History Characters / WarOfTheWorlds

Characters from the 2005 film.

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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Ray Ferrier]]
!! Ray Ferrier
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ray_ferrier.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:]]
-> '''Portrayed by:''' Creator/TomCruise
* ActionSurvivor: He survives a lot of dangerous situations.
* AmicablyDivorced: He and his ex seem on pretty good terms, despite things not working out between them.
* BerserkButton: Don't threaten his kids.
* {{Jerkass}}: While playing catch with Robbie, he reacts to his son's criticisms by throwing the ball at a window. Which [[NotHelpingYourCase didn't help their relationship]].
* PapaWolf: He'll do anything to protect his children, especially Rachel.
* ParentsAsPeople: He comes to realize that he knows very little about being a father, and does his best to make up for it over the course of the film.
* ShootTheDog: [[spoiler: He is forced to kill Ogilvy to keep him from drawing the aliens' attention.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Rachel Ferrier]]
!! Rachel Ferrier
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rachel_dakota_fanning.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: "Are we still alive?"]]
-> '''Portrayed by:''' Creator/DakotaFanning
* AdmiringTheAbomination: She's fascinated by the aliens while they're exploring the basement, despite obviously being scared of them.
* AllGirlsLikePonies: She rides horses, and has won an award in a competition.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Her reactions are pretty accurate for a ten-year old. She often doesn't understand what's happening or why, and Ray is very intent on keeping her from seeing the more traumatic events.
* CoverInnocentEyesAndEars: Ray blindfolds her and has her sing her favorite lullaby to herself so she won't see or hear [[spoiler: as he kills Ogilvy.]]
* CuteButCacophonic: Her screams are quite ear-piercing.
* HarmfulToMinors: She's quite traumatized by what she goes through.
* HeroicBSOD: She has quite a lot of these.
* IWantMyMommy: She screams this as soon as the aliens begin their invasion.
* LittleMissSnarker: She gets quite a few snarky lines.
* WiseBeyondTheirYears: She's played by Dakota Fanning, so this is to be expected. She's more mature than Ray at times, and [[spoiler: her theory about her splinter ends up predicting the aliens' defeat.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Robbie Ferrier]]
!! Robbie Ferrier
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-> '''Portrayed by:''' Creator/JustinChatwin
* BigBrotherInstinct: It's very apparent he cares deeply for his sister. He's able to calm her down when she's panicking when their dad can't. A very telling moment is when Robbie and Ray get into an argument about their plans and Robbie's desire to go with the military to fight, Rachel says this.
-->'''Rachel''': Robbie! Where are you trying to go? What are you trying to do? Who's gonna take care of me when you go?
* CallingParentsByTheirName: Because of his anger towards his father he calls him 'Ray' most of the time. [[spoiler:He eventually does call him 'Dad' when he tries to get his attention.]]
* LeeroyJenkins: He's determined to go off and fight the aliens, despite Ray pointing out that this won't end well.
[[/folder]]


[[folder: Harlan Ogilvy]]
!! Harlan Ogilvy
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[[caption-width-right:220:]]
-> '''Portrayed by:''' Creator/TimRobbins
* AdaptationalVillainy: He shares the name of Ogilvy the astronomer in the book, who isn't around for long but is portrayed as a more sympathetic and amiable character.
* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: He's selfish and antagonistic to Ray, even telling Rachel ''to her face'' that her father might die, and keeps [[TheLoad recklessly putting them at risk of capture]]. He finally says out loud that he doesn't care if Ray [[WouldHurtAChild and Rachel]] die because of him. It's hard not to feel relief when Ray decides to kill him]].
* AxCrazy: He goes into this territory after discovering the aliens are harvesting humans. [[spoiler: This gets him killed.]]
* CompositeCharacter: He's a combination of two different characters from the original book, and gets the name of a third.
* DeathByIrony: [[spoiler: He's determined not to be killed by the aliens. He ends up being killed by a human.]]
* FreudianExcuse: As unlikable as he is, losing his entire family (and discovering the aliens are harvesting humans) didn't do wonders for his sanity.
* {{Jerkass}}: He becomes increasingly hostile to Ray, taunting him for not having a plan, and eventually makes clear that he doesn't care if Ray and Rachel die as a result of the noise he's making.
* LargeHam: He gets more and more hammy as his mental state deteriorates.
* MadnessMantra: "Not my blood!"
* SoleSurvivor: He's the only one of his family who survived the aliens' initial attack. [[spoiler: In the end, he also dies.]]
* SoundOnlyDeath: [[spoiler: We don't see how Ray kills him. We only hear the sounds of the fight while Rachel sings to herself so she won't hear.]]
* WouldHurtAChild: Even when Ray tells him that the noise he's making will endanger him and Rachel, Ogilvy doesn't care. [[spoiler: While Ray is blindfolding Rachel]], he rants in the background, "They can take you! They can take your daughter!" This removes any doubt that he's too far gone, and [[spoiler: Ray really does have to kill him]].
[[/folder]]

-> '''Portrayed by:''' Justin Chatwin

* DeathByIrony: [[spoiler: He's determined not to be killed by the aliens. [[spoiler: He ends up being killed by a human.]]

* [[spoiler: DeathByIrony:]] He's determined not to be killed by the aliens. [[spoiler: He ends up being killed by a human.]]

* [[spoiler: SoundOnlyDeath: We don't see how Ray kills him. We only hear the sounds of the fight while Rachel sings to herself so she won't hear.]]

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: He's selfish and antagonistic to Ray, even telling Rachel ''to her face'' that her father might die, and keeps recklessly putting them at risk of capture. He finally says out loud that he doesn't care if Ray [[WouldHurtAChild and Rachel]] die because of him. It's hard not to feel relief when Ray decides to kill him]].

* LargeHam: He gets more and more hammy as his mental state deteriorates.

-> '''Portrayed by:''' Dakota Fanning

-> '''Portrayed by:''' Tim Robbins

-> '''Portrayed by:''' Tom Cruise

* CallingParentsbyTheirName: Because of his anger towards his father he calls him 'Ray' most of the time. [[spoiler:He eventually does call him 'Dad' when he tries to get his attention.]]

-->''Rachel'': Robbie! Where are you trying to go? What are you trying to do? Who's gonna take care of me when you go?

!! Ray Ferrir