History Characters / Coraline

* NeverMessWithGranny: Distraught after her sister was spirited away by the Other Mother, she divided up the Pink Palace into apartments [[LittleOldLadyInvestigates and bricked up the little door]] to disrupt the Other Mother as much as possible.

The mysterious passage between worlds which Coraline uses to travel between the real world and the Other World.

* AdaptationalAbomination: {{Inverted|Trope}} in the film, where the passage isn't its own entity, but rather an extension of the Other World.

* EldritchAbomination: In the book, at least. The passage is a mysterious, "deep and slow" entity of some sort which is [[TimeAbyss even older than the Beldam]]. Not only can it [[AlienGeometries alter its length]] and even ''texture'' seemingly at will, but it [[GeniusLoci knows when Coraline is travelling inside it]]. The last time she goes through it, it has downy ''fur''.

* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:In the climax, shows up amidst the roaring of his motorcycle's engine to rescue Coraline when the Other Mother's severed right hand is kidnapping her and nearly choking her]].

* YouthfulFreckles: She has a couple of freckles on both of her cheeks.

* BadassAdorable: In the climax, [[spoiler: he saves Coraline from being kidnapped by the Other Mother's hand.]]

* BigDamnHeroes: See BadassAdorable and how he [[spoiler:shows up amidst the roaring of his motorcycle's engine to rescue Coraline when the Other Mother's severed right hand is kidnapping her and nearly choking her]].

* BadassAdorable: During Coraline's third trip to the Other World, the Other Wybie rescues her from the mirror room she was thrown into and helps her get through the passage to the real world. On Coraline's fourth trip, [[spoiler:he is already dead]].

* AdaptationalUgliness: In the book, the Other Mother's final form is simply thin, tall, and pale. The movie transforms her into a gaunt and twisted skeleton-spider hybrid with a cracked porcelain face and hands made of sewing needles.

* WickedWitch: "Beldam" is an archaic word for "witch," and she certainly has the witch-like powers to back it up. She's also incredibly evil. Coraline even calls her "evil witch" at one point. Finally, her ''modus operandi'' is almost identical to that of the archetypal witch from ''Literature/HanselAndGretel'': lure children starved for something (affection, in lieu of food) into a location that calls to their desires (a more welcoming replica of their home, in lieu of the traditional GingerbreadHouse) and shower them with false love, whilst in reality preparing them to be devoured. According to some legends, Beldam was a supernatural creatur created by God himself to guard the forests.

* BadassAdorable: During Coraline's second trip to the Other World, the Other Wybie rescues her from the mirror room she was thrown into and helps her get through the passage to the real world. On Coraline's third trip, [[spoiler:he is already dead]].

* AffablyEvil: Surprisingly, in the novel, the Other Mother can be considered this. The whole point of creating her copy of the Pink Palace and its residents is so she can draw children into her world and care for them like any mother would, as it's stated in the novel that she loves her collection of children to death (quite literally, as she sees them as nothing more than possessions and collectables which she forgets about when they pass away, not considering their feelings or the situation when they become husks of their former selves).

* SatanicArchetype: A charming, seductive, powerful, and completely evil being who rules over her own world, enjoys making deals with mortals, uses temptations to lead souls astray to eternal entrapment within her realm, and is [[CreativeSterility creatively sterile]]; able only to copy and mock what already exists rather than creating something truly original. Yep, she fits.

* DomesticAbuse: Somewhat. While he's the Beldam's husband in name only (given that she created him), the fact that he's a stand-in for Coraline's father and his "wife" tends to take out her frustration on him makes his situation this trope.

* DiryCoward: He runs away from Coraline after calling her crazy.

* CreativeSterility: She can't actually create anything, but can only ''copy'', ''twist'', and ''change'' what already exists (in other words, what she already has on hand), [[spoiler:hence why there's nothing beyond the garden in her world]]. It becomes a plot point in the novel when Coraline notices [[spoiler:a snow globe on the mantle, which isn't there in the real world. It's where her parents are being held]]. In the film, this is used to a disturbing Cinderella-like effect where all of her creations devolve into that from that which they were made, including rats and pumpkins.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: She makes the Other Father and the Other Wybie ''[[GoneHorriblyRight too well]]''. They love Coraline, just as they're meant to, and don't want to see any harm come to her, regardless if she instructs them to. They actively resist their creator even at the cost of their own lives.

* WouldHurtAChild: She ''eats'' children alive, ''after'' she's sewed buttons over their eye sockets. In the real world, her severed hand also attempts to make Wybie fall down the well when he comes to Coraline's rescue.

* HungryMenace: She's made into one in the film adaptation, with the intent of feeding on her victims' souls.

* LaserGuidedKarma: The Cat claws her button eyes out -- fitting, considering that she sowed buttons into the eyes of children before devouring their lives and trapping their souls.

* WouldHurtAChild: She ''eats the souls'' of children, ''after'' she's sewed buttons over their eye sockets.

* WickedWitch: "Beldam" is an archaic word for "witch," and she certainly has the witch-like powers to back it up. She's also incredibly evil. Coraline even calls her "evil witch" at one point. Finally, her ''modus operandi'' is almost identical to that of the archetypal witch from ''Literature/HanselAndGretel'': lure children starved for something (affection, in lieu of food) into a location that calls to their desires (a more welcoming replica of their home, in lieu of the traditional GingerbreadHouse) and shower them with false love, whilst in reality preparing them to be devoured.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In the book, the cat is ''extremely'' egotistical and aloof, only helping Coraline if he happens to be in the area anyway and if helping her doesn't hinder him any. In the film, he's her MysteriousProtector and ServileSnarker, often going out of his way to watch over her, warn her against, and save her from the Other Mother even when she's very rude to him. He even sends for Wybie at the end so Coraline can be saved from [[spoiler: the Other Mother's hand.]]

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Mel is definitely a crabby person, but she's still considerably more sympathetic compared to the novels.

* AdaptationalVillainy: In the novel, the Other Mother collects children and lures them into her twisted copy of the Pink Palace so she can care for them just like any parent would, only sewing buttons in their eyes to ensure they stay with her forever, though seeing them as nothing more than collectables or a "tolerated pet". In the film, the Other Mother is implied to lure children, sew buttons in children's eyes, and eat them afterwards, all for her own survival.

* EyeScream: During the final confrontation, she ends up getting her button eyes clawed off by the cat, permanently blinding her.

* {{Hypocrite}}:
** She claims she loves children and wants them to be happy, but it's clear that she just loves them as possessions.
** She calls Coraline "selfish" even though she isn't that much better.

* KarmicDeath: She ''seems'' like a KarmaHoudini first, since [[spoiler: we never see her again after Coraline escapes the Other World]]. But considering that she [[spoiler: literally feeds off the souls of children]], it's safe to say that she [[spoiler: starves to death, all alone]].

* LoopholeAbuse: Done very subtly, but she leaves Coraline before the two can shake on the bargain to release her parents. Given her implied fae nature, this might imply that had she sealed the deal with a handshake, she would have been bound to follow it, and thus left to allow herself to break the promise.

* MyBelovedSmother: She lures children into her world by pretending to be the perfect mother, in order to then trick them into letting her sew buttons onto their eyes so they can essentially become her toys until she grows bored of them and throws them away.

* ParentalSubstitute: {{Subverted}}. She acts like this to the children she targets... until she feasts on their souls and then disposes of them.

* SatanicArchetype: A charming, seductive, powerful, and completely evil being who rules over her own world, enjoys making deals with mortals, devours souls, and is [[CreativeSterility creatively sterile]], able only to copy and mock what already exists rather than creating something truly original. Yep, she fits.

* SoreLoser: In the book, after Coraline finds [[spoiler:the first soul]], she summons a strong wind -- ''indoors'' -- to slow her down. In the movie, she pulls every trick in the book to prevent Coraline from acquiring the ghost eyes, and has a meltdown when she's losing. [[spoiler:She also has no intention of letting Coraline go, whether she wins or not]].

* WantingIsBetterThanHaving: The whole driving force behind the Other Mother's actions. When she finally gets her collection of children to stay with her forever, she quickly gets bored or frustrated and casts their souls aside in the room behind the hallway mirror before seeking out the next child.
* WickedStepmother: Wicked '''Other''' Mother, rather.

* WouldHurtAChild: She ''eats the souls'' of children.
* YourSoulIsMine: It's heavily implied that this is the function of the button eyes.

* TheDarkChick: Her younger Other self is quite evil, as she and the Other Miss Forcible attempt to harm Coraline in their taffy form.

* TheDarkChick: Her younger Other self is quite evil, as she and the Other Miss Spink attempt to harm Coraline in their morphed taffy form.

* [[LikeFatherLikeSon Like Mother, Like Daughter]]: In addition to her mother's looks, Coraline also inherited her mother's sarcasm.

* BadassBaritone: It comes with the territory for anyone voiced by Creator/KeithDavid.

* FurryReminder: Though he's voiced by [[BadassBaritone Keith David]], after mentioning that he heard something "right... over..." he meows like a regular cat and rushes off to find prey.

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: [[spoiler: Probably from being a liquidator in the Chernobyl disaster.]]

* HiddenDepths: [[spoiler: The medal that he is always seen wearing, that's the medal that was awarded to the first responders in the Chernobyl disaster...]]

* GagBoobs: ''Whoa''. She even jostles Miss Spink with them simply by turning aside.

* [[TopHeavyGuy Top Heavy Gal]]: A rare female example. Miss Forcible's enormous GagBoobs contrast strongly with her relatively skinny legs.

* FanDisservice: Let's just say an old lady with giant GagBoobs doesn't make for the best Birth of Venus model.

* GagBoobs: In both her old ''and'' young form, though it's less exaggerated on the latter.

* BadLiar: She tries to tell Coraline her real mother and father are absent because they probably grew bored of her and ran off to France. This makes her a ''horribly'' bad liar, considering she has been ''watching'' the family's movements for days and would know full well a more convincing story would have something to do with their garden catalog. Of course, she could've been doing on purpose, since she's completely aware of ''why'' Coraline came back to the Other World after she had just escaped a few moments ago.

* AdaptationalBadass: [[spoiler:In the book, her right hand falls for Coraline's trap, hook, line and sinker, and tumbles straight into the well. The movie has it put up more of a fight; it tries to drag Coraline back into the Other World while she has the black button key on her, tries to knock Wybie into the well when he interferes with the hand, and doesn't stop trying to go after Coraline and the key until it's smashed by a large and heavy rock thrown by Wybie. It even manages to climb back up when it falls into the well along with Wybie in the movie, whereas in the book, it doesn't make an effort to do so once it grabs the key.]]

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Unlocking the small door to the Other World kicks off the main danger of the film.

* BlackEyesOfEvil: The trait she shares with all Other World inhabitants. UncannyValley aside, it's the first indicator that the Other Mother, and her world for that matter, aren't all they seem.