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The Hawkins Family
In General
- Action Dad: Jim is a father by book 3, and finds himself having to defend himself on a few occasions. It's noted that he doesn't like it, but he will in a pinch. Likewise, Marcos is a father in the later books
- Action Girl: Steffanie is a lifelong athlete who wrestles a warrior prince into submission. Likewise, while they don't like it, Mary, Megan, and even Sabrina can get dangerous in a pinch.
- Action Survivor: While occasionally practicing violence, most of them aren't very combat-oriented. They mostly survive by their wits, running, or cheating with items from their era.
- Arch-Enemy: Seem to have one in the Sword of Coriantumr and its various adherents. No enemy has caused more trouble for them than the wielders of that sword.
- Badass Family: Oh, yes.
- Badass Preacher: Most of the family is formidable, and all of them are willing to preach about Jesus Christ given the chance.
- Been There, Shaped History: All of them have spent their share of time helping shape biblical and Book of Mormon events. The most overt example is probably in the 5-7 arc, where they ensure that the only copy of the Book of Matthew survives to be included in the Bible.
- Generational Saga: The series is really about the Hawkins family and their various spouses and friends over the years.
- Genre Savvy: After the first few books, they tend to know the scriptures enough to know what events they're involved in. They're also familiar with the usual adventure tropes, which helps them out about half the time.
- Guile Hero: Since traveling to the past most often leaves you with nothing, they have to be pretty good at talking their way out of trouble.
- Good Ol' Boy: Downplayed, since they don't talk about politics, but they adhere to the strong, Christian, good-natured side of this trope.
- Happily Married: Any couple that occurs ends up being this.
- Manly Tears: When the men cry, it's this.
- Official Couple: End up with several. Spoilers below.
- Jim and Renae. Later Jim and Sabrina.
- Melody and Marcos.
- Harry and Mary.
- Megan and Apollus.
- Omniglot: Like anyone else who time travels, while in another time they hear and speak every language as if it's English, even if they're speaking to people who don't speak each other's language. This is a frequent plot point, as their gift of tongues makes them attractive to a number of people, and also identifies to the savvy that they're time travelers.
- Pop-Cultured Badass: All of them are familiar with pop cultural touchstones and are unafraid to reference them in their thinking. Notably, the Lord of the Rings parallels are explicitly referenced in Book 2, complete with them naming themselves the Fellowship of the Sword.
- Real Men Love Jesus: These ones do.
- Running Gag: Since the first era they visited didn't have conventional last names, Jim was referred to as 'Jimawkins'. Likewise, in each subsequent era the family changes their names to fit the setting, sometimes getting as ridiculous as 'Jimus Hawkinus.'
- Second Love: Jim's wife/the kids' mother Renae passes away between 2 and 3. However, in 5 Jim gets engaged to Sabrina after nine or so years of widowerhood, and the two have a very loving marriage.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: In the later books, it starts to look like their gift of tongues extends to animals as well, as Rafa the bird and Huracan the jaguar seem to follow their commands extremely well.
- Taught by Experience: The Hawkins family have time traveled more than anyone else in the franchise. While there were a lot of sticky moments, the end result is that they're better at it than anyone else.
Jamie "Jim" Hawkins
The overarching main character of the series. At the start of book 1, he is thirteen years old and has a bad attitude about church and his family. But by the time book 2 rolls around, he has matured and is in college. Starting in book 3, Jim is a fully grown adult and the patriarch of his family.
- Action Dad: When required.
- Action Survivor: Gets in maybe two straight-up fights over the series' course. But encounters plenty of danger without it.
- Audience Surrogate: In his early books he doesn't know the Book of Mormon well and needs to be reminded of certain events, much like the target audience might.
- Bumbling Dad: Has shades of this in 3, and worries about his kids finding him uncool. Traveling back to Nephite times helps convince them.
- Character Narrator: Narrates all of 1 and 2, and splits 3 and 4 equally with Melody. While he drops off for a while, he comes back as a regular from 10 onward.
- Cool Old Guy: By book 10 he's close to fifty, but still able to hike and adventure pretty well. His extensive experience at this point also makes it easier for him to navigate his surroundings.
- Cool People Rebel Against Authority: Was pretty rebellious as a young man, but grows out of it. It still shows up from time to time.
- Crisis of Faith: Has one of these in 3, as he's quite sour about his wife dying and being left with three kids between fourteen and eight years old.
- The Determinator: Despite facing plenty of challenges, if he's given a job to do he NEVER gives up.
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": His real name is Jamie, but he goes by Jim, since Jamie is a girl's name in his head. People generally assume his full name is James, but revealing that it's Jamie attracts his wife Renae, since it's always been one of her favorite names.
- Flat-Earth Atheist: On occasion. In 2, he still insists on treating The Sword of Coriantumr like a normal sword even after being told just how powerful its influence is.
- Frame-Up: Gets accused of murdering his boss Doug Bowman in book 3. As he soon realizes, the entire events of the book so far have been people gathering the means to do so, e.g. stealing a hairbrush to plant his hair at the scene. Fortunately, finding his daughter's hair on the victim too starts legitimizing his story.
- Good Parents: Is generally this. His kids love him and he does right by them.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: Can fly off the handle sometimes.
- Parents as People: Is occasionally short with his kids. In 3 he also suffers a lot from not having his wife around anymore.
- The Patriarch: Becomes this in the later books as his kids grow up and start having kids of their own.
- The Philosopher: The later books often start with him pondering philosophical issues of some kind.
- Real Men Love Jesus: He's not the most instinctive Christian, but he's pretty devoted to him after a while. Getting to meet him personally may have helped with this.
- Roaring Rampage of Rescue: The entire impetus of 3 and 4 is rescuing his daughter from the Gadiantion robbers.
- Shout-Out: His name is one to Treasure Island.
Melody Hawkins Sanchez
The oldest child of Jim and Renae Hawkins. She is currently married to Marcos Sanchez. In 3, she is a bratty teenager, and is kidnapped by Jacob Moon in order to blackmail her uncle Garth into revealing the location of a treasure.
- Brainy Brunette: Subverted. She has long black hair, but is more of a socializing, party-time girl.
- Break the Cutie: Gets kidnapped by Gadianton cultists, has a terrible bout of painful convulsions, nearly drowns in a river, gets asphyxiated as a form of torture, and that's just 3 and 4!
- Character Narrator: Narrates half of 3 and 4 with Jim, but takes a backseat after that.
- Crisis of Faith: Is straying a bit at the start of 3. Her arc is about learning to regain her idealism.
- Daddy's Girl: Jim is quite fond of her.
- Happily Adopted: Her son Carter in Book 9.
- Official Couple: With Marcos after a while.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Her black hair makes her resemble her mother Renae.
- The Topic of Cancer: Gets ovarian cancer (like her mother) in Book 5, prompting Harry's mission to retrieve Marcos from Nephite times. She later makes a full recovery and has yet to see it return.
Steffanie Hawkins
The second daughter of Jim and Renae Hawkins. Steffanie is portrayed as a health nut, obeying a strict diet and exercising on a regular basis. She's a supporting character in books 3-8, but finally gets a chance to take the spotlight in 9.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Ends up having this with Pagag.
- Character Narrator: Finally narrates in Book 9. Lampshaded by her, as she's been there for most of the adventures and yet has never had a chance to tell her side.
- Competition Freak: Very competitive. While held captive by the Evil Empire in Book 9, she competes with the Evil Prince just to show him up a little.
- Disabled Badass: Gets her wrist broken in Book 10. This handicaps her enough that she can't go it alone the way she'd prefer to.
- Brought Down to Badass: She's still a very fit twenty-something with decent time-traveling experience under her belt.
- Dumb Blonde: Reversed. She's as smart as anyone else, and her athletic achievements make her seem a little above her peers, if anything.
- Intoxication Ensues: Takes a prehistoric anesthetic in Book 10 that renders her an oversharing blabbermouth. Hilarity Ensues.
Harry Hawkins
Jim's third child, and his oldest son. Harry is the main protagonist of Books 5-7 and a co-protagonist for the remainder. He possesses the rare gift of harnessing the power of seer stones.
- Badass Biker: Has a beloved old bike he drives around in Book 5.
- Badass Preacher: Probably fulfills this trope the most, as he ends up converting a number of friends he makes in the past, and spends more time in life-threatening situations than most everyone else.
- The Beastmaster: Uses his Gift of Tongues to befriend Rafa the falcon in the later books.
- Brainy Brunette: Has brown hair, and isn't an idiot.
- Character Narrator: Is a regular narrator from 5 onwards, excepting 8.
- The Chosen One: Not literally, but comes close to this, as he's one of a few that can use seer stones and ends up in a pivotal position to help history go down a freakish number of times.
- Claustrophobia: Having a wall fall on him during 4 leaves him with a lasting fear of cramped spaces. Since time travel often involves spelunking, this comes up often.
- Cultured Badass: Knows the scriptures pretty well. In Book 9 he's able to open them to the exact page he needs on the first try.
- Disabled Badass: A wall falls on him and cripples him near the end of Book 4. However, he was able to get it healed by Jesus Christ himself, so he's good now.
- The Hero: He fulfills most of the typical expectations in his main books.
- Guile Hero: Like his dad, he has to spend more time talking his way out of trouble than most.
- Made a Slave: In Book 7.
- Magnetic Hero: Is able to attract and befriend a good number of people on his travels.
- Non-Human Sidekick: Rafa.
- Nothing but Skin and Bones: Is very skinny in 7 after being stranded on an island for near three years. In book 9, he notes that he's filled out a bit in the two years since.
- Official Couple: Eventually, with Mary.
- Prophetic Dreams: Has one in Book 7 of the ship coming to save him.
- Put on a Bus: Is absent for 8 as he's on his two-year mission at the time.
- Robinsonade: Ends up stranded in 70 AD for three years on a deserted island.
- Seers: While all characters are potentially privy to spiritual warnings, Harry can use the seerstone he acquires in 9 to see the future and receive guiding revelation directly.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Still has nightmares about the Scythians in Book 9, and the mention of them is enough to get him riled up.
- Tagalong Kid: Is this in Book 4, when he tags along on his dad's expedition to rescue his sister Melody. Since he's ten at the time, he's not as effective as he could be.
- True Companions: With Micah.
Renae Fenimore Hawkins
Jim's college crush who later ended up marrying him. Renae was the mother of Melody, Steffanie, and Harry Hawkins, until her death by ovarian cancer.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Has this with Jim. Notably, their first meeting involves her flirting with him from her window, then pretending she has no idea who he is when he introduces himself later.
- Brainy Brunette: Has long black hair and is pretty sharp.
- Bus Crash: She appears first in Book 2, but passes away in the seventeen years between 2 and 3.
- Cunning Linguist: Speaks fluent Spanish from living in Mexico for two years as a missionary.
- Deceased Parents Are the Best: Was apparently a great mom, but passed away when her oldest was fourteen.
- Fish out of Water: Is a complete outsider to the time travel business in 2, but adjusts quickly and brings herself along on the adventure.
- Full-Name Ultimatum: Is the only one beside Jim's mom allowed to call him Jamie.
- It's Not You, It's My Enemies: Defied. Jim tries to keep her out of the adventure in 2, but she brings herself along and ends up being instrumental to their survival.
- Nice Girl: Sweet, supportive, independent, and brave.
- Parting-Words Regret: Jim's last words to her were "I'll be right back" when he got up from her bedside to use the bathroom. He regrets not telling her how he felt one last time.
- The Topic of Cancer: Dies of ovarian cancer two years before Book 3 starts.
Meagan Sorenson
The daughter of Sabrina Sorenson, and the stepsister of Harry, Steffanie, and Melody Hawkins. The same age as Harry, the two initially didn’t get along. When Harry went to retrieve Marcos from Nephite times, she followed him and the two accidentally ended up in ancient Judea.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Has this with Apollus. She’s attracted to him, but he’s very much a doofus when they first meet, and even after he converts, he still has a lot of trouble adjusting to modern life.
- Big Sister Instinct: Is very protective of Jesse when they travel together.
- Bookworm: She reads a lot as a teenager, which gives her a significant advantage when she ends up in the past.
- Brainy Brunette: Subverted. She’s been dying her hair black as a teenager, but when she and Harry go traveling, she can’t keep dying it and switches back to her original color.
- Cool People Rebel Against Authority: Gets a nose piercing as a teenager and generally flaunts convention. Notably, part of her deal for getting her motorbike was that she wear her nose ring less.
- Deadpan Snarker
- Fiery Redhead: Actually has strawberry-blond hair.
- Sherlock Scan: Is the one to realize they’re in ancient Judea when she drinks from the Dead Sea by accident. Since there’s only so many hyper-saline bodies of water, there’s only one place they could be...
- Too Clever by Half: She’s very well-read, but often can’t resist pushing her luck. This gets her in trouble a few times.
- Tsundere: It’s revealed early on that the reason she’s abrasive with Harry is that she has a crush on him and is annoyed that their parents are getting married.
Gidgiddonihah Hawkins
The infant son of Jim and Sabrina Hawkins.
- Named After Someone Famous: Named for the Hawkins’ most stalwart Nephite ally.
The Plimpton Family
Garth Plimpton
The lifelong best friend of Jim Hawkins, and his brother-in-law. Garth is the husband of Jennifer Hawkins and father of Joshua and Rebecca Plimpton.
- Cunning Linguist: Speaks fluent Spanish from serving a two-year mission in Guatemala.
- Distressed Dude: Enters a book already captured no less than three times.
- The Heavy: He's the one who discovers the carving that leads them to the Rainbow Room in the first book.
- In-Series Nickname: Like Jim, his name gets abbreviated in the era he visits. He eliminates the middleman and just starts going by 'Garplimpton.'
- Ivy League for Everyone: Attends Harvard during Book 2.
- Nice Guy: While Jim can get short, Garth is a friendly, loving, all-around stud.
- Non-Action Guy: Is proud that he's never had to swing a sword in the course of his adventures. Notable in that others disagree with him on this.
- Parents as People: Is a very good father, but isn't immune to periods of self-doubt and hopelessness. Notably, Marcos has to shake him out of it one time.
- Redheads Are Uncool: Garth sure is in middle school. He grows out of it as an adult.
- The Smart Guy: Ends up as a professor at Brigham Young University and writes a number of groundbreaking papers on Meso-American culture. Being able to time travel to the eras themselves probably helped.
- When You Coming Home, Dad?: From 3 onwards, he spends a lot of time away from home as either a missionary or a rescuer. He was away from his family for about a year in Books 3 and 4, although he had the excuse of being captured.
Jennifer Hawkins Plimpton
The younger sister of Jim Hawkins, wife of Garth Plimpton, and mother of Joshua and Rebecca Plimpton.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Her role in the first book, only being included because she threatens to tell their mom what Jim and Garth are doing.
- And Now You Must Marry Me: Is recruited as a potential concubine for King Amalickiah. Since she's ten at the time there's no sexual overtones yet, but it's undoubted that they would have come along when she got older.
- Everyone Loves Blondes: Gets lots of attention whenever she time travels, as blondes are totally unheard of in ancient America.
- Commitment Issues: In 2, she's dated a string of guys without being able to commit.
- Law of Inverse Fertility: Suffers through infertility and a stillborn for about ten years. After Renae's death, she and Garth take a leave of absence to live in Nephite times and successfully give birth to two kids.
- The Tease: An expert flirt in her college years, although in a more Christian, non-sexual way.
- ''"She could get the shy types to make the first move, the 'god's gift' types to think she was the only girl on Earth, and the no-time-for-social-life types to fail every class."
- So Beautiful, It's a Curse: Since she can have any type of man she wants, she's never had to think about what type of man she wants long-term. Garth convinces her with consistency and decency.
Joshua Plimpton
The son of Garth and Jennifer Plimpton. He and his sister were born while their parents were living in Nephite times. As a result, Joshua feels a strong attachment to the Nephites and dreams of going back in time and preventing the Nephites from being annihilated.
- Big Brother Instinct: Comforts his sister when they're kidnapped by Todd Finlay, and is protective of her throughout. Early on,
he lets himself stay captured so she can get away. - Character Narrator: Starts being a narrator from Book 9 onwards.
- Child of Two Worlds: Spent his first eight or so years in Nephite times, and has a lot of residual fondness for it. Rebecca says he reads the Book of Mormon like it's a letter from home.
- Fiery Redhead: Redheaded, and often quite angry.
- Heroic Self-Deprecation: Doesn't feel like a good Christian in the later books. This is shown to be a mistake, as feeling unworthy is something Satan uses to keep him from improving.
- Schmuck Bait: Is rather easy prey for the Sword of Coriantumr. To be fair, he's a twelve-year-old fighting for his life and the sword promises to protect them.
- Tragic Dream: Harbors a secret dream of saving the Nephites from being destroyed, even though the Book of Mormon says otherwise and he's ultimately just one person.
- Time Skip: At the end of Book 10, it's revealed that while he was captured by Akish five years passed.
Rebecca Plimpton
The daughter of Garth and Jennifer Plimpton. Though her attachment to the Nephites isn't as strong as her brother's, Rebecca possesses the rare gift of interacting with seerstones.
- Adorably Precocious Child: Her dad even calls her this.
- Character Narrator: Starts narrating from 8 and onward.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Is blonde, and one of the sweetest and kindest people in the setting.
- Only Mostly Dead: Gets struck by lightning at the end of 9, but is brought back by CPR and a spiritual blessing.
- Seers: Has the gift to see with the seerstones.
Spouses and Love Interests
Marcos Sanchez
A son of Jacob Moon with a Mexican woman. He was raised to serve his father's cause, but stayed in the present day instead of going to the past. As such, he has a much more modern viewpoint, and eventually switches sides when he falls in love with Melody.
- Abusive Parents: His father basically treated him like a servant, striking him, and sincerely threatening to kill him for disobedience. It's clear he considers Marcos a footnote in his life.
- The Atoner: Feels very guilty about serving his father in the Gadianton cult, and becomes a full-time missionary to make up for it.
- The Charmer: Noted to be naturally charming and handsome, and capable of getting a job at Jim's place of work with little trouble.
- Cult Defector: Eventually.
- Good Is Not Nice: He's a God-fearing man and a servant to his people, but when he's enslaved as a gladiator he kills his opponent without hesitation. It's got to be one of them.
- Heel–Face Turn: Over the course of Book 4 as he falls in love with Melody and realizes just what he needs to reject to get close to winning her.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: Wields one when he's trapped in the gladiator pits in Book 5.
- Pragmatic Evil: While under his father's thumbs, his suggestions often come across as this. For example, he recommends not raiding a village because it would draw undue attention. However, Melody finds this disgusting, as she hears women and children being killed in the raid and finds condemning it as "unwise" a MASSIVE understatement.
- Put on a Bus: He stays behind to be a missionary in Nephite times at the end of Book 4. His failure to return five years later is what instigates Harry's quest, as the Book of Mormon says converting the people only took three years.
- Take Me Instead: When a group of child slavers he's tracking threaten a young girl's life, he trades his freedom for hers. This ends up delaying his return to Melody in Book 5.
- Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Brings a gun with him to Nephite times in the later books. Since he has a young wife and a toddler, he's not taking any chances with his survival.
Mary Ben Symeon
The daughter of Symeon Ben Cleophas. Symeon was a cousin of Jesus of Nazareth and she is thus literally related to Jesus. She accompanies her father on a quest to recover the Book of Matthew from the besieged Jerusalem and take it to the Christian church in Epheseus. She meets Harry along the way and the two strike up a relationship.
- Beauty Equals Goodness: The most beautiful girl in the setting and the nicest girl too.
- Deadpan Snarker: Not much in real life, but when she narrates it's everywhere.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: Not much, but still present. She's worried about becoming an Old Maid when she's still unmarried at twenty-one, and her number-one priority is to be a good wife to some nice boy. However, given that she grew up in a time where just surviving was a full-time job and people married young, it's understandable.
- Fish out of Water: Moves to the modern day with the Hawkinses and is stunned by the modern world.
- Guile Hero: Has to be this in the later books.
- Insecure Love Interest: Harry is one of the few things that can make her insecure. In addition, since they're in the modern day and she grew up in the ancient, she has to learn how to do all the things we take for granted and is worried she'll lag behind him.
- Mama Bear: Steps into this role when traveling with Joshua and Rebecca in the later books.
- Nice Girl: The nicest in the series. Everyone is awed by how sweet and compassionate she is.
- Omniglot: Played with. While she understands spoken English with the Gift of Tongues, it doesn't translate to written language. She has to learn how to read and write English over time in the modern day.
- Orphan's Ordeal: Her mother dies soon after she's introduced. In Book 7, it's revealed that during the Time Skip, her father was crucified by the authorities in Athens.
- Privilege Makes You Evil: Subdued. When she moves to the modern day she's stunned by how much stuff everyone has, and is of the opinion that it's part of what makes people more susceptible to temptation.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Can't be with Harry at first because she needs to stay in her time. She decides to move to the modern day, but then Harry goes on a two-year mission. Then, two days before Harry is due back, she and the Plimpton kids are kidnapped, separating them further. This is one of the few things that bothers her.
- Sickeningly Sweethearts: She and Harry once they get together. Becky is even an in-universe Shipper!
- So Beautiful, It's a Curse: Being beautiful makes her the target of several unwanted advances, with varying degrees of violence.
- Sweet Polly Oliver: Disguises herself as a boy while traveling through war-torn Israel. It's noted that it doesn't work very well, but it's better than nothing.
- World's Most Beautiful Woman: Her beauty is remarked upon more than any other characters'. When Harry first sees her, he thinks she must be a princess of some kind. When she first wears make-up in the modern day, he's so stunned she mistakes it for dislike and scrubs it off immediately.
Apollus Brutus Severillus
A Roman centurion stationed in Israel by Mount Gerizim. The youngest of three boys, Apollus has been stationed in the same garrison as his father to prevent the chances of dying like his brothers did. While he chafes at this restriction, he meets Meagan and Jesse in Book 6 and ends up a vital friend of the Hawkins clan. He also has Belligerent Sexual Tension with Meagan.
- Above the Influence: Gets a few offers when he’s working in Mexico, but says no.
- The Ace: Can ride, duel, spear-hunt, and shoot arrows as well as anyone.
- Achievements in Ignorance: In Book 8, when the local people have said that they're gods and hundreds show up to be healed, he simply suggests they do, since he and Ryan have the Priesthood that allows Healing Hands. He turns out to be right.
- Action Hero: The one most deserving of this title.
- Arch-Enemy: Develops a particular enmity for Lamanai from Book 10 onwards.
- Armor Is Useless: Averted. His Roman armor aids him several times.
- Badass Biker: Harry gives him his old motorcycle at the end of Book 7.
- Been There, Shaped History: Marched with future Roman emperor Vespasian when he was still a general.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Has this with Meagan.
- Berserk Button:
- Growing up Roman instilled a great respect for bravery and loyalty. Thus, he's very enraged by anything that suggests cowardice or disloyalty.
- Unsurprisingly, he's also enraged by anything that threatens Meagan.
- Bond One-Liner: Occasionally."If any of you kept your stubs, you might consider asking the proprietors for a refund."
- Breakout Character: After his first appearance, he’s a narrator in every book he appears in and gets numerous chances to break out his sword skills.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Is viewed as this in the modern day. He's a great security guard for the Mexican farms, but his occasional use of Roman army lingo and insistence on keeping his sword give him a weird reputation.
- Dark and Troubled Past: He reveals in the later books that he killed innocent people as a soldier before he converted to Christianity. He feels bad about it in the present.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: Has this more than any other character, as he's at first neither a Christian or a Jew and in fact serves the Empire that persecutes them. Amongst other things, he doesn't think slavery is bad, considers confiscating money under wartime law, threatens to burn down villages, and walks in on Meagan in the bath to see if she'll get angry like a slave wouldn't. Even after he converts to Christianity, there are still significant barriers to overcome.
- Determinator: He doesn't give up.
- Duel to the Death: Is involved in several.
- Fish out of Water: Finds the modern day very disconcerting. Notably, since he’s grown up with Rome at the center of civilization, he’s very upset it seems like a mere footnote in the present.
- Played for comedy later on, as he'll often make social gaffes and realize too late what he's done.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: This one does. Notably, prefers a Roman gladius over a spear or the spike-studded clubs the Nephites use. When he moves to the modern era he insists on keeping it, as no Roman is complete without his sword.
- Knight in Shining Armor: First came across Meagan while wearing shiny armor and astride a white horse (with a few brown patches). She was covered in mud at the time, but it's still a fond memory.
- Healing Hands: Like most men in the series, he has the holy Priesthood power that lets him administer healing blessings. While it doesn't mend injuries like we're used to seeing, it does usually work.
- Hypothetical Fight Debate: Keeps track of his peers' and enemies' abilities to size up if he could beat them in a fight. Once as a green soldier he dreamed about fighting his commanding officer General Vespasian, but deduced he would lose to the old man's experience.
- Innocently Insensitive: Is frequently guilty of this, as his relationship with Meagan constantly proves. Being from the first century AD AND a Roman dating a Brainy Brunette creates a large culture clash.
- Master Swordsman: Not a master, but fairly competent. Being the son of an officer and having grown up in army encampments has given him a good amount of experience.
- One-Man Army: Takes on multiple opponents several times - three on one, four on one, and even an indefinite number. However, in at least Book 10 he notes that he's winning because he's decently trained and the people he's fighting have next to no experience and are undernourished. He says that even a platoon of Roman infantry could fight them off indefinitely.
- One of the Boys: Gets along very well with the Mexican laborers he protects, since he speaks Spanish really well and beats up anyone who bullies them.
- Orphan's Ordeal: His mother and baby sister died in a carriage accident ten years ago. When he takes a two-day trip to the modern day, he comes back to find that his father has died in the accelerated timeline of the past.
- Pretty Boy: Meagan finds him quite handsome. He's described as having curly brown hair and a very cute face.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Is a fervent lover of Rome and its greatness. Even after he converts to Christianity and leaves it behind, he's still very proud of Rome's accomplishments and martial prowess.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Goes on one of these in Book 10.
- This Is Reality: While preparing for a duel, he notes that in a gladiator fight they're really trying to entertain the audience and do a bunch of extra passes for show. But since he really wants to beat his opponent, he's just going to punch him in the face, disarm him, and then give him a chance to yield or die.
- Stay in the Kitchen: Fond of this, as in his time women are basically property. This is one of the major hurdles he has to overcome with Meagan.
- Undying Loyalty: Since he was raised to be extremely loyal to Rome, he fixates fiercely on those he cares about. He's also highly disgusted by anyone who betrays their own.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: His conversation with Finlay in Book 8 confirms that you can travel to more than one era, which means Finlay can go through with his plan of kidnapping the Plimpton kids. Notably, Apollus waits a night and a day before heading up to warn them, and worries (correctly) that this may have made all the difference.
Pagag
The eldest son of Mahonri Moriancumr, otherwise known as the brother of Jared. A historical character from the Book of Ether, he appears in Book 9 Tower of Thunder as a suitor for Mary's affections and accompanies the heroes on their journey. Later on, he strikes up a flirtation with Steffanie, which blossoms into something more.
- Awesome Ego: Marcos despairs that they've found another Apollus
- On a more serious level, he's a bit too full of himself for his own good. Part of his arc is learning to be more reserved.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Has this with Steffanie.
- Birds of a Feather: He and Steffanie are both tall, blonde, athletic, and competitive people who like taking charge.
- Dogged Nice Guy: Played for drama. His pursuit of Mary starts off funny but ends up quite frustrating, as he strikes at Mary's deepest insecurities over Harry and deeply upsets her.
- Everyone Loves Blondes: Has long blonde hair.
- Fish out of Water: When he time travels.
- On a deeper level, this is why he's hard to deal with. NEVER being out of water as an adult has made him more self-centered than is appreciated.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: Wields an iron one.
- Hunk: Tall, handsome, and absolutely jacked. Remarked upon in-universe.
- Jerkass: Often says the wrong thing or lets his ego off, and unlike Apollus, he's just doing it 'cause he wants to.
Friends and Allies
Muleki
The youngest son of Captain Teancum. After appearing as a child in the first book, he returns in the second as an adult, and a spy who's been infiltrating the Gadiantons for years. When a rogue memeber stole the Silver Sword and brought it to the modern day, he came with the Gadiantons that followed and broke cover to try to steal it back to destroy it.
- Badass Native: Like all Nephites. When he comes to the modern era, he's first thought to be from a reservation.
- Double Agent: Has been infiltrating the Gadiantons for over a year. Since they're often involved in murder, robbery, and Satanic oathmaking, it's been a bumpy road.
- Funny Foreigner: His antics around Jim's family resemble this. Jim passes him off as a convert from his mission who was raised by Oregon hillbillies.
- Game-Breaking Injury: Gets a knife shoved up his sternum and behind his ribs, which puts him in the hospital for three months. Jim notes that in any other era he'd be dead, and even in the modern day he still had to be pretty lucky.
- Puppy Love: Jenny is attracted to him, but the two can't make anything happen since he's definitely going back to his family.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: When he gets to spend Thanksgiving with Jim's family he mentions it's the first fun night he's had in a long time.
- Socially Awkward Hero: Has either been a soldier or a spy for a long time and is unfamiliar with 20th century ways. Jenny's advances are thus either misunderstood or not responded to.
- Weakness Turns Her On: Jenny is very smitten with him, in part because he's so awed by seemingly normal things. It's as if she's found her own "Crocodile" Dundee.
Gidgiddonihah
A Nephite warrior from the time of Jesus. Related to the Book of Mormon Gidgiddoni (his namesake), Gid is a veteran soldier who accompanies Jim on his quest to save his daughter and becomes a fast friend of the Hawkins family.
- Action Survivor: While he's more than capable, he's often infiltrating cities or armies, and thus has to rely on subterfuge more than combat.
- Boisterous Bruiser: Is very fun and light-hearted outside of combat.
- Breakout Character: Appears properly in 4, returns in 5, and remains a regular from 6 onward.
- Confirmed Bachelor: Has yet to remarry as an adult. Since he’s spent most of his time on missions in far-away lands, it makes sense. In Drums of Desolation, he starts to have some chemistry with Sakerra.
- Cool Old Guy: Is around Jim’s age, but still tough and canny in a fight.
- Determinator: Never, ever gives up.
- Famous Ancestor: Is the nephew of the Book of Mormon general Gidgiddoni, and reminisces about chopping wood with him as a kid.
- Fish out of Water: While he never visits the present, he does end up visiting the Roman Empire of 70 AD.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: Steals one from a gladiator in ancient Judea and keeps it for the remainder. Since his homeland has very few, it’s a valuable asset to him.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Dies at the end of Book 7 while helping rescue Mary from Epigonus.
- Back from the Dead: In Book 9, Harry is able to go back to that night and change the outcome so he survives.
- Hunter Trapper: Is this in Zarahemla when he's not away on missions.
- Like a Son to Me: He's known Harry since he was ten and thus is pretty protective of him.
- My Greatest Failure: When his wife and child died in childbirth, he cast the midwife out and threatened to prosecute her, which he was well capable of with his position in the army. By the time he changed his ways and sought her out to apologize, she’d passed away.
- Old Soldier: Served in a number of wars as a younger man. He tends to be the one people look to for a battle plan.
- Rasputinian Death: Takes two arrows and still survives long enough to rescue Mary and get Harry and her to safety.
- Taking the Bullet: Pushes Harry out of the way to save him from an arrow in Book 7.
- Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth: Has seen plenty of atrocities, but even he is disgusted by the countless crucifixions displayed outside Jerusalem.
- True Companions: Considers his friends to be the same as his family.
- In a more formal sense, he takes Micah and Jesse on as his charges in the later books.
- Undying Loyalty: If you're on a team with him, he'll never leave you behind.
Jesse
A nine-year old Jewish boy encountered in Book 5. His grandfather is dying of an arrow wound at the time and charges Harry and Meagan with saving the Book of Matthew. Jesse ends up accompanying them and becomes a firm member of the family.
- Beware the Quiet Ones: Very quiet, but mostly because he’s reflecting on how best to survive this situation.
- Child Soldier: Uncomfortably close to one, although he’s not recruited by an army or formally brainwashed.
- Had to Be Sharp: Living in ancient times already means he knows more about survival than normal. Then his country is invaded, then he becomes a refugee, and then he loses his parents. The end result is someone who has no choice but to care for themselves.
- Like Brother and Sister: His relationship with Meagan, with her as the older sister. It’s probably something he sorely needs.
- Nerves of Steel: Rarely rattled. Once waited five hours so he could trap a jaguar instead of just killing it.
- Orphan's Ordeal: Since 70 AD Jerusalem is a war zone, his parents have been dead for some time, and his grandfather dies early in the book. He’s thus unusually resourceful for someone his age.
- Wise Beyond His Years: Having to care of himself makes him this.
Micah
A member of the religious sect the Essenes, who is Made a Slave at the same time as Harry in Book 7. The two become fast friends and Micah eventually converts to conventional Christianity.
- Orphan's Ordeal: Was adopted by the Essenes and has never known his parents.
- Photographic Memory: Has the entire Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) memorized. He notes that it took many years.
- Sacrificial Lion: Is killed in Book 12 to prove how serious the situation is getting.
- True Companions: Harry’s best friend, and also eventually this with Gid and Jesse.
Ryan Champion
Meagan’s boyfriend in Book 8. A tall, athletic, blonde stud, he starts out abrasive at first but gradually matures.
- Badass Preacher: Eventually. Since he's hoping to go on a mission in a year, he's invested in improving his skills.
- Boring, but Practical: Although it's totally outpaced in armed battles, Ryan's kickboxing background lets him save his own life at least two times.
- Character Development: Goes from a decent if occasionally gruff boyfriend to a Badass Preacher who throws himself into danger no question.
- Character Narrator: Starts narrating in Book 10.
- Coming of Age Story: His story is about learning to be more selfless and take responsibility.
- Fish out of Water: Is thrown into the past completely by surprise and freaks out a good bit before getting a grip.
- God Guise: Is mistaken for the god Kukalcan by the village of Seibalche, as his blue eyes and blond hair make him a close match.
- A God I Am Not: Does NOT like being treated as one.
- Graceful in Their Element: Is pretty capable and calm in the modern day. Being thrown into the Hawkins family drama with no warning, nearly drowning, ending up in the past, and having to deal with Apollus make it pretty tough going.
- Manly Tears: Sometimes.
- Pop-Cultured Badass: References Clint Eastwood and Spartacus when talking to Apollus, and later mentions reading Clive Cussler.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Is attracted to warrior lady Tzi'kin, but she's too involved with revenge and her own family at first to consider it. Then she ends up dying before anything more can happen.
Enemies
In General
- Deal with the Devil: Almost always.
- For the Evulz: Usually a motivation. Guys being jerks just to be jerks.
- Killed Off for Real: Many.
- Satanic Archetype: Fitting for a series based on Christian scripture. Most Big Bads take pains to try to destroy the heroes’ belief in God
Amalickiah
The Nephite-turned-Lamanite populist from The Book of Mormon. The Book of Alma to be precise. He's the Big Bad of the first book and a piece of work in himself.
- Historical Domain Character: A character from the Book of Mormon responsible for a lot of the wars in the latter half. His character is expanded upon a little with more in-person instances.
Mehrukenah
A member of the Gadianton robber brotherhood who became their most prized assassin. In Book 2, Gadiantons And The Silver Sword, he and some friends come to the present day in search of the titular sword.
- Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Jim knows that if he trades the sword for his friends Mehrukenah will just kill them all, which is why he plans some backstabbing of his own.
- More successfully, at the end of his book he kills his boss Shurr to take a higher place in the band.
- Evil Is Petty: Still remembers when Jim thwarted his assassination plan as a thirteen-year-old, and always intended to kill him for it.
- It's also rumored that he has no personal enemies, as none of them are still alive.
- Evil Old Folks: He's mentioned as being wizened and white-haired, but with a very evil smile and a terrifying thin voice.
- High Voltage Death: Dies when he brings the titular sword down on a dodging Jim and hits the cable of a nearby power statoin.
- Terms of Endangerment: Refers to Jim as "my quetzal feather." Since quetzal feathers are used to make crowns in his era, it symbolizes wanting to kill Jim to add to his notoriety.
- Old Master: He's old, but a very capable assassin who gets the drop on at least one seasoned soldier.
- "Mehrukenah knew exactly where to stab a man."
- Slasher Smile: Has this when talking to Jim.
- Worthy Opponent: Considers Jim his last great enemy, which is part of where his quetzal feather term comes from. Jim's the last one he needs to complete his "crown".
Kumarcaah
A slaver from Nephite times who specializes in the sale of children. He runs afoul of the Hawkinses in Book 3 and makes a few appearances afterwards.
- The Bus Came Back: Appears twice in Book 3, but is the de facto final boss of Book 5.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Only appears in Books 3 and 5, but is the one who discovers that you can travel to more than one time. And if he hadn't chased Harry and Meagan, they wouldn't have accidentally ended up in Judea.
- Would Hurt a Child: Would kidnap a child and sell it.
Jacob Moon/Boaz
The Big Bad of Books 3 and 4. Since it's impossible to talk about him without revealing his history, spoilers for Book 3 will be present in this section.
Originally the two-bit Gadianton henchman who accompanied Mehrukenah in Book 2, Boaz was thrown in prison for his actions in the book and rotted in prison for years. Upon release, he changed his identity, returned to the past, and established a robber band that eventually fled the capital and started its own city up in the mountains. Invoking a cult of personality, Jacob is as evil and self-satisfied a villain as was ever faced.
- Abusive Parents: Has no problem with hitting and sincerely threatening the life of his son. It's clear that he considers him a footnote in the grand scheme of things and would happily kill him if he felt like it.
- Arch Nemesis Dad: Eventually,to Marcos.
- Break Them by Talking: Tries to do this to Melody, but it doesn’t work.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: Melody dispels his rhetoric pretty cleanly
- Disney Villain Death: Dies when he falls into an earthquake fissure created by the passing of Christ.
- Evil Overlord: Fulfills this trope more than any other Big Bad. He reigns over a city-state, is worshiped as a god, and uses evil magic to enforce his will. This in addition to the usual fancy outfits and ham tendencies.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: A great example. Readers may not even remember him at first since his role was previously such a typical henchman.
- Historical Domain Character: A subtler example than Amalickiah. A man named Jacob Moon is mentioned twice in 3 Nephi as a very bad influence who destroys the government. His role is expanded on here.
- Large and in Charge: Big and tall.
- A Nazi by Any Other Name: When Melody arrives in his kingdom, she's surprised by how healthy and happy everyone looks. As Garth later explains to her, this is because anyone with a disability or deformity is disappeared. Even having a burn on your face could get you sent to prison, if you're lucky.
- Neat Freak: Melody notes that he has his upper half cleaned daily even while traveling, which is a big deal in ancient times.
- King Incognito: Averted, and tying into Neat Freak. Sometimes he dresses normally and pretends to be one of the soldiers, but he’s instantly recognizable, since he the only one who doesn’t have dirt under his fingernails.
- Man of Wealth and Taste: Relishes having the nicest things and coolest outfits.
- Sorcerous Overlord: Played with. While he doesn’t do any magic himself, he’s heavily invested in the worship of his chosen entity (the Divine Jaguar) and has had other people perform forms of magic for him.
The Sword of Coriantumr/The Silver Sword
An Artifact of Doom first seen in the second book, Gadiantons And The Silver Sword. Forged by the Book of Mormon sorceror Akish, the sword has destabilized and destroyed a number of Book of Mormon civilizations, and became a cherished possession of the Gadianton robbers. When a rogue member stole the sword and took it to the present day, the Gadiantons followed, leading to the events of Book 2. It merits inclusion on this list because of its influence on events and because - as Jim finds out in the last third of Book 2 - it can talk.
Spoilers for the whole series below.
- Apple of Discord: Even the Gadiantons engage in power struggles over its ownership.
- Amplifier Artifact: How it's described as working. Men can always choose to be evil, but the sword pushes people to choose even worse.
- Arch-Enemy: Eventually comes to consider Joshua Plimpton as one, as it fixates on him more than anyone else.
- Artifact of Doom: Oh, yeah. Muleki mentions that even he wouldn't want to be in possession of it for more than a few days.
- Been There, Shaped History: Recounted early in Book 2. It was the sword the sorceror Akish wielded in the 8th chapter of the Book of Ether, then the sword wielded by Coriantumr in chapters 13-15. Coriantumr dwelt amongst Nephite-era immigrants in his last days and left the sword in their possession, where it was then passed down until roughly a hundred years before Christ, when it appears in the second book.
- Big Bad: Arguably holds the role more than anyone, as it creates more trouble for Team Hawkins than anything else.
- Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Will eventually betray whoever is holding it.
- Cool Sword: Decorated with jewels and an expensive silver coating. When wielded in battle, it can cut through near anything. This actually helps draw in victims; a Cool Sword is a sought-after possession in near every era.
- The Corrupter: Gradually pulls its holders into more and more obsessive patterns of behavior.
- Deal with the Devil: Since the sword is powered by satanic power (essentially The Dark Side), anyone who taps into it is doing the same.
- Dying Curse: When the sword is destroyed at the end of Book 2, it curses Jim Hawkins and promises that it will have vengeance on him. While the sword then never gets to fulfill that promise, the way it keeps popping up on the Hawkins clan in the past has unintentionally proved it right.
- Empathic Weapon: Can sense its surroundings, and when asked, help its wielders navigate danger, to the point where it will block bullets in their hands.
- Expy: Of the the One Ring. Even lampshaded in-universe as being eerily similar. You can't slice someone up with a ring, though.
- Faking the Dead: In Book 12, it’s broken in two and goes silent, and since it can’t be destroyed except by Ether’s Coffer, it’s clear it LET itself be broken so it could be Beneath Suspicion for a while.
- For the Evulz: It's unclear what the sword actually wants, as it doesn't even seem fond of its master. It attaches itself to someone, tries to make them as evil/miserable as possible, and sooner or later starts all over again.
- Gollum Made Me Do It: Defied in-universe, to the point of being a hindrance. Since Jim believes men are responsible for their own actions, he writes the sword off as a placebo. This is not the case.
- I Have Many Names: The Silver Sword, the Sword of Coriantumr, the Sword of Akish, etcetera.
- Keeping the Enemy Close: In 9, the heroes are aware of its influence and could just leave it lying in a desert. But it could probably come after them for leaving it, so they choose to take it with them and at least be aware of who it's influencing.
- Painting the Medium: When it speaks, it appears as an indented line of text separate from the surrounding paragraphs. This is meant to signify how its words just appear in a person’s mind.
- Surprisingly Super-Tough Thing: Can only be destroyed by placing it in Ether's Coffer, a box prepared by the prophet Ether to destroy the cursed swords of the Jaredites. Yes, this means a roadtrip.
- Played with, as it can take damage and is even broken in two in a later book. It’s clear it can be damaged, but only when it wants to be.
- Slippery MacGuffin: Always seems to be getting dropped or stolen or falling in just the right way. Leaving it in a hotel room for an hour almost gets it stolen, which leads to Jim and co. carrying it on their person at all times.
- Stable Time Loop: Finally closes it in Book 12, Drums of Desolation. After bouncing around the timeline from Book 9 onwards, it finally ends back up in the Jaredite era and is taken as a trophy by the royal family, where it can play out its history as expected.
- Talking Weapon: Revealed to be capable of doing this. In Book 2, it starts out as a quiet whisper, but by book's end has escalated to shrieking. It converses with anyone who has it for long enough.
- Timey-Wimey Ball: Although it's destroyed in the modern day at the end of Book 2, it still exists in the past before then. Since the heroes time travel often, they have plenty of opportunities to encounter it.
- It's revealed that the sword itself is almost like this, as soon after its crafting, it falls into a time rift to Tower of Babel times and spends several years bouncing from era to era.
- Wrecked Weapon: Gets some nicks and dings over the years. At the end of its plot in Book 12, the blade gets snapped off cleanly at the hilt, and the pieces are taken back to the Jaredite capital as mementos. Since we know it's in one piece in Coriantumr's day, it'll likely be reforged by someone down the line.
- Xanatos Gambit: Loves pulling these. A favorite strategy is to draw in enemies psychically so its holders are tempted to use it in self-defense. Either they're forced to rely on its power, weakening their defenses, or the sword will be recovered by an unsuspecting victim.
Todd Finlay
A small-time Wyoming cop who fell afoul of the Sword of Coriantumr. Originally a Barney Fife like figure, Finlay encountered the sword in the present day and stole it from police lock-up. Entranced by its power, it guided him to leave his family, quit his job as a cop, and start a UFO cult in Utah. When Jim stole it back to destroy it, Finlay followed him to Mexico and was imprisoned after trying to murder him. Getting out twenty years later, he found work on Mexican ranches and finally enacted a plan to recover the sword. Hopelessly addicted, Finlay is ruthless, loathsome, and pitiful.
- Cry for the Devil: Is ultimately a sad, pathetic addict looking to recover the one thing that made him feel good. When it's first stolen from him in Book 2, he chases after the heroes openly weeping.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Originally a paltry antagonist in Book 2, he returns in Book 8 and enacts a plan to kidnap Garth Plimpton's children to force him to show him the way to Nephite times.
- Genre Savvy: Having had twenty years to plan his journey, he's very good at navigating the era he finds himself in.
- Red Right Hand: When he reappears in Book 8, he has a rotting tooth that identifies him.
- Stable Time Loop: Is ultimately revealed to be a part of one at the end of Book 8. The reason he lusts for the sword so much is because his blood was used in its forging. What this amounts to is Finlay being killed with an earlier version of the sword and his blood being used in its final crafting.
- Xanatos Speed Chess: He originally kidnaps Garth and Jenny's children in order to blackmail them into telling him the route to the time travel caves. However, when Becky escapes and he realizes Josh is old enough to remember it, he promptly uses him and abandons the blackmail plan.
Simon Magus
A sorcerer from the Book of Acts. Simon appears in Books 5 and 6 as the primary antagonist. Empowered by dark magic, he runs a cult called the Sons of the Elect that believes the Book of Matthew holds the key to ascending to heaven. Ugly, scary, and sly, Magus is a force to be reckoned with.
- Driven to Suicide: Plans to kill himself alongside his men at the end of Book 6, since they think reading the Book of Matthew will let them automatically ascend to heaven.
- Evil Old Folks: He’d be an older man at this point, since it’s been 30 or so years since his scriptural appearance. He’s noted to have white, thinning hair.
- Historical Domain Character
- Kill It with Fire: Dies when the Romans set Mount Gerizim on fire. He catches ablaze and expires trying to kill the heroes.
- Rasputinian Death: Gets shot with an arrow, rocked by a head-sized boulder, and then survives being on fire for something like a minute before finally dying.
- Red Right Hand: His skin is ugly and marred all over. Meagan says he looks like a poster boy for skin cancer.
Epigonus and the Scythians
An Athenian senator from 73 AD, Epigonus leads the persecution of Greek Christians in Athens and surrounding areas. Having seen to Simeon Ben Judah's crucifixion, he imprisons his daughter Mary and the sacred scrolls and refuses to release her unless she marries him.
Epigonus:
- And Now You Must Marry Me: Tries to pull this on Mary, and keeps her locked up for around a year.
- Corrupt Politician: It's mentioned that influence in the senate is basically proportionate to your wallet. Epigonus joins in, and takes it a step further by kidnapping Mary.
- Fat Bastard: Lampshaded. Harry hears his name and pictures a life-size Buddha. He turns out to be right.
- Foreign Culture Fetish: Hired two Scythian mercenaries as security because he thought they'd be better than normal mercs. Likes them enough that he even tries out an alleged Scythian tradition, where when a lord dies all his servants and livestock are killed with him...
- Non-Action Big Bad: He does very little himself, but he does employ the Scythians, who end up some of the most devastating villains in the series.
- Small Role, Big Impact: He only shows up in the last third of Book 7, but his actions end up traumatizing Harry and co. for a good while.
The Scythians:
Two Scythian mercenaries hired by Epigonus as bodyguards/muscle. While they never speak onscreen, they carry out his bidding without hesitation and are the series' premiere Hero Killers.- Cerebus Syndrome: Their appearance always marks a rise in terror for the characters.
- Creepy Souvenir: Keep the scalps of their kills hanging on their belts.
- The Dreaded: They're terrifying to Harry, to the point that he still has nightmares about them years later.
- Flaying Alive: A more realistic version. They scalp their enemies after they kill them, since struggling tends to interrupt it.
- Glowing Eyes: When they channel their ghost god (see below).
- Hero Killer: Successfully kill Gidgidonnihah at the climax of Book 7.
- Improbable Weapon User: Wield knives with forked tips, like the tongue of a snake.
- Killed Off for Real: One dies when a flaming bookshelf falls on him. The other one succumbs to exhaustion and then drowns when the tunnel he's in floods.
- Nothing Is Scarier: Little explanation is given for their disposition or powers, and the two of them never speak in their book. This just serves to make them scarier.
- Rasputinian Death: Both take a LOT of punishment to take down.
- Soul Power: Channel the power of a ghost god Neres when they hunt. Given Harry's experience, it doesn't seem to be a fabrication.
- Undying Loyalty: Carry out the supposed Scythian tradition of murdering their lord's servants and animals when he dies, with the implication that they might even kill themselves when they're done.
- The Voiceless: They never speak in Book 7. In Book 9, Harry goes back to Athens and hears one of them talk. His voice is described as rough and grating, like sandpaper.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Only wear rough vests and pants, leaving their chests open.
Fireborn
In the fourth century AD, the burgeoning Aztec civilization is led by the Emperor Spearthrower Owl. However, the bulk of its military exploits are carried out by his chief general, the brutal leader Fireborn.
- The Heavy: Pursues Meagan, Ryan, Apollus and co. across ancient America in an attempt to stomp out the prince traveling with them.
- Historical Domain Character
- Tear Off Your Face: A disgusting variant. Wears the face of Lamanai's father in front of him (presumably treated with some preserving process) to intimidate him.
Akish
A character from the Book of Mormon - the Book of Ether to be specific - the sorceror Akish is the forger of the Sword of Coriantumr and a dangerous monster in his own right. Having lost his sword to time travel soon after its completion, he dedicates the next twenty years to recovering it by any means.
- Abusive Parents: Isn't a great dad. He hits one of his sons when they fail to find the sword again.
- Cargo Ship: Like Finlay, Akish is obsessed with recovering his beloved sword. Since he made it himself, he has a bit more of a claim.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Gets wrecked in Book 9 by Harry and some friends. Since they all have swords too and their spiritual power can ward off Akish's sorcerous aura, they beat him quite handily.
- Death by Irony: Swears he can kill all his enemies in one go with the sword and gets taken down in one swipe.
- Death Is Dramatic: Averted. He's killed off unceremoniously because the sword refuses to defend him
- Evil Redhead: When he grows a beard in later books, it’s red tinged with white.
- Historical Domain Character: Like most examples on this page, his role is expanded on.
- Hollywood Satanism: Since God is demonstrably real in this universe and doesn't allow for evil uses of spiritual power, Akish goes to the devil for his.
- Killed Off for Real: He's finally killed off in Book 12 when Josh, Marcos, and the righteous Jaredites corner him.
- Looks Like Orlok: Bald, hook-nosed, with pockmarked skin and long claw-like fingernails. This is lampshaded in-universe.
- One-Man Army: Claims to have killed 600 men in one night using the sword.
- Phrase Catcher: Every modern-day narrator says he's a dead ringer for old-timey movie vampires. The Hawkins must have a copy of Nosferatu somewhere.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Overthrew his father-in-law to be crowned king, and spends his time fighting, raiding and warring with the best of them.
- Sdrawkcab Name: Goes by "Shika" when he's incognito.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: In Book 12, with his rebellion defeated, his army gone, and cornered by the opposition, the silver sword refuses to defend him as before and gets him killed in one stroke.
Nimrod
The mighty hunter from the Book of Genesis. Living in an era where people live hundreds of years, Nimrod has had a lot of time to amass power and let it go to his head. In the present, he oversees the construction of the Tower of Babel and hopes to overthrow God with its completion.
- The Big Guy: Is noted to be a bona fide giant, being between seven and eight feet tall and rippling with muscle.
- Evil Overlord: Fulfills this trope almost as well as Jacob Moon, ruling a large, enslaving empire and believing himself a god. He's also shown to be willing to mix it up in the field, unlike Jacob.
The Wolf Witches
In the last days of the Nephites, Wolf Witches - robbers that invoke satanic power - pepper Nephite land. Painting their faces and teeth, they practice Human Sacrifice and run afoul of the heroes in Book 10.
- Would Hurt a Child: The first chapter of Book 10 has the heroes arrive in a Wolf Witch lair and find it littered with the skulls of children.
The Gadianton Ghosts
In the hills near Cumorah, there are rumors of “ghosts” that can disappear and reappear. That are never caught. That are never seen. And who kill all in their path. The “Gadianton Ghosts”, as they are dubbed, encounter the heroes as they make their way to Cumorah in the later books and cause significant trouble for them.
- Angels, Devils and Squid: While most villains fall into the devil-worshipping school (Gadiantons, Akish, Jacob Moon, Simon Magus) with powers more-or-less congruent to the scriptures’, the Ghosts can do things no one else in the series can do and don’t derive their power from a scriptural source.
- Big Bad: In Drums of Desolation, its revealed that their ultimate leader is Spearthrower Owl
- Canon Foreigner: Don’t have as strong an analogue in the scriptures; their supernatural powers are complete fabrication, and their leadership is entirely unrelated to anything familiar. Handwaved in-universe as them taking pains to kill anyone who encounters them. The one witness account comes from a man who was blinded in their attack and surreptitiously assassinated soon after.
- Determinator: The heroes can kill a few, but they keep coming back.
- Leave No Witnesses: Their standing policy. This is why they pursue the heroes long after their encounter, as they want to kill the members who saw them.
- Teleport Spam: Can teleport in a flash of light.
- Time Master: Have mastered their powers well enough that they can even travel through time!
- The Worf Effect: However, it’s noted that doing so has a significant cost to them, to where they’re nullified after doing so for a while.
