BEWARE OF SPOILERS. Only Season 3 & 4 spoilers are whited out.
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The Goodweather Family
Ephraim
Dr. Ephraim 'Eph' Goodweather
"I'm passive-aggressive, and actively aggressive, which is a rare combination I'm told..."
Played By: Corey Stoll
"Well, seeing as how as a vampire hunter I'm total shit, I'm gonna go back to being a doctor."
The head of the CDC Canary Team in New York City. Goodweather and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with the hallmarks of vampirism.
- Adaptational Jerkass: He's a reasonably kind (if a bit stressed) man in the first book, although he gets a bit worse. In the TV series, he comes off as arrogant and generally rude to everyone with the exception of Nora and Zack. And even then, he cheats on Nora.
- Admiring the Abomination: Has called the blood worms beautiful while studying them.
- The Alcoholic: Eph was initially a recovering alcoholic, but as of season two he's dropped the "recovering" bit.
- Ambiguously Jewish: Eichhorst speculates that Eph is descended from Jewish immigrants. This is neither confirmed nor denied, but Corey Stoll himself is Jewish.
- Eichhorst probably meant it as an insult, but then again, he seems to be able to "smell" a person's descent or at least identify relatives.
- Anti-Hero: He'd be the guy typically associated as The Lancer due to his sarcasm and Jerk with a Heart of Gold attitude, but instead he's the hero. He could arguably be considered The Lancer to Setrakian, though.
- The Atoner: Come season 4, Eph blames himself for Zach nuking New York City and exiles himself away from the city in shame.
- Badass Boast: He gives one to the Master through a surrogate vamp."So the Master can see through all you things, huh? Are you watching me now? You took my wife. My son's mother. I'm gonna take hundreds, thousands of yours. I'm gonna work my way all the way to the top, to you."
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He might come across as slightly odd due to his milk-drinking swagger, but he's a highly intelligent scientist.
- Control Freak: Self-admitted, although how much is up for debate.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: He's extremely displeased to learn his ex-wife is seeing another man.
- Deadpan Snarker: As he admits."My sponsor says I use sarcasm to avoid my real feelings."
- Foot-Dragging Divorcee: Eph doesn't want to believe his marriage is over, but it most certainly is. He treats custody hearings like couples therapy.
- Got Me Doing It: When he inadvertently calls the Master’s “box” a coffin, it’s a first sign he’s coming around to Setrakian’s point of view.
- The Hero: Of the entire series.
- Hypocrite: Despite having had a fling with Nora while separated from his wife, he's mad at Kelly for having an actual relationship with another man.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Eph can be selfish and inconsiderate, but he has a good heart and is capable of getting over his petty hang-ups for the good of his loved ones. For example, despite being stand-offish with Matt Sayles during their first meeting he later tells him he wants Matt to make Kelly happy, swallowing his pride.
- Manchild: Eph behaves in an emotionally immature way. He's aware of this, however, and he's struggling to overcome this. It isn't helping his case when it comes to his divorce and custody hearings. He tries to manipulate his own son into asking for joint custody, and when the hearing doesn't go as planned, his subsequent tantrum makes their ages seem practically reversed.
- Married to the Job: The main reason for the disintegration of his marriage. Eph would deny it, but his wife believes that the job has always come first.
- Odd Friendship: With Dutch which started in season 2 when they teamed up to assassinate Palmer, then in season 3 they are basically drinking buddies living together and hunting together going into Ship Tease territory. Generally they have both come along way from disliking each other in the first season.
- Off the Wagon: Come Season 2. It makes him more likable, though.
- Only Sane Man: He thinks he is, and he's quick to tell everyone else (especially Fet and Setrakian) that he is, but look at...well, 75% of his associated tropes, and he's the one who comes off as irrational and emotionally unstable most of the time.
- Pride: Eph is a very prideful man, and he does not like that Fet and Setrakian are more competent with vampires than he is. Fet even calls him out on this.Fet: You're used to having the last word, huh, Doc? How does it feel to know that a pawnbroker and a rat killer know more than you do, huh?Eph: You've been waiting for this your whole life, haven't you? Congratulations on the vampire apocalypse.Fet: The first will be last, the last shall be first, Doc.
- Ungrateful Bastard: Eph has a low opinion of Setrakian and Fet, even though they're the most useful people in the entire crisis.
- Science Hero: Part-time, at least. Together with Nora and later Dutch he tries to fight the strigoi by figuring out their weaknesses and ways to exploit them through research.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: More or less leaves his position in the CDC so that he can try and help people.
- Ship Tease: With Dutch in season 3 when they are living and working together becoming closer throughout the season eventually leading to them sleeping together in episode eight.
- Stepford Snarker: His usual Deadpan Snarker attitude drops at his alcohol rehab and he reveals that he's very much unhappy with how his life is turning out, and how he ruined his marriage. Notable he actually starts to cry, though he quickly wipes his eyes. It all indicates that Eph is putting his sarcastic attitude as a cover for his own Heroic Self-Deprecation.
- Took a Level in Kindness: In Season 2, he's become slightly more humble and we largely see him as an effective doctor; focused and determined. It's a small step, but it's a step.
- We Used to Be Friends: How he feels about Jim Kent's betrayal when learning the truth that he was the one who let the box through into the city and dooming them all. He tells him quite plainly that, "you're dead to me." Averted in later episodes, though, as it is shown he still cares about Jim - enough to try to save him after Jim is infected.
- What the Hell, Hero?: He gets these as often as he gives them. Kelly's best friend calls him out when he tells her he loves his wife — when he and Nora were just having sex in Kelly's house and potentially in her bed. When Team Vampire Hunter ventures into the subway, Fet gives him an earful for being impulsive, falling for an obvious ruse and running off alone, thus blowing their entire plan.
Kelly
Kelly Goodweather
"Zach?"
Played By: Natalie Brown
Ephraim's ex-wife who has embarked upon a new life after winning custody of their children but ignores her husband's warnings about the contagion.
Was infected and turned into a vampire in Season 1. As of Season 2, she is serving as one of the Master's key lieutenants, and is tasked with tracking her son Zach.
As a human:
- And Then John Was a Zombie: Matt infects her with worms. No, not like that, with vampire worms!
- Eye Scream: She's infected by a worm through her eye. There's even a gory close-up of the worm stabbing it's way through.
- Took a Level in Badass: Kelly actually puts up a very good fight against an infected Matt. Unfortunately, it isn't good enough.
- Ungrateful Bastard: Her whole relationship with Eph is one. She complained that they needed space, so Ephraim moved out and she complained about how he's not around them enough despite the fact that as a CDC epidemiologist, he can't outright quit his job. Ephraim even says he'll quit his job if it makes her happy, and she continues to give him crap over it while mentioning how she is now seeing someone else!
- What the Hell, Hero?: She gives one to Eph after the custody hearing, calling him out on his selfishness and coaching Zach on what to say.
As a vampire:
- Horror Hunger: Her strigoi biology drives her desire to infect Zach, despite the Master wanting Zach kept human for now. In Episode 3x02, she struggles to control her thirst and nearly feeds on Zach. Only the Master's direct intervention stops her.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: In 3x10, Eph stabs her through the chin, killing her.
- It Can Think: She seems to be somewhat more intelligent as a vampire, choosing trickery over overpowering her victims with brute strength. She tried to trick her son into coming close and making him easy to kill/infect, but since Eph was there, she was rewarded with a bullet to the shoulder for it. Confirmed in Season 2. Eichhorst specifically tells her that the Master has granted her a certain degree of free will so that she can hunt for Zach.
- Mama Bear: Though she is biologically compelled to feed on Zach, she repeatedly resists the urge, and also protects him from a feral strigoi in 3x04.
- Tragic Monster: She was forcibly transformed into a horrific beast, and even as a vampire she's driven by love for her son. The problem is that she's largely controlled by the Master and her new idea of 'love' isn't wonderful. In fact, the first thing she says when she is given her mind back is "Zach?"
- We Have Reserves: When the Feelers are given to her, she inspects them and kills the weak ones.
Zach
Zach Goodweather
Played By: Ben Hyland & Max Charles
The son of Ephraim and his ex-wife Kelly.
- Establishing Character Moment: When we first see Zach, he lightly chastises his father for being late before fixing Eph's tie.
- Face–Heel Turn: While he was already supporting the strigoi before he crossed the line, detonating the nuclear device, and then joining Eichorst of his own will puts him firmly on the Master's side.
- I Hate You, Vampire Dad: Subverted, when the conflict between Ephraim and Kelly reaches violence, he doesn't mind joining his strigoi mother, and asks at some point why isn't he turned too, since he only hears good opinions about being a strigoi.
- Nice Guy: A very sweet, gentle, caring, and loving young boy who-despite his age-is surprisingly mature and patient with his dad's quirks and understanding of his mother's position as well as trying his best to get along with her new boyfriend and make the best out of a hard situation. Sadly it doesn't last long, since by Season 2 he's more or less unwilling to give a break to anyone who's not his mother, or closely associated to her.
- The Quisling: A different example from Eldritch, he didn't join the Master out of ambition, or desire to live forever, but first out of loyalty to his mother, and then out of spite, after Ephraim killed Kelly.
- Redemption Equals Death: Sets off the nuke, killing himself and the Master.
- Teens Are Monsters: He was already on the Master's side, but he firmly cements himself as evil by setting off a nuke in the Season 3 finale, letting the Master escape and the strigoi overwhelm New York. If he wasn't evil then, he definitely was when he murdered a girl he had a crush on because she had a boyfriend.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: In Season 2, when he becomes a massive bitch, culminating in him being responsible for Nora's death. And, as if to top that feat, in the Season 3 finale he is singlehandedly responsible for turning what would have been the final victory against the Master into a crushing defeat.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: As seen in his Establishing Character Moment. At the custody hearing, he acts like a parent to his own father, wanting 'what's best for him'. Also when his dad tells him they should leave the city, he attempts to convince his mother, knowing that his dad would not make something up like that. Then completely averted when he begins making stupid decisions out of impulse and misjudges other characters, resulting in the deaths of several innocent people, including Nora, and culminating with a willing Face–Heel Turn.
Setrakian's Team
Setrakian
Prof. Abraham Setrakian
"Being good means nothing, unless you are willing to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done."
Played By: David Bradley, Jim Watson & Sammy Silver
"I know my cause seems hopeless, but I have seen what happens when people stand by and do nothing. Inaction is the greatest evil."
A Holocaust survivor turned New York pawn-shop owner who may have answers about the outbreak. Recurring del Toro collaborator John Hurt played the character in the pilot, but later dropped out.
- Adaptation Personality Change: In the novels, Setrakian was a Nay-Theist and The Anti-Nihilist. He's more conventionally religious here.
- Arch-Enemy: To Thomas Eichhorst, his old concentration camp commandant.
- Attack! Attack! Attack!: Not usually, but when he thinks he can kill The Master, his tactical reasoning goes out of the window.
- Badass Boast: He describes in detail what's going to happen to the street punk he has by the arm with the knife, and that his friend can try to shoot or watch his buddy bleed out and die before 911 picks up the phone."Listen very carefully, son! I know your little friend has a gun and the hammer is cocked but I don't care. I can control your entire body weight from this pressure point and this knife is pointing straight at your radial artery. By the time he clears his coat pocket, your artery will be punctured and sliced wide open from top to bottom. You fall down bleeding, I go under the counter and your friend starts shooting at an empty space."
- Badass Israeli: He's a Jewish survivor of the holocaust, and boy, is he badass.
- Battle Cry: "Sabia Mea Fredoneaza de argint!" ("My sword sings of silver" or "My silver sword sings") in Romanian. Doubles as Pre-Mortem One-Liner.
- Big Damn Heroes: Just as Eph and Nora seem ambushed by two vampires, Setrakian comes to the rescue and displays why they're so terrified of him.
- The Big Guy: Due to his experience fighting Vampires, he's the best to handle them, and uses a sword to boot making him a variation of a type 1.
- Brainy Brunette: When he was young and had dark brown hair.
- Collector of the Strange: As a pawn-shop owner, this is practically his business. Most pawn-shop owners, however, don't own ancient silver swords or keep vampire hearts.
- Cool Old Guy: Setrakian is in his old age but is more than capable of handling two punks who try to rob him and has a Sword Cane who kills vampires.
- Crazy-Prepared: It's clear he's been preparing for this event for a long time. He even jury-rigged a nail gun to shoot silver.
- Crusading Widower: While hinted at in the pilot, it is confirmed in the second episode that the heart that he keeps in his secret basement belongs to his wife, whom Eichhorst had a hand in turning. It fueled his crusade against vampires' and Eichhorst.
- The Cynic: He has absolutely zero faith in humanity. Thus far, he seems to be correct. Of course, Abraham saw the worst humanity has to offer firsthand and regularly fights eldritch monsters from the other realm, so this is justified.
- Cynical Mentor: His goal is to become one for the "army" he seeks to build to fight the vampire menace.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Both due to his past as a holocaust survivor and his history with the vampires.
- Death Glare: He has a very, very frightening one.
- Deadpan Snarker: Abraham often delivers some good barbs, as per his Grumpy Old Man nature.
- Deuteragonist: To Ephraim's Protagonist. While Eph is The Hero of the story as a whole, Setrakian is just as important to the narrative, his mission takes a very close second fiddle to Eph's, and their stories are as independent of each other as they are together.
- Establishing Character Moment: His introductory scene is an attempted robbery that shows him to be savvy, intelligent and reasonable. His first meeting with Eph shows he's a pragmatic, savvy man in handling Vampires.
- Face Death with Dignity: Writes down all the info he can before he finally submits to death, rather than become a Strigoi.
- Fingore: His first encounter with The Master ended with his hands being crushed in The Master's grip. Close inspection of his modern day scenes reveal that his fingers are still lopsided and twisted.
- Grumpy Old Man: Comes across as this sometimes, though he has a lot more reasons to be grumpy than most people (Namely: Being in a lone crusade against beings from the depths of Hell).
- Handicapped Badass: His old age left him with several health issues (such as apparent heart problems), and his hands are crippled from an encounter with The Master in Treblinka, but he remains a damn effective hunter.
- Hero of Another Story: He was quite a feared and accomplished Vampire Hunter in his youth, but this story isn't about that.
- I Did What I Had to Do: How he justifies all the ruthless actions he undertakes. There is a vampire Armageddon going on, after all.
- Ignored Expert: Despite his vast knowledge that shows a level of understanding that really shouldn't be ignored, he still gets ignored.
- Innocent Blue Eyes: When he was young, especially in the concentration camp scenes where his eyes are large and wide-set. The older he gets and the more he suffers, his eyes instead become bitter and sharp and turn into Icy Blue Eyes.
- I Was Quite a Looker: He was rather adorably handsome when he was young, especially in the camp scenes of all places.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's brusque, irritable and at times antisocial. However, he's not a bad man, and sometimes would let slip a kinder, more grandfatherly disposition.
- Knight in Sour Armor: He's pretty cynical and grumpy, but he remains the only thing standing between the apocalypse and mankind.
- The Lost Lenore: Strongly implied in the first season that losing his wife made Setrakian become much more aggressive and determined to destroy the Strigoi.
- Love Is a Weakness: As his speech in the first episode makes evident. Given the vampire plague is apparently fueled by love in some extent, he has a point.Abraham Setrakian: It feeds on us, and we feed on it. Love is our grace. Love is our downfall.
- Master Swordsman: He is damn good with that sword.
- Meaningful Name: Shares his first name with Dracula's Abraham van Helsing.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: He fakes being a doddery old man to get through his trial.
- Odd Friendship: Starting to forge one with Vasily the Ratcatcher, due to their similar worldviews.
- Older Than They Look: He looks somewhere in his early to mid-70's, and for someone who's 94 years old, he's in phenomenal shape. It is revealed in season 2 that he has been using a chemical compound extracted from the worms to hold off the aging process.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: What he does to Dr. Dreverhaven (dismembering him ‘alive’ and dumping the pieces into the ocean). He describes it as “the closest he has ever come to madness”.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: "Sabia mea fredoneaza de argint!" ("My sword sings of silver" in Romanian). Doubles as a Catchphrase and Battle Cry, which he says every time he battles a vampire.
- Pragmatic Hero: Setrakian is plainly aware of the chaos, death and destruction the virus will cause, so he recommends every single plane passenger's body destroyed and the survivors executed immediately. His tone indicates he doesn't like that one bit, however.
- Properly Paranoid: Back in his youth in the concentration camp, he was the only one to suspect a supernatural beast was murdering people around said camp. He was correct. This attitude remains with him even in the present day, having accumulated a hefty weapon stash and various contingencies in case the Master and his agents returned one day. Those precautions would eventually see use.
- Retired Badass: What he was prior to the events of the series.
- Shoot the Dog: His ruthless acts were done not out of malice, but out of necessity.
- Sword Cane: Setrakian has a particularly intimidating one.
- Real Men Love Jesus: Eichhorst makes note that despite all, he's maintains his faith in God.
- Revenge Before Reason: When he comes face-to-face with the Master in the present-day, Setrakian tosses away any semblance of logic to hunt him down.
- Taking You with Me: Lets Eichhorst give him the bite. And in doing so, poisons him with the blood thinner in system and liberating him of his head.
- Tranquil Fury: He doesn't raise his tone when confronted with Eichhorst, but the hatred in his eyes and tone is palpable.
- Underestimating Badassery: Not the Strigoi, who are fully aware what they're dealing with, but most of the humans he comes across, who see him as a meek old man (before they witness his abilities, at least).
- Unstoppable Rage: Hell hath no fury like Abraham Setrakian meeting The Master in present-day.
- The Unfettered: He is going to stop the plague from spreading, no matter the cost.
- Vampire Hunter: He was one in his younger days and must become one again to battle The Master.
- Would Hurt a Child: He lops off a infected child's head without even flinching. Justified because it's necessary, the infected are both no longer human and would gladly kill him too if given half a chance.
- You Are Number 6: Being a survivor of the holocaust, this is a given, with his prisoner number tattooed on his wrist. Eichhorst still refers to him by his given number, A-230385.
Fet
Vasily Fet
"Fire in the hole, vermin!"
Played By: Kevin Durand
"I make many mistakes, but not about vermin."
A once-solitary rat exterminator of Ukrainian descent who joins the war against the vampires.
- Almighty Janitor: Only two people (barring Setrakian) managed to gather information and prepare for the plague ahead of time: Ephraim and Vasily. Ephraim's a CDC officer, Vasily is a ratcatcher. Of the two, Fet was arguably the better prepared, and definitely seems to be more competent.
- Bash Brothers: With Setrakian. If there's any team the Master should fear, it's these two.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Dutch.
- The Big Guy: Kevin Durand could be playing Prince and he'd still be The Big Guy. Fet is no exception, he's the tallest and most physically intimidating character (with the obvious exception of the Master).
- Brilliant, but Lazy: His father thinks this of him, and practically disowns him for it. For what it's worth, Vasily is actually very driven and focused, just not in what his father expected.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He's an odd fellow, but he's scarily good at his job.
- The Cassandra: Same as Eph and Setrakian, his warnings about the plague go completely ignored.
- Crazy-Prepared: He carries all manner of equipment around – rebar, a mirror for seeing around corners, sticks of dynamite… He also had the foresight to put a GPS tracker on the Lumen, beneath the silver binding where strigoi can’t get to it.
- Deadpan Snarker: When ordered to kill a rat by an asshole customer, he responds dryly, "I'm not here to rehabilitate it". His lines just get better from there on.
- Demolitions Expert: He really likes his explosives. Often uses them either to cut off passages for the strigoi or to incapacitate them by blasting them with silver dust.
- Did You Think I Can't Feel?: Discussed. Setrakian commends Fet for his ability to Shoot the Dog and generally being unhindered by emotions, leaving him to quietly object:Fet: I have feelings...
- Establishing Character Moment: His introduction establishes him as meticulous, solitary and yet with a soft side as exhibited by his interaction with his cat.
- Fantastic Racism : Is this towards resident Dhampyre Mr. Quinlan when he assists Setrakian in translating the Lumen. He readily admits it and advises Setrakian to be cautious around him. He later re-evaluates this attitude, eventually graduating to…
- Fire-Forged Friends: Though it can come across as a bit one-sided due to Quinlan’s aloofness.
- Genius Bruiser: Vasily is a expert rat catcher, but he's also extensively well-learned in a wide variety of subjects, ranging from History to Economy. In the episode "Occultation" it is also revealed he turned down a architecture scholarship in one of New York's best universities to become a rat catcher.
- Gentle Giant: He can be quite a gentle guy when he wants to, as evidenced by his talk with a little girl in "Gone Smooth".
- I Did What I Had to Do: Much like Setrakian, this is how he justifies his more brutal actions like killing Jim. He's pretty much completely justified.
- I Have No Son!: On the receiving end of this, as his father is infuriated by Fet's choice of career. Fet reveals to Setrakian in "Collaborators" that his father hated his own father (Fet's grandfather) for aiding/being forced to help the Nazis in killing Jewish people, and was appalled that Fet chose to become an exterminator and kill for a living.
- Last-Name Basis: Everyone calls him Fet. When Zach asks his name, he even answers "Fet".
- MacGyvering: Manufactures a bunch of Molotov cocktails in
- Married to the Job: He has no wife or children, and has a distant relationship with his father and mother, so the job is all that he has, and indeed, every time we've seen him he's fully focused on it.
- Nice Guy: His sheer badassery, imposing figure and odd eccentricities all make him a man to be wary of, but in truth he's an extremely nice guy who'll do anything for his friends.
- Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: "Fire in the hole, vermin!"
- Odd Friendship: With Setrakian, as they're both pragmatic survivors.
- The Quiet One: Fet doesn't say much, although he does speak.
- Ship Tease: With Dutch. They talk, he comforts her, they watch a couple of vampires get fucked up...
- Shoot the Dog: Killing Jim. It may be a heinous thing to Ephraim, but it needed to be done.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: His father holds resentment over Vasily not following his footsteps and choosing to become a ratcatcher, and Vasily is deeply wounded by that, leading them to a very strained relationship. Fet eventually confesses to Setrakian that it runs far deeper than that; Fet's grandfather, who was a Ukranian soldier conscripted by the Russians during World War II, was captured by the Nazis and forced to help (or chose to, it's unclear) with exterminating Jewish people in concentration camps. Fet's father despised his father and deliberately became an academic so as not to follow in his footsteps, and hated that his son chose to become an exterminator.
Nora
Dr. Nora Martinez
Played By: Mía Maestro
A caring biochemist forced take up a new identity as a fearless warrior.
- Action Girl: Becomes one after the death of her mother.
- Agent Mulder: She's the one most willing to believe Setrakian's story.
- Closer to Earth: Than Eph. She's much more sensible and is able to empathize with her one-time lover's ex-wife, even being slightly critical of Eph for not being fair on Kelly. She also plays devil's advocate for Jim, pointing out to Ephraim that, had their positions been reversed and her loved one's life been on the line, she's not sure what choice she herself would have chosen. Averted when dealing with vampires, claiming she'd rather be turned into one than exterminate them.
- Death by Adaptation: In a HUGE departure from the books, she dies in the Season 2 finale, opting to electrocute herself on the train tracks rather than turn into a vampire.
- Face Death with Dignity: Commits suicide by electrocuting herself after she's infected, telling Eph she doesn't want the Master reveling in her inevitable turning.
- The Fettered: See Thou Shall Not Kill below.
- Heroic BSoD: Has one after Sektrakian saves her and Eph from two vampires, one of them a small child. The next episode though snaps her out of it when one attacks the facility she is at with her mother.
- The Lancer: To Eph's The Hero.
- Nice Guy: In general, she's pretty nice to everybody, which helps since she's partnered with the less socially adept Eph.
- Science Hero: Together with Eph, she uses her scientific expertise to try and stop the strigoi epidemic.
- The Social Expert: Much more emotionally mature and capable of approaching things diplomatically than Eph is. Deconstructed when Abraham points out that her feelings and firm morals are actually a liability when it comes to doing what needs to be done.
- Thou Shall Not Kill: Expressed by Nora who refuses to join Eph and Sektrakian to exterminate the other infected passengers and whatever victims they made thus far, claiming to rather be turned into a vampire herself than take 'lives'. Sektrakian points out that she likely is not someone who can handle the pressure of taking a life. Finally averted in "Last Rites" when she's forced to kill her own mother. Has pretty much averted this by the beginning of Season 2, which shows her unhesitatingly kill multiple vampires.
- Took a Level in Badass: In the Season 1 finale, Nora proves to be a fairly skilled fighter, as she kills several vamps, and even wounds Bolivar.
Dutch
Kirsten "Dutch" Velders
"Anything's possible if it's motivated by enough hatred."
Played By: Ruta Gedmintas
"It's much harder to hide evil shit these days."
An internet hacker hired by Palmer. She later joins the fight against the Master.
- Action Girl: She's pretty proficient at taking down vamps. She's personally responsible for slicing off Eichhorst's hand in Season 3, as well as lighting him on fire in Season 4.
- The Atoner: For her time serving Palmer, now trying to undo what she did for him. In fact, after the Master is destroyed, she goes to work restoring the internet.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Fet.
- The Cracker: Apparently, she's able to slow down the entire Internet.
- Deadpan Snarker: She always has some sort of insult or sarcastic remark ready to lob when needed.
- Decomposite Character: In Season 4, she assumes much of Book!Nora's role from the Night Eternal. She also takes Book!Nora's place as Fet's love interest, and it's hinted that she and Fet continue their relationship after the Master's final defeat - though it's not as clear as it is in the novels, which end with Nora and Fet not only getting together, but also having children.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Dutch spends most of her time getting drunk off her ass as she realizes the current Vampire apocalypse was partly her fault.
- Gets even worse after narrowly escaping Eichhorst’s dungeon.
- Heel–Face Turn: After realizing she helped the outbreak happen, she begins trying to fix her mistakes. By Season 2, she's fully on Setrakian's team.
- In-Series Nickname: “Dutchess”, courtesy of Gus.
- Laser-Guided Karma: She made an obscene amount of money working for Palmer, money that is promptly stolen to the last nickel by her fleeing "associate". She lampshades this trope.
- My God, What Have I Done?: When she realizes the full extent of what she's done, she's horrified.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: It's offhandedly shown on a wanted poster that her real first name is "Kirsten" in Season 4. She never goes by this, always preferring Dutch - for context, she goes by her alias "Miranda" more than Kirsten.
- Pet the Dog: Giving her condolences to Eph and Nora is the first solid display of kindness from her.
- Punch-Clock Villain: In Season 1, she does some unethical work for Palmer, but only because she's paid. Otherwise, she's not a bad sort, if somewhat self-interested. By Season 2, she's fully integrated with Setrakian's group.
- Samus Is a Girl: Palmer is surprised to find that she's a woman.
- Ship Tease: With Fet. They talk, he comforts her, they watch a couple of vampires get fucked up...Fet: Men or women?Dutch: I specialize in passionate, destructive relationships.Fet: The best kind.
- With Eph in season 3 when they start living and working together and also drink together becoming closer eventually sleeping together in episode 8.
- There Are No Girls on the Internet: Subverted. Palmer originally thought she was a man but evidently he was wrong.
- Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: Palmer tells her he couldn't have brought about the spread of the virus without her. She is extremely displeased.Palmer: First, don't deny yourself due credit. You should be taking a bow. You did exceptional work, truly. I couldn't have done this without you.
Quinlan
Quinlan
"If you discharge that weapon in my direction, I shall come over there and tear you in half."
Played By: Rupert Penry-Jones
A mysterious vampire-human hybrid who serves the Ancients, though apparently on his own free will. He trained Vaun and the other Hunters.
- Apologetic Attacker: In a flashback to his Roman gladiator days, Quinlan tells a beaten opponent that he'd rather not kill him - but does so anyway because the crowd wants it.
- Arch-Enemy: To the Master, who he's hunted all his life.
- Badass Longcoat: He wears a long coat and was the one who trained Vaun.
- Berserk Button: Being taunted about his mother's death.
- Cool Sword: He carries a sword with a hilt that appears to be made from a bone.
- Creepy Blue Eyes: His eyes are very pale note , and he has a rather intense stare that some find unsettling.
- Daywalking Vampire: Quinlan is not fatally hurt by sunlight because of his half-human heritage.
- He is, however, to some degree, vulnerable to UV lights, as he has to ask Eph to turn off the UV lights protecting the Lumen. Furthermore, in 3x05, he avoids following Setrakian into the sunlight while the latter is deciphering the Lumen.
- It should also be noted that in the flashback to his Roman gladiator days, Quinlan covers himself with mud before walking into the arena.
- Dhampyr: Quinlan was born from a human mother who had been bitten by the Master and became a hybrid himself.
- Expy: To Blade; both are vampire-hybrids created when their mothers were bitten by vampires while pregnant, they become daywalkers in the process and dedicated in hunting down their evil kindred.
- Guns Akimbo: Dual-wields a pair of submachine guns to take out some Feelers.
- In the Hood: Like Vaun and the other Hunters, Quinlan wears a hood to cover his face.
- Kill the Ones You Love: In a flashback to Ancient Roman times, he drinks his dying surrogate human mother/mentor (on her own urging) in order to gain the strength to escape the Master.
- In a flashback in Season 4 to Victorian-era London, he's forced to kill his human lover and her daughter after they're infected by the Master.
- Licking the Blade: After dispatching some human robbers with his sword in 3x07. A more pragmatic example than most – he needs human blood to feed on, so it would be a waste to just wipe it off. (Possibly also a signal to the others to not get too comfy with him.)
- Living Legend: He's explicitly referred to as a legend; Fet even calls him 'Mr Myth'.
- Mysterious Past: As Setrakian notes, very little is actually known about Mr. Quinlan; his origins and most of his life are shrouded in mystery. Its unveiled to the viewer through flashbacks in the second and third seasons.
- Rage Breaking Point: During his confrontation with the Ancients in 3x04, he explodes with fury when he learns that they withheld vital information about the Master's Crimson Worm.
- The Quiet One: Is actually very well-spoken but seems to talk as little as possible.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: He hands these out to both the Ancients and the Master himself.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: Is at one point shown wearing a blue velvet cloak along with a fancy vest, ascot, and dress shirt. His normal vampire hunting attire appears of a fine quality as well.
- In Season 3, Quinlan and Setrakian setup their home base in a very fancy hotel penthouse, and in his introduction, he's seen arriving in a very nice private jet. The man enjoys the finer things in life.
- Staring Down Cthulhu: He not only approaches the Ancients without fear, but he chastises them for their inaction and failures.
- The Stoic: Usually remains calm and stays focused on the mission, though the Master seems to know exactly how to push his buttons. He also, on very rare occasions employs a bit of Deadpan Snarker in his conversations with Eph and Fet.
The Master's Forces
The Master
The Master
"Welcome to the new world."
Click to see The Master's true face.
Voiced By: Robin Atkin Downes
"The Ancients are the past. I am the future."
The youngest of seven Ancient vampires. He is responsible for bringing an evil strain of vampirism to New York City.
Currently possesses the body of Eldritch Palmer.
- And I Must Scream: This is heavily implied to be what happens to his hosts when he takes their body as his own.
- Bald of Evil: As with most vampires, the Master has lost his hair.
- Big Bad: Of the entire series.
- Black Sheep: The other Ancients regard him and his spawn as renegades and "unclean". He, in turn, views the Ancients as weak and complacent.
- Body Horror: The regular vampires aren't going to be posing for magazines anytime soon, but the Master goes far beyond them in terms of being horrifying to look at. Although sunlight doesn't kill him, it does start melting his flesh. As he hurls down the building, we see organs and a spinal column show through.
- The Chessmaster: "The Master excels at manipulation and disinformation", to quote Setrakian. The Master also orchestrated the entire outbreak in Manhattan.
- Dark Is Evil: He's usually cloaked in shadow, and is truly evil.
- Daywalking Vampire: He is highly resistant to sunlight. Even Abe was unaware.
- Decapitated Army: An Inverted weakness for the Master: he's virtually impossible to even reach, let alone destroy, being surrounded by his army of strigoi minions whose Hive Mind senses he can hijack at any time. The heroes spend most of the series just trying and often failing to track him down. Setrakian eventually discovers that the Master's true weakness is his need to rely on human and vampire minions who still have autonomy and free will. Taking them out prevents the Master from enacting his plans effectively, making him vulnerable. In the Master's case, destroy the metaphorical body and the head will eventually die.
- Devour the Dragon: The Master chooses Bolivar, his brute, as a new vessel. This involves full possession of the body, and for all intents and purposes kills Bolivar so The Master can continue to live.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Evil as he is, even the Master is disgusted with Palmer's bullshit.
- Evil Gloating: To the young Abraham back in 1944. He mocks his faith in God, his feeble attempts at stopping him and then shatters his fingers so he will be shot by the camp's guards for being unable to work.
- In present day, the Master does this to Gus, via his Strigoi mother. Specifically he gloats over the pain and disappointment Gus' actions have caused his mother, and how, even as a vampire, she continues to feel that pain.
- Evil Is Petty: He didn't need to crush Setrakian's fingers, but he did.
- He abducts and brainwashes Zach for the sole purpose of getting back at Eph.
- Evil Sounds Deep: When he speaks, he speaks in an unnerving, growling, demonic voice.
- Fantastic Racism: Views Humanity with complete and utter contempt, and sees them as little more than cattle.
- Femme Fatalons: Shown when he reveals his face to Palmer in the second episode.
- Hive Queen: Is the central intelligence for all the strigoi.
- Humanoid Abomination: He's only shaped like a human, with two arms, two legs and a head. Otherwise he's entirely inhuman and horrifying to behold. Considering that he is very old by this point, it's probably safe to say that his bloodstream is more capillary worms than blood itself.
- In the Hood: Until the end of Episode 1x09, he's only seen in robes with a hood over his head.
- Kick the Dog: Crushing Setrakian's fingers. Keep in mind Setrakian was only being kept alive due to his ability to carve the Master's coffin. He essentially destroyed Setrakian's chance to survive the camp.
- Large and in Charge: While inhabiting the absolutely massive Sardu's body, whom he may well have chosen for that very reason. Until he transfers his consciousness into Bolivar.
- Lightning Bruiser: The Master is massive, but moves at an incredible speed.
- Looks Like Orlok: His true face is heavily influenced by this.
- The Man Behind the Man: Regarding Eldritch Palmer.
- Monster Lord: Described as the top dog in the vampire hierarchy.
- Not Quite Dead: Killing his host body puts him out of commission, but the effect seems more akin to knocking him out. His “essence” (the crimson worm) meanwhile goes on the search for a new host.
- Obviously Evil: The visage-hiding cloak, talon like claws, and demonic voice should be a dead giveaway.
- Off with His Head!: Quinlan does this to him in Episode 3x03. While the Master's host body dies, the Master's essence - in the form of an extremely large crimson worm - escapes into the sewer.
- Psychic Powers: The Master sees through the eyes of all his spawn and can assume direct control over any individual strigoi at his leisure. He also absorbs the memories of his victims. In addition, he can use his psychic powers to paralyze nearby humans and disrupt electronic devices.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: His eyes glow red.
- We Can Rule Together: Makes this offer - first to Quinlan, and later to Zach. The latter is much more receptive than the former.
Palmer
Eldritch Palmer
"Throughout my life I learned what it feels to cross a line, to do things. Things that cannot be undone. That line, it has been crossed now, hasn't?"
Played By: Jonathan Hyde & Charlie Gallant
"I assure you, I didn't become one of the wealthiest men in the world by being played for a fool."
An elderly billionaire invalid driven to obtain immortality by any means necessary.
Becomes the Master's new vessel at the end of Season 3.
- Acquired Situational Narcissism: Regaining his health not only puts a renewed spring in his step, it boosts his confidence to the point of being a Smug Snake.
- Break the Haughty: At the start of Season 3, his arrogance from the previous season has been shattered following the death of Coco at the hands of the Master. Furthermore, his health is in decline due to the lack of white.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Of the Stoneheart Group. Using your wealth and business connections to bring a vampire overlord and subsequently his virus into New York is probably illegal or at least worth a fine.
- Creepy Souvenir: Palmer has a collection of his own failed organs, along with the worm-infested hearts of Setrakian's wife and Cocco.
- Deadpan Snarker: When Dutch confronts him, he reveals himself to be quite sarcastic. As his health increases, so does his snarkiness.Palmer: (surveying a collection of artifacts) I want all this boxed up - and brought back to my office.
Mr. Fitzwilliam: Right away, sir.
Palmer: (seeing a decapitated body) That can stay. - Dirty Old Man: Has a really obvious crush on Coco Marchand, who's got to be about half his age, or even less.
- Evil Old Folks: Palmer is extremely old, much older than even his actor Jonathan Hyde.
- Faux Affably Evil: He comes across as a rather polite, reserved, cordial, and respectable old business man. However, he is really a selfish, cowardly person who is selling out his entire race just so he can cheat death.
- Heel–Face Revolving Door: The man switches sides more than one can count.
- Heel–Face Turn: In Season 3, he comes to realize that the Master has no intention of fulfilling his end of the bargain, so he forges a secret alliance with Setrakian. This ultimately culminates in Palmer attempting to assassinate Eichhorst in 3x09.
- Hollywood Atheist: In his confrontation with Setrakian, he reveals this. Setrakian doesn't have time for his bullshit.Palmer: Your "Being" doesn't exist. Realized that when I was 10 years old. Prayed for him to heal me. He never answered.Setrakian: Yes, he did. The answer was no.
- Immortality Immorality: Vampirism through highly contagious means that will kill millions, just to prolong his own life?
- Immortality Seeker: The reason for his alliance with the Master and Eichhorst.
- Morality Pet: Perhaps the only humanizing trait he had was his friendly relationship with his butler.
- Motive Rant: Lampshaded. He explains his motives at length to Dutch, before commenting how good it feels to "share the good news" with somebody else.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: "Eldritch" literally means "weird and sinister". "Eldritch Palmer" is therefore roughly on par with, say, Genocide Jones. It's also a Shout-Out to Philip K. Dick's novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, in which the titular character is also a corrupt plutocrat with designs on extending his lifespan unnaturally.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: For much of Season 1, Palmer is bedridden and weak. He's mostly a tool of The Master, using his influence to help spread the infection but not ever really leaving his penthouse and constantly being on the verge of death. The Master and Eichhorst don't seem to respect him at all. When he's given 'the white', he becomes as healthy and strong as a young man and quickly starts taking center stage. He even gives orders to Eichhorst! But what really makes him not so harmless is when he murders Maggie Pierson when she refuses to help him cover up the vampire plague.
- To say nothing of his big moment in 3x09 when he ambushes Eichhorst and riddles his body with silver bullets. He fucked him up good, and Eichhorst later was noticeably terrified of him when he saw Palmer again, only to realize the Master has taken his body.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Tells Dutch just precisely how stupid and misguided she is (in his eyes).Palmer: You are insignificant. You feel how invisible you are? That's why you did what you did for me. Am I right about that?
- Obviously Evil: Aside from his name (see Names to Run Away from Really Fast) his company is called 'The Stoneheart Group'. He sounds like he's about to do battle against the Care Bears.
- The Quisling: He's essentially betrayed his entire race for his own benefit.
- Villainous Friendship: Seemingly with Mr. Fitzwilliam. Mr. Fitzwilliam fusses over him like a protective son, and Palmer, in turn, seems to value Fitzwilliam's advice and help to the extent he seemingly sincerely wants Fitzwilliam to reap the benefits of the vampire's immortality someday too. Palmer actually looks quite shaken when Fitzwilliam tells him he's had enough and is quitting.
- Villain with Good Publicity: He uses the chaos in New York to set himself up as a highly visible philanthropist, casting himself as the city's savior.
- Smug Snake: Particularly after regaining his health. He starts to consider himself untouchable and invaluable, which is not a good attitude to take with the Master.Eichhorst: I see a little of the Master's white in your veins has made you bold, Eldritch. But as a friend, I'm telling you, being too bold - may not be wise right now.Palmer: Eichhorst, honestly? You're not my friend, and I don't give a warm shit what you think. Don't try and manage me. I'm not one of your foot soldiers. I am the Master's partner.Eichhorst: [disbelieving] His partner?
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: With Eichhorst. Both dislike and feel threatened by the other, despite not being too different.
Eichhorst
Thomas Eichhorst
"I look upon this island and I savor what's to come: Purity."
Click to see Thomas Eichhorst in his true form.
Played By: Richard Sammel
Gus: What are you?
Eichhorst: I am your salvation or your downfall. Your choice.
The former commandant of the Nazi concentration camp where Setrakian was imprisoned during World War II. Now serves as the Master's second-in-command.
- An Arm and a Leg: In episode 3x06, Dutch chops off his left hand - and it turns out that vampires cannot regenerate severed limbs.
- Arch-Enemy: Eichhorst has made a habit of creating very bitter enemies who want him Deader than Dead.
- Setrakian is his de-facto nemesis, his old death camp prisoner with whom he shares a "special" and mutual hatred.
- Dutch, for his attempted rape on her. She does get some satisfaction in cutting off his hand.
- To Fet, for essentially destroying his entire family from all the way back to WWII. To his credit, Fet doesn't know about this yet - and Eichhorst had better pray he doesn't.
- Ascended Extra: Sort of. He played a major role in the Master's plans in the books, but he's barely given much character development and is not much more than a glorified mook who just happens to be The Dragon to the Master. In the TV series, he plays a much larger role than even the Master himself and is given an origin story to boot.
- Badass Boast: This little exchange with Gus.Gus: What are you?Eichhorst: I'm your salvation or your downfall. Your choice.
- Badass in a Nice Suit: His suit remains impeccable the whole way.
- Butt-Monkey: The man is crazy strong, intelligent and charming yet has terrible luck. More often than not, any situation with Eichhorst in the middle ends with him getting shot then needing to run away.
- Dodge the Bullet: He effortlessly dodges Felix's gunfire.
- The Dragon: For the Master. Because he was turned into a vampire 70 years ago, he's had more time to mature into and control his powers than any of the relatively recently-turned new vamps in the Manhattan outbreak. He's not at the power level of one of the Ancients, but fits nicely into the "Dragon" tier: with makeup he can totally pass for human in his behavior (compared to the more feral new vampires) and is fast enough to dodge bullets (by moving faster than the eye).
- Faux Affably Evil: He is very polite and soft-spoken holding civil conversations with both Eldritch Palmer and Gus Elizalde as if they were close friends. However, it is rather obvious that it is all a facade and his politeness is simply a means to mask his (and his Master's) nefarious intentions.
- Flash Step: Eichhorst can do this fast enough to dodge bullets.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: As Episode 2X11 reveals, he started out as an unsuccessful radio salesman before becoming a Nazi.
- Glass Cannon: While superhumanly strong enough to outmatch any normal human and superhumanly fast enough to dodge bullets, he's still vulnerable to silver weaponry like any other Strigoi.
- The Heavy: He works for the Master, but Eichhorst is the main recognizable threat.
- Hyper-Awareness: It comes with being a vampire. He's able to tell that Setrakian has an irregular heartbeat.
- Icy Blue Eyes: One of the ways Jim describes him. "His eyes - they were really intense."
- Karmic Death: Finally dispatched by his arch-nemesis: the man he's tormented for over fifty years since Setrakian was his prisoner in the Concentration Camp. And Setrakian makes sure the helpless Eichhorst knows how well and utterly fucked he is before he delivers the final blow.
- Kick the Dog: Eichhorst mocking Setrakian about turning his dead wife. Setrakian then returns the favor by talking about what he did to one of Eichhorst's companions.
- Lean and Mean: Especially in contrast to the huge hulking Master.
- Looks Like Orlok: And uses considerable amounts of make-up to hide the fact.
- Love Is a Weakness: Similar to Setrakian, he expresses this view.Eichhorst: What I find fascinating is how love is considered a gift, blessing, with no acceptance to the fact that is also binds, chokes and strangles.
- Mean Character, Nice Actor: Eichhorst is a former concentration camp commandant and current ruthless vampire. Richard Sammel is the polar opposite - he's an easy-going soft spoken guy who gets along great with his cast members, enjoys interacting with his fans on social media and is a loving boyfriend and father.
- Mouth of Sauron: Eichhorst is the one who speaks for the Master when talking to Palmer.
- Neck Lift: How Gus discovers he is dealing with something very inhuman.
- The Noseless: Covers it with a prosthetic when in public.
- No-Sell: Gus punches him square in the face and all it does is rub a little of his makeup off.
- Offscreen Teleportation: Eichhorst frequently emerges out of nowhere in rooms when nobody's looking. Even when the door's locked.
- Off with His Head!: How Setrakian finally finishes him off (after poisoning him first) in Episode 4x07.
- Passed-Over Promotion: Fully expects to be the Master's new vessel after the Master's old body is damaged by the sunlight. To Eichhorst's shock and disappointment, the Master instead chooses Bolivar. Later, after being filled with silver by Palmer only to find The Master has now taken Palmer's form, he's distraught to the point of wishing to be left to die.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: He's a Nazi, and still holds onto those ideals. He disrespectfully refers to Setrakian as 'Jew'.
- Punch Catch: Does this with Gus. Considering we saw Gus delivering some devastating punches earlier in the same episode, this is no mean feat.
- Race-Name Basis: He never refers to Setrakian by his actual name, instead it's "The Jew" or his number. The only time he ever mentions Setrakian's name is when he mockingly repeats back to him his dying wife's last word.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: He's regularly clad in a sharp suit.
- Spell My Name With An S: Is it "Eichorst" or "Eichhorst"? It's Eichhorst, as seen in the books. Some fansites and recap pages just call him Thomas.
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: Eichhorst is very civil to the man he has locked up in his basement, who is also used as a regular meal.
- The Stoic: He always remains calm, cool, collected, and is remarkably soft-spoken.
- Those Wacky Nazis: Eichhorst was a camp commandant at a concentration camp (Treblinka in the novels).
- Took a Level in Badass: 1944-Eichhorst and present-day-Eichhorst are very different individuals, with him being a lot more assertive, domineering and physically powerful in the present than in the past, due his transformation into a Strigoi.
- Undying Loyalty: To the Master. While all strigoi are loyal to the Master due to his mental hold on them, the Master regards Eichhorst as his most loyal servant, even calling Eichhorst his "special child" at one point - most likely due to the fact that Eichhorst chose to serve him. Eichhorst, for his part, worships the Master, seeing him as the God-like ruler that Hitler could never be. When the Master passes his essence to Bolivar, Eichhorst actually weeps over the Master's old body.
- Villainous Breakdown: As he’s struggling with Setrakian’s Warfarin-laced blood, gone is his previous unflappable demeanour and replaced with the utterly terrified look upon his face as he realises that he’s at the tender mercies of his most hated enemy before Setrakian kills him.
- Wicked Cultured: Eichhorst is a well-educated man with a love of classical music and good taste in general. He's read Plato."The republic can only be led by a philosopher king with the wisdom to look after the needs of the many."
- Also in Season 3 he continues to quote famous poetry on at least two occasions.
Bolivar
Gabriel Bolivar
"I'm a servant, just like you."
Played By: Jack Kesy
A philandering rock star with an appetite for pharmaceutical drug use. In Season 2, he becomes the Master's new vessel.
In Season 3, he meets his final end at the hands of Quinlan.
- The Brute: For the Master; he lacks the intelligence or power to be The Dragon.
- Celebrity Survivor: Of the plane disaster. His fans are seen crowded outside the quarantine zone. Subverted when it turns out he was not a survivor per see, but rather a carrier.
- Devour the Dragon: Although not a true dragon to The Master, he still meets this fate and willingly submits. The Master selects him as a new vessel, which involves full possession of his body. Bolivar, for all intents and purposes, is dead.
- Expy: Of Marilyn Manson, although seemingly only terms of being a goth rocker who uses shock tactics on stage. Manson is considered to be thoughtful and polite fellow when not in his stage persona (even Bill O'Reilly considered him to be well-spoken), but Bolivar is a jerk who seeks special treatment due to his status. Also, whereas Bolivar is a good-looking fellow, Manson is a little stranger to look at.
- Jerkass: Bolivar is pretty rude and full of himself. When a flight attendant politely asks him to turn off his electronic equipment (as is standard procedure) he smugly refuses while assuming she's star-struck, promising her tickets to his show. In general, he's greedy, self-centered and deeply arrogant.Flight Attendant: Would you power off your device?Bolivar: You call this a device?Flight Attendant: You have to turn it off.Bolivar: It's like when a cop calls a car a "vehicle". Or when he calls you sir when he means "asshole". Have a little gig in New York coming up. You give me three or four of those little baby vodkas, I'll get you a front-row seat.
- Laser-Guided Karma: He's a real dick so it comes across as a form of karmic punishment when he loses his.
- Not a Mask: Discovers his new condition when realizing the pale skin isn't part of his usual heavy goth makeup.
- Off with His Head!: Quinlan does this to him (or rather the Master) in Episode 3x03.
- Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll: He indulges in this pretty regularly, popping all kinds of drugs and having threeway sex. However, he's also suffering from erectile dysfunction and seems to be purposefully playing the whole image up like he's expected to.
- Unexpected Successor: The Master chooses him to be his new vessel, much to the shock and disappointment of Eichhorst, who was clearly expecting to be given the honor.
Other Characters
Gus
Augustin "Gus" Elizalde
"I'm not fighting for nobody but myself."
Played By: Miguel Gomez
"You planning on eating Mexican tonight? You gonna choke, I promise you that shit."
A gang banger just out of juvenile prison who becomes an effective warrior against the vampires.
- Big Brother Instinct: Despite their argumentative relationship, Gus still cares about his brother and one of his incentives in pulling off One Last Job for Eichhorst, is the condition that his brother's criminal record will be wiped clean.
- Break the Haughty: He's an arrogant (though still sympathetic) criminal at first, but then he tangles with forces beyond his understanding, is arrested again, is forced to kill his best friend and his brother]] and ultimately gets to see his mother, the person he loved most, turned into a Strigoi.
- Cain and Abel: Both are criminals, but Gus is still the Abel to his brother's Cain.
- The Champion: Becomes one for The Ancients after realizing he inadvertently helped the Master and Eichhorst start the outbreak.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Gus might be an arrogant criminal, but he loves his mother dearly. This is really shown when he can't bring himself to kill her when she becomes a vampire and in season 3 he has her chained up and he feeds her his own blood in a bowl everyday.
- Fat and Skinny: Felix is the fat to Gus' lean, muscular look.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can be rude and aggressive, but he genuinely cares about his family and friends and will do anything to protect them. Which is why, despite his tough-guy demeanour, he struggles so much with Staking the Loved One.
- Laser-Guided Karma: As a result of his 'last job', a vampire plague breaks out across New York, resulting in his mother, brother and best friend being turned into vampires. Also can be considered an example of Retirony.
- One Last Job: He tells Eichhorst to lose his number after he finishes one last delivery for him. This backfires when Eichhorst more or less forces him to do another job for him, using his mom as leverage.
- Punch-Clock Villain: Gus is a criminal, but he's just trying to help his family and his mother in particular.
- He turned to crime in the first place because he was unable to make a living as a fighter.
- Shirtless Scene: He has a few of these.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Gus survives the entire television series, as opposed to the books where he was killed in the final battle.
- Tattooed Crook: As seen when he wakes up, Gus has several tattoos.
- Took a Level in Dumbass: In season 3, his insistence in keeping his vampire mother alive which includes him draining himself of blood every day to feed her putting himself close to death. Then he fights with Angel when he attempts to kill her which later leads to both of them attempting to hide her from the police checking the apartments for vampires and then when they get caught he unlocks her resulting in the deaths of some of the police, his mother escaping, and him and Angel getting arrested.
- True Companions: With Felix. Which makes all the more heartbreaking when he has to kill him.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: He's the one who delivers The Master's coffin across the river, ending the one chance the heroes had to contain the situation.
Jim
James 'Jim' Kent
Played By: Sean Astin
A CDC administrator who works with Goodweather and Martinez in investigating and controlling the vampire outbreak.
- Adaptation Expansion: While he was fairly minor in the books, Jim's role has been beefed up. He now has a wife dying of cancer, which is his key motivation and he gets many more scenes exploring his character.
- Adaptational Heroism: While he's still The Mole, he's much more sympathetic than the rather threadbare character he is in the book. Jim gets a sympathetic motive for his betrayal and is plenty conflicted about it.
- The Atoner: After he realizes what his betrayal truly means for New York and the world, he's horrified and tries to make amends.
- Double Tap: After he's infected, Fet kills him in this manner to make sure he's dead.
- Hope Spot: When he's infected, Eph and Nora work very quickly to remove the capillary worms in a very painful manner. It appears to be successful, but later in the same episode it's revealed that it was all for naught; the infection can't be halted.
- Mercy Kill: He begs for one from Eph after he's infected. It's Vasily Fet who puts him out of his misery, however.
- The Mole: For Eldritch Palmer, as revealed at the end of the pilot episode — however, he does have sympathetic reasons and has no personal loyalty to the man. He's motivated entirely by his dying wife, who he wants to get put into a new medical treatment program.
- My God, What Have I Done?: He starts to feel this when he realizes just what The Box was. This ultimately causes him to help Eph, as he realizes he can't just wait for things to get better if he does nothing.
- Punch-Clock Villain: He dislikes being The Mole for Palmer, angrily instructing Gus to tell 'them' that he's 'done'.
- Sacrificial Lion: He gets much more development than in the novel, and survives a fair way into the first season — which makes it all the more of a gut punch when he gets infected.
- Staking the Loved One: He is the loved one in this case, albeit neither Eph nor Nora have the stomach to actually kill him. It's Fet who takes the responsibility.
- The Topic of Cancer: His wife is dying of cancer.
Justine
Justine Feraldo
Played By: Samantha Mathis
A New York councilwoman determined to defeat the vampire outbreak by any means necessary. Recurring character in Season 2. Regular in Season 3.
- Action Girl: Despite being a politician, Justine is more than willing to fight on the front lines with her police squad, and she kicks a good amount of strigoi ass.
- Action Politician: Justine is the first public official to recognize the threat posed by the vampires, sends police units to fight them and accompanies them into battle in a Frontline General fashion.
- Brutal Honesty
- Deadpan Snarker: She seemingly has an insult prepared for every occasion.
- Do Not Go Gentle: After being infected in 3x09, she, Kowalski and Angel continue fighting until their truck catches fire and explodes, killing them and the attacking strigoi.
- Frontline General: She could easily stay in the background and command the police from there. Instead, she stands right alongside them and Setrakian's group and fights each battle.
- Only Sane Man: Is the only politician who truly understands the nature of the vampire threat.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Despite imposing martial law on the districts under her protection, so far, everything she's done has been logical and reasonable given the circumstances. She also listens to people like Nora, and agrees to free Fet after her police arrest him for blowing up the subway.
- Rousing Speech: How she wins the Battle for Red Hook: she asks civilians for backup using one of these over a megaphone, and it works.
- Sacrificial Lion
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Takes matters into her own hands in order to combat the vampire plague. Namely imposing martial law and authorizing police to shoot the infected on sight.
- Staking the Loved One: With her nephew, Mikey.
Silver Angel
Angel Guzman Hurtado
Played By: Joaquín Cosío
An ex-wrestler-turned-restaurant employee. Recurring character in Season 2. Regular in Season 3.
- Career-Ending Injury: His famed wrestling career ended with an injury to the knee.
- Do Not Go Gentle: After being infected in 3x09, he, Kowalski and Justine continue fighting until their truck catches fire and explodes, killing them and the attacking strigoi.
- Expy: The Silver Angel is an homage to El Santo, one of Mexico's most beloved action heroes. note Unlike our universe's Big Good Masked Luchador, cult film star, and public philanthropist, however, this one had his career ended in its prime by a crippling knee injury and retreated into anonymity and bitterness.
- Papa Wolf: Where Aanya is concerned.
- Retired Badass: Used to be a famous wrestler. Despite his injury, he is still able to fight off the Strigoi.
- Sacrificial Lion
