Characters appearing in the romantic spy comedy, D.E.B.S..
Amy Bradshaw
- Portrayed by: Sara Foster
- The Ace: Amy is regarded as the top D.E.B. at the academy having a perfect SAT score. After her first encounter with Lucy, she is lauded even more by the heads of the Academy. According to Scud, she is already the D.E.B.S. Poster Child.
- Broken Ace: When her affair with Lucy is exposed, she is forced to be paraded around as a victim under threat of exile. Her relationship with Lucy is suppressed, and has to "reconcile" with Bobby to keep up D.E.B.S. image. It causes her some grief throughout the third act.
- Ascended Fangirl: She has had a fascination with Lucy Diamond well before she realized her attraction to her, and has been writing an essay on Lucy shortly before they meet.
- Blue Is Heroic: Amy is the film's lead character, and when she isn't wearing bright blue herself, bright blue colors are prominent in her scenes.
- Cure Your Gays: The Academy's attempts to suppress her relationship with Lucy and maintain their image has shades of this, especially when she pretty much has to get back together with Bobby to maintain the façade.
- Dating Catwoman: With a Decon-Recon Switch. Amy falls in love and starts an affair with a notorious supervillainess. When this affair is exposed, the "heroic" Academy turns on her, and she is pressured into speaking out against Lucy under threat of exile to Siberia in order to maintain D.E.B.S.'s image and reputation.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: After expressing her I Just Want to Be Normal dreams, having to cover up her sexuality, her friends nearly turning on her and almost being exiled, she and Lucy escape together at the Endgame, and drive off together; Lucy retires from supervillainy; Amy is now free to follow the path she wants.
- Faux Action Girl: Is remarked as the top D.E.B, scoring the highest on her SAT, but has zero notable combat prowess. This is one of many reasons she doesn't think she has it in her to be a spy.
- Gayngst: She denies being gay at first, and it is implied that meeting Lucy had her realize she wasn't hetrosexual. At the same time, it's implied Amy is sheltered while in the closet. It's also implied D.E.B.S. isn't accepting of same-sex attraction or relationships; when Amy's relationship with Lucy is exposed, she gets scorn over having an affair not just with a villain, but a woman at that. The Academy's and Bobby's attempts to cover up her orientation is unsubtly portrayed as a Cure Your Gays issue.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Played with. Once her relationship with Lucy is uncovered, she is under the threat of being branded a traitor and exiled, unless she goes with the cover story that she was Lucy's kidnapping victim. Since the film ends with Amy and Lucy running away together, it's likely that Amy is made a fugitive as a result.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: As she talks with Lucy, she mentions how she never really wanted to be a D.E.B. despite being the best student, and would rather be an artist. At the end of the film she leaves the D.E.B.S. and starts a new life with Lucy.
- Incompatible Orientation: Amy breaks up with Bobby at the beginning of the film, with him being angry and demanding to know why. She claims that she's not in love with him and that she wants to be in love. Then she encounters Lucy during a mission, and genuinely falls in love with her.
- Informed Attribute: She is considered the D.E.B. agent and the top student at the academy. Other than one "fight" with Lucy Diamond, we see none of this in the film to show off her remarkability as a spy or student. This becomes a plot point as she questions why she is even a spy to begin with if she lacks what it takes to be one.
- Lipstick Lesbian: Realizes that she is a lesbian over the course of the movie, but keeps up the image of a school girl throughout.
- The Protagonist: Amy is one of the main protagonists along with Lucy, and is the Top D.E.B. at her Academy.
- Throwing Out the Script: Towards the climax, she is forced to denounce her love for Lucy at an Endgame speech. She's in the middle of the speech prepared for her when she sees Lucy watching and redacts her speech to declare she loves Lucy."If there is corruption in this city, Lucy Diamond is behind it. If there is indecency to be found, she is the root. If there is evil in this world, its name is Lucy Diamond. It's not until moments like this when you are forced to take stock of yourself that you see what you are made of. It's not until moments like this when you have to remember what's right and true. Because it's moments like this when you discover what it truly means to be a D.E.B." (looks up, sees Lucy) "Which is why I can't accept this award from you tonight. Because, the truth is, the times I spent with Lucy Diamond were the happiest days of my life. And the only brave thing I've done this whole time is what I'm doing now. So if you'll excuse me, I have a date with the devil."
- Reassigned to Antarctica: Gets threatened to be exiled to the academy in Siberia unless she goes with the cover story that she was kidnapped and tortured by Lucy.
- Their First Time: Amy and Lucy end up having sex midway through the movie, and it's implied between them that Amy is less experienced.
Lucy Diamond
- Portrayed by Jordana Brewster
- Action Girl: Along with Max, Lucy is the most hands-on female character when it comes to getting into fights, pulling off break-ins and escape attempts.
- Affably Evil: Lucy's reputation as a dangerous supervillain aside, she is pretty friendly and charming, and a little socially awkward. On top of that, much of her villainous reputation isn't entirely accurate.
- Being Evil Sucks: After she falls in love with Amy and realizes that she'll have to give up her life of crime to be with her, she says "Being bad doesn't feel good anymore."
- Beneath the Mask: Lucy's private personality is a little on the awkward side, especially when it comes to going on dates. On top of that, she brings up how she always wanted to be a pirate when she was a kid.
- Big Bad: As the infamous supervillain and supposed threat to the world at large. Subverted as she quickly becomes a protagonist along with Amy when the two fall in love.
- Dark Is Evil: Invoked. Lucy dresses is black for most of the movie
- Dark Is Not Evil: Though her actual personality, and later Heel–Face Turn significantly nullifies the "evil" bit.
- The Dreaded: Parodied and Subverted. Lucy has a reputation as a notorious supervillain and one of the biggest threats to the known world, and being on the move is enough to warrant a panic. She can clear a table at a Bad Guy Bar with a Death Glare, and she is most wanted by numerous agencies. When socializing, Lucy's actual personality is on the socially awkward and friendly side, and she tells Amy that much of her reputation is misinformation.
- Freudian Excuse: Downplayed as it isn't expanded on or really affects her, but it's mentioned she grew up in a crime family, of which she is the sole survivor and heir. She doesn't seem too beat up about it.
- Heel–Face Turn: Makes one to better herself for Amy, having given up her criminal empire and returned everything she stole in her career, opting to live a more legitimate life.
- Informed Attribute: Lucy's status as a supervillain and a threat. Aside from one half-hearted attempt to attack Australia (which she is easily talked out of) and a staged robbery, we never see that much of her villainy. On top of that she goes on to say the agents she "killed" in her career, never even met her and died of unrelated causes.
- Love at First Sight: Becomes instantly smitten upon meeting Amy and finding out more about her.
- Mafia Princess: Part of her backstory is that she is the heir and sole survivor of her family's crime syndicate.
- Stalking is Love: Lucy's seduction plan borders on this. Basically, setting up the usual supervillainish plots and traps, with the goal not being to kill the D.E.B.S. (well, not one-quarter of them), but to get Amy alone so they can talk.
- Villainous Breakdown: Subverted. After being rejected by Amy following the exposure of their relationship, she angrily plans to blast Australia with a death ray...only to easily be talked out of it by Scud, who instead encourages her Heel–Face Turn.
- Villainy-Free Villain: For a notorious criminal mastermind and supervillain, we do not see that much of her criminal activity aside from theft and gambling. She is considered The Dreaded for her reputation as a Hero Killer, but she later says that she hasn't even met the slain agents and had nothing to do with their deaths. She makes a half-hearted plan to destroy Australia, but is quickly talked down from it.
Janet
- Portayed by: Jill Ritchie
- Beta Couple: She and Scud end up hooking up and become the film's secondary couple in Lucy and Amy's shadow.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: At first is pretty standoffish and antagonistic about Amy and takes jabs at her sexuality, but this quickly dissolves as she goes back to being a rather preppy nice girl.
- Kick the Dog: Didn't seem comfortable about Amy's sexual realization, taking pot shots at her for being a "gay slut". It doesn't last pretty long and Amy doesn't take it all that personally, but it's still pretty jarring seeing as she's otherwise a friend to Amy.
- Pink Means Feminine: Contrast to Amy's Blue Is Heroic, Janet has more of a pink color scheme, be it in her room or her clothes.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: Subverted. She finds Amy almost kissing Lucy weird by virtue of Lucy being a girl, and takes a few potshots at Amy for being gay...but she quickly gets over it and becomes a secret supporter for the couple, apologizing to Amy over the phone.
- Secret-Keeper: She is the first to find out that Amy is gay and is attracted to Lucy. While she's against it at first, she quickly changes her tune and covers for them when Amy is "kidnapped" by Lucy. When Lucy and Amy's affair is revealed, Max and Dominique almost turn against Janet for knowing about it.
- Twofer Token Minority: Inverted. As a white heterosexual girl on her team, she is the only one one in her friend group who isn't a racial/ethnic minority (Max and Dominique), or a sexual one (Amy).
Max Brewer
- Portrayed by: Meagan Good
Amy's supposed best friend and initial team leader.
- Action Girl: Among her team, she is the most action-oriented and aggressive of the girls.
- Back Stabbing The Alpha Bitch: Inverted, as she's technically being the Alpha Bitch in this situation, but she almost turns on Amy after her relationship with Lucy is exposed. She is also the one who comes up with the cover story to frame Amy as a victim and tries to guilt her for being a bad friend and D.E.B.
- Heel–Face Turn: Max is one of the primary antagonistic characters to Amy and the one who comes up with the idea to force Amy to go with a cover story. On Endgame night, Janet and Dominique get the idea in Max's head that Amy may actually love Lucy, and Max realizes if she is Amy's friend she'd would support her. She lets Amy and Lucy go and covers for their escape, giving them her blessing and warning Lucy not to hurt her.
- If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her...: Directed to Lucy towards the end of the film, threatening to go after her if she hurts Amy. Lucy responds with "Deal".
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Despite her attitude and aggression, Max ultimately does care for Amy, even if she is unintentionally a Toxic Friend Influence. While she comes up with the Get Back in the Closet plan, she claims she is trying to look out for Amy, despite doing so at the expense of Amy's happiness. When it finally clicks on her that Amy is miserable, Max sides with Amy, letting her escape with Lucy and covering for them. She even gives Lucy a warning about hurting Amy.
- Professional Butt-Kisser: To Ms. Petrie, whom she constantly tries to kiss up to and hopes she'd get praise as a student. This is part of why Max comes up with a Cure Your Gays plan when Amy is "rescued". Ultimately, Max chooses her friendship with Amy, helping cover her and Lucy's tracks when they escape.
- Sassy Black Woman: Max is African-American, and while she does have an aggressive personality, we don't see that much sass from her, aside from this dialogue.Max: Who's your best friend?Amy: You are my best friend.Max: And what did I say to you the very first day at the Academy?Amy: "That's my bunk, bitch" ?
- Toxic Friend Influence: Max is unintentionally this to Amy, pressuring her to cut ties with Lucy and almost turning against her. At first she doesn't seem to care that she's making her miserable and thinks she is doing what's best for her. Luckily she wises up when she see's that Amy really does love Lucy, and what Amy is being put through, letting them escape at the end, while covering for them.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Both gives and receives this. She gives one to Amy about being a bad agent and having a secret relationship with Lucy. Max ends up on the receiving end by Janet and Dominique, who point out that Amy may actually love Lucy and what they are doing is making her miserable.
- With Friends Like These...: Max is supposedly Amy's best friend but is resentful throughout the movie when the latter becomes the team leader. She becomes especially hostile when she finds out about Amy's relationship with Lucy, and is the one who comes up with the cover story of Amy being Lucy's victim. The only reason we know that her friendship with Amy is genuine is due to her Heel–Face Turn.
Dominique
- Portrayed by: Devon Aoki
The fourth member of the team.
- Beta Bitch: To Max's Alpha Bitch, spending much of the movie in her shadow.
- Flat Character: She is the most one-note of the four girls, and her characterization boils down to a French Jerk gag.
- Funny Foreigner: Is a French student who is the source of much of the film's comic relief.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Domonique, along with Max, is one of the more standoffish of the D.E.B.S and fits the French Jerk stereotype. She later seems understanding of Amy and her feelings for Lucy, saying that matters of the heart cannot be controlled. When Amy runs away with Lucy, she tells her she's sad to see her go.
- Really Gets Around: A Running Gag regarding her is a habit of bringing boys into her room past curfew.
Scud
- Portrayed by: Jimmi Simpson
Lucy's supportive best friend and the leader of a mercenary squad that works for him.
- Affably Evil: To the point that he's only classified as a villain because he works for Lucy as her head mercenary.
- Beta Couple: Forms one with Janet in Lucy and Amy's shadow.
- The Dragon: To Lucy, being her head mercenary and confidant.
- Camp Straight: Scud is catty, gives Lucy relationship advice, wears a lot of pink, and gets into a relationship with Janet.
- Foil: To Bobby. Scud is The Dragon to Lucy and her mercenary army, while Bobby is an agent who works with the D.E.B.S. Scud is a genuine friend to Lucy, and a healthy boyfriend to Janet, while Bobby is a pushy, clingy ex-boyfriend who is possessive of Amy. Scud is Camp Straight, while Bobby projects the image of a Jerk Jock.
- Gay Best Friend: Inverted. Lucy is the gay one, with Scud being in her shadow. While Scud otherwise mimics the trope, he is shown to be Camp Straight.
- Heel–Face Turn: Insofar as you can call it that, but he and Lucy both give up their life of crime. For Scud, it's less significant because he wasn't exactly that evil to begin with, nor does he really do anything villainous. In fact, he encouraged Lucy's resignation.
- Informed Attribute: His role as Lucy's dragon and mercenary is even more murky a claim as Lucy's status as a dreaded supervillain.
- Minion with an F in Evil: Scud is The Dragon to Lucy, and one of the most genuinely decent characters in the film.
- Nice Guy: Scud is both Lucy's supportive best friend and a decent love interest to Janet. He's a helpful, decent guy throughout, encourages Lucy with her Heel–Face Turn, and genuinely befriends and hooks up with Janet while Amy and Lucy get close.
- Villainous Friendship: As noted, he is Lucy's best friend and confidant. Scud gives Lucy relationship advice, helps her with her problems, and generally never leaves her side.
Ms. Petrie
- Portrayed by: Holland Taylor
- Big Good: Subverted. Petrie is the head of the D.E.B.S. Academy and agency, although with her arrogant personality and interest in getting D.E.B.S. good publicity and reputation over stopping threats muddies things. Come the second half of the movie, things get switched around.
- Big Bad: Becomes this in the second half of the movie, as she pushes the Agency's efforts to cut Amy's ties from Lucy, at the threat of upending her life. Downplayed is that she isn't the one who comes up with Amy's "rehabilitation" (that would be Max), nor is she the active threat (that would be Bobby).
- Dean Bitterman: Petrie is the head of the Academy and agency, and is shown throughout to be an arrogant and dismissive person; especially caring more about her schools reputation, over actual supposed threats they're up against. She also ends up being on of the films main antagonists, threatening to upturn Amy's life when her relationship with Lucy is exposed, becoming more openly hostile and bitter towards her.
- Glory Hound: Talks a big game about stopping the "threat" of Lucy Diamond, though it quickly becomes transparent that her priority is boosting her agencies reputation and image.
- Good Is Not Nice: Despite running the supposedly heroic D.E.B.S. Academy, Petrie shown to be rather stuck up and arrogant, caring more about her academies image and reputation than the supposed threats they face. Subverted when she becomes antagonist; she becomes a lot more hostile and antagonistic towards Amy, approving of the plan to force Amy into “undoing” Lucy’s “brainwashing”, even making a potshot at Amy’s sexuality.
- Hate Sink: Despite being the supposed Big Good and head of the D.E.B.S. program, Petrie turns out to be an arrogant glory seeker who cares more about her program's reputation and image than actually stopping threats. When Lucy and Amy's relationship is discovered, she threatens to have Amy exiled and upturn her life, before agreeing to force Amy to claim she was a brainwashed captive and publicly denounce her relationship with Lucy.
- Jerkass: Throughout the film, Ms. Petrie is shown to be arrogant and dismissive, and during the second half, becomes more snide and antagonistic. It's also implied she is homophobic.
- Photo Op with the Dog: Throughout the first half of the movie, it's pretty clear she is trying to boost the academy's image as an heroic spy agency. This is taken literally when she takes a few photos with Amy after her "harrowing" encounter with Lucy.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Not made immediately explicit, but still implied. Ostensibly, her issue with Amy and Lucy's relationship is due to the latter being a supervillain and the damage it could do to D.E.B.S. reputation, but she takes a few disdainful potshots at Amy's sexuality. On top of that, the Academy's attempts to cut Amy's ties with Lucy and "fix" her, is an blatant commentary on Cure Your Gays.
- Non-Action Big Bad: Her credentials as the Big Bad only go as far as being the head of the Academy, and their attempts to “fix” Amy after “rescuing” her from Lucy. She never partakes in any action, with Bobby being being the more active and direct threat. Even then, Petrie isn’t the one who comes up with the Get Back in the Closet plan; it was Max’s idea that she convinced Petrie to go along with.
- Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: As stated above, she appears to care more about boosting the D.E.B.S. image and reputation over actually dealing with threats. She and the Academy would attempt to "fix" and isolate Amy, forcing her to go along with a cover story about being kidnapped and brainwashed, under the threat of upturning her life, in order to save the agency from embarrassment over Amy's affair with Lucy.
Mr. Phipps
- Portrayed by: Michael Clarke Duncan
- Bald of Authority: While he's not in charge of the Academy, he is in charge of handling the girls' missions and giving them information.
- Embarrassing Nickname: Downplayed. The D.E.B.S. have given him the Affectionate Nickname "Mr. P.", although it seems to mildly annoy him at worse.
- Incoming Ham: He is introduced waking the girls up for a meeting at the Academy by yelling at them to get up and ready in a manner akin to a roll call. This is hilariously at odds with his calm, reserved demeanor for the rest of the movie.
- Mr. Exposition: Is the one who reads the D.E.B.S. the information on Lucy Diamond, her backstory, and criminal history. He also tells Amy the truth about the SAT tests and what it really takes to be a spy.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Out of the D.E.B.S. Academy, he is the most understanding of Amy's feelings for Lucy, and even tells her what she needs to be told shortly before the Endgame. While most of the D.E.B.S. officials almost turn against Amy when her relationship with Lucy is uncovered, Mr. P. never shown any hostility towards her, nor does he take part in trying to cut Amy off from Lucy. Finally, he doesn't appear to participate in the final attempt to stop the couple from escaping.
Bobby Matthews
- Portrayed by: Geoff Stults
- All Men Are Perverts: Not immediately explicit, but his remarks about finding Amy's lesbianism sexy are used to highlight him as a skeevy creep.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: Towards Amy, clearly taking their breakup badly, and is pushy in trying to get back together with her. It's blatantly obvious that the reason he tries to kill Lucy in the climax is out of jealousy and spite.
- Cure Your Gays: Thinks he can do this with Amy, although he finds her lesbianism kind of hot.
- Dogged Nice Guy: An antagonistic example. He spends a lot of his screen time trying to win Amy over after she dumped him, though he quickly shows how pushy he is about it. He apparently buys her gifts to woo her, and when she’s forced back into a relationship with him, love bombs her when he “forgives” her for her fling with Diamond. Throughout, Bobby displays an entitled and controlling attitude towards Amy.
- Entitled to Have You: Once again, has this attitude regarding Amy and their relationship. He is possessive of her, and doesn't care about her actual feelings, wants, or needs. He is bitter over their breakup, and jealous to discover her affair with Lucy. The only "positive" thing he says about her lesbianism, is that he finds it hot.
- Foil: To Scud. Scud is a genuinely supportive friend to Lucy and a good boyfriend to Janet; Bobby feels entitled and possessive towards Amy. Scud is the leader of Lucy's mercenary army, but friendly to the point of not really being evil; while Bobby is an agent who works with the D.E.B.S., and one of the more scummy characters in the film. Scud is Camp Straight, while Bobby presents the image of a Jerk Jock.
- Girl on Girl Is Hot: How he sees Amy being a lesbian. Despite the fact this movie being a comedy, this isn't Played for Laughs. Instead this is used to highlight his scumminess towards her and their relationship.
- Hate Sink: As Amy's clingy, pushy, and controlling ex-boyfriend, Bobby not only refuses to accept their breakup, but take offense over her and Lucy's relationship - with the exception that her lesbianism is "hot". When Amy is forced to denounce Lucy, Bobby resumes dating Amy against her will, and soon tries to kill Lucy out of spite after Amy publicly declared her love for her.
- The Heavy: Ends up being one of the film's main antagonists. While Ms. Petrie is the technical Big Bad as head of the agency, pushing their attempts to "fix" Amy and cut off her ties with Lucy, Bobby is the more active antagonist; leading an attempt to kill Lucy and trying to impose a relationship on Amy, and chasing them down towards the end of the movie.
- Hero Antagonist: Can barely be called this in the first half of the film. He is a government agent who is monitoring Lucy's activity, and helps lead the "rescue" operation for Amy from what everyone believes to be a criminal who kidnapped her her. During the second half of the movie, Bobby loses the "Hero" part of this trope.
- Jerk Jock: Despite being a government agent, Bobby otherwise projects this image and attitude. He's muscular, hard-headed, arrogant, and immature, while also acting entitled towards Amy.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Bobby tries to act like he genuinely cares about Amy, but is a pushy, controlling boyfriend who cannot accept that Amy left him, especially for a girl. The closest to a positive comment he makes towards Amy's lesbianism is that he finds it sexy, which makes him out to be a pervert.
- Murder the Hypotenuse: Attempts this towards Lucy during the climax. It's obvious he's trying to keep her and Amy from getting back together, as opposed to seeing her as a threat.
- Psychopathic Manchild: Downplayed. Despite being a young adult, and an government agent at that, Bobby maintains a Jerk Jock image and attitude, even when he’s one duty. Throughout his appearances, he acts like an immature frat bro, and also plans/attempts to kill Lucy out of jealousy and spite for her and Amy’s relationship.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Not immediately obvious, but his entitled attitude towards Amy suggests he doesn't have much respect for women. Furthermore, his attitude regarding her and Lucy's relationship implies that he's not too proud that Amy hooked up with a girl, and his comments about it being hot shows that he sees lesbianism as superficial and sexy, disregarding how Amy actually feels. As with the Academy's Get Back in the Closet attitude, he thinks he can keep Amy "normal" by keeping her in the relationship.
Ninotchka Kaprova
- Portrayed by: Jessica Cauffiel
- Comedic Sociopathy : Throughout their date, Ninotchka tells stories of her murderous history to Lucy that are played for comedy. Notably, how she got dancing lessons in return for killing the lover of her instructor's cheating wife.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: The reason why she reveals Lucy's location to the D.E.B.S. in their search.
- Jerkass: Angrily tells Lucy that she will die alone when their date goes south. Later, she sells out her location to the D.E.B.S. when she finds Lucy and Amy out on a happy date.
- Psycho Lesbian: Between her and Lucy, she is clearly the more off her rocker of the two, with a touch of Clingy Jealous Girl above. Played for Laughs of course.
