History Characters / IndependenceDay

* BareYourMidriff: She is seen wearing a top that shows her midriff, though her high-wasted shorts cover her belly button.

* XenomorphXerox: Look similar to the Xenomorphs from ''Film/{{Alien}}''.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Subverted. He was elected because people thought that as a fighter pilot, he'd be a strong leader. Before the invasion, his presidency was plagued with complaints about how meek he was.

->'''Portrayed by:''' Music/HarryConnickJr

->'''Dubbed by:''' Robert Guilmard (''Independence Day''), Creator/VincentViolette (''Independence Day Resurgence'')

* WeaponOfChoice: A Beretta [=92SB=] pistol, which he uses on the alien when it telepathically attacks Whitmore.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Subverted. He was elected because people thought that as a fighter pilot, he'd be a strong leader. Before the invasion, his presidency was plagued with complaints about how meek he was.

* ExplainExplainOhCrap: With the City Destryer bearing down on Area 51, when Connie asks him what will happen if the ship reaches the base before the virus is implanted, Mitchell replies that the base is built into the mountains, which will hopefully provide some protection from the ship's [[WaveMotionGun main cannon]]. Connie asks what about the civilians outside the base who will be in the firing line, and after a moment of horror, Mitchell orders his subordinates to start getting civilians into the base before the ship arrives.
-->'''Connie''': Major, what happens if that thing gets here before the virus is planted?
-->'''Major Mitchell''': Well ma'am this whole facility is built into the mountains. Should provide some protection.
-->'''Connie''': Great. What about the people ''outside''? ''[Mitchell gives her a look of horror, looks at adigital map on-screen tracking the ship's approach, then grabs a phone]''
-->'''Major Mitchell''': Lieutenant Sell? We've got incoming.

* DeadGuyOnDisplay: The three that died in the Roswell crash are kept in ceiling-high clear tanks at Area 51.

* ImprobableAge: To a slight extent as he appears to be in his mid to late 30s in the first film. While this is legally old enough to become the President of the US (35 is the youngest one can be, and the youngest thus far was Theodore Roosevelt at age 42) it would definitely be a hard sell to get elected, although being too young for the job is something Whitmore is critized for by his detractors in story.

* CurbstompBattle: He ran for president after Whitmore’s two terms were served. Grey beat him in the single biggest landslide in the history of the country.

* LaserGuidedKarma: When Whitmore’s two terms were ending, he ran for president and [[BlatantLies painted himself as a loyal supporter who did most of the work saving the human race]], knowing that anybody who appeared to be as close to Whitmore as possible was the only one who could win the presidency. Grey, who was actually Whitmore’s right-hand man, won the election in the most blistering defeat of an American nominee for president.

* BearerOfBadNews: Grey often has to give disheartening information to the rest of the characters, like telling Whitmore that his wife's helicopter was shot down by the City Destroyer, that the City Destroyers will wipe out all of the world's cities in 36 hours, and telling Hiller that El Toro was wiped out to a man.

--> '''General Grey:''' "Is that glass bulletproof?"
--> '''Major Mitchell:''' "''[[PreAsskickingOneLiner No sir.]]''"

* BrilliantButLazy: He had the talent and knowledge base to becomes a wealthier engineer, but he was perfectly happy where he was.

** The alien pilot Grey kills in the first film is bleeding bluish-purple BloodFromTheMouth.

* DeadGuyOnDisplay: The three that died in the Roswell crash are kept in celing-high clear tanks at Area 51.

->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/RossBagley (young) & Creator/JessieUsher (adult)

* KnightOfCerebus: Even more so than the other Harvesters, as she is the leader of the entire invasion force.

* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Throughout the film, he continues to pressure Whitmore to take drastic and unprecedented retaliatory attacks as soon as possible. The morning after the attack, he is the first to suggest unloading a full nuclear arsenal against the invaders over American cities. Later, he reveals that he and certain government officials had full knowledge of the aliens for decades and ''knew'' what they were capable of, but didn't tell any of the past administrations or the general populace. Arguably, his [[PoorCommunicationKills refusal to reveal this information]] until his hand is forced results in the initial counterattack failing and hundreds of pilots dying as a result. Nimziki eventually tries to talk Whitmore out of attacking the aliens before the final battle, claiming it would be a mistake. Whitmore replies: