the end, Marie is dragged by the army and then imprisoned in the Concierge. Much to St. Juste's chagrin, she never screams out even once.
Cruel to Be Kind: Marie says some very nasty things to Antoinette (who at this point, is in the Concierge as prisoner 280), in order rekindle Antoinette's determination.
Delinquent Hair: Marie has part of her hair cut off to symbolize her giving up being a woman in the pursuit of the Sanson family trade, and as symbol of her rebellion against the rigid gender roles of her society.
Doting Parent: Unusual and oftentimes very macabre parenting methods aside, she is surprisingly a genuinely loving mother to Zèro, her child.
Easily Forgiven: Despite having raped her husband, Jean-Louis, at one point and left without saying a word, Jean doesn't seem to bear ill will towards her.
Even the Girls Want Her: Perhaps despite, or because of, Marie-Joseph's masculine appearance, Marie Antoinette becomes infatuated with her shortly after they are introduced at the French-Austrian border.
Even Evil Has Standards: Despite being a sociopath, Marie clearly and openly detests misogynists as well as people who oppress and manipulate the lower classes. She also despises people who straight-up murdered innocent children just because they were poor and wanted an education.
- In one chapter of Innocent Rouge, even Marie's surprised when she sees that the criminal that she was ordered to capture wasn't a huge brute as she expected, but a young kid.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Marie develops a crush on Alain-Bernard when she was still a little girl. In Innocent Rouge, she admits to her brothers who are trying to kill her at that point, that she loves her child Zero more than anything else in the world. Aww.
Expository Hairstyle Change: For a short time in Innocent, after getting married, Marie appears with all of her hair cut off, symbolizing her destroying her ties with the rest of the Sanson family.
Expy: Marie is pretty much a blood-thirstier version of Oscar François de Jarjayes.
Femme Fatale: A more openly brutalversion of this trope. One of the earlier chapters in Innocent even includes those terms.
Freudian Excuse: While she was already somewhat sociopathic, it was Count De Luxe's heartless murder of Alain (as well as the children) that made her determined to take down the aristocracy at all costs.
Healthy in Heaven: Despite having admitted to Charles that she died of an illness, Marie's spirit still appears as beautiful and healthy as when she was alive.
Historical Character's Fictional Relative: Among the manga's array of well-researched historical characters, Marie is one of the few created almost entirely from scratch, which is most likely why the first manga deliberately scratched out her introductory name plate. Her career as an executioner is an amalgamation of Charles-Henri's and her other relatives' achievements in real life, such as her position as Prevote de l'Hotel, which was originally held by her uncle Nicolas and then Charles himself following their father's retirement, as well as her upcoming duty as the executioner of Marie Antoinette as teased in the first manga, which was carried out by her nephew Henri.
Icy Blue Eyes: Commented on by many characters as possessing these.
Important Haircut: Her usual 'do of a mohawk dates from when she orders her servant, Andre, to cut some of her hair off when she was 11, so that she'd have less trouble when she executed convicts. This also symbolized Marie throwing away the traditional "woman's role" of the era.
Inspirational Martyr: Marie becomes one following her "death" for the people of France. So much so that Marie-Joseph Sanson costumes are popular, and the ideas that Marie represented leads a man to shoot Robespierre.
It's All About Me: This mindset is made apparent during the end of Innocent, with Marie only caring about trying to obtain freedom, trying to separate herself from the Sansons, and her job as Prevote de L'Hotel. She gets better, somewhat.
Jacob Marley Apparel: While Marie's spirit isn't shown with the clothes that she died in, she is shown to wear the red, black ladder jacket that she wore as the Prevote de L'Hotel when she was alive.
Licking the Blade: Licks her sword in one chapter of Rouge after cutting off one of her step-brother's arms. In her defense, they were trying to kill her and her baby.
Little Miss Badass: Marie began as an executioner at only 11 years old, so it's no surprise to see her easily cut down some goons that lured her out to attack her.
Manipulative Bitch: Revealed to be The Chessmaster of several key events that led to the ruin of the Ancièn regime and kickstarted the Revolution, such as the Affair of the Diamond Necklace.
Man Bites Man: While dueling on horses with Fersen while trying to capture the Royal Family during the Flight to Varennes, Marie and Fersen cross swords with each other, and Fersen appears to have the upper hand due to his claymore. Marie then bites through Fersen's arm hard enough to bleed to have him lower his guard.
Madonna Archetype: A very bloody, dark example. The parallels are made obvious in chapters 43 and 44 of Rouge with Marie Symbolic Baptism baptizing her own child with the blood of a convicted man, and being freed from a mob as if she was pulled out from the sea; parallels of a Mystical Pregnancy, and, instead of being blessed by a dove, Marie and her baby are "cursed" by God with the appearance of a crow.
Marital Rape License: Raped her Gonk husband to conceive a child whom she named Zèro. Because she deliberately kept the entirety of her pregnancy a secret, no one batted a single eye at the whole affair and Marie herself had no further qualms about it. When the husband himself appears again before Marie's execution he bears no ill will towards his wife. Instead, he states his love and gratitude towards his "Little Marie" and is adamant in saving her life with the help of Charles and Andre.
Mobstacle Course: It's hard to get through a crowd at the crack of dawn to witness a historic execution, even harder when you're a little six year old girl. Fortunately, Marie quickly gets help by a bespectacled nun...
The Nose Knows: Is able to pick up the presence of Jacques and his group in one chapter by just their scent alone.
"Open!" Says Me: Easily kicks down the door to Andre's house after she at last finds him.
Parental Abandonment: Marie leaves Zero, along with the rest of her family behind, because it was the only way to escape Robespierre.
Pimped-Out Dress: The dress that Marie sometimes wears at Versailles is full of trimmings, frills and lace.
Precocious Crush: Developed a crush on the older Alain-Bernard when she was still a young girl.
Psycho for Hire: Marie is later hired by the Jacobins Club (later The Committee of Public Safety) to become their bodyguard for her skills. She's later given the nickname, "The Assassin of La Terreur".
Psychotic Smirk: Her go-to feature when she has a trick up her sleeve.
Put on a Bus: Zig-zagged. At first, it seemed that Marie escaped the England after her faked execution, only for her to make an appearance on the final page, seemingly healed. It then gets confirmed in chapter 88 that the Marie that the audience saw was a man dressed up as her, meaning that she she really left France for good.
Rage Against the Reflection: Punches her fist against a mirror that was passed down through generations, as her way of saying that she didn't want to follow the path that the previous ladies of house went through.
Rape as Drama: Marie has to perform sexual favors for an official in order to secure her position as Prevote De L'Hotel. He is eventually branded as a criminal, and Marie relishes her execution of him a bit too much, forcing her father to step in. When it turns out that Griffin would be the man that Marie would execute, she relishes on her revenge a bit too much.
Reunion Vow: Six year-old Marie makes one to her crush, Alain-Bernard, as race to see whose dream will come true first.
Screw Destiny: As opposed to Charles, this is what Marie strongly believes in; wanting to follow her own destiny rather than one that she's told to follow because Marie is a "woman".
My Secret Pregnancy: Does this on purpose and vanishes for a year, until Marie is called upon to help take part in an execution via breaking wheel.
Single Tear: The first time she's shown calmly tearing up is after she performed La Tour's execution, while saying goodbye to the big brother she loved and studied with. The next time this happens has more significance, as she sheds a tear while vowing to the recently killed Alain, the only man she ever loved, that she'll make his dream come true in her own way.
Smug Snake: Equally skeptical of both the Ancièn regime and the Revolutionaries, even though she staunchly supported the latter cause initially. After becoming disillusioned with what the Revolution has politically progressed to, she made a particularly dour remark about how the cause had been dominated by insecure men who use war and conflict as an excuse to inflate their fragile ego.
A Scar to Remember: The crest of the Sanson family was branded on Marie's chest by her own grandmother at just six years old.
Start of Darkness: While she was already fairly sociopathic, it was Count De Luxe's murder of Alain that made her determined to tear the system down at all costs.
Slasher Smile: Loves to use this type towards people she plans to kill.
Sociopathic Hero
Sour Outside, Sad Inside: This is mostly apparent in Innocent in the chapter where Charles defends himself during a sham trial. Charles tries to convince Marie that he's a changed man, telling her that all of humanity is good and everyone cares for each other, but she rebukes him, saying that all humans are dirty and exist to destroy each other, and that she'd rather focus on her job as the Prevote de L'Hotel than get involved with others' affairs. Keep in mind that Marie's around 12 - 13 years old during this period.
Third-Person Person: Sometimes refers to herself as "Marie" as she grew older.
This Means Warpaint: Before busting the Enrages' secrete meeting, Marie applies some black makeup/paint over her eyes.
Tantrum Throwing: Is shown at one point in the midst of chopping a downy pillow to shreds out of anger of not toying with Griffin as Marie wanted.
Tomboy and Girly Girl: The tomboy to Marie Antoinette's girly girl.
Toxic Friend Influence: Downplayed; but when Marie was Antoinette's bodyguard during her days as the Dauphine, Marie was the one who convinced Antoinette to publicly snub Madame du Barry, an act that almost brought about the beginning of a war between Austria and France.
The Unapologetic: Marie never once apologizes towards any of the things that she did, in contrast to Charles who, at least in the beginning, Apologizes a Lot. This is especially infuriating during the Red Versailles arc where Marie has a sexual relationship with Marie Antoinette, which almost ends the marriage alliance because of Antoinette's refusal to acknowledge Du Barry.
Unexplained Recovery: In chapter 87, after Marie had seemingly escaped France she's shown in the last page of said chapter completely recovered from her wounds. Given the short time span between October of 1793 and June 10th of 1794, as well as Marie appearing to have no scars at all, it becomes clear, and later confirmed that that's not Marie at all.
Villain Protagonist: Can be this at times.
When She Smiles: The few times that Marie's smiles aren't from being smug or relishing in executions; they're either heartwarming or heartbreaking.
Wig, Dress, Accent: With the right wig and dress, and some makeup, Marie, chillingly, looks a lot like her late grandmother.

Sanson Family and Associates

Charles Jean-Baptiste Sanson

The third Monsieur de Paris at the beginning of "Innocent".

Abusive Parents: Uses the brodequin on Charles for opposing his eventual fate as the fourth Monsieur de Paris. He is also emotionally abusive.
Adaptational Villainy: A minor exemple. The man presented in the "Memoires", as well as historical evidence suggest that Jean-Baptiste was a very callous, apathetic and hardened man, with a generous yet strict personality. Some historians also speculate that he had a harsh personality and was quite cruel to convicts (for exemple, using them to let his clumsy eldest son to do handy work). However, in "Innocent", he's very much physically abusive to his boy to the point of near death (although his motives to do so are almost noble) and the level of psychological abuse he puts Charles' through is disturbing, even for the time period. Oh, and he has the vices of his book counterpart.
For Your Own Good: Used this "reasoning"while punishing Charles with the brodequin early on in the series.
Follow in My Footsteps: Forces Charles to become the fourth Monsieur de Paris.
Handicapped Badass: Despite his state, not only did Jean-Baptiste avoided the nails that stuck up on the platform, but he also successfully executed Griffin with one strike, just as he promised.
I Want My Mommy!: Played for drama after the stress of being an executioner gets too much for Baptiste.
Mama's Boy: When he has a breakdown, Jean quickly clings to Anne-Marthe for comfort. This all stems from Anne-Marthe coddling and even breast-feeding Baptiste when he was past infancy, as as way to control him.
Not So Stoic: Besides the above mentioned breakdown, Jean's also shown at one point to be crying after Charles' punishment, and in the forbidden study, Charles' finds out that it holds many crosses to represent each life that was taken, meaning that Jean wept and broke down out of guilt in private.
Pet the Dog: For what it's worth he DID save Jacques Damiens life when he was a child (a child he did not agree to have in his house, mind you). Earlier in the manga, he did defend his son from a lynching mob, although the motivation is far more selfish.
Put on a Bus: After successfully executing Griffin, Jean-Baptiste is sent away to recuperate from his illness.
The Stoic: Usually puts, whenever he is able to, a cold-hearted, wise and emotionless face to the world.
Torture Technician: Uses the boot on Charles, and given his son's short recovery time compared to the pain he suffered and the fact Jean-Baptiste can estimate the time Charles can still endure before his heart stops, gives hints that this is not his first time doing so.
Why Couldn't You Be Different?: Expresses his disappointment of Charles-Henri's weak-willed reaction to executions while knowing that Charles is within earshot, as well as saying this while impregnating his wife.
Younger Than He Looks: Despite being only in his mid-thirdies, Jean-Baptiste already has heart problems and is prone to violent headaches. In the colored illustration showing his protrait, his hair is already completely gray.

Anne-Marthe

The "Iron Law" of the Sansons. She is the mother of Jean-Baptiste and grandmother of Charles-Henri and Marie.

Abusive Parents: Anne-Marthe uses quite heavy and...original corporal punishments, mostly by a small but sharp wheel to inflict small wounds over a large surface and once branded her own grand-daughter. While it is unknown if she physically abused Jean-Baptiste, she did impede his healthy development (to the point that he stayed a "Mommy's boy" as an adult),emotionally manipulates him (to the point that he thinks it is acceptable to do so) and neglected her youngest son Nicolas-Gabriel.
Animal Motifs: Anne-Marthe is compared to a spider at times: always watching and wanting to trap those she wishes to control in her web
Female Misogynist: Is revealed to be this after seeing Marie go up on the platform to help Charles with the ecartelement. Staunchly believing that men and women can never be equal, Anne-Marthe punishes Marie by branding the Sanson crest onto her chest.
Hands-Off Parenting: Claims that she "accidentally" raised Nicolas like this because of his firm character.
Hidden Depths: One chapter gives the readers a look into Anne-Marthe's worldview of the Sansons' position, and women's role in society.
Iron Lady: She is first portrayed to be as the backbone of the Sanson family. However, her true colors are shown after her grand-daughter, Marie-Joseph, stepped up on the platform.
Manipulative Bitch: Manipulates both of her sons: Jean-Baptiste through coddling, and Nicolas by praising his work on preparations for an execution. Nicolas sees right through and tells her straight that he'll become the next Monsieur de Paris, not Charles.
My Beloved Smother: Has shades of this, especially when manipulating Jean-Baptiste to do what she wants.
Put on a Bus: Following Marie scarring Anne-Marthe's face, the woman became more solemn and eventually left the Sanson mansion to marry a gardener.

Nicolas-Charles-Gabriel Sanson

The second son of Anne-Marthe and the little brother to Jean-Baptiste. In Innocent, Nicolas tried to become the next Monsieur de Paris, before shutting himself up in a monastary.

Cool Uncle: The first thing that comes to Charles' mind when he sees Nicolas is the Christmas gifts that he sent to him when he was younger. Nicolas also jokes that he'd normally decline to help for an execution, unless it's for his "cute little nephew".
Childhood Friends: With Andre Legris.
Evil Uncle: Downplayed.It's the role he plays in the plot of the third volume. Nicolas is presented in the manga as a schemer who uses very cruel means to attempt to take his brother's and nephew's place. However, he doesn't wish them harm personally.
I Just Want to Be Loved: Nicolas' attempt to usurp Charles-Henri to become the Monsieur de Paris all stem from his desire to gain his mother's love.
Lonely Rich Kid: While he did connect with Jean-Baptiste on one level, Nicolas was mostly this due to his mother not giving him any affection growing up.
Sibling Rivalry: Wants to obtain his brother's position as head executioner of Paris. Fails miserably.
The Only One I Trust: After Andre says to his master that their lacking supplies for the execution, Nicolas says to Andre that the rest of the assistants work under Jean-Baptist, then says words for word.
Taking the Veil: A male example. Nicolas becomes a monk after being unable to go through Damiens' execution.
The Un-Favorite: Because he is the second-born, Nicolas wasn't given much maternal affection compared to Baptiste, and tried to sabotage the ecartelement so that Nicolas can become the next Monsieur de Paris and finally be accepted in his mother's eyes.
"Well Done, Son" Guy: Was always trying to get his mother's love, ever since he was a boy, because she would rather focus on Jean-Baptiste.

Jean-Louis Sanson

The only, morbidly obese, son of Nicolas. Marie marries him in order to continue working as the Prevote de L'Hotel.

11thHourRanger: Doesn't make another appearance until close to the end of Rouge to help with the plan of saving Marie from getting executed.
Crazy Jealous Guy: Seeing Andre talking close to Marie was enough for Jean to throw a cake at Andre's face
Fat Bastard
Fat Slob: Whenever he makes an appearance, he's always shown surrounded by plates of various meals, and stains on his face and shirt.
Formerly Fat: As a result of searching high and low for Marie following her "disappearance", Jean lost all of his weight and is now a fit man.
Gonk: It's a given, since he's morbidly obese.
Loving a Shadow: Seems to be this case, as in chapter 86 of Rouge, when Jean-Louis has changed so much that he's no longer obese, he claims that Marie was the only person who accepted him when he was in that ugly state.
Uncanny Family Resemblance: Jean-Louis finally appears again in chapter 87 as an extremely fit man, looking almost exactly like his father now.

Andre Legris

Originally the personal attendant of Nicolas-Gabriel Sanson, Andre later become the servant of Marie-Joseph Sanson.

Adaptational Badass: He's actually shown to be able to fight against Jacques in Innocent Musicale.
Bodyguarding a Badass: In times of danger, Marie is usually the one who cuts the villains down.
Beware the Nice Ones: He shuts Charles down during the beginning of Damiens’ ecartelement, telling him that the next Monsieur de Paris will be Nicolas-Gabriel Sanson.
- During the raid against Jacques and his group, Andre was prepared to shoot down Jacques. He didn't, or rather he couldn't, on the account of one of Jacques' men threatening to shoot Marie if Andre did so. When Andre appears with reinforcements at the start of the chapter, "Mad World", he charged at Jacques with no hesitation....until he was faced with Jacques' new leg.
Childhood Friends: With Nicolas.
Clean Up Crew: It's stated in an extra chapter that discussed the real-life locations and people that some of the characters were based off, that one of Andre's duties is to help dispose of bodies after executions.
Declaration of Protection: Twice; the first time is directed to Nicolas while Andre's trying to get the necessary materials for Damiens' execution, and the the second time is directed to Marie after her wedding, saying that he'll go through any lengths to protect her until Andre can obtain Marie's "true freedom".
Disease Bleach: Andre's bangs later become completely white due to living in the slums for 8 years.
Expy: A servant named Andre who serves a blonde woman wearing men's clothes on the eve of the French Revolution? Where have we heard that before?
Eating the Eye Candy: In the opening scenes of chapter 43 of Innocent, Andre can't stop staring at Marie's body while helping her get dressed. Marie has to call out to him twice to snap out of it and give him her jacket. She's 11.
Finger on Lips: When Marie suggests that the fate of any king that doesn't honor the "social contract" is the execution platform, Andre makes this gesture.
Happiness in Slavery: He is content to be a servant for the rest of his life. In his words:
"I have long served Lord Baptiste and Lord Nicolas, so I have no misconceptions about my own position. For all eternity, a master is a master, and a servant is a servant...."
Historical Hero Upgrade: Andre Legris was mentioned in the Sanson Memoirs only once as the man who tore of the flesh of Damiens for 100 sols. Here, Andre does much more than aid with an ecartelement.
It Has Been an Honor: After releasing Marie from the torture chamber, Andre says this with the expectation that he'll never see nor serve her again.
Loyal to the Position: After Nicolas-Gabriel Sanson left to become a monk after his failure to continue Damiens' execution, Andre becomes the attendant of the new Prevote De L'Hotel: Marie-Joseph Sanson
Mysterious Past: Not much is known about how he became a servant or how he reacted to serving young executioners when he himself was just a boy. The fact that Andre served the Sansons every since he was young, as well as the fact that he moves to the slums instead of moving with a relative, suggests that Adopt-a-Servant was at play.
No Badass to His Valet: He’s able to handle Marie’s personality because he served her ever since she became an executioner at the age of 11
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: After freeing Marie from the torture chamber, Andre brings this upon himself by coming forward about his crime off-screen, resulting in getting fired.
Older Than They Look: Like the rest of the male characters drawn by Shinichi, Andre continues to appear as a young man despite most likely being in his 60's or 70's by 1793.
Old Retainer: Considered to be this, since he served both Jean-Baptiste and Nicolas-Gabriel Sanson prior to serving Marie.
Punished for Sympathy: See No Good Deed Goes Unpunished for the above explanation.
Time-Passage Beard: Andre sports quite the scruff after a Time Skip of 8 years following Marie's execution of La Tour, along with Exhausted Eyebags.
Third-Person Person: While not as often as his master, Marie Joseph, Andre refers to himself in third-person in his thoughts. This is most likely as a form of showing humility as a servant.
Undying Loyalty: He is deeply loyal to the Sanson family and Marie.

Jeanne Gabrielle Berger

Second wife of Jean-Baptiste.—-

Baby Factory: Her main role in the family seems to be getting baring children whenever it fits her husband's plans. Together they had ten children, seven of whom survived to adulthood.
Coitus Uninterruptus: Her and Jean-Baptiste are into one such event as Jean-Baptiste tries to impregnate her. He isn't too bothered by the fact his son saw it, probably to show his contempt for him.

Louis-Charles-Martin Sanson

The third child of Jean-Baptiste, and the first he had with his second wife, Jeanne Berger.

Adaptational Heroism: Maybe it is all thanks to him being a very minor character with not a lot of story shown, but the real Martin tried to become a Hanging Judge on top of his job as executioner(and of course, he arranged the verdict to his benefit) during the Revolution, or mostly was pushed by his wife into this position. Here in the manga he is shown as a devoted son and brother, if a slightly creepy one. Although, look at Would Hurt a Child down below.
Annoying Younger Sibling: Comments about how awesome it is to dissect people, with his squeemish older brother present and ready to puke at any moment. Downplayed, as it is unknown if made Charles uncomfortable of purpose. He grew out of it, and became quite helpful during difficult executions (such as the one of Louis XVI).
Creepy Child: An adorable and obedient boy, who is very happy about dissections. Make of that what you will.
Would Hurt a Child: When it's revealed that Marie had a baby in the year that she disappearedwhile they're trying to kill her, he and Louis-Cyr-Charlemagne don't hesitate to turn their axes towards the child, Zero as well.

Louis-Cyr-Charlemagne Sanson

Adaptational Heroism: Downplayed, since he isn't really devellopped as a character, but his real life counter part married and had children with his own niece. (Even by XVIII century standards, it was considered pretty disgusting behavior).
Adaptational Villainy: He tries to kill his own sister Marie. His Real Life counterpart was a diplomat who defended the interests of his colleagues who were threatened by the reforms of the French Revolution, and allowed the son from his second marriage to embrace the profession of locksmith and did his best to financially support him after the buisness failed due to his lineage of infamy.
An Arm and a Leg: His right arm gets easily cut off by Marie while he's trying to kill her and her baby.
Artificial Limbs: gains a metal, articulated arm after Marie hacked his original arm off
Scars Are Forever: Sports a garish one on the right side of his head because he touched Marie's torture doll without asking her first.

Henri Sanson

Charles-Henri's eldest son and designated heir into the executioner trade.

Forced to Watch: Is forced by his mother to observe, at the age of 10, his father break the bones of a convict on the breaking wheel. [[Main/Fainting Henri faints afterwards from the shock]].
Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Later grows out his hair as he got older.
Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Is the responsible one to Gabriel's foolish. Henri doesn't skip his training nor arrives late for executions, and takes care of his father when the latter became mad - because Gabriel killed himself shortly before. In short, Henri doesn't get into half as much trouble as his younger brother.

Gabriel Sanson

Charles-Henri's youngest son.

Driven to Suicide: After witnessing the execution of Pierre, a perfume maker's apprentice who was falsely accused of anti-revolutionary actions, Gabriel takes Pierre's head, kisses his lips, and throws himself off the platform. However, it's not the fall that kills Gabriel, but a bayonet that pierces his chest throw that does the deed. See Historical Hero Upgrade below.
Foregone Conclusion: The narration wastes no time introducing him as the one who'll die the earliest among his present family members.
Historical Hero Upgrade: A lesser example; in the manga, he deliberately committed suicide as a form of protest against his fate as an executioner's son and the hypocrisy of politics during the Reign of Terror; in Real Life, Gabriel Sanson's death merely appeared to be a very clear case of fatal workplace accident, as the guillotine platform was slippery with blood and had no railings until his death tragically proved the necessity of its addition.
I Die Free: Gabriel dies knowing that he'd no longer have to suffer being an executioner, or be scolded by his father.
Long-Haired Pretty Boy: He has very beautiful long blond hair.

Zero Sanson

Marie's young child who wears an iron mask

Ambiguous Gender Identity: Enforced, as Marie raised them without society's restriction of genders in mind. Even Zero doesn't know if they're a boy or a girl, though that doesn't stop them from enjoying their life.
Anatomy Anomaly: Zero was born with an extra tooth. Having supernumerary teeth in ancient times usually meant that that person was persecuted by the rest of society for disturbing harmony.
Awesome Anachronistic Apparel: Much like their mother, Zero's outfit (a shirt with a modern-looking corset and skirt) is ahead of the era. Zero's outfit by the end is even more so, as they wear a pair of flared pants, platform boots, a corset and an even frillier skirt.
Big Eater: Zero loves food, just like their father. Particularly enjoys bread in general.
Bulletproof Human Shield: They're used as this by Marie when they were a baby to stop the axes of her brothers chop them to pieces. Zero didn't mind it one bit.
Calling Parents by Their Name: Zero always speak to Marie, their mother, on a First-Name Basis. This is in contrast with Jean-Louis, whom Zero lovingly refers to him as "Papa" at the end of Rouge, before setting off on their journey.
Child Of Rape: They're the product of Marie raping Jean-Louis Sanson, her husband, before she left the mansion for a year.
Classy Cane: Aside from their suitcase, this is what Zero also carries as they leave the Nicolas Sanson estate to see what else the world has in store.
Cool Mask: The iron mask that Zero wears, ever since they're an infant, resembles a knight's helmet.
Creepy Child: Downplayed. The only things that can be considered "creepy" is their desire to use the guillotine someday, and their mask.
Crocodile Tears: As an infant, Zero does this in order to warn Marie that a group of people were heading to the place where she, and her brothers, are fighting at. Marie just thinks that Zero is crying because they're hungry.
Dark Is Not Evil: While their face is obscured, they wear dark colors and express their desire to use the guillotine some day, Zero is a kind child.
Dissonant Serenity: Despite helping out with executions, Zero's always cool about it.
Dramatic Unmask: After witnessing Marie's brutal torture from St. Juste and his army in chapter 86, Zero unlocks the hinges of their mask to remove it. Their face is shown completely in the following chapter.
Elegant Gothic Lolita: Their main outfit, which consists of a corset, coat, and ruffled skirt, is this. The outfit that they wear as they head off on a journey during the final chapter of Rouge, is more so. Their skirt event contains loads of patterns and frills.
The Faceless: A given because of their mask, though earlier on, one of Zero's eyes is visible. Their face becomes completely visible after Zero's Dramatic Unmask.
Generation Xerox: Much like their mother, Zero also is interested with executing people one day.
Girlish Pigtails: Besides the dress that they sometimes wear, this hairstyle is why many people, at first glance, mistake Zero as a girl.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Unlike the rest of the Sansons, Zero is really the only relative that doesn't have a bad bone in their body.
Hime Cut: They have blunt bangs and cheek length sidelocks that go with the Elegant Gothic Lolita outfit they wear as they grew up.
Hope Bringer: This is essentially Zero's role, as they represent the hope for the coming century.
The Heart: Because they were able to calm down the heart of the last king of France, right as Zero walks with him to the execution platform, Zero becomes the "masked angel of the Sansons".
I Got Bigger: In the final chapter of Rouge, a time skip occurs that shows the fate of Zero: 12 year-old Zero setting off on their journey after seeing a meteor shower,with the desire to see what the new world will bring.
Messianic Archetype: Shows shades of this with being Wise Beyond Their Years, having been "baptized" by the blood of a convicted man, their birth being a parallel to a Mystical Pregnancy, was "cursed", along with Marie, with a crow by God because of the path that they were making, makes a reference to the Holy Eucharist by saying that the bread they were offering to Louis XVI, who was about to executed is Zero's flesh, has been illustrated in one page to have a Holy Halo, and is compared to Michelangelo's Christ from the La Pieta sculpture by Charles-Henri.
- The comparison comes from the fact that Zero, like Christ in the sculpture, has a set of 33 teeth. Charles theorizes that the reason might be as a way to symbolize Christ's bearing of humanity's original sin.
Mx.Imagination: While with Marie on a cart to have Louis' body buried at Madeline cemetery as quickly as possible, Zero sees the hordes of people "turn" into giant stone monsters. Zero appropriately shouts that they're being chased by "golems".
The Pollyanna: According to Sakamoto Shinichi for his illustrations in November's issue of SPUR, he comments that Zero's a strongly spirited character who never stopped smiling even amidst a chaotic and bloody time period, making them this.
P.O.V. Cam: Some events are portrayed through Zero's perspective several times throughout Rouge: during the Versailles Execution Incident, seeing sparks from the axes flying as Marie was fighting, viewing a group of people coming over to where Marie and her brothers were - stopping their fight, and the bloody trail that was left after Marie was beaten, crucified, and taken by St. Juste's army.
Proper Tights with a Skirt: Comes with the outfit that they wear whenever they're required to assist with the guillotine.
Uncanny Family Resemblance: Once their mask is finally removed, Zero's face is shown to be the spitting image of Marie from when she was a girl.
Tastes Like Friendship: This is literally how Zero was able to make friends with Charles-Henri. Zero also shares bread with Louis XVI in order to comfort him.
Zero, after witnessing the more successful guillotine experiment, holds out a piece of bread to Charles while eating some: Here, have this.
A plaque with Zero's face on it: Zero and Charles-Henri Sanson became friends.
Trademark Favorite Food: Zero is seldom seen without eating a roll of bread.
Viewer Gender Confusion: In-universe by other characters due to Zero's "feminine" appearance, but this trope is also at play by readers who aren't familiar with the Innocent series, and thus, they mistake Zero to be a girl.
Wise Beyond Their Years: A result of witnessing the revolution growing up, as well as having Marie-Joseph Sanson as their mother.
What the Hell, Hero?: Points out Charles' hypocrisy of mourning the recent death of his son, Gabriel, but not mourning for convict who has been execution just moments ago.
Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: They exhibited this mostly when they were a baby, such as laughing in the face of danger (the Versailles Execution Incident and the Sanson's assassination attempt at Marie), or laughing while walking out of a pile of horse guts. Zero also presents some other traits as they got older, such as their desire to use the guillotine, and their lack of reacting while seeing the September Massacres happening right below the window of their and Marie's apartment.

Charles Henri de Longeval

A soldier who was stationed at Dieppe. His fate changes completely after he meets a woman named Marguerite....

Strong Family Resemblance: He looks exactly like Charles (the 4th Monsieur de Paris), save for having shorter hair.
Childhood Friend Romance: The Memoirs begin with Charles de Longeval running away with his childhood sweetheart, Colombes, so that they can be together. This doesn't last....
Distracted by the Sexy: Is easily found staring at Marguerite because of her beauty....and her bust that appears to barely fit her bodice.
Dude, She's Like in a Coma: Despite just fighting her cousin about violating Marguerite in her sleep, instead of earning her love, Charles goes to Marguerite's room and rapes her himself. He quickly feels guilty over it, and it's revealed that Marguerite wasn't sleeping at all.....

Marguerite Jouenne

The beautiful daughter of an executioner. She nurses Charles back to health after seeing him get almost struck by lightning.

All According to Plan: While on her deathbed, Marguerite admits to Charles de Longeval that having him sleep with her, follow the path of an executioner and start a family were part of her plan. See Lonely Together below.
Age Lift: The "Mémoires des Sanson" had Marguerite Jouenne mentioned as "fillette", which translates to "little girl" or "barely pubecent girl". In the manga, her mole and large chest implies that she's an adult.
And Now You Must Marry Me: Ropes Charles de Longeval into sleeping with her, then marrying her because she wanted a man, any man, to marry her with blood as cursed as hers.
Beautiful Dreamer: In one chapter, Marguerite appears to have been knocked out by taking a drug that was given to her with the purpose of Charles' cousin to rape her. It's revealed later that she only pretended to be asleep in order to lure Charles into having sex with her.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: While she may look like a sweet, virtuous daughter, don't be fooled. Beneath that mask, Marguerite planned to make Charles de Longeval her lover, and would go to great lengths to make sure that he becomes hers.
Blood from the Mouth: Starts coughing up large amounts of blood following the birth of her son.
Buxom Beauty Standard: She has a prominent bust that appears to be on the verge of slipping from her bodice. As it turns out, this was a way to tempt Charles into sleeping with her.
Dies Wide Open: The final panel of Marguerite shows that she died as such, surrounded by the blood she coughed up.
Dying Curse: While it's not until a few years later that she dies, Marguerite does spit out a "curse" towards every last woman of the Sanson family who wishes for freedom.
Hope Is Scary: Or rather "freedom" is scary. This is all rooted to stumbling upon her older sister's gutted, strung up corpse in a forest while searching for her. The reason that Marguerite's sister ended up as such? It's all because Marguerite's sister dared to escape the life as an executioner's daughter by running away with her lover. And so, Marguerite is left with the impression that being an executioner's daughter, and an executioner's wife, is the only path she can follow.
Lonely Together: The main, twisted reason why Marguerite dragged Charles down with the fate of an executioner was so that she can cope with the loneliness with someone else.
The Vamp: Marguerite is revealed to be more like this by the end of the "Memoire des Sanson" arc.

The Royal Family

Louis XV

Dirty Old Man: Loved to indulge in his mistresses so much it defined his character in the whole manga. Take a quick guess at what his last actions were mere moments before dying from smallpox. Repenting his ostentatious lifestyle? No. Reciting prayers? No. Simply go out wordlessly, the way he did in Real Life? Also no. Seconds before dying, what he just had to do of all things possible was grope Madame du Barry's breasts and make "Adieu,Boobies..." the last word he ever uttered in this world.
Everyone Has Standards: Immediately overturns Count De Luxe's pardon when he learns the true nature of the man's crimes despite it being his Mistress's wish that De Luxe live. He even says "nothing can excuse a crime of this magnitude even if you are a friend of Madame Du Barry".
Reasonable Authority Figure: Somewhat. While he is a Dirty Old Man, he shows open disgust when he learns that De Luxe is in fact a mass murderer who killed children out of classist hatred. Despite being very enamored with his mistress Madame du Barry who wished for De Luxe's pardon, he overturns it so De Luxe can be punished for his actions.
The Hedonist: Doesn't spend a lot of time on his Kingly duties. He'd rather party and sleep around, leaving the boring stuff to his advisors.

Louis Auguste (Louis XVI)

Crazy Jealous Guy: Shows shades of this early on as Dauphin, knowing that Marie Antoinette has been going out every night to see "that man" - really Marie Joseph Sanson. He becomes much more so during the Flight to Varennes, jealous that, while he's the king of France and married to Antoinette, she and Fersen will no doubt be sleeping with each other once the family arrives to Belgium.
Death Seeker: He's been pretty resigned to the whole concept of mortality since a very young age, owing to the death of his father, his sickly constitution and general dissatisfaction with the shallow adults that surrounded him. This is why he grew very quickly attached to Charles-Henri, whom he tenderly calls his "Grim Reaper".
Face Death with Dignity: After being helped out by Zero, Louis ascends up the platform with his head held up
Family Man: Despite Marie Antoinette's suspected unfaithfulness, he treats her with the respect deserving of the mother of his children, whom he also loves very much.
Historical Beauty Update: Big time. The portly, red-faced Louis XVI we all know in history gets a massive beauty overhaul treatment in this manga as a curly golden-haired lanky Pretty Boy.
It Has Been an Honor: He and Charles-Henri, two people who shared a friendship since Louis was a little boy, share one last "adieu" before the blade drops.
Mr. Imagination: In a darker example, Louis once tried to pretend how he'd look like if he died, after being inspired from reading a book of about Emperor Caeser's passing. Another example: While waiting for Charles-Henri to show up to the luncheon, little Louis Auguste imagines whimsical things after questioning to himself whether a monarchy is really needed if the nobles and royals have red blood like everyone else, such as a lady's hairpiece actually being a butterfly, and that the fancy tiled floor that he's on is actually part of the back of a giant turtle
Reasonable Authority Figure: Desperately tries to be this, but as was the case with his historical counterpart, he lacks the necessary charisma and leadership skills to do so.
Shrinking Violet: From childhood he was uncomfortable in social settings, never having quite developed the charisma and people skills like his grandfather Louis XV. His marriage and coronation did little to alleviate this: at parties he is frequently seen sitting by himself like a shy schoolboy rather than the king of France. Granted, it is somewhat alleviated with the birth of his children who give him personal incentive to behave more "kingly" as a father and authoritative figure.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Louis reveals himself to a man who stopped him to ask if he was really the king of France, completely by accident. This slip-up was what eventually sealed the fates of the royal family.

Marie Antoinette

The last queen of the Ancien Regime.

Adaptational Sexuality: In spite of numerous salacious rumors spread by her political enemies and the French public to disparage her reputation, there is not proof in real life that Marie Antoinette engaged in affairs with women, and, in fact, her only confirmed affair is the one she had with (the male) Count Axel von Fersen. In this story, she begins an affair (at the age of 14) with Marie.
Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Despite being separated from the rest of her family, living in a filthy cell and having very little furniture and clothes, Antoinette still remains beautiful.
Big Ol' Eyebrows:Has a large pair of brows, though they don’t diminish her beauty in any way.
Borrowed Catchphrase: Uses Marie's "This sucks" a couple of times when she was the Dauphine.
Defiant to the End: While drinking some of the sludge water from the Seine as part of the deal with Marie to escape the Concierge, Antoinette realizes that she’d rather die as the Queen of France than live a harsh life in which her children might die, their corpses floating in the Seine.
Dying Smirk: Gives a soft one to Marie while "apologizing" for "accidentally" stepping on her foot.
Eyelid Pull Taunt: She never makes this gesture within Innocent per say, however Antoinette is shown doing this on one of the volume covers, and in one panel in the "Queen Antoinette Visits the Mona Lisa" oneshot. The closest that this is done in Innocent is a puppet version of her making this gesture once her strings were "cut" after seeing Marie Joseph again - igniting her desire to do things her own way.
Foregone Conclusion: There’s not much that can be done to avoid her tragic fate.
Graceful Loser: After finally speaking to Madame du Barry, and therefore acknowledging her presence at court, Antoinette appears much more calmer.
The Gambling Addict: Much like her real-life counterpart, Marie Antoinette is also shown to be gambling. This addiction completly disappears after she's lost interest, along with being pregnant, but finds a new hobby: having a sexual affair with Fersen.
Gallows Humor: Before eventually getting beheaded by Marie Joseph Sanson, Antointte gives her executioner one last prank by "accidentally" stepping on Marie's foot.
Odd Friendship: With Marie of all people.
Parental Favouritism: In the manga, while being welcomed by the people of Paris, she notes that nobody back home paid much attention to her because she was the youngest daughter.
Rebellious Princess: Was this as the Dauphine, no thanks to Marie's influence, but mellowed out after she finally acknowledged Madame Du Barry.
Regal Ringlets: Her go-to hair style. Averted in chapters 79 to 81 of Innocent Rouge, where, during the scenes where Antoinette's presented as a high school girl, her hair is straight.
Sadistic Choice: In chapter 80 of Innocent Rouge, during the "high school" sequence, Antoinette is given a choice by Marie to either be the one to execute her own friend, Elisabeth, or get killed herself. This is paralleled with the choice to either die or drink a bottle filled with disgusting water from the Seine to "purify" Antoinette's "blue blood".
Married Too Young: As was common in royal houses and nobility, Antoinette and Louis XVI got married as teenagers in an Arranged Marriage.
Marital Rape License: Following Marie's advice of "if she wants something then she should take it", Antoinette tried to consummate her and Louis marriage when she was still Dauphine....despite him not wanting it at all.It works as well as you'd expect.
Pimped-Out Dress: As the Dauphine, and later Queen, she's seldom seen without one.
Take a Third Option: In chapter 81, Highschool!Antoinette refuses to execute Elisabeth in exchange for her freedom because she'd never live with the guilt. Determined, Antoinette pushes through the crowd, and jumps over the railing, preferring to live in paradise rather than face a world that is ugly and filthy.
Spiteful Spit: Spews back a mouthful of the filthy Seine water that she drank, to Marie Joseph, as her way of refusing of the plan to escape and live out the rest of her days as a commoner.
The Unfavorite: Downplayed, Antoinette was born into privilege as an Austrian princess, however, when she made her debut in France, she notes how she wasn't given as this much attention back home because she was the youngest daughter.

Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orleans

A cousin of Louis XVI; he schemes to take the throne from him.

Foregone Conclusion: Philippe will later be guillotined in November of 1793.
The Hedonist: Enjoys having fun with men and women
Kangaroo Court: Used Louis Auguste's invitation of Charles-Henri to create a trial that would result in Philippe becoming Dauphin instead of his cousin. This is foiled by Charles' self defense and the defendant's lawyer acting out of line.
Off with His Head!: Averted completely, and it's not Philippe who is beheaded (yet). After stabbing the lawyer, Etienne, straight through his throat in order to prevent any more damage to the French army, Philippe, with the help of Larme, cut off Etienne's head. Compared to the Sansons, who are able to decapitate a head in one strike, this decapiation is extremely messy and rough, resulting in Philippe, Larme, and the tiled floor to be soaked in blood.

Others

Alain-Bernard

Marie's first love.

Disposable Woman: Male example. Alain is shot by De Luxe. His death is what drives Marie to stick to the path of an executioner, and take down the aristocracy no matter what.
Master Swordsman: Overpowers Count De Luxe when they first meet.
Too Good for This Sinful Earth: Even Marie is rather fond of him.
Wide-Eyed Idealist: Despite having been on the receiving end of abuse he genuinely believes he can make the world a better place. It doesn't end well for him.

Blanka

A small,snow-white monkey that was owned by Alain, and later Marie.

Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: Marie gives Blanka Alain's ribbon to wear following his death and the execution of Latour and his men.
Amplified Animal Aptitude: Has a few more human qualities than most animals, such as covering her face when Marie is about to kiss De Luxe.
Animal Companion: A little monkey that joined Alain while he was traveling.
Crafted from Animals: It's revealed in chapter 87 that Jean-Louis Sanson made a necklace with Blanka's skull as the center-piece.
Expy: Remove the giant puffball tail, and you have Amedio, another snow-white monkey with a dark complexion who serves as the companion to the protagonist from 3000LeaguesInSearchOfMother!
What Happened to the Mouse??:Following the "red snow" incident, Blanka is never seen nor mentioned again, though see the above trope for her fate.

Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy

An illegitimate descendent of the Valois family who went from a street beggar to a prostitute to the Comtesse de la Motte.

Dominatrix: During her time as a prostitute she was known for some serious BDSM, and her customers seemed to love it.
Gold Digger: Whether a slum dweller or a blue blood, her number one priority was making money
Karma Houdini: This woman managed to survive execution TWICE then ran away to England, never fully paying for her crimes for lying about Marie Antoinette. Averted in Real Life, where she fell out of a window while hiding from debt collectors in England.
Interplay of Sex and Violence: Was noted by the rest of the slums to be the person that one came to when regular sex wasn't enough.
Social Climber: Always believing she was a descendent of royalty (which apparently she was) she saw most people as beneath her, and dreamed of being at the top of court society.
The Oldest Profession: The best way to survive in the slums of Paris for a woman was to be a prostitute.
The Trickster: Used her wits to survive on the street, then as an adult often lied about being a friend of Marie Antoinette, which she used as the ringleader in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace.

Cardinal de Rohan

A religious figure from a high-ranking and prosperous family, his obsession with Marie Antoinette led to him being a pawn of the Comtesse de la Motte in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace.

Abhorrent Admirer: This guy is rather disgustingly obsessed with Marie Antoinette, whereas she couldn't care less.
Dirty Old Man: Marie Antoinette is his obsession, but he's also pervy about women in general, which makes him all the easier for the Comtesse de la Motte to manipulate.
Gonk: Far from handsome.
Meal Ticket: Is used by the Comtesse de la Motte as a wallet without him realizing it.
Younger Than They Look: de Rohan was only in his early 50s when The Affair of The Diamond Necklace happened.

Marie-Jeanne Bécu/Madame du Barry

The official mistress of Louis XV who has known the Sanson siblings since they were young.

Buxom Beauty Standard: Her large chest is considered her best quality, especially by Louis XV. His dying words to her are, "Adieu, Boobies."
Cool Big Sis: Calls herself one after helping little Marie out from the crowd to get a front row seat for the ecartelement.
The Glasses Gotta Go: Abandoned using her glasses as she got older.
High-Class Call Girl: Before becoming Louis XV's lover, she was the mistress to the owner of a high-class brothel and "entertained" nobles.
Rape as Drama: Was once raped at 15 while working as a seamstress.
Signature Scent: The arabian musk that she wore on the night she and Charles slept together.
Social Climber: Attended a convent as a girl, then became a seamstress, then a prostitute, then the mistress of the King of France.
Sleeping Their Way to the Top: She uses her "gift" of pleasing men early on in her life, up until she became the official mistress of Louis XV.
Took A Level In Jerk Ass: She becomes more cruel as she becomes more powerful, to the point where she gets King Louis XV to temporarily give De Luxe a pardon despite him being a mass murderer (though in fairness it's unclear if she knew the full extent of his crimes, and she admits to herself she doesn't actually LIKE De Luxe).
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Sleeping with Charles-Henri resulted with him closing off his heart to become just like his father with the belief that he now has "power" as a man, which leads to the year-long rift between him and Marie.

Jean de Chartois

The son of count de Chartois and Charles' first victim.

Adaptational Name Change: The "comte de Charolais" was changed to "Chartois"
Rape as Backstory: His father sleeps with him and whores him out to other aristocrats.

General Arthur Griffin

A former war hero and a friend of Jean-Baptiste, he is executed for unwarranted defeat against England.

Adaptational Name Change
I Have You Now, My Pretty: He quickly traps nine year-old Marie by having her visit his mansion alone to retrieve the recommendation for the Prevote de L'Hotel, clearly for far more nefarious reasons.
Karmic Death: Marie-Joseph gets to be his executioner, and he ends up losing a lot of blood in the process. It would have been even more horrific if Jean-Baptiste hadn't stepped in to finish the job.
Lecherous Licking: Instead of giving a kiss on the hand as was the proper way for a gentleman to greet a lady, Griffin does this to Marie's hand after setting his sights on her.
No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Griffin is a combination of Victor François de Broglie, 2nd duc de Broglie, and Thomas Arthur Lally-Tollendal.
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Even though he's seen as a gentleman and a hero, he forced himself on Marie-Joseph before she could become the Prevote de L'Hotel. When she was nine.
Sexual Extortion: He only allows nine year old Marie to retrieve the letter of recommendation for her to become the Prevote de L'Hotel on the condition that he has his way with her. Even after Griffin rapes Marie, he has her visit his mansion as often as possible so that she performs...favors for him, until he is called away to war.

Robert-François Damiens

Historical Hero Upgrade: Is portrayed in a far more sympathetic light than he was in reality, being a desperate man trying to provide for his son.
Honor Before Reason: Is adverse to taking charity and insists on paying off his bill even though Charles is willing to let his son get treatment for free
Intergenerational Friendship: Has one with Charles; Charles is 16 Damiens is a grown man in his 40s.
Odd Friendship: He has one with Charles; even when Charles is killing him Robert shows pity due to being aware that Charles is suffering.
Papa Wolf: Loves his son and is in fact motivated to attempt regicide by his son's (supposed) death. When he learns his son survived he has to deny knowing him to spare him the stigma

Jacques Damiens

The only son of Robert-Francois Damiens.

An Arm and a Leg: In order to save his life because of his diseased legs, his right one was severed.
Artificial Limbs: As he got older, Jacques acquires a prosthetic for his right leg. After his wooden leg is stabbed through by Marie, he exchanges one made of metal.
Better to Die than Be Killed: His eventual fate is revealed later in Innocent Rouge, shown when he scrawled his final words on the walls of his cell: After being arrested and tortured, Jacques committed suicide by stabbing himself rather than get executed like his father.
Driven to Suicide: See Better to Die than Be Killed above.
It's Personal: Afterwitnessing his father's execution, the young boy vows to kill every last person responsible for his father's death.
La Résistance: He'd later become the leader for a revolutionary group, called the Enrages.
Lightning Bruiser: Thanks to living out on the streets, an older Jacques knows moves that would later become known "savate", or French boxing.
Our Ghosts Our Different: His final appearance to Marie right before he Disappears into Light.
Slut-Shaming: During their first fight, Jacques accuses Marie of seducing the guards that she's in charge of because there's clearly no way that a bunch of men could care about a women without sex being involved, right?
Tragic Keepsake: He wears a scrap of fabric that originally came from his late mother's dress.
Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters: Despite claiming to be doing it for the Third Estate, Jacques, and the rest of the Enrages, resort to extreme violence to "take back" supplies that they believe that were stolen by the elite. This page pretty much sums it up: https://www.mangadex.org/chapter/75133/4.

Subyss

The official torturer of the Concierge. The great-grandson of the man who tortured Ravaillac.

The Alcoholic: He already had a drinking problem as a torturer and permanently became this after his services were abolished.
The Ditz: For all his skills as a torturer, Subyss is by no means intelligent. For exemple, he tells to the convict he was torturing for weeks to get information from that if he told the names of his family members, they would be brutally executed, after asking for them. He also thinks it's a good idea to bully Nicolas-Gabriel, even though he is hierarchically superior. Not to mention passing through a violent crowd...drunk.
Evil Counterpart: Subyss sees himself as a the mirror image of Charles-Henri, which is far from the truth.
Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: He's long-haired, effeminate, flamboyant, and a total sadist.
Faux Affably Evil: When Charles-Henri meets with him at a bar, Subyss offers a drink and then threatens to murder the owner with a fork.
Loves the Sound of Screaming: When intoxicated, Subyss will only come back to his senses after hearing sounds of agony.
Mad Artist: He is sadistic enough to view pain as an art form, and tortures people to express his twisted philosophy.
Psycho for Hire: Subyss enjoys his job so much that he needs to get drunk when he's not torturing people.
Psychopathic Manchild: It's really not that hard for him to get dangeriously emotional, especially when he's under stress.
Torture Cellar: He calls it his "atelier".
Torture Technician: Not only his position at the High Court, but admittedly the only reason why he exists.

Count De Luxe

An aristocrat who despises poor people. He murders Marie's first love Alain, setting Marie down a darker path.

Accidental Public Confession: Marie invokes this in order to make sure he gets punished for his crimes. Namely she drugs him with a hallucinogenic that makes him see his victims, which in turn causes to rant about his crimes, how he enjoyed them and laugh maniacally....all within earshot of the King, who promptly overturns his pardon and sentences him to death.
Aristocrats Are Evil: Hoo boy. This guy manages to stand out as the most despicable character in the story despite his limited screen time.
Break the Haughty: After Marie tricks him into revealing the true nature of his crimes, which results in his death sentence being reinstated.
Engineered Public Confession: Marie drugs him with a powerful hallucinogenic and then pushes him into the room where the king is waiting. When the hallucinations make him see his victims he rants about how he burned the children alive, how Alain's dreams were foolish and even engages in Evil Gloating and Evil Laughter.....right in earshot of the king and all the guests. The King promptly overturns his pardon and sentences him to death.
Evil Is Petty: Even leaving aside his disdain for poor people, he's angry that Alain stood up to him.
Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: He looks incredibly handsome but is easily the most monstrous character in the story.
Hate Sink: The most loathsome character in both series, which is saying a lot.
Humiliation Conga: Is tricked into giving an Engineered Public Confession, is arrested at a dinner party in HIS honor, learns that Marie completely and utterly played him to get him where he was, then gets overpowered when he tries to leave before being decapitated like the lowlife he is. Oh and his severed head is displayed afterwards.
Jerkass: The NICEST thing that can be said about him.
Karmic Death: Gets executed like a common criminal, and thanks to Marie tricking him into admitting his guilt his status as a "hero" is gone. And to add insult to injury his head is even put on display alongside those of his cronies.
Karma Houdini Warranty: ALMOST gets away with his crimes before Marie tricks him into giving a Engineered Public Confession.
Laser-Guided Karma: On the receiving end of this. His crimes are publicly exposed at a banquet in HIS honor, the King himself makes it clear he's going to die, he's dragged to an execution platform, learns that the woman about to execute him is the same woman who engineered the situation to begin with, and when he tries to run Marie forces him to the ground and than cuts his head off. All this while in front of a jeering crowd of poor people (the very people he detests). For good measure his head is also left on display.
Oh, Crap!: Has a GLORIOUS one when the King announces that he's reinstating De Luxe's sentence.
Politically Incorrect Villain: In addition to all the other horrible stuff he's also a racist against Blacks and Mixed Race individuals.
Small Role, Big Impact: While he only appeared in a few chapters his actions ultimately destroyed any chance Marie had of a life outside of executions.
Smug Snake: Oh so smug and oh so despicable. Doesn't last after Marie tricks him into admitting his guilt.
Start of Darkness: Caused Marie to go from "somewhat sociopathic" to "Axe-Crazy".
The Sociopath: Unlike Subyss, who was capable of feeling emotions like any other person, De Luxe is an inhuman monster (what little emotions he does feel are either smug satisfaction, anger or in his final moments panic and fear).
This Cannot Be!: Even when on his execution platform he desperately tries to run from his fate. It doesn't work.
Villain with Good Publicity: For the first 2 chapters of the sequel. Gets overturned when Marie tricks him into giving an Engineered Public Confession
Villainous Breakdown: Has one when Louis XV overturns his pardon and reinstates his sentence. By the time he's on the execution platform he's reduced to begging for his life before rather pathetically trying to run.
Would Hurt a Child: His victims are children, which notably appalls not only the other aristocrats but also Marie.

Hans Axel von Fersen

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fersen.jpg

A Swedish nobleman who is also Marie Antoinette's lover.

Chivalrous Pervert: The first thing that he speaks to Antoinette, who was pregnant at the time, was that he wanted to.....explore her body, shall we say. She falls for him immediately right after.
Foregone Conclusion: The final chapter of chapter 73 of the Flight to Varennes arc explains Fersen's eventual death from the hands of a mob on June 20th, 1810: the 19th anniversary of that failed journey.
Man of Wealth and Taste: One of the reasons that Fersen helps the Royal Family is that they can return to a more beautiful, florid era.
Masquerade Ball: This is how he and Antoinette first met.
Terms of Endangerment: At the knowledge that Marie-Joseph is a woman, while trying to fend her off on his horse during the Flight to Varennes, he calls her "Sugar Tits".

Father Grisel

A monk who was Charles-Henri's childhood tutor

Disappears into Light: How he ascends after his final meeting with Charles.
Facial Horror: His face, after the reveal, looks swollen and aged because of the illness
Healthy in Heaven: Before passing on, Father Grisel's disease is eradicated, making him look like his young(er) self again. This trope also overlaps with The Grotesque.
I Was Quite a Looker: Chapter 51 of Innocent reveals that Father Grisel was a handsome man, before an unknown disease made him unsightly
Private Tutor: It was he who taught Charles about religion and morality.
So Proud of You: Called Charles his "beloved disciple" before he ascended.

Le Chevalier D'Eon

A diplomat, spy, and Captain of the Dragoons. D'Eon is a friend of Marie-Joseph, and acts as her second for Marie's duel with Charles.

Defeat by Modesty: After Charles-Henri cheats in his and Marie's duel by using a hidden gun in his sword to defeat her, D'eon tries to avenge Marie by fighting against Charles and Marie's betrothed, Gaspard. D'Eon is quickly defeated when Gaspard uses a second sword to slash through the knight's dress, much to her horror.
The Fashionista: D'Eon apologizes to Marie for running late to the duel, because she took awhile with choosing the right dress and hair ornaments.
Girls with Moustaches: Sports a thin, but fancy mustache.
Regal Ringlets: Loads and loads of them!
Sword Cane: Her cane doubles as a sword, accentuated with a big fancy ribbon and jewel on the hilt.
What Happened to the Mouse?: After being defeated by Marie's husband-to-be, Gaspard, following Marie's duel, D'Eon doesn't make another appearance in the series again.

Maximilien Robespierre

A young law student who will eventually be the leader of The Reign of Terror.

Adaptational Sexuality: Revealed in one chapter of Rouge that he and St. Just are an item.
Catapult Nightmare: Does this anytime he dreams of being killed by Marie.
Death by Irony: Gets guillotined in the same manner as Marie.
Feeling Oppressed by Their Existence: Just knowing that Marie-Joseph lives was enough for him to do a complete 180 degrees from abolishing the death penalty to completely supporting it.
Foregone Conclusion: He's Robespierre. Need we say more?
He-Man Woman Hater: With the exception of Marie-Joseph (at first), Robespierre's views on women who take political action are....less than stellar.
Historical Villain Upgrade: Like other works that take place during the French Revolution, he's portrayed as a man hellbent on eradicating anyone he sees as either a personal enemy, or anti-revolutionary.
Monochromatic Eyes: Pure black eyes as he got older.
Properly Paranoid: Becomes afraid that he'll eventually be killed by Marie-Joseph, and even after seeing her die - really a wax figure made in her likeness- he's still afraid that she'll come after his neck.
Start of Darkness: Ironically triggered by Marie; her manipulating events to ensure that Count De Luxe's pardon is overturned made him realize that the King's laws weren't set in stone, and that he could create his own.
Sanity Slippage: He becomes more and more paranoid following Marie's "death", and tries to enact tighter government controls with the passing of the Law of 22nd Prairel.
Utopia Justifies the Means: Will have anyone executed if they go against his ideals.

St. Just

Adaptational Sexuality: Revealed in one chapter of Rouge that he and Robespierre are an item.
He-Man Woman Hater: Like Robespierre, St. Just also despises women and outright enjoys seeing Marie getting tortured and goes so far as to rape her with his whip's handle.
Early Installment Character-Design Difference: The first time that St. Just appears, his hair is pitch black. However, the next time he appears, he now has blond hair tied up in a ponytail, and blond eyebrows.
Sadist: Doesn't hide his enjoyment at seeing Marie Joseph being tortured and beaten, nor does he hide it while using the handle of his whip to rape her.
This Cannot Be!: Is rightly confused and frightened when the person who's supposedly dead, Marie Joseph, really a random man dressed up as her, shoots Robespierre.

Charlotte Corday

A young woman from Caens. Well-known as the woman who assassinated Jean-Paul Marat during the French Revolution.

Acceptable Feminine Goals and Traits: Corday wholeheartedly believes women should be involved in politics, but that they should wear dresses while doing so. When it's revealed that Marie is a woman who wears culottes, Corday's pissed and asks her if she's trying to "become" a man.
Black Eyes of Evil: While she's not evil by any means, Corday's lack of pupils or scelrae for a majority of her arc indicate how dead-set she is on assassinating Marat.
Country Mouse: She's originally from the small village of Caens, and lived in a convent for a majority of her life. Her asking a random coach driver to take her the home of Jean-Paul Marat without knowing the exact address is evident of this and Naïve Newcomer.
Does Not Like Men: Corday comes to believe that only women should be the ones to lead political affairs, after she realized that her lover was backing out of serving the revolution.
Groin Attack: Thinking that Marie was a man,Charlotte tries to enact this trope, although she's quickly surprised by Marie's lack of a package down there.
I Die Free: After being calmed down by Zero's words about the guillotine and how it kills people equally, Corday smiles before she's executed.
Lady Land: Corday's "Eden" is presented as a courtroom filled with women, young and old, and young children.
The Man Behind the Man: Marie (at first), Charles-Henri, the Jacobins, and the public all assume that Corday's killing of Marat was done on the orders of someone else, rather than the fact that Corday did all of this by her own volition.
Matriarchy: Corday's "Eden" is this of the enlightened kind, where children to the elderly are allowed to voice their opinions. See also Lady Land.
Men Act, Women Are: This was a reason why Charlotte began to lose her trust with the government, as well as her lover, as she saw first-hand of him turning his back of joining a volunteer army. This is in contrast to Charlotte's fervent support of the Revolution.
Victoria's Secret Compartment: Hides the cloth-covered knife that she plans to kill Marat with between her "assets".

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