Prince Callum

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His bravery will be tested.

^{Click here to see Callum's appearance at the end of Book 3}

^{Click here to see Callum's winged form}

^{Click here to see Callum's appearance as of Book 4}

Voiced by: Jack DeSena (English) ^{Click to see other languages}

"It's up to us now. We have to return this egg. We have to keep it safe and carry it to Xadia."

The main protagonist and the older half-brother of King Ezran of Katolis. He is a prodigy when it comes to magic, very quickly picking up spells and abilities, such as flying, during the journey to bring the Dragon Prince home. As of Book 4, Callum is the High Mage of Katolis.

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#-C

11th-Hour Superpower: Gains the ability to fly at the end of Season 3.
Academic Athlete: Post-timeskip, Callum is very educated and well-read when it comes to magic, and is also very good at horseback riding and hand-to-hand combat. This is exemplified during the battle at the Great Bookery, where Callum uses both ranged magic and punching to great effect.
The Ace: When it comes to magic, Callum certainly seems to be evolving into this. The show creators have described him as a modern day phenomenon. He is able to instantly master drawing runes for a spell after seeing them performed once. He was also able to connect to the sky arcanum after only being able to do magic for a week, something that no present-day human or even elf mage^noteexcept possibly Aaravos has been able to do (if Lujanne's description is accurate). In Season 3, he builds on this by learning how to grant himself "mage wings" to fly after less than a day of effort, when mastering it is said to be even rarer than Skywing elves who are born with wings. All of this happens within the span of just a few weeks. Moreover, it’s been revealed by Word of God that he'll continue to explore these abilities and even connect to other arcana, indicating that he hasn't even reached his full potential.
Acting Unnatural: Callum has a gift for this. The more determined he is to pretend that everything is all right, the more overtly terrified he looks. In "Bloodthirsty", for example, he attempts to warn Rayla that they have company, in the form of an actual company of soldiers led by his Cool Aunt, by putting just a bit too much emphasis on the words "human troops".
Amaya: (via interpreter) "Callum, you know it doesn't help to yell. And why are you saying 'human troops' like that?"
Callum: Uh, what do you mean? That's how I always say HEAVILY ARMED HUMAN TROOPS!
Adaptational Nice Guy: Due to Ezran having already left his room before Callum arrived to prepare so they could leave the castle, Callum never lashes out at Ezran in the novels like he does in the series when he saw that he didn't pack up his things to leave to the Banther Lodge and put a jelly tart on his backpack.
Adaptational Wimp: In the novelization of Book 1, Callum using his primal stone on the water against a sea leviathan only scared it off, unlike in the show, where it was powerful enough to not only kill the sea leviathan, but also all the fish in the river.
Adopted into Royalty: Through his mother's marriage to King Harrow. However, his father and brother don't treat him differently, and he is second in line to Ezran. In spite of being treated as part of the family, Callum often feels like he doesn't fit in to the role of being a prince.
Adventurer Archaeologist: Of a sorts. In "Through the Moon," Callum studies the Moonhenge ruins, reconstructs the site (with help), then recreates the dancing ritual. He has also expressed an interest in exploring Xadia and its magic, which will likely include other sites, temples, or structures.
Affectionate Nickname: Rayla has a whole list of these for Callum—"sad prince"; "dummy"; "big dumb human." For most of season 4, her relationship with Callum is so strained that she avoids using them.
Afraid of His Own Stregth: As Finnegrin points out, Callum could easily have just used Dark Magic to unchain his friends and overpower Finnegrin and his crew. Callum is aware of this, and of the dark but very powerful side of him, and by the end of Book 5 is very uncomfortable with that realization.
Always Save the Girl: Callum is willing to go to extreme lengths to rescue Rayla, either using his Fulminis spell when he hasn't worked out all the kinks to it, using Dark Magic and putting himself into a coma, or jumping off a cliff before he's figured out how to fly. In season 5, he resorts to Dark Magic once again when her life is threatened by Finnegrin, despite his tremendous guilt over performing the practice.
Amazon Chaser: Callum greatly admires Rayla for her athletic prowess, and in "Heroes and Masterminds" Callum is so awestruck witnessing her fighting skills for the first time when she saves Nyx from soulfang serpents he momentarily forgets to flee with them. Their Relationship Upgrade occurs soon after.
Amplifier Artifact: The Primal Stone he steals from Claudia allows him to cast sky magic. When he smashes it to hatch the dragon egg, he loses access to sky magic. At the end of season 2, however, he forges a connection to the sky arcanum and is able to use magic directly.
And I Must Scream: Being possessed by Aaravos. Callum even told Rayla to kill him if Aaravos ever possessed him again.
Anguished Declaration of Love: Rayla is in free fall as Callum tries to grow wings to save her. He fails at first, as Rayla looks at him and streches out her hand. It is in this moment that Callum tells Rayla he loves her.
Animal Lover: While he lacks his little brother's ability to understand them, Callum is also very good with animals and Zym.
Animal Motif:
- Strongly associated with birds. On more than one occasion, his quest to learn the Sky Arcanum is connected to winged creatures (meditating on a giant bird, thinking about how birds connect to the wind, etc). He discovers the Arcanum by realizing that "I am the Wing!" Callum's journey in becoming a Sky mage concludes with him learning to grow bird wings to fly.
- Also has one with snakes. His first and second use of Dark Magic involved turning chains into snakes in situations where he'd otherwise be helpless. Fitting for animals that use the threat of biting to dissuade predators and only do so as a last resort, which mirrors his stance on Dark Magic.
The Apprentice: Zigzagged. Callum wants Lujanne to teach him how to do Moon Magic, and while she provides him some information, she ultimately tells him that humans can't do magic. However, she does explain to him that creatures that perform do so because they have an arcanum, or a connection to a Primal Source. Based on what she tells him, Callum is later able to create his own connection. In Book 3, he goes through this process again with Ibis; even though the Sky Mage rebuffs him, he shows how he can conjure mage wings to fly, and by the next day, Callum can do so as well.
Arc Words:
- During Season 2, Callum's motif is "destiny" and "free". He's told by Lujanne that, since human beings can't do magic naturally, magic is not his destiny. He struggles to learn an Arcanum that would let him be a mage again, but is told "you cannot escape your destiny" and thus must practice Dark Magic. But, inspired by Harrow's letter, he decides he is free to choose who he wants to be. Thus, he forged his own destiny, and becomes the first human in the series to do Primal Magic.
- In Season 2 and 3, the word "love" becomes an arc word. Harrow tells him that true strength comes from love, and that he should have faith that history can be "a Narrative of Love". Callum tells Ezran that he loves him, while both Harrow and Sarai tell Callum that they love him. In Season 3, Harrow's words ring true; when Callum tells Rayla he loves her, he finds the strength within him to conjure mage wings and fly.
- While not explicitly stated in the show, the show creators have said that Callum's arc word for Season 3 is "potential." Indeed, Season 3 ends up being the most physically demanding on Callum, where he follows Rayla up a tree, or an ambler, and lays down his life to stop soldiers from ascending the Storm Spire. This reaches a climax when he leaps off the Spire to dive after Rayla, developing the ability to fly on the way down. All of these moments show Callum that he isn't as weak as he thought he was, and that his potential is very much firmly within his control.
Armor Is Useless: Justified in that his armor is a ceremonial piece, not meant for battle.
Awesomeness by Analysis:
- It's made abundantly clear early on that this is Callum's greatest talent. He is able to quickly analyze his surroundings through observation and detailed thinking. This ability allows allows him to learn and understand new skills and talents just by seeing or studying it once, seeing as how he's able to learn new spells and abilities (such as mage wings) after seeing them on only one or two occasions. This extends beyond magic too, as in "Through the Moon," he was to perfectly reproduce the dancing ritual for the Moonhenge despite only seeing it one time.
- Callum also has a talent for analyzing and coming up with strategies. On the Cursed Caldera, he swiftly comes up with a plan of attack that uses everyone's special skills in a way that actually takes down a monster. When faced against Sol Regem, he quickly improvises a plan to trap the dragon with Aspiro, even figuring out how to change the air flow with his arms.
Badass Adorable: He's called "adorable" by Claudia, and tends to be kind and sweet. However, his powers allow him to wreck havoc if he wants to.
Badass Bookworm: Callum is The Smart Guy of the group, either coming up with plans or using his memory and observation to hone his magical abilities. His spells also let him perform incredible physical feats; Aspiro allows him to throw back waves of soldiers with his breath. When he grows mage wings, he's strong enough to execute a power dive to save Rayla and fly back up to the Storm Spire.
- In the Mystery of Aaravos arc he's grown into a full on Magic Knight, equally as capable in a fight as he is at researching magic, additionally he's also developed his physique.◊
Badass in Distress: Played for Laughs in "An Empty Throne." Rayla rushes to Callum when she hears his calls for help... only to find him holding a bolt of lightning in his hand with no idea how to discharge it.
Bad Powers, Good People: Downplayed. He can use dark magic, but has only done so in extreme circumstances where he can't save his friends any other way. He's extremely remorseful from both of these uses.
Batman Gambit: Manages to pull one off against Sol Regem. When he spots a stone arch, Callum signals Rayla to throw his scarf (whose scent Sol Regem was following). When Callum uses his Aspiro spell to blow the scarf through the arch, Sol Regem follows and gets trapped.
Batman Grabs a Gun: He normally wouldn't use dark magic, but when it was the only way to prevent Claudia from slicing and dicing up a dragon for dark magic ingredients, or to stop Finnegrin from feeding Rayla to sea monsters, he did.
Battle Couple: A downplayed example with Rayla. Both don't enter an official relationship until season 3 and while they are both skilled in their own areas, they don't fight together a lot, until Through the Moon where they combine their skills to escape the realm between life and death. This is fully in effect in Book 5 when they face a horde of corrupted Banther's, and in a later episode, Claudia, together.
Beware the Nice Ones:
- Claudia and Soren learn the hard way what happens when you threaten one of Callum's friends when he uses a dark magic spell to free the dragon they wounded.
- Early into Book 4, when he fears that his little brother might be in danger, he manages to intimidate Soren with how intense he becomes trying to uncover what the danger might be.
- In Book 5 he punches both a corrupted Banther and Finnegrin right in the face for Rayla.
Beyond the Impossible: Since humans are not born with an innate connection to one of the arcana, it was thought to be impossible for them to use Primal Magic without a Primal Stone. By the end of Season 2, Callum manages to forge his own connection to the Sky Primal by understanding its arcanum. Ibis even comments that this is unheard of for humans. In season 5 he one-ups himself by connecting to a second arcanum, something that only Aaravos has ever been able to achieve.
Big Brother Instinct: Despite sometimes finding his brother a bit naive or annoying, he does love and care for him. When Rayla comes to assassinate Ezran, after running into Callum, he tells her that he is the crown prince Ezran. After she corners them in the hidden cellar, he protectively stands in front of his little brother and says, "You're gonna have to go through me."
Big Brother Mentor: Callum does his best to give Ezran the best advice he can and Harrow states in his letter that the former will be the latter's partner, protector, and closest advisor.
Big Damn Heroes: Grows wings and swoops in to save Rayla from falling to her death.
Big Good: In Book 3, Callum becomes this for Zym's defenders. Throughout the season, he provides emotional and moral support to Rayla, reminding her that she's not worthless and is, in fact, a hero. Soren, Ezran, and Rayla all turn to him when he lays out their options for leaving the Storm Spire or fighting Viren's army. He becomes the main mage opposing the army coming for Zym. During the Battle, he fights at the base, preventing soldiers from ascending the Spire, and later races up to the pinnacle to save Rayla from falling to her death. In a larger context, he's the first human since time immemorial who learned an Arcanum and can do unaided Primal Magic, demonstrating that humans really can do magic and providing a key to resolving the thousand-year-old conflict.
Big "NO!": Has this reaction when he sees Rayla throw herself and Viren off the pinnacle.
Birds of a Feather: He becomes an Official Couple with Rayla, another brave, kind-hearted (if jerky) teenager who wants to end the war but also has a fair amount of insecurities and longing for their own life's purpose.
Bling of War: Averted. Callum shows up to join an excursion in fancy looking armor. The captain, Soren, informs him that it's parade armor, three times as heavy as steel and only half as durable.
Blow You Away: Because he got the Primal Stone of the Sky, most of the spells he uses are related to air in some capacity, like creating wind and lightning. He later acquires it permanently after understanding the nature of magic in his hallucination quest and connecting to the Sky Arcanum, making it a part of his character and independent of Primal Stones.
Book Dumb: Shockingly enough, Callum of all people fits this trope. While he's The Smart Guy of the group, he's not well read about magic (shown by him having no familiarity with basic terminology like "Primal Source") and has never had a day of proper magical education in his life. Even in ordinary subjects like history Callum has had to struggle with. His lack of academic intelligence is what sets him apart from mages like Claudia, and shows his raw talent and potential.
Bookworm: After becoming High Mage, Callum becomes very studious to help increase his understanding of magic and ancient lore.
Brains and Brawn: In a unique example, Callum has to be both when using most of his Sky spells. To cast aspiro, for instance, Callum has to draw the rune and say the draconic incantation, but he also has to blow air from his lungs to use the spell, which will last only for as long as he can breathe. Manus pluma volantis turns his arms into wings, but then he has to use his arms and body in order to actually fly.
Brainy Brunette: Callum has brown hair, is a great artist with attention to detail, and is also a capable strategist.
Breath Weapon: One of his magical attacks consists of blowing on a symbol to create a strong gust of wind.
Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: A zigzagged example. He and Rayla are both insecure teens but often comfort one another when the other is feeling such insecurity.
Bystander Syndrome: Callum is most comfortable standing by on the sidelines rather than getting involved in a fight, and during the course of the first three seasons, he gradually overcomes this pattern. The moment this trope is decidedly subverted occurs at the end of Book 3, when Callum places down his sketchbook and leaps off a cliff to save Rayla, learning to fly on the way down.
The Call Knows Where You Live: Moonshadow assassins come to kill Callum's father, while the youngest assassin chases him across the castle, leading to a series of events that begin the journey to return the titular dragon prince to his mother.
Calling Parents by Their Name: Callum refers to his stepfather as "King Harrow" instead of "dad", because he feels he would overstep his boundaries since he's Harrow's stepson. He later comes to regret this after reading Harrow's letter to him, revealing the king had a similar emotional hangup.
Calling Your Attacks: Zigzagged. Callum has to say a "release word" in ancient draconic to use his spells. However, the necessity of this is put into doubt several times. Callum himself is able use the Fulminis spell to kill a river monster, even though he didn't know the release word at the time. Other Primal mages such as Lujanne are able to cast some spells without release words, while Aaravos never has to speak to use Primal Magic.
Came Back Strong: Callum falls into a coma and very nearly suffocates to death. When he wakes up, he's the first human in recorded history who connected to a Primal Source.
Character Development:
- In Book 1, Callum struggles in finding something that makes him truly special, before finding it in the form of being a mage. But by the end, he willingly gives this up (albeit temporarily) to save the Dragon Prince, realizing his friends and their mission mean more to him than resolving his insecurities. In Book 2, Callum struggles to reacquire his magical skills while tempted to use Dark Magic as a substitute. At the end, he learns that he gets to decide who he becomes and no longer lets himself be defined by his sense of inferiority. This lesson in agency ends up being important in understanding the sky arcanum. In Book 3, Callum's insecurity has all but disappeared, and he has since become much more assertive and protective of his loved ones, using his magic almost exclusively to help them. By the end of Book 3, Callum finally decides to stop waiting or fighting from the sidelines like he usually does, jumping headfirst off a cliff to save Rayla.
- While Callum wanted Katolis to end the war with Xadia, he also held some stereotypical views on Elves which end up hurting Rayla's feelings at one point at the end of "Bloodthirsty". However, his said views change throughout his adventures, growing friendship, and eventual romance with Rayla.
Chekhov's Skill: He's a talented artist, which requires him to pay very close attention to detail. As it turns out, to cast spells, you have to draw the rune perfectly. So, when Callum tries magic for the first time, he excels at it. It was perhaps this very reason that Harrow encouraged Callum to develop his artistic skills; Callum's Spellbook indicated Harrow knew more about his potential than he let on.
Child Soldier: Callum takes part in the Battle of the Storm Spire, where he has to singlehandedly guard the spire from waves of soldiers trying to get to Zym. He's only fourteen. Justified in that, while Ibis is gathering allies, Callum is the only mage that Zym's defenders have in their arsenal.
Chronic Hero Syndrome: Downplayed. Callum has a tendency to want to help protect those around him, such as insisting to Soren that he go along with the search party for the Moonshadow Elves, but it doesn't come up enough for him to play this trope straight. However, it's this tendency that pushes him to try Dark Magic to save the dragon in "Fire and Fury," and puts him into a coma.
Classical Anti-Hero: Earlier on, it's shown that Callum has little confidence in himself, is generally awkward and a bit cowardly, even if trying to do the right thing. But he gradually overcomes these traits, becoming far more confident, assertive, and brave, willing to even jump off a cliff in a long shot to save Rayla. By the end of Season 3, he has become The Ace when it comes to Sky Magic.
The Coats Are Off: When Callum grows wings, it tears off his coat as he swoops in to save Rayla.
Color Motifs: Callum has two — Blue and Red
- Blue — For most of the first three seasons, Callum is always seen wearing his blue jacket. Blue is often associated with calmness and serenity. This color is also used to convey when a character is more down to earth, cool-headed and may use their wits and intelligence to lead others. Callum frequently relies on coming up with plans or using his memory and observation to hone his magical abilities.
- Red — His red scarf is one of his most notable articles of clothing. Red has often symbolized passion and bravery, and is often associated with action. Over time, Callum becomes less timid and doubtful about his abilities and more action-oriented. In the Season 3 finale, he takes this even further by jumping off a cliff to save Rayla. When he turns his arms into wings, they rip apart his jacket, leaving only his red scarf and reddish shirt.
Combat Pragmatist: When soldiers attempt to climb the Storm Spire, he decides to use overwhelming force the knock them back, even if it wouldn't give them a fighting chance.
Comes Great Responsibility: It's never outright stated, but once Callum connects to the Sky Primal, he uses his abilities primarily for others and never just for himself. Notably, he approaches Ibis to ask him for training, but it's to protect the group from Viren's army. Also, when he crushes the moon opal to cast a spell (a one-time thing), he uses it to help Rayla find closure with her parents and make her feel like she has a choice in what to do next. It's these actions that set him apart from mages like Viren and Aaravos, who use magic primarily for their own power.
The Confidant: Due to his emotional maturity, level-headedness, and being an overall good listener, Callum has become this for Rayla in Book 3. She opens up to him about her problems, fears, and feelings of worthlessness. When they reach the Storm Spire, she admits how much it hurts coming to the place her parents supposedly abandoned the Dragon Prince.
Cool Big Bro: Besides being protective of Ezran, Callum has shown a deep loyalty and love for his younger brother, always reminding Ezran how much he means to him and apologizing to Ezran when he crosses a line.
The Corruptible: Despite being morally opposed to Dark Magic, Callum ultimately decides to use it to save Rayla and a dragon. However, after using it, he ultimately decides to reject Dark Magic for good. However, in Book 4, Aaravos states that Callum is his 'favourite' of the heroes from having tainted himself with Dark Magic once beforehand, despite this singular instance having happened years ago now, and implying that it will ultimately result in Callum serving as his Unwitting Pawn despite his opposition.
Costume Evolution: Callum starts off the series wearing a blue jacket and carrying around his "inseperable" sketchbook everywhere he goes. By the end of Season 3, he loses his jacket and sports a sleeveless red shirt instead, with runes covering his arms. His sketchbook is notably missing as well.
Covert Pervert: Callum is a sweet, respectful young man...but he's still a hormonal teenage boy, as he had a suggestive dream about him and Claudia.

D-H

Deadpan Snarker: Gets a lot of good quips in.
"We go way back! Like when you chased me through the castle trying to stab me. Good times."
Death Glare: Gives a rather venomous one to Claudia when Rayla is in danger.
Deconstructed Character Archetype: Of The Smart Guy. While Callum is not very well-read on any particular topics (including magic), and struggles with studies involving history and battle tactics, he's incredibly perceptive and great at improvisation. His adventures help show that even without a great deal of education, simply being insightful and observant is an extremely valuable asset.
Decon-Recon Switch: Of The Chosen One. Callum is initially an ordinary kid who has been bad at most things he tries, but then turns out to be a natural at magic. He, therefore, thinks that being a mage is what he's supposed to be...only to learn that humans actually can't do magic without an uber-rare Primal Stone. He eventually decides that he gets to choose who he becomes, and through much effort becomes the first human in recorded history to do Primal Magic. In short, Callum chooses to be the Chosen One.
Defends Against Their Own Kind: During their time in the Human Kingdoms, Callum largely has to be Rayla's protector against other humans.
Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Callum sees himself as failing to live up to the expectations of a prince, and has been anxiously trying to find his place in the world, wanting to help protect the king and frustrated that he "can't do anything."
Despair Event Horizon: Callum is determined to connect to the Sky Primal to do magic again, but gradually loses the confidence that he can do it. By "Fire and Fury," Callum crosses this when he insists he "can't do anything" and can't help Rayla save the dragon.
Determinator:
- Callum is determined to be a mage again, even after having to destroy the Primal Stone and having it explained to him that humans can't do primal magic without one. He resolves to do sky magic again by gaining the sky arcanum, something that hasn't been done by a human in modern history. Callum never gives up on this goal, and after much struggle, connects to the Sky Primal. Indeed, being a determinator is a general part of his character; the show creators have written that he "tries his hardest at everything, no matter how many times he falls down."
  Soren: Woah! Slow down there, step-prince. The king's pretty busy right now, trying not to, you know, die and stuff.
  Callum: [shoving Soren out of the way] You're not stopping me.
- Taken even further in Book 3. Despite not being able to conjure mage wings before, he nevertheless dives off the pinnacle to rescue Rayla. He is going to save her or die trying.
Didn't See That Coming: After calling her "smart and fast and beautiful," Callum is taken completely by surprise when Rayla kisses him. In his defense, by his own admission, he "does not understand girls."
Didn't Think This Through: Callum tries to defuse a standoff by explaining to Amaya—a general, warrior, and his very protective aunt—that Rayla is a bloodthirsty monster and therefore he and Ezran have to leave with her. This backfires, and instead makes Amaya even more motivated to kill Rayla.
Die or Fly:
- Callum has never so much as drawn a rune before, but when he, Rayla, and Ezran are cornered by Claudia's shadow dogs, he tries casting his first spell without knowing whether it will misfire. Sure enough, he pulls it off, and becomes a mage.
- He then literally does this when he jumps off a mountain to save Rayla, figuring out how to grow wings on his way down.
Disappeared Dad: Harrow is not his birth father, but we don't know who is his natural father or what happened to him. So far, all we know about him is that he's dead.
Don't Think, Feel: Unlike his spells, Callum can't conjure mage wings simply by drawing the runes and speaking the incantation. It is only when he is in freefall and tells Rayla he loves her that he finds the ability summon wings to save her.
Dork Knight: A powerful and talented mage, but quite a dork. He gets distracted by his own analogies, geeks out at the sheer presence of magic in Xadia, and when Rayla gives him a lesson in stealth he covers his face with his scarf and raises his arms like a ninja, much to her annoyance.
Dream-Crushing Handicap: In season 2, Callum wants to learn Primal magic, but humans lack a natural connection to magic like elves do and thus need a Primal Stone to perform such magic. Without the one that he destroyed hatching the Dragon Prince, dark magic is the only kind of magic he could perform, and Callum doesn't want to learn that. Callum isn't deterred, however, hoping to find a way to gain the same connection elves have to their primal sources. Aaravos being a master of all the types of Primal Magic despite only having a natural connection to Star magic as a Startouch elf hints that it's possible, and Callum manages the feat by the end of the season.
The Dutiful Son: Callum greatly admires Harrow and does whatever he can to protect him, as well as taking his father's advice seriously.
Easing into the Adventure: The first episode and a half of the series shows Callum's ordinary life, from his sketching, to interactions with Ezran and King Harrow, losing to Soren in a swordfight, and flirting with Claudia.
Elemental Punch: His magic lets him enhance his punches with lightning.
Enlightenment Superpowers: After learning of his Dream-Crushing Handicap, Callum believes if he can gain an understanding of one of the arcana, he can draw on that specific power, basically forging a connection like the elves and magical creatures have naturally. After his vision quest from using Dark Magic, he realizes that the whole planet itself is like one giant Sky Primal Stone. He understands all there is of Sky and this allows him to use Sky magic without a Primal Stone.
Erotic Dream: He has one about Claudia and her peanut-butter-sandwich breath in the middle of book 1. Ezran is puzzled at why Callum would be so excited about peanut butter sandwiches.
Establishing Character Moment: The first thing we see of Callum in the show is him drawing and vocalizing a picture of him coolly and heroically taking down a monster, which gives us the first taste of Callum's sense of inferiority and desire to be someone cool and amazing, while also showcasing the catalyst that proves as an example of why he's really better than he realizes.
The Everyman: At the beginning of the story, Callum is perhaps the most ordinary and relatable of the main characters. He isn't an heir to the throne, a prodigious sword-fighter, or a well-trained sorcerer. Instead, he's an awkward and clumsy kid, is mediocre at most things he tries, and is shorter than almost everyone older than him… just like most 14-year-old kids are in the real world.
Evil Me Scares Me: He sees a vision of himself as a master of Dark Magic. Needless to say, he is unnerved and describes the ordeal as "horrifying."
Fatal Flaw: Callum has a crippling lack of self-confidence. Before he discovers magic, he's convinced that he's always been bad at everything. This leads him to quickly give up on tasks and pursuits, even if he shows some promise, because he's convinced he'll never be any good. When he temporarily loses the ability to use magic, Callum is paralyzed by indecision, and recklessly puts himself in harm's way trying to become a mage again. He does get better, and by season 3 is much more confident and assertive.
The Fatalist: Played Straight then Subverted. The main reason Callum thinks he's a poor fit for a prince is that he isn't a "real" prince. That is, he wasn't born into royalty but became a prince through his mother marrying King Harrow. When he discovers he has a talent with magic, he decides that being a mage is who he is supposed to be instead. He's told that magic isn't his destiny on account of him not being born with an Arcanum. This pushes Callum to adopt a Screw Destiny approach and learn magic anyway.
The Fettered: Callum could greatly expand his range of magical abilities by practicing Dark Magic, but he is far too good-natured to even consider it. The one time he uses Dark Magic, it was in a last resort to save Rayla, and he never defends his choice and gives up on it for good.
Fish out of Water: In spite of growing up in Katolis, he seems to have trouble fitting in and chafes against the mold of a prince. He also becomes this again in Season 3, when the group enters Xadia and he struggles to adjust to the new world.
Flight: Gains this ability in Season 3.
Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The Responsible to Ezran's Foolish. While Callum does his princely duties, Ezran is often stealing jelly tarts from the baker.
Fragile Speedster: When Callum learns how to summon mage wings, he becomes incredibly fast, both swooping in to save Rayla in freefall and then effortlessly fly back to the top of the Storm Spire. Additionally, it's implied that Callum can use his arcanum to enhance his speed and agility. However, he wears no armor and is still fundamentally human, and so would have to avoid getting struck.
Genre Blindness: Sure, Callum, after finding out dark forces are pursuing you, why don't you take a personal day to learn magic? What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
The Gift: Callum is something of a prodigy when it comes to magic. Without proper training and only a few tidbits of information, he was able to competently cast spells and protect the group. Later, he was able to, over a period of a few days, forge a connection to the sky arcanum, something thought of as impossible for humans. Within weeks of trying sky magic for the first time, he can grow wings and fly.
Glass Cannon: During the Battle of the Storm Spire, Callum knocks down waves of soliders with his spells, but once Prince Kasef gets within close range, he has no defenses. By the end of the episode, however, Callum transitions into a Fragile Speedster.
Glowing Eyes of Doom: In season 2, Callum does end up dabbling in dark magic, and like Claudia, his eyes glow purple.
Good Is Not Soft: He is one of the kindest and gentlest people in the show. That does not mean he is unwilling to guard the Storm Spire and use magic to throw several soldiers to their deaths.
Go Through Me: Callum tries to protect Ezran this way when Rayla plans to kill him. During the Battle of the Storm Spire, Amaya's strategy is that, should the army fail to hold the line, all enemy forces will have to go through Callum to get to Zym and Rayla.
Greater Need Than Mine: This was Callum's justification for destroying the Sky primal stone. According to Callum's Spellbook, while this was a difficult decision, saving Zym's life "was the right thing to do."
Grew a Spine: He has very little confidence in himself in Books 1 and 2, but as soon as he connects to the Sky Primal, his feelings of inferiority disappear and he's much more assertive. He's unafraid to share his opinions, forcefully argue his point, and shut down condescending mages.
Half-Sibling Angst: Averted. Callum and Ezran are half-brothers, having the same mother in Sarai but different fathers. Despite this, they have a healthy and loving relationship, with Callum not having any sort of resentment towards Ezran being the heir to the throne.
Hand Behind Head: Does this whenever he is nervous or embarrassed. Which happens a lot.
Happily Adopted: He is King Harrow's step-son, and while both can be awkward around another, Harrow made it clear in his letter that he loved Callum with all his heart. And as Callum showed in his last moments with his stepfather, the feeling was mutual.
Hard Work Hardly Works: Played Straight then Averted. Callum can barely hold a sword despite training with Soren and trying his best to learn. However, when it comes to magic, Callum does have to work to understand the Sky Arcanum, and after much effort, he can do Sky Magic without a Primal Stone.
The Hero: An awkward step-prince who has trouble fitting in, gets caught up in a quest to return the Dragon Prince home and avert a war, while discovering he has a talent for magic and resolving to learn all he can to be a mage. All while possessing a key to a "great power in Xadia," that once belonged to the Big Bad of the series. Yep, Callum fits this archetype to a tee.
Heroic Ambidexterity: The heroic protagonist, Callum, has shown to be ambidextrous.
Heroic BSoD: After he is told that humans can't do magic, and that he destroyed his only chance at being a mage, Callum gradually falls into periods of this. By "Fire and Fury," Callum has become uncharacteristically standoffish and hesitant at helping Rayla rescue the dragon, convinced that he's too useless to help.
- After being possessed and turned into Aaravos' puppet, Callum is left traumatized and haunted by the ordeal, barely able to speak about it. He spends much of the journey silently going through a breakdown, eventually asking Rayla that she should kill him should he be taken over again.
Heroic Resolve: Callum has not been able to conjure mage wings, but when he sees Rayla fall from the pinnacle, he leaps off to catch her. It doesn't work at first, but when he says that he loves her, Callum finds the focus to grow wings, then dives down to save her.
Heroic Self-Deprecation: When Ellis praises him for being a mage, Callum simply dismisses his worth and insists that his power just comes from the Primal Stone. Later on, he tells Rayla that he can't do anything.
Heroic Willpower: In spite of being told creatures have to be born with a connection to a primal source to do magic, Callum decides he will create his own connection through sheer determination. Sure enough, he does.
Hero-Worshipper: Callum really admires Rayla for her acts of courage and heroism, and is one of the reasons he falls in love with her. He's thereby inspired by her to leap off a pinaccle to save her and surpass his prior limitations.
Hidden Depths:
- Near the end of episode 4, Callum demonstrates that he too knows ASL and uses it to convince General Amaya to let him, Ezran and Rayla proceed with their journey.
- He's a good dancer, as shown with the "jerkface apology" dance. He's got rhythm and presence, even entertaining the spider illusion.
Honest Advisor: He advises Ezran on how to be king, though he does so in a more casual, laidback approach. In his final letter, King Harrow tells Callum he trusts him to support his half-brother's rule when he succeeds him to the throne.
Hope Bringer: Much of the conflict between humans and elves is due to the fact that the latter, having no innate Primal connection, must resort to Dark Magic or rare Primal Stones if they are to have any magical abilities at all. Callum, by connecting to the Sky Primal and becoming the first human to use unaided Primal Magic, sparking hope that perhaps there is another way for humans to learn magic.
Horrible Judge of Character: He trusts Soren and Claudia on their mission, in spite of the fact that Callum knew Soren lied to him about his father and Claudia demanded the egg.
Hugh Mann: Inverted in season 3 when he does a horrible job of disguising himself as, and acting like, an elf.
Callum: All of me best mates are trees.
Humble Hero: He tends to downplay his accomplishments, even insisting that the primal stone is the only reason he can do magic. Even when he becomes the first human to connect to the sky arcanum, he never brags about his achievement. This is even more prevalent in Callum's Spellbook, where he says that connecting to the Sky was aweseome but "not the most important thing. The most important thing is to get Zym back to his mom."

I-N

I Am Spartacus: He tries to pass himself off as Ezran, to stop Rayla from killing his little brother.
I Am Who?: Has this kind of reaction when Rayla calls him a mage.
An Ice Person: Adds Aspiro Frigis to his spell arsenal in Season 5. And after connecting with the Ocean arcanum, he copies Finnegrin's blood-freezing spell.
I Got Bigger: Hits his growth spurt in season 4, becoming taller than Rayla and filling out quite considerably.
I Just Want to Be Badass: Callum's personal goal throughout the series is to become something cool and amazing, or in his words, be the hero "who stops all the fighting and saves the day."
I Just Want to Be Special: In "Voyage of the Ruthless," Callum tells Zym that he badly wants to be a mage again, and that when he could do magic, he felt like himself. Throughout the second season, he's willing to go through great lengths to do magic again.
Ignored Epiphany: When Callum declares to Lujanne he wouldn't give up on learning magic just because it was something hard, he lists of the skills he was expected to learn as the prince and how those skills were hard for him. Lujanne then asks if he didn't give up on those and eventually learned those skills as well.
Callum: No, I gave up on those.
Incompletely Trained: Or rather not trained at all. So far, Callum is almost entirely self-taught, relying on using spells he happened to witness Claudia casting, or observing how Ibis conjures mage wings.
Indy Ploy: Callum is quite good at improvising in the middle of the action, whether it's using his half-understood lightning spell, trapping a dragon with his scarf, or jumping off a cliff and figuring out how to fly on the way down.
Innocently Insensitive: Callum tends to be a little clueless when hurting the feelings of others. In "Bloodthirsty", he plays into a stereotype of elves being bloodthirsty monsters, which ends up hurting and offending Rayla. He then implies Rayla is selfish when she wants to stay to defend Zubeia, asking her to "let it go." This causes her to storm off with tears in her eyes.
Instant Expert: Seasoned mages like Claudia and Viren take years to master spells and incantations. Callum is able to draw runes and cast spells perfectly on just his first try. When faced with the challenge of conjuring mage wings, something that only a rare few Skywing elves can do, it takes him only a day to master it.
Interrupted Declaration of Love: In the season 3 finale episode, when he and Rayla are having a private moment together, Callum looks like he's about to do a Love Confession but the couple are interrupted by Soren.
Interspecies Romance: Enters one with Rayla, an elf, in Season 3.
Jerkass Has a Point:
- Callum's angry outburst at Ezran was a little harsh but he is right about their situation being serious and that King Harrow's life could end. Ezran takes it to heart and later saves Callum from Rayla.
- During his initial confrontation with Rayla, during which he pretends to be Ezran in order to protect him, Callum points out that if she kills him then the Cycle of Revenge will never end.
- After Rayla agrees to work with him and Ezran when they find the Dragon Prince's egg, Rayla states they should trust her, which Callum replies with sarcasm. He's on point given she tried not too long ago to kill him.
- A case of both jerks have a point occurs between him and Rayla in "Through the Ice" — on his side, Callum's distrust of Rayla isn't because she's an elf, but because he can feel she's hiding something from him and Ezran, and until she's honest with them, Callum can't fully trust her with the egg. And he's right since she knew about their father's death.
- Another case of with her and Callum on debating Claudia and Soren's intentions and whether to trust them — on his side, he tries to put it as gently as possible, but honestly explains to Rayla why he doesn't believe her suspicions of Soren and Claudia because they've been his friends longer while he and Rayla don't have that kind of bond yet. It may be a hard thing to hear and both parties are obviously saddened at the end, but he makes a fair point — Rayla has yet to give evidence of the siblings' ill intentions and Callum isn't just going to trust someone he's known little over a week against people who he states are his childhood friends.
- While he's very harsh and pulls no punches in arguing with Rayla about her remaining behind to defend Zubeia, he's essentially right in that it would be a pointless sacrifice, and that her feelings are at least partly motivated by her guilt over her parents. When she insists, Callum then says everyone is going to stay and fight.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Downplayed. Callum has a tendency to be somewhat insensitive to the feelings of others and has been noted to act like a "jerk", but not to the point he plays this trope straight. Usually, though not always, the moments where he acts like a jerk is due to his ignorance rather than malice. He's shown to be compassionate, brave, and protective of his loved ones, as well as having the humility to admit his mistakes.
Jumped at the Call: When he discovers the dragon egg, he very quickly decides its up to Rayla, Ezran, and himself to journey to Xadia and return it to it's mother.
Kung-Fu Wizard: Following the timeskip, in addition to casting spells from a distance, Callum can also channel lightning into hand-to-hand combat.
The Leader: Callum is a Mastermind type of leader, organizing a plan of attack around everyone's skills to take on the threats they may face on the Cursed Caldera. Toward the end of Book 3, he shows clear signs of being a Levelheaded type of leader, sitting the group (and Soren) down to lay out their options to either stay and fight Viren or run. He seems to overlap with the Charismatic type as well, since all three of them defer to Callum.
"Leave Your Quest" Test: Ibis tells Callum they and Zym should leave to escape the coming battle. An interesting variation, since while Callum is tempted to go, both the offer and his motivation is to keep Zym safe, but would mean the dragonling won't be reunited with his mother. Nevertheless, Callum is moved by Soren's speech, and the group resolves to make their last stand instead.
Lightning Bruiser: Literally, as Callum can channel lightning into his fists when he punches. He is quick, capable of flying, and just as adept at shooting spells from a distance as he is brawling up close.
Like a Duck Takes to Water: Once he starts doing magic, Callum proves to be incredibly good at it, becoming the first human to establish a connection to a Primal Source and mastering spells that are said to be exceptionally difficult in less than a day.
Like a Son to Me: In Harrow's letter to Callum, he makes it clear that despite the two of them not being biologically related, he wholeheartedly believed Callum was his son and the only reason he kept a certain amount of distance was because he didn't want to replace Callum's birth father.
Like Father, Like Son: Like his step-dad, Callum falls in love with a women who's a great warrior with a strong sense of right and wrong.
Like Father, Unlike Son: Played with. On the surface, Callum seemed to be very different from his mother and stepfather, as both were accomplished warriors while Callum is notably a poor swordsman, which fed into his insecurities. However, he does share many of his parents’ traits (see below). By season 4, Callum also begins to appear much more like his mother, carrying a staff-like weapon and mastering a form of magic associated with speed and agility.
Like Parent, Like Child: He has his stepfather's compassion and empathy, and his mother's moral compass, stubbornness, and desire to protect their loved ones.
Likes Older Women: Callum's two main love interests are slightly older than him.
Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards: Callum is the quadratic wizard, Rayla is the linear warrior. For a while, he only knows a handful of simple spells and can contribute to the fighting only from a safe distance. Then he learns to fly...
Lineage Comes from the Father: Invoked by King Harrow, who tells Callum he sees himself in his stepson. However, in terms of personality, Callum is more like his mother—compassionate, protective, reluctant to take shortcuts, and fairly headstrong.
The Load: Downplayed. He sees himself as this toward the end of season 2, which gives him much grief. He thinks there's nothing he can do, so he has to sit on the sidelines while Rayla goes off on a dangerous mission to save a dragon. However, this is largely the result of Callum's low self-esteem rather than actually being a liability to the group, and after connecting to the sky arcanum, his feelings of inferiority disappear.
Loser Protagonist: Played straight then subverted. Starting out, Callum is described as being an "awkward fit for a prince," and he himself says he's always been bad at everything. However, he discovers he has an affinity for magic, and over the course of the series, he pushes the boundaries of his potential. By the end of the third season, he's firmly The Ace.
Mage Born of Muggles: Zigzagged. Callum was born a human with no magical powers like his family and other humans, as the species weren't naturally born with a connection to an arcanum. However, with a combination of his determination and natural talent at magic, Callum does forge his own connection with the Sky Primal by the end of season 2.
Magic Staff: In Book 4, Callum finally gets one, befitting of a powerful Sky mage. Tragically, it's inherited from Ibis, after he's killed in the process of Claudia stealing back Viren's staff from the Spire.
Making a Splash: In season 5 he connects to the Ocean Arcanum, allowing him to counter Finnegrin's magic.
Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: With Rayla, as Callum is more emotionally open and vulnerable than the former. However, over time this difference diminishes somewhat, as Rayla becomes more willing to be vulnerable around Callum and open up to him, while Callum becomes more assertive, action-oriented and protective. The dynamic is inverted after the timeskip, where Callum is more closed off and confrontational, while Rayla is more emotionally sensitive, vulnerable, and trying to get Callum to open up.
A Master Makes Their Own Tools: An interesting case where a master becomes their tool. Callum destroys the primal stone, the source of his magical abilities, and tries to form a connection to the sky arcanum. He later learns that he is that connection. He takes this even further in Season 3, where he learns to grow wings, literally making his own tools for flight.
Callum: I thought I had to find my wings, but that's just it! I am the wing.
Meaningful Name:
- The Latin word for Sky is "caelum" and Callum is revealed to be a sky mage.
- Callum is the Anglicised version of the Irish "Colm" or Scots Gaelic "Calum", which means "Dove", which could refer to his desire to make peace with Katolis' enemies and stop the fighting and bloodshed. Doves also symbolize hope and represent the link between the sky and the earth, which may represent Callum's newfound Arcanum may bring hope for a new path for humankind. In addition, doves are birds and also associated with the sky.
Messianic Archetype: Callum has traces of this. He nearly dies, and has a figurative "resurrection" when he wakes up as the first human to connect to a Primal Source. He is heroic and leads his "true companions" (Ezran and Rayla) to return Zym home, but is "betrayed" by Claudia and Soren.
Military Mage: Callum is the artillery version of this, capable of firing ranged attacks. However, in "Fire and Fury," it's shown that he's perfectly capable of being a One-Man Army when push comes to shove.
Moment of Weakness: Callum is angry at himself for being unable to help Rayla save the dragon, Pyrrah, and his self-esteem issues get the better of him when he uses Dark Magic to save both her and Pyrrah. This puts him in a coma, and nearly kills him.
Momma's Boy: Callum was quite close to Sarai when she was alive and he noticeably hates Zym's father for killing her. This is portrayed in a positive light; Callum dearly loves his mother, and looks to her as a source of inspiration. Even though she's gone, he imagines her helping him through his coma, and her words help him understand the Sky Arcanum.
More Powered Protégé: Rayla is Callum's mentor. Even though he's a mage with a lot of raw power, he is Unskilled, but Strong. Rayla, meanwhile, has the advantage of being more experienced with Xadia and magic.
Mundane Utility: A wholesome example. Callum uses the magical wings from his flight spell to hug his girlfriend.◊
Muscles Are Meaningless: While he's not portrayed as physically weak or unfit by any means, Callum just looks like an ordinary kid. However, he's shown to be remarkably strong, as he is able to hold on to his entire group to keep them from falling off a cliff. Later he's able to climb hundreds of feet up the trunk of a giant tree with out any actual physical exhaustion and even if there were branches along the way that he rested at he later climbed up the leg of Nyx's giant beast whose legs are at least 200 ft long while it was moving.
My Greatest Failure: Resorting to Dark Magic even to save Rayla fills him with immense shame and guilt.
Next Tier Power-Up: Each season, Callum goes through something like this. In Book 1, he discovers that he can cast spells with the help of a Primal Stone. Then in Book 2, he becomes the first human in recorded history to connect to a Primal Source, and thus doesn't need a Primal Stone to cast spells. In Book 3, he learns to conjure wings to fly. Through this, Callum goes from a kid who is "bad at everything" to potentially the strongest of the trio.
Noble Bigot: While Callum does want to end the war with the Elves and tries to reason with Rayla when they first meet on the Cycle of Revenge, he also displays this from time to time. When Rayla offered Ezran some moonberry juice, Callum reflexively declines believing that it was blood. When the trio meet up with Soren and Claudia, they are shocked that he is friends with an elf (Rayla), but Callum clarifies that she's a "good elf", something that understandably upsets Rayla.
No Challenge Equals No Satisfaction: Inverted. Callum laments that he was never very good at archery, sword fighting, horseback riding, or other martial skills expected of him as a prince. When he tried magic and it came easily to him, he decided that was for him. However, played straight when it comes to Dark Magic; when Callum tries a spell, he notes that it's in fact too easy, and that he knows it's wrong.
Now, Let Me Carry You: After Rayla saves Zym from Viren, Callum jumps in to catch her and carry her to safety.

O-Y

Oblivious to Love: In Book 3, he couldn't tell that Rayla had fallen for him, so he's taken by surprise when she kisses him.
Official Couple: With Rayla in Season 3. While Rayla kisses him in "The Midnight Desert", they don't officially acknowledge their feelings until "Heroes and Masterminds".
One-Man Army: By himself, he manages to both unchain a dragon and scatter Soren's forces. In the finale of Book 3, Zym's defenders are counting on Callum to be this if the line breaks and they fail to stop Viren's soldiers.
The Only One: Because of his status as mage, there are several situations only he can deal with (such as taking down a river monster, stopping an avalanche, or making it possible to breathe up on the Storm Spire). During the final battle with Viren's army, he's the only one who can stand at the foot of the Storm Spire to prevent soldiers from ascending. Also, because of these powers, he's the only one who can dive in and save Rayla from falling to her death.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Callum is a sweet, kind boy who doesn't tend to hold grudges and harbors no ill-will toward anybody. However, when he sees Avizandum's petrified body, he admits he hates the dragon for killing his mother. Rayla is understanding, but even she looks surprised for a moment.
Orphan's Ordeal: Losing his mother and stepfather badly traumatized him. He wistfully draws his mother's image from memory, and expresses hatred at Avizandum for taking her away from him. He breaks down when he finds out his stepfather was killed, and he visibly carries that grief. However, this experience has made him want to live up to his adopted father's moral lessons on love and forgiveness, and his losses have made him extremely protective of his family and loved ones.
Our Mages Are Different: Even though Claudia and Callum are both mages, the way they both go about using magic is very different. Claudia is more of a traditional depiction of a wizard/witch, learning magic from books and research, making potions and gathering parts for a ritual or a spell. Callum, however, is more of a monk by comparison; he connects to the sky arcanum through deep reflection and a spiritual journey, and magic like mage wings require mental discipline and force of will.
Parent with New Paramour: Callum's initial reaction to his mother's remarrying of Harrow is unknown but from what can be seen in flashbacks, Callum admired his stepfather at a young age.
Photographic Memory: He copies the game room in the Banther Lodge from memory (reversing the usual joke of poorly made, inaccurate graphic depictions), and later two spells after seeing them only once each. He mostly uses it for drawing but it proves invaluable to his magic, as runes need to be drawn perfectly or they'll backfire. His photographic memory was also critical in allowing him to connect to the sky arcanum, as he was able to process and understand a great level of detail to finally comprehend the Sky Primal. This character sheet by executive producer Giancarlo Volpe lists "Photographic memory" among his skills/feats.
Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Besides Ezran and Ellis, he is the shortest of the named characters. Nevertheless, he can dish out serious damage with his magic.
The Pollyanna: In spite of losing all of the parental figures in his life, he remains happy, idealistic, and with a pure heart.
Power Copying: Unlike other mages in the series, Callum learns magic primarily from copying what he sees from others or observing magic in action. The only exception is learning the Sky Arcanum, and this is because thus far he's shown to be the only human in the world capable of doing so.
Power Crystal: His magic uses the nature surrounding him as sources; during Book One, he gets his hands on a Primal Stone, an orb that allows him to freely cast magic that uses the Sky as a power source. In the Book Two episode "Breathe", he learns to do it without the Primal Stone, which was thought to be impossible for humans by many.
Powers Do the Fighting: Callum initially latches on to magic because he's not really capable when it comes to physical fighting. It causes him some level of insecurity early on that he can only contribute to the fight with the Primal Stone, even when Ellis points out that the stone is just a fancy ball without him. Averted in Book 5, when Callum is capable of physical combat as well as casting spells from a distance.
Power Fist: Capable of enhancing his punches with lightning.
Power-Strain Blackout: He exhausts himself after using a Dark Magic spell, and later falls into a coma.
Power Tattoo: As of the finale Callum sports three that are prominently displayed on each arm. Together, these runes let him conjure wings for flight.
Pretty Boy: Grows into one by season 4 and beyond.
Primary-Color Champion: He is the main character and fairly heroic figure that generally wears red and blue clothes.
Promotion to Parent: In Harrow's letter, he urges Callum to become a surrogate parental figure to his younger brother.
The Protagonist: Curiously, even though the focus of the story is returning the titular Dragon Prince to his mother, the saga is really about Callum. He's the principal agent who makes choices—such as deciding the group should take the egg to Xadia themselves—that impact the rest of the plot. The story also centers around Callum's personal transformation from awkward sheltered prince to a powerful mage, and the first human in recorded history to connect to a Primal Source. Furthermore, Callum's Spellbook contextualizes the entirety of the show from his point of view, using his journey to understand the Sky Arcanum as the climax of the book.
Protagonist Power-Up Privileges: Callum is the first human in centuries (perhaps ever) to connect to the Sky Primal. As a result, he's the only one of the main characters to gain powers associated with Sky Magic, such as flight.
Red Is Heroic: After he jumps off the cliff to save Rayla, he grows wings that tear his jacket off, leaving only red.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Callum manages to be a combination of the two. Ordinarily, he's intellectual, thoughtful, and reserved. However, whenever the topic of magic is involved, he becomes passionate, enthusiastic, and impulsive.
Refusal of the Call: Rayla tells him that, to truly stop the Cycle of Revenge, someone has to take the stand. Having gone through a Heroic BSoD, Callum simply says that he can't do anything, and can't be one of the heroes who goes and stops all the fighting. Needless to say, this refusal is short-lived.
Relationship Upgrade: He and Rayla start off as an uneasy allies in season 1 before becoming close friends than enter a romantic relationship in the middle of season 3.
Reluctant Warrior: In contrast to Rayla, Callum prefers not to fight until absolutely necessary. However, when he needs to protect his friends or family, he absolutely will push the limits of what he can do to fight.
Required Secondary Powers: For Callum to cast Fulminis, he needs to be immune to the effects of lightning in order to cast the spell (this is seen when he holds the electrified primal stone without any problems, the same stone that electrocutes Rayla). For mage wings, the spell needs to come with an increased level of balance, coordination, and mental quickness and flexibility for Callum to generate actual flight.
Rookie Red Ranger: While Callum takes part in the battle by guarding the base of the Storm Spire, he's only been a mage for a few weeks, and has to rely on just what he's picked up on his own.
Royals Who Actually Do Something: Callum is one of the two princes of Katolis and does what he can to end the war between the human kingdoms and Xadia.
Scarf of Asskicking: Downplayed. Callum wears a red scarf and admits that he's a poor fighter...but he discovers his potential in magic.
Second Hour Superpower: At the end of Season 2, Callum connects to the Sky Primal, being able to cast spells without an Amplifier Artifact.
Ship Tease:
- He clearly has a crush on Claudia, something Soren takes notice of and helps Callum out with by letting him beat him to impress her. Callum also talks about Claudia in his sleep. They even come close to sharing a kiss in the second season. However, after Claudia betrays them enough times, his crush on her seems to be ebbing away. When she tells him that he needs someone experienced to teach him how to use the dark magic, he coldly replies "You already did".
- In the season 2 episode "Fire and Fury" when Rayla goes off on a dangerous mission to free a captive dragon, Callum is seen drawing her in his notebook. When asked about it, Callum simply replies that he draws when he's upset. Later, after he uses dark magic to help Rayla free the dragon, his use of this magic puts Callum in something of a fever dream. While he is comatose and in a continuously worsening condition, Rayla remains to watch over him as her worry eventually becomes a panic, and she almost confesses... something... to him.
- In season 3, there are many, many such moments between Callum and Rayla before they finally kiss. In "Sol Regem," Rayla gushes about how much Callum means to her. They later exchange a longing glance before Rayla feels awkward and looks away. In "The Crown" and "Ghost," there are many moments when they each blush and touch one another. In "The Midnight Desert," Rayla finally works up the courage to kiss him, and Callum returns the favor in the next episode before they share their first mutual kiss.
Shock and Awe: One of the spells he can do with the Primal Stone is to cast lightning. Because he starts out not knowing the trigger word, he can't do this spell all the way and initially is only able to hold a bolt of lightning without ever firing it.
Shut Up, Hannibal!: Gives this to Finnegrin after the latter explains his reasons for wanting to kill Domina, saying that despite him talking about wanting to be free, all Finnegrin truly wants is to rule the ocean.
Sibling Yin-Yang: Callum is typically more levelheaded, skeptical, and intellectual than Ezran, who is impulsive, trusting, and occasionally a bit naive.
Significant Wardrobe Shift: For most of the first three seasons, Callum is seen wearing a blue jacket. By the end of Book 3, he jumps off the pinnacle to save Rayla, and his jacket is ripped off as he transforms and swoops in to catch her. After this. Callum is only seen in a red sleevless shirt.
- In Season 4 Callum begins wearing a formal High Mage coat with his signature scarf, showcasing his evolving skills as a mage.
Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Gender-inverted example. He is consistently attracted to girls that are kind and noble. He likes Claudia because she's nice to him and willing to explain how magic works. Then Callum's crush evaporates when he learns Claudia is insisting to take a dragon egg to her father to serve as a "weapon," and later learning that she was going to kidnap him and his little brother in season two. He then falls for Rayla after her repeated acts of bravery and heroism. Callum's love for Rayla allows him to find the focus and strength to conjure wings to rescue her from a deadly fall.
Sleeves Are for Wimps: In "The Final Battle," Callum transforms his arms into wings, which rips apart his jacket and leaves only his sleeveless shirt underneath. After this moment, Callum is only seen in this shirt.
The Smart Guy: Callum appears to be the most intellectual of the trio, and has his fair share of planning and directing courses of action. But where this really comes into play is his skills as a mage. He learns spells just by watching them once, and as the idea guy, he is able to spend time in the natural elements to figure out how Sky Magic works in a thoughtful and coherent way in short order. This allows him to understand the sky arcanum and connect to the Sky Primal directly.
Smug Super: In stark contrast to his lack of self-esteem in Books 1 and 2, Callum is quite confident in his abilities during the Final Battle, proudly declaring he is "this guy" who will hold Viren's forces back if all else fails. He also very quickly shuts up Ibis when he's about to comment on humans being unable to do primal magic. However, he's not always full of himself; when he grows mage wings, he's in awe for less than a second before diving down to save Rayla.
Spare to the Throne: Although Callum isn't descended from King Harrow, he is part of the royal line, and is technically Ezran's heir. This is an unusual case with here the older sibling is the heir to the younger one.
Squishy Wizard: Downplayed. He's shown to be very fit throughout the series but for most of his life, he felt like a failure because he couldn't live up to the martial skill expected of a prince. Then he tries magic for the first time, and turns out to be a natural at it. But much of Sky Magic, unlike Dark Magic, often requires Callum to rely on his physical strength as well; his Aspiro spell will only work as long as Callum has air in his lungs. By the season finale, Callum can use "mage wings" to fly, which make him inhumanly fast and strong in the air.
Strong Girl, Smart Guy: A zigzagged example with Rayla. She's a trained assassin while he's a sheltered prince who's proven to be a capable planner. But Rayla is more action-focused because Callum is still new at being a mage. Throughout the first three seasons, Rayla has proven to be a Guile Hero when push comes to shove while Callum has learned how to use his magic as a weapon. By the end of Season 3 Callum gains the ability to fly, greatly expanding his physical capabilities to go along with his spells.
Stronger Than They Look: Callum looks like an ordinary kid, but he's able to climb a tree hundreds of feet tall and later climbed up the leg of a beast that's at least 200 feet long while it was moving. Taken even further in season 2, when Callum is able to hold up his entire group by himself to keep them from falling.
Symbolic Hero Rebirth: Callum finally reaches a point of no return, and concludes the first part of his Hero's Journey, when he connects to the sky arcanum and crosses into Xadia. After using Dark Magic, he falls into a coma and nearly dies. He has a series of visions that toss him around and test his character. When he awakes, he realizes that he now understands the sky arcanum, thus achieving what no other human mage has achieved and committing him to finish the journey with Rayla and Zym.
Take a Third Option: In season 2, Callum learns that humans can't do unassisted Primal Magic, tries and fails to forge his own connection to a Primal Source, and is faced with a stark choice: practice Dark Magic, or never be a mage again. Instead, he ends up successfully forging his own Primal connection, becoming the first human to do so, and rejecting the other two options.
Teen Genius: He's 14 at the start of the series, and never studied magic, but within circa 2 weeks of casting his first spell, with the help of an Amplifier Artifact, he figures out how to connect to the Sky Arcanum without one- which was thought to be impossible for humans.
Took a Level in Badass: He starts off as an awkward, insecure "step-prince" who says he's terrible at everything he tries. Then, he tries and excels at magic. By the end of Book 3, he's arguably the most powerful of the trio; he can use his lightning and wind spells to hold back dozens of soldiers (all made faster and stronger through Dark Magic), and can grow wings to fly. In Book 4 onward he's shown displaying a greater mastery of magic, riding mounts with great skill, and punching banthers and pirates in their faces.
Tragic Keepsake: The journal Callum has was given to him by Harrow, his step-father who is killed in the beginning of season 1.
Traumatic Superpower Awakening: Callum is only able to conjure wings after he sees Rayla plunge to her potential death and he dives after her. To a lesser extent, he also connected to the Sky Primal after a hallucination which involved experiencing himself drowning. More broadly speaking, for Callum learning new magic has almost always come in response to a need, rather than a desire to learn new spells and abilities.
Tuckerization: Callum is named after one of the writer's brothers.
Undying Loyalty: In Book 5, Callum outright says he would do anything for his love, Rayla, and he more than proves it by immediately seeking a way to restore the spirits of her cursed family when she tells him of their plight, and even resorting to Dark Magic again, a practice Callum reviles, to save her life from the pirate Finnegrin.
The Unchosen One: A major part of Callum's character is being this his entire life. While he's a prince, he is merely the stepson to the king, and therefore not the presumptive heir despite being the older brother. He's also told that magic is not his destiny, on account that humans are not born with an arcanum necessary for magic. In spite of this, Callum resolves to be a mage, and sure enough, becomes the first human to connect to an arcanum on his own.
Unskilled, but Strong: After forging his own connection to the sky arcanum, Callum is this. Callum has tremendous potential in learning magic. This is why Callum gained abilities and spells in a few days what likely took seasoned mages like Claudia and Viren years to master. By the end of the second season, he has achieved feats that haven't been done by a human in a century. By the end of the third, he can fly. That said, he has yet to learn fine control and has very little real experience using magic in a combat situation.
Unwitting Pawn: A pre-emptive example. When the heroes use Aaravos' mirror to spy on him after learning of his impending return, he easily possesses Callum with a gesture and uses him as a mouthpiece to taunt the heroes over their various flaws and inadequacies in trying to stop him. The only exception is Callum himself, whom he terms his 'favourite' for having once tainted himself with Dark magic, and confidently states he's destined to eventually help free Aaravos. Disturbingly, despite Callum refusing to do so once he regains control of himself, he's so shaken by the experience and Aaravos' confidence that his plans cannot be thwarted that he tries to make Rayla promise to kill him if Aaravos ever gains control over him again. Furthermore, despite his better judgement, he can't bring himself to destroy the rune cube even though he believes it has something to do with Aaravos.
Upbringing Makes the Hero: While Callum lost both his birth parents at a young age, he had a very loving stepfather, who imparted valuable lessons on life to him. He's taken this and his step-dad's bravery and nobility to heart, which both drove him to return the Dragon Prince and to help others with magic.
Uptown Guy: Callum, being a prince, is this for Rayla.
Violently Protective Boyfriend: Despite his peaceful soul, Callum violently attacks Finnegrin, punching him square in the nose, when the pirate tortures Rayla.
Vision Quest: Goes through one of these at the end of season 2, when he falls into a coma. When he awakes, he becomes the first human in modern history who can do primal magic without a primal stone.
Warrior Prince: What he's expected to become, as Prince of Katolis, though he feels he falls short of those expectations. He does, however, participate in the Battle of the Storm Spire, both in the planning and the fighting, and racks up quite an impressive body count.
The Watson: Played Straight then Averted. Much of what the audience learns about Primal Magic comes from Callum learning about it for the first time from Claudia, Rayla, and Lujanne. However, when Callum understands the sky arcanum at the end of season 2, his understanding of the Sky Primal surpasses all three of these characters.
"Well Done, Son" Guy: It's subtle, but much of Callum's awkwardness and insecurity comes from him trying to be the ideal "stepson" prince, and thus he has a hard time figuring out how to act around King Harrow. He tells Ezran he calls him the king rather than "Dad" because he doesn't think he would want him to, and frets over not being able to (in Callum's mind) measure up to his expectations. When Callum reads Harrow's letter, he learns that his stepfather did love him unconditionally, thought of him as his son, and saw a lot of himself in Callum.
Winged Humanoid: In the final episode of season 3, he manages to grow "mage wings" on command.
Wrecked Weapon: He has to destroy his Primal Stone, which had been the source of his spells at the time, in order to save Zym.
You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Ellis certainly seems to think so of Callum; she see's Callum's worth beyond the powers granted to him through the Primal Stone, in spite of not knowing him very long chronologically. Though not as pronounced as in the scene with Ellis, Ezran seems to concur with the notion throughout the course of the first season.
You Killed My Mother: A reconstruction example. Callum outright stated that he hates Avizandum for killing his mother but instead of feeling happy about Avizandum's death, he's angry, sad, and confused. He doesn't forgive the older dragon but feels bad for Zym because the young dragon lost his father before he was hatched.

Characters / The Dragon Prince: Callum

Prince Callum

Voiced by: Jack DeSena (English) ^{Click to see other languages}

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Characters / The Dragon Prince: Callum

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Prince Callum

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