Characters / The Human Game

General

• Closed Circle
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: See the Fridge page.
• Multinational Team

Protagonists

Kate Greenwood

'I have a feeling...'

The first, hot-blooded and intuitive character introduced. Kate tries to be the de-facto leader of the group, but this doesn't work out most of the time. She wants to organize their efforts to get out, and keep their humanity. Not always kind, but attentive and (usually) level-headed, Kate will do anything to keep her compatriots (especially Daniel) in line. Boisterous, loud, and overbearing, Kate makes best of her photographic memory... most of the time. Despite occasional fear, she is usually the first member of the group to dive head-first into any situation.

• Berserk Button: It doesn't take much to get her angry, but being mean to Daniel (or anyone else who can't really defend themselves) is definitely one of them.
• Boisterous Bruiser: Quick to anger, and tough to match.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Bright red.
• Fearless Fool: Sometimes borders on this, if not were for her intuition.
• Fiery Redhead: Reckless to a fault, she would always prefer the straight-forward approach to any kind of subtle strategy, but when the going gets tough, her power can call the other players to her side and give any dire situation a (fighting) chance.

• Leeroy Jenkins: Runs into danger at the drop of a hat.
• Nice Girl: She's a very good would-be leader.
• No Indoor Voice: She's quite the boisterous one.
• Photographic Memory: Kate remembers everything - from what she ate on Friday morning, to what Daniel was wearing the day she met him, to her awful past. Too bad she doesn't remember how she got to the facility.
• Standardized Leader: Once again, up until Connor, Thalia, Camilla, Abigail and Daniel are introduced. From then on, she's Demoted to Extra (although she keeps appearing in promotional art, such as the cover, the icon...).
• Tarot Motifs: VII - The Chariot

Joe Verger

A former successful writer who is the second character introduced. Occasionally slips into long monologues about prose. He is only depressed when he can't lift anyone else's spirits, but he thinks that it means he has to try harder.

• Broken Smile: Here.
• Cheery Pink: Yes at least, at the surface.
• Cloud Cuckoolander: Combined with Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Pink.
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Sure, he's a writer who will keep on jabbering about things in Purple Prose. However, he's prone to violently lashing out when stressed and this may not spell out good things for him.
• The Ditz: Occasionally.
• Foreshadowing: Two are better than one, as they say...
• Inter Generational Friendship: Naturally, since he seems to be to oldest protagonist by a fair amount, but particularly with Kate and Abigail.
• Nice Guy: Has a sunny, affable personality. Mostly, then.
• Madness Mantra: Here.
• Polly Anna: Basically Kate's polar opposite, having a relatively positive attitude regardless of anything. He can easily switch to being serious, though.
• Purple Prose: Joe is prone to this, even in everyday conversations.
• Rummage Sale Reject: One of his outfits.
• Tarot Motifs: 0 - The Fool

Seth Turner Sato

A mysterious man who acts as a complete jerk to the other characters. A staunch perfectionist, he is characterized as being single-minded and practically obsessed with...himself. He's the first to fall into despair, changing him into a Butterfly of Death and Rebirth.

• And I Must Scream: He's implied to be fully aware of his mask/Null's actions.
• Animal Motifs: A butterfly. Not only his physical appearance looks like them (especially when he has his both hands on his hip or in his pocket, mimicking butterfly wings), but his shades give him also a slightly insect-like look while his bright colors tie into a butterfly in particularly. Even his symbol can look like one (the two tilted triangles as wings and the vertical line between them as a body). Finally, and most definatively, his final appearance in contrast to previously appearing in the flesh.
• Berserk Button: Completely loses his composure when Camilla slaps him, and seemed ready to actually attack her if the others hadn't restrained him first.
• Butterfly of Death and Rebirth: What he turns into.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Teal or turquoise.
• Demonic Possession: The first to apparently succumb to the masks, though not without...
• Fighting from the Inside
• Femme Fatalons: A rare male version.
• Kick the Dog: Gleefully telling Kate, who was just forced to wear a bracelet that painfully shocks her when her heart rate speeds up enough, that it should have been placed on her neck like a collar on an animal, in an attempt to get her zapped again. He even expressing disappointment when Camilla steps in and calms her down
• Jerkass: Gee, you think so? At least, that's what he wants you to think.
• Lean and Mean: Seth has the physique of a stick insect and the morals of a blood-sucking mosquito. He has a way of draining his enemies' patience with his heckling, causing their personal weaknesses come to light.
• Leitmotif: Semi-canon, this has been suggested for him (Heavy spoilers in second link!), in particular for his transformation. It is awfully fitting, when you consider that the series it came from also revolves around people becoming monsters and was one of the primary inspirations for THG. At the second part, from 1:32, the music grows louder, as in a Fighting from the Inside way, then dies off.
• Mukokuseki: Averted. He's from Japan, and actually looks like it.
• Nightmare Face: As early in his life as here.
• Pet the Dog: He's surprisingly nice to Abigail and he keeps Kate from going to Daniel when his drowning collar is activated, because he knows that the electricity from her bracelet would only make things much worse for him.

• Slasher Smile: Seth's specialty. Subverted by the fact that Seth isn't necessarily evil, just trying to make the other players nervous. It's not a Cheshire Cat Grin since he doesn't intend to be mischievous. Also subverted by the fact that unlike most of the examples under Slasher Smile, Seth is not in control of the situation, despite what he thinks/says.
• Tarot Motifs: XV - The Devil
• Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: When younger.
• Walking Spoiler: It is apparently so hard to talk about him without spoiling his demise, that even the author could not avoid this one.

Connor Cavanagh

A highly intelligent thinker and zoologist who relies on logic and reasoning to solve problem. He is willingly to stand by anyone who needs a companion, which he had to do often due to Seth. While loyalty and faithfulness has to be a standard thing the facility asks from the players, Connor is an exceptionally true friend in the most literal sense. He's perfectly content to either talk with someone else about their lives before the facility (or what they remember of it), charge into a fight if Seth??? rears his head, or simply provide some companionship to a person in need. This multifaceted scientist may not win best in show, but he's got it all where it counts.

• Alliterative Name: Connor Cavanagh.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Orange.
• Genius Bruiser: Connor is a biologist who lifts weights. It is generally a bad idea to mess with him.
• Happily Married
• Nice Guy: He's loyal to all of his pals and a sweet-natured friend to anyone who met his good side.
• Papa Wolf / Friend to All Children Has two twin boys that he loves dearly and would do anything to protect. He also extends this to Abigail, comforting her when she's upset and scooping her up in his arms when the group is being chased by Seth??? so she doesn't get left behind.
• Sanity Has Advantages: He's quite intelligent, but not a show-off, which makes him rather loved than hated.
• Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The Manly Man to Daniel's Sensitive Guy.
• The Smart Guy: Has a bright, intelligent personality.
• Tarot Motifs: IV - The Emperor
• Team Dad, but he's also The Smart Guy (see there) and apparently enjoyed his job.
• Undying Loyalty

Thalia Parik

A famous violinist taken away in the middle of a tour.

• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Yellow.
• Distinguishing Mark: Thalia's scar, around one of her eyes.
• Elegant Classical Musician: Thalia is a world-famous violinist. In fact, she was abducted in the middle of a tour.
• Meaningful Name: Thalia was the muse of comedy. Now see the next trope...
• Stepford Smiler: Hinted to be Type A: Depressed. (or possibly C: Unstable). Thalia is very popular due to her beauty and her graceful demeanor, in addition to her musical skill. When she first meets the other characters, she tries to help them and acts cooperative. Some of the panels and author's comments hint that she has a very difficult time trusting other people, however...
• Tarot Motifs: XIV - Temperance
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: The Girly Girl to Camilla's Tomboy.

Camilla Lloyd

'I'm not the cheeriest of you. Go figure.'

The Stoic of the cast. She's perfectly aware where she's trapped in, and not happy about it. Despite her antisocial traits, she's not above putting her healing hands into action on special occasions, even if she pretends not to like it.

• Bunnies for Cuteness: Camilla has a soft spot for rabbits.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Green.
• Deadpan Snarker: One of her most prominent treats, and probably a major reason why she became such a popular character.
• Dissonant Serenity: Here.
• Healing Hands: Can calm down anyone with a touch.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Downplayed at the jerk part, being it very sometimes. She grouches, gumbles and isn't always the nicest. However, she's still a player.
• Mama Bear: Has shown a certain degree of protectiveness regarding the others.
• Only Sane Man: Sometimes. A bit more down-to-earth compared to characters like Joe.
• Prophet Eyes: Shows them here.
• Tarot Motifs: XI - Strength
• The Stoic: Cynical, surly and rarely seen happy, Camilla looks like she's the black sheep among the players. While at first it may seem like she's in the completely wrong line of work, Camilla occupies a very particular niche among her more bubbly bethren like Joe and is often relegated to solving everything. You could say she's a practitioner of "tough love", taking a more straight-forward approach to solving problems, and isn't afraid to tell it like it is.
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: The Tomboy to Thalia's Girly Girl.
• You Shall Not Pass!: Is often forced into this, together with Connor, as they're regarded as the strongest. Also, was fully prepared to pull this against Seth??? when they were trying to kill the others. Though, luckily it didn't come to that.

Abigail Faust

A blind 11-year old girl who is also the youngest spirit medium ever. Small though she may be, but she (mainly because she has to) always tags along with the bigger players in their games and adventures they are forced to play.

• Cheerful Child: Implied to be this in the past.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Dark blue.
• Constantly Curious: Downplayed, but she still asks a lot of questions, usually why's.
• I See Dead People: Or rather, she hears them.
• Kid-Appeal Character: Firstly subverted, then averted completely.
• Little Miss Snarker: Can be at times. After the players are given the task to get to the library to search for medaillions, she comments (to Seth's amusement):
  Abigail: Well, guess I'll be doing a lot of reading when we get to the library. I'm really excited.
• Morality Pet: Possibly, she is the only one Seth behaves somewhat decent too and and she seems to only see the good in him in return.
• Not Now, Kiddo: Gets this from time to time, and unfortunately, what she's trying to say is very useful and/or plot-relevant.
• Prophet Eyes
• Tag Along Kid: Tries to make herself useful. Although, for one half of the others she's just as much of a 'player' as the rest; for the other half, she's just this.
• Tarot Motifs: XVII - The Star
• True Blue Femininity
• Wise Beyond Her Years: Downplayed, she doesn't like the others treating her her like a baby and has shown surprising maturity for someone her age. But she still provides frequent reminders that she's only eleven years old, such as her initial response to the situation and her somewhat naive view of things.

Daniel Nox

The unluckiest player of the bunch. Not only has he lost his keycard and thereby the entrance to his room, but he's also a walking disaster who can't walk three steps without falling down or accidentally breaking something. In the worst cases, such as when he was running from Seth, who recently fell into despair, he'll trip and fall on top of his crush, Kate. It should be noted, though, that he isn't hated by fans.

• Because You Were Nice to Me: His reason for being infatuated with Kate.
• Born Unlucky: Is he ever. Daniel's hopped from job to job due to his clumsiness, he has no idea who his parents are, and he's been pulled out of school. Now he's stuck in the Human Game, with a psychotic mastermind, a snarky jerk who wants him dead, and the girl he has an embarrassingly obvious crush on.
• Butt-Monkey: Perpetually klutzy and accident-prone, Daniel is constantly making mistakes, which continually effect himself and others.
• Catchphrase: 'Sorry...'
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Purple.
• Determinator: Well, he is persistent, you have to give him that.
• Fragile Speedster: When Seth corners him, he notes himself that his only good thing are quick reflexes.
• The Klutz: It says something that his Catchphrase is 'Sorry...' and that he is Born Unlucky.
• Iron Butt Monkey: Darkly subverted.
• Meaningful Name: Nox (or rather, Nyx) was the Greek goddess of the night. 'Daniel' means◊ 'God is my judge'.
• Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The Sensitive Guy to Connor's Manly Man.
• Single-Target Sexuality: Described as being "Katesexual" by the author.
• Tarot Motifs: XVIII - The Moon
• Unwanted Assistance: The In-Universe epitome of this trope - Usually, but not exclusively, to Kate.
• Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Has an immense fear of drowning/water, which is utilized by Cancel in a very disturbing way.

Antagonists

Cancel

• Faux Affably Evil
• Guardian Angel: Darkly subverted. Cancel may have an angelic appearance, but he keeps tabs on his subjects like a spy or a prison warden rather than a caring protector. He also doesn't particularly care if they die. He is attempting to "guide" the Human Game participants by teaching them a lesson...too bad they don't know what the lesson is yet.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Black and white/grey, rounding out the color theme.
• Manipulative Bastard: His plans always involve some degree of manipulation.
• Tarot Motifs: XIII - Death
• Would Hurt a Child: Being blind and a little girl does not spare Abigail from being involved in his sick game.

The Minims

• Punch-Clock Villain: They hardly seem malicious at all despite their creepy exteriors, and are in fact downright friendly most of the time. One in particular bonds with Abigail and the ones ordered to give Daniel his punishment seem to hesitate

Other

The Achronists

• Arc Symbol: The eight-pointed star.
• Mysterious Backer: They aren't much for explaining things.
• Suspiciously Specific Denial: They did not brainwash people. They were just really good at persuading.

Cancel's Computer