History Characters / Shannara

* MasterOfIllusion

* ColdBloodedTorture: Very fond of it.

* {{Archenemy}}: Ahren sees him as this by the end.

* HypnoticEyes

* TheChessmaster: A fairly competent one, though he's more dependant on emotional manipulation than careful planning.

* DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans: He's already transformed TheFederation into a brutal PoliceState. His next objection is reducing the Four Lands to nothing more than a magical buffet for the Shadowen. The land will sicken and die, most species will go extinct, the Races will be left as slaves to his hunger, and he's pretty comfortable with all of that.
* EvilRedhead

* NotSoDifferent: His forte.

* ScarilyCompetentTracker

* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity

* FreudianExcuse: His uncle beat him regularly when he was a child.

* [[spoiler:BigBad: Of the entire original trilogy no less.]]

* [[spoiler:TheManBehindTheMan: To Brona and the Mord Wraiths]]

* WhiteHairedPrettyGirl

* WhiteHairedPrettyGirl

** BadassNormal: Pretty much {{Batman}} with a sword. He takes on Mord Wraiths, The Kraken, and a Jachyra using only his own arsenal.

* DeathSeeker: Garet Jax follows Jair because he's looking for the chance to face his ultimate opponent, and die. A prophecy tells him that if he goes along with Jair he will find the opportunity to do this.
** Although it's not so much death itself he's looking for, he really just wants to face something that even has a chance of killing him so he can actually have a challenging fight for once.

* TheManBehindTheMan: To the traitor Druids, who believe that they are equal partners with him. Also to The Federation, during the brief time period when The Moric was impersonating Sen Dunsidan.

* BigBad: Directly or indirectly, all the problems that Pen and Grianne go through in this series can be traced back to Tael's manipulations.
** BigBadDuumvirate: Not directly addressed in-series, but with The Dagda Mor gone, Tael is just one of several Straken Lords who have stepped into his place.

* Badass: Mareth is one badass EmoTeen.

** BadassLonghair: Usually wears it in a ponytail.

* BadassAbnormal: Begins as a capable warrior who is well-equipped to handle ordinary situations. Allanon's alterations to the Sword of Leah send him into this territory.

* SquishyWizard: Look at this trope list. To say that Walker averts this ''hard'' without ever becoming a MagicKnight or a KungFuWizard would be putting it lightly.

* {{Shapeshifting}}: Both the [[VoluntaryShapeshifting voluntary]], and {{nvoluntary| shapeshifting}} kinds.

* LoveTriangle: Of a sort with Menion and Shirl. Made worse by the fact he had befriended and trusted Menion before learning of his feelings for Shirl, though in the end it is this friendship and trust that allows him to resist Stenmin's attempts to turn him against Menion; in the end [[spoiler:after Stemin fatally stabs him]] he even seems to have a moment of sanity so as to give them his blessing.

* HonorBeforeReason: As soon as he learns who Jair is, he becomes determined to join his company as a means of repaying his father's debt to Jair's father Wil. Considering he is the heir to the Elven throne (and was only supposed to in Culhaven as a diplomat and advisor to the Dwarfs to repay Ander's debt to ''them''), his bodyguards understandably feel he has taken leave of his senses. [[spoiler:And [[HeroicSacrifice thanks to his ultimate fate]], they were right to worry.]]

* {{Expy}}: It's not immediately obvious, given that they appear in the same novel, but Garet's role and relationship with Jair in ''Wishsong'' closely parallel Allanon's role, and relationship with Brin. Both are enigmatic men of indeterminate age, dressed all in black, with [[GoodIsNotNice standoffish personalities]] who do not suffer fools gladly. Both keep to themselves, are masters of their respective disciplines, mentor an inexperienced young Ohmsford, have their own agenda, and [[spoiler:give their lives in furtherance of the quest]]. They even [[spoiler:[[ParallelPlot go out fighting the same monster]]]].

* LastOfItsKind: Implied. Allanon talks about how there was a type of Demon a Reaper in the Old World of Faerie, yet The Dagda Mor's commentary (and indeed the ''The'' in The Reaper's title) imply that this one is the only one left.

* {{Expy}}: It's not immediately obvious, given that they appear in the same novel, but Garet's role and relationship with Jair in ''Wishsong'' closely paralell Allanon's role, and relationship with Brin. Both are enigmatic men of indeterminate age, dressed all in black, with [[GoodIsNotNice standoffish personalities]] who do not suffer fools gladly. Both keep to themselves, are master's of their respective disciplines, mentor an inexperienced young Ohmsford, have their own agenda, and [[spoiler:give their lives in furtherance of the quest]]. They even [[spoiler:go out fighting the same monster]].

* {{Badass}}: Plows through Gnomes like they aren't even there. Only Garret Jax inflicts more damage.

* {{Expy}}: If you were to note some strong similarities between Helt and ''Sword''s Keltset, you'd be within your rights as the reader.

* TheChick: As the youngest and least experienced member of the company from Cullhaven, Edain's main role seems to be being Jair's friend.

* TheSmartGuy: Morgan is the go-to guy when the Free-born need a planner. He gets them in and out of Federation cities and prisons with seeming ease, and is second only to Padishar and Walker when it comes to going unnoticed.

A member of the Freeborn and Par's LoveInterest. [[spoiler:She's also Padishar's daughter.]]

The son of Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridan, and nephew to Grianne, Pen, like many Ohmsfords before him, finds himself shafted into saving the world. Told by The Kingi of the Silver River that he must free his aunt from The Forbidding, Pen, along with Khyber Elessedil and his LoveInterest Cinnaminson, goes on a journey to locate the legendary Tannequil tree, and using its powers, travel to The Forbidding and liberate Grianne.

* TookALevelInBadass: The Tannequil allows him to access The Wishsong, considerably boosting his abilities.

* TheRemnant: Leads the few remaining Druids after Shadea Ru's rebellion.

** BadassLonghair: Usually wears it in a ponytail.

A character sheet for the characters from TerryBrooks' long-running ''{{Shannara}}'' and ''Literature/TheWordAndTheVoid'' series. Each character is listed in the book he/she first appears in.

* InTheBlood: Both evil and magic seem to be in the genes, if they and [[VoyageOfTheJerleShannara The Morgawr]] (who claims to be their brother) are any proof.

* [[spoiler:GoOutWithASmile: In ''TheVoyageOfTheJerleShannara'']].

* [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice: In ''VoyageOfTheJerleShannara''. He electrocutes himself overloading [[DiscOneFinalBoss Antrax]]]]

* TheMentor: To Par in the backstory; to Bek in ''VoyageOfTheJerleShannara''.

[[folder: TheSwordOfShannaraTrilogy]]

* AchillesHeel: The Sword Of Shannara, which [[spoiler: reveals his DeadAllAlong nature to him]].

* [[spoiler:DeadAllAlong]]: [[spoiler: Brona is revealed to be a walking corpse, sustained only by the magic and his belief in his own immortality. The Sword Of Shannara reveals his lies to him, promptly killing him in truth]].

* [[spoiler:GhostlyAdvisor: Has a OneSceneWonder moment in ''High Druid'' where he is this to Grianne. It's absurd enough that it just might count as a CrowningMomentOfFunny]].
* {{Immortality}}: [[spoiler: Or so he believes]].

The Dagda Mor's spy, The Changeling is a spiteful Demon who looks down on all those who refuse to toy with lives the way that he does. He serves The Dagda Mor out of fear, and infiltrates Eventine's councils for him, [[spoiler: disguised as the King's wolfhound, Manx]].

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: [[VoluntaryShapeShifting The Changeling]]. Couldn't get more obvious, could it?

* ShapeShifter
** ShapeShifterWeapon
** VoluntaryShapeShifting

A pair of psychotic witches, who make the Wilderun, home of the Bloodfire, their home. They hate one another, while viewing everything and everyone else as just something to toy with. Mallenroh captures Wil, Amberle, and Eretria, and takes the stones, hoping to alter the balance of power between her and her sister. Morag arrives and the two of them [[spoiler: proceed to kill one another]] as Wil, Amberle, and Eretria escape with The Reaper right behind them

Brin's younger brother, Jair has a milder version of the Wishsong, which allows him to create extremely detailed and realistic illusions. Attacked by Gnomes soon after Brin and Rone set out, he is rescued by Garet Jax and [[spoiler: given a mission by the King of the Silver River]]. He later appears in the short story ''Indomitable'' and the graphic novel, ''Dark Wraith of Shannara''.

A Gnome from the band that captured Jair, he later becomes involved in the boy's quest to [[spoiler: save Brin]]. Suspicious, and a loner by nature he has no desire to be along on this quest, but somehow gets caught up in it anyway. Sometimes called "The Gnome who was not quite a Gnome" due to his dislike for his own people and their superstitions.

* GreyEyes: Garet's cold grey eyes are frequently remarked upon.

!! Cogline

[[folder: The Heritage of Shannara]]
!! Par Ohmsford

* DrunkOnTheDarkSide: [[spoiler: His embracing the Wishsong's power in ''Talismans'' leads to this]].

* TomatoInTheMirror: The Shadowen attempt to convince him that he is one of them. [[spoiler: In a way, it's even true]].

!! Coll Ohmsford
Par's brother, and the only Ohmsford with no magic. He accompanies Par, having been given no charge himself. [[spoiler: Or so we are led to believe. In reality, he's the one destined to wield the Sword of Shannara after Par finds it]].

* CoolSword: As it turns out Coll and not Par is the one who [[spoiler: has to use The Sword Of Shannara first]].

!! Walker Boh

!! Wren Ohmsford/[[spoiler: Elessedil]]
Par and Coll's cousin, and the [[spoiler: bearer of the Elfstones]]. Raised by the Rovers in the Westland, Wren is charged by Allanon with bringing the Elves back to the Westland. [[spoiler: Unbeknownst to her, she is secretly their queen]].

* BlessedWithSuck: How she views the [[spoiler: use of the Elfstones]].

* ChangelingFantasy: She's really [[spoiler: Wren Elessedil, granddaughter of Ellenroh Elessedil, Queen of the Elves]]. This leads to a serious identity crisis.

* [[spoiler: TheHighQueen]]: Eventually.

!! Morgan Leah

* ILetGwenStacyDie: [[spoiler: His take on being unable to save Quickening]].

* SecondLove: [[spoiler: With Matty]].

!! Padishar Creel

* PapaWolf: Don't touch [[spoiler: Damson]]. Just don't.

A member of the Freeborn and Par's LoveInterest. [[spoiler: She's also Padishar's daughter]].

* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice: Forces Wren to MercyKill him after being poisoned by the Wisteron]].

* SecretKeeper: [[spoiler: For Wren's mother]].

!! Rimmer Dall

** Even better, the reason Par couldn't use the Sword? [[spoiler: [[ManipulativeBastard Just prior to giving him the Sword Dall managed to talk Par into subconsciously believing he couldn't use it.]]]]

!! Teel

* [[spoiler: DarkActionGirl: She doesn't really show her ActionGirl tendencies until taking on Morgan and Steff after her betrayal, so she definitely counts]].

* [[spoiler: TheMole: A Shadowen spy]]

!! Quickening

* [[spoiler: TheGwenStacy: Morgan's]].
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice]]

!! Pe Ell

* SanitySlippage: As ''Druid'' progresses he loses more and more of his calm, collected demeanor, finally resulting in [[spoiler: his VillainousBreakdown]].

* [[spoiler: VillainousBreakdown: As he murders Quickening. It continues afterwards.]]

A retired Tracker, hunter, and woodsman, Horner Dees is the only man to have survived entering Eldwist, the city of the Stone King, and is recruited by Quickening to guide her company to Uhl Belk's home. A bearish old man who loves the mountains, Dees is eventually revealed to be a [[spoiler: former Federation Tracker]] with a history with Pe Ell.

* GracefulLoser: He takes his defeat and imprisonment at [[spoiler: Quickening]]'s hands rather well.

* GracefulLoser: Pauses and allows [[spoiler: Quickening's magic to erase it instead of attacking. It almost seems to welcome it, perhaps in a moment of ICannotSelfTerminate]].

* StoryBreakerPower: Forget the Shadowen. The Maw Grint's size alone makes it literally unkillable. It's so vast that it fills all of Eldwist during its rampage at the end, making it immune to anything the heroes might throw at it. And that's without getting into the fact that both its touch, and its magic, are deadly poison. In short there is no actual way to stop it, or even fight it. [[spoiler: Quickening's HeroicSacrifice]] is the only thing that prevents it from taking over the world; a direct confrontation would have resulted in everybody but it dying.

Prince of the Elves and [[spoiler: Wren's cousin]]. Handsome, and with a reputation among the ladies.

!! Matty Roh

* SurvivorsGuilt: Her [[spoiler: entire family]] died of a disease that [[spoiler: she herself brought into the house. Somehow she got better. They didn't]].

A very young free-born agent, sent to bring Wren information about Padishar's movements. He later befriends Wren, who he seems to view with a certain amount of reverence. Gloon is his War Shrike and protector. [[spoiler: Both are eventually revealed to be Shadowen spies. They kill one of Wren's companions and abduct her, before being slain by the Elf Queen herself]].

* [[spoiler:{{Sizeshifter}}: Gloon can grow from normal size to as big as a Roc]].
* [[spoiler:TeensAreMonsters: At least when bodyjacked by Shadowen they are]].

The cousin of Quentin Leah, Prince of Leah, Bek was orphaned at a young age and adopted by Quentin. Recruited by Walker for reasons unknown. [[spoiler: It's eventually revealed that he's an Ohmsford, has the powers of the Wishsong, and, by the by, is the Ilse Witch's brother]].

The protege of the Addershag, Ryer is an empath and a seer recruited by Walker to help them on their journey. [[spoiler: She doubles as TheMole for the Ilse Witch, and is eventually captured and tortured by Cree Bega and The Morgawr, resulting in her suicide]]. Has a very complex relationship with Walker.

* [[spoiler: DrivenToSuicide]]

* TheGwenStacy: [[spoiler:To Ahren]]
* [[spoiler: HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: How things look to Ahren. In reality she's pulled a HeelFaceTurn, but is trying to trick the Morgawr as part of her charge from Walker]].
* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal]]
* [[spoiler: TheMole: The Ilse Witch's spy]].
* [[spoiler: TogetherInDeath: With her partner in love/hate Walker]].

The son of a Borderman and a ShapeShifter, Truls Rohk is badly disfigured, and extremely bitter. He's known Walker for years, and is recruited by him to help the crew of ''The Jerle Shannara''. Along the way he strikes up a friendship with Bek. [[spoiler: Killed in battle with the Ilse Witch's caull, he is reborn as a true ShapeShifter]].

* HeroSecretService: For Bek, and later [[spoiler: Grianne]].

* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal: The human side of him anyway.]]

* ShapeShifting: Both the [[VoluntaryShapeshifting voluntary]], and [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting involuntary]] kinds.

An Elven Hunter and protege of Ard Patrinell, upon whom she has a fairly serious crush. She teams up with Quentin in ''Antrax'' to [[spoiler: MercyKill the Patrinell wronk, and dies in the process]].

* TheGwenStacy: [[spoiler: To Quentin]]

* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal]]

* [[spoiler: TogetherInDeath: With Ard Patrinell]].

!! The Ilse Witch/[[spoiler: Grianne Ohmsford]]

* [[spoiler: RedemptionEarnsLife]]

* WizardDuel: Against [[spoiler: The Morgawr]]

An ancient warlock who hides within the Wilderun, The Morgawr claims to have been the brother of The Witch Sisters,[[TheElfstonesOfShannara Morag and Mallenroh]]. A grotesque, disfigured monster who feeds on human lives and souls, The Morgawr is the Ilse Witch's mentor and the true BigBad of the ''Voyage'' trilogy. Appearing in the background throughout the first two books, he emerges in ''Morgawr'' to finish the main cast and take the books of magic for himself. [[spoiler: He is eventually slain by Bek, Grianne, and the spirit of Mephitic castle]]. Probably the single evilest character to appear in the entire franchise.

* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal: And good, freaking, riddance!]]

* NotSoDifferent: From The Ilse Witch, which he points out to her in their final confrontation. The Ilse Witch herself sees him as NotSoDifferent from [[TheMentor Walker]] prior to her [[spoiler: HeelFaceTurn]].

* VoluntaryShapeShifting: Can alter his features to resemble almost anyone, although he doesn't do it very often, preferring the shock value of his actual appearance.

The Morgawr's [[TheDragon right hand]] [[LizardFolk Mwellret]], and the commander of the 'rets among the Ilse Witch's crew. A slimy, obsequious psycho, and one of the few members of the cast who isn't afraid of the Witch. [[spoiler: Killed in a KnifeFight against Ahren Elessedil during the climax of ''Morgawr'']].

* [[spoiler: KarmicDeath: Throughout ''Morgawr'', Ahren is undoubtedly Cree Bega's favourite victim. That it's Ahren who finally kills him, is very sweet]].

Ahren and Quentin's mentor, ex-Captain of the Home Guard, and the leader of the company of Elven Hunters aboard the ''Jerle Shannara''. He is [[spoiler: captured by Antrax, turned into a [[{{Cyborg}} wronk]] and sent to hunt his friends down. Quentin and Tamis spend most of ''Antrax'' trying to MercyKill him.]]

* [[spoiler: TheDragon: To Antrax]]

* [[spoiler: FaceHeelTurn: Not that it was [[MoreThanMindControl his idea]]]].
* [[spoiler: FateWorseThanDeath: He's transformed into a mechanical monster and sent to hunt down his friends, while still being fully conscious and trying to fight it]].
* [[spoiler: HollywoodCyborg]]
* [[spoiler: ImplacableMan: The Patrinell wronk is the most powerful of its kind, and all but unstoppable.]]
* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal]]

* [[spoiler: MercyKill: Via Quentin and Tamis.]]
* [[spoiler: SlaveMook]]
* [[spoiler: TogetherInDeath: Implied with Tamis]].

* KarmaHoudini: Subverted. Sure he makes it out of the series with his possessions and power intact, but after witnessing what The Morgawr did to those sailors, he'll never sleep again. [[spoiler: And then The Moric eats him in the sequel]].

[[folder: First King Of Shannara]]

* SadisticChoice: Use the Black Elfstone against the Skull Bearers and be consumed by evil, or die? [[spoiler: He chooses both]].

* [[spoiler: NiceJobBreakingItHero: His inability to accept his own failures allows Brona to escape, albeit severely weakened]].

* WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway: Deliberately invoked. His inability to understand the Sword's power is [[spoiler: what ultimately allows Brona to escape]].

!! Kinson Ravenlock

* TallDarkAndHandsome: Almost word for word.

* ShapeShifter
** VoluntaryShapeShifting

[[folder: Legends of Shannara]]

* [[spoiler: HalfHumanHybrid: Friggin' demon.]]

* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice: In ''Angel Fire East'']]

* [[spoiler: LukeIAmYourFather: He's Nest's dad]].

* RevengeByProxy: Nest's grandmother, Evelyn spurned him. His response? Wait for years, seduce her emotionally fragile daughter, Catelyn, [[spoiler: get her pregnant]] and then reveal the truth about himself, [[DrivenToSuicide driving Catelyn to suicide]].

* [[spoiler: BigBad: Of ''A Knight of the Word'']]

* [[spoiler: TheCorrupter: Tries hard to do it to John]]
* [[spoiler: {{Hellhound}}: Her true form]]

* [[spoiler: ManipulativeBastard: Uses nightmares and frightening dreams to try and force John into murdering an innocent man, an action from which he will not recover, and which would have triggered his fall to The Void]].
* [[spoiler: ShapeShifter]]
* [[spoiler: TheSoulless]]
* [[spoiler: TheVamp: To John]]
* [[spoiler: VoluntaryShapeShifting]]

* BiggerBad: The force behind the demon, [[spoiler: Stefanie]], and Findo Gask.