History Characters / MindhunterInterviewSubjects

* VillianousCrush: He unsubtly has one on Gregg Smith; Wendy has to constantly ask Bateson questions in order to get Bateson to stop staring at him.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: He confesses to masturbating after visiting his crime scenes, but only after he got back into his apartment.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: When Holden gifts him a pair of the largest high heels in the shop, he soon begins to masturbate at the scene.

* IJustWantToBeSpecial: Yet some others believed that he did it for the wealth and notoriety, leading to [[TheGump the passing of a law]] that bans criminals from profiting off their crimes.

* AmbiguouslyHuman: His followers and many journalists painted him in this light, saying his powers of persuasion were all but outright mind control and Tex Watson speaking as though he were utterly powerless to resist his commands and Vincent Bugliosi even stating Manson made his watch stop simply by looking at it.

* TattooesCrook: has large pieces on both forearms, but most notably a Swastika on his forehead.

* AmbiguousSituation: Invoked as he and his followers and the press give conflicting accounts as to the kind of person Manson is. In the popular version, Manson is a svengali type figure whose charisma bordered on mind control as he convinced otherwise innocent kids to commit heinous acts with Tex Watson basically claiming he was powerless to resist Manson's commands. In Manson's telling, he was simply a guy with strong opinions and a way with words but who never told anyone to kill, whose followers simply used his rhetoric as an excuse to commit awful crimes because they wanted to and the blamed Manson when they were caught to make themselves look more sympathetic and save themselves from the gas chamber. The show gives credence to both interpretations without ever clarifying which, if either, is true or false.

* {{Hypocrite}}: He complains at length about how he's been painted as a criminal mastermind and dangerous killer by the media and his family members but has no issue invoking that same image as it suits him to other prisoners and enjoying the benefits it brings.

* KnifeNut: Though he had a gun and used it on his first victim, he stabbed all others dozens of times.

* AmbiguousSituation: Invoked as he and his followers and the press give conflicting accounts as to the kind of person Manson is. In the popular version, Manson is a svengali type figure whose charisma bordered on mind control as he convinced otherwise innocent kids to commit heinous acts with Tex Watson basically claiming he was powerless to resist Manson's commands. In Manson's telling, he was simply a guy with strong opinions but who never told anyone to kill, whose followers simply used his rhetoric as an excuse to commit awful crimes because they wanted to and the blamed Manson when they were caught to make themselves look more sympathetic and save themselves from the death penalty. The show gives credence to both interpretations without ever clarifying which, if either, is true or false.

* BookDumb: He has little education due to his troubled upbringing where he spent much of his time in prison or reform schools but he is extremely cunning, intelligent and charismatic.

* LargeHam: Very much this, especially towards the end of his interview when he stands up and starts gesticulating wildly.

* SmarterThanYouLook: He looks like a barely literate lunatic but proves himself to be terrifyingly incisive, charismatic and manipulative, able to size people up the moment he meets them and find ways to gain control over them.

* AffablyEvil: Kemper might be the most likable and personable rapist and murderer out there. He's polite, articulate, honest, forthcoming, insightful, quick-witted and despite his size, he's adept at disarming people who have every reason to be on their guard. Even Bill Tench likes him to a certain degree and the two greet each other like old friends when meeting in the second season, and Ed seems to genuinely consider Ford to be his friend. It's suggested that the feeling might be somewhat mutual. Truth in television as the real Kemper is known for regularly participating in interviews with law enforcement and being extremely forthcoming and insightful and is known as a model prisoner, not even having a single rules violation until four decades into his sentence. John Douglas even admits in his book that he came to like Ed and enjoyed his company.

* MotorMouth: Not to the extent of Manson but Kemper ''loves'' to talk and having a captive audience. When he is first told about Ed, Holden asks if he would be willing to talk and is simply told "try getting him to shut up".

* CommonalityConnection: Holden tries to connect with him by calling the victims "eight ripe cunts." It backfires on an epic scale and causes problems for both him and the unit. For Speck's part, his reaction is the only time he displays anything other than bitterness or fury: he actually *laughs*, and looks a little shocked by Holden's language.

* BastardBoyfriend: His victims were BDSM submissives, but he got pleasure for going beyond their limits.

* AffablyEvil: Kemper might be the most likable and personable rapist and murderer out there. He's polite, articulate, honest, forthcoming, insightful, quick-witted and despite his size, he's adept at disarming people who have every reason to be on their guard. Even Bill Tench likes him to a certain degree and the two greet each other like old friends when meeting in the second season, and Ed seems to genuinely consider Ford to be his friend. It's suggested that the feeling might be somewhat mutual. Truth in television as the real Kemper is known for regularly participating in interviews with law enforcement and being extremely forthcoming and insightful and is known as a model prisoner, not even having a single rules violation until four decades into his sentence.

* CardCarryingVillain: Kemper is completely aware of his own evil nature and doesn't try to rationalize or make excuses for it. When asked for suggestions on how the FBI should deal with people like him, unlike other interviewees who blame their upbringing or society or are interested in a cure, Kemper calmly suggests {{Lobotomy}} or "death by torture" as their surest bet. The real Kemper even requested the death penalty upon capture and has clarified at parole hearings that he doesn't believe he should be allowed out, even waiving his right to a hearing on four separate occasions.

* OnlySaneMan: For a given definition of "sane" given that he's still a brutal serial killer but Ed is easily the most stable and self-aware of all the interview subjects. He is always honest and forthcoming, highly intelligent and articulate, never tries to claim innocence or blame others and is genuinely polite and well-mannered. He's easily the most useful source of information Holden and Bill encounter.

* NonActionBigBad: Despite his fame, he never killed a person with his own hands. He also has never been able to fight or defend himself due to his size and so relies entirely on his wits.

* BigEater: That body doesn't live off the air. Having made friends with the commissary staff and guards, several of the interviews with Kemper involve him sharing a meal with the agents.

* OnlySaneMan: For a given definition of "sane" given that he's still a brutal serial killer but Ed is easily the most stable and self-aware of all the interview subjects. He is always honest and forthcoming, never tries to claim innocence or blame others and is genuinely polite and well-mannered. He's easily the most useful source of information Holden and Bill encounter.

* ControlFreak: Downplayed in that he keeps it hidden under his polite, genial facade, manifesting itself from their very first meeting: ordering an egg salad sandwich for Holden and getting him to eat it without ever asking if he wants to. The constant putting of hands on Holden probably has more to do with this than with being friendly. And when he learns that Holden has been mentioning their "relationship" outside, he doesn't like it at all and concocts an elaborate plan to punish him. The real Kemper would engage in similar activities, intimidating and rewarding fellow inmate and serial killer Herbert Mullins as a way to practice behavior modification treatment.

* HollywoodDateless: At one point, he describes himself as what would be called an "incel" today.

[[caption-width-right:350:''"It didn't seem crazy at the time, the idea of takin' her. But I kept hearing Charlie's voice, "[[KillThemAll Kill 'em all]]." He told me over and over again, "Make sure everyone's dead." I did what Charlie told me."'']]

* AmbiguousSituation: Invoked as he and his followers and the press give conflicting accounts as to the kind of person Manson is. In the popular version, Manson is a svengali type figure whose charisma bordered on mind control as he convinced otherwise innocent kids to commit heinous acts. In Manson's telling, he was simply a guy with strong opinions but who never told anyone to kill, whose followers simply used his rhetoric as an excuse to commit awful crimes because they wanted to and the blamed Manson when they were caught. The show gives credence to both interpretations without ever clarifying which, if either, is true or false.

* KneelBeforeZod: The first thing he does after entering the interview room: sit on the chair's back so the agents have to look up to him.

* BelievingTheirOwnLies: Tex seems to honestly believe or is at least desperately trying to convince himself of his claim that Manson had a hold on him that bordered on mind control and is noticeably uncomfortable when he says anything to undermine it.

* AmbiguouslyEvil: The entire basis of his character. Is his remorse genuine, or just a façade to avoid accountability? Did Manson change him, or did he always have that in him? Was he blindly following Manson, or leading? Did the drugs and indoctrination really give him no choice, or is it all bullshit?

* SurvivorshipBias: Amazingly, he's the first person to point out the critical hole in the team's methods: they can only interview killers sloppy enough to get caught. Just because they ''can't'' interview serial killers who can fake normalcy doesn't mean those killers don't exist. While he never brings it up, Kemper lived a perfectly normal cover life before turning himself in.

* CardCarryingVillain: Kemper is completely aware of his own evil nature and doesn't try to rationalize or make excuses for it. When asked for suggestions on how the FBI should deal with people like him, unlike other interviewees who blame their upbringing or society or are interested in a cure, Kemper calmly suggests {{Lobotomy}} or "death by torture" as their surest bet. The real Kemper even requested the death penalty upon capture.

->'''Portrayed By:''' Robert Aramayo

[[/folder]]

* {{Hypocrite}}: He complains at length about how he's been painted as a criminal mastermind and manipulator by the media and his family members but has no issue invoking that same image as it suits him to other prisoners and enjoying the benefits it brings.