The Character Sheet for Molly of Denali.
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The Mabrays
Molly Mabray
Molly Mabray
Hey everyone, it's me, Molly!
- Voiced by: Sovereign Bill
- Affectionate Nickname: Sometimes, Tooey calls her "Moll." Walter also tends to call her "Molly Doodle."
- Alliterative Name: Molly Mabray.
- Animal Lover: Adores animals, especially ones she deems cute such as puffins.
- Bear Hug: In "By Sled or Snowshoe" Molly excitedly hugs Tooey tightly with a big smile.
- Birthday Episode: She celebrates her 10th birthday in the podcast episode "Happy Birthday Molly".
- Caught the Heart on His Sleeve: In "Little Dog Lost" Molly grabs Tooey's arm and runs with him to Auntie Midge's house.
- Character Catchphrase: "Mahsi'choo" which means "thank you" in Gwich'in. She says this line in the theme song, the asker segments, the funding credits, and several episodes.
- Cheerful Child: Molly is a very energetic and enthusiastic kid.
- Childhood Friends: Molly and Tooey have been best friends for as long as they can remember.
- Determinator: No matter what the situation is, she always keeps pushing forward. Lampshaded in "Welcome Home Balto."Henry (to Molly): You sure are determined!Tooey: Tell me about it.Midge: You don't know the half of it.
- Genki Girl: She's full of energy.
- The Hero: Of the whole series.
- Heroes Love Dogs: She is very close with Suki.
- The Leader: She's the leader of her friendship group with Tooey and Trini.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Molly is the Masculine Girl to Tooey's Feminine Boy. Molly is very tomboyish and adventurous, while Tooey is more sensitive and sweet.
- Meaningful Name: Her Native name is Shahnyaa, which means "one who informs us" in Gwich'in. She researches and provides information to her community.
- Nice Girl: Molly is compassionate and sensitive to the feelings of others, always trying to help in any way she can.
- Odd Name Out: She's the only one in her friendship group with Tooey and Trini whose name doesn't start with a T.
- Opposites Attract: Molly is very energetic and spontaneous, while Tooey is more calm and thoughtful.
- Outdoorsy Gal: Molly is most often seen outdoors, exploring and having adventures in nature.
- Red Is Heroic: She wears a red jacket and is The Hero of the show.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Molly is the Red Oni to Tooey's Blue Oni. Where Molly is enthusiastic and spontaneous, Tooey is patient and thoughtful. As a testament to this, Molly wears a red jacket while Tooey wears a blue shirt.
- Spiders Are Scary: In an episode, the pipes in Molly's bathroom leak causing her to resort to using the outhouse that houses many spiders, which Molly responds to with "But there's a million spiders in there." with a disgusted and hesitant expression.
- Tomboy: Molly shows zero interest in girly things, and loves playing basketball.
- Wingman: In the podcast episode "Co-Pilot Molly", she becomes the co-pilot for Layla's bush plane, and does a very good job at piloting it.
Walter Mabray
Walter Mabray
- Voiced by: Ronald Dean Harris
- Brainy Brunette: He is an expert of machines and a history nerd, and his hair is brown.
- Bumbling Dad: Downplayed. He tells terrible jokes and is overall a goofball, but he is still competent and a good father.
- Character Catchphrase: Says, "Ho-o-o-LAY!" when expressing amazement or shock.
- Family Man: He puts his family first, and will do anything to protect them.
- Gadgeteer Genius: He has a gift for working with machines.
- Good Parents: He is shown throughout the series and podcast to be a patient and supportive father to Molly.
- Informed Attribute: As a child, he apparently had a large chin. He appears to have since grown into it.
- Like Parent, Like Child: He's very goofy, just like his daughter.
- Meaningful Name: His Native name is Yaadekuh, which means "his chin is big" in Koyukon.
- Named After Somebody Famous: He was named after Walter Harper, the first person to reach the summit of Denali.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: He's afraid of bats and ends up falling off a ladder when Molly spots a bat in the attic. His fear started when he got a bat caught in his hair in a cave.
Layla Mabray
Layla Mabray
Click to see her Season 2 appearance
- Voiced by: Jules Arita Koostachin
- Action Mom: She balances being a mother with being an Ace Pilot.
- Ace Pilot: Layla is a bush pilot, and is complimented on her piloting throughout the podcast. She knows everything that’s going on in interior Alaska: what scientists are where and which ones always get into trouble, what the weather will be and if it’s dangerous to fly or not.
- Braids of Action: In season one, she wore a braid in her hair, but overall is an Action Mom.
- Costume Evolution: She has a new look in Season 2. She lets her hair down and now wears a dark green shirt, brown pants, and pink shoes.
- Good Parents: The series and podcast show that she's an excellent mother to Molly.
- Graceful Ladies Like Purple: Inverted. In season one, Layla wore a purple shirt underneath her overalls, as well as purple sneakers, but isn't all that feminine.
- Hidden Depths: She's an extremely skilled ice sculptor, but doesn't have much time for competitions anymore.
- Mama Bear: She is, like most mothers, very protective over her daughter and will do ANYTHING in her power to keep her safe.
- Meaningful Name: Layla’s Native name is “Dak Niighit”, which means "she is rising up in the air" in Gwich'in. This is because ever since she was a girl, she wanted to achieve her dreams of flying, which she eventually would do later on in her life (becoming a bush pilot).
- Motherly Side Plait: In the first season, she wore her hair in a side plait. However, she is also an Action Mom in addition to being motherly, and unlike most examples of this trope, she does not die.
- Rough Overalls: Her Iconic Outfit during season 1
- Strong Family Resemblance: When we see a flashback of her as a kid, we find that she looked a lot like Molly did, except with longer hair in a ponytail.
Grandpa Nat
Grandpa Nat
- Voiced by: Lorne Cardinal
- All There in the Manual: The tie-in book "Molly's Awesome Alaska Guide" reveals that Nat is fluent in both Gwich'in and Dena'ina.
- Big Fun: He's just as energetic and fun-loving as his granddaughter, and, judging from his design, he appears to be a bit on the burly side.
- Boarding School of Horrors: As revealed in "Grandpa's Drum", Grandpa Nat was sent away to boarding school when he was younger, part of a broader forced assimilation campaign by the United States government. There, he was shamed and bullied by teachers for being an Alaskan Native.
- Broken Bird: In spades. When he was younger, he was forced to attend boarding school, where he was discriminated against for being an Alaskan Native. He was also prohibited to sing his native songs. Because of this, he gave away his drum and didn't sing anymore. It was a very sad subject for him to talk about. Luckily, Molly and Tooey recovered his drum.
- Childhood Friends: He was close friends with a girl named Shyahtsoo as a child. They loved to sing, dance, and drum together, and after they were banned from doing it at boarding school, Nat gave her his drum. Even though they have some Ship Tease, and Shyahtsoo speaks very fondly of him in the present day, they presumably never got together. Nat had his daughter, Layla, with Catherine Kidelee, while Shyahtsoo had grandchildren of her own.
- Cool Old Guy: He's a volcanologist who is very spry and provides wisdom to Molly throughout the series.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Grandpa Nat has one as revealed in "Grandpa's Drum". As a child, he was removed from his family and forced to attend boarding school, where he was openly shamed for being an Alaskan Native. He was also only allowed to sing English songs, causing him to not sing anymore and to give away his drum to Shyahtsoo.
- Déjà Vu: He experiences this in "Grandpa's Drum". When Molly and Tooey sing and drum together, he starts seeing visions of himself and his old love interest, Shyahtsoo, when they were younger, doing the exact same thing.
- Given Name Reveal: In "Wise Raven and Old Crow," his surname is revealed to be Kidelee.
- Handwriting as Characterization: Grandpa Nat's handwriting is very swift, can be hard to read in some places, and is in cursive. His Native name was given because he's quick, he's a scientist and is thus highly intelligent, and he was educated during a time when cursive was considered the norm for handwriting. He's also aware of all of this and makes sure Molly can read his handwritten directions before she sets out on her hike in "Picking Cloudberries."
- Informed Ability: In "Molly's Awesome Alaska Guide," we learn that Nat can speak Dena'ina. However, aside from calling Molly "Shggyua" and teaching her to call him "Shchada'a," we only really ever hear him speaking Gwich'in or English.
- Meaningful Name: Nat is more of his nickname; his full name is Nehtan Kon, which means "lightning."
- Ship Tease: In "Grandpa's Drum", Molly and Tooey find a picture of Grandpa Nat and an unnamed girl (named Shyahtsoo in the credits) when they were kids. They were shown to be very close, and Nat apparently trusted her enough to give his drum to her. The girl also speaks very fondly of him, recalling how he loved to sing, dance, and joke a lot. When Molly and Tooey sing and drum together, Nat starts seeing visions of himself and the girl when they were younger, doing the exact same thing. Later averted when it's revealed that he was actually married to Catherine, Molly's grandmother.
- Stepford Smiler: Though he acts cheerful most of the time, deep down, he hides the pain of his past.
- The Storyteller: He loves telling stories to Molly, such as the raven who stole the sun.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Dried salmon. He always has to have at least one bag of it whenever he goes on a trip.
- Trauma Button: For him, it's about the time he went to boarding school.
Grandma Catherine
Grandma Catherine
- Voiced by: Margot Kane
- Always with You: Molly's family assures her that Grandma Catherine is always with her in spirit.
- Animal Motif: A raven. Specifically one with unusual white markings on its chest and one wing. It guides Molly in her dreams and along the river, and is present whenever something is being said about Catherine or Molly is about to have a dream or vision of her.
- Grandma's Recipe: Layla pulls out her mother's old recipe book to make fry bread without yeast, since Catherine always kept a list of substitute ingredients.
- Granny Classic: Catherine seems to be a pretty typical grandma. She enjoyed sewing and cooking, and was especially fond of leatherwork and beading. She was also a midwife, and helped deliver Molly.
- Memento MacGuffin: After Molly outgrows her beaded slippers, she worries about not being able to find a new pair in time for the Big Gathering. But then Aunt Merna calls her to tell her she's sent a pair of slippers that Grandma Catherine made her and had left with Merna to be given to Molly when she was old enough to fit them.
- Posthumous Character: Grandma Catherine died when Molly was three.
Suki
Suki The Alaskan Malamute
- Animal Reaction Shot: Suki provides some cute ones, especially when she thinks Molly's "Yes" or "No" remarks on the phone are addressed to her instead.
- Big Eater: The podcast shows that she loves to eat everything. Eventually, she is revealed to have stolen Molly's birthday cake.
- Canine Companion: She's an Alaskan Malamute who accompanies Molly on her adventures.
- Extreme Omnivore: Suki loves to eat everything, even food that isn't supposed to be for dogs.
- Loyal Animal Companion: She is almost always around to support Molly.
- Meaningful Name: In episode 3 of the podcast, Tooey names her Suki because it means 'loved one' in Japanese.
- Origins Episode: In a way, the podcast serves as one to her, showing how Molly found and befriended her.
- Precious Puppy: Certainly a very cute dog, and the podcast reveals that she's under two years old, making her still a puppy by veterinary standards.
- Team Pet: She could effectively serve as one to the Mabrays, as well as Molly's friendship circle.
- Undying Loyalty: To Molly. She will always stick by her side no matter what.
Qyah Youth
Tooey Ookami
- Voiced by: Sequoia Janvier (season 1), Zane Jasper (season 2)
- Aerith and Bob: Molly, Trini, Walter, Layla etc are normal names. Tooey, not so much. However, this is justified as "Tooey" is a nickname. Tooey is also the only one of his siblings to not have an English name as his given name, with his older brothers' names being John and Jay.
- Affectionate Nickname: Everyone in his family calls him "little wolf."
- Ambiguously Absent Parent: We haven't seen or heard about his mother, except in two episodes ("Name Game" and ""Fiddle Of Nowhere"). This is later on averted when Atsaq makes an appearance in “Operation: Sleepover" and "Porcupine Slippers".
- Animal Motifs: Wolves. Both his first and last name mean 'wolf', he wears a wolf on his pajamas, and Kenji calls him 'little wolf'.
- Best Friend: Tooey is Molly's #1 BFF, and they hang out all the time.
- Blue Is Heroic: Tooey wears a blue shirt, and is a close friend of Molly.
- Boys Like Creepy Critters: Defied. Tooey decidedly does not like Bandifer the frog in "Froggy of Denali." He only tolerates him because Molly loves frogs.
- Deadpan Snarker: Tooey is often wryly funny, especially when around Molly, who tends to be overexcitable.
- First Friend: In the episode "Culture Clash" Tooey notes that he and Molly had been friends long before anyone else. He says, "Yeah, remember? We did it with Oscar, and Vera?"
- Friend to All Living Things: He really loves animals and wants to be a musher someday.
- Goal in Life: His goal is to become a musher, much like his father.
- Heroes Love Dogs: He owns multiple dogs and takes exceptionally good care of them.
- Hero-Worshipper: He heavily idolizes Eugene Pike, a famous dog musher. He even mutters his name in his sleep in the episode "Porcupine Slippers," which could take his into Celeb Crush territory.
- Intimate Artistry: There is a drawn picture of Molly and Tooey together hanging in Tooey's bedroom.
- In Touch with His Feminine Side: Though Tooey isn't necessarily feminine, he actively goes out of his way to be seen as brave or 'manly', which is the complete opposite of what he really is.
- Japanese Politeness: Tooey is Japanese and is very polite and kind towards everyone.
- Kindhearted Cat Lover: Aside from owning several dogs, he also has a pet cat named Mouse.
- The Knights Who Say "Squee!": Goes starstruck when meeting his hero, Eugene Pike, and when TV celebrity Mac McFadden shows up at the trading post.
- The Lancer: Tooey serves as Molly's foil, being patient where she is spontaneous.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Molly is the Masculine Girl to Tooey's Feminine Boy. Molly is very tomboyish and adventurous, while Tooey is more sensitive.
- Nice Guy: Tooey is a very sweet and kind-hearted kid.
- The One Guy: While Tooey isn't the only guy in the show, he's the only male in his friendship group, as Molly and Trini are both girls.
- Odd Name Out: Tooey's older brothers' names both begin with J, while his does not. John and Jay are also standard English names, while Tookkone is Koyukon.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Tooey's real name is "Tookkone", but no one calls him that.
- The Only One I Trust: In episode four, season three of the podcast, Tooey admits he trusts Molly by letting her take his place in the Arctic Wolf Relay Race, even if he'd been training for a long time.
- Parental Neglect: Throughout the series, we don't see Tooey's parents around very often. Granted, this could be because he isn't the main focus of the show, he is still the secondary character. In many episodes, it's implied that Tooey is simply just home alone, as his dad is absent a lot racing dogs and his mom is a doctor that goes in and out of town. This is before we are introduced to his two brothers, but even then it's implied they're never home.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Tooey is the Blue Oni to Molly's Red Oni. Where Molly is enthusiastic and spontaneous, Tooey is patient and thoughtful. As a testament to this, Molly wears a red jacket while Tooey wears a blue shirt.
- Repetitive Name: Tooey is short for Tookkone — "wolf" in Koyukon Athabascan. His last name, Ookami, also means wolf, but in Japanese.
- Ship Tease: With Molly. Molly and Tooey are best friends who are super close, and don't mind holding hands, linking arms, hugging, or anything of the sort.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: Tooey is a dog whisperer who helps run his family's kennel, and hopes to become a musher like his father someday.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Hot chocolate. It's by far his favorite thing about winter.
- Undying Loyalty: To Molly. He always sticks by her side no matter what.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: In "Puppy Palooza," Tooey wants to prove himself to his dad by picking a new lead dog from among the puppies.
Trini Mumford
- Voiced by: Vienna Leacock
One of Molly's best friends. Trini is very independent and loves to play games. She can whistle out of the gap in her teeth, and it is super loud. Trini recently moved to Qyah, Alaska from Austin, Texas.
- Affectionate Nickname: In some episodes of Season 2, her father calls her 'Texas.'
- Allegorical Character: As she's the new kid to Qyah, she's meant to represent the kids in the audience who think that all Alaskans live in igloos, which couldn't be farther from the truth.
- Ambiguously Absent Parent: Her mom, until "Molly and the Great One". In her birthday episode, Trini was talking to her mom through video call.
- And Zoidberg: In the theme song, she says "...And Trini!"
- Animal-Eared Headband: Her winter hat has bear ears on it.
- Animal Lover: Much like Molly, she loves animals, especially cute ones. She owns a bunch of chickens, was quick to adopt Four Spots, and helped take care of Bonky the Baby Moose.
- Audience Surrogate: The purpose of her character is to represent kids who are unfamiliar with Alaska and are eager to learn more about it.
- The Baby of the Bunch: With Molly and Tooey being preteens, she's the youngest because she's seven (later eight).
- Berserk Button: Don't mess with Texas. You will regret it.
- Birthday Episode: She turns eight in "The Shortest Birthday".
- Break the Cutie:
- In "Molly and the Great One", Trini's mom Joy comes home after serving in the military. They enjoy their time together, but Joy eventually has to leave. Trini breaks down crying, because Joy always leaves and all she wants is her to stay forever.
- It happens again in "Wise Raven and Old Crow," when she thinks that it's her fault that Bonky disappeared and starts crying.
- Childish Tooth Gap: She has a gap in her teeth.
- Everything is Big in Texas: Trini references this trope in "Cabbagezilla", where she says that she "know[s] big" since she's from Texas. And indeed, she grows a giant cabbage.
- The Friendly Texan: She's generally a Nice Girl, in spite of her Hair-Trigger Temper.
- Genki Girl: Extremely high energy.
- Girlish Pigtails: Her braids with beads.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: In "Culture Clash", Trini gets angry whenever Molly and Tooey unintentionally suggest that she's too short for the basketball team, that she's not tough enough, and that she doesn't know how to play, landing Molly and Tooey on her bad side. They try to get on her good side for the rest of the episode.
- Military Brat: Her father is in the Coast Guard according to supplementary material. Her mom, Joy, is also in the army, and is a peacekeeper for the United Nations.
- Token Minority: Qyah is mostly made up of Alaska Natives, so she and her dad are in the minority by being the only black people in the town.
- True Blue Femininity: Her outfits have a lot of blue in them.
- Western Zodiac: Her birthday is on December 21, the Winter Solstice, making her a Sagittarius. Sagittarians are optimistic, lovers of freedom, hilarious, fair-minded, honest, and intellectual. They are spontaneous and fun, usually with a lot of friends, and are perhaps the best conversationalists in the zodiac (maybe tied with Gemini). Trini fits pretty much all of these traits, as she's a fun-loving Genki Girl who made a bunch of friends when she moved to Qyah.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: She's terrified of polar bears.
Oscar Marsh
- Voiced by: Pawaken Koostachin-Chakasim (season 1), Sigmund Dreveny (seasons 2 and 3)
A grade above Molly and Tooey in school, Oscar is Auntie Midge's grandson. Studious and ambitious, he is also a talented fiddler. Oscar is a bit hesitant to travel outside of Qyah - he prefers to read about nature rather than be IN nature.
- Academic Athlete: Besides his intelligence, he is good at playing basketball, as he is shown playing on the school basketball team.
- Child Prodigy: Despite his age, he is incredibly smart and a star fiddler.
- Daytime Drama Queen: One wouldn't expect an elementary school boy to be a fan of a soap opera, but he is.
- Explaining the Soap: The episode "Herring Eggs or Bust" shows Oscar explaining what the characters in The Butler of Finicky Manor are saying to Auntie Midge, because she broke her hearing aid.Man on TV: I am not requesting you leave, my lady. I am requesting you stay.Oscar: What?!Midge: Did he kick her out?Oscar: No! He wants to marry her!Midge: What?! She doesn't love you, she loves Percy Adderfish!Oscar: I know!
- Go-Getter Girl: Gender-inverted; Oscar is a studious, ambitious kid who loves reading and he also likes to play his fiddle, especially at town events.
- Hero Worship: He idolizes famous fiddler, Finnegan King.
- Hidden Depths: He used to play the piano before taking up fiddling. He also loves a British soap opera called The Butler of Finicky Manor.
- Sucks at Dancing: Not very good at jigging. He likes playing the fiddle better.
Vera Malakas
- Voiced by: Anna Dickey
Vera is a friend of Molly, Tooey, Trini, and Oscar who goes to school with them. She is not as seen as often as them.
- Friend to Bugs: Vera loves bugs, even spiders. She mentions having a book for identifying spiders and is a budding entomologist herself.
- Girly Girl with a Tomboy Streak: On the outside, she is quite girly compared to Molly or Trini. However, she loves sports.
- Graceful Ladies Like Purple: Her fall jacket is purple.
- Kids Love Dinosaurs: It is shown in "Going Toe to Toe with a Dinosaur" that she loves dinosaurs, and wants to be a paleontologist when she grows up.
- Meaningful Name: Her surname, Malakas, means "strong" in Tagalog. So her name sounds like she is "Vera Strong".
- Nice Girl: The sweetest of all the children next to Tooey.
- Nightmare Fetishist: Vera loves creepy things. During her Slumber Party with Molly and Jake, she brought over a scary board game to play.
- Passionate Sports Girl: She loves basketball, seeing as she is on the school basketball team, and is shown to be competitive in "Mollyball".
- Pink Means Feminine: She wears a pink shirt.
- Ship Tease: In "A Splash of Mink", she goes to the jig with Jake, and they dance together. They also stand next to each other all throughout "Mollyball", as they are on the same team.
Jake
- Voiced by: Brendan Sunderland
Jake is another friend of Molly, Tooey, Trini, Oscar, and Vera who goes to school with them. You'll often just find him in the background.
- Character Development: Season 2 expands his personality more by showing his fear of bugs and the dark.
- Expy: The most notable aspect of him is that he looks identical to Sean Rafferty. Eventually, he is revealed to be somewhat similar to Sean personality-wise as well, due to him being skittish.
- Flat Character: Due to his limited number of appearances, he doesn't have much of a personality. Later averted in the episode "Ladybug Sleepover", where he has a sleepover with Molly and Vera and it's revealed that he has a fear of creepy-crawlies such as spiders and insects.
- No Full Name Given: His last name is unknown.
- Primal Fear: He's scared of the dark.
- Ship Tease: With Vera. In "A Splash of Mink", he goes to the dance with her. In "Mollyball", they're on the same team and they stand next to each other a lot.
- Token White: The only white kid in the show.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Jake is very scared of bugs. He spends "Ladybug Sleepover" conquering his fear of them.
- Youthful Freckles: He has freckles on his face.
Qyah Adults
Kenji Ookami
- Voiced by: Hyuma Frankowski
Kenji is the father of Tooey. He runs a dog kennel in Qyah near his house where some 12 huskies live. He is known to be a musher who is good with animals. He is Yup'ik, Koyukon, and Japanese, having been raised in Hokkaido.
- Air Guitar: He briefly pretends to play the electric guitar in "Midnight Sun Fun Run."
- Commuting on a Bus: His absence from episodes featuring Tooey's family is explained away by his work as a musher, participating in races and related events.
- Demoted to Extra: He barely appears as of Season 3.
- Family Man: Even though he is absent due to his work as a musher, he still loves and cares for his family and puts in the work when he is home. This extends to his sled dogs.
- Forgetful Jones: He has a habit of losing his wallet. Luka was trained to help find it for him.
- Friend to All Living Things: Kenji is amazing with animals and knows exactly how to care for them. It helps that he’s a musher who owns around 12 sled dogs.
- Good Parents: A kind-hearted father to Tooey.
- Gratuitous Japanese: As he is Japanese, he peppers his dialogue with a few Japanese phrases, like when he tells Luka to “Ikimasu” in “Hus-keys” or when he wishes Tooey “oyasumi” in “King Run”.
- Hidden Depths: He can play the acoustic guitar.
- House Husband: His wife, Atsaq, is a doctor. Kenji seems to just stay home taking care of the dogs.
- If I Had a Nickel...: He remarks in “Little Dog Lost” that if he had a nickel for every dog that took off then found its way home, he’d have a lot of nickels.
- Immigrant Parents: He used to live in Japan before moving to the United States.
- I Was Quite a Looker: Even though he’s still good-looking in the present day, and isn’t that old (he seems to be in his 40s at most), we see a picture
◊ of him when Tooey was still a baby in “Tooey’s Hole-i-Day Sweater”, and he used to let his hair grow out slightly more. The same goes for his wife. - Japanese Politeness: Kenji grew up in Japan, and as his son, is very polite and one of the nicest characters on the show. It is very rare to see him get angry or upset.
- Like Father, Like Son: It would seem Tooey inherited his Deadpan Snarker tendencies from his dad.Kenji (upon seeing Tooey labeling his things to tell them apart from his brothers' things): Is that so I'll know which of my sons is Tooey?
- Limited Wardrobe: Subverted. While everyone on the show has 2 standard outfits (spring/summer outfit and winter coat), Kenji wears a black leather jacket in “Hus-keys”. This outfit later returns in "Midnight Sun Fun Run."
- Nice Guy: Kenji is extremely kind-hearted to everyone, no matter who they are. He's a great father to Tooey and a trustworthy friend to everyone else in Qyah. He's an active member of the Qyah community, taking part in events such as the jig (he plays the acoustic guitar there) and saving the kids' clubhouse in "Not So Permafrost". He's also very wise, as he knows the solutions to various problems and remains calm and patient during them. For example, in "Qyah Spy", he wasn't mad at all when he found out that Molly and Tooey were spying on him, he even offered them a snack. He's also knowledgeable when it comes to animals because he happens to be a musher. Tooey looks up to him and wishes to be like him.
- Not So Above It All: While Kenji is a very nice individual, he remarks that Mr. Rowley needs a barber under his breath in “New Nivagi”.
- Oh, Crap!: He had this reaction in “Tooey’s Hole-i-Day Sweater” when he finds out that Luka ripped Tooey’s Christmas sweater.
- Renaissance Man: He enjoys mushing, playing guitar, and fishing. Not to mention that he’s good with animals.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: Runs a dog kennel and is a renowned dog whisperer.
- Unflappable Guardian: He keeps a calm, level head in almost any situation. Except for one instance, see Oh, Crap! above.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: Rare male example. His wife doesn't fit the trope since she isn't Japanese, but Kenji has all the trademarks of a typical YN; he's polite yet firm, loves his family, and takes good care of animals.
Atsaq Ookami
- Voiced by: Nyla Carpentier
- Big Beautiful Woman: She is shown to be quite full-figured.
- Childhood Friend: She was friends with Layla when they were young, and they still are on good terms today.
- Good Parents: An excellent mother to Tooey.
- Hidden Depths: She is a great fiddler, which is offhandedly mentioned in "Fiddle of Nowhere".
- I Was Quite a Looker: Much like her husband Kenji.An old family photo◊ shows that she used to wear dresses and let her hair grow to her elbows, before cutting it just above her chin.
- Long Hair Is Feminine: She used to let her hair grow out when Tooey was younger. She eventually cut it into a bob.
- Meaningful Name: It means "berry" in Yup'ik.
- Nerd Glasses: They're red-rimmed.
- Odd Name Out: Atsaq is one of the only characters to go by their Native name.
Daniel Mumford
- Voiced by: Luc Roderique
- Badass Bookworm: A former member of the Coast Guard who's a librarian.
- Black and Nerdy: A black guy who is an expert on all things aquatic and all things Alaska.
- Bookworm: Daniel is an avid reader who runs the town library.
- Family Man: He always wants what's best for his family, and does his best to support Trini when Joy is away.
- The Friendly Texan: Daniel is always ready and willing to provide useful information to Molly and her friends.
- Good Parents: A caring and wise father to Trini.
- Retired Badass: He used to be in the Coast Guard before moving to Qyah with Trini.
Joy Mumford
- Voiced by: Bethany Brown
- Ace Pilot: Joy is very skilled as a helicopter pilot.
- Big Damn Heroes: Swoops in to rescue Mac from Denali in "Molly and the Great One."
- Commuting on a Bus: Occasionally appears in Qyah when she has leave.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Since being in Qyah, she's fallen in love with fireweed honey.
- When You Coming Home, Dad?: Her deployments and assignments are very hard on Trini, who just wants her mom to stay in Qyah.
Auntie Midge
- Voiced by: Adeline Potts
- All There in the Manual: Her last name, Elik, is revealed in a game on the PBS Kids website.
- Cool Old Lady: Midge is a very wise and fun-loving old woman. She's also very agile and athletic. Her skills include rafting, figure skating, snowboarding and playing Eenie Eenie Aye Over (though she calls it Annie Annie Aye Over).
- Gamer Chick: We learn in "Fiddlesticks" that she likes to steal Oscar's video games and play them.
- Greater Need Than Mine: In "Dream Tube", Auntie Midge wants the tube that the kids also want. When she discovers that Trini has an agate (and that the kids need $30 to buy the tube), she decides that since tubes come around every summer (and agates are rarer), that the kids deserve the tube more, so she buys the agate, meaning the kids now have enough money for the tube.
- Honorary Uncle: She's not actually an aunt to anyone living in Qyah, she's just called "Auntie" as a sign of respect.
- Ink-Suit Actor: Midge's ethnic background, personality and life experiences are all based on her voice actress Adeline Potts. She's also designed to look rather similar to Potts.
- The Leader: She's the Tribal Chief of Qyah.
- Meaningful Name: Her Native name is Chaaki Hakii, which means "big shot leader" in Han Gwich'in.
- Not So Above It All: Holds a tiny bit of a grudge against Nat for the time she lost a dance competition after she broke her toe while hiking with him (though it's not nearly bad enough to hurt their friendship).
- Pink Means Feminine: She wears a pink kuspuk (an overshirt, often a hoodie or parka, invented by the Yup'ik and worn by many Alaskans of all ethnicities).
- Reasonable Authority Figure: In "Brand New Flag," when Molly tries to pawn the decision on the winner of the flag design contest off on Midge, Midge flat out refuses, but agrees to help Molly figure out what she's really looking for in a flag.
- Ship Tease: Was shown jigging with Grandpa Nat in "A Splash of Mink". Nat is a widower and Midge doesn't seem to currently have a husband.
Mr. Patak
- Voiced by: Shawn Youngchief
- A Day in the Limelight: In "Lights, Camera, Patak!"
- Given Name Reveal: In "Lights, Camera, Patak!" he reveals that his first name is William.
- Hidden Depths: Can speak at least some Russian, and is able to translate Big Sulky's original name.
- Hopeless with Tech: Downplayed. Mr. Patak doesn't know how to use the camera on his phone.
- Instant Expert: In "Fiddle of Nowhere," he plays scales and simple tunes on the fiddle after just one lesson, impressing Oscar, the resident fiddle prodigy. He's a self-described fast learner.
- Meaningful Name: His Native name, Sanalguruq, means "he who is good at making things" in Inupiaq.
- Mistaken for Santa: When Molly was younger, she was convinced Mr. Patak was Santa Claus because of his skill at crafting wooden toys.
- Mr. Fixit: Apart from creating things from wood, he's also good at fixing things. In one of the shorts from The Big Gathering, he gives Tooey instructions on how to fix his drum.
- Nice Guy: He's as kind as he is creative.
- Performance Anxiety: He's incredibly camera-shy, to the point of an anxiety attack, as revealed in "Lights, Camera, Patak," but he starts to overcome his fear with the help of Walter. Come autumn, he can give an interview about Big Sulky on camera seemingly without a problem.
- True Craftsman: Mr. Patak always prioritizes creating high-quality products.
Connie Williams
- Voiced by: Ellen Kennedy
- Boyish Short Hair: She's a Wrench Wench and former Olympic athlete who wears her hair in a pixie cut.
- Informed Judaism: There were no indications that she was Jewish up until "Tooey's Hole-i-Day Sweater," where she is seen lighting a menorah.
- Meaningful Name: The name "Connie" means "reliable." Perfect for a woman whose neighbors can always depend on her.
- The Reliable One: She is trustworthy and can be relied on for anything, whether it be coaching, fixing machines, or taking care of a baby moose. "Have Canoe, Will Paddle" establishes this by showing how her bizarre training methods were useful to Molly and her friends all along.
- Sports Hero Backstory: In "Have Canoe, Will Paddle", Connie is revealed to have raced in the Olympics and won a gold medal in the Women's C-1 200 meter race.
- Token White: One of the few white people in Qyah.
- Wrench Wench: She is an auto mechanic.
Nina
- Voiced by: Katrina Salisbury
- Animal Lover: She loves and studies animals, such as puffins, birds, and bison. In "Party Moose," she demonstrates respect for animals by keeping a safe distance from a moose and not harassing it, while still managing to get it off of the runway.
- Camera Fiend: Nina takes the pictures of everyone for Molly's book in "The Funny Face Competition."
- Intergenerational Friendship: She's an adult woman who is close friends with Molly, who is 10. She's a family friend, so she can be trusted to take care of Molly while also teaching her new things.
- The Klutz: Tends to trip or crash frequently. In one episode, she breaks her ankle while snowboarding. In another, she trips over a stump while trying to catch a baby crane.
- Nerd Glasses: She wears cat-eye glasses.
- Nice Girl: She is a good friend to Molly and her family.
- No Full Name Given: Her last name is unknown.
- Smart People Wear Glasses: She wears glasses, and she goes on scientific expeditions for a living.
- Token White: One of the few white recurring characters in the series.
Maurice Malakas
- Voiced by: Shawn Youngchief
- Alliterative Name: Maurice Malakas
- The Everyman: He seems to be a pretty average guy.
- Meaningful Name: His Native name is Shoh Ki', which means "bear's head". His head does look like that of a bear.
- Took the Wife's Name: Appears to be the case, since Vera's last name is Filipino, and as a former Spanish colony, it's customary in the Philippines for children to have their father's surname listed first. If Vera is going by her mother's surname instead, this trope is likely in play.
Mr. Rowley
- Voiced by: Clay St. Thomas
- Absent Animal Companion: "Snowboarding Qyah Style" shows that he has a pet English Mastiff named Brownie, who is hardly ever seen after the episode.
- Collector of the Strange: He likes to collect glass unicorns.
- Cool Old Guy: He can fix anything, owns a lot of things that Molly and her friends can use, and is a Renaissance Man.
- Curse of The Ancients: In "The Great Qyah Cleanup," he exclaims "Bejabbers," "Gadzooks," and "Great horn spoon."
- Hidden Depths: "Puppy Palooza" reveals that Mr. Rowley is a retired musher with a lot of experience in training sled dogs. He tells Tooey the four most desirable traits in a potential lead dog.
- Mr. Fixit: He can fix anything, usually with some MacGyvering involved. In "Heat Wave," he fixes a fan using a ballpoint pen.
- No Full Name Given: His first name is unknown.
- Renaissance Man: He likes bartering, collecting things, fixing things, playing the acoustic guitar, and is a beekeeper.
Molly's extended family
Cousin Randall
- Voiced by: Taran Kootenhayoo (Season 1), Jared Ager-Foster (Season 2)
- All There in the Manual: The "Big Gathering" game on the PBS Kids website reveals that Randall's last name is James.
- The Apprentice: "Tale of a Totem" reveals that he's a wood-carving apprentice to his Great-Uncle Jack.
- Big Eater: His introduction episode shows him frequently eating and talking about food, and in "Canoe Journey," he eats a large quantity of pilot bread. Justified, as he is a growing teenage boy.
- Cool Big Bro: He acts like one to Molly, although he's her cousin, not her brother. He often shows Molly how to do cool things.
- Disappeared Dad: Nothing is known about his father, save that he was possibly Tlingit.
- Hidden Depths: He has many talents, and in "Art From the Heart," he is revealed to be artistically inclined.
- Keet: An older example than most, but he is really energetic.
- Kiddie Kid: He's a teenager, but he acts as excitable as Molly.
- Le Parkour: He thinks of himself as a master of parkour in "Tale of a Totem." He does pull it off...only to lose a shell.
- Primal Fear: He's terrified of the dentist. Less so after Molly sends him a video detailing her appointment to get a cavity filled.
- Online Alias: "Snowboarding Qyah Style" shows that his online username is "randallpants."
- Small Role, Big Impact: He only appeared at the beginning of "Tooth or Consequences," but he was still responsible for telling Molly that dentists use jackhammers on teeth.
Auntie Merna
- Voiced by: Michelle Thrush
- Age Insecurity: In "The Funny Face Competition," in Molly's photo caption, Merna states that her age is "none of your business."
- Forgetful Jones: She often forgets where she places her keys.
- Grumpy Old Woman: She has a sour disposition most of the time, but she smiles more in later episodes.
- Hates Being Touched: Merna is stated to not be the "huggy-kissy" type of person, and is uncomfortable when her own grand-niece hugs her.
- Hidden Depths: She can make great funny faces.
- Immigrant Patriotism: A variation. Merna is Canadian Gwich'in, but is actively and proudly involved in the local Tlingit community of Sitka, and is married to one of their elders. She knows some Tlingit words and phrases, and translates for Molly during a totem raising ceremony.
- Ironic Name: The name Merna means "affectionate" or "exuberance." Yet Aunt Merna is The Stoic who Hates Being Touched.
- Morality Pet: Despite what Molly thought at first, Merna does love her and care for her, and even gave her a native name. She also has a literal morality pet in the form of her puppy, Dolt'ol, who she dotes on.
- Not So Above It All: Although she seems stern, she is great at making funny faces. She even manages to burst out laughing when a fly gets stuck on Tooey's face.
- Odd Name Out: Her sisters' names are Catherine and Cecilia. She's the only one of her siblings whose name doesn't begin with C.
- Opposites Attract: She is very reserved and serious, and is married to Jack, who is much more outgoing and playful.
- Perpetual Frowner: Subverted. Although she frowns most of the time, she does smile every now and then, and starts smiling more as the show goes on.
- The Stoic: She has a "stone face." "The Funny Face Competition" reveals that she's been like this since she was a child.
- Technologically Blind Elders: She had trouble with video calling in "Hus-keys."
- Took a Level in Kindness: She isn't as stern in seasons 2 and 3.
- Uncatty Resemblance: Dolt'ol is just as stone-faced as Merna.
Uncle Jack
- Voiced by: David Lyle
- Animal Motif: The raven, which is a staple of the show, but seems to be connected to Jack more than probably any other character.
- Large Ham: Gets very animated when telling stories, and especially when playing the part of Raven in Oscar's story.
- Mentor Archetype: He's Randall's wood-carving mentor.
- Opposites Attract: He is very outgoing and playful, and is married to Merna, who is more reserved and serious.
- The Storyteller: He loves telling stories about ravens, and in "Raven Saves the Birthday Party," he inspires Oscar to create his own raven story.
Uncle Cliff
- Voiced by: Kevin Loring
Grandpa Nat's younger brother, making him another of Molly's great-uncles.
- Big Little Brother: Cliff is taller than Nat.
- Friendly Rivalry: With Nat. Whenever they're together, Cliff brings out Nat's competitive side.
- Retcon: In the first season, Nat referred to Cliff as his "buddy," and he was implied to live close to Qyah, but never appeared on screen. In the second season when he appears for the first time, he is revealed to actually be Nat's brother, who still lives in their childhood hometown of Beaver.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Like his brother, Cliff loves dried king salmon. He steals it from Nat every chance he gets.
Others
Travis Hightower
- Voiced by: Clay St. Thomas
A spirited young man who wants to take pictures of woolly mammoths. He first appeared in "Book of Mammoths" and later returned in "Happy Trails," this time to take pictures of a willow ptarmigan.
- Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!: He's very excitable, easily distracted, talks over people somtimes, can hyperfixate, is impulsive (especially with money) and can be clumsy.
- Broken Pedestal: He idolizes Montey Cribbits, the author of the "Best Beasts Ever! And Where to Find Them" book, and thought that everything in the book was real. Then, when Molly shows him that the mammoth pictures in the book were photoshopped, Travis is devastated that Montey isn't the person he thought he was.
- Character Catchphrase:
- "Onward ho!"
- In both of his appearances, he says "Can you keep a secret?"
- Companion Cube: In "Happy Trails," he treats his robot parakeet 'Patty' as if it were a real bird.
- Drama Queen: In "Happy Trails," he says he's been hiking for ages and dramatically collapses onto a chair. He was actually only gone for an hour.Travis: Well, it felt like ages.
- Mechanical Animals: His flying robotic parakeet drone Patty in "Happy Trails."
- Mucking in the Mud: Travis finds himself in a mud puddle up to his waist and has to be hauled out with a rope.
- Only in Florida: Travis comes to Qyah to look for living mammoths, and in the meantime gets into all kinds of predicaments. He's from Florida.
- Super Gullible: He easily believes that woolly mammoths are still around and thought that a photoshopped picture was real. In "Happy Trails," he thought that a very old Alaska brochure he got from a secondhand bookstore in Tampa was up to date just because he was told it was.
Dr. Antigone Howell
- Voiced by: Rebecca Shoichet
A biologist who studies sandhill cranes.
- Meaningful Name: Antigone is the genus name of the sandhill crane (A. canadensis).
- One-Shot Character: She only appeared in "Crane Song."
- Orange/Blue Contrast: She wears an orange shirt and blue pants.
- Working Through the Cold: She has a cold in the episode, but she isn't going to let a few sniffles keep her from her appointed rounds.
Mac McFadden
- Voiced by: Sam Vincent
The host and star of "Macventures," an adventure show that glorifies risk taking, Mac wants to summit Denali on the anniversary of the Stuck-Karstens expedition, and film his attempt for his show. He appeared in the first special, "Molly and the Great One."
- Break the Haughty: Mac starts his climb declaring that he's going to conquer Denali, ignoring Nat's warnings to respect the mountain. Denali thoroughly humiliates him in the end, and he's forced to post a video of his failure in order to let Andie know he needs to be rescued.
- Dude in Distress: Gets himself lost on Denali with hypothermia and frostbite. The other three members of the expedition have to go searching for him in a blizzard, and Joy and Atsaq have to take a risky helicopter flight to evacuate him from the mountain.
- Embarrassing First Name: Aloysius. Andie uses it to keep him in line.
- Fearless Fool: Mac frequently puts himself in very risky situations, often against the advice of professionals. This comes back to bite him on Denali.
- Just Friends: With Andie.
- Large Ham: Mac spends the majority of his screen time Chewing the Scenery.
- Never Say "Die": Mac emphasizes the danger of the situations he puts himself in, but he never implicitly states that they're deadly; just that he could be "doomed."
- Third Act Stupidity: Mac swears that nothing will keep him from summitting Denali. Nothing, that is, except frostbite and his own hubris.
Andie
- Voiced by: Lauren Jackson
Mac's producer and videographer, Andie keeps Mac in line and prevents him from doing anything too dangerous.
- Action Girl: She accompanies Mac on all of his adventures and is just as capable as he is.
- First-Name Ultimatum: When she needs to keep Mac in line, she calls him by his real name, Aloysius.
- Just Friends: With Mac, though it's clear she cares for him very much.
- Morality Pet: Andie acts as this to Mac.
- No Full Name Given: We don't know her last name.
- Only Sane Man: Andie serves as Mac's conscience, and is much more sensible than he is.
Shyahtsoo
- Voiced by: Michelle Thrush
A childhood friend of Grandpa Nat's. She kept his drum for him after he gave up singing, but returns the drum to Molly to give to Nat.
- All There in the Script: Her name is only listed in the credits of the episode that featured her, and isn't even spoken until two seasons later.
- Boarding School of Horrors: Was sent to a boarding school to be forcibly assimilated as part of a government program.
- The Cameo: Appears at the end of "Molly and the Great One" to celebrate Nat's successful summit expedition on Denali.
- Childhood Friends: She and Nat were very close during their time in school.
- Hairstyle Inertia: Wears the same hair style in the present that she did as a child.
- No Full Name Given: She's just called Shyahtsoo.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Her granddaughter is her spitting image.
