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Misfits
Misfits
Elspeth Gordie
Our protagonist, a prickly, solemn orphan with secret telepathic powers and a destiny she can't begin to imagine.
Tropes:
- Consummate Liar, thanks to the secrecy her talents and quest demanded from an early age.
- Emotionless Girl, at first; later, or to her friends, Defrosting Ice Queen
- Friend to All Living Things: but interestingly, not The Heart. She's rather insensitive, she just gets along with animals.
- In-Series Nickname: Elspethelf, from Matthew.
- No Social Skills: her time in the Council orphanages left her cagy and off-putting to most.
- Oblivious to Love: Perpetually. She's explicltly written as unusually dense about emotional issues.
- It's fairly blatant as well, considering that she's the Narrator. When you've played Will They or Won't They? for three books, dropped hints by everyone and their animal counterparts (including Ariel in the first book), you have reached the point of a Running Gag. You have probably also reached the point where the reader feels the need to hammer the obvious into the protagonist's brain with something very, very heavy.
- Willfully Weak: Elspeth. Despite having extraordinary mental prowess as a farseeker, coercer, and beastspeeker, she restrains and limits her use of her killing power (which comes from the raw centre of power deep within her mind), making her considerably weaker than she would be if she used her full potential (mostly because she's afraid at what might happen if she loses control of it). That said, if you threaten her True Companions, she will throw her entire arsenal of considerable power at the situation.
Ariel
This angelic yet sadistic Misfit, eager assistant at the Mad Scientist Laboratory at Obernewtyn, becomes Elspeth's repeat antagonist.
Tropes:
- Cute and Psycho: If you see his Ax-Crazy and sadistic side you are probably not going to live long. If you're lucky.
- Evil Counterpart: to Elspeth. But it doesn't really show until later on when they're both adults. In the beginning they seem like complete inversions of each other.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Ariel starts off as a Misfit. A sadistic sociopath who loves to torture and destroy anything that is good, innocent, or weaker than himself, but an insignificant Misfit nonetheless, and stuck at the mercy of the Council. When everybody at Obernewtyn thought that he was dead, they didn't bother to find his body. They probably should have done that...
- White Hair, Black Heart: He comes complete with a
Neutral Evil calling card.
Rushton Seraphim
The enigmatic, stoical, and abrupt farm worker at Obernewtyn who becomes a key figure in La Résistance.
Tropes:
- Secret Legacy: Rushton is actually the heir to Obernewtyn, and a latent Misfit.
- Supporting Leader: Despite Elspeth's contributions to the cause, it is Rushton who leads the fight for freedom and tries to carve out a place for Misfits in the world, resisting the forces of oppression and totalitarianism.
Dameon
The aristocratic type who loses it all when he's declared a Misfit, but gains true friends in Elspeth and the rest.
Tropes:
- Disability Superpower: Dameon is blind, and although most of his powers are regular Misfit powers, he is also described as having enhanced hearing, smell, etc.
Matthew
A romantic, eager farseeker; best friends with Elspeth and Dameon.
Tropes:
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Elspeth frequently worries that his overly romantic view of the world will get him into trouble. It does, and in recent books he's come across a lot less naive.
Dragon
A feral child with great powers and great beauty.
Tropes:
- In-Series Nickname: Mornir, from the beasts.
- Secret Legacy: She's actually the daughter of the Red Queen.
Beasts
Beasts
Maruman
A one-eyed cat, Elspeth's devoted yet crotchety companion. Given to cryptic warnings.
Gahltha
A prideful stallion with a hatred for humans who comes to tolerate Elspeth.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Can't stand water.
Rebels
Rebels
Brydda Llewellyn
- Rebel Leader: more than any other rebel leader, Brydda represents the resistance to the reader and the Misfits.
