History Characters / Rayman1

[[center: [- ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'' '''[[Characters/{{Rayman}} Main Character Index]]'''\\
'''''Rayman''''' | ''Characters/Rayman2TheGreatEscape'' | ''Characters/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc'' | ''Characters/RaymanOriginsLegends'' | ''Characters/RaymanPartyGames'' | ''Characters/RaymanTheAnimatedSeries'']]-]

* ShipTease: ''Rayman Activity Centre'' has a moment with this; if Betilla's picture appears on the canvas, he'll mention that she's his "favorite fairy".

* DistressedDamsel: At the end of the original game and in the beginning of ''Origins''.

!!Rayman and allies
[[folder:Rayman]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rayman.png]]
!!!'''Voiced by (French):''' Creator/EmmanuelGarijo (''VideoGame/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc'')
!!!'''Voiced by (English):''' Steve Perkinson (''VideoGame/Rayman1''), Creator/BillyWest (''Rayman: The Animated Series''), Creator/DavidGasman (''VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape'', ''VideoGame/RaymanM'', ''VideoGame/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc''), Doug Rand (''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' and ''VideoGame/RaymanLegends'')

The limbless hero of the Glade of Dreams, and the eponymous protagonist of the series, always raring for a fresh adventure to save the world.

* AchillesHeel: Rayman's FloatingLimbs may be good for long-range combat and grant him additional agility, but if he somehow loses them he's essentially helpless until he retrieves them again. During the first section of ''Hoodlum Havoc'', Rayman could do little more than a weak kick after Globox accidentally stole his hands, and in the first level of the GBA version of ''Raving Rabbids'' he's practically defenseless.
* AdventureDuo: With Globox.
* AmbiguouslyHuman: While it's never directly stated what he is, he does look vaguely human. That is until you compare him to the human princesses in later games, which don't look like him at all.
* ArtEvolution: With every passing game, his design changes.
* BadassesWearBandanas: He wears one in the mobile game ''Rayman Adventures''.
* BagOfSpilling: Often loses his abilities from past games. This is actually justified in ''Rayman 2'', in which it's explicitly said that the destruction of the Heart Of The World caused the loss of most of, if not all of, his powers, and averted in ''Rayman 3'', where still retains his core powers from ''1'' and ''2'', and ''Rayman Legends'', in which he keeps his full skillset from ''Rayman Origins''.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: He may be goofy, especially in the UbiArt games, but he's still perfectly capable of knuckling down when push comes to shove.
* BigEater: He eats fruits, rhythmically, like no tomorrow.
* BigGuyLittleGuy: Rayman is the little guy to Globox's big guy.
* BloodKnight: Not in the first few games, but ''Origins'' onwards replaces his fairly standard heroic personality in favor of one that, while still [[IdiotHero heroic in]] [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} his own way]], loves beating up bad guys.
* BrooklynRage: In the animated series, Rayman has a Brooklyn accent (courtesy of Creator/BillyWest), but is otherwise the same hero he is in the games.
* ButtMonkey: Is subject to no small number of indignities in the ''Rabbids'' games, where the Rabbids ''delight'' in making him their plaything.
* CartoonCreature: You look at him and try guessing what he is.
* CharacterDevelopment: The creators of ''Rayman Origins'' were originally going to give him this to show how he became the hero he is today, but their plans were severely derailed (see {{Manchild}} for more information).
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: In ''Rayman 2'', he has a fairly standard [[NiceGuy heroic personality]], while ''Rayman 3'' gives him more of a [[TookALevelInJerkass sarcastic and cocky edge]].
* ConjoinedEyes: From ''Rayman 3'' onward.
* CostumeEvolution: Trades his scarf for a hood as of ''Hoodlum Havoc'', which has remained an integral part of his design ever since.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: In the ''Origins'' continuity, he's kind of an airhead, but when evil shows up, he can, and more often that not will, lay down a ''beating''.
* DemotedToExtra: In the original ''Rayman Raving Rabbids'' game, he was plot-critical and the only playable character. In the second game, he's still playable, but you can play as a Rabbid and Rayman's story doesn't get resolved. In ''TV Party'', he only appears in cutscenes. He's missing entirely in the succeeding ''Raving Rabbids'' games, as from ''Rabbids Go Home'' onward, his series and the Rabbids' series were separated.
* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference:
** His initial appearance in the first game gave him giant, bulbous SphereEyes. ''Rayman 2'' shrinks them down immensely, and ''Rayman 3'' onward gives him completely flat ConjoinedEyes.
** Rayman wore a neck bandana for his first few appearances. Starting with ''Rayman 3'', he now wears a hood.
* FloatingLimbs: TropeCodifier. The real-life reason is because his arms and legs were too difficult to animate in the early 1990s. The in-universe reason (as of ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'') is because the nymphs that were tasked with creating him dropped some Lums while running away from Zombie Chickens.
* FragileSpeedster: In ''Origins'' and ''Legends'', he is very agile, but can be defeated by taking only a single hit or two. In earlier installments, due to having a health bar, he was more of a LightningBruiser.
* {{Goth}}: One of his alternate costumes in the first two ''Rabbids'' games dresses him up as a goth, wearing an all-black ensemble and having noticeably paler skin.
* GuileHero: Exclusive to ''WesternAnimation/RaymanTheAnimatedSeries'', as he relies more on his wits than his powers in order to get his friends and himself out of trouble.
* HelicopterHair: His other defining trait.
* TheHero: The main character of all the games (except for ''VideoGame/RavingRabbids'', where he takes a backseat to the Rabbids themselves), and the only character playable in all of them.
* HeroicBSOD: During the DownerBeginning to ''Rayman 2'', Rayman has been captured by the robo-pirates -- his powers gone when they blew up the heart of the world -- and is quietly despairing in his cell by the time Globox gets thrown in with him. However, when Globox gives him a silver lum to escape, [[HesBack Rayman returns to form]].
* HeroicComedicSociopath: In ''Origins'' and ''Legends''.
* HeroicMime: A {{downplayed|Trope}} example in ''Hoodlum Havoc'', leaning more towards TheQuietOne: Rayman makes all sorts of grunts and such, and occasionally says "Yay me!" and "Yes!" after winning more difficult fights, but aside of that, you will only hear him actually talk a grand total of ''six times'' in the game (two of which are in the video cutscenes).
* HesBack: A major part of ''Rayman 2''. The majority of his HeroicBSOD isn't really shown, however; the game starts right before his return to form.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: He and Globox are rarely seen apart.
* IconicOutfit: Rayman's outfit never changed between games. It includes a purple sleeveless shirt with an "O" and a red scarf (swapped out with a hoodie starting from his redesign in ''Rayman 3''), white gloves and white/yellow sneakers.
* IdiotHero: In the UbiArt games.
* TheLeader: In the animated series, he's usually the one coming up with the plans for the group and organising them.
* LightningBruiser: He is very agile, his fist attacks are quite powerful, and in the earlier games (especially ''Rayman 2'' and ''3''), he is shown to survive normally deadly hazards like falling from very high places on solid ground without as much as a scratch. Due to game mechanics, however, he's shown to be more of a FragileSpeedster in ''Origins'' and ''Legends''.
* {{Manchild}}: The original idea for ''Rayman Origins'' was to show his evolution from immature buffoon to the hero he is today. This got severely derailed during its development, and now he's a fun psychopath who likes bashing enemies' faces... and his own friends'.
* {{Mascot}}: Shares this role with the Rabbids for Creator/{{Ubisoft}} and Unicef.
* MeaningfulName: Rayman is a variation of "Raymond" meaning "wise guardian", reflecting his guardianship of the Glade of Dreams. Regarding the "wise" part, though, [[IdiotHero maybe not so much these days.]]
* {{Metalhead}}: The musical levels, which are mostly rock-based, show him headbanging.
* MosesInTheBulrushes: In his ''Rayman 2'' backstory; he was found by fishermen off the coast of the Glade, with no-one knowing how he got there.
* MultipleChoicePast: As evidenced by all the {{retcon}}s, it's hard to tell which version of his creation is the ''true'' one. At this rate, it's easiest to just pick your favorite.
* MysteriousPast: The first ''Rayman'' implied that he was already an established character in his world. It wasn't until ''Rayman 2'' that his past was to be explored. In the game, it claims he was found washed up on the beach by a fisherman on the Sea of Lums, that he's the only being who can receive superpowers from Silver Lums, and unlike every other living creature in the Glade of Dreams, was ''not'' dreamt up by Polokus. ''Rayman Origins'' states that he was created by the fairies to combat the First Bad Dream. The UsefulNotes/PlaystationVita version also tells us that he was bald and had a wife, who left him after orange hair-like creatures latched on to his head (which also explains his HelicopterHair).
* NiceGuy: A selfless and bold hero who'll go through hell and back to protect his friends and world.
* OlderThanTheyLook: He's at least a hundred years old by the time of ''Legends'', maybe even older if his origins are taken into account.
* PintSizedPowerhouse: Size is a little inconsistent, but he appears somewhere between 3 and 4 feet tall.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Red to Globox's Blue, at least in the early games.
* {{Retcon}}: His backstory [[MultipleChoicePast seems to change every game]]:
** [[VideoGame/Rayman1 He was a native to the Glade of Dreams and was part of a species just like him.]]
** [[VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape He was found by a fisherman, is the only being who wasn't dreamt up by Polokus, and the only one who can use Silver Lums.]]
** [[VideoGame/RaymanOrigins He was created by the fairies to fight the first nightmares of Polokus.]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking He was also bald and had a wife]][[note]]but only in the PS Vita version[[/note]].
* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: In the opening for ''Origins'' when he realizes he's holding a skull.[[ReactiveContinuousScream This gets everyone else screaming.]]
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: In the third game, he's the Manly Man to Globox's Sensitive Guy.
* SpinAttack: His running attack animation is this in ''Origins'' and ''Legends'', as well as the iOS games ''Jungle Run'', ''Fiesta Run'', and ''Rayman Adventures''.
* TookALevelInJerkass: Is noticeably more snarky and arrogant in ''Hoodlum Havoc'' compared to ''Rayman 2'', where he was a standard NiceGuy.
* UselessProtagonist: Is reduced to little more than a ButtMonkey in the ''Rabbids'' games: he fails to save the baby Globoxes in the first, plays no role in actually stopping their invasion in the second (he actually ''contributes to it'') and has to deal with them being trapped in his TV for most of ''TV Party''.
* WouldHitAGirl: Had no problem beating up undead grannies in ''Origins'', and as of ''Legends'', you could, if you so choose, have Rayman give Barbara (or one of the other princesses) a good whack or two.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Betilla the Fairy]]
[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_char-betilla_6986.png]]
[[quoteright:142:[[labelnote:Click here to see her design from Rayman]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/betilla.gif]][[/labelnote]]
!!!'''Voiced by:''' Emmanuelle Cosso (''Rayman''), Gabrielle Shrager (''Rayman Origins'')
->''The {{b|igGood}}enevolent yet [[TeamMom fiercely protective Betilla]] from the [[VideoGame/Rayman1 original Rayman]] is back with a vengeance. She is the eldest Nymph, one of the Bubble Dreamer's first and most beloved creatures. She and her sisters will grant Rayman and his entourage the powers they will need to complete their quest.''
The eldest of the Nymphs and Rayman's "mother".
----

!!!'''Voiced by (French):''' Creator/EmmanuelGarijo (''VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape'', ''VideoGame/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc'')

!!!'''Voiced by (French):''' Creator/EmmanuelGarijo (''VideoGame/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc'')

!!!'''Voiced by (French):''' Creator/EmmanuelGarijo (''''VideoGame/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc'''')

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Steve Perkinson (''VideoGame/Rayman1''), Creator/BillyWest (''Rayman: The Animated Series''), Creator/DavidGasman (''VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape'', ''VideoGame/RaymanM'', ''VideoGame/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc''), Doug Rand (''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' and ''VideoGame/RaymanLegends'')

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Chris Bernard (''VideoGame/Rayman1'', unconfirmed''), Douglas Rand (''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'')

A race of small, pink circular beings who inhabit the Glade of Dreams.

-> '''Voiced by:''' Doug Rand (''VideoGame/Rayman1'', unconfirmed)

->'''Voiced by:''' Steve Perkinson (''VideoGame/Rayman1''), Doug Rand (''VideoGame/RaymanLegends, unconfirmed'')

* HesBack: A major part of ''Rayman 2''. The majority of his BSOD isn't really implied, however; the game starts right before his return to form.

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference : Bad Rayman goes from a purple-and-teal colour scheme in the original ''Rayman''to grey-and-black with a black aura as Dark Rayman in ''Legends.'' [[note]]This is presumably due to a homage to the original Bad Rayman existing in the form of the Raymesis skin.[[/note]]

* AdaptationalAttraciveness: In the first game she's just a silly fairy thing. The ''Origins'' gives her curvaceous human-like figure and skimpy clothing.

* ArtEvolution: His appearance in Rayman 2 redesigns him to have insect like limbs (as opposed to his RaymanianLimbs in the original game) and makes him much smaller.

* RaymanianLimbs: He has these in the original game, but they get replaced with insect-like legs in his cameo in ''Revolution''.

[[quoteright:142:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/betilla.gif]]

* EvolutionaryRetcon: While in the first game, he (like everyone else) had no limbs, [[spoiler:his shadowed pictures in ''Rayman Origins'' show him with arms and a redesigned hat. This isn't the case as of ''Mini'' however, in which he appears as an updated version of his older limbless design.]]

* HeelFaceTurn: Of a sort; he stops antagonizing Rayman and the gang in ''Mini'' and offers daily contracts for them to complete. He's even kind enough to let them into his garden! Sigh, too bad the game is not canon!

** TheBusCameBack: '''Finally''' averted come ''Rayman Mini''; after a ''twenty-five year'' absence, he's made a triumphant comeback.

* EvilSorceror: Is said to be a very talented one, too, with his entourage allowing him to conjure deadly clones, shapeshift, and make use of ElementalPowers.

* GenericDoomsdayVillain: His motives for taking the Great Protoon for himself are never explained. We can only assume he wanted to bring anarchy to the Glade for funsies.

* HeelFaceTurn: Of a sort; he stops antagonizing Rayman and the gang in ''Mini'' and offers daily contracts for them to complete. He's even kind enough to let them into his garden!

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: In the Game Boy Colour game, he's able to turn into a ball of darkness that tries to ram into Rayman. He also [[AmbiguousSituation may have]] morphed into fusions of the previous bosses during the second phase of his fight in the [=PlayStation=] version.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: His fate after the events of the first game is unknown. The Atari Jaguar version of the game clearly shows his escape after fighting Rayman. However, he doesn't appear in the sequels. [[spoiler:But he is indirectly involved in ''Rayman Origins'' via his "#1 Fanboy", the Magician.]]

* UnexplainedRecovery: All dependent on whether or not the Dark Rayman from the original is the same one from ''Legends''.

Rayman's ally in the original game, who sends you to a bonus level if you find him and collect 10 Tings. Returns in ''Rayman Origins'' with a much bigger role.

* TheSmartGuy: ''Rayman CP'' describes him as "crafty", and "Rayman Junior" establishes he's the guardian of the Book of Knowledge. [[spoiler:''Rayman Origins'' puts a sinister spin on this, turning him into a diabolical mastermind with an army of machines under his belt.]]

* SuddenSequelHeelSyndrome: The Magician first appeared as an ally to Rayman during the first game, and appears to remain an ally during his return in ''Origins''. [[spoiler:It's all an act in the latter game's case, as he's undergone a FaceHeelTurn to become the BigBad of ''Origins''.]]

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: His running attack animation is this in ''Origins'' and ''Legends'', as well as the iOS games ''Jungle Run'', ''Fiesta Run'', and ''Rayman Adventures''.

* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: In the opening for ''Origins'' when he realizes he's holding a skull. [[ReactiveContinuousScream This gets everyone else screaming.]]

* IHaveTheHighGround: In [[http://raymanpc.com/wiki/script-en/images/b/bb/GBC_7.PNG this screenshot]] for the Game Boy Color version of ''Rayman''.

* NiceHat: He has a top hat with a gold star on it. In the original ''Rayman'', you can find him inside this hat to access a bonus stage.

* NiceGuy: A selfless and bold hero who'll go through hell and back to protect his friends world.