Jane Turnkey
Jane is a 12-year-old squire training to be the first female knight. Originally born into a middle-class family and destined for a life as a lady-in-waiting, she yearns to "battle fire-breathing dragons." Upon hearing that the prince has been kidnapped by one such creature, Jane sets out to slay the dragon and rescue the prince — only to find that the dragon is the friendly sort and only took the prince in hopes that he would decipher the runes painted on his cave walls. Jane and the dragon (creatively named "Dragon") become fast friends, and she promises to help him decipher the runes instead. For her courage in saving the young prince, she is allowed to train to be a knight under Sir Theodore.
- Cannot Tell a Joke: Especially in the episode "Three Is Company," her sense of humor is... lacking.
- Can't Get Away with Nuthin': Jane usually behaves morally, but the few times where she's been excessively aggressive toward Gunther, Sir Theodore has always been there to see it and chide her for it afterward. Gunther is usually allowed to harass her without punishment.
- This is likely because Jane is specifically Sir Theodore's charge.
- Cool Big Sis: Has sometimes filled this role for Princess Lavinia, who does look up to her quite often.
- Cool Sword: Jane's sword, which she found in Dragon's cave, is the only kind capable of piercing dragon skin. It's also equipped with a runic puzzle that seems to have interesting effects if the correct runes are aligned.
- Didn't Think This Through: Has a bad habit of promising things to the royal family that she cannot follow through on, because she often over-estimates hers or her friends' abilities.
- Deadpan Snarker: She likes to make one liners.
- Dragon Rider: She rides Dragon.
- Dub Name Change: In the Finnish dub, she is named Anna.
- Fiery Redhead: She's an adventurous redhead.
- Fragile Speedster: She usually relies on nimbleness during her sparring matches with Gunther.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Suffers from this in "Dragonphobia".
- Real Women Don't Wear Dresses: Jane adamantly refuses to wear a dress to the ball, even when her mother forbids her to go without one. The end result is Jane skipping the ball to chase after a garden thief.
- Significant Green-Eyed Redhead: She is the main protagonist of the series and is easily identifiable with her red hair and green eyes.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: The Tomboy to Pepper's Girly Girl.
- Verbal Tic: She snorts when she laughs.
Dragon
A 300-year-old dragon that lives in a cave on a neighboring mountain. Dragon and Jane become best friends after she storms his cave to rescue the kidnapped prince. Dragon has quite a sense of humor, enjoys teasing Jane and her friends, and is the source of most of the series' comic relief. However, he is also fiercely loyal to Jane and never hesitates to defend her when she's in trouble, whether that involves interfering with sparring matches in her favor (much to her chagrin), flying to a mountain to rescue her despite being ill, or threatening a character with physical harm if he doesn't reciprocate her supposed feelings for him (also to her chagrin). He has a bit of a superiority complex about being a dragon and refers to humans as "shortlives."
- A Dog Named "Dog": ‘Dragon’ is a pretty simple name for a dragon.
- All-Powerful Bystander: He is a dragon, and with that he is the largest and most powerful character in the show and the only one who doesn’t answer to King Caradoc, however he often chooses not to get involved in the business of short-lives and would prefer to simply watch them for his own amusement such as in "Jester Justice", this makes it a challenge on occasions where Jane needs his assistance and he isn’t interested in helping willingly.
- Berserk Button: Do not lie to him about there being other dragons in the world.
- He is also upset by other animals being tormented or hurt.
- Big Brother Instinct: Towards Jane. Mess with her and he is likely to land you in a world of hurt.
- Breath Weapon: As a medieval dragon, Dragon can breathe fire, although this depletes his ability to fly.
- Cannot Tell a Joke: He loves bad puns.
- Deadpan Snarker: He enjoys snarking a lot.
- Delightful Dragon: Dragon is good-natured and cares for his friends (particularly Jane).
- Dinosaurs Are Dragons: According to
Martin Bayton Dragons in this universe are actually a species of herbivorous dinosaur that developed the ability to fly and breathe fire. - Gass Hole: His flight and fire abilities are fueled by the stored gas from the vegetables he consumes. (See Our Dragons Are Different below.) He also seems to burp and fart a lot as well which double qualifies him for this example. He even does it for fun sometimes.
- He became an even bigger one in knight light after eating several carrot pastries giving him an upset stomach and constant gas.
- Hidden Depths: He is actually a really good singer, even if he prefers not to sing around other people.
- Last of His Kind: Possibly.
- Lethal Klutz: He's giant flying lizard and also a master of ungainly landings. Much to the distress of the castle staff and animals.
- My God, What Have I Done?: In "Foul Weather Friends," after he accidentally drops Jane while flying. This leads to a bout of extreme overprotectiveness that gets on Jane's nerves.
- Only One Who Likes Spam: In one episode, Pepper, who's temporarily lost her sense of taste due to a tongue injury, makes some stew. Most characters think it tastes of swamp water, but Dragon enjoys it.
- Our Dragons Are Different: Dragon's ability to fly in spite of his short wingspan is explained as the result of storing methane gas from the vegetables he eats in two sac-like organs in his body. He can inflate these organs to give himself added lift.
- Parental Abandonment: Dragon is an orphan and had to teach himself to fly, among other survival skills.
- Super-Senses: Dragon's sight and hearing are far superior to that of a human's.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Jane. They argue a lot but are the best of friends.
Jester
Jester, whose real name he keeps a secret, is the 14-year-old royal court jester. His duties include dancing, singing lais, and entertaining the denizens of the castle with his quick wit (although many of his jokes fly over their heads). He has a close friendship with Jane and is even revealed to harbor romantic feelings for her. Jester's cleverness sometimes helps her get out of tough situations.
- The Confidant: Often acts this role to Jane.
- Deadpan Snarker: He has a dry sense of humor.
- Drama Queen: More like a Drama King, both literally and figuratively.
- Guile Hero: Jester is not above the occasional lie, deception or bending of the rules in order to get what he wants, even if it is usually for a good cause.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: He does not like the idea of Gunther courting Jane, but is willing to let it happen if it makes her happy. Happily for him, that is not the case.
- Non-Action Guy: According to Word of God, Jester originally fantasized about becoming a knight but gave up his armor to Jane when he realized that he would never be as brave as she was.
- Plucky Comic Relief: It's part of his job to be a jokester.
- Underestimating Badassery: Jane forgets how clever and capable in a tight situation Jester is in "Jester Justice," which he finds offensive. He proves himself in the duel.
Gunther Breech
Gunther is Jane's 14-year-old fellow knight-in-training and bitter rival. Gunther is a competent (though very smug) squire and usually relies on his strength to best Jane in their sparring matches and other contests. When this fails, he falls back on more underhanded means, usually at the urging of his merchant father. In spite of this, Gunther is shown to have a conscience and usually ends up acting morally by the end of the episode. He trains under the knight Sir Ivon.
- Butt-Monkey: Karma usually guarantees that Gunther will suffer in some way for being a jerk.
- Can't Take Criticism: Definitely not from Jane.
- Glory Seeker: Gunther's reputation is very important to him, especially in regards to how the knights and his father see him.
- Hidden Depths: According to Word of God, Gunther enjoys writing ballads in secret, and is actually quite good at it.
- Ineffectual Loner: He doesn't enjoy spending time with the other kids in the castle and thinks he's above them.
- Jerk Jock: Gunther definitely lives up to his name.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He does have a heart beneath his arrogant behavior.
- Meaningful Name: "Gunther" means "warrior or battler."
- Missing Mom: Gunther's mother is missing from the series, and Word of God says that he doesn't even know who she is or if she's even alive.
- Screams Like a Little Girl: Whenever scared or hurt.
- Smug Snake: Occasionally behaves this way.
- The Rival: To Jane.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Craves approval from his father.
Drake "Rake" Gardener Junior
- Bad Liar: He's easily flustered and not quick on the uptake, so people can usually see right through his attempts at lying.
- Cowardly Lion: Has shades of this.
- Crush Blush: This happens a few times around Pepper.Pepper: I'll do everything in shades of red!Jane: Just like you two.
- I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder: "I'm a gardener, not a rabbit!"
- Shrinking Violet: He's definitely the most shy member of the main cast.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Vegetables. Particularly carrots, according to the official website.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Rake is terrified of stairs. Of course, Dragon takes advantage of this for a prank by flying him to the top of the castle while he sleeps.
- He also appears to suffer from claustrophobia to a degree, as he refuses to go down into the castle after being stranded on top.
Verbena "Pepper" Salter
12-year old Pepper is the royal cook. She is ever-cheerful and believes there's nothing better than a group of friends enjoying a good meal together. Pepper is openly affectionate with Rake the gardener.
- Beware the Nice Ones: She has quite a temper when angry, as shown in "Jester Justice."
- Cheerful Child: She is optimistic.
- Feminine Women Can Cook: The royal chef and the more feminine of the two main female characters.
- I Want Grandkids: She wants children. LOTS of children. Part of her romantic fantasies even.
- The Pollyanna: Perpetually cheerful and friendly.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: She has very pale skin and dark black hair.
- Stealth Pun: According to Word of God her given name was Verbena, but everyone calls her "Pepper." Fitting since her last name is Salter.
- Sweet Baker: Seeing as how she's the castle cook, she does quite a bit of baking. She is also one of the kindest characters on the show.
- Team Mom: Definitely the more maternal between her and Jane, and people come to her often for advice.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: The Girly Girl to Jane's Tomboy.
- Trademark Favorite Food: According to Word of God, her favorite food is mashed potatoes.
Jethro "Smithy" Junior
The 14-year old blacksmith. His actual name is Jethro. Smithy is one of the more mature characters and has a soft spot for animals, especially pigs. He has a pig (also creatively named "Pig") of his own that he claims to care for as much as Jane cares for Dragon. Like Jane and Gunther, Smithy is subordinate to Sir Theodore and Sir Ivon.
- Deadpan Snarker: Jane asks Smithy, an expert on horses, to help diagnose Dragon's sickness. Smithy is initially reluctant, which leads to this exchange:Jane: But Smithy, how different could Dragon be? They both have four legs and a head and a tail.Smithy: Right. And wings.
- Friend to All Living Things: He does run the stables, after all.
- Never Learned to Read: Justified in that someone in his station at this time probably would be illiterate.
- Non-Human Sidekick: Pig helps him in the forge by running the bellows and keeping the fires hot.
- The Stoic: It takes a lot to faze Smithy.
- Not So Stoic: He is deeply shaken when the king decides to sell Pig to the merchant.
- Think Nothing of It: Smithy is very modest regarding the things he does to help his friends.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Snaps at Jane when she questions his loyalty to King Caradoc in "A Pig of A Problem."
Sir Theodore Boarmaster
Jane's mentor, a wise, aging knight who is tasked with giving the young squires instruction along with Sir Ivon. He is a stern teacher and doesn't accept any deviation from the knightly code or any hint of disloyalty to the King. Sir Theodore is shown to have great faith in Jane's abilities but is certainly not beyond doling out punishment that he feels is needed.
- Ancestral Weapon: The sword of Sir Theodore's dragon-slaying ancestor. Like Jane's sword, it is capable of piercing dragon skin. Dragon ends up destroying it.
- Berserk Button: He uncharacteristically freaks out at Jane when she asks him about the markings on his short sword. This turns out to be because of his Old Shame of having dragon-slaying ancestors (and due to her going through his private belongings without his permission).
- Brains and Brawn: He and Ivon.
- Cool Old Guy: He is a noble and wise old knight.
- Noble Bird of Prey: He has a falcon named Trencher.
- Papa Wolf: He encourages Jane to be independent but will come to her aid if he thinks she's in real danger.
- Sins of Our Fathers: Sir Theodore's ancestors were dragon slayers. He goes to great lengths to apologize to Dragon, who very nearly takes out his fury on him before ultimately accepting his apology.
Sir Ivon Mackay
Gunther's mentor, a portly knight with a thick Scottish accent. In contrast to Sir Theodore, he is boisterous, excitable, clumsy, and short-tempered. He also has less of a moral backbone than his colleague and is shown accepting bribes from Gunther's father to help Gunther excel at his training. Sir Ivon has a fascination with fighting and weapons and is often seen building bigger and more brutal tools of war, though none of them work.
- Bungling Inventor: None of his improvised weapons work very well.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: It takes very little for him to start yelling.
- Honor Before Reason: Doesn't suffer blows to his pride easily.
- Large Ham: He can be very loud.
- Small Name, Big Ego: And what an ego it is.
- The Münchausen: Sir Ivon tells fanciful stories about his heroic adventures, fierce battles, and courtship that often contradict themselves. Jane suspects none of them are true.
King Caradoc
The King of Kippernia. As the ruler, his word is above law, though he tries to maintain a semblance of fairness when dealing with his subjects. King Caradoc is especially protective of his children, Cuthbert and Lavinia.
- Dead Guy Junior: A variation. After his brother and the original heir Caradoc died, he adopted his name.
- Doting Parent: To Lavinia especially.
- Manchild: Downplayed. He is prone to fits of fancy and impulsivity, which often puts a strain on the castle budget (and on Jane's father).
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Tries to be. While he is always willing to listen to the concerns of his subjects and tries to make fair and sensible decisions, he will sometimes be driven to making impulsive and poorly thought out ones—most often where the safety or happiness of his children is concerned. However, if he makes a bad decision, he isn't too proud to rescind it later on.
- Trademark Favorite Food: He is quite fond of cabbages.
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: He has a rather worn out face compared to his elegant and beautiful wife.
- Younger Than They Look: Word of God states that the King is 30 years old. Whether this is a typo or the stress of ruling has caught up to him, he sure doesn't look it.
Queen Gwendolyn
The Queen of Kippernia. She occasionally appears in the series, usually only to tend to the children. She may have had a hand in getting the King to accept the idea of allowing Jane to train as a knight.
- I Am Not Pretty: Surprisingly believes this about herself despite the entire court thinking otherwise.
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Guess which one she is!
- Stepford Smiler: As Queen, she is expected to be a model of perfection, but in reality she is insecure about her appearance and hates having to be under everyone's scrutiny all the time.
Prince Cuthbert
The eight-year-old heir to the throne. He was born a sickly child and quickly came to expect the devotion and attention he got from his parents and the court staff long after he got better. Cuthbert resented the birth of his sister, since it took attention away from him. In the series, he is portrayed as a surly and selfish boy who, like his sister, is used to getting his way. Because of this, he is often made fun of by Dragon (though never to his face). He has a soft spot for animals.
- Bratty Half-Pint: Like Lavinia, getting special treatment is a way of life for Cuthbert.
- Friend to All Living Things: Shows signs of becoming this.
- Younger Than They Look: Cuthbert looks more like a very short man than a young boy. It's likely the animators tried a little too hard to make him look like his father.
- It's possible his odd looks come from a combination of having been sickly and looking like his father. Being sickly can mess with a child's looks.
Princess Lavinia
The King's six-year-old daughter. Lavinia, like most six-year-olds, is curious and meddlesome, loves to play, and has a knack for getting into trouble. She idolizes Jane, who has a talent for communicating with her even through her wild flights of fancy. Lavinia often uses her status as royalty to get the other denizens of the castle to play with her.
- Bratty Half-Pint: She is a princess and is used to getting her way. She's probably portrayed more sympathetically than most, however. She is much less of a brat than her brother.
- Girls Love Stuffed Animals: She has a collection of stuffed animals that she holds tea parties with.
- Graceful Ladies Like Purple: Always seen wearing a purple gown.
- Miss Imagination: She is very imaginative and frequently gets the castle staff to go along with her games.
- Tag Along Kid: On adventures inside the castle walls she often participates or accidentally causes trouble.
- Toothy Issue: Lavinia has a perpetual gap in her front teeth. Justified in that she's at the age where children begin losing baby teeth.
Magnus Breech
Gunther's father, also known as "The Merchant." He is the only true villain on the show, and his presence usually signals some devious scheme is incoming. Greedy and unscrupulous, he has a sharp eye for opportunities to either make money, help his son cheat at his knightly tasks, or get Dragon banned from the castle. The absence of his wife is one of the unexplained mysteries of the series. Since he reacts angrily whenever Gunther asks about her, it can only be assumed that he was somehow involved in her death or abandonment.
- Abusive Parents: The fact that Gunther always looks petrified when he sees his father suggests he's probably been on the receiving end of some verbal or even physical abuse.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: The Merchant is the medieval equivalent of this.
- Fat Bastard: Visibly overweight and a very nasty individual.
- Tough Love: Without the love.
Chamberlain Milton Turnkey
Jane's father, the royal Chamberlain. He is a humble and very intelligent man who takes care of the castle's records and finances, and seems to approve of his daughter's chosen career for the most part. He occasionally fusses and worries over her, which annoys her though she is still grateful. The King's somewhat careless view of money and the Merchant's greedy penny-pinching are constant headaches for him.
- Awesomeness by Analysis: He is able to remember and pick up on small details that other people miss, part of why he is an excellent financier.
- Papa Wolf: When he thinks that Jane is in trouble, he drops everything to go find her.
Lady-in-Waiting Adeline Turnkey
Jane's mother and the Queen's Lady-In-Waiting. She disapproves of Jane's decision to become a knight instead of a lady-in-waiting, but reluctantly allows her to pursue her wishes. However, she will sometimes put her foot down when she thinks Jane is going too far.
- All There in the Manual: According to the supplemental material on the website, Jane's grandfather was a knight who died in combat, which is part of why Adeline doesn't want her daughter to become one.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: While she has concerns, she ultimately cedes to her daughter's determination to become a knight.
- My Beloved Smother: In the episode "Shall We Dance," she harangues Jane constantly over wearing a dress to the ball.
