History Characters / JesusChristSuperstar

* {{Jerkass}}:
** He makes no attempt to hide his contempt for the "carpenter king", who he calls a "hero of fools". He also sneers at Jesus' followers, calling them "blockheads" and "half-witted fans" who could easily get out of control. This is especially pronounced in the 2000 film, where the only thing he seems to feel or express is open, disparaging contempt for literally everyone.

** He makes no attempt to hide his contempt for the "carpenter king", who he calls a "hero of fools". He also sneers at Jesus' followers, calling them "blockheads" and "half-witted fans" who could easily get out of control.
** He makes no attempt to empathize with a distraught Judas, dismissing his emotional breakdown as histrionics.
-->'''Annas:''' Cut the confessions. Forget the excuses. I don't understand why You're filled with remorse.

* DreamingOfThingsToCome:"Pilate's Dream", in which he meets with Jesus and is responsible for his death.

* LooksLikeOrlok: In the 2000 film, he's depicted as completely bald, pale, and dressed in a long black coat/robe.

* PuttingOnTheReich: In the 2000 film the Roman outfit is a combination of armor and Nazi uniform, with Pilate [[HatOfAuthority distinguished]] by a CommissarCap. He ends up looking like a weird {{Expy}} of [[Franchise/StreetFighter M. Bison/Vega]].

* ChewingTheScenery: Fred Johanson takes this to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFUYxkdIv10 epic proportions]] in the 2000 film, as does Ben Daniels in the 2018 NBC performance.

* PuttingOnTheReich: In the 2000 film. He ends up looking like a weird {{Expy}} of [[Franchise/StreetFighter M. Bison/Vega]].

* PuttingOnTheReich: In the 2000 film.
** He ends up looking like a weird {{Expy}} of [[Franchise/StreetFighter M. Bison/Vega]].
*** "For you, the day Bison/Vega crucified your Christ was the most important day of your life. [[ButForMeItWasTuesday But For Me, It Was Friday.]]"

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Like Caiaphas, Annas is driven by a desire to save the Jewish people from Rome's wrath.

* IronicEcho: Jesus says "Get out!" first when clearing the temple then to Judas. Herod drives him away with the same words.

* DeathByAdaptation: The play ends if we find out whether he resurrects or not.

* IgnoredEpiphany: Takes little no no note of his prophetic dream. Some productions, as well as the 2000 film, avert this when, during the "Trial Before Pilate", he backs away in shock as the "Pilate's Dream" motif plays, showing that he has recognised the Galilean from his dream.

** PetTheDog: Oddly enough, in the 1973 film he and Anna's both place comforting hands on Judas' shoulders after this.

* ThoseTwoBadGuys: With Annas.

* ThoseTwoBadGuys: With Caiaphas.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar:
-->'''Mary:''' "[[LampshadedDoubleEntendre And I've had so many men before, in very many ways]], he's (Jesus) just one more."

* IgnoredEpiphany: Takes little no no note of his prophetic dream.

** Played completely straight in the 2018 NBC performance casts an African American performer as Jesus.

* RaceLift: Judas was a Middle Eastern man in the Gospels, but he's depicted as an African American man in some versions of ''Jesus Christ Superstar''.

* JerkassFacade: In public, he's an angry, judgmental contrarian. Beneath the surface, he's worried about the future of Jesus' ministry, conflicted about betraying him, and later devastated by the harm he brought down on his friend.

* WalkOnWateer: In the 2012 tour, when he tells Jesus to walk across his swimming pool, an image of Herod walking across one appears in the background.