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Major characters
Olmec
- Played by: Dee Bradley Baker (Michael Benyaer in human form)
A talking stone head and the guardian of the Hidden Temple, who guides the teams through the challenges and provides assistance on finding the lost treasures.
- Abdicate the Throne: In the movie, in his days as a human, he was planning to pass his title as king to Zuma. However, Thak and his Temple Guard army attacked, kicking off the conflict of the film.
- Art Evolution: Was updated slightly in the third season of the original, such as more visible stubble and prominent cheekbones. Radically changed for the reboot, now looking much older.
- Big Good: Guides the teams through each round, as well as give them suggested routes through the temple. In The Movie, he gives the Power Trio assistance on how to restore the temple back to its former state, as well as encouragement.
- Couch Gag: Would say a humorous Catchphrase, such as "Oh, yeah!" or "Rock and roll!", just before the Moat round starts. He also ends every episode of the reboot with a humorous tagline in response to Cristela "taking them out of here."
- A Dog Named "Dog": An Olmec statue named Olmec.
- Early-Installment Weirdness:
- Olmec wasn't much of a Large Ham in the first season of the original, and most of his instructions were given by Kirk. Beginning in Season 2, he became much more vocal, giving instructions for all rounds save for the Steps of Knowledge, along with his famous drawn-out pronunciation of the Shrine of the Silver Monkey.
- In the first season, the gate was positioned in front of Olmec and was just two flaming columns; beginning in Season 2, it was attached to his side and can be opened.
- Incoming Ham: When the Power Trio first encounter him in the movie:Olmec: Who dares to enter the Hidden Temple?!
- Large Ham: Tends to have moments like this.
- Living Statue: Naturally.
- Perpetual Frowner: Is constantly depicted with a steeled frown.
- Power Echoes: Olmec's voice has a booming echo tremolo in it.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: When Olmec speaks, his eyes pulse red.
- The Stoic: Doesn't have much of emotion, but can have a sense of humor at times.
- Verbal Tic:
- Beginning in Season 2 of the original, whenever Olmec mentions the Shrine of the Silver Monkey, he would say it in a long and wacky drawn-out manner.
- Olmec lets out a loud groan whenever he releases the temple gate.
- Olmec's pronunciations of the various temple rooms. He would deliver the Dark Forest in an ominous manner, whispers the Room of the Secret Password, draw out the Room of the Ancient Warriors, and so on.
- Vocal Evolution: Olmec's voice became slightly deeper and more gravelly in the third season of the original.
The hosts
The hosts of the show. Kirk Fogg hosted the original, while Cristela Alonzo hosted the reboot.
- Dynamic Entry: For the second season of the original, Kirk lowered himself on a rope; for the third, he swung across the set.
- Grand Staircase Entrance: Kirk introduced himself this way in the first season, coming down the stairs out of the temple. In the reboot, Cristela comes out of the temple through the staircase at the Pit of Despair as Olmec introduces her.
The teams
Six groups of two, out to retrieve the treasures in the temple. They consist of the Red Jaguars, Blue Barricudas, Green Monkeys, Orange Iguanas, Purple Parrots, and Silver Snakes.
- Animal Theme Naming: All are represented by some sort of animal.
- Alliterative Name: Blue Barricudas, Purple Parrots and Silver Snakes.
- Consolation Prize: All contestants get to keep the shirts they wear on the show as a souvenir, taken to extremes in the reboot as it's the only thing they get should they get last place in the Moat. For the Silver Snakes however, they were given a replacement shirt because the ones worn on the show were made to look better on camera.
The Temple Guards
The various guards of the temple.
- Ambushing Enemy: The Temple Guards hide until a player triggers them. It's usually impossible to tell just by looking at a room if it's guarded.
- Get Out!: If a Temple Guard catches a player without a pendant of life, he will drag them out of the temple.
- Jump Scare: They leap out unexpectedly when found.
- Mook Bouncer: Get caught without a pendant and they haul you away.
- Mayincatec: Their general design is clearly borrowing influences from several Mesoamerican cultures (while also working hard not to be any obvious single one).
- Rule of Three: There are always three Temple Guards waiting in the Temple.
- When Trees Attack: The Temple Guards hide in the trees in the Dark Forest. After the first season, they are the trees. Stick your hand in the wrong one and the branches will grab you. They return to hiding amongst the trees in the reboot.
Movie-exclusive characters
Sadie
- Played by: Isabela Moner
Noah
- Played by: Colin Critchley
Dudley
- Played by: Jet Jurgensmeyer
Zuma
- Played by: Ioan Sebastian Tirlui
Olmec's good son, and his successor as king.
- Cain and Abel: The Abel to Thak's Cain.
Thak
- Played by: Daniel Cudmore
Olmec's evil son and Zuma's brother.
- Cain and Abel: The Cain to Zuma's Abel.
