Line #407 Characters/IntoTheBadlands


1	[[foldercontrol]]
2
3	!Main Characters
4
5	[[folder:Sunny]]
6	!!Sunny
7	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_sunny_wu_700x1000.jpg]]
8	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/DanielWu
9
10	-->''"As you wish, Baron."''
11	-->''"I'm not a Clipper anymore"''
12
13	The regent (head Clipper) to the Badlands’ most powerful Baron, Quinn.
14	----
15	* TheAce: He's the most skilled and feared Clipper in the Badlands. Even The Widow is shown to be leery of Sunny and most of the other Clippers hold him in high regard, perhaps even higher than their own Baron.
16	* AffectionateNickname: Waldo is the only person who calls him "Sunshine."
17	* ArchEnemy: By Season 2, the only person who wants Quinn dead more than The Widow is Sunny, who now seems hell-bent on killing him, even more so once he learns he has his family.
18	* TheAtoner: He seems to be trying, big emphasis on trying, to turn a new leaf come Season 2. He's a lot more keen on helping people, even strangers, is mostly trying to avoid conflict and killing and just wants to get back to his family. He even refuses to fight or kill for any Barons anymore until he learns his family is in Quinn's possession.
19	* BadassBiker: Occasionally uses motorbikes instead horses as a means of travel.
20	* BifurcatedWeapon: His swords can connect at the end of the hilt turning into a double-sided polearm at his convenience
21	* BigNO: Lets one loose [[spoiler: after the River King tells him he'll be sold into slavery for his trickery]].
22	* ButForMeItWasTuesday: [[spoiler: Partially subverted. Sunny genuinely cannot remember killing M.K's mother, but he feels horrified and remorseful when he's confronted by his former Colt.]]
23	* ChronicHeroSyndrome: He gets himself into trouble several times helping others in need.
24	* DefectorFromDecadence: [[spoiler: After seeing Quinn kill Veil's parents, Sunny has had enough of serving his employer and plans to leave Quinn's employ and get himself, his lover, and their child to safety beyond the Badlands.]]
25	* TheDragon: He serves as Baron Quinn’s trusted right hand man and top enforcer.
26	* DrowningMySorrows: [[spoiler: After Veil's death. Only stops when Henry's dark powers awaken.]]
27	* DualWielding: He wields two swords with deadly efficiency, though he seems to save this for when he's notably out-numbered (like fighting a quartet of trained Clippers at the end of the first episode or a horde of Nomads at the end of the second).
28	* EvilParentsWantGoodKids: Well, for a given value of evil. He's determined that his son won't grow up as violent as his father, trying to flee beyond the Badlands[[spoiler:and collaborates with Pilgrim to have his Dark One powers taken away.]]
29	* HeroesPreferSwords: Justified since firearms are forbidden in the Badlands. He carries two swords, one across his back and one on his hip, whenever he's seen venturing out beyond the fort.
30	* ImprobableAimingSkills: A mook throws an ax at him. He knocks it away with his sword and it ricochets away to land in the chest of another mook.
31	* IronicName: He's not sunny. You could count the number of times he smiles on one hand.
32	* MasterSwordsman: Sunny's acknowledged as being one of the best fighters in the Badlands and his sword skills are shown off every time he's sent into combat.
33	* MonkeyKingLite: He is based on the Monkey King Sun Wukong himself, since the series is based on ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest''. This parallel becomes even more apparent in Season 3, when Sunny expertly uses a quarterstaff to kick some ass on a few occasions.
34	** Alternatively [[spoiler: since his true name is Sanzo, which is one romanized version of Tang Sanzang / Tripitaka (aka, the Buddhist monk from Journey to the West), it's possible that the actual Monkey King is M.K., given the initials, the mischievous personality and the strange power that constantly gets him into trouble.]]
35	* MysteriousPast: Even he doesn’t know where he came from before Quinn found him as a child.
36	** [[spoiler:The Season 1 finale suggests that Sunny's from Azra. Waldo revealed that he was found with an amulet around his neck of the same design as M.K.'s.]]
37	** In season 3, It's revealed that his real name is [[spoiler:Sanzo]] and he may have his own magical abilities he has yet to unlock. He's described as "a key" and he and Pilgrim together [[spoiler:can operate a {{Magitek}} chamber to transfer Dark One powers.]]
38	* NeverLearnedToRead: Though Veil is helping him with that.
39	* NotSoStoic: Seeing Quinn [[spoiler: kill Veil's parents for little to no reason]] visibly rattles him. It also compels Sunny to begin planning his [[spoiler: defection from Quinn and escape beyond the Badlands.]] And although it isn't quite as obvious, he's not happy to see Quinn or anyone else abusing M.K.
40	* OneManArmy: He routinely demolishes opponents who severely outnumber him and wins with ease.
41	* PapaWolf: Towards M.K. and his own son.
42	* PerpetualFrowner: Sunny rarely smiles, even when he's with Veil.
43	* TheMourningAfter: [[spoiler: When he's not worried about Henry, he spends season three mourning Veil.]]
44	* TheQuietOne: He never says more than he has to, and often prefers to use a DeathGlare to communicate when people annoy him. When they first meet, M.K. says that Sunny isn't a name that suits his cold demeanor and harsh personality.
45	* {{Ronin}}: Or at least a setting equivalent. He was once a proud and talented clipper (which are basically {{samurai}}) who violates his code out of moral concerns and eventually abandons his role all together. The fact that he was the one who killed his Baron (the setting equivalent of a Shogun) just cements this.
46	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: After learning about M.K.'s homeland and then witnessing Quinn [[spoiler: murder the fort's doctors]], Sunny decides that it's time to leave the Badlands and the violence in it.
47	* TranquilFury: Unlike his Baron, Sunny remains calm and collected when he's angry, sticking with a DeathGlare and biding his time after M.K.'s abuse and the murder of [[spoiler: Veil's parents.]]
48	* WildCard: In Season 2, by virtue of not being really fixed to any particular Baron anymore and having been outside the Badlands when Quinn and The Widow began their resurgence and reignited their wars, he is this. With his only stated goals being to kill Quinn and find his family, Sunny is now more or less willing to align with anyone who can get him closer to completing said goals, up to and including The Widow and Baron Chau.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder: M.K.]]
52	!! M.K.
53	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_mk_knight_700_1000.jpg]]
54	->'''Portrayed By:''' Aramis Knight
55
56	-->''"There's no easy way out of the Badlands."''
57
58	A teenager with a mysterious past and a hidden power within him.
59	----
60	* AxCrazy: As shown in Season 2 when he enters the room with mirrors where he faces his past, it is shown that his Dark Side is a bit of a cold killer and even taunts M.K. about the people he killed on the boat.
61	* BlackEyesOfEvil: Subverted in that M.K. isn't evil at all, but when he bleeds his eyes turn black, symbolizing that his SuperPoweredEvilSide has been released.
62	* BerserkButton: Don't take away his necklace of Azra he won't hesitate to fight back. Also don't harm Tilda if you value your life because hurting her caused him to kill his former Colt teammate Bale.
63	* BewareTheNiceOnes: M.K.prefers to avoid violence whenever possible. However, if you attack and draw his blood, [[SuperpoweredEvilSide all bets are off.]]
64	* EveryoneHasStandards: [[spoiler: When he reunites with Sunny and Bajie (after learning Sunny killed his mother), the first thing he demands is for Bajie to take baby Henry from Sunny. As much as he hates Sunny, M.K doesn't want to harm the baby.]]
65	* FacialHorror: [[spoiler: After being injured in an explosion.]]
66	* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: For the last few episodes.]]
67	* LivingMacGuffin: The Widow’s desire to possess him and his powers is what kickstarts the plot.
68	* MadeOfIron: Takes several hits from DM Cyan who in the same scene knocked out Sunny with one hit.
69	* MeaningfulName: [[spoiler: Given Into the Badlands is meant to parallel Journey to the West, M. K. might be a case of MonkeyKingLite, standing in for the titular Monkey King. In addition to being a supernaturally powerful fighter who gets into trouble and often winds up imprisoned by those in power, well, there's also his initials of M(onkey) K(ing).]]
70	* MissingMom: All M.K. wants to do is find his mother and return to their homeland of Azra.
71	* MoralMyopia: [[spoiler:He joins Pilgrim in Season 3 specifically because he wants revenge against Sunny for murdering his mother when he was Quinn's regent. By the time he gets the chance however, he had basically become Pilgrim's regent and adopts a MightMakesRight philosophy (which is a principle that the Baronies and the Barons that rule them are founded upon), even flat-out claiming that his mother only died because she was weak and that it is the weak's purpose to be used and killed by the strong.]]
72	* MrFanservice: Has a lot of shirtless scenes, most of which he is sweaty or wet.
73	* NiceGuy: Compared to people who grew up in the Badlands, M.K. is somewhat friendly and docile. He openly admits that he doesn't like to fight and has no desire to kill, turning down every offer to join Quinn's or The Widow's Clipper forces until he has no other choice.
74	* NonActionGuy: Justified since he's not from the Badlands and was never taught to fight. It's implied that Azra isn't nearly as militarized or violent as the lands that the Barons rule over.
75	* SoleSurvivor: Was this twice thanks to his SuperpoweredEvilSide. Although the second really wasn't his fault. As it turns out, [[spoiler: he wasn't this the first time, since Odessa also managed to survive the Cog ship ride that he enacted his massacre on]].
76	* SuperpoweredEvilSide: If his emotions run high and his skin is cut, he blacks out, his eyes go [[BlackEyesOfEvil solid black]], and he gains super strength and other powers. Notably, he doesn't fight with poetic efficiency like Sunny does, but to inflict as much pain and misery as possible; case in point, Ajax, who incited a fight in the yards by stealing M.K.'s Azra medallion, doesn't just get his ass kicked when he later attacks M.K. in the showers -- he gets a shard of mirror flung into his eye just because it flew over M.K.'s shoulder.
77	* TookALevelInBadass: By the Season 2 finale, without using his powers, he can beat armed Clippers with his bare hands. All that training under Sunny and the Abbots paid off.
78	** Takes another one by Season 3 after training under The Widow and [[spoiler: learning to control his transformations]].
79	* TookALevelInJerkass: At the beginning of Season 3, the combination of his PowerIncontinence and being held prisoner by The Widow has made him into a bitter, drug-addicted asshole. [[spoiler: That changes once he manages to escape. That is to say, he gains control over his powers. Unfortunately, he ends up becoming indoctrinated by Pilgrim, turning him into a fanatical follower.]]
80	* UnstoppableRage: When his SuperPoweredEvilSide is activated. The River King described it as a murderous rage.
81	* [[YouKilledMyFather You Killed My Mother]]: [[spoiler: Remembers in season three that ''Sunny'' was the one who killed his mother in a camp, and begins to seek revenge.]]
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder: Bajie]]
85	!!Bajie
86	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bajie_season_2_promotional_4.png]]
87	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/NickFrost
88
89	A slave miner met by Sunny in the premiere of Season 2.
90	----
91	* {{Acrofatic}} : He's a pretty sturdy guy, but pulls off some very effective fighting moves. [[spoiler: He hasn't lost ''all'' his skills from the time he was an Abbot...]]
92	* BadassNormal: Demoted to this after he loses the dark powers of the Abbots, but that does not make him any less formidable.
93	* BigFun: He's a fat guy and also the main comic relief character.
94	* CurbStompBattle: In a flashback, he delivers one to Minerva.
95	* DarkAndTroubledPast: [[spoiler: He used to be one of the Abbots, and is ''desperate'' not to go back to that life.]]
96	* DeadpanSnarker: More cheerful than most, but the tendency is there.
97	-->'''Baji:''' Every time I talk to you, you threaten to kill me. It's just ''boring'', you know?
98	* FatBastard: Skirts the line between this and BigFun. He's not evil but is willing to cheat and steal, even from innocent people.
99	* HeroicSacrifice: He's in his current predicament because [[spoiler: he gave up his position and power to resurrect his apprentice, who'd been put to death by the Abbots]].
100	* HiddenDepths: He might be dishonest, hedonistic, and selfish but he genuinely believes it's his job to "save the world" and holds hope that the world will get better.
101	* ImprobableAimingSkills: Makes an impressive throw of a blade accurate enough to sever Nathaniel's right hand.
102	* ImprobableWeaponUser: Seen fighting with snooker balls, an eel, a durian, and an octopus as impromptu nunchuks in season 3.
103	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He would prefer to be a self-serving jerk, but his better nature always wins out in the end.
104	* TheLancer: While Sunny is the strong, stoic type who prefers a sword in his hand and will throw himself into the heart of danger and massacre all in his way to save his loved ones, Bajie is a fat, fast-talking grifter who would rather avoid a fight and resort to dirty tricks when the need presents itself.
105	* LargeHam: Nick Frost chews on the scenery for some of his scenes; really emphasizing the contrast between Bajie and Daniel Wu's extreme stoic act as Sunny.
106	* MrViceGuy: He's a grifter, a con artist, he has sticky fingers and has left a ''massive'' trail of broken promises and murderous vendettas against him both in and out of the Badlands. With that said, what remains of society is made-up of either trained killers, slavers, tyrants and fanatics (with over half them with swords or superpowers), so these qualities are born from general survivalist pragmatism that has saved his and Sunny's ass on multiple occasions, and even then he is shown to (albeit reluctantly) throw himself into danger to make sure that his friends don't die in the heart of their enemy's grasp.
107	* ObfuscatingStupidity: He prefers to play the bumbling fool but quickly drops the act whenever there's real danger to be faced and demonstrates genuine tactical thinking. [[spoiler: While being rusty, he is still skilled enough to paralyze the Abbot that handed Sunny his ass on a platter twice.]]
108	* TheParalyzer: [[spoiler: See ObfuscatingStupidity]]
109	* PowerNullifier: He can turn off a Dark One's gift when he attacks specific pressure points.
110	* StoutStrength: He can grapple with Dark Mode Cyan, the Abbot who can physically overpower Sunny without it, while being in normal mode himself.
111	* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: [[spoiler: That distress signal he sent at the end of Season 2? Well, Pilgrim answered it, and he's bringing a reckoning to the Badlands with him.]]
112	* WarriorMonk: [[spoiler: While he hasn't been an Abbot in years, he has all of the markings of an eccentric Eastern monk, including short hair, an unassuming appearance that hides natural skills in [[BareFistedMonk hand-to-hand combat]] and KiManipulation techniques that can both pacify murderous Dark Ones and dull pain]].
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	!Quinn’s Household
116
117	[[folder: Quinn]]
118	!! Quinn
119	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_quinn_csokas_700x1000.jpg]]
120	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/MartonCsokas
121
122	-->''"A man cannot wait to be given what he wants. He must take it."''
123
124	The most powerful of the seven Barons in the Badlands.
125	----
126	* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: He trained in the former Baron's Clipper force and [[KlingonPromotion eventually killed him]] to take control over the poppy fields. In order to retain power, Barons must be able to fight and defeat all potential usurpers, so it's safe to assume that Quinn himself is just as a capable a fighter as his Clippers.
127	** Proves this in the third episode by attacking The Widow's lands and decisively defeat her in a one-on-one duel.[[spoiler:Only his brain tumour acting up as he is about deliver the killing blow prevents him from ending her which allows her escape.]]
128	* AxCrazy: Quinn is very unstable and unhinged due to the brain tumor that's growing in his head and always chooses violence -- even when he was a kid he was very violent. When Quinn kills Veil's parents it shows how crazy he really is.
129	* BeardOfEvil: Has a very big one.
130	* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Everything associated with Quinn tends to be red, from the poppies in his plantations, to his banners and the uniforms of his Clippers.
131	** When his son takes his Barony from him, he and his loyalists adopt a militaristic black.
132	* DidntThinkThisThrough: After Ryder is seriously injured and on the verge of death, Lydia gives him a good tongue-lashing for [[spoiler: killing the only surgeons in their lands.]] This leads to them requesting Veil's help, who is mostly a general physician to Cogs and doesn't have as much experience as her parents.
133	** Veil also points out her father was the only person who could have potentially helped Quinn [[spoiler: with his tumour, as she is not experienced enough to do much about it.]]
134	** Instigating a war with The Widow has backfired on him. Quinn overestimated his allegiance with Jacobee and now has to handle the situation on his own before the other barons move against him. Poor treatment of his Cogs has also led to them [[spoiler: defecting to The Widow's lands]] while half of [[spoiler: his Clipper forces]] have been slaughtered.
135	* EvilVirtues:
136	** [[AmbitionIsEvil Ambition]]. Quinn did not inherit his barony like the other barons, but claimed it with the sharp-end of a sword and proved himself to be so effective as a leader that the other barons were forced to acknowledge him in-spite of his humble beginnings.
137	** [[VillainousValor Valor]]. Like his fellow barons, Quinn is no coward, willing to fight in the front lines with his most dedicated clippers. While he rules over his clippers with an iron fist and demands unflinching loyalty from them, he also commends them whenever they take initiative and, even with his [[SanitySlippage declining sanity]], is charismatic enough to the point where his loyalists were willing to sacrifice their own lives for him.
138	* EyeScream: After he [[spoiler: returns, he jams a broken piece of a deer antler through one of his clipper's eye socket to make an example of what happens should he catch anyone ogling Veil again.]]
139	* FeudalOverlord: He is a Baron who rules a portion of the Badlands with an iron fist.
140	* {{Hypocrite}}: He looks down on The Widow for killing her husband to take the barony, even though he assumed power by doing the exact same thing, killing his Baron.
141	* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Among the barons, Quinn isn't just feared and respected, he is also actively disliked on a personal level.
142	** Quinn himself lampshades this [[spoiler: while crashing the conclave. And it's ''hilarious.'']]
143	-->'''Quinn''': Did you miss me?
144	** Jacobee makes it clear that neither he nor his father liked him. At all.
145	-->'''Jacobee''': For the record: my old man, he never liked you, Quinn. He merely deferred to you because your interests were aligned.
146	* FromNobodyToNightmare: Quinn was originally the son of a Cog, who his Baron murdered for no good reason at all. This is what compelled Quinn to train as a Clipper, kill his own master, and then become the Badlands' most powerful Baron.
147	* HatedByAll: His Cogs, the other barons, and even his wife and son don't particularly care for the man. And that's putting it lightly.
148	* {{Jerkass}}: Mistreats and antagonizes those under his power regularly. Deconstructed in that making this a consistent habit [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal has caused just about everybody to turn on him the moment he showed any vulnerability at all.]]
149	* JerkassHasAPoint: [[InadequateInheritor He doesn't think his son Ryder is capable enough to be baron after he is gone.]] He is absolutely correct, and even Lydia comes to agree with him on this.
150	* KillTheOnesYouLove: [[spoiler: He kills Ryder after he hesitates to kill Quinn himself when Quinn outright gives him the chance. He's actually quite broken up about it.]]
151	* KlingonPromotion: Became Baron by killing his predecessor.
152	* LargeHam: Quinn apparently has only two settings: simmering, and explosive boil-over.
153	* TheLeader: Of the poppy fields. He fits all four types. It's stated that Quinn's the most powerful of all the Barons and has the largest Clipper force.
154	* LikeASonToMe: At several points when Quinn appears to be congratulating Ryder, he's actually looking at Sunny. It's fairly clear that Ryder isn't the "son" who's fulfilled his wishes or earned his respect, and Ryder definitely notices it.
155	** In Season 2, he's begun to feel this way about [[spoiler: Sunny's infant son Henry, in the wake of Ryder's betrayal against him.]]
156	* MadeOfIron: [[spoiler: It takes an ''insane'' amount of damage to bring him down in the final battle.]]
157	* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler: Revealed to have survived Sunny running him through, and is alive and well.]]
158	* OldManMarryingAChild: As the series starts, he is about to get an additional wife, a girl named Jade who is young enough to be his daughter.
159	* PetTheDog: [[spoiler: In the Season 2 premiere, he is shown apparently helping to deliver Veil and Sunny's child. The fact that Veil is overjoyed at the birth of their son rather than terrified that Quinn is changing him is surprising.]]
160	* RagsToRiches: He was born the son of a lowly Cog, but through ruthlessness and skill he rose to the position of Baron.
161	* ARealManIsAKiller: A philosophy he wholeheartedly embraces. [[spoiler: He kills Ryder when Ryder hesitates to kill his old man, leading Quinn to believe he simply isn't cut out for the world as it is.]]
162	* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: He's an AxCrazy psychopath who wears a lot of red and black. In Season 1, red was the color of his Barony, but he switched to black in Season 2.
163	* SanitySlippage: The combination of [[spoiler: killing Ryder]] and [[spoiler: his still-growing brain tumor]] has not been good for his mental state.
164	* SelfMadeMan: He sees himself as this, being quick to remind people that nobody handed him anything in life. He killed his way to the top all by himself.
165	* SignificantWardrobeShift: Switches from his banner color of maroon to completely black with a coat lined with fur after he [[spoiler: returns at the end of the season premiere]]
166	* SmugSuper: Quinn may be an arrogant asshat, but he defeats [[OneWomanArmy The Widow]] in a one-on-one duel, reminding us all of just how dangerous Quinn really is. He also gets the better of Sunny and knocks him out before Sunny defeats him via HeroicSecondWind.
167	* TheSocialDarwinist: Quinn believes that the strong are destined to rule and the weak are destined to serve, and has lived his entire life by this principle.
168	* UngratefulBastard: After having spent decades treating the Baron and his family, including saving Lydia's and Ryder's lives during childbirth, Quinn ruthlessly [[spoiler: slaughters Veil's parents because they knew he had a brain tumor.]]
169	** Averted come Season 2, where he ''is'' grateful to Veil for saving his life and makes sure she and her child with Sunny are taken care of... unfortunately, it seems to be part genuine gratitude, part ReplacementGoldfish family after he screwed up with Ryder and Lydia, and part creepy crush.
170	* VillainousCrush: On Veil.
171	* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: Marton Csokas's accent hovers somewhere between Southern Backwoods Preacher and Pro Wrestler, with a little bit of a Marlon Brando impression thrown in for good measure.
172	* WildCard: Just as the other barons seemed poised to box out The Widow and crush her barony, Quinn's return shoots all of those plans to sunshine.
173	* WouldHarmASenior: [[spoiler: When Sunny refuses to kill Veil's parents, Quinn shows he's more than willing to do his own dirty work. With Sunny's sword, no less.]]
174	* YouKilledMyFather: One of Quinn's motivations for killing the past Baron.
175	[[/folder]]
176
177	[[folder: Lydia]]
178	!! Lydia
179	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_lydia_orly_700x1000.jpg]]
180	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/OrlaBrady
181
182	-->''"It's hard when you build your life with someone and then one day they decide you're not enough anymore."''
183
184	Quinn's first wife and trusted adviser.
185	----
186	* ALighterShadeOfBlack: By Season 2, none of Quinn's family are particularly nice and some (such as Ryder) are outright antagonistic considering they're all really only working for personal gain. Out of all of them though, only Lydia is trying to avoid the typical Baron life (though not initially by choice) and avoid killing people. [[spoiler: She also tries to help all of Ryder, Jade, and Veil despite them being rather distant to her and has now finally realized the true extent of Quinn's sociopathy and villainy after he murders Ryder in cold blood.]]
187	* AllThereInTheManual: Jade's reasoning for arriving to The Fort and Quinn's taking on a second wife is never really stated in the first season but supplementary material reveals that Lydia killed his original second wife (Beatrice) in jealousy not long before the first season began.
188	* AloofDarkHairedGirl: Lydia never loses her composure, no matter what the situation.
189	* CleavageWindow: Small but present in her Baroness costumes.
190	* TheConsigliere: She provides her husband with valuable advice and council.
191	* [[spoiler: DiedInYourArmsTonight]]
192	* GoodParents: Lydia loves Ryder and only wants the best for him. When she finally realizes that he's not Baron material, she tells him that she won't condone further actions on his part, preferring to have him hate her than meet an early death. [[spoiler: She also has a pretty bad breakdown when Jade brings her to see his dead body and reveals that Quinn killed him.]]
193	* InLoveWithYourCarnage: Fell in love with Quinn when he was just a Clipper. Apparently, he was quite a sight coming back from a Nomad hunt covered in blood...
194	* MamaBear: She may have given Ryder some rather needed kicks in the groin regarding his jerkassery, but when she finally sees [[spoiler: his dead body in Episode 5 and learns that it was Quinn who killed him, she finally realizes the true extent of his sociopathy and how badly he needs to be taken down]]. She also provides emotional comfort and advice and tries to help a rather broken Veil when [[spoiler: Quinn demands they both wed him and Veil says she'd rather take her chances trying to kill him than wed the man who butchered her parents]].
195	* MoralityPet: She's not villainous, but nowhere near heroic, either. However, in Season 2, she starts developing one of these in Veil when she begins trying to protect and shield her from Quinn's potential wrath.
196	* MotherMakesYouKing: She is actively working to insure her son succeeds Quinn as Baron, even though Quinn himself doesn't think Ryder is tough or smart enough. But after one mistake too many, Lydia comes to agree with her husband and tells Ryder that he's not suited to becoming a Baron.
197	* PragmaticHero: Lydia in Season 3: while at first she sits out the war to care for the refugees, she eventually aligns with the Widow because she considers it the most effective way to bring about real and lasting change in the world:
198	--> ''"You have to learn to play the game and that means compromise, right up to the line but not over it."''
199	* SilkHidingSteel: She's rather far from fighting material and usually wears long silk dresses and looks pretty for Quinn. However, in the first episode of Season 2, [[spoiler: when her father's religious community that she has been exiled to by Ryder in the previous season is attacked and near-slaughtered, Lydia wastes no time grabbing a knife and cutting down two of the men trying to rape and murder the women there. Ironically, this ends up getting her exiled from the religious group.]]
200	[[/folder]]
201
202	[[folder: Ryder]]
203	!! Ryder
204	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_ryder_stark_700x1000.jpg]]
205	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/OliverStark
206
207	-->''"You never 'give' anything. Every gift has a price. Every favor is a test."''
208
209	Quinn's only son and presumed heir.
210	----
211	* DidntThinkThisThrough: He sends a group of nomads to assassinate The Widow, who tortures information out of their leader and learns that Ryder was the one who sent them. This is essentially an act of war, which his father has been trying to avoid at all costs.
212	* EtTuBrute: Seems to be his reaction when [[spoiler: Quinn kills him in Season 2 Episode 4, even telling him after he asks him why he hesitated "you're my father". Sadly, this even seems to be Quinn's reaction.]]
213	* GreenEyedMonster: He's clearly jealous of Sunny and the amount of trust Quinn places in him.
214	* IJustWantToBeBadass: Ryder truly desires to be an independent fighter in the Badlands, but he's not exactly competent at it and has a bad habit of causing more trouble than he solves.
215	* InadequateInheritor: Quinn is not very discreet about the fact that he doesn't think his son Ryder is tough enough or smart enough to take up the barony once he is gone. He's taken it up at the start of Season 2 in Quinn's absence regardless. [[spoiler: But not for long.]]
216	* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal: He dies in Episode 4 of Season 2 when Quinn attacks the Fort (which is now under Ryder's control) with his new Clipper force. Quinn attempts to goad Ryder into killing him and stabs him when he hesitates, leading to a rather sad scene when he asks him why he couldn't do it and he replies with, "you're my father", leading Quinn to have his own mini-breakdown.]]
217	* KnowNothingKnowItAll: He has an overly inflated idea of his own intellect. His plans tend to blow up in his face or be childishly transparent.
218	* NonActionGuy: Downplayed, but he's not nearly as good a fighter as his father or Sunny, and is easily defeated by a group of nomads.
219	* RedRightHand: His left foot is severely damaged and scarred. He covers it up with a metal sheath.
220	* WellDoneSonGuy: He desperately craves his father's affection and approval.
221	* WouldHitAGirl: When Ryder suspects any degree of suspicion from a prostitute, he strangles her until she begs and cries that she wasn't involved in any type of betrayal. [[spoiler: She's actually one of The Widow's Butterflies sent out to gather intel on him.]]
222	[[/folder]]
223
224	[[folder: Jade]]
225	!! Jade
226	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_jade_bolger_700x1000.jpg]]
227	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/SarahBolger
228
229	A beautiful young woman who is about to become Quinn’s second wife. Come season 2 she is Ryder's wife.
230	----
231	* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler:In "Snake Creeps Down," she [[WoundedGazelleGambit poisons herself and plants the poison in Lydia's chambers]], getting the latter exiled from the Fort in "Hand of Five Poisons."]] [[spoiler:The sly smirk she gives to Lydia when the latter is escorted out seals it.]] Did we mention this was ''after'' Lydia tried to reconcile their rivalry?
232	* MsFanservice: The very first episode has her ToplessFromBehind
233	* NonActionGuy: More devious than she looks, but she's not a fighter. The Widow defeats her twice without so much as breaking a sweat.
234	* OldManMarryingAChild: As the series starts, she is about to marry Quinn, even though he is old enough to be her father [[spoiler:and she happens to be sleeping with his son Ryder]].
235	* PoliticallyActivePrincess: The first time she gets, she tries to use her new position to try to convince Quinn to better the lives of the Cogs.
236	* PutOnABus: Exiled to the wasteland by Quinn in season 2 and so far hasn't been seen again.
237	* RagsToRoyalty: She was born a lowly Cog in the Baron's service, and now she's the Baron's bride to be.
238	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: By virtue of her cog origins, she is the one who comes up with the way to save the poppy crop [[spoiler:after the Widow lures most of the Cogs away from the Fort]].
239	* WoundedGazelleGambit: [[spoiler:Poisons herself in "Snake Creeps Down," and then pins it on Lydia to get her exiled from the Fort the following episode.]]
240	[[/folder]]
241
242
243	[[folder: Declan]]
244	->'''Portrayed By:''' Karl Shiels
245
246	A Clipper who remains loyal to Quinn after Ryder's takeover.
247	----
248	* TheDragon: He is the leader of Quinn's Clippers after Quinn's supposed death.
249	[[/folder]]
250
251	[[folder: Gabriel]]
252	->'''Portrayed By:''' John Bell
253
254	A young Clipper who remains loyal to Quinn after Ryder's takeover.
255	----
256	* DangerousDeserter: He's a skilled Clipper but gets tired of hiding out in a bunker and tries to run away. He is caught and expects to be executed by Quinn.
257	* NinjaBrat: He's a young Clipper who hasn't gotten his first tattoo yet. However, Quinn thinks he has the potential to be his best Clipper.
258	[[/folder]]
259
260	!The Widow’s Household
261	[[folder: The Widow]]
262	!! The Widow / Minerva
263	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_widow_beecham_700x1000.jpg]]
264	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/EmilyBeecham
265
266	-->''"Every butterfly needs a sanctuary."''
267
268	The Badlands' newest Baron.
269	----
270	* AntiVillain: While not exactly a paragon of decency, she's presumably no worse than any other Baron and she's ''definitely'' better than Quinn. Her desire for power comes from hatred of a world where non-warrior women are treated like objects.
271	* BenevolentBoss: In sharp contrast with Quinn, she allowed her former regent to retire, apparently with a nice enough severance package that the guy was living pretty well.
272	* BroughtDownToNormal: [[spoiler: If it's to be believed, she was once just like M.K. with his special power.]] Confirmed in Season 2.
273	* TheChessmaster: She's got a plan for the Badlands, and she has Moles ''everywhere'' to help her carry it out
274	* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Her forces' uniforms and banners are all in the same turquoise shade of blue.
275	* CombatStilettos: She wears high-heels in combat and even uses them to stab through her opponents' feet. In Season 2, she goes up against another female baron and a sequence in their fight scene involves the two of them trying to stomp their heels into the other's foot.
276	* TheCorrupter: Her attempts to capture and continued fixation on M.K. in Season 2 lead her to try and coax him into [[spoiler: embracing his Dark Side even after he's seemingly powered through the condition and trying to get him to fight for her in her forces.]]
277	* DarkActionGirl: The Widow is a formidable fighter in her own right.
278	* DualWielding: Capable of wielding two swords with deadly skill and accuracy against both a pack of clippers or even Quinn.
279	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: She is only ever referred to as "The Widow".
280	* EvilRedhead: She is a major antagonist of the series and she has bright red hair.
281	* EvilVirtues: [[EqualOpportunityEvil Equality]]. Whereas the other barons are [[TheSocialDarwinist social darwinists]] who feel like [[MightMakesRight it is their right to do with those in their baronies as they see fit]], Minerva begins her revolution with the intent of creating a system where cogs are treated like people instead of slaves. She also holds a particular hatred for misogyny and child-abuse, the catalyst for her campaign having been her murdering her husband for physically abusing her and sexually abusing Tilda, and many of her best clippers being girls who call her "mother." [[spoiler:As the series goes on, it becomes ambiguous if she really means any of it, if it was always just a fabricated excuse for starting a war or if she only believed it at first, having lost a lot of her support when she continually compromised her values for the sake of the war effort]].
282	* AFatherToHisMen: Unlike Quinn, The Widow treats her Clippers and other subordinates fairly, even allowing her regent to retire from service with a nice severance packet and offering him his old position back. The all-female corps that serve as The Widow's personal guard call her Mother and relate to her as if they were her actual children.
283	** MamaBear: To all her Butterflies, but Tilda especially (though it doesn't mean she's unwilling to manipulate her). It's implied her plot to murder her husband was kicked off when [[spoiler: he raped Tilda]], and when [[spoiler: Tilda is captured]], she personally goes to rescue her.
284	* HellBentForLeather: Wears mainly black leather.
285	* KlingonPromotion: She became Baron by killing her own husband, who previously held the position.
286	* LadyOfWar: Cool and collected, The Widow disposes of her opponents with calm precision and rules her lands with the knowledge that other Barons are always a threat to her.
287	* MeaningfulName: Minerva. She's a smart, precise, highly-skilled warrior: what's a more appropriate name for her than the Roman War Goddess?
288	* MsFanservice: Redhead who wears tight black leather and frequently shows off a lot of cleavage.
289	* OneManArmy: The Widow can demolish a room-full of men all by herself.
290	* ParentalSubstitute: Her Butterflies call her "Mother."
291	* PrettyButterflies: Ironically her symbol, found on her banners, her border markers and even the stylized shuriken her "daughters" use.
292	* RagsToRiches: She was originally a cog working for Baron Chau. Now she is a baron trying to take on the entirety of the Badlands.
293	* SheIsTheKing: Even though she is a woman, The Widow is only ever referred to as a baron, not a baroness.
294	* SherlockScan: When be M. K. claims to be the son of tobacco farmers she looks at his hand and deduces that he's lying because they're unstained.
295	* ShipTease: Has considerable chemistry with [[spoiler:Gaius Chau, who had a crush on her when she was a Cog]]. They eventually form quite the BattleCouple.
296	* ThatManIsDead: She expresses this opinion the one and only time someone refers to her by her birth name, Minerva.
297	* TykeBomb: Season 2 Episode 9 demonstrates that she [[spoiler: was once a Novice at the Abbots Monastery where she was trained by Bajie and nearly killed him when her Dark Powers were unleashed not long after her arrival]].
298	* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: She's willing to make any sacrifice to free the people of the Badlands, even sacrifices that go directly against the ideals she's fighting for. [[spoiler: She'll sell Veil to Quinn in exchange for an alliance with Quinn that'll protect her own Butterflies, because Veil isn't one of her people and the numbers favor the deal.]]
299	[[/folder]]
300
301	[[folder: Waldo]]
302	!! Waldo
303	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/StephenLang
304
305	-->''"I'm getting kinda tired of kicking your ass."''
306
307	An old Clipper and mentor of Sunny.
308	----
309	* BullyingADragon: Many make the mistake of seeing him as an old man in a wheelchair, seeming to miss the fact that, in a place where blood vendettas, KlingonPromotion, and ChronicBackstabbingDisorder are [[HadToBeSharp a way of life]], he has [[OldMaster lived to be an old man, in a wheelchair]].
310	* HandicappedBadass: Waldo doesn't have use of his legs and uses a wheelchair. This doesn't stop him from beating M.K.'s ass into the ground while using one hand to move his wheelchair around and later [[spoiler: killing another Clipper in one move]].
311	* HappinessInSlavery: He believes no matter how much people say they want to be free that deep down they all cherish the safety of slavery. [[spoiler: Or so he tells Sunny, until he reveals his defection and tells him to get the hell out of dodge while he can]].
312	* HiddenWeapons: Has several seen in 204.[[spoiler: A chain on the hub of the wheelchair's wheel, a dagger in the end of the armrest and a punch dagger.]]
313	* MentorArchetype: As a retired Clipper, he readily hands out advice to Sunny, his former Colt. [[spoiler: But he understands the system he lives in is horrifying and regrets ever bringing Sunny into it]].
314	* ParentalSubstitute: With his clear protectiveness and advice-dispensing, he's as close as Sunny will ever get to a father-figure. Even when they're not on the same side, such as in Episode 9 of Season 2, he still takes the time to [[spoiler: warn Sunny not trust The Widow if he fights Quinn with her, despite being her Adviser and the harm that could potentially come to him because of it.]]
315	* PutOnABus: Is nowhere to be found in the first half of [[spoiler: Season 3, despite having served as the Widow's Regent in the previous Season. This is jarring considering that Season 3 literally begins with The Widow finding a new Regent in Nathaniel Moon. Apparently, deleted scenes were meant to show him now serving as the new Widow-loyal Baron of the Armadillo Territory but this is evidently no longer canon (especially since Lydia now rules it as the Horse Territory). His exact whereabouts and status are unknown.]]
316	* RetiredBadass: Used to be a deadly Clipper and a former Regent, but nowadays spends his days tending to his pigeons. As M.K. learns during their brief spar, Waldo is still ''very'' capable of kicking opponents' asses.
317	* SeenItAll: Discourages Sunny's notions of leaving the Baron by claiming freedom isn't worth an ensured death by the Baron.
318	* TheMole: [[spoiler: He's the one working with The Widow, revealed in the Season 1 finale.]]
319	[[/folder]]
320
321	[[folder:Nathaniel Moon]]
322	!!Nathaniel Moon
323	->'''Portrayed By:''' Sherman Augustus
324
325	A former Clipper with 999 kills who fled the Badlands and started a family. Come Season 3, he's been wooed back into the game by The Widow.
326
327	* BladeBelowTheShoulder: His prosthetic hand provided by the Widow hides a retractable blade and can fire darts from the knuckles.
328	* CoolSword: Carries a fancy broadsword that Bajie intends to trade for passage back into the Badlands.
329	* DeathSeeker: He wants to fight someone who is worthy of either giving him an honorable death or being his 1000th kill.
330	* TheDragon: Becomes The Widow's Regent in Season 3.
331	* HandicappedBadass: [[spoiler: Sunny chopping off his hand hasn't slowed him down at all. Once The Widow gives him a prosthetic it's like he never lost it.]]
332	* ILetGwenStacyDie: He left the Badlands and started a family, only for them to be killed by the brother of one of his victims. He tries to convince Sunny that Veil and their baby will end up the same way if he goes back to them.
333	* MasterSwordsman: Well, he is an ex-Clipper.
334	* OneDegreeOfSeparation: Seems to know or have a history with just about everyone in the Badlands. He served as The Widow's (or rather her late husband's) Regent at some point in the past during which he had a romance with Lydia, the wife of the late rival Baron of the Armadillo Territory, Quinn, and fought Sunny, the Regent to Quinn whom he would later fight again in Season 2. He also appears to have at least some familiarity with Baron Chau.
335	* RedBaron: Known by others by the nickname Silver Moon.
336	* RetiredBadass: Retired, but is still deadly as ever. Un-retires in Season 3 to serve as The Widow's Regent.
337	* WorthyOpponent: He views Sunny this way.
338
339	[[/folder]]
340
341
342	!Jacobee’s Household
343
344	[[folder: Jacobee]]
345	!! Jacobee
346	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/EdiGathegi
347
348	The baron who controls the gold mines of the Badlands and Quinn’s closest “ally”.
349	----
350	* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: He and his forces wear blue and green plaid.
351	* DualWielding: He proves adept at fighting with a sword and a pickax in each hand.
352	* FeudalOverlord: His fief includes the Badlands' gold mines and gold production.
353	* OnlySaneMan: Considering that the Widow is up to some elaborate world-domination plot and Quinn is murdering his own people [[spoiler: to conceal the fact that he's terminally ill]], the fact that his only interest is maintaining the status quo makes him this by default.
354	* SharpDressedMan: He's quite well put-together for a post-apocalyptic warlord.
355	* TeethClenchedTeamwork: Like his father before him, the only reason Jacobee sides with Quinn is because their interests align, but he can’t stand the guy. However, Jacobee also makes it clear that if Quinn doesn't solve his problems quickly, he and the other Barons will happily move against him.
356	* UncertainDoom: In the second season, Ryder's taken over Jacobee's territory, but it's never specified as to whether he's actually dead or not, until "Palm of the Iron Fox", where Ryder [[KilledOffForReal confirmed his death]] during the conclave.
357	[[/folder]]
358
359	[[folder: Zypher]]
360	!! Zypher
361	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/EllenHollman
362
363	-->''"Loyal to a fault."''
364
365	Baron Jacobee’s Regent and Sunny’s old girlfriend.
366	----
367	* ActionGirl: The mere fact that she’s a regent means she’s the most badass fighter in Baron Jacobee’s forces.
368	* TheMole: [[spoiler:She's working with The Widow]].
369	* MurderIsTheBestSolution: She thinks that Sunny killing Quinn and taking his place would solve everyone's problems.
370	* NotInThisForYourRevolution: [[spoiler:She has a rather casual attitude towards her alliance with The Widow and is all too willing to ditch it when the latter gets wounded and left for dead, implying she doesn't particularly care about The Widow's ideology and only wants a barony for herself.]]
371	* TheStarscream: Implied by the cavalier way in which she suggests that Sunny clip Quinn. [[spoiler:Confirmed in ''"Two Tigers Subdue Dragons"'' when she's shown to be conspiring with The Widow in exchange for Jacobee's barony]].
372	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: She is nowhere to be seen in Season 2. Ryder is shown to have taken over Jacobee's territory but whether Zypher was killed or fled is completely unknown.
373	* WorkingWithTheEx: She finds herself in this position when Sunny ask for her help in arranging a meeting between Quinn and Jacobee.
374	[[/folder]]
375
376	!Chau's Household
377
378	[[folder: Juliet]]
379	!! Juilet Chau
380	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/EleanorMatsuura
381
382	Influential Baron opposed to The Widow. Provides the labor force to the other Barons.
383	----
384	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: She and her forces wear pure white.
385	* DarkActionGirl: Can hold her own against The Widow, which is saying a lot.
386	* DecapitationPresentation: On the receiving end of one by her brother Gaius.
387	* DualWielding: Seen with a pair of Chinese hook swords which she uses with deadly proficiency.
388	* EnemyMine: [[spoiler: Sunny]] forms an alliance with her shortly after returning to the Badlands and being captured by her Clipper forces due to the fact that he hates The Widow and the only person he wants gone more than her is Quinn (which is sure to pose problems since she and Quinn are also aligned). Of course, [[spoiler: this changes as soon as he goes to kill The Widow and she reveals she knows where his family is, prompting him to pretty swiftly assist her and her Clipper forces to massacre Chau's.]]
389	* EnfantTerrible: Even as a child, she was horrible.
390	* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: [[spoiler: Brutally tortures Gaius and Tilda after they kill the Chau matriarch.]]
391	* {{Foil}}: To The Widow. Both are strong women and skilled fighters, even sharing a similar fighting style. But where The Widow is trying to build a better world free of slavery and inequality, Chau wants to maintain the status quo, as that gives her power and influence. The contrast is clear even from their choice of wardrobe (Chau wears white, The Widow wears black).
392	* {{Jerkass}}: She demands concessions from The Widow in exchange for her support in the conclave [[spoiler: and once she gets them, votes against The Widow anyway. It's hard not to assume she just wanted to see The Widow embarrass herself.]]
393	* LightIsNotGood: Dresses entirely in white, is not a nice person.
394	* NiceJobFixingItVillain: [[spoiler: her rejection of The Widow and influencing the rest of the conclave to do the same causes The Widow to seek an alliance with Quinn, the only person the conclave hates more.]]
395	* SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Each Baron controls a particular resource, and hers is Cogs. She's very smug and heartless about it too.
396	* TheSocialDarwinist: Her father made a point of having her and her sisters start as Colts, guaranteeing that the strongest of them would claw her way to the top. Chau shares her father's beliefs.
397
398	[[/folder]]
399
400	[[folder:Gaius]]
401	!!Gaius Chau
402	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/LewisTan
403
404	Juliet's estranged brother.
405	----
406	* BoxedCrook: He works for Juliet only to spare the lives of his accomplices within her kingdom.
407	* ChildhoodFriendRomance: [[spoiler: He was in love with Minerva back when she was just a Cog. Even helped her escape an unjust punishment.]]
408	* CruelMercy: After he was caught helping Cogs escape, Juliet put him in a cage to 'swim in his own shit' for almost two years. The only reason she spared his life was because their mother forbade her to kill him.
409	* LastOfHisKind: [[spoiler: By series end, he's the last legitimate Chau in the Badlands. Which might explain his eagerness to raise his and Minerva's unborn child.]]
410	* WhiteSheep: The only decent member of the Chau family. He opposes slavery and has even helped Cogs escape. And for that, he was imprisoned by his sister.
411	* YoungestChildWins: [[spoiler: Becomes the new Baron of the Chau territory by virtue of being the only surviving member of the family.]]
412
413	[[/folder]]
414
415	!Townsfolk
416
417	[[folder: Veil]]
418	!! Veil
419	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_veil_mantock_700_1000.jpg]]
420	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/MadeleineMantock
421
422	-->''"Injuries don't discriminate between cogs and barons."''
423
424	The town’s doctor and Sunny’s secret lover.
425	----
426	* FrontierDoctor: She does what she can to deal with the ailments of the townspeople, but she's severely limited by a lack of resources.
427	* GoodIsNotSoft: [[spoiler: When she's kidnapped by Tilda in order to help the Widow and asks how she got wounded in the first place, her patient reveals it was Sunny and all but says he's a monster. Veil ''calmly pushes down on the Widow's stomach wound,'' making her scream in pain. "Do you ''want'' my help?"]]
428	* HappilyAdopted: Veil was given to the fort's doctors as a small child; they described her as a treasured gift. When Quinn [[spoiler: kills her parents for knowing about his brain tumor,]] Veil is devastated and demands that Sunny tell her the truth.
429	* {{Irony}} : She is called upon to save Ryder, [[spoiler: the son of the man who murdered her parents. Quinn also then 'requests' her help in saving ''his'' life, despite probably being aware that she knows the truth.]]
430	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: In the second season finale, she stabs Quinn with his dagger by running it through herself when he's holding her hostage to ensure Sunny and Henry survive.]]
431	* TheMedic: One of the few doctors in Quinn's territory. With the [[spoiler: murder of her parents,]] she's only among a handful left, and her specialty is more in prosthetic limbs than internal medicine like her father.
432	* MoralityPet: Come Season 2, Quinn keeps her around because he calls her "the only good thing in this world."
433	* MySecretPregnancy: Since Sunny isn't supposed to be in a relationship with ''anyone,'' she has to keep evidence of their love -- including their child -- a secret. [[spoiler: Her parents are among the few who know, and take the secret to their graves.]]
434	* MrFixIt: Veil practices general medicine, but her true speciality is in constructing and fixing prosthetic limbs, as shown by the numerous pieces and prototypes around her clinic.
435	* SatelliteLoveInterest: She initially serves no other major function other than to be Sunny’s love interest. However, this changes by the third episode when her medical skills are required to save Ryder's life. Quinn also requests [[spoiler: her help in saving his own.]]
436	* WhatTheHellHero: Gets hit with this from [[spoiler: Edgar, the friendly clipper Quinn assigns to guard her while he and the rest of his forces are off out on a mission, when she drugs his drink with some sleeping draught so she can escape. Edgar has treated her nothing but kindly, and he points out that even if she doesn't kill him while she makes her escape, Quinn will ''certainly'' kill him when he finds out about it.]]
437	* WhatYouAreInTheDark: While treating [[spoiler: Quinn]], both of them know that she has plenty of motive to kill him, and he's seriously ill enough that it wouldn't be suspicious at all if he died under her care, so she could take the opportunity to assassinate him and most likely get away with it. [[spoiler: She doesn't do it.]]
438	[[/folder]]
439
440	!Outsiders
441
442	[[folder:Tilda]]
443	!!Tilda
444	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/into_the_badlands_tilda_ionnades_700x1000.jpg]]
445	->'''Portrayed By:''' Ally Ioannides
446
447	A teenage assassin formerly in The Widow's employ.
448	----
449	* BigOlEyebrows: They stand out quite a lot, not only for their size but also because their dark color contrasts with her skin so much.
450	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: She wears the turquoise blue of all Butterflies. [[spoiler: After the timeskip and becoming The Widow's regent, she is dressed head to toe in black.]]
451	* DaddysLittleVillain: While in the first season she has doubts about her loyalty to The Widow, [[spoiler: those doubts seem to be gone by the start of Season 2. They crop again towards the end of the season, however.]]
452	* DefectorFromDecadence: Left The Widow's service when she realized that she was just as bad any of the other Barons.
453	* HellbentForLeather: [[spoiler: After the time skip, she has traded in her blue Butterfly robes for all black leather.]]
454	* LittleMissBadass: She's only a teenager but she's already one of The Widow's most lethal soldiers.
455	* OvershadowedByAwesome: Tilda is without a doubt one of the most deadly people in the badlands, being more than a match for most Clippers in a one-on-one fight. However, she is far from the level of OneManArmy power-houses like Sunny, Quinn, the Widow, Bajie, and Moon: she struggles when outnumbered, and whenever she fights someone truly powerful, she loses.
456	* RapeAsBackstory: [[spoiler: Was violated by the previous Baron, which is implied to be the reason The Widow killed him and took control.]]
457	* RavenHairIvorySkin: Tilda's hair is as black as ink, while at the same time she is one of the palest characters on the show.
458	* RedBaron: [[spoiler: Come Season 3 she's become a leader of a bandit gang and taken the nickname "Iron Rabbit."]]
459	* WhatTheHellHero: Finally realizes the crap The Widow has been spewing to her and all the other Butterflies about unity and how much of a hypocrite she is and engages her in a one-on-one fight in Episode 9 of Season 2.
460	* WhatYouAreInTheDark: [[spoiler: Veil suggests she dose The Widow with poison rather than give her the antibiotics she needs, and we are left on a cliffhanger as to what she does.]]
461	[[/folder]]
462
463	[[folder: River King]]
464	!! River King
465	->'''Portrayed By:''' Lance E. Nichols
466
467	-->''"I'm not a killer. I'm a trader."''
468
469	The man who controls the only route in and out of the Badlands.
470	----
471	* AffablyEvil: For a slave trader, he seems awfully reasonable and personable.
472	* BackForTheDead: [[spoiler: He disappears for the entirety of Season 2, and when he returns in Season 3, he lasts the space of one episode before Sunny takes his brutal revenge.]]
473	* IntrepidMerchant: His ships regularly cross the wastelands through the river to trade the goods produced by the Badlands and bring back Cogs. The importance of this trade is such that the Barons dare not interfere with his affairs, making him almost a MerchantPrince.
474	* KarmaHoudini: Come Season 2, he isn't seen and has yet to get his comeuppance for selling Sunny into slavery at the end of the first season. It's even possible he's actually dead.
475	* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: His karma houdini card finally expires in Season 3 after a full season and a half of escaping it when he and Sunny are reunited and intercepted by the Black Lotus and Sunny promptly takes the chance afterwards to run him through with swords.
476	* MadeASlave: He is one of the Barons’ sources for new Cogs, bringing them in his river ships from somewhere else.
477	* VetinariJobSecurity: The Barons can't do anything about the existence of a power outside their hierarchy because the River King's role is indispensable to them.
478	** Though this becomes questionable in Season 2 when we learn that Baron Chau actually controls Cogs as her resource. Though it's more likely she's simply the one he hands them off to, it's still left ambiguous.
479	[[/folder]]
480
481	[[folder: Preacher]]
482	!! Preacher
483	->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/LanceHenriksen
484
485	-->''"Do you give yourself to a life of spiritual contemplation?"''
486
487	Lydia's father and a totemist priest, the only known religion in the Badlands.
488	----
489	* ActualPacifist: The totemists don't use violence under any circumstance, even self defense... a doctrine that Penrith takes ''very'' seriously.
490	* GoodShepherd: He places the spiritual wellbeing of his flock above everything else.
491	* HappinessInSlavery: The faith he preaches is based around release through acceptance of one's position.
492	* PreacherMan: He looks after the Cogs' spiritual needs, and he seems to be the only one doing so.
493	[[/folder]]
494
495	!The Abbots
496
497	[[folder: In General]]
498	!!The Abbots
499	->'''Portrayed By:''' Chipo Chung, Eve Connolly, Cung Le, Morgan Benoit and Mickey Facchinello
500
501	A mysterious order of monks that possess the same power as M.K.
502	----
503	* ArtisticLicenseReligion: Styled as Buddhists, but other than mentioning beliefs in reincarnation their practice is entirely focused on AllMonksKnowKungFu.
504	* BadassCrew: Mess with them and they '''will''' ruin you.
505	* BareFistedMonk: Train with quarterstaves; but yet to be seen using, let alone carrying, weapons of any kind during missions. Not that they really need them, anyways.
506	* BewareTheQuietOnes: They have a habit of not being big on conversation.
507	* [[BlackEyesOfEvil Black]] [[RedEyesTakeWarning Eyes, Take Warning]]: Combat capabilities spike when their eyes turn black, sclera, pupil, iris and all.
508	* CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler: They hand out an absolutely brutal one to Sunny in the Season 1 finale.]]
509	* DarkAndTroubledPast: Most of the people who join their order do so after some rather gruesome circumstance involving their powers.
510	* ExtranormalInstitute: The main function of the monastery seems to be to train [[spoiler:Dark Ones on how to control their powers so they don't become a danger to the rest of the world, [[WellintentionedExtremist even if they have to kidnap them and force them to join against their will and force them into a coma if they try to escape]].]]
511	* FightsLikeANormal: [[spoiler: At least until you draw blood or force them to stop holding back.]]
512	%%* LightningBruiser
513	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: [[spoiler: The Dark Ones.]]
514	* ReluctantWarrior: They only want to achieve their objectives, but they will [[CurbStompBattle end you]] if you interfere. As [[spoiler: Sunny]] found out the hard way.
515	* SuperPoweredEvilSide: [[spoiler: As par for the course with Dark Ones, save that they seem to be in full control of their power.]]
516	* WalkingSpoiler: Knowing about them spoils the finale of the first season.
517	[[/folder]]
518
519	[[folder: The Master]]
520	!!The Master
521	->'''Portrayed By:''' Chipo Chung
522
523	The Leader of the order and principal teacher of the Monastery.
524	----
525	* ActionGirl: She can handle M.K. even when his SuperpoweredEvilSide takes over.
526	* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: [[spoiler: After being fatally stabbed by M.K.]]
527	* AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler:As she is dying, it is only then does she realize that her life of isolation and control for the greater good only allowed the likes of Pilgrim to take control]].
528	* BigGood: The only unquestionably good character in a position of authority to appear on the show so far, she seeks to protect the world from the dangers powers like M.K.'s could represent.
529	** Averted later, with her having shades of grey like anyone, showing both ControlFreak and ManipulativeBastard tendencies
530	* DarkAndTroubledPast: While not much of her origins is revealed, [[spoiler:as she dies she reveals to Minerva that she was very young when her Dark One powers first manifests, her first act being that she murdered her own brother after pricking her finger on a blackberry bush]].
531	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Her name is unknown to the audience, as everyone only ever refers to her as The Master. [[spoiler: She reveals her name - Ada - to Minerva just before she dies.]]
532	* FlashStep: After sending MK flying across the room, she appears next to him at the opposite end
533	* HealingMagicIsTheHardest: Only she and Ankara (her predecessor as Master) are able to use the dark gift to heal people.
534	* MadeOfIron: To absurd levels, considering she can put DM M.K. in a wrist lock using the hand which has a compound fracture!
535	* MentorArchetype: She seeks to help M.K. to gain control of his powers, so that he may not endanger anyone else.
536	* NoOneSeesTheBoss: M.K. spends six months at her Monastery before ever seeing her. By that point he had begun questioning if she even existed.
537	* Really700YearsOld: Even though she looks roughly middle-aged, and is portrayed by an actor who was then 40 years old, Bajie mentions she should be pushing 135.
538	* SuperStrength: She throws a broom at M.K. with such force that he is sent flying across the room when he tries to catch it, and then does a punch catch on him while her Gift is activated.
539	* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler: Her ultimate goal was to gather every Dark One and keep them hidden away in the monastery, to protect the world from them and even themselves in extreme cases. It's only at series end when Pilgrim invades that she realizes she was wrong to do so, however justifiable her reasons were.]]
540	[[/folder]]
541
542	[[folder: Ava]]
543	!!Ava
544	->'''Portrayed By:''' Eve Connolly
545
546	The monk assigned to train M.K. when he arrives at the Monastery.
547	----
548	* ActionGirl: She’s a skilled fighter that M.K. needs months to catch up to in terms of skill. [[spoiler:It turns out she's one of the very best, despite limited chances to show it, when she faced down two of the three Abbots who took down Sunny at the end of Season 1 and held her own, and it took the third entering the fight to beat her.]]
549	* [[spoiler: DiedInYourArmsTonight]]
550	* TheMentor: She is this to M.K. in Season 2, being the one doing most of his training at the Abbot Monastery before The Master takes over from her. [[spoiler: She also saves him from certain death directly after being mortally wounded and right before dying so that he can make his escape in episode 6.]]
551	* ShipTease: She and M.K. have a bit of this going on when they pop up in Season 2. [[spoiler: It goes nowhere since she's killed in Episode 6. She also protects M.K. before dying.]]
552	* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Like everyone in the order, she killed people before being taken in by the Abbots. However, she has been at the Monastery since she was ''eleven years old''.
553	[[/folder]]
554
555	[[folder: Ankara]]
556	!!Ankara
557	->'''Portrayed By:''' Claire Higgins
558	Also known as the Mad Witch, Ankara is a former Master at the Monastery, who left and fled into hiding.
559	[[/folder]]
560
561	!Pilgrim's Followers
562
563	[[folder:In General]]
564	!!Pilgrim's Followers
565
566	A group of Azra believers who come to the Badlands to bring peace...by whatever means necessary.
567	----
568	* KnightTemplar: As devout as they are dangerous.
569	* OutsideContextProblem: They show up in the Badlands almost out of nowhere [[spoiler: following the signal Bajie sent at the end of Season 2]], and neither Chau nor The Widow seem to be able to deal with them.
570	* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Pilgrim has recruited followers from all over the post-Apocalyptic world, all united by their faith in him and the vision of something better.
571	[[/folder]]
572
573	[[folder:Pilgrim]]
574	!!Pilgrim
575	->'''Portrayed By''': Babou Ceesay
576
577	A believer in Azra who leads an army on a crusade to cleanse the Badlands of the Barons and resurrect Azra.
578	----
579	* ALighterShadeOfGrey: No less violent and brutal than anyone else in this story, but he at least does care about the people who follow him.
580	* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: He is the only person who was able to master his Dark One powers the moment he receives them, [[spoiler:even when it is established that his body was not made to handle the power]], and was even able to defeat the Master - who has had way more experience with her own abilities - and usurp control of her temple.
581	* ApocalypseMaiden: [[spoiler: Was chosen to serve as one with Sunny, as they were ultimately chosen to forcibly give The Gift to the rest of mankind and kill anyone who opposed them.]]
582	* TheChosenOne: Believes he has been chosen to lead the people to a better day.
583	* EvilVirtues: Humility, Patience and Piety. While he has always believed himself to be a messiah in a god-given mission, he was a patient and compassionate leader who sees his strongest of warriors like his own children, would embolden the faith of others when doubts creep in and allowed cogs the chance to leave of their own free will if they refused to be in his service. [[spoiler:After becoming a Dark One, the power slowly corrupts him, warping his mind and leading him to develop impatience, doubt, a temper and a god complex that turns him from a spiritual leader and a prophet into a warlord.]]
584	* PowerDegeneration: [[spoiler:While the series implies that this happens to all Dark Ones overtime, because he was given his powers artificially, extensive use of his Dark One powers causes him physical damage. Blood runs out of his eyes and mouth, he suffers spells of exhaustion, deep coughing and eventually is degrades his sanity, turning him from a humble savior to a mad tyrant with a god complex.]]
585	* PowerNullifier: He's able to switch off a Dark One in the middle of a berserk mode with a series of words.
586	* PowerParasite: [[spoiler: He absorbs Henry's Dark One powers.]]
587	* StoutStrength: A big guy, but able to kick a goodly amount of ass.
588	* WellIntentionedExtremist: He does care for his people and wants to build a better world, but he has no qualms whatsoever about slaughtering dozens of non-believers.
589	[[/folder]]
590
591	[[folder:Cressida]]
592	!!Cressida
593	->'''Portrayed By''': Creator/LorraineToussaint
594
595	Pilgrim's High Priestess and spiritual guide.
596	----
597	* TheChessmaster: She's definitely the brains of the operation, able to manipulate people, even Pilgrim, to one degree or another.
598	* DragonInChief: While she believes in bringing about a new Azra as Pilgrim's adviser, it is clear that she thinks of herself as the actual leader with Pilgrim as a talking head, even going so far as to send Castor on a mission when Pilgrim forbade it when she felt like it would service better.
599	* KnightTemplar: She believes fanatically in Pilgrim's status as TheChosenOne, and will do whatever she has to do to support him.
600	** [[spoiler: Well, until she has a vision of Pilgrim killing her, and she [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere decides her own survival is of significantly more importance.]]]]
601	* ProphetEyes: Her eyes go white when she's having visions.
602	* NotThatKindOfMage: When she defends herself against Lydia, her eyes turn red and she pulls off self-defense moves that make her indistinguishable from a Dark One. However, it is brought up that she does ''not'' have that gift and is apprehensive to receive it when the opportunity is presented to her.
603	* WrongContextMagic: Before Cressida, all supernatural activity in the show was attributed to the Dark Ones in one form or another (SuperStrength and enhanced fighting skills, pressure point healing and KiManipulation designed to pacify them, etc.), the concept of the Dark Ones established as being the product of {{Magitek}}. Cressida's powers are much more esoteric, having revealed to foretell future events with great accuracy, [[spoiler:was able to make it rain blood with nothing more than a knife and a flask of water]] and possesses fighting abilities functionally similar to Dark Ones, but it is clarified as separate from the gift entirely.
604	[[/folder]]
605
606	[[folder:Nix]]
607	!!Nix
608	->'''Potrayed By''': Ella-Rae Smith
609
610	A Dark One in service to Pilgrim.
611	----
612	* ActionGirl: Can probably give Tilda a run for her money.
613	* BadassAdorable: Petite and doe-eyed ass-kicking machine.
614	* CoDragons: Along with Castor.
615	[[/folder]]
616
617	[[folder:Castor]]
618	!!Castor
619	->'''Portrayed By''': Creator/DeanCharlesChapman
620
621	A Dark One in service to Pilgrim.
622	----
623	* BadassAdorable: A grown-up [[Series/GameOfThrones Tommen Baratheon]] who can wreck everyone in the room.
624	* CoDragons: Along with Nix.
625	* CrazyJealousGuy: [[spoiler: he does not like it when M.K. comes on the scene, possibly to replace him as both Pilgrim's soldier and in Nix's affections.]]
626	* DualWielding: Two shortswords at once is his preferred fighting style.
627	* YourDaysAreNumbered: Dark Ones apparently have short lives; their gift just burns them out. And Castor is showing early signs of it. He could prolong his life by avoiding battle, but his identity is so wrapped up in fighting that he can't be without it.
628	[[/folder]]
629
630	!The Black Lotus
631
632	[[folder:In General]]
633	!!The Black Lotus
634	An ancient cult whose sole purpose is to eradicate the Dark Gift from the face of the Earth.
635	[[/folder]]
636
637	[[folder:Magnus]]
638	!!Magnus
639	->'''Portrayed By''': Creator/FrancisMagee
640
641	The leader of the Black Lotus (or at least one specific cell).
642	----
643	* HateSink: While every other antagonist in the series has [[EvilVirtues redeeming qualities]] of some kind, Magnus doesn't have enough screen time to make the audience like him in any way before he is killed off. He holds a [[FantasticRacism fanatical (bordering on irrational) hatred for Dark Ones]] to the point where he infiltrated the Abbots to locate Azra just so he could genocide the place. Just for extra cruelty, he captures a survivor (Sunny's sister Kannin) and rapes and tortures her within the span of years so that he could turn her into his own personal attack dog, always quick to remind her that she is an abomination to him.
644	* {{Hypocrite}}: Being the/a leader of the Black Lotus, Magnus believes that Dark Ones are a threat to the human race and must be exterminated without mercy... yet he decided to forcibly recruit one as his own personal regent after spending years torturing and raping her first.
645	* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: While he frames his actions as being for the good of mankind, it becomes clear that he [[{{Sadist}} takes obscene pleasure in his job]]. He sees Dark Ones as monsters undeserving of compassion, but he recognized Sunny (a Dark One and the son of Azra's ruler) as just a child who doesn't want to hurt people and used it to his advantage. Instead of just killing his sister Kannin, he captures and tortures her over the course of years so that he could turn her into his own personal clipper and occasional [[SexSlave doll]].
646	* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: He rubs it in Sunny's face that he uses Kannin as a SexSlave just to [[KickTheDog show how much of a monster he is]].
647	[[/folder]]
648
649	[[folder:Kannin]]
650	!!Kannin
651	->'''Portrayed By''': Eugenia Yuan
652	A member of the Black Lotus [[spoiler:and Sunny's sister.]]
653	----
654	* BoomerangBigot: After years of ColdBloodedTorture, Kannin adopts the Black Lotus' ideology and believes that she and all other Dark Ones are monsters that need to be killed.

Context Characters / IntoTheBadlands