This character page is for the Jem cartoon. For examples pertaining to the Jem and the Holograms (IDW) comic go here.

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Jem and the Holograms

As a Whole

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2a43de22_79c8_4d12_a893_0d4b36f23ba9.jpeg

The Holograms are a female quartet, later quintet, led by the eponymous lead singer Jem. Including Kimber Benton (songwriter and keyboard), Aja Leith (guitar), Shana Elmsford (drums, then bass guitar), and later Raya Alonso (drums), the Holograms spread forth messages of truth, love, and happiness. They're aided by stage manager Rio Pacheco, as well as the powerful AI Synergy, who produces a hologram that disguises Starlight Music executive Jerrica Benton as Jem. The Holograms also deal with the mischievous Misfits and manipulative Stingers on numerous occasions.

Action Girl: The band had several talents beyond singing, including surfboarding, driving, and skiing. Jem skateboarding in heels, then hang-gliding, in Broadway Magic could qualify alone.
Damsel out of Distress: Although sometimes needing assistance or flat-out rescue, it's far outnumbered by the times Jem and the Holograms use their wits and resources (like Synergy) to get themselves out of danger. Not having to be rescued (especially by a male) all the time was an aim of the show.
Five-Token Band: Contrasted to the all-white Misfits and Stingers. Shana and Aja are Kimber and Jerrica's foster sisters, but this isn't explained for quite a while. Then they add a new member and even more racial diversity with Raya.
Four-Temperament Ensemble: Kimber (sanguine), Aja (choleric), Shana (phlegmatic), and Jerrica (melancholic, though she's more phlegmatic as Jem). Raya is more of a leukine fifth addition.
Good Is Dumb: They're mostly virtuous characters with good hearts and they're not completely lacking in smarts (as they know how to run a record business and an orphanage, plus their own individual talents), but if not for Synergy or some other Deus ex Machina, they would be killed, imprisoned or otherwise ruined on a fairly regular basis. It's witnessed both on an individual standpoint, like in The Fan where Jem willingly stayed in a dangerous situation in spite of an abundance of suspicious clues around her, or the whole group, as seen in A Father Should Be..., when searching for Ba Nee's father, they let a sleazy guy who didn't even know her name and had to be corrected numerous times about it walk off with her who wasn't her father at all but a con artist. This isn't even getting into all of the illegal things that Eric Raymond, the Misfits and their associates have done to them, which in spite of all the evidence and other routine threats made by them to the group, they usually don't bother to press charges.
Good Is Not Dumb: Despite making their own mistakes and everyone who regularly tries to take advantage of them and other innocent people, even when facing ruthless and experienced opponents, Jem and the Holograms consistently save the day and come out on top. It's not because of Synergy, but because they're all smart enough (among other things) to know how to deploy her wisely and keep her secrets.
Happily Adopted: Aja and Shana are former Benton foster children, now Family of Choice. It's unclear whether Emmett and Jacqui ever officially adopted them, though, especially since they have their own surnames.
Light Feminine and Dark Feminine: Jem and the Holograms are the Light Feminine band to their Dark Feminine rivals the Misfits. Rapture and Minx also count as two more examples of Dark Feminine, introduced later.
Named After Somebody Famous: They're all named after people and things involved in holography. The Benton hologram is also known as the "rainbow hologram".
Nice Girls: Double subversion. They're sisters running a foster home. Despite then becoming glamorous, energetic, popular rock stars who could have easily had their heads turned by fame overnight, they're all still kind, caring, completely unpretentious, and ready to help whenever they can.
Not So Above It All: Despite trying to be All Loving Heroines, Jem and the Holograms don't quite always succeed, occasionally being smug, self-righteous, and angry. Examples include A Change Of Heart and Music Is Magic. They finally make a video the Misfits would be proud of in Video Wars.
Secret-Keeper: They're the only ones out of the main cast who know of Jerrica's identity as Jem.
True Companions: The original quartet are all sisters (Jerrica and Kimber are biological sisters and Aja and Shana are their foster sisters) and they are there for each other through thick and thin.

Jerrica Benton/Jem

Voiced by: Samantha Newark (speaking) and Britta Phillips (singing); Maggie Vera (Latin Spanish dub)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2858c1f8_e2c2_461d_8841_848a9a4f3889.png

Jerrica is Jem, and Jem is Jerrica. Through use of the Synergy AI created by her late father, Jerrica becomes the truly outrageous rock singer Jem. As Jerrica, she manages both Starlight Music and the Starlight House foundation. In both identities, Jerrica deals with an unexpected love triangle concerning life-long friend Rio Pacheco, and the machinations of Eric Raymond and the Misfits.

'80s Hair:
- As Jem, of course. She has big, teased hair.
- More mildly with Jerrica's long bob.
Act of True Love: Whether you believe it's romantic or simply charitable or Jerrica consciously or unconsciously dealing with the sudden losses of her own parents (which would put a slight spin on this trope), Jem went above and beyond helping Riot reunite with his parents in Riot's Hope and almost certainly saving his mother's life. Given the way the episode shows her affection for him and has her praise him, it certainly skews more to this than her ethics or her own traumas.
Benevolent Boss: She might get bossy or a bit short-tempered, but Jerrica cares very deeply about everything she does and everyone she's responsible for.
Berserk Button: Almost anything to do with Eric Raymond. Jem and the rest of their complicated relationship are also sore spots with Rio. Jerrica is generally more easygoing as Jem, so O.O.C. Is Serious Business whenever Jem starts yelling.
Betty and Veronica: The Archie to Rio (Betty) and Riot (Veronica) after the introduction of the Stingers. Jerrica herself is the Betty to Jem's Veronica, with regards to Rio.
By the Power of Grayskull!: To transform into Jem, she touches her earrings and says, "Showtime, Synergy!" To turn back into Jerrica, she says, "Show's over, Synergy."
Clark Kenting: She doesn't even change her voice or actions very much as Jem, relying on Synergy's holograms to be impenetrable.
Clingy Jealous Girl: Inverted and played straight. Jerrica has a habit of showing interest in other men to make Rio jealous. Jem is also sometimes jealous of Jerrica Benton, and again vice versa. This is Lampshaded twice by both Eric Raymond and Riot.
Confronting Your Imposter: Clash in One Jem Too Many, where Jem puts her on the spot by challenging her to do a live vocal (this one by Samantha Newark).
Cool Big Sis: As Jem to the Starlight Girls. Subverted as Jerrica since the girls see her as a mother figure.
Crush Blush: Jem, when Riot's brought up at the start of Riot's Hope, and a young Jerrica over Rio in flashbacks from Out of the Past.
Dating Catwoman: The enigmatic Riot, in a rarer female-hero example. It's especially noticeable given how many guys' attentions Jem managed to gracefully decline prior to meeting him.
Disappeared Dad: Emmett Benton's death leaves Jerrica battling for control of both the music company and the foster home he started.
Dude Magnet: Jem attracts guys like flies to honey, including Rio, Riot, and many other one-episode characters.
Dub Name Change: In the Polish dub she is called Jessica Benton.
Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Usually the Responsible as Jerrica to Kimber's Foolish.
Gaslighting: The Misfits latest scheme in The Fan nearly caused Jem to have a mental breakdown.
The Heart: Not only Jem and the Holograms, but Starlight Music itself disintegrates into chaos and bankruptcy almost instantly, when Jerrica runs off as Jem.
The Hero: Complete with sufficiently-advanced earrings to wield.
Honest Corporate Executive: The source of her troubles with her Corrupt counterpart Eric—Jerrica could also easily make more money and have a much less-stressful life if she didn't care so much about being one. Lampshaded as late as both parts of The Stingers Hit Town in Season 3.
Hypocrite: Jem sings about "the real me" and "believing in yourself", when she's not real, and Jerrica needs to use her to handle things. Jerrica says Riot acts as though he has a light inside he can turn on and off at will... when she uses a light at will to disguise herself. Jerrica's motives are mainly noble and selfless, but her double life leaves her very easy prey to being and doing this.
Innocent Blue Eyes: "Who is he kissing when he looks into my eyes? Who?" Subverted every time she changes to Jem, with her eye color first being darker blue, and later violet.
Kiss-Kiss-Slap: With Riot in The Stingers Hit Town Pt. 2. He doesn't want her to leave; Jem wants to run after Rio. Exactly What It Says on the Tin.
The Leader: Along with being The Hero and The Heart.
Literally Loving Thy Neighbor: Rio's Girl Next Door, at least in the days of the old Starlight House.
Living a Double Life: The only ones who know her secret are the Holograms, a few people overseas, and the President of the United States.
Loves My Alter Ego: Both Rio and Riot have strong feelings for Jem. Jerrica's insecurities about this turn into the main plot of Midsummer Night's Madness.
Love Triangle: Jerrica and Jem have a stressful ongoing Two-Person Love Triangle and non-exclusive relationship with Rio, which then widens when Riot enters the picture and he and Jem take a great deal of interest in each other.
Mama Bear: For the Starlight Girls. "These are my foster children."
Magic Idol Singer: A rare western example; while Jerrica becomes Jem with very advanced and realistic holograms instead of magic, she otherwise follows the trope very closely. Much of the series hinges on Jerrica keeping her identity as Jem a secret.
Mask of Confidence: She's already determined and outspoken, but Jerrica has even fewer inhibitions as Jem.
The Masquerade Will Kill Your Dating Life: It puts serious dents in Jerrica's longtime, uncomplicated relationship with Rio, that's for sure.
Meaningful Name: Downplayed, but "Jerrica" can be loosely derived from "ruler", which fits her role as the one in charge of Starlight Music, the foster girls, and the Holograms.
Missing Mom: The reason for her devotion to 'her' foster girls and Starlight House. Jacqui Benton is never even mentioned, let alone named, until Out of the Past, where it's revealed she was a singer and the founder of Starlight House and a former foster child herself, who died in a plane crash following an argument with an unhappy pre-teen Jerrica. She was also Emmett Benton's basis for Synergy.
Rose-Haired Sweetie: Jem sings about love and caring and tries to embody it. She's kind, easygoing, and approachable, which is why so many people immediately suspect something's wrong in One Jem Too Many.
Secret Identity: She has one whether she's Jem or Jerrica.
Sexier Alter Ego: Jerrica isn't unattractive in any way, but Jem's truly outrageous, with a wardrobe and style to match for the sake of the toy fashions. Lampshaded and Subverted in A Change of Heart when Minx takes her for an Unnecessary Makeover to "help her catch a new man." Jerrica looks much worse.
Sibling Yin-Yang: Jerrica's industrious, cautious, business-minded, organized, and sensible. Kimber's a carefree, cheerful, flighty, stereotypically "creative type" who wants nothing more than to have a good time while doing good.
Transformation Trinket: Jemstar earrings, a present from her late father and the perfect accessory to each and every one of Jem and Jerrica's outfits. She only needs to use one projector, but it's been shown to be very handy to have a backup.
Two-Person Love Triangle: Jem, Jerrica, and Rio. Also Jerrica, Jem, and Riot, at least for Midsummer Night's Madness.
The Unfair Sex: Rio gets castigated for dating both Jem and Jerrica, or even hanging around Minx. Meanwhile, Kimber tells Jem to kiss Riot for her. No one even blinks.
Verbal Tic: Samantha Newark had a tendency to pronounce "very" as "vury".
We Will Not Use Stage Make-Up in the Future: Jem's even changes a few times during the show, when no one else's does. She gets called out by an old woman in the Himalayas, though.
With Great Power: Gets this lesson pretty quickly from Synergy, and chooses to lie and mess up her personal life in order to maintain dangerous secrets. Fortunately, most of the show is Jerrica dealing with "great responsibility" of one form or another.
Woman Scorned: Downplayed with Eric. Jerrica did have a crush on him, or at least tried using him to make Rio jealous. Eric laughed her off. However they then seemed to have a politely cordial relationship until the start of the series, after which Eric's villainy was so blatant and consistent it's easy to argue that's why Jerrica swears never to let him win, and her old feelings don't have much to do with it. Played straight with Rio; they temporarily break up in Midsummer Night's Madness and Jerrica proceeds to obsess about whether he's moved onto Minx or not, making her own decisions on that basis.
Workaholic: As Jerrica; Jem has most of the fun. Her computer (that is, Synergy) calls her "my little workaholic" in Midsummer Night's Madness.
Wrench Wench: She's actually handy with one, as she fixes the plumbing in the old Starlight House, and a race car in "Intrigue in the Indy 500".

Shana Elmsford

Voiced by: Cindy McGee

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fd5c85c5_51a7_430b_9a97_54028a519d2e.png

Shana, like Aja, grew up with the Bentons as Jerrica and Kimber's foster sister. Shana is the quietest of the Holograms, but is tremendously talented as a fashion designer and the only one of the group to work outside the music industry. She briefly leaves the Holograms in The Talent Search, but returns and takes up bass guitar when the role of drum player is taken up by Raya Alonso.

'80s Hair: A rare afro example.
Beta Couple: With Anthony Julian, a film director. They're arguably the most stable couple in the series, even if he makes about as much screen time as Mrs. Bailey.
The Fashionista: She's an aspiring designer and the only member of the Holograms to work outside of the music industry.
Official Couple: With Anthony. She's the only one of her band with a consistent on-screen boyfriend and the most stable relationship of her friends (with Aja being in a Long-Distance Relationship, Jerrica having a complicated love life, Kimber casually dating, and Raya only having a love interest for one episode).
Out of Focus: She and Aja get some of the least amount of time and episodes devoted to them, and unlike Aja, Shana never had any episode subplots focused on her relationship.
Shy Blue-Haired Girl: Especially when she was younger. She's still the most soft-spoken member of the Holograms, even with the addition of Raya.

Aja Leith

Voiced by: Cathianne Blore

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8b407a8a_1104_4510_a901_9aa6303e8a33.png

The tomboy of the group. Like Shana, Aja is Jerrica and Kimber's foster sister and grew up with them at the original Starlight House. Aja is noted for her good judge of character and bearing a level head. She later develops a relationship with Craig Phillips, the brother of Stormer of the Misfits.

'80s Hair: Aja's hair is insane even for this show.
Action Girl: She leaps onto a runaway bulldozer after it almost flattens Howard Sands and Jerrica in order to shut it off, and fearlessly distracts a loose lion from attacking the others. Also was seen throwing a couple of people around (The Jem Jam Part 1 and Culture Clash.
Boyish Short Hair: As a child, her hair was very short.
The Cassandra: Aja usually turns out to be right when she has reservations about someone.
Crush Blush: Doesn't actually do this around Craig, but then is later shown with one in a music video depiction of the scene.
Curtains Match the Window: Same shade of blue for her hair and her eyes.
Deadpan Snarker: She occasionally displays a bit of dry wit.
Idiot Ball: She had a firm grasp on one during the events of Britrock when it came to her relationship with Craig. At one point she angrily believes that Stormer, his sister, must be his wife. More troubling about the situation is that while Aja is usually practical and sensible, she's completely illogical and overwhelmed by her temper here.
Jerkass Ball: Not as much as Kimber, but her abrasive nature and brutal honesty can rub people the wrong way. Aside from the aforementioned "Britrock" example, in "A Change of Heart", while she had her legit reasons, she is the only one of the Holograms who refuses to accept a newly-reformed Minx and routinely treats her efforts of goodwill with either suspicion or outright hostility. *
Only Sane Man: Aja is usually a good judge of character, an example being how she was the only Hologram not easily swayed by Riot's charm.
Sailor Fuku: When she first became a Benton foster child, she wore a red sailor suit.
Tomboy and Girly Girl: Aja's the tomboy, any one of the Holograms could qualify for girly-girl.
Wrench Wench: There were a few scenes showing her tinkering on cars and is often the one shown repairing or fiddling with Synergy.

Kimber Benton

Voiced by: Cathianne Blore (speaking) and Florence Warner (singing)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8b48c3a2_bff7_4b3a_b5f1_717133291d44.png

Jerrica's younger sister, Kimber deals with feelings of inadequacy and often believes that she doesn't get enough respect, just because she's younger. Nothing could be further from the truth, and Kimber herself knows this deep down. Regardless, she loves her sister and the Holograms dearly and would never think of betraying them. Kimber has reserves of strength and fortitude deep down which her father was always aware of, and when the chips are down, Kimber will always persevere.

Annoying Younger Sibling: Kimber constantly feels that she's in the shadow of her older sister and often complains that Jem and the others don't actually respect her.
Bound and Gagged: In A Hot Time in Hawaii.
Catchphrase: "Outrageous!"
Corrupt the Cutie: Eric Raymond has attempted this a few times by playing on Kimber's jealousy of Jem. It never works, though.
Daddy's Girl: Kimber was badly affected by the death of her father and hadn't quite recovered until Father's Day, with help from Harvey Gabor, Pizzazz's father, no less.
Dude, Where's My Respect?: Writes all the songs for the Holograms, but constantly feels overshadowed by Jem.
Fiery Redhead: Kimber is quite emotional and never hesitates to get loud, whether happy or furious.
Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Jerrica's the Responsible one; Kimber tends not to think ahead.
Identical Stranger: With Princess Adriana in The Princess and The Singer.
Jerkass Ball: At times, she can be pretty obnoxious, impulsive and even selfish, especially when it comes to her love life. In the "Hollywood Jem" two-parter, while she is supposed to be considered indecisive over if she wants sometime boyfriends Sean or Jeff, it looks more like she manipulated two men into proposing to her just to get away from her sister's control over her.
Missing Mom: See her sister's entry.
Plucky Girl: Scandal serves as a Humiliation Conga for Kimber, with her diary being published in Cool Trash magazine, her relationship with Sean Harrison almost destroyed, and being hounded by reporters. She decides that she wants to become "hard and mean" so she can't be hurt again, until Synergy talks some sense into her by revealing that her father always believed she was strong enough to handle anything. This snaps Kimber out of her depression.
Really Gets Around: Has had quite a number of love interests. Becomes a plot point in Hollywood Jem when two of them make marriage proposals.
Sibling Yin-Yang: With Jerrica.
Smitten Teenage Girl: In the cartoons she has several love interests, way more than anyone else.

Raya (Carmen Alonso)

Voiced by: Linda Dangcil

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1be7e2dd_7113_4cf8_97d1_9323594935f0.png

The fifth Hologram, introduced in The Talent Search, Raya takes up the drums after Shana briefly leaves the band. Noted for her shy and sweet disposition, Raya comes from a loving family, and it's been proven that messing with them is a big mistake when it comes to her. Raya learned about Jem's real identity and Synergy by accident, but kept both secrets to herself to prove she could be trustworthy.

Beware the Nice Ones: As Jetta learned, she shouldn't be pushed around just because she's kindhearted. Raya put the fear of God in Eric Raymond and the Misfits when she learned they orchestrated the destruction of her family's nursery.
Daddy's Girl: Her dad's the whole reason she managed to get into the Holograms. He even gave her her nickname, Raya.
Flower Motif: As to be expected. Her family ran a nursery.
Meaningful Name: One meaning of "Carmen" is "God's vineyard/garden", which is fitting for a woman raised by florists.
Naïve Everygirl: She's a bit more clueless about the ways of the world, which is how Eric initially gets her to his side: He thinks he can trick her by thinking Craig will beat her in the talent contest because the Holograms needs his professional experience.
Out of Focus: The only episode devoted to her, or even showing her doing anything notable at all, is the one which introduces her. In Out of The Past, which is themed around Jacqui Benton, she sticks out like a sore thumb by having no connection to her.
Rose-Haired Sweetie: The Holograms may have needed more pink, but Raya fits right in by being a very Nice Girl; lampshaded in a new version of "She Makes An Impression". She even rhapsodizes about how romantic Greece is, later. Just don't mess with her family.
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!: Raya's not willing to sell out Jem's identity for money or a recording contract. Although when she really needs it, she does consider it.
Secret-Keeper: Raya discovers Jem's real identity and Synergy's existence by accident. The band had been previously debating about whether they could trust Raya with their secret before they let a new member join.
Shrinking Violet: She's a lot quieter and shyer than the other girls. Her father needs to employ a little mind game to get Raya into the talent show.
The Sixth Ranger: The last one to join the band.

The Misfits

As a Whole

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7cedb148_1e54_4392_8c19_3a1b54e65d2e.png

They are the Misfits, their songs are better! A trio, later quartet, of bad-girl rock stars who are the original foils, rivals, and antagonists of Jem and the Holograms. Led by the shrill and terrorizing Pizzazz (guitar and lead singer), the Misfits include the boisterous and tough-as-nails Roxy (bass), the kindhearted and abused Stormer (keytar and composer), and later the pathologically lying street punk Jetta (saxophone). The Misfits will do whatever it takes to make themselves number one in the music industry, and the Holograms are often the one thorn in their side they can't get rid of. They're managed by the equally devious Eric Raymond and followed by their self-described biggest fan, Clash, whom they keep around to cause trouble.

Badbutt: They're as edgy a send-up to their glam-punk influences as they can afford to be in a kid's show.
Big Eater: It's something of a running gag to mention how much the four of them eat.
Breakout Character: In the fanbase. The Misfits as a whole are more popular than the Holograms, and Stormer is more popular still.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Questionably competent antagonists, abysmal actors, sublime musicians.
Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Ironically, the Misfits have as much international popularity as the Holograms. But they're so fixated on destroying the Holograms that their achievements mean nothing to them so long as the Holograms exist.
Dark Action Girl: In "Making Mischief" they take down two burly security guards with an orange.
Even Evil Has Standards: In "The Princess and the Singer", they learn of Lexa's plan to assassinate her cousin Queen Adriana. They and Eric warn Jem, the Holograms, and Adriana.
- In "The World Hunger Shindig" they're clearly not pleased with Eric's scheme of stealing from a charity concert when they learn about it. They even laugh at him when he's punished.
Evil Is Petty: They even sing a song about it ("Makin' Mischief") in "Disaster".
Four-Temperament Ensemble: Pizzazz (choleric), Roxy (sanguine), and Stormer (phlegmatic). Jetta later completes them by being melancholic.
Girl Posse: The rest of the Misfits to Pizzazz seem to act this way, but only Jetta is actually a yes (wo)man to her. Both Roxy and Stormer have left temporarily because of feeling unappreciated.
Lazy Bum: None of them ever partake in anything resembling hard work unless forced to, and they usually suck at it.
Light Feminine and Dark Feminine: Dark to the Holograms' Light.
Nice Mean And In Between: Stormer (nice), Pizzazz (mean), and Roxy (in-between).
Not-So-Harmless Villain: In one episode they'll ineptly try to ruin the Holograms' popularity with shoddy fashion pictures, in another they'll use time travel to make the Holograms miss their concert.
Sensible Heroes, Skimpy Villains: The Misfits show more skin than the Holograms tend to.
Terrible Trio: Until Jetta came along, making them a Four-Girl Ensemble.
Vitriolic Best Buds: With very occasional moments of Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other.

Pizzazz (Phyllis Gabor)

Voiced by: Patricia Alice Albrecht (speaking) and Ellen Bernfeld (singing)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/39b36ae8_1f1d_4080_b0f7_7256cb09f284.png

Wanting acknowledgment and worship from the entire world, Pizzazz is Jem's nasty, ultra-competitive chief rival, and will stop at nothing to get her out of the way. But, deep down, Pizzazz is mostly trying to make up for a loveless childhood, and what she really wants is for her father to give her the attention she was denied as a child.

Alpha Bitch: The times she isn't a bitch can be counted on fingers.
Arch-Enemy: She and Eric Raymond are Jem's main adversaries.
Attention Whore: She wants power and fame and she'll do anything to get it.
Bad "Bad Acting": The two times we see Pizzazz professionally acting are enough to understand she does not have one shred of talent there.
Berserk Button: Never call her by her real name, "Phyllis".
Bitch Alert: Her first appearance alone warns the viewer that this is no Nice Girl we're dealing with.
Clingy Jealous Girl: Towards Riot, even though her feelings aren’t returned. This inflames her hatred of Jem, because Riot wants her and Jem seems to share an attraction to him, even though Pizzazz believes she saw Riot first.
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: With neon green as her trademark colour, she's indeed characterized by her raging jealousy of Jem and her band's popularity compared to hers.
Curtains Match the Window: Same shade of acid-green for her hair and eyes.
Daddy's Girl: Is this, but is also a dangerously frustrated one, a Foil to the characters who do have good relationships with their dads.
Depending on the Artist: Some episodes, such as "Father's Day", depict Pizzazz as slightly muscular.
Devil in Plain Sight: Her whole reputation is about being nothing but trouble.
Determinator: Not even God himself can make her give up trying to maim the Holograms.
Do Not Call Me "Paul": She gets upset whenever anyone but her father calls her "Phyllis".
Evil Diva: Plays the part to perfection, complete with abundant shrieking.
Freudian Excuse: Pizzazz's mother abandoned her, and her father spoiled her because he wasn't sure how to properly love her. As an adult, she's attempting to compensate for a mostly loveless childhood by winning the adoration of the world, no matter what it takes or how loud she has to scream. She sees anyone else, such as Jem and the Holograms, as detrimental to her fame and will do anything to get rid of them.
Hair-Trigger Temper: It's too hard to count the amounts of stuff she's destroyed when mad. Or bored.
I Just Want to Be Loved: Parental Neglect and abandonment makes it so hard for her to understand the concept that she'll settle for any kind of attention.
Insane Troll Logic: In Island of Deception, she figured Jerrica was at the top of the island they were stranded on with reporters as part of some publicity stunt for the Holograms. Stormer points out how crazy that sounds since there was no way Jerrica could have expected both bands being stranded on a deserted island.
Jerkass: She makes the conniving and greedy Eric Raymond look like a Good Samaritan.
Joisey: She sings with a noticeable accent that is completely absent when she speaks, due to her singing VA being from New Jersey while her speaking VA is from Michigan.
Love Makes You Dumb: Around Riot. Shading into Love Makes You Crazy, but that's mostly her temper.
Meaningful Appearance: Her green eyes are very much of the "greed" and "envy" sort. Pretty much a walking Green-Eyed Monster at times.
Meaningful Name: See Curtains Match the Window. Her real name, Phyllis, even means "foliage" in Greek.
Missing Mom: Her mother left her and her father when she was a young child.
Morality Pet: Very downplayed. Her father Harvey is the only one for whom she's willing to behave or make any kind of effort, but it doesn't go very far.
Named After Somebody Famous: Dennis Gabor, the guy who got a Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing holography — but it probably didn't hurt that the glamorous and proto-Kardashian Zsa Zsa Gabor and her sisters shared the same last name...
Psychopathic Manchild: With how often she begs her father to spend money on whatever expensive pursuit she desires at the moment, resorts to petty name-calling and screams her head off in response to being told off, it's pretty clear that Pizzazz is neither pleasant company nor mature.
Rich Bitch: Except she doesn't actually care about the money, just that her father cares enough to pay attention to give it to her.
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: She'll throw her family money around for anything, especially if it's to destroy Jem and the Holograms.
Sore Loser: The Holograms almost always win, so this happens a lot.
Spoiled Brat: Shrieks and stomps in absolute rage whenever she doesn't get her way.
Trigger-Happy: When Techrat gave her a laser pistol.
"Well Done, Son" Guy: Pizzazz's main motivation is just to get her dad to love her. Which is sort of inflamed when she sees her father bonding with Kimber in Father's Day.

Roxy (Roxanne Pelligrini)

Voiced by: Bobbie Block

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f0f7f4c6_3498_4449_b2b8_1085c1b2a715.png

Hailing from Philadelphia, Roxy is the loud and tough bassist of the Misfits, often agreeing with Pizzazz and at odds with Jetta, whose membership she was against. Much like Pizzazz, Roxy just wants to be special but is deeply insecure about her own failings, such as her inability to read, and is determined to prove to the world that she can do anything.

Backstabbing the Alpha Bitch: Roxy does this to Pizzazz's face when she wins a million dollars and decides to change her life (after Pizzazz and Jetta make fun of her inability to read). Of course, this doesn't last, because Roxy blew through half the money and had to give the other half to the IRS. Then Eric and the band show up to remind her she signed a contract so she can't actually leave.
Beta Bitch: Up until Jetta showed up and took that position from her.
Dumb Muscle: She dropped out of high school (being illiterate didn't help) and she comes off by far as the least intellectual of the main characters, let alone the Misfits.
Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry: Wore diamonds after she won a fortune through the lottery in Roxy Rumbles.
Freudian Excuse: Roxy Rumbles presents Roxy when shes out of range of both the Holograms and her own band. She's excitable, jovial, and wants to prove herself so people will think she's talented and can do anything. She was deeply insecure about her inability to read, and kept trying to do things to prove that she didn't need to be able to read, only for it to blow up in her face. She's also insecure of her standing in the band, which was provoked by Eric Raymond and Jetta's inclusion in the Misfits. Roxy remains at odds with Jetta for the whole series.
Hidden Heart of Gold: She was genuinely touched when Ba Nee gives her a "My First Reader".
I Just Want to Be Special: Her "I Want" Song, "I'm Gonna Change". Then she wins the lottery! The minute she feels 'special' enough on her own, she quits the Misfits.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Roxy Rumbles is the most prominent example of this. Away from the Holograms and the Misfits, Roxy can be quite jovial, pleasant, and excitable. She thanks the guy at the lottery office with a hug and handsomely tips the people who gave her a makeover and the door man.
The Lad-ette: She's credited as the Misfits "tough-as-nails bassist", and comes from Philadelphia's inner city, although she'll dress in the same attire as her band.
Money Dumb: Played with. Despite being illiterate Roxy can tell when she's not earning as much money as she's owed. However, after winning a million dollar lottery she blew through half of it on herself and then having to pay people off for damages caused by her spontaneously planned carnival, while the other half was taken by the I.R.S. for tax purposes.
Never Learned to Read: Made clear in Roxy Rumbles. By the end though, she's working on it. In Scandal, Jetta offers Roxy to read Kimber's diary, but Roxy claimed she wasn't interested. She also doesn't notice in China that their welcome banner had their name spelled wrong.
Nobody Loves the Bassist: She picks on Stormer like everyone else, but the inclusion of a fourth Misfit made her worry for her standing in the group (provoked by Eric). Nevertheless, she spends the rest of the series at odds with Jetta.
No Indoor Voice: Yells from time-to-time.
Rambunctious Italian: Roxy is an Italian-American from Philadelphia. She has a "tough girl" attitude and is very passionate.
She Cleans Up Nicely: Her hair is noticeably sleeker and she wears an elegant pink dress (along with a jewelry store's worth of diamonds) after a makeover in Roxy Rumbles.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: With Jetta.
The Runaway: As a teenager she ran away from home to live on the streets.
Verbal Tic: Roxy usually puts added stress on different words when she's in an excited mood.

Stormer (Mary Phillips)

Voiced by: Susan Blu (speaking) and Lani Groves (singing)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/822825b9_52fe_4a09_be77_a552a747f70b.png

The sympathetic and kind Stormer has the distinction of being the nicest member of the Misfits. While capable of being nasty and not above harmless mischief, Stormer is often belittled by her band mates and forced to do things and hurt people to avoid being kicked out of the group. She composes her band's music but never gets credit for it. She loves her brother Craig dearly, has formed a friendship with Kimber Benton, and often helps the Holograms when she feels she absolutely needs to.

Butt-Monkey: Any time she says something "goody goody" her band mates will treat her like she just committed murder.
Cute Clumsy Girl: She's got it together, but any time she makes a halfassed attempt at being a mean girl you can't help but find her adorable.
Deathbringer the Adorable: She simultaneously possesses the most menacing moniker of the group and its gentlest temperament.
Dude, Where's My Respect?: She's the overall creative force of the Misfits, but she never gets credited for it.
Establishing Character Moment: During the Five-Episode Pilot, Eric arranges for Jem to be framed for stealing money from a concert box-office. Stormer tells the investigating detective the truth while in disguise, demonstrating both higher moral standards and fear of getting on the bad side of the other Misfits.
Extreme Doormat: Though through Character Development, Stormer slowly started to assert herself more than she used to.
Family Versus Career: The Misfits lean on her to convince her brother to find out Jem's identity through Aja or they'll kick her out of the band. It backfires when he catches on to it.
Foil: To Kimber. Kimber is constantly complaining that she receives no respect and everyone likes her sister better than her, even though it's clear her sister and her band mates love her dearly. Stormer, on the other hand, is constantly disrespected by the Misfits and has been warped into believing she'd be nothing without them, to the point that she's nearly a total pushover.
Friendly Enemy: She gets along well with Kimber. With her brother dating Aja, that also helped.
Friend to All Children: Was the only one who was actually nice to Ashley when she tried to be friends with the Misfits. Of course, Pizzazz and Roxy threatened to kick Stormer out of the band if she let Ashley out of the trunk they locked her in, and Stormer complied. That said, Stormer screams that Ashley's in the trunk to get Rio to save her before the trunk gets destroyed by a forklift.
Graceful Loser: In Glitter and Gold, she's the only one who takes comfort in the fact the Misfits sold over half a million records while Pizzazz throws a temper tantrum.
Heel–Face Turn: Well, she was never really evil to begin with, so this is a subversion of sorts. She left the Misfits because they never respected her, and formed a duo with Kimber. When the Holograms and Misfits tried to get their respective band mate back, Stormer sadly acknowledged that Kimber's band actually cared about her, whereas the Misfits just want to exploit Stormer.
Innocent Beta Bitch: The nicest member of the group who constantly gets bullied by the others. She has also shown sympathy and empathy towards the Holograms despite going along with the Misfits rivalry against them.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Though to be honest, she completely averts the "Jerk" part. She may tend to join in the other Misfits' pranks and misdeeds, but it's only out of not wanting to be kicked out of the group and she will put her foot down when her bandmates go too far.
Minion with an F in Evil: This cannot be stressed enough. It's part of her appeal.
Oh, Crap!: When she learns her brother is a finalist for the Holograms' new drummer.
Only Sane Man: At times Stormer will attempt to be a voice of reason, halfheartedly, when her band is acting out of control.
Punch-Clock Villain: Stormer never acts malicious on her own. She will, however, participate in group nastiness out of a sense of wanting to belong.
Reformed, but Rejected: A subversion. After successfully producing an album with Kimber, the Holograms offer Stormer a place in their band, before the Misfits come in and make a genuine plea for her to come back. Stormer decided that the Holograms didn't really need her, but only returned to the Misfits under the stipulation that they give her the respect she deserves and equal standing.
A Saint Named Mary: She's the nicest out of her gang, is one of the nicest characters in the cartoon, and is named "Mary". She also has blue hair which adds to the motif.
Secret-Keeper: Stormer knew Roxy was illiterate, but unlike Jetta and Pizzazz, didn't think it was something to laugh about.
Shy Blue-Haired Girl: She acts mean and nasty like the other Misfits, but deep down she's really somewhat lonely and wants to fit in. When she befriends Kimber, she realizes that the Misfits need her just as much as she needs their companionship.
The Smart Guy: She writes most of the songs for her band, composing both the lyrics and the melodies, and arguably has more common sense than the rest of the Misfits. Stormer even argued for a fourth member of the band by stating it would allow them to create more complex music with a fuller sound.
Stocking Filler: She often wears fishnets.
Sugar-and-Ice Personality: She's the "nice Misfit", but that doesn't mean she isn't capable of being nasty if she wants. Surprisingly, or not, the nastiness gets directed more at her bandmates than at her rivals due to the former pushing her buttons one time too many.
Sweet Tooth: Ice cream sundaes are her way of drowning her sorrows.
Token Good Teammate: Notable in the sense that Stormer rarely performs any mischief on her own initiative.
You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Thinks she would be nothing without the Misfits, but she's told multiple times that's not true.

Jetta (Sheila Burns)

Voiced by: Louise Dorsey

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d9f542c4_7c1a_4bc5_9363_8342a3732f1c.png

A lower-class British saxophonist who was introduced in The Talent Search, Jetta becomes the fourth Misfit despite her constant arguing with Roxy. Jetta is always making up stories about being British royalty and friends with "the Queen Mum", only none of it is true, and she's also a very talented pickpocket. And it isn't long before she reveals herself as being the bitchiest of the band.

Beta Bitch: Eventually takes this position from Roxy. Except she's even worse than Pizzazz.
Celebrity Lie: Her specialty.
Consummate Liar: Although she's quite aware of the fact that she's lying, and when Pizzazz and Roxy call her bluff in Britrock, stages an elaborate hoax with her parents so she wouldn't be kicked out of the band.
Con Man: While not as successful as Rapture, she has a habit of lying and conning others to suit her wants.
Even Evil Has Standards: The Stingers Hit Town. She's just as horrified and confused as Stormer and Roxy over how obsessed Pizzazz has gotten over Riot, and seems legitimately disappointed when Pizzazz chooses Riot over them. It could just be dismay over the prospect of losing her meal ticket, but when Rapture screws with Pizzazz's head, Jetta's equally disgusted by the way Pizzazz is making a fool of herself.
Evil Brit: Maybe as a Foil to Kimber's British Love Interest Sean Harrison, but Jetta's extremely nasty. Christy Marx wasn't allowed to make her black, but was told that white characters from other countries were acceptable. Hence, this trope invoked.
Flat Character: Jetta had the least amount of character development by the time the series ended, so that all we saw of her was a persistently lying, British punk who had a rivalry with Roxy.
Freudian Excuse: The episode Britrock showed that she grew up in a essentially British version of a white trash home, which could explain her nasty behavior and tendency to lie about being tight with British royalty.
Iconic Sequel Character: Introduced in season 2 as The Sixth Ranger and is generally remembered along with the other Misfits. The 2015 IDW reboot comic even introduces her as a founding member.
Jerkass: Jetta is a BITCH, plain and simple. She has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
I Am Very British: Averted with her incredibly lower-class accent, even if the show plays with it knowing full well many Americans (like the other Misfits) can't tell one British accent from another. Series creator Christy Marx cast the only actress who was actually English and not just doing a bad Cockney accent.
Just One Little Mistake: She would have gotten away with wrecking Mr. Alonso's nursery, if she hadn't placed one of his prize orchids in her hair.
The Sixth Ranger: She's actually the fourth.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: With Roxy.
Token Evil Teammate: Pizzazz and Eric have some more humane lines, at least. Jetta doesn't.
Ungrateful Bitch: Quickly got into the pecking order concerning the band and treats Stormer just as badly as the others, even though Stormer was the one who vouched for Jetta's membership. Was also quite happy to try scamming Pizzazz out of money.

Clash (Constance Montgomery)

Voiced by: Cathy Cavadini

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/31f1feca_5479_42dc_8056_db7ec8d34859.png

The Misfits' number one fan and perpetual hanger-on, Clash meets the Misfits in Starbright, and believes herself to be friends with them. The truth is, they only keep her around as their personal servant and pack mule. Clash has begged to be a member of the band, even though she's been told numerous times that she's a loser. Clash also has an ongoing rivalry with her cousin, Video, who is friends with the Holograms. Later in the series, Clash develops an uncanny ability for make-up and disguise, which the Misfits are eager to exploit.

Arch-Enemy: Of her cousin, Video.
Attention Whore: She wears cymbals on her wrists, for God's sake.
Becoming the Mask: Her brief time as Sarah Murgamont explored a more compassionate side of Clash, as she begins to realize the Holograms aren't as bad as she believed.
Black Shirt: Not a member of the band, but they keep her around to cause havoc.
Clashing Cousins: Clash and Video are cousins, but they grew up in the same town and the same neighborhood, even the same block, so they're more like bickering sisters. Most of the fights are instigated by Clash, though.
Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Her talent for make-up and disguises could serve her well in Hollywood or on the stage. When pretending to be Jem, she was so effective that not even the other Holograms could see through it. Instead, though, Clash wastes these talents on zany schemes in the hopes of becoming a Misfit (despite her obvious lack of musical talent).
Daddy's Girl: Her father genuinely adores her, and she returns the sentiment.
Dreadful Musician: Why she'll never be a Misfit.
Early Installment Character-Design Difference: The most blatant out of all characters. Her hair randomly goes from red and teal to completely purple. It's shown in-universe she was born purple haired, so it seems like the first hairstyle was dyed. Supposedly the change was due to the purple hair matching her toy design more.
Extreme Doormat: The Misfits have her wrapped around their finger, and Clash refuses to believe they aren't her friends no matter how much they belittle her or make it obvious they're just using her.
Groupie: She's a Misfits groupie who desperately wishes she could be a part of their band.
Heel–Face Door-Slam: Of her own doing. The Holograms offer her friendship, but she refuses to believe the Misfits aren't her friends.
Hollywood Tone-Deaf: Wants to be a Misfit so very badly yet doesn't realize she can't sing at all.
I Just Want to Be Special: Why she's been an Attention Whore practically from birth.
Latex Perfection: She was able to pass herself off as Jem so flawlessly (except for her horrible vocals) it's almost scary.
Loony Fan: She commits crimes like impersonating Jem just hoping to impress the Misfits.
Master of Disguise: In "One Jem Too Many", she successfully disguised herself as Jem to ruin her reputation by acting like a rude and self-entitled bitch. Too bad for her the real Jem put her on the spot.
Morality Pet: Like Pizzazz, her father. She has a healthy, loving relationship with him, even though it's clear he spoiled her.
Only Known by Their Nickname: Only her family calls her "Constance". She has no technical reason for her nickname, since it's not a Stage Name, however she wants to be a Misfit.
Small Name, Big Ego: Monumental ego in regards to Video. She thinks she's better than her cousin, even though Video is an award-winning filmmaker and Clash is a groupie. Of course, Clash is eager to show up her cousin and prove her superiority.
Troll: Likes to annoy other people by crashing her cymbals. On Video's tenth birthday, Clash did this, causing Video to drop and break her very first camera, which her parents had just given her as a present.
Was It All a Lie?: When Pizzazz exposes Clash as Sarah to the Holograms, but they realize that Clash seemed to have really enjoyed herself when she was with them, and offer a genuine hand of friendship.
You Have Failed Me: The ending of "Video Wars" has Clash, having bungled yet another plan to ruin Jem and the Holograms, rejected by the Misfits once and for all. As she begs for another chance, they just drive off, laughing at her and leaving her alone.

The Stingers

As a Whole

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A trio of blonde musicians from West Germany who debut in the third season, the Stingers are made up of the charismatic Riot (lead singer), the seductive Minx (keyboard), and the grandiose Rapture (guitar). Intelligent, vain, and devious, the Stingers only look out for themselves and see anyone as nothing but a pawn to be exploited for their benefit.

Animal Motifs: They are called "The Stingers", dress predominantly in black and yellow and project an elegant yet dangerous image. It seems clear that they are fashioned after wasps or hornets.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: The three of them are scheming, manipulative, and intelligent, yet deep down they care about one another. This is due to the fact that they had no one to rely on but themselves when they were stuck performing on the streets of Europe.
Gold-Colored Superiority: It's all in the style. Also gold-colored stage outfits; blonde hair; and "the greatest band that ever was". Invoked, as they certainly consider themselves superior to everyone around them.
It's All About Me: Even if they care about one another, they'll let their individual desires come before the welfare of the band, whether or not their intentions are good or bad.
- Rapture pretending to channel the spirit of Harry Houdini to bilk an old woman out of her money. She was willing to take it as far as staging a magical duel with another professional magician. The scam would've worked if someone hadn't spilled their drinks on the controls Minx was wearing, which almost caused Rapture to drown.
- Minx briefly turning good after a near-death experience. Unfortunately for the Stingers, Minx was a bit overbearing. She interrupted an interview Riot and Rapture were doing and basically told the reporter that the two were lying to her the whole time.
- Riot absconds with Jem by taking her away and sending a forged postcard to Rio and the Holograms saying Jem's happy where she is. This led to both the Holograms and the Stingers being merged into the Misfits because their leaders were missing.
Karma Houdini: Most of the time. Unlike The Misfits, who usually end up being embarrassed or failing after doing something to upset Jem and the Holograms or someone else, not only are they usually not called out on it, but they feel little to any remorse whenever they actually are.
Manipulative Bastard: All three of them are intelligent enough and devious enough to twist around anyone they want for their own goals, then cast them aside quite harshly once they lose interest.
Morality Pet: To each other, but more specifically, Riot's mother is this.
Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Despite the Animal Motifs, given Riot's military background, the group also shares a name with the highly mobile, destructive and deadly Stinger missiles, which have featured in many conflicts from The '80s until today.
Rags to Riches: The song It's a Hard, Hard Life showcases how they went from performing (and living off) the streets for pennies to gradually getting booked and playing at clubs and stadiums.
Self-Made Man: They may be jerks and selfish, but they earned their fame and fortune the hard way.
Toyless Toyline Character: While there were extensive plans to make all 3 of them - photos of a prototype for each have been online for years - the show/doll line was cancelled before any of them were produced. Integrity Toys has produced all of them in their high end Jem line, as of 2013.

Riot (Rory Llewelyn)

Voiced by: Townsend Coleman (speaking) and Gordon Gordy (singing)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1efd3b96_0172_4613_abb8_95a80f6ee173.png

A charismatic and vain singer, Riot has the power to compel just about anyone with his voice and considers himself to be "perfect". To that effect, he demands a woman who is equally perfect — Jem. For her part, Jem is not completely above the idea of becoming an item with Riot, much to the displeasure of Rio Pacheco.

All Girls Want Bad Boys: Being a sexy, intelligent rock god and The Charmer really helps. Firmly subverted by Aja, though, who's a good friend of Rio's and isn't impressed by him whatsoever.
Becoming the Mask: Despite claiming it was just a ploy to get Rio and Jerrica back together and have Jem for himself, Riot really does appear to want Jerrica in Midsummer Night's Madness.
- Also, he used to act nothing like he does now. The egotistical, arrogant persona only surfaced after an intense struggle to succeed in music, but it pretty much disappears entirely in Riot's Hope.
Betty and Veronica: Veronica to Rio's Betty, for Jem.
The Charmer: Just about every woman he encounters swoons over him to varying degrees. To the point where it's instantly comedic when it doesn't work.
Compelling Voice: He can calm down a frenzied crowd just by talking in that smooth, sexy voice of his.
Control Freak: He has a sizable amount of issues around being controlled, in control, and controlling everything around him, due to his Freudian issues with a control freak dad who barely let him breathe.
Dating Catwoman: He and Jem are stuck on opposite moral sides for the moment, despite being attracted and agreeing on a fair amount.
'80s Hair: His mane is pretty much "default rock musician image" of the time.
Entitled to Have You: Subverted. He believes he's the best man for Jem, is meant to be with Jem, and has gone so far as to refuse to return her home when she wouldn't pick him outright over Rio, but he keeps putting all the power in her hands. During one of their last encounters, Jem hugged and kissed him in gratitude and he smilingly said he'd wait for a real kiss once she realized how wonderful he truly was.
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Riot truly loves his mother Mildred. It's his dad he has the problem with.
Evil Sounds Deep: And husky.
Expy: Of the Beast in Beauty and the Rock Promoter; the episode was aired after The Stingers Hit Town, but produced before. He both acts and dresses like the Beast, and Jem eventually again reveals a very different person inside. Which means Rio's standard jealousy in the "Beauty" episode may have had a slight note of foreshadowing.
Fantasy-Forbidding Father: His father hated him being a musician and also physically punished him for showing interest in music at a young age and destroyed his guitar. Riot then joined the military but deserted to pursue his music. The consequences caused his dad to disown him.
Foreshadowing: His voice breaks a couple of times in his debut two-parter when he's trying to convince Jem he's all she needs. It cracks his overconfident image.
Freudian Excuse: There's an entire episode demonstrating that most of Riot's behavior is pretty traceable to issues with his father.
From Camouflage to Criminal: Riot actually hated the military but was hesitant to just walk away, and still seems ashamed of having deserted, been arrested, and his dishonorable discharge. However, he has no problem associating with the likes of Rapture or Eric and profiting by their dishonesty — although he vehemently says he doesn't like Eric, but wants to control him. He also has no problem staging deceptions or being stuck on a deserted island, so he learned enough disguise, persuasion, intelligence-gathering and survival skills from somewhere.
"Gender-Normative Parent" Plot: It takes a very long time and a good bit of help from Jem, but Riot's dad does eventually accept Riot's love of music, including how hard he's worked and how successful he's gotten.
Hunk: He is the perfect man, after all.
I Am What I Am: In both the defiant and the beseeching senses.
"We are who we are."
Intimate Open Shirt: It may seem like Riot's wardrobe consists solely of these, but it's also fairly standard rock fashion of the time.
Ironic Name: Rory means "red-haired king". Riot is blond, though his unnamed dad (who attempted to dictate his entire life) has red hair...
Jerkass: He openly manipulates people, and once casually decided to bankrupt an animation studio working on his cartoon because he didn't like a suggestion they made to make him more likeable.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Though selfish and prickish, he's more likely to do the right thing if he sees some benefit. He genuinely cares about several people, looked after Minx and Rapture when the three of them were homeless and struggling street musicians, and his love for Jem is usually portrayed as sincere, if complicated.
Kiss-Kiss-Slap: Gets Jem's open left palm in The Stingers Hit Town, Pt. 2, after trying to keep her from going after Rio.
Ladykiller in Love: It's immediately apparent Riot could have his choice of any woman, but it's Jem he really falls for.
Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Averted; Riot's hair doesn't make him feminine in the slightest. While he's good-looking, he also has a lined, weathered face.
Love at First Sight: Lampshaded with a new video for "Like A Dream". Interestingly, if you watch the episode, Riot's first sight of Jem might have been her enthusiastically kissing Rio. He falls quite hard, though.
Love Makes You Dumb: Including friends or his career, and seemingly at odds with his normal, calculating persona, Riot really doesn't appear to care what he has to ditch as long as he gets to be with Jem.
Love Triangle: Establishes an instant, classic, type 7 with Jem (and Rio). There's more than a bit of Ship Tease with Jerrica as well.
Loving a Shadow: Riot wants Jem, and he rationalizes this by stating that, if Jem carried about Jerrica Benton she would leave Rio alone since technically he is Jerrica's boyfriend.
Manipulative Bastard: He's emotional and vulnerable, but Riot's Hope is really the only evidence we get that he knows how or is able to stop doing this. His charisma and backstory push him to Magnificent Bastard, frequently.
Meaningful Appearance: He has lines on his face. Averting Beauty Is Never Tarnished, Riot's Hope does a good job of explaining why.
Meaningful Name: "Llewelyn" is hard to translate, but it comes from a compound of two Celtic gods names and is often loosely translated as "leader". Riot is the lead singer of his band and tends to act like he's above everybody.
- Also, Llewelyn the Great was the most famous king of Wales, appropriate; also, the name may derive from the Welsh word for "lion". And Riot's hair certainly qualifies.
Military Brat: Mentioned to Jem in his first appearance, but we don't find out how much it affected him until Riot's Hope. He said the constant moving meant that he couldn't make friends, and music kept him sane. This is without getting into his Control Freak dad...
Momma's Boy: A subversion. Riot is by no means a weakling, but he loves his mother dearly. She was the one who supported his love of music, and he hated knowing his father wouldn't let them stay in contact.
Mr. Fanservice: His outfits tend to show off his very well-developed chest.
Narcissist: Constantly refers to himself as the perfect man. Though this alone wouldn't qualify him, seeing that he's actually quite empathetic. It's actually an Inferiority Superiority Complex.
Ship Tease: With Jerrica. He actually meets her first, not Jem. Aside from flirting, kissing, chasing her down and the entire moral of Midsummer Night's Madness being "people are attracted to what's inside Jerrica, not who she appears to be"...
- There's also "You are the woman I want, Jerrica Benton!" coming right after "I'm going to make my ''own'' destiny."
Shirtless Scene: He gets a handful of these in just nine episodes, though they're all in a pool/beach/island context.
The Starscream: Riot confesses to Jem that he's pretty much this to Eric, right from the get-go, but the show didn't run long enough to see how this would have played out. Also likely why he took the Stingers to Eric instead of signing with Starlight: getting to control Eric undoubtedly appealed more.
"Well Done, Son" Guy: Deep down he could be viewed as this. He does seem much happier to be getting along with his father in the finale.

Rapture (Phoebe Ashe)

Voiced by: Ellen Gerstell (speaking) and Vicki Sue Robinson (singing)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a1d30cca_2013_4634_b84d_dea3841cc11f.png

With her interest in the occult and supernatural, Rapture is a master con-artist who often pulls New Age themed scams, either to make a quick buck or just for the fun of it.

All There in the Manual: Rapture's backstory and name were given in the Jem Bible but not the show. Her parents are divorced and she spent split time with her mom in San Francisco and her father in Chicago. Rapture used music and fantasy as her escapism. She also collects statues of griffins, chimeras, and dragons.
The Barnum: When she's scamming someone she's really in her element.
Con Man: Her defining character trait. Most of her appearances see her trying to convince people she has psychic or magical powers, and conning them out of money despite being a rich rock star. This makes it look like Rapture performs cons for the fun of it, or she's been conning people for so long it's become ingrained into her so she couldn't stop if she wanted to.
Dub Name Change: Is called "Ecstasy" in the Portuguese dub.
Flat Character: "Rapture soon joined us." That's the extent of her backstory, and she doesn't get any Character Development, either. Why she does what she does is a mystery, making her by far the flattest and meanest of the Stingers.
For the Evulz: Rapture seems to truly enjoy screwing with someone's head just for the sake of it.
Greed: The only thing Rapture seems to want is money, and she has absolutely no scruples about how she comes by it.
Ironic Name: Phoebe means "bright and pure". Rapture is more-or-less "shady" personified.
It Amused Me: She scares one of the Starlight Girls into believing she's a werewolf with absolutely no provocation.
Large Ham: When she's scamming someone, especially in That Old Houdini Magic when she pretends to channel Harry Houdini's ghost.
Meaningful Name: The name Phoebe is also mentioned as belonging to a female minister in the New Testament, as well as being connected to the god Apollo. Both her real and stage names can be viewed in religious contexts, appropriate given how Rapture likes to pose as a spiritual authority... however given it's all a hoax and she doesn't actually believe anything, we're basically back to Ironic Name.
New Age: Rapture heavily relies on the occult for her cons. Word of God states that despite her interest, she doesn't really believe in any of it.
Only Known by Their Nickname: She and Minx are the only members of the three bands not to have their real names mentioned or used in-series.
Phony Psychic: She's pretended to be psychic more than once, even pretending to channel Harry Houdini. Houdini devoted a large part of his career to debunking fake mediums, and is probably why Astral was so offended.

Minx (Ingrid Kruger)

Voiced by: Kath Soucie (speaking) and Vicki Sue Robinson (singing)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b45a0d66_c05f_4c2a_9dc6_ff0209d0a4a0.png

Minx is a natural-born heartbreaker who makes a game out of wooing men and then tossing them aside when she's done with them. She's set her sights on Rio, the first man who has ever spurned her affections, and has yet to give up in her pursuit of him as she'd be stealing him from both Jem and Jerrica Benton.

Abhorrent Admirer: Minx is only after Rio because of the challenge of stealing him from both Jem and Jerrica. She keeps at it because he's the only guy who's turned her down.
All There in the Manual: According to the Jem Bible, Minx was raised in West Berlin with her secretary mother and computer repairman father. As a result, Minx has always loved technology and messing with computers. Minx also went to high school with Riot in West Germany. The bible also mentions her real name, which was unclarified in the cartoon.
Driven to Suicide: After her reform, she actually tries to kill herself by jumping off the roof of Starlight Music when Rio gently, but firmly, rejects her advances. This was also after the Stingers rejected her new "good" personality. Fridge Brilliance comes into play when, reviewing the events of Riot's Hope, you realize Minx probably figured she would have to go back to living on the streets now that she didn't have the Stingers or Rio, and was too horrified of the notion of going through that alone.
Dumb Blonde: Averted. She's a man chaser, but like her band mates Minx is extremely intelligent. Minx even repairs and builds her own keyboards, which she claims to have been doing since she was 14.
Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry: Fond of rings and bracelets; sometimes they have hidden gadgets inside them.
Heel–Face Door-Slam: After a near-death experience she vows to become a better person. But even though she meant well Minx was a bit overbearing, though some of the things that went wrong when she tried to help weren't really her fault. She reverted back to her old personality after they told her she was doing "too much". Fortunately, she redeems once more in the series finale.
Meaningful Name: Ingrid roughly translates to "Ing is beautiful", with Ing being the god Freyr. Minx is a very beautiful woman and this plays a large part in her character and actions.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: In The Day The Music Died, Minx is the one who managed to get the Holograms and the Stingers back into separate bands because she was tired of working for Pizzazz.
Only Known by Their Nickname: The same situation as Rapture; never used or mentioned in the show. You have to go looking for Word of God to find out what her full name is.
Ship Tease: Surprisingly with Techrat in That Old Houdini Magic.
Unwanted Assistance: After she reformed, she became overbearing, took over Rio's keyboard design and gave Jerrica a makeover against her will, among other grievances, leading the Holograms to reject her.
The Vamp: She certainly comes off as this, but her Meaningful Stage Name just means "flirtatious and rude". With this being a kids' show, it boils down to more Really Gets Around, with a large dose of Villainesses Want Heroes with regards to Rio.

Others

Emmett Benton

Voiced by: Jack Angel

Biological father of Jerrica and Kimber Benton and adoptive father to Aja Leith and Shana Elmsford, in addition to being the former owner of Starlight Music. The series begins after he's passed away of an illness, leaving behind Synergy for Jerrica to discover.

Gadgeteer Genius: He did invent Synergy, after all.
Good Parents: To his own biological children and his adopted children as well.
Happily Married: To his late wife, Jacqui. He understandably takes her sudden death quite hard.
Honest Corporate Executive: As head of Starlight Music, he was ethical and he also took in a lot of orphaned girls to help raise them until they could find new homes.
Horrible Judge of Character: Downplayed and justified: he seemed to be taken by his employee Eric Raymond, admiring his ambition and his work ethic while not realizing his true nature. Unfortunately, by the time Eric was beginning to show his teeth, Emmett was already terminally ill.
The Lost Lenore: Jacqui. While he was eventually able to move on from her death (at least to the point of caring for the girls as well as create Synergy under his wife's visage), he couldn't bring himself to model her exactly like her due to how painful it was for him.
Posthumous Character: He passed away before the series began.
Secretly Dying: He learns that he is terminally ill with an unspecified disease, but did not share this with his children or anyone else, instead throwing himself into completing Synergy, the Jemstar earrings and his other gifts to help provide for his daughters' future.

Jacqui Benton

Voiced by: Marlene Aragon (speaking) and Angela Cappelli (singing)

Emmett Benton's wife, who had a singing career and ended up perishing in a plane crash when Jerrica was a young girl. Emmett made Synergy to serve as a surrogate mother for his daughters after Jacqui passed away, even designing her appearance after the likeness of his late wife.

Good Parents: To Jerrica, Kimber and the other girls. She even encouraged the former two to look past the misunderstandings and reservations they initially had with Aja and Shana.
Happily Married: To Emmett, who also supported her dream of being a singer.
Hidden Depths: Starlight House exists because Jacqui was a former foster child and wanted to provide a safe, loving environment for other foster girls. However, there's no elaboration on whether her own foster care experiences were benevolent and in line with what she hoped to continue, or unpleasant.
Posthumous Character: As with her husband, it's explained that she died before the events of the series. The difference is that Emmett Benton outlived her before he met his own end.
Strong Family Resemblance: Her resemblance to Jerrica is unmistakable.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Particularly in comparison to her husband. She's only referenced in a single episode and dies halfway through it.

Eric Raymond

Voiced by: Charlie Adler

Arguably the biggest villain of the entire series, Eric is a conniving snake in the grass. A former employee of Emmett Benton and the manager of the Misfits, Eric lusts for fame, money, and power, and craves to one day make Starlight Music his again. He also has a hidden agenda concerning the existence of Synergy, and has attempted numerous times to discover what she is. But most of the time he's caught in-between Pizzazz's shrieking and being made into a fool by the Holograms.

Arch-Enemy: He's Jerrica's, and vice-versa.^note
Bad Boss: He was at one point fired by Harvey Gabor because his decisions were costing millions of dollars with no profit being made.
Big Bad: Manages the Misfits, trying to destroy Jem and the Holograms all the while, and later goes into partnership with Riot, still trying. The show leaves it open as to what Eric really enjoys more — lying, cheating, stealing, etc, or profiting from it. He finally manages to attract a potential Starscream near the end: Riot outright told Jem he didn't like or trust Eric, but understood how he could be controlled.
Butt-Monkey: The biggest one in the whole series. Possibly due to Laser-Guided Karma, even if he's never arrested for his crimes, Eric is usually being chewed out by either Pizzazz or her father for his business moves. He at one point had to sell everything he owned to by Misfits Music from Harvey Gabor, and is implied to have been living in his office closet as a result.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: To the point of being a Card-Carrying Villain. He'll quite often take whatever unscrupulous actions he can to prevent Jem and the Holograms from succeeding.
Create Your Own Hero: His attempted coup of Starlight Music plus his total refusal to do anything for Starlight House is pretty much the reason Jem and the Holograms exist at all.
Depending on the Artist: He has horned hair in some episodes.
Devil in Plain Sight: He drops whatever nice-guy façade he may still have had a few minutes into the first episode and never looks back. He is even complete with Devilish Hair Horns in certain episodes.
Even Evil Has Standards: Is utterly horrified at the idea of Pizzazz handling a laser gun.
- In "The Princess and the Singer", he learns of Lexa's plan to assassinate her cousin Queen Adriana. He and the Misfits warn Jem, the Holograms, and Adriana.
- In Last Resorts, Jem and the Holograms were doing a concert to raise money to save a resort from foreclosure and Eric Raymond wanted to buy it. Eric might have no qualms about scaring people from staying in the resort but his reaction when he learned the banker would go as far as gravely injure the Holograms suggests he doesn't approve this.
- However, he has no compunction about having Zipper plant a bomb in Howard Sands' mansion. He only warns them because The Misfits showed up.
Evil Laugh: Charlie Adler was probably paid by that sneer.
From Nobody to Nightmare: Started out as an assistant to Emmett Benton and then took over the company.
Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Sweet. Jesus. Even the Misfits were shown to display some amount of kindness when they thought no one was looking. Even when Jerrica pleads with him that she has faith he has some shred of human decency, he will still laugh in her face and destroy anything she loves just to "be on the safe side".
Jerkass Has a Point: Whenever he complains about the expenses the Misfits rack up (which often include lots of property damage and other pricey shenanigans).
Meaningful Name: Eric means "permanent ruler". He certainly tries.
Not Me This Time: On a couple occasions, he truthfully says he had nothing to do with a given scheme (like when Clash trashed Raya's father's business in order to intimidate her). Rarely does anyone ever believe him.
Pragmatic Villainy: A lot of what Eric does falls under this, since everything is all about serving his interests, and going to jail is not one of them. He also knows the right people to bribe and blackmail for things he truly doesn't want his hands dirtied with.
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: ...See the profile pic. Using lawyers to stay out of jail and bribing people left, right, and center for everything.
Sexual Extortion: Averted. From an non-child-friendly perspective, it really, really seems like Eric will resort to this in Out of the Past when Jerrica has neither money nor Starlight Music to offer him in exchange for what he's taken, and he certainly isn't interested in listening to her moral pleas (and dressing like Hugh Hefner only seems to confirm this). But, this is a kids' show. So he throws Jerrica's dead mother's recordings in the fire, instead.
Smug Snake: Eric's general cold-bloodedness, condescension to Jerrica, and firm belief that he can get away with anything would qualify him for something more than this... if he got away with very much more than he does. See Butt-Monkey.
Sore Loser: Eric almost casually slaps Jerrica in the face after The Misfits lose to Jem and the Holograms in the Battle of the Bands, and he loses control of his half of Starlight Music. More than that, he never stops trying to ruin Jem and the Holograms for the remainder of the show.
Surrounded by Idiots: Often expresses this attitude towards the Misfits and the various goons he hires.
Toyless Toyline Character: He did not have his own doll in the original toyline, though he eventually had one made by Integrity Toys years after the show ended its run.
Wag the Director: In-Universe. When he became in charge of Starbright, which later became The Misfits Hit It Big, the production wasn't properly finished because Pizzazz kept making changes and staff members were quitting. The movie was, naturally, a complete bomb.
Woman Scorned: According to The Reveal from Out of the Past, it's Jerrica. All of Eric's crooked shenanigans and lack of ethics aside, his totally-unhelpful nature showed way back when he was happy to humor her teenage crush on him and use her admiration to make Rio angry; then laugh at her and brush her off. Maybe he should stop calling her "Jerrica, darling"...
Would Hit a Girl: The same girl. Aside from slapping her in the original arc of the show, literally elbows Jerrica out of his way in The Stingers Hit Town, Pt. 1.

Rio Pacheco

Voiced by: Michael Sheehan

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/84325d93_8c15_4fe9_9bb7_724fd6a7530b.png

Jerrica, and Jem's, lifelong love interest who is caught in a triangle between the two, even though Jem and Jerrica are the same. Jerrica has struggled with telling Rio about her secret identity, which Rio doesn't make easy by his indecisive behavior and his self-proclaimed hatred of lying. He truly does love Jerrica, but neither makes it easy for the other. Regardless, he's the Holograms' road manager and technician, and often handles the repair of their instruments and sets.

Ambiguously Brown: He has darker skin than the other characters and his last name is common in Puerto Rico and Brazil. Christy Marx says while he wasn't originally intended or presented as a Hispanic character, he could certainly be descended and/or assimilated.
Berserk Button: He states that he doesn't like liars and he'll blow his stack whenever another man hits on Jerrica or Jem. Harassing and tormenting Jerrica and her friends are also good ways to piss him off.
Betty and Veronica: The Betty, with Riot being Veronica. In his case, Jerrica is Betty and Jem is Veronica. And both Jerrica and Jem are Betties to Minx's Veronica.
Big Brother Instinct: To the Starlight Girls.
Cock Fight: Probably easier to count the number of times he isn't on the verge of one of these with Riot. The "easier" being mainly because Riot doesn't appear until very late into the series.
Crazy Jealous Guy: Despite dating both Jem and Jerrica, his most known character trait is to get irrationally possessive and jealous whenever either Jerrica or Jem seem to display any sort of interest in other men. On at least a few occasions he has had this Lampshaded by various characters — even in song form! (Jealousy, baby~...)
The Engineer: "The guy on the team who builds and fixes your equipment." He would be the laconic, civilian version of this.
Good Old Fisticuffs: Rio only gets into a couple of actual fights over the course of the show, but he sure cocks his fists a lot. He lays out Eric Raymond after the guy decides to slap Jerrica.
Hidden Depths: At one point there were plans for an episode which would reveal that Rio knew Jem's identity the entire time. However, this might have been scrapped due to how illogical that would make some of his past actions.
Hypocrite: At one point tells Kimber that she can't string two guys along, to which she counters with how he strings along both Jerrica and Jem. Of course, they are the same person, but he doesn't know that.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's temperamental and easily angered, but he genuinely does care about Jerrica and her alter ego Jem and is often the first to defend her from anyone giving her a hard time.
Locked Out of the Loop: The only one of Jerrica's close, adult-age friends to not know she's Jem.
Mr. Vice Guy: He's a nice guy, for the most part. And he loves his girlfriend dearly. Both of them.
What the Hell, Hero?: Jerrica gives him this when she catches him snooping through her things to try and find out about Jem's secret identity. Ironically, he had just decided that he couldn't cross that line and was walking out of the room when she walked in.

Synergy

Voiced by: Marlene Aragon

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a1784186_aa49_40de_8f2b_d08d864639dd.png

An advanced and sentient computer system created by Jerrica's father as "the ultimate audiovisual synthesizer", Synergy can create near-perfect holograms, and is responsible for creating the Jem identity through the Jemstar earrings Emmett Benton also designed. The Holograms have kept Synergy's existence a secret out of fear of what someone would do if she fell into the wrong hands.

AI Is A Crap Shoot: Only when one of Techrat's inventions caused her to go out of control (and even fire lasers!) in episode. Otherwise, an inversion, since she's a benevolent AI.
Demoted to Extra:
- Outside of being used to transform into Jem and give a handful of illusions as tricks for Jerrica, Synergy herself very rarely ever actually speaks or appears in the series, considering she is just a computer screen stuck in a hidden room.
- We hardly even see her humanoid form at all, which is rather surprising, given the show went through all the trouble of manufacturing dolls of her.
Loving a Shadow: Lampshaded and averted. Emmett Benton used his dead wife Jacqui as the basis for Synergy's personality, but purposefully designed her to make sure she wasn't a complete copy of her because it would've been too painful.
Magical Computer: She's a Master of Illusion. She's pretty right to keep warning about what would happen if she fell into less-cautious and more self-serving hands.
Parental Substitute: In Out of the Past, it's revealed Synergy's design was initially meant to act as such for Jerrica and the others.
Team Mom: She's designed after the original team mom, Jacqui Benton, and she still gives wise and caring advice when sought out.

The Starlight Girls

Voiced by: Catherine Blore (Ashley), Samantha Paris (Ba Nee (speaking)), Ari Gold (Ba Nee (singing)), Cindy McGee (Krissie, Lela), Patricia Alice Albrecht (Anne, Dierdre, Terri, Marianne, Joellen, Becky), Bobbi Block (Delaree) and Jamie Weisberg (Laura)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/65bcd6a0_ffd5_48ef_92fd_5e9a285c5923.png

The twelve, later thirteen, later eleven foster girls whom Jerrica looks after in Starlight House. The Starlight Girls often find themselves involved with Jem and the Holograms, especially Ashley and Ba Nee, the former of which is the Tagalong Kid, while the latter required an expensive eye operation which was the basis for the Starbright trilogy. Starlight House was founded by Jacqui Benton, Jerrica and Kimber's mother, who herself was a foster girl and wished to help provide a home for girls with similar situations.

Abandoned War Child: Ba Nee, though in a softer manner than most examples. Her parents were in love and even got married but her father needed to go back to war. He became an amnesiac due to an injury and didn't even know he had a daughter until they were reunited years later. This means Ba Nee was considered an orphan after her mom died.
Bit Character: There were thirteen Starlight Girls overall. Ashley, Ba Nee, Krissie, Dierdre, Terri, Lela, Anne, Marianne, Joellen, Becky^note, Nancy, Delaree, and Laura. The first five usually had the most focus, and Laura was only living at Starlight House temporarily.
Bratty Half-Pint: Ashley started out as this.
Daddy's Girl: Ba Nee. Or, she wants to be, because she just wants to find her missing father. His absence left a very big mark on her, and she's desperate to find him to the point that anyone who resembles the description she remembers she'll believe is him. The final episode has Ba Nee successfully reunited with her birth father.
Deliberately Distressed Damsel: Ba Nee. She constantly puts herself in danger to force either the Holograms or her "father" to help her. The only time she doesn't get herself into trouble is when she was kidnapped by a gambler pretending to be her father who wanted Jem to pay a ransom.
Disappeared Dad: Ba Nee's father. Until the finale.
Drugs Are Bad: As Laura learned in Alone Again. Well, after she stopped thinking she was a bird.
Face Your Fears: The point of Terri's spotlight episode, Trick or Techrat.
Fearless Fool: Ashley.
Heartwarming Orphan: They're all sweet little girls with no parents.
I Just Want to Be Loved: Ba Nee.
I Just Want to Be Special: Ashley and Deirdre.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Ashley at times.
Long-Lost Uncle Aesop: Alone Again which focused on Laura Holloway, a new arrival to Starlight House who became addicted to drugs and later beat her addiction. By the episode's end she was relocated to another home. This is a Justified Trope as it was mentioned that Laura was only staying at Starlight House temporarily.
Only Sane Man: Krissie.
Out of Focus: Considering so much of the five episode pilot featured her, Ashley makes very little appearances afterwards, and all of the starlight girls have much fewer episodes surrounding them after season 1.
Parental Abandonment: Only Ba Nee's reason for being in foster care is mentioned. It's unknown if the others are orphans or were taken out of their parent's custody for other reasons. Books refer to them as orphans, but they're dubious due to their inaccuracies.
Primal Fear: Krissie is shown to be terrified of heights. A near-death experience certainly didn't help.
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: In song form. Krissie does this to Dominic Lerner in The Jem Jam Part II during You May Be A Star.
The Runaway: Deirdre, Krissie, and Ba Nee in The Music Awards, though Krissie only went with them because she wanted to make sure they stayed out of trouble.
Tagalong Kid: Ashley is this for the Holograms, was this with the Misfits.
Token Minority: Averted and played straight. Krissie, Lela, and Joellen are African-American, Marianne is Cuban, and Ba Nee is Vietnamese-American.
Took a Level in Kindness: Ashley becomes a lot friendlier after the pilot.
Youthful Freckles: Terri.

Techrat

Voiced by: Charlie Adler

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2e3eed3d_c769_4018_9272_5af1c67efca9.png

An inventor in Eric Raymond's employ, Techrat's devoted much of his resources to either help promote the Misfits or help Eric learn more about Synergy. He's also quite touchy about how his gadgets are handled and hates being touched by other people, save for Eric and Minx of the Stingers. More or less replaced Zipper (a typical henchman) in later episodes.

'80s Hair: Mild. However, sidecuts were an 80s hairstyle, though they're more associated with the 2010s.
Creepy High-Pitched Voice: He has a nasal, high pitched voice, and he helps Eric with his schemes.
Dirty Coward: He once gave Pizzazz a functional laser pistol. He knew that was a bad move; it's just that Pizzazz scared him.
Evil Counterpart: Of sorts, to Synergy. He provides a lot of their technology.
Evil Genius: He's Eric Raymond's most intelligent lackey.
Gadgeteer Genius: He invents gadgets to help Eric and the Misfits with their schemes.
Hates Being Touched: The only person who has ever touched him and he hasn't snapped at them is Minx.
Known Only by Their Nickname: No one, including Eric, knows his real name.
Mad Scientist: He comes off as a little eccentric, what with his inventions and his strong aversion to being touched by most people.
Mustache Vandalism: In the "Gimme a Gimmick" Music Video, he creates a polygram picture of Pizzazz with his computer as one of the many promotion ideas. He then proceeds to draw a mustache on it and smirk when she gets pissed.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: He hates the Misfits with a passion and has no problem letting them handle technology he knows isn't safe.

Zipper

Voiced by: Charlie Adler

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b0243055_49e6_47a9_aa90_093d6794dd90.jpeg

Eric Raymond's hired lackey, often doing his dirty work.

The Brute: He's basically Eric's hired muscle.
Dumb Muscle: He's strong, but not very bright.
Evil Laugh: He often laughs maniacally.
Jerkass: To the highest order. He's essentially a thug with no redeeming qualities.
Psycho for Hire: He's a dangerous man who'll carry out any assignment Eric Raymond gives him.
Would Hurt a Child: Has no problem blowing up a house filled with orphaned children.

Harvey Gabor

Voiced by: Wally Burr

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d54aad55_0e5e_43dc_ac20_e103b26b1b9b.jpeg

The CEO of Gabor Industries and Pizzazz's father. Harvey spoiled his daughter when she was young, because he didn't know how to raise her any other way. Even as an adult, Harvey finds himself throwing money to keep his daughter happy, when all she really wants is his love and genuine attention. Harvey is quite aware that it's his fault Pizzazz turned out like she did, but he's yet to do anything about it.

Corrupt Corporate Executive: Averted. Harvey is usually played as neutral, or sometimes good. He's never shown scheming like Eric Raymond, or out to make a buck at the expense of others. Any evil deeds on his part would usually consist of throwing money at Pizzazz to keep her happy. Even then, he finally cut her off when his indulgences began costing him a fortune. He's also quite friendly with the Holograms.
Disappeared Dad: A subversion. He was never really at home when Pizzazz was a child.
Morality Pet: To Pizzazz. Her connection to him is the only way we're able to see a more vulnerable side of her.
Parental Substitute: Oddly enough, to Kimber.
When You Coming Home, Dad?: The guy seriously needs to take a day off and spend time with his daughter.
Where Did We Go Wrong?: Subverted actually. Harvey is sadly aware that he's responsible for the way Pizzazz turned out, yet he doesn't know how to fix it now. The one time he actually tries to sit down and talk with his daughter, she's too mad to reason with.

Howard Sands

Voiced by: Neil Ross

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/09284b1e_c9fc_47f8_a455_71543303124e.jpeg

A famous film director, Howard Sands was responsible for financing the Battle of the Bands competition which rocketed the Holograms' popularity. Very reasonable and fair, he also gave Jerrica Benton temporary ownership of the new Starlight Mansion, letting the Starlight Girls stay there after the original Starlight House burnt down ^note. He comes across as an anti-Eric Raymond, and is often seeing conversing with Harvey Gabor regarding Raymond's questionable business practices.

Foil: To Eric Raymond. Howard's a successful, reasonable, and upstanding director and businessman who is friends with Jem and the Holograms and Countess DuVoisin, whereas Eric is a conniving snake willing to do anything for money and power, while often failing.
No Celebrities Were Harmed: He is supposedly based on John Waters.
Reasonable Authority Figure: When the original Starlight House burned down, he agreed to let Jem, the Holograms, and the Starlight Girls live there until the Battle of the Bands had been decided.
Wag the Directorinvoked: In Hollywood Jem he had to replace his former lead with Jem because she was making too many demands.

Countess Danielle DuVoisin

Voiced by: Marlene Aragon

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/73c4e015_2eac_4e8e_a00b_14957f5020b0.png

A refined French aristocrat and famous fashion designer, Danielle is dear friends with Howard Sands and is friends with the Holograms, to the point that she's designed a series of clothes based on their music. She's also the mentor and employer of Regine Cesaire. Danielle debuted in Disaster.

Lindsey Pierce

Voiced by: Susan Blu

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8e5c7244_3a16_4ac1_a1e9_87cb1e6246ed.png

A rock news reporter with her own TV show, Lin-Z often interviews the Holograms and the Misfits. She often finds herself siding with the Holograms, as the Misfits never control themselves while on her show. She debuted in Disaster.

Intrepid Reporter: In The Jem Jam Part I, Lin-Z helps fight against the party crashers the Misfits hired to wreck Jem's party.
Stage Names: She goes by "Lin-Z", though closed captioning uses her actual name.
The Talk Show with Host Name: She's the host of Lin-Z TV.

Video (Vivien Montgomery)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8770db77_d634_4feb_8b4c_0d6e7cf743ed.png

A young and upcoming director and filmmaker who meets the Holograms in Starbright. Video's determined when it comes to her career but she often finds herself dealing with her nuisance of a cousin, Clash. Video has directed and edited a number of the Holograms' music videos.

Arch-Enemy: To her cousin, Clash.
Blessed with Suck: Video once mentioned that, while she enjoys being a filmmaker, she has to constantly work at maintaining her career. To do that, each film she directs has to top the other one, so the only person she has to outshine is, ironically enough, herself.
Clashing Cousins: Clash and Video are cousins, but they grew up in the same town and the same neighborhood, even the same block, so they're more like bickering sisters. Clash has instigated any and all of the conflicts, though.
The Determinator: Video loves her work as a filmmaker and keeps at it despite how hard it is maintaining success.
Did I Just Say That Out Loud?: Accidentally told Clash the Holograms were performing in Starbright because they needed the money for Ba Nee's eye operation. Which Clash promptly told the Misfits.
Only Known by Their Nickname: Odd for a director but it's probably a stage name.
The Sixth Ranger: Could be considered one to the Holograms. She doesn't perform in their music videos, but she's directed a number of them.

Danse (Giselle Dvorak)

Voiced by: Desiree Goyette

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/6f549b11_8a8b_4740_be4a_e3dbe66da276.png

Giselle Dvorak is a talented dancer who becomes friends with the Holograms after they perform at a concert benefiting Haven House, a center for runaway children she volunteers at. Like Shana and Aja, Danse is an orphan whose parents have disappeared, and she has often tried to find them. Danse debuted in The Music Awards Part I.

Ascended Extra: To an extent as she gets far more focus than most of the other not-quite-Hologram girls do with at least two episodes focusing almost entirely on her which is more than even Raya a main character ever got. There's also a few episodes where she's just hanging around the Holograms for no particular reason and gets involved with the adventure despite it not involving dancing.
Disappeared Dad: She finds him in Homeland, Heartland.
Dude Magnet: Men develop feelings for her all the time.
Expy: Her multicolored hair and dancing invokes the image of Polychrome from the Land of Oz books.
Inspirationally Disabled: Temporarily in Danse Time. After being injured on set, her legs become paralyzed and she has to work to regain both the feeling in them and her ability to dance.
Missing Mom: We have no idea if her mother is dead or alive. She says her mother disappeared years ago in "Homeland, Heartland", but that of course is ambiguous enough that it doesn't confirm either possibility.
Really Gets Around: She gets a new love interest almost every episode she's in.
Sensual Slavs: Heavily downplayed as she doesn't actively seduce anyone, but she's a Croatian-American who leaves several men weak at the knees.
The Sixth Ranger: To the Holograms sometimes. She's often performed as a dancer in some of their videos. Danse Time focused on how they couldn't finished a video for a contest after Danse was injured and became temporarily paralyzed.^note

Craig Phillips

Voiced by: Michael Horton

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e335d348_b2c7_4bac_a5ec_5afa169a96c5.jpeg

The brother of Stormer and Aja's boyfriend. Craig's a drummer who competed with Raya for a role in the Holograms in The Talent Search, where the Misfits also made Stormer ask him to learn Jem's identity. Craig loves his sister dearly and has often tried to talk her into leaving the Misfits for her own sake.

Big Brother Instinct: Very nice guy. You do not screw with his sister. Crosses into Knight Templar Big Brother depending on if the viewer thinks physically threatening Big Bad Eric is "morally questionable".
Big Ol' Eyebrows: Larger than normal for this show.
Cool Big Bro: To his kid sister.
Crazy Jealous Guy: Averted. He's at first insulted that Aja doesn't trust him enough to reveal Jem's identity, until he immediately realized that he was the one who made a mistake by asking and apologized. And even then, he was only asking because Stormer asked him to.
Heroic Build: He's built like a linebacker.
Idiot Ball: Craig's bandmates all point out that he really didn't help the Aja/Stormer situation with how he presented it, especially when he first mentions he's been keeping a secret from Aja, then introduces Stormer as "Mary Phillips" and not "my sister Mary."
Made of Iron: He was in a club when it exploded. All it did was trap him under some debris, he was back on his feet in an hour.
Relative Error: His attempt to tell Aja about Stormer in "Britrock" led to this. Craig explains he's been keeping a secret, but between stumbling words and introducing Stormer as "Mary Phillips," Aja thought they were married and slapped him in the face. Craig's own bandmates observed Craig was botching this situation and made a point of leaving before it got ugly. Thankfully, Aja apologizes and makes up with him once she learns the truth.
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!: Eric was unable to bribe him with either money or a recording contract.
Terror Hero: Of the "Intimidator" variety. Craig proves he's not one to be screwed with. Particularly where his sister is concerned.
Understanding Boyfriend: Played with. He knows it was wrong to ask Aja Jem's secret identity but only did so for his sister's sake. He can get a bit angry, though, when Aja really sets him off.

Astral (Maeve Eldritch)

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A talented illusionist and stage magician who studied under a student of Harry Houdini. Astral debuts in That Old Houdini Magic, where she gets into a magical duel with Rapture, who just so happens to be "channeling" Houdini's spirit. Astral sets out to prove her fraud with help from the Holograms.

The Exotic Detective: Besides being a magician, Astral's an Occult Detective and a debunker of hoaxes and scams pertaining to the supernatural.
Foil: To Rapture.
Magical Girl: A literal example. She's an actual magician.
Meaningful Name: Her last name, "Eldritch", is a word often used to describe unearthly and supernatural things. It's also frequently used in regards to elements from H. P. Lovecraft (and elsewhere). May count as a Genius Bonus.
Only Known by Their Nickname: We only hear "Astral" used in-show.
Sixth Ranger: She was designed to be like this in the same vein as Video and Danse but the show ended before she was in more than one episode.

Regine Cesaire

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An aspiring French fashion designer who had found success very quickly after having only just begun work as a professional. Debuting in Straight From The Heart, Regine is introduced to the Holograms by her mentor, Danielle DuVoisin, and offers to design their clothes for an upcoming concert. However, Regine has much to learn about constructive criticism, and falls in with the Stingers after she believes the Holograms have insulted her designs.

Break the Haughty: Her debut episode introduced her as an upcoming young designer employed by the Countess, but still very green, inexperienced, and sensitive when it comes to working as a professional.
The Chew Toy: After the Stingers decide she's lost her "novelty", they keep her around just to screw with her head.
Defector from Decadence: After she leaves the Stingers' employ, having originally been seduced by their promises of glamour, glitter, fashion and fame.
The Fashionista: Has a hard time translating some of her fashion visions for her audience.
The Ingenue: New to America and the design world. Needs to learn to handle Constructive Criticism in regards to her work.
Funny Foreigner: As stated in-show, Regine's family is from Martinique, possibly with France in-between there and her coming to LA. The Stingers take advantage of her total naivete and the "island look" she creates is received as bizarre and inappropriate — before it catches on.
Hot-Blooded: More of a passionate variety. She's a good designer, but she's still young and inexperienced and has a lot to learn about being a professional.

The Limp Lizards

A quartet of horrible musicians who made rare appearances in the background after their debut in the first episode.

Bit Character: Appeared only three times, and the second time was just a mention.

Crossdressing Voices: All four of them are actually voiced by staff writer Ford Kinder.
Dreadful Musician: Their song Broken Glass is proof enough that they are terrible at music. That being said, they seem to be at least decent at playing instruments, as they played the back-up instruments for Kimber and Stormer when they became a duet in the episode The Bands Break Up.
Four-Girl Ensemble: There are four members.
Funny Background Event: Despite being awful they somehow managed to become known worldwide by In Stitches as they were one of the three American rock groups to be selected for the rock fashion show, alongside the Holograms and the Misfits. They weren't picked, but still.

No Name Given: None of them have individual names.

The Voiceless: They've been heard singing, but they've never had any speaking roles.

Characters / Jem

Jem and the Holograms

The Misfits

The Stingers

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Characters / Jem

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Jem and the Holograms

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