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Jack
The titular protagonist. He is a gray reef shark that lives off the coast of Mozambique who goes on a journey to find a safe place where he and his school can find plenty of food and live without the fear of humans.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Jack watched his siblings get hauled away in a fishing net, and he was absolutely powerless to save them. This is the ultimate reason for everything he has done or believed in since then.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Jack was oppressed by stronger sharks, kicked out of his own school, betrayed by the friend he tried to help, hunted by humans and sea animals alike, and watched friends and loved ones die across the board. So when we get to see him finally settle down in his new home with his school beside him, it is extremely rewarding to see him finally find peace
- If You Kill Him, You Will Be Just Like Him!: Jack believes that this will happen if he kills Ben, since Jack doesn’t want any more sharks to die prematurely.
- Heroic BSoD: For every shark that dies, Jack goes through this.
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Despite everything that he has endured, Jack never once crosses over to The Dark Side, though he’s come very close and understandably so. He has come face-to-face with death on multiple occasions, endured a famine, experienced betrayal, and watched friends and family die left and right. Even after all that, Jack does not lose sight of his goals and what he’s fighting for, proving how strong he really is.
- It’s extremely telling by the fact that even when Ben is sinking to his death, Jack still tries to save him and is visibly distraught by watching him die. In spite of everything that Ben has done to Jack and the school, Jack still tries to be the better shark.
- Papa Wolf: When Jack is babysitting Susan's pups in A Legend from the Start, he guards them as if they were his own. Which is saying a lot for a shark.
- Physical Scars, Psychological Scars: Jack and Karen save a shark that’s been caught on a fishing line. Jack nearly gets his dorsal fin cut off, which is more than we can say for Karen. And Jack experiences a Heroic BSoD and blames himself for it.
- Power of Friendship: This is how Jack believes the sharks can solve the food crisis
- Jack’s proposal involves different species of sharks working together to counter each other's weaknesses and share their catches. A lot of sharks reject this notion at first, since it has always been traditional to compete for food instead of collaborate. But when the feuding schools put aside their differences, they are able to not only catch enough food for everyone, but also take back the food that was stolen by humans. This proves that working together rather than competing against each other can improve everyone’s lives tenfold.
- This comes into play once again at the end. Ben stands alone while Jack and his school band together to be freed from his tyranny. Further proving that you have a better chance of succeeding and surviving if you work with others instead of against them.
- Rage Breaking Point: In the prequel comic, Jack had just endured watching his siblings die right in front of his eyes, and then soon afterwards had to deal with Ben. The breaking point comes when Ben kills Sage to make him an example of what happens if the reef sharks don't follow his rules, and then immediately afterwards confesses to picking off several other members of the school who had mysteriously vanished. Cue Jack actively wishing death upon Ben. And if his friends hadn't talked him out of it, he most likely woild have tried to follow through with it.
- Thou Shalt Not Kill:
- As much he hates Ben, Jack refuses to kill him because he believes that would mean stooping to his level.
- Jack refuses to kill any other shark for that matter, as doing so would only reduce their already-declining population.
- Jack is aware of how humans perceive sharks as dangerous monsters, and does not want to add fuel to that fire by killing them. He even saves a group of surfers (Who were blissfully unaware) from being attacked by Greg, who mistook them for seals. (He probably even saved Greg himself from being hunted out of revenge).
- He even prevents Greg from eating a seal that’s been trapped in some ghost netting, as he believes the seal had suffered enough.
- His sole exception is the prey that he eats, justified because Predation Is Natural.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: After all the suffering Jack endures during the first 4 chapters, things finally go right for him when he helps the different shark schools sort out their differences and face a common enemy, thus leading to the sharks fighting back against a fishing boat that has taken their food.
- Trauma Conga Line: Oh boy, where do we start?
- He and his parents were exiled from their original school due to "breaking nature's rules" since sharks do not naturally care for their young. This eventually led to the school being attacked by a hammerhead shark.
- He had to leave his parents when he was nearly an adult so that he wouldn't have to watch them die of old age or be left alone after they’re gone.
- When reunited with his siblings, they do not recognize him as their brother, even though he recognizes them.
- Said siblings die after being caught in a fishing net. And despite Jack’s efforts, he cannot save them.
- Even when Jack receives the closure he needs on what exactly humans are, it only makes him feel worse.
- His school is taken over by Ben, who at first is seemingly trying to help them survive, but becomes extremely dominant over them.
- When the reef sharks start standing up to Ben, he kills off school members to keep them in line.
- He and nearly every other shark he meets are facing a food crisis
- He is exiled from his school and left to fend for himself after losing his bet with Ben (In which Ben cheats to win)
- Fails to save Karen from being finned
- Greg turns on him out of desperation for food
- Has to watch Ken die in the process of saving the whale shark
- Even when he finds the perfect home, he nearly crosses the Despair Event Horizon because he realizes that humans will be there wherever he goes.
Mainda
Jack’s love interest. She is a spinner shark who has become a member of Jack’s school. She joins after her friend Lynn berates her for befriending a shark of another species and preferably spending time with him. While Jack is on his journey searching for a new home, Mainda stays with the school, a choice Jack made to ensure she was safe from any danger.
- Action Girl: When Jack is attacked by Ben in the final chapter, Mainda and the other sharks do not hesitate to back him up
- Big Damn Reunion: Jack and Mainda have this upon his return to Mozambique
- Chekhov's Skill: Mainda teaches Jack her signature hunting tactic to breach the water. This would prove to be useful later when Jack helps Jay and Ken catch some flying fish.
- I Will Wait for You: When Jack goes on his journey, he tells Mainda to stay with the school until he returns, to which Mainda says this almost word-for-word
- Rebound Best Friend: After Mainda cuts ties with Lynn, Jack becomes this for her.
- Relationship Upgrade: Jack and Mainda had been best friends for a while by the time the main story begins, and we even get to see the moment they meet in the prequel. Right before Jack goes on his journey, he and Mainda profess their love for each other, making Jack’s journey even more important.
Ben
The main antagonist. He is a bull shark that has taken over Jack’s school and rules with an iron fist (Or fin…). While humans are the primary threat that Jack faces throughout his journey, they are more obstacles than outright villains. Ben is directly responsible for Jack going on his journey in the first place and indirectly responsible for all the suffering he endured afterwards.
- Anchors Away: Ben is killed by an anchor that falls on him and drags him to the depths of the ocean
- Big Bad: Yes, the fishermen that are causing the food crisis are far more dangerous than Ben is, but they act more as the Greater Scope Villains, whereas Ben is directly responsible for Jack leaving the school and being forced to fend for himself.
- Blaming the Victim: In the prequel book, Ben talks about how he had an encounter with Aidan that gave him the scars on his face, and how he had seen many sharks meet their demise in a similar way. He words it in such a way to make it appear as though Aidan was the aggressor. But since this is the prequel, readers likely already know Aidan’s side of the story: He states that Ben’s reasons for attacking him are a mystery to him. This means that Ben struck first.
- The Bully: Ben’s defeat against Aidan obviously struck a blow to his ego, and likely has to do with why he came across Jack in the first place, whether he left willingly or was kicked out of his old school. And rather than find another bull shark school to spread his ideals to, he takes advantage of the gray reef sharks, a species that is significantly weaker than a bull shark and who are desperate to solve the food crisis. He puts down the reef sharks whenever they try to stand up to him, and it usually results in one less shark in the school, and not necessarily the one in question.
- Control Freak: He has the final word, he makes the final decision, and anyone who goes against his wishes is punished. Even when Jack offers a better home for the school where food is plentiful and there would be a better chance for everyone to survive, Ben refuses to let them go. Even if that meant he would not have any competition for food when the other sharks leave, he would rather they stay and obey his rules.
- Disney Villain Death: Kind of. Nobody can really “fall” underwater, but he was definitely headed in the downward direction at a high speed.
- Faux Affably Evil: At the start, Ben comes off as having some sense of empathy, such as when he suggests that the school abandon Mo and let him survive on his own: he acknowledges that the other sharks care about him and that it would be a difficult choice for them. And when Jack is wounded by the sailfish he caught, Ben tries to keep the other sharks away so that Jack’s bleeding doesn’t trigger their predatory response. He also allows Mainda to say goodbye to Jack after he is exiled from the school. However, he cheated to get both Mo and Jack out of the picture in the first place, so this may very well be an act on his part.
- Hypocrite: Ben appears to be adamant about enforcing the natural order over the grey reef sharks, but does plenty of things that contradict those very same beliefs.
- Ben explains that it’s not natural for sharks of different species to be part of the same school, let alone allowing them to stay despite being in a state of weakness. He proposes ideas like abandoning Mo and having Mainda leave to join a spinner shark school, saying it would be better for everyone. But if Ben truly believes that all sharks should stick to their own, then he would focus more on imposing his ideas on other bull sharks rather than taking time out of his day to care about what happens to another species.
- Ben claims that allowing weaker individuals to survive would mean that sharks as a whole would become weaker, and so only strong members of a population should be allowed to live. During Jack’s return to the school, Ben could have easily just gone for the weakest member and killed them. But he left it to Jack to choose who would die. This makes it seem like he couldn’t care less if they were strong or weak because no matter who it would be, it would hurt Jack.
- He also spares Mo, who in his mind is a living example of Jack’s disruption of natural order. Mo was in a weakened state when Jack and Mainda found him, but rather than ignore him or take advantage of his weakness, they showed him mercy and helped him. So if Ben was sincere about wanting to eliminate weakness, he could have killed Mo to legitimately prove that Jack’s kindness was Mo’s undoing. Instead, he lied about Mo dying and tried to pass that off as proof that Jack’s philosophy is wrong. Ben likely expected Mo to die anyway so that it wouldn't matter, because he was clearly surprised to see him return to the reef. Ironically, by giving Mo a chance to live, he helped him get stronger (By getting some help from other sharks no less) when Ben always claimed that giving the weak a chance to survive would be the downfall of sharks.
- I Will Punish Your Friend for Your Failure:
- When the school starts to stand up to Ben in A Legend from the Start, he kills Sage to make him an example of what happens to those who don’t follow his rules
- Ben threatens to do this again in the main story. When Jack returns to bring his school to the Great Barrier Reef, Ben decides to kill another one of the school members, and even gives Jack the Sadistic Choice of who dies! Thankfully, Mo’s arrival helps Jack Take a Third Option.
- Mundanger: Fishermen may be leagues more dangerous than Ben could ever hope to be, but Ben is directly responsible for setting the plot in motion by forcing Jack into exile. And on top of that, Ben is the one who came closest to making Jack break his Thou Shalt Not Kill rule. Granted, this was not long after Jack's siblings had perished via fishing net, so he was still emotionally vulnerable, but you don't see Jack calling for the death of the fishermen afterwards.
- Pragmatic Villainy:
- Ben promises to Mainda that he would never hurt Jack, not out of kindness, but because “the natural order will get him before I do.” He has no qualms about breaking that promise anyway after he is exposed for cheating in the bet.
- After killing the mako shark and stealing his catch, Ben threatens Mo into leaving the school rather than killing him to cover his tracks. Likely for the same reason he promised not to kill Jack, because he expected Mo to die anyway.
- Foil: For Jack. Both of them desire to preserve their species and prevent their extinction. Jack believes that working together to share food and giving weaker individuals a chance to survive will help regrow the declining population. Ben, however, believes that competition is the only way to naturally preserve their species by weeding out the weaker individuals so that the population as a whole can be strong.
- Smug Snake: When Ben threatens to kill a school member after Jack's return, you can see, probably for the first time, Ben showing a faint, very evil-laced smile.
- Social Darwinist: Since Ben is a predator, he naturally takes part in survival of the fittest. But since this is a story, it’s a lot more interesting to see how animals view it. Ben believes that allowing weaker individuals to survive will lead to a weaker population of sharks as a whole.
- Threatening Shark: Ben is the only shark in the story that plays this completely straight. He is ruthless and manipulative. And his presence alone is enough to intimidate the other sharks
- Upsetting the Balance: Ben believes that this would be the consequence of sharks adopting Jack’s philosophy of collaborating with other sharks and helping each other survive.
- Villain Has a Point: Jack admits that Ben's methods did allow their food supply to repopulate somewhat. But that doesn't stop Ben from being any less competitive about food.
- Villainous Breakdown: Ben has almost always been extremely calm and stoic, only ever resorting to violence to keep the other sharks in line. During the final fight, the grey reef sharks band together to take him down. And when they overpower him, they decide to leave him behind and follow Jack to the Great Barrier Reef. When Ben’s argument for preserving the traditions of nature falls on deaf ears, he shows his true colors. He had previously lost his fight against Aidan who, at the time, shared his belief in survival of the fittest, and now he is losing his fight against a school of sharks who act against the beliefs he thought would make him superior. So it’s no surprise that he finally loses his cool and goes on a full-on rampage to kill Jack.
- Virtue Is Weakness: Ben considers Jack weak because of his morality and his ideas of having sharks work together instead of competing for food.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Ben believes that his methods will allow shark populations to survive well past the food crisis. But the fact that a lot of shark species are threatened with extinction means now isn’t the time to be picky about who lives and dies.
Mo
Mo is a young blue shark that was found in a weakened state. Jack and Mainda took him in and helped him recuperate, and eventually he became part of the school. Though he comes off as rather naive, he becomes a big help later on in the story
- Kindhearted Simpleton: Mo may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but when it comes to caring about his friends, he is on a comparable level to Jack
- Like a Son to Me: The way Jack and Mainda care for Mo is reminiscent of the way a couple would care for their child.
- Not Worth Killing: Ben sees Mo as this when he cheats in his bet against Jack. Instead, Ben threatens Mo into leaving and never coming back. And it works… but only for a little while.
- Reports of My Death Were Greatly Exaggerated: During Jack and Ben’s bet to see who would be kicked out of the school, Mainda and Mo serve as respective witnesses to back up the claim. But when Ben returns to the reef without Mo, he tells the school that Mo was killed by the sailfish he supposedly caught. Come the last chapter, Mo returns to the reef alive and well, having merely been scared off by Ben.
- Took a Level in Badass: When we first see Mo, he is timid and somewhat dim. But when he returns to Jack’s school after being scared away by Ben, he’s a lot braver and stronger thanks to the help of some blue sharks he met along the way. He even has the courage to stand up to Ben and expose him for cheating in the bet. In a twist of fate, the shark that Ben saw as the weakest link becomes the very thing that destroys his reputation.
Chapter 2
Karen
Karen is a sand tiger shark and the first shark Jack meets on his journey. She is initially hostile toward Jack, but tolerates his presence while he recovers from his injury
- Doting Parent: One of the few times she is not rude or hostile is when she is interacting with her son, Tyler.
- Imperiled in Pregnancy: Karen is pregnant with one or two more pups when she and Jack try to save a dusky shark from a fisherman’s hook. Karen tries to cut the line and is hauled aboard instead. She does not get saved.
- Fantastic Racism: Karen despises requiem sharks as a whole, which includes Jack.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: On the surface, Karen is abrasive and hostile towards requiem sharks and even tries to find ways to get rid of Jack (With lethal options on the table), but deep down, she is simply trying to protect her family. And when she sees the dusky shark (another requiem shark) stuck on the fishing line, she lets go of her resentment for the greater good.
- Mama Bear: Karen makes extra sure to keep Tyler away from Jack and anyone who could be a threat to him.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Karen is so hostile towards requiem sharks because one of her pups was killed by a silvertip shark, so anything that resembles one reminds her of that. We even get to see a glimpse of it.
David
Karen’s mate. But unlike her, David is a lot more tolerant of Jack’s presence and decides to get to know him better.
- Casual Kink: David and Karen aren’t afraid to share the details of their love life, in front of their child no less. Those details include love bites and David admiring Karen’s “fierce personality”. And given the nature of shark mating in real life, it seems that sharks specialize in sadomasochism.
- Exceptionally Tolerant: Downplayed. David allows Jack to stay and recuperate but only because he is alone and frightened. But if Jack was with his school, that would have been a different story. David, too, feels the pain at the loss of his and Karen's child, so it's understandable.
Tyler
Karen and David’s son. With sand tiger populations on the decline, Karen and David choose to take care of Tyler to ensure that he survives long enough to mate and help regrow their population. Like most children, he is very curious and inquisitive.
- The Cutie: Tyler is very innocent and very curious about foreigners like Jack. He is also very pepped-up and happy in most of the scenes he's in.
- Sibling Murder: Given that Tyler is a sand tiger shark, he likely participated in this before he was even born
- Break the Cutie: This probably goes without saying since he had to watch his own mother die, but it is hinted that this happened per Jack’s last words before he parts ways with him:
- Jack: “Just… promise me one day, you’ll find another reason to smile again.”
Chapter 3
Hellen
A whitetip reef shark who gives Jack information on all the sharks he can meet in the area and how they can help him.
- Deadpan Snarker: Hellen is one who always says what’s on her mind, and what’s on her mind is probably meant to insult you in some way
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: While her tongue is as sharp as her teeth, she does show some compassion every once and a while. When Jack returns and explains what happened between him and Greg, Hellen legitimately feels guilty about almost getting him killed.
Greg
Greg is a great white shark who shows Jack how to hunt larger animals such as seals and dolphins
- Beware the Silly Ones: Greg is a lovable goofball and rarely chooses violence apart from hunting. Keyword: rarely. But when someone denies him food after he's gone hungry for so long, he won't take it very well...
- Fun Personified: There’s never a dull moment with Greg between his fish puns, his singing, and the practical jokes he plays on Jack (All of which are very much to Jack’s annoyance)
- Hurricane of Puns: When he isn’t singing the sharks’ version of sea shanties, he’s dishing out his best ocean-themed jokes
- I Was Just Joking: When Jack first meets Greg, he comes off as this extremely intimidating force. And what further cements Jack’s fear is when Greg expresses a desire to eat him. But this turns out to be nothing more than Black Comedy.
- My God, What Have I Done? - Greg shows remorse immediately after biting Jack, since Jack was probably one of the only friends he's had in a long time.
Chapter 4
Kathlin
A silky shark with a rope stuck around her neck. Jack does what he can to help her
- Action Girl: In the little screentime she had, Kathlin established that she is an absolute badass by chomping off a piece of a dolphin’s tail and scaring them away. Yes, dolphins, which are infamous for antagonizing and even terrifying sharks.
- My Instincts Are Showing: The reason Kathlin is out on her own is because the rope would eventually cut through her skin, and the scent of her blood would cause her school to attack her.
Jay
A Galapagos shark who helps Jack and Kathlin deal with the dolphins. He then travels with Jack to find a perfect home.
- But Now I Must Go: Jack and Jay part ways after Ken's death so that Jay can head to the Galapagos Islands.
- Cowardice Callout: Jay calls himself out for this and uses this as the reason to blame himself for Ken’s death. But Jack reassures him that wasn’t the case.
- Crying Wolf: Sharks “Cry Orca” in this case, which startles a bunch of sleeping sperm whales.
- Despair Event Horizon: Jay comes very close to this after Ken dies. But after Jack opens up to him about the death of his siblings, Jay realizes that he still has plenty of reasons to go on.
- Every Scar Has a Story: The chip in Jay’s pectoral fin comes from a fisherman who panicked and shot his spear gun at him
- It's All My Fault: Jay blames himself for Ken’s death because they didn’t listen to Jack’s warnings about humans.
- Lovable Rogue: Jay recounts the times he and Ken would accidentally, or sometimes intentionally, get in trouble with other sharks.
- Vomit Discretion Shot: Jay eats a bird that may have not had a healthy meal before it died, eventually leading to one of these. It’s probably extra courteous that it wasn’t shown because sharks vomit by ejecting their stomach out of their mouth.
Ken
A silvertip shark and Jay's best friend. The two of them travel with Jack to find their paradise of a home
- Black Sheep: Ken considers himself this since all of his siblings are fierce and dominant, while he’s just a happy go-lucky guy. Could also be considered a White Sheep since Ken’s personality would make him a lot more admirable. Either way, this contrast between him and his siblings’ personality is what convinced him to leave his school
- Informed Attractiveness: When Jack expresses his longing for Mainda, Ken, like the bro he is, pleasures Jack’s mind with thoughts of all her beautiful characteristics including her skin, eyes, and most attractive of all, her personality. Of course, as humans we don’t see sharks as beautiful (At least in a romantic sense) but in Jack’s eyes, he may very well see her how human guys would see a supermodel.
- It Amused Me: Jack, Jay and Ken had no real reason to scare the sperm whales except to have a good laugh
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Ken dies by being impaled by a harpoon. Though we only see the moment it strikes, it is implied to have gone deeper offscreen
- Odd Friendship: From other sharks’ point of view, Jay and Ken’s friendship could be considered strange since sharks usually only bond with their own species. Of course, Jack knows it’s possible to go further than friendship.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Ken gives one of these when he sees humans trying to catch a whale shark.
- Ken: “How dare you even think about trying to catch him! Want to impress others by grabbing the biggest fish in the ocean?! Keep dreaming!”
Jack: “Ken, stop! They can’t hear you!”
Ken: “Why would you strangle so many sea creatures?! What’s wrong with all of you?!”
Chapter 5
Aeron
A great hammerhead that Jack meets, who helps guide him through Indonesia to help him find the habitat he’s been seeking.
- Encyclopaedic Knowledge: As he travels with Jack, Aeron shares a wide variety of things he has learned about the ocean and about
- Exposition Already Covered: Aeron is familiar with sharks who are searching for a new habitat, so he is able to deduce Jack's reasons for speaking to him.
- Native Guide: Aeron is familiar with the area, so he helps Jack find a route that can get him to where he needs to be and avoid humans in the process
Aidan
The leader of a group of tiger sharks. He and several other schools are in the midst of a feud
- Cool Old Guy: After Aidan has a Heel–Face Turn, he starts to become this. Aidan definitely has some years on him, but that doesn’t mean he can’t show the whippersnappers how it’s done!
- Stealth Expert: Aidan is able to sneak up on Jack and Aeron and not be detected until the last second. Played for Laughs later on when Jack asks where he is, only for Aidan to speak up right behind him. Because of their electroreception, sharks are able to sense literally everything around them down to a creature’s heartbeat. So the fact that Aidan is able to bypass Jack’s senses when he’s right behind him makes it all the more impressive.
- Too Desperate to Be Picky: This is his reason for hunting Jack and Aeron and [[spoiler: Eating several members of Carl's school
Carl
- Appeal to Tradition: Like Ben, Carl is against changing what sharks already know about surviving and that working together should not be in the cards.
- Jerkass: Carl is perpetually in a bad mood for most of the time we see him, and he isn't afraid to express his grievances against others. Justified in that Aidan killed several members of Carl's school, thus leading to Carl's trust issues.
- Not Your Problem: Carl is annoyed by Jack’s attempts to help the different schools deal with the food crisis.
- Friendship Denial: Carl and Aidan have had an ongoing feud. They were once confident to call each other friends, but now that status is dangling on a thin line.
- I Warned You: When Jack refuses to back down after Carl warns him to stop meddling, Carl quotes this, and then decides the only way to stop Jack’s interference is lethal force.
- Took In A Level Of Kindness: After seeing the sharks band together to take back their food supply, Carl swallows his pride and joins in. And in the aftermath of it all, Carl and Aidan begin to reconcile
Reagan
The leader of a group of bull sharks who are also belligerents in the feud.
- Ambiguously Related: It is heavily implied that Ben is a former member of Reagan’s school. Their exact relationship, however, remains a mystery.
- Ignored Enemy: When Aidan and his school are hunting Jack, Reagan and Kenneth join in, but end up arguing about who is the one who is greedy with food. While they’re distracted, Jack and Aeron take the opportunity to escape.
- The Unsolved Mystery: Whatever happened between Reagan and Ben that caused him to leave their school is not explicitly stated, but it impacted Regan negatively.
Word of God speaks of a potential sequel, so we may get some answers there
Kenneth
- Rage Breaking Point: Kenneth is always the one who gets talked down to when he tries to dissolve the situation. He finally has enough and snaps at Reagan for refusing to listen to Jack.
Chapter 6
Steven
- Chekhov's Skill: During the fight against the crocodile, Steven uses a move where he jumps out of the water and slams down on the croc's back on his way down. Jack would later use this same technique against Ben
Susan
A wise and enigmatic blacktip reef shark who is familiar with the Great Barrier Reef
- Glamorous Single Mother: Susan is probably the wisest and most important character Jack meets on his journey, because she’s the one who convinces him to settle in the Great Barrier Reef despite the presence of humans. In A Legend from the Start, we learn that Susan is a third-time mother, and she gives Jack the assignment to look after her pups for the day. Their father is nowhere to be seen though.
- Rousing Speech: Susan gives Jack one of these after he has nearly given up hope in finding the perfect home for his school.
A Legend from the Start
Bermino
Jack’s father. Due to this odd-coloring, it made it harder for him to hunt because prey would be able to spot him easily. It also led to being somewhat of an outcast in his school.
- Amazing Technicolor Wildlife: While gray reef sharks are usually… well… gray, or sometimes brown, in color, Bermino is full-on black. Jack is actually another example too because, ironically enough, gray reef sharks aren’t pure gray like he is, they’re more gray mixed with brown.
- Doting Parent: Bermino is just as enthusiastic about taking care of Jack as Tia is.
- Love at First Sight: A non-romantic case. When Tia returns to the school with baby Jack, Bermino’s parental instincts kick in almost immediately upon seeing him.
- Papa Wolf: Even saying bad things about his son is enough to earn you the signature threat display of gray reef sharks.
Tia
Jack’s mother and the alpha female of their school. While sharks generally do not care for their pups, Tia, and eventually Bermino, became exceptions.
- Doting Parent: Tia makes several attempts to get Jack to stay in the shallows, but to no avail. She eventually surrenders to her maternal instincts and takes Jack with her back to the school.
- Mama Bear: Just like her husband, Tia is willing to go all-out to protect her family.
- Pale Females, Dark Males: Bermino is straight black while Tia is a lighter grayish-brown
Connor
Jack’s eldest brother
- Big Brother Mentor: When Rachel threatens to kick Jack out of the school for his inept hunting abilities, Connor, along with Ashly and Zack, take it upon themselves to teach Jack how to hunt properly
- Took a Level in Badass: Jack was able to take one of these thanks to help from Connor and the others. He even earned the respect of Rachel
Ashly
Jack’s only sister
- Challenging the Chief: When Rachel is ready to kick Jack out of the school for his poor performance in hunting, Ashly is the first to come to Jack’s side and defend him.
- You Have to Believe Me!: Despite Jack insisting that the trio are his siblings, they flat-out do not believe him
Zack
Jack’s second-eldest brother
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Lampshaded by himself. Even though he’s older than Jack, he is this to Connor and Ashly
- Thou Shalt Not Kill: Even when having to deal with the competition, Zack would not cross the line of killing said competition
Rachel
The alpha shark of Jack’s school. She is fierce and dominant, but has a soft spot for those who are a part of the school
- Alpha Bitch: When she first appears in the flashback scenes in A Legend From the Start, she gives off an incredible vibe of this, but she is merely ensuring that everyone in the school is strong enough to help each other survive, and she is later upgraded to a Lovable Alpha Bitch.
- Ascended Extra: While she appears in the main story, she is nothing more than a minor character and one of the few who actually have their name said in the story. Come A Legend from the Start, she is the one who decides whether Jack can stay or leave the school.
- Challenging the Bully: When Ben threatens to kill one of the school members as punishment for Jack’s return to the school, Rachel isn’t afraid to square up with him, even when Ben has proven that he is more than capable of offing whoever he damn well pleases.
- Defrosting the Ice Queen: When Jack first joins the school, Rachel is more than unimpressed by Jack’s hunting skills. But as Jack’s siblings help him get stronger, he eventually earns Rachel’s approval. And, as we have seen in the present-day scenes, she has mellowed out quite a bit.
Liam
Another member of Jack’s school and one of Jack’s closest friends. He admires Jack’s curiosity and encourages him to keep exploring it.
- Ascended Extra: Another shark who had barely any role in the main story, but in A Legend from the Start, he becomes Jack’s closest companion apart from his siblings and Mainda.
- Secret-Keeper: When Liam discovers that Jack has been going off on his own to meet with Mainda, he is more than happy to try and keep it a secret from the other school members. He even helps Jack cover his tracks by going on “duo hunts” with him as an alibi.
Lynn
Mainda’s former friend from her original school. She comes off as very possessive of Mainda, forbidding her from befriending sharks of other species
- Screw Your Ultimatum!: When Lynn finally confronts Mainda about spending time with Jack, she makes an ultimatum that either Mainda comes back with the other spinner sharks and forgets about Jack, or she joins Jack’s school. And since this is a prequel, we know exactly who Mainda prefers.
- We Used to Be Friends: When it becomes clear that Lynn will never give Jack a chance, Mainda cuts ties with her and joins Jack’s school
Susan's Pups
Zabi, Hermione, Oranny, Farin, Azure, Leanne, and Paz
- Babies Make Everything Better: Susan has Jack watch the pups so that he could teach them about the trials and turbulations of the world, and he himself can learn how important it is to prepare future generations for the cruel world they're born into
- Badass Adorable: When they believe that their mother is in danger, get ready for the cutest counteroffensive you've ever seen!
- One-Track-Minded Hunger: If there's one thing these pups know how to do, it's ask for food every few minutes.
- Protective Child: The pups are more than willing to face a shark 10 times their size to protect their mother.
