Characters / Divergent

The Priors

Beatrice "Tris" Prior

Played by: Shailene Woodley, Elyse Cole (young)

The trilogy's heroine, Beatrice was born in Abnegation, one of the five factions and the one dedicated to the virtue of selflessness, and always felt overshadowed by her selfless brother and parents. Luckily for her, at the age of sixteen, everyone is given the option to switch faction. A day before the big ceremony, though, everyone must take a test to find out which faction they belong in. There Beatrice learns that she is Divergent, meaning that she is not suited to one particular faction but rather three very different ones — her own, Erudite, and Dauntless. In a rush of impulsiveness, Beatrice chooses Dauntless.

In the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice (or now Tris) must undergo numerous tests of bravery. Along the way she meets a lot of new friends, a lot of new enemies, and sparks a romance with the mysterious and elusive Four.

• A-Cup Angst: She feels that her small bust size makes her look even more as if she's too young. Though she's modestly endowed in the film.
• Action Girl: Becomes a full-fledged one after joining Dauntless due to the first stage of initiation.
• Adaptational Attractiveness: In the novel she is described as average looking, with a long nose. In the movie she is played by the gorgeous Shailene Woodley.
• Adaptational Hairstyle Change: Her Important Haircut in the Insurgent film is retained from the novels, but instead of cutting it to chin-length, she cuts all of it off to a pixie, thanks to Shailene Woodley's real life haircut for The Fault in Our Stars. She grows it out to chin length in Allegiant film. Unlike other cases of this, it's incorporated into the symbolism of her Character Development.
• Adaptation Dye-Job: She describes herself in the books as having blonde hair and blue eyes. In the movies, she has light brown hair and hazel eyes.
• Animal Motifs: Associated with crows and ravens.
• Battle Couple: With Four/Tobias, starting in the last act of the first book.
• Beware the Nice Ones: The Dauntless initially dismiss her as a simple "Stiff", since Abnegation is known for being the selfless faction. But she's a force to be reckoned with when you push her too far, as Molly finds out the hard way.
• Birds of a Feather: With Four as two former members of Abnegation in Dauntless.
• Boyish Short Hair: In the second and third movies, of course.
• Celibate Hero: Intimacy is one of her fears, and she and Four stop just short of sealing the deal a few times. Though while nothing explicit is stated, the ending/beginning of Chapters 41-42 in Allegiant heavily imply that they finally do the deed shortly before the big climax.
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: She at first seems like a small girl who wouldn't be remembered much, but she quickly proves herself to be quite a fighter.
• Death Seeker: In Insurgent she's looking for ways to die due to grief over the death of her parents, and her guilt over being forced to kill Will.
• Determinator: Once her mind is made up about something, she will see it through to the end. Her determination to save Chicago towards the end of Allegiant is so fierce that she is able to survive coming in contact with death serum.
• Doesn't Like Guns: As a result of shooting Will, Tris develops a gun-phobia.
• Expository Hairstyle Change: Very prominently in the films, where her hair is used as a clock to symbolise her character development. In Divergent, when she is part of Abnegation, it's tied up in a modest bun. When she joins Dauntless, it's kept in a ponytail. It only comes down whenever she's at her most vulnerable (usually when she's alone with Four). In The Divergent Series: Insurgent she cuts it drastically short, showing how she's haunted by what's happened to her. She forgives herself for everything at the end of the film, so it has grown longer by The Divergent Series: Allegiant to reflect this.
• Heroic Sacrifice: A major theme of her character arc is learning where and when to make sacrifices. At the end of Allegiant, she gives her life to stop the "reset" of Chicago via Laser-Guided Amnesia so that Caleb doesn't have to do it.
• The Hero Dies: She's the main character in the trilogy and dies in Allegiant after being shot several times.
• I Let Gwen Stacy Die: After she shoots a brainwashed Will to defend herself in Divergent, she angsts about his death for the rest of the series, and never fully forgives herself.
• The Immune: Tris is able to resist serums, like most Divergents. She is notably able to fight off Candor's truth serum in Insurgent, and cannot be killed by the Bureau's death serum in Allegiant. At multiple points, it is mentioned that her ability to resist is beyond that of most Divergents.
• Important Haircut: In Insurgent. She feels that she needs to protect her identity and show that she's taking on a new lifestyle, so she cuts her hair to chin length.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Has certainly become more jaded over the course of the novels. But she still has a kind heart and good intentions.
• Little Miss Badass: In the novels, she's short of stature. In the films, she's played by the tall Shailene Woodley. However, she's still physically weaker than others. This doesn't stop her from being able to kick some serious ass in the end.
• Meaningful Rename: She becomes known as Tris instead of Beatrice. While this is a nickname, it's meaningful because it is significant in the character adopting a Dauntless rather than Abnegation identity.
• The Napoleon: She's very small for a girl in her late teens, but she is quite the rebel and leader.
• Pintsized Powerhouse: She's smaller than others but is still a very competent fighter.
• Rasputinian Death: In Allegiant, the Bureau fails to catch her and kill her before she can enact the group's plan, and the death serum she comes in contact with on the way to the Weapons Lab doesn't work despite her not being inoculated against it - it takes an undignified cheap shot to kill her for good.
• Sherlock Scan: While nowhere near the almost superhuman level that this trope is often used, Tris is much more perceptive than average. This makes sense considering she got Erudite as part of her aptitude results.
• Spanner in the Works: Being Divergent makes her immune to the mind-control serum, which allows her to ultimately stop the attack on Abnegation.
• Spared by the Adaptation: Since the fourth movie has been canceled, Tris survives in the film series.
• Statuesque Stunner: This is averted hard in the books, but comes into play when she's portrayed by the 5'8 Shailene Woodley in the film.
• Tattoo as Character Type: Basic symbol; gets birds on her collarbone, as part of her original allegiance with Dauntless.
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: Tomboy to Christina's Girly Girl
• Took a Level in Badass: A major plot point of Divergent. She goes from receiving multiple No Holds Barred Beatdowns and languishing in the bottom ranks to a becoming a true Action Girl.
• Training from Hell: With Eric's new merciless vision of Dauntless and him leading the initiation, she goes through brutal training. Her origins as an Abnegation-born, small size and physical weakness give her some disadvantages.
• Underestimating Badassery: She is a small teenage girl. Far too often, she's assumed to be a non-threat - even when she's pointing a gun at them. But then they learn that's their mistake.
• Violently Protective Girlfriend: Especially against Marcus.
• Waif-Fu: She is very slender, and is often described as one of the smallest in her class in Divergent. This does NOT stop her from kicking every kind of ass.
• Weak, but Skilled: Physically weaker than most of her fellow Dauntless, she learns to make up for her lack of physical strength with her intelligence and strategic fighting, with some assistance from her instructor later boyfriend Four. Although in the 1st movie, she gets beaten both times by Peter and Molly rather than beating Molly, but learns to combat them better later during the "Capture The Flag scene" which boosts her position and barely passing the physical stage. Also she succeeded in beating up Peter several times over.
• What Beautiful Eyes!: Her blue eyes are said to be her best feature, contrasting sharply with the rest of her plain self.

Caleb Prior

Played by: Ansel Elgort

Tris's elder brother, whom she resents slightly but still loves. He transfers to Erudite but later leaves them prior to their attack on the Abnegation. His defection was fake, as he was really working as a spy for Jeanine.

• The Atoner: Clearly tries to be this in Allegiant for helping Jeannie.
• Death Equals Redemption: Subverted. In Allegiant, he volunteers to go on the Suicide Mission to the Bureau of Genetic Welfare's weapons laboratory. When Tris asks him why, Caleb admits that he wants to escape from his own guilt over betraying his family to Erudite, and hopes that Tris will finally forgive him once he goes through with it. She ultimately takes his place at the last minute because she would have rather he sacrifice his life for her out of true love, not guilt.
• The Mole: He was one for Jeanine when working with Tris.
• Purely Aesthetic Glasses: His vision is fine. He wears glasses to look more Erudite.
• Smart People Wear Glasses: Lampshaded when Tris mentioned that he only wears glasses to look smart, not because he actually needs them.

Natalie and Andrew Prior

Natalie Played by: Ashley Judd

Andrew Played by: Tony Goldwyn

Natalie

Andrew

Tris's parents, who are killed in Erudite's attack on Abnegation.

• Action Mom/Action Dad: Both prove to be effective in a gunfight at the end of the first book.
• Big Damn Heroes: Near the end of Divergent, Natalie rescues Tris from being drowned in a water tank, but is killed by Dauntless soldiers under mind control shortly afterwards.
• Conveniently Unverifiable Cover Story: Natalie was not born Dauntless; she was born in freaking Wisconsin, asked to join the community in Chicago by the Bureau partially because of her "undamaged genes," and partially to serve as The Mole. How did no one find this out? The Bureau wiped the memories of everyone in Dauntless to make them believe she had always been there.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Both of them give their lives to protect Tris during the attack on Abnegation in Divergent.

Edith Prior (Amanda Marie Ritter)

Played by: Janet McTeer

• Identity Amnesia: Willingly underwent this in an agreement with the Bureau of Genetic Welfare and became part of the Chicago experiment, seven generations before the events of the first book.
• Walking Spoiler: It's impossible to talk about her without spoiling Insurgent's ending, and by proxy, revealing the Bureau of Genetic Welfare.

Dauntless Initiates

Christina

Played by: Zoë Kravitz

Tris's best friend in Dauntless, she transferred from Candor.

• Back-to-Back Badasses: With Tris During the Dauntless games in the Film/Divergent and again in Film/Allegiant
• Brutal Honesty: As a result of her Candor upbringing, she tends to note her opinions rather frankly .
• Commonality Connection: In Allegiant, She and Uriah become very close because both of them lost someone important to them.
• Cynicism Catalyst: The death of Will made her much more jaded and mean.
• Deadpan Snarker: Comes with being born in Candor, she's pretty open about her feelings on subjects and is pretty sarcastic in expressing those feelings.
• A Friend in Need: She's always there for Tris, and later Uriah, then Tobias, and Tris does her best to help Christina during initiation as well.
• Just Friends: In Allegiant, Tris suspects that there might be something going on between Christina and Uriah when the two begin spending a lot of time together. However, Christina tells her plain and simply that the two are just good platonic friends, having bonded over the fact that the both of them have lost someone they loved.
• Reckless Sidekick: To Tris, being quicker to fight than her, especially in the second book.

Albert "Al"

Played by: Christian Madsen

A friend of Tris's in Dauntless who is kind-hearted, though weak and quite emotionally volatile. He quickly goes from having a crush on Tris to feeling intimidated by her success in the 2nd stage and thus agrees to participate in a plan to murder Tris. When she doesn't forgive him for trying to kill her, he throws himself into the chasm.

• Butt-Monkey: Nothing goes well for him. He is too afraid of hurting others to actually fight during the first phase of initiation, the fear serum destroys his mind in the second phase, he's attracted to a girl who'd much rather prefer their instructor, when he messes up said girl refuses to forgive him, and he commits suicide.
• Dirty Coward: Accused of being this after he almost kills Tris because he felt intimidated by her.
• Driven to Suicide: Peter somehow convinces him to help out in a plot to kill Tris. He feels guilty afterwards, and when she refuses to forgive him, Al throws himself into the chasm and takes his own life.
• Gentle Giant: Al is much bigger than everyone else, yet is so afraid of hurting others he refuses to fight during the first phase of initiation.
• Nice Guy: He was the most sensitive of the Dauntless initiates, and therefore one of the kindest. Unfortunately, this is what led to his demise.
• Tears of Remorse: After he almost kills Tris, she next sees him bawling his eyes out with regret.

Peter Hayes

Played by: Miles Teller

An enemy of Tris's in Dauntless. Described as being "pure evil". And how.

• Always Second Best: He doesn't take being placed below Edward and Tris very well (Read: attacks them for doing better than him)
• Amnesiacs are Innocent: Played completely straight in Allegiant. It's heavily implied that losing his memories was more or less a cure for his sociopathy.
• Being Evil Sucks: In Allegiant, he reveals to Tobias in the closing chapters that he hates constantly "doing bad things and liking it, and then wondering what's wrong with [him]", and that he wants to start over as a blank slate. He gets his wish when he voluntarily downs a vial of memory serum at the end, erasing his memories.
• Berserk Button: Being in second place is apparently a sore spot for him, as evidenced when he stabs Edward in the eye for beating him in the initiates ranking.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: He's very good at acting innocent despite his sadism.
• Blatant Lies: He claims he isn’t murderous despite attempting to throw Tris over the chasm earlier.
• The Bully: Peter is the entire package, he's definitely capable of physical harm but tends to resort to verbal torments.
• Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: He actively betrays Tris and Co. at least once per book. One can't help but wonder why they even continue associating with him.
• Deadpan Snarker: Par for the course being born Candor.
• Debt Detester: After bullying Tris mercilessly and molesting her, he saves her life in Insurgent because she saved his. Tris absolutely does not understand his perspective. Not at ALL.
• Even Evil Has Standards: He may be a sociopathic attempted murderer but he will not leave a debt unpaid, which is why he ends up saving Tris's life in Insurgent.
• Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: Looks naturally kind and innocent, but is actually a bully and Ax-Crazy.
• Groin Attack: Tris kicks him in the crotch at one point in the first book.
• Heel–Face Revolving Door: Flip-flops between helping out the protagonists and stabbing them in the back so frequently that, by the middle of Allegiant, it's extremely difficult to tell just whose side he's on.
• Heel Realization: In Allegiant, he realizes how disgusting he is and is driven to restart his life via mindwipe.
• Identity Amnesia: In Allegiant, he willingly rids himself of all his memories of who he was and what he's done, because he doesn't want to be that person anymore, but he knows he won't do the work to become a better person on his own. Tobias notes that Peter even needs to be reminded of his own name after he wipes his mind clean.
• Jerkass: He goes out of his way to make Tris's life miserable, from throwing petty insults to outright sexually assaulting her and trying to kill her.
• Pet the Dog: Peter giving Tris the time in Erudite headquarters after she's been told she is going to be executed the next day. It's a small comfort to her, since he's technically betraying Jeanine a bit by doing so.
• Pretty Boy: He is described as good-looking by other characters. It doesn't make him any less cruel, though.
• Wild Card: In Insurgent, he initially is a reluctant ally to Tris, then betrays her to Jeanine and at the end he berays her and saves Tris. This is played up even more in the Allegiant movie where he sides with David and helps with the plan to wipe the memories of everyone in Chicago, only to spoil those plans when he realizes he'll be affected to, but still runs back to David since he now has nowhere left to run.
• Would Hit a Girl: He relishes his fight with Tris.

Will

Played by: Ben Lloyd-Hughes

One of Tris's friends in Dauntless and eventually Christina's boyfriend. Towards the end of the novel, he runs into Tris while under Mind Control and she is required to shoot him.

• Boom, Headshot!: How Tris kills him. She shoots him in the head when he is under mind control.
• Insufferable Genius: As a result of being an Erudite transfer, he gets on the less intellectual Dauntless' nerves.
• Nice Guy: He's loyal to his friends when they’re at their worst.

Uriah Pedrad

Played by: Keiynan Lonsdale

A Dauntless-born initiate who eventually befriends Tris. May or may not harbor romantic feelings for her.

• The Alcoholic: Zeke tells Four that his brother has a bit of a drinking problem in Allegiant. Confirmed later when Four finds and confiscates a flask underneath his pillow.
• Big Eater: He enjoys his snacks.
• Commonality Connection: In Allegiant, he and Christina become very close because both of them lost someone important to them.
• Nice Guy: Nice enough to invite Tris to go zip lining despite not knowing her very well.

Marlene

Played by: Suki Waterhouse

A friend of Uriah's and Lynn's, and eventually Tris's. She has purple hair.

• The Bet: Let Lynn shoot a can off of her head on a bet.
• Genki Girl: Bright, chipper and eager to make friends.
• Psychic-Assisted Suicide: She walks off a roof to her death while she is being mind-controlled by a simulation.
• Sacrificial Lion: She is killed by Jeanine in Insurgent, driving Tris to sacrifice herself and turn herself in at Erudite HQ.
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: Girly girl to Lynn's Tomboy, dressing more fashionably and being more outgoing.

Lynn

Played by: Rosa Salazar

Dauntless-born girl. Started out cold and mean, then ended up somewhat... less cold and mean.

• Boyish Short Hair: Has a shaved head befitting her tomboy nature.
• Butch Lesbian: A very definite tomboy who turns out to have feelings for Marlene.
• Defrosting Ice Queen: She's the coldest of her circle to Tris, but they get closer while fighting together in Insurgent.
• Dying Declaration of Love: Admits her feelings for Marlene before dying.

Dauntless Members

Eric

Played by: Jai Courtney

The youngest of the Dauntless leaders who was in the same initiate class as Four. He was originally from Erudite and is plotting to destroy Beatrice's home faction.

• Adaptational Attractiveness: In the book, Eric is described as having a frightening and repugnant appearance. In the film, he certainly still has an intimidating presence, but is actually pretty good looking.
• Ax-Crazy: He's very cruel and violent and seems to have zero qualms about hurting others.
• Boom, Headshot!: When he is on trial for crimes against the Dauntless, Tobias shoots him in the head after Eric tries to make Tobias feel guilty for executing him.
• Defiant to the End: His last words are a sneer directed at Four.
  Eric: "You didn’t like that question? What, afraid the Dauntless are going to change their minds about you? Realize that even though you’ve only got four fears, you’re still a coward?"
• The Dragon: He's Jeanine's main enforcer, being one of the leaders of Dauntless and the one in charge of searching for Divergents.
• Evil Genius: Tris finds out that his cruel and emotional demeanor is just an act and that under that facade is a cold and calculating former Erudite.
• Foil: To Four. He preaches all-out combat with no mercy rules, while Four preaches fair fights with protective rules.
• Hypocrite: He preaches the idea of "Faction before Blood" but actually works for his former Faction's leader.
• Kick the Dog: Several instances - putting Christina in the chasm for 5 minutes, preparing to throw knives at Al's head and trying to shoot a supposed mindless, defenseless Four to state his jealousy come to mind.
• Nerves of Steel: In Divergent, he describes his method of overcoming fear as using rationality and reason to remain level-headed. Indeed, he is completely rational and calm when facing his death in Insurgent.
• Obviously Evil: He makes no effort to hide his sadism and contempt towards the Initiates.
• The Rival: He and Four have this vibe, with it starting when they were Initiates together.
• Sadist Teacher: He runs the initiation and isn't above hanging Christina above the chasm or having Four throw knives at Tris.
• Always Second Best: Eric became leader by default and Jeannine's design while Four was top of class in all stages and was 1st and popular pick for Dauntless leadership.
• Would Hurt a Child: In Insurgent, he shoots a Candor child in the head at point blank, simply because at his age, his Divergence wouldn't be developed enough, making him useless to Jeanine.
• You Wouldn't Shoot Me: He taunts Four with this, thinking the latter won't bring himself to kill him. Four actually does shoot him dead.

Four/Tobias Eaton

Played by: Theo James

Tris's main love interest, an eighteen-year-old Dauntless boy and instructor. We learn later that he originally transferred from Abnegation and was subject to being beaten with a belt by his father as a child, which is the main reason he transferred.

• Abusive Parent: Tobias's worst fear is his own father who used to beat him as a child. Which is why he transferred.
• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Top of his class throughout his initiation, his skills and reputation adds to his authority. Even though Eric became the youngest leader, Four was the first choice for leadership. Ultimately, Four becomes one of the leaders of Dauntless in Insurgent after Eric's execution.
• Back-to-Back Badasses: With Tris
• Badass Teacher: Is instructor to the initiates during their training.
• Beware the Quiet Ones: Theo James, who portrays Four in Divergent Series, describes Four as "having an old-school quality." He doesn't say much but he exudes power & strength regardless. You him walking towards you, you instinctively take a step backwards. Four's someone who doesn't need to throw his weight around and is quiet and observant.
• Birds of a Feather: He and Tris are both Divergent, both transfers to Dauntless from Abnegation, and both had council members as parents.
• Claustrophobia: He is afraid of small spaces, which is from a childhood punishment.
• Face Your Fears: Subverted. He has exactly four fears, but doesn't fully overcome any of them and instead just makes sure they don't dominate him.
• Foil: To Eric. He preaches fair fights with protective rules, while Eric preaches all-out combat with no mercy rules.
• Genius Bruiser: Physically imposing, only 4 fears and his fighting skills are most notable as his identity as Four however his main work is the Intelligence portion of Dauntless once initiation is over and he's arguably the most strategic of the core cast.
• Good Is Not Soft: From not letting up in his training of Tris to begin with to shooting Eric, he's a good guy, but not particularly coddling.
• Had to Be Sharp: Chose Dauntless not only to escape his father's abuse but to learn to defend himself . He's also aware that there's change in the air that is a threat to him and he must tread carefully(and to protect Tris when he discovers that she's Divergent as well as her becoming his girlfriend)
• Horrible Judge of Character: Played with in Literature/Insurgent & Literature/Allegiant. He has no problem identifying Marcus as a bad person or Tris as strong or brave, but becomes the Unwitting Pawn to multiple characters in the series. In the cases of Evelyn and Nita, they try to make it up to him, however.
• Hunk: his looks are mentioned a couple of times with a strong emphasis on how his handsome he is.
• I Just Want to Be Special: Played with. He sees his Divergent status as something special that makes him different, but the reveal in Allegiant that he ISN'T actually Divergent greatly hurts his pride.
• I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Uriah slips into a coma, brain damaged beyond hope after being caught in the rebellion attack in Allegiant. Four blames himself, since he participated in the attack, and like Tris with Will he never really lets go of his guilt.
• Lightning Bruiser: Evident in his fighting skills and physical finesse.
• Meaningful Rename: He decided to call himself Four because he only has four fears in the fear landscape, which is notable as most people have at least ten. His original name was Tobias, but as he was abused by his father that's also one reason he wanted to abandon that identity.
• Nerves of Steel: There are several instants where he completely such as Eric holding a gun to his head without flinching since he's pretending to be under simulation. (Also see One-Man Army.)
• One-Man Army: Four's more than able to handle a fight against multiple attackers. In Divergent, he saves Tris from being thrown into the chasm by Peter, Drew & Al. In Film/Insurgent, he takes down several Factionless on the train heading towards the city. In Film/Allegiant, Four was being escorted back to Chicago in a ship full of Bureau soldiers but they were ordered to assassinate him by David. Four defeats them all except one, the way only Four can do.
• Tall, Dark, and Handsome
• Tattoo as Character Type: Has tattoos of all the faction insignias to symbolize that he wants the traits of someone from all factions.

Tori

Played by: Maggie Q

Dauntless tattoo artist and later Dauntless leader. Was the one who originally tested and discovered that Tris is divergent.

• Action Girl: She's trained to be this as Dauntless and proves to have not lost her skills in Insurgent.
• All for Nothing: Her Roaring Rampage of Revenge to avenge her brother George’s death in Insurgent and death in Allegiant amount to this, after The Reveal that her brother George is alive and outside the fence.
• Revenge Before Reason: In Insurgent, she becomes so obsessed with avenging her brother, she ignores Tris's pleads to spare Jeanine and kills her. Even after her revenge is complete, she brands Tris (a girl who she's interacted friendlily with in the past) a war criminal, instead of hearing her out.
• Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Undergoes a belated one in Insurgent during the attack on Erudite headquarters she goes berserk while trying to kill Jeanine our the deaths of George and various friends.
• Sugarand Ice: Detached and distant to most people, she shows her warmer side to Four & Tris.

Zeke (Ezekiel Pedrad)

Older brother to Uriah and Shauna's boyfriend.

• Big Brother Instinct: Zeke cares a lot about his younger brother and shows concern and grief about his plight in the third book.
• The Mole: In Insurgent he's initially listed as one of those who sided with Max but turns out to have been a spy. Tris, Uriah and the others (who'd thought he was a real traitor) are surprised, to which Zeke quips that it defeats the purpose of being a spy if people know that you are one.

Shauna

Older sister to Lynn and Zeke's girlfriend.

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Lauren

Another Dauntless Instructor who teaches the Dauntless-born initiates.

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• Cool Teacher: Although most of her training is off-screen, she's one of the more encouraging, yet still confident trainers.
• Daddy's Girl: Heavily implied, she mentions her father dying as one of her phobias from the fear landscape.
• Nice Girl: She's polite to Tris, seems well-liked by her own Initiates and is among those who sides against the Erudite conspiracy.

Erudite

Jeanine

Played by: Kate Winslet

The series' Big Bad and the leader of Erudite, the rival of Tris's old faction. She believes that the Abnegation, despite enforcing The Evils of Free Will, hoard food and plan to take over the other factions.

• Action Survivor: To an extent in the movie. Despite having little skills in fighting, she survives the attack on the Erudite control center where many other didn't with her wit.
• Big Bad: She's the driving force behind the feud between Erudite and Abnegation, and orders the attack on Abnegation in Divergent. In Insurgent she continues to hunt down Divergent for her evil plans.
• Disc-One Final Boss: Is murdered by Tori at the end of Insurgent, before The Bureau makes its entrance in Allegiant.
• Evil Genius: She has the highest tested IQ in all of the Erudite faction, and she's not a nice person.
• Kick the Dog: Not only does she try to have Tris executed at the end of the first book, but she decides to recreate one of Tris' greatest fears as the method of execution.
• Nerves of Steel: She’s often unflappable in the face of danger.
• Non-Action Big Bad: She is not a fighter due to being Erudite.
• Obliviously Evil: Jeanine believes herself to be the most moral, righteous person in the world, despite her evil plans and all the pain and suffering she has inflicted upon the denizens of her city.
• Spock Speak: Being a member of Erudite, she can speak very intelligently all the time.
• The Strategist: She is shown to be pretty good at strategy when she wants to.
• Villain with Good Publicity: Idolized by her subjects. This was lampshaded by Tris at one point.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Genuinely wants what's best for society even though she does it the wrong way.

Cara

Older sister to Will and member of the Erudite who switches sides.

• Bearer of Bad News: In Allegiant, she's the one who tells Tobias that Tris died.
• Enemy Mine: Of a sort in Insurgent, she extremely dislikes Tris (due to Tris shooting a brainwashed Will) but is fully willing to assist in Tris's plans. She even admits to Christina that logically, Tris did what had to be done.

Fernando

A member of Erudite who rebels against Jeannie with Cara.

• Deadpan Snarker: He's talkative, and not afraid to hold back with dry observations and insults towards people like Caleb.
• Ship Tease: He flirts with Cristina a little.

Ella

A pre-teen Erudite member who works with Cara and Fernando.

• Innocent Prodigy: She's very smart but still shows several childish attributes, sticking her tongue out when annoyed.

Others

Marcus Eaton

Played by: Ray Stevenson

Leader of Abnegation and father of Tobias. Also Divergent.

• Abusive Parent: He regularly beat his son and wife with a belt when they were still with him.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: In Allegiant, after the peace treaty is formed, he leaves Chicago and no one knows what happens to him.

Evelyn Johnson-Eaton

Played by: Naomi Watts

Defacto leader of the factionless and mother of Tobias. Was presumed dead due to childbirth.

• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: In Insurgent, she comes off as the loving mother of Tobias who regrets leaving him as a child. But Tris has her suspicions of her, which are confirmed at the end when she betrays the Dauntless and chooses to establish an oppressive government of her own.
• Love Redeems: In Allegiant, when given the choice between reclaiming her son Tobias's affection or holding on to power in the city, she chooses Tobias. And she's much happier for it.
• Missing Mom: For Four. In Four: A Divergent Collection, it's presented in the traditional "my kind mother is gone", but by the time of the main series, after Four discovered that Evelyn disappeared on purpose, he's much more bitter and prefers for her to stay that way. No longer so, after the events of Allegiant.
• Not Quite Dead: The audience and Tris is led to believe she died giving birth to Tobias. She turns up alive when her son encounters her at a factionless location and identifies her.
• You Are Worth Hell: Ultimately, she would rather have Tobias around as her son than to exact revenge on her husband and controlling the city. Even if that means swallowing her pride and having to face her abusive husband and possibly be put at risk herself in Allegiant.

Edward

Played by: Ben Lamb

A former Dauntless trainee. Dropped out after losing his eye to an attack by Peter. Later becomes a major player in the factionless.

• Cynicism Catalyst: Losing an eye will do that to you. He's barely recognizable as the person he used to be.
• Eye Scream: He is on the receiving end of one via a butter knife because he ended up first on the initiate ranking. Peter does not like being in second place.
• Like a Son to Me: Seems like this to Evelyn, given her strained relationship with Tobias and her reaction to his death.
• Offscreen Breakup: His girlfriend Myra joined Dauntless with him (despite lacking the skills for it) and later voluntarily followed him to the Factionless but is mentioned as having broken up with him due to his dark personality change.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: In Divergent, he seems like a skilled fighter but otherwise average kid. When she runs into him again in Insurgent, he's noticeably darker - to the point that Myra has left him and he's eager to hurt and kill his old enemies.

Johanna Reyes

Played by: Octavia Spencer

Representative of Amity and longtime friend of Marcus Eaton. Becomes a major player in Insurgent, and particularly in the final novel, where she leads the Allegiant and brokers peace between them and the Factionless.

• But Now I Must Go: Due to her conscience conflicting with the group decision, she leaves Amity in Insurgent.
• Good Scars, Evil Scars: Subverted. While her scar is obvious, ugly by most standards, and even impedes her speech, both Tobias and Tris say it somehow makes her more beautiful and strong.

Jack Kang

The head of Candor.

• Armor-Piercing Question: After injecting those brought before him with truth serum, he wants to know if:
  Jack: Do you feel justified with what you did for Jeanine?
• Ascended Extra: Downplayed, but in the films he does eventually take a stand, serving as a lieutenant of Evelyn and helping bring the corrupt Dauntless and Erudite members to justice, albeit in a somewhat sinister fashion, while in the books he disappeared from the narrative well before the end of the war.
• The Atoner: In the films, he expresses shame for his poor conduct in the war, and proceeds to dose Jeanine's accomplices with truth serum, to find out which ones were complicit and unrepentant (with speedy executions following soon afterwards).
  Jack: My personal failure has only strengthened my resolve to make things right.
• Enhanced Interrogation Techniques: Doses people with very potent truth serum in public while asking them harsh questions.
• Kneel Before Zod: Submits to Erudite's forces rather than fight them, to the disgust of the Dauntless Loyalists.
• Lawful Stupid: Tries to remain neutral during the war between factions, which goes over poorly.
• Rousing Speech: Gives one about the importance of justice, and commitments to his old ideals before the trials of the Erudite and Dauntless leaders who supported Jeannie.
• Smug Snake: Max accuses him of such, trying to bargain with him from a position of weakness while acting like their equals.

Robert and Susan Black

The Eaton's neighbors, and quasi-friends.

• Ship Tease: Tris thinks that her brother and Susan have some in the first book, although they have a very restrained way of showing it.
• Stepford Smiler: Contrary to Tris's beliefs, Robert is also apparently unhappy as an Abnegation and joins Amity instead.

The Bureau

Fully known as The Bureau For Genetic Welfare, supported by the Fallen States of America. It is the organization responsible for the walling off of Chicago and has been in existence for at least eight generations after the Purity War that killed half the population.

• Last of Their Kind: The Bureau that oversees Chicago is the only one that still survives and kicking. Others (including the ones overseeing Milwaukee and Indianapolis) had failed in their jobs and allowed the citizens in their respective cities, be them genetically damaged or pure, to commute in and out. Eventually, Chicago's Bureau also meets their fate.
• Man Behind the Man: Allegiant reveals that the Bureau gave Erudite the attack simulation used to kill members of Abnegation in Divergent.
• Super Breeding Program: People who entered the Bureau's walled off community in Chicago had to agree to have as many children as possible, with the purpose of eventually making "genetically pure" or "genetically healed" humans, known as Divergents.
• Walking Spoiler: Any information about them reveals what's outside the walls.

David

Played by: Jeff Daniels

The head of the Bureau outside Chicago.

• Affably Evil: His polite and Nice Guy tendecies are genuine, and he really does care for Tris, especially since she is the daughter of his crush, Natalie. Which just makes his complete 180 degrees opposite characterization in the second part of the novel all the more shocking, since, even with all the fiasco that is attempting to wipe the memories of his subjects and killing Tris, he is just a hard-working man with a misguided agenda.
• Love Makes You Evil: Implied that the reason he became such an extremist was because His crush fell in love with someone else and defied orders just to be with him.
• Utopia Justifies the Means: All he wants is for humanity to return back to their natural state, which is done by having more genetically pure children born from genetically damaged families inside the walled cities. Yet he's willing to take away the free will of hundreds and thousands of people, many times over, just to achieve it.

Nita

Played by: Nadia Hilker

A member of the Bureau and one of the GDs. She wanted to rebel against the Bureau because of their discrimination against "Genetically Damaged" people like her, but ultimately fails.

• Only Known by Their Nickname: Her full name is Juanita.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: She wants to stop the Bureau from further discriminating against the genetically damaged like herself (especially when the reader finds out how extreme they, or rather just David, go to uphold it), though her method to do it isn't nice to say the least. She even designs a bomb with Four which indirectly causes Uriah's brain damage and eventual death.

Matthew

Played by: Bill Skarsgård

A scientist in the Bureau and a GP friend to Tris and Nita.

• Star-Crossed Lovers: He was once in love with a GD girl who died before they could fully realize their relationship. Even if she didn't die, they couldn't be together anyway, due to the society's unbelievable discrimination against the GD.
• The Smart Guy: Acts as one for Tris's group alongside Cara. He's an expert on serums and genetics.

Amar

Former Dauntless instructor who now works for the Bureau. Is Divergent. Was Four and Eric's instructor during initiation.

• Blind Obedience: Is a staunch believer in what the Bureau teaches about genetic damage and genetic purity, despite living with "genetically damaged" people for most of his life.
• Survival Mantra: "Adapt!", which is what he would say to initiates.

George Wu

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