{"id":5316,"date":"2010-11-14T00:06:04","date_gmt":"2010-11-14T04:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/?p=5316"},"modified":"2010-11-14T00:06:04","modified_gmt":"2010-11-14T04:06:04","slug":"el-goonish-shive-character-list-and-trivia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/2010\/11\/14\/el-goonish-shive-character-list-and-trivia\/","title":{"rendered":"El Goonish Shive Character List and Trivia"},"content":{"rendered":"

One minor frustration I had when reading El Goonish Shive<\/em><\/a> (mini-review here<\/a>) is that there is no official character list. There are some character lists created by fans (links below) but they are heavily spoiler-laden. Since I strongly recommend reading the whole story from the beginning here<\/a>, that tends to defeat the purpose.<\/p>\n

So in a typical obsessive manner I created my own character list. To minimize spoilers I list the characters roughly in order of appearance and describe them only as they first appear (no character development or new powers.)<\/p>\n

I have taken the liberty of assigning RPG-style alignments to the characters. I find this helpful in understanding this particular story, but I want to make it clear that this is my idea, not Dan Shive’s. The alignments just represent my impression of the characters and may not reflect the author’s views.
\n<\/p>\n

Characters<\/h3>\n
\n\"\"Tedd Verres<\/strong> is a budding mad scientist who lives in a nondescript town called Moperville located somewhere in the American mid-west. He is 17 years old and a junior at Moperville North High School. He is painfully shy and somewhat twisted, but he has some good qualities.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Chaotic-Neutral.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> High.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> Mad scientist.
\nEmbarrassing Secret:<\/span> There’s nothing wrong with his vision. He wears the glasses to disguise his girlish features.
\nHair:<\/span> Purple.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Pervert.\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n

Elliot Dunkel<\/strong> is Tedd’s classmate and best friend (probably his only friend at the beginning of the story.) He is a nice, clean-cut all-American boy. For someone like that to hang out with someone like Tedd is bound to have tragic consequences. Elliot is handsome, brave, strong, honorable, thoughtful and kind. He will not hesitate to intervene to protect the weak or right an injustice, even at great risk to himself.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Lawful-Good.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> Average at best.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> A student of Anime-Style Martial Arts, Eliot can perform amazing feats by focusing his ki<\/em>.
\nEmbarrassing Secret:<\/span> Fantasizes about being a superhero. (You should be careful what you wish for.)
\nHair:<\/span> Light Brown.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n

\n\"\"Their classmate Sarah Brown<\/strong> has known Tedd and Elliot for years. She likes Elliot but doesn’t trust Tedd. She is a normal level-header girl, artistic and maybe at bit prudish. She refuses to go along with Tedd’s suggestions that she should wear more revealing clothing.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Neutral-Good.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> Average.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> None.
\nEmbarrassing Secret:<\/span> Draws comics.
\nHair:<\/span> Blond.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n
\n\"\"Dr. Germahn<\/strong> [NCC]<\/a> is a German scientist who sometimes appears at the end of a story sequence to explain points about which the readers may be confused. In his day job he is the head of Germahn Labs and is responsible for consumer products such as Shrink Soda and Catgirl Cereal.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Chaotic-Neutral (bordering on Evil.)
\nIntelligence:<\/span> High.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> Mad scientist.
\nHair:<\/span> White.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Pervert.\n<\/div>\n
\n\"\"Amanda<\/strong> [NCC]<\/a> is Dr. Germahn’s beautiful but gullible assistant. She longs to be taken seriously as a mad scientist, but she usually ends up being the subject of embarrassing experiments.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Chaotic-Stupid.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> Below average.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> Mad scientist.
\nHair:<\/span> Blond.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n
\n\"\"Principal Verr\u00fcckt<\/strong> is the tinpot dictator of Moperville North High School. He is a great believer in inspirational murals and diverts much of the school budget to commissioning them.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Lawful-Stupid.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> Below average.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> None.
\nHair:<\/span> Fake.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n
\n\"\"Tony<\/strong> is a football player who constantly bullies Tedd, making fun of his girlish features.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Chaotic-Stupid.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> Bullies a mad scientist.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> None.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Hetero. (But why is he so obsessed with Tedd?)\n<\/div>\n
\n\"\"Tedd’s father Edward Verres<\/strong> works for the government. Though the neighbors don’t know it, he is actually head of the Paranormal Division, a secret inter-agency task force charged with covering up evidence of paranormal activities. He has many strange friends and usually has a better idea of what is going on than most of the other characters.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Neutral-Good.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> High.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> Magic user.
\nHair:<\/span> Blue.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n
\n\"\"Grace Sciuridae<\/strong> a.k.a. “Shade Tail” a.k.a. “Claire” is a refugee from a shady genetics lab, where she was created as part of an ill-conceived attempt to breed shape-changing assassins. She is gentle, kind and playful. She loves video games, at least the kind without realistic violence.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Chaotic-Good.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> High, but very naive.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> Shape-shifting, telekinesis, talking to squirrels.
\nHair:<\/span> Usually dark brown.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Tedd.\n<\/div>\n
\n\"\"Sarah’s best friend Susan Pompoms<\/strong> is dark and cynical. She is the founder and president of the Feminist Club at Moperville North. Naturally she and Tedd do not get along well at all. She is a Star Trek<\/em> fan and identifies with Mr. Spock. She is also germophobic and somewhat obsessive.
\nAlignment:<\/span> Lawful-Neutral.
\nIntelligence:<\/span> Above average.
\nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> Limited magic-user.
\nEmbarrassing Secret:<\/span> She’s a natural blonde and her real first name is Tiffany.
\nHair:<\/span> Dark blue.
\nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Hetero, but doesn’t like men–or at least doesn’t trust them.\n<\/div>\n
\n\"\"Nanase Kitsune<\/strong> attends Moperville South<\/u> High School, but she has 3 connections with the characters introduced so far.<\/p>\n
    \n
  1. She knows Elliot from martial arts classes.<\/li>\n
  2. She is Tedd’s cousin, though they rarely see each other.<\/li>\n
  3. She met Susan during a student trip to France, though they are not very close.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Nanase is a straight-A student and speaks French and Japanese fluently. Nevertheless she finds small ways to rebel against her mother’s strict rules.
    \nAlignment:<\/span> Lawful-Good.
    \nIntelligence:<\/span> High.
    \nParanormal Abilities:<\/span> Like Elliot she is a student of Anime-Style Martial Arts, though she is better at it than he is. She is also a magic user like Susan, but more advanced.
    \nHair:<\/span> Red.
    \nSexual Orientation:<\/span> Hetero. Absolutely, no question about it. Anyway she had better be, because her mom hate gay people.\n<\/div>\n

    \n\"\"Justin Tolkiberry<\/strong> is Nanase’s best friend and confidante. He works part time at the Salty Cracker, a comics shop where Nanase often hangs out.
    \nAl:<\/span> Neutral-Good.
    \nIn:<\/span> Average.
    \nPA:<\/span> A student of Anime-Style Martial Arts, though not as advanced as Elliot and Nanase.
    \nHair:<\/span> Orange.
    \nSO:<\/span> Gay.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Greg<\/strong> is Elliot, Nanase and Justin’s martial arts instructor. Originally a black belt in 3 different disciplines, his life was changed when his girlfriend dumped him and he responded by locking himself in his room and watching anime<\/a> continuously for an entire week. On the seventh day he had an epiphany in which he realized the secret of the martial arts being used. He subsequently opened the Anime-Style Martial Arts Dojo. Greg is painfully aware that the founder of a school of martial arts ought to be an elderly pervert, but unfortunately he is in he is in his late twenties and a straight-arrow.
    \nAl:<\/span> Lawful-Good.
    \nIn:<\/span> Above average.
    \nPA:<\/span> ASMA.
    \nHair:<\/span> Dark brown.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"The Demonic Duck<\/strong> is a distraction. Ignore him. He’s not really a demon, but he’s rude and sarcastic.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> Below Average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Illusions.
    \nFeathers:<\/span> Red.
    \nSO:<\/span> Human women.\n<\/div>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    \nElliot’s mother and father Mr. and Mrs. Dunkel<\/strong> may seem like the world’s most laid-back and easygoing parents, but they do take some things very seriously.
    \nAl:<\/span> Neutral-Good.
    \nIn:<\/span> Average.
    \nPA:<\/span> None.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Ellen Dunkel<\/strong> is sort of a female duplicate of Elliot. They look similar but their personalities are quite different: she is much more outgoing, mischievous and devious.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> Average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Anything Elliot can do, plus a transformation beam.
    \nHair:<\/span> Light brown.
    \nSO:<\/span> Bi.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Dan Shive<\/strong> [NCC]<\/a> is the creator of the comic, and sometimes shows up to give explanations. He appears to be some sort of deranged wombat. (OK, he’s supposed to be a squirrel, but I never saw a squirrel that looked like that.) It is also possible that he is just a character in a comic drawn by Sarah.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> Above average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Omnipotent.
    \nHair:<\/span> Brown.
    \nSO:<\/span> Pervert.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Melissa<\/strong> is Justin’s former childhood friend and the bane of his existence. They went on ONE date and she has been obsessed with him ever since.
    \nAl:<\/span> Lawful-Stupid.
    \nIn:<\/span> Below average.
    \nPA:<\/span> None.
    \nHair:<\/span> Orange.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Minion<\/strong> [NCC]<\/a> is Dan’s long-suffering assistant. That’s not his real name; it’s his job title.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Gillian<\/strong> and William<\/strong> are not aliens. They are Uryuom-Americans, born in this country and proud of it. They are old friends of Mr. Verres, who first came up with the disguises that let them pass unnoticed among humans.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Good.
    \nIn:<\/span> Above average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Uryuom technology, languages.
    \nSO:<\/span> Uryuom.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Hedge<\/strong> was produced in the same ill-considered genetic research project that produced Grace; she thus considers him her “brother.” He has a very different personality: grim, pessimistic and sometimes ruthless. He doesn’t like owls.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> Average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Limited shape-shifting; martial arts.
    \nSO:<\/span> Probably hetero.
    \nHair:<\/span> Grey.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Guineas<\/strong> is another of Grace’s “brothers,” part human and part guinea pig. He doesn’t say much.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> Below-average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Limited shape-shifting.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.
    \nFur:<\/span> Brown.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Vlad<\/strong> is Grace’s third and most dangerous “brother.” He has characteristics of a vampire bat.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> Average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Limited shape-shifting, flight, paralyzing scream.
    \nSO:<\/span> Doesn’t matter.
    \nHair\/fur\/feathers:<\/span> white and black.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Damien<\/strong> was the product of a different genetics experiment. He has a messiah complex and is utterly ruthless.
    \nAl:<\/span> Lawful-Evil.
    \nIn:<\/span> Above average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Fire, regeneration.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.
    \nHair:<\/span> Black and white.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Dr. Sciuridae<\/strong> used to work at the genetics lab that produced Grace, Hedge, Guineas and Vlad.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> Above average.
    \nPA:<\/span> Mad scientist.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Nioi<\/strong> is a visitor from the Alpha Universe (see below) and a friend of Lord Tedd. Nevertheless she seems pretty nice.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Good.
    \nIn:<\/span> High.
    \nPA:<\/span> Magic user.
    \nSO:<\/span> Unknown.
    \nColoration:<\/span> White and purple.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Kaoli<\/strong> is sort of a duplicate of Nioi.
    \nAl:<\/span> Lawful-Neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> High.
    \nPA:<\/span> Magic User.
    \nSO:<\/span> Unknown.
    \nColoration:<\/span> White and pink.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Lisa<\/strong> [NCC]<\/a> is a law student and Amanda’s roommate. She may have inappropriate designs on Amanda.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Neutral (bordering on Evil.)
    \nIn:<\/span> Above average.
    \nPA:<\/span> None.
    \nSO:<\/span> Lesbian.
    \nHair:<\/span> Black.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Diane<\/strong> is a student at Moperville South who looks and sounds exactly like Susan, except for the hair color. However her personality could not be more different. She is the leader of a clique of girls whose goal is to get boys to spend money on them.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Neutral.
    \nIn:<\/span> Smarter than she looks.
    \nPA:<\/span> None.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.
    \nHair:<\/span> Blond.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Lucy<\/strong> is the second-ranking member of Diane’s clique. She’s meaner than Diane.
    \nAl:<\/span> Chaotic-Evil.
    \nIn:<\/span> Not as smart as she thinks she is.
    \nPA:<\/span> None.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.
    \nHair:<\/span> Light brown.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Rhoda<\/strong> thinks it’s amazing that girls as cool as Diane and Lucy will let her hang out with them.
    \nAl:<\/span> Neutral-Good.
    \nIn:<\/span> Smarter than she thinks she is.
    \nPA:<\/span> None.
    \nSO:<\/span> Hetero.
    \nHair:<\/span> Black.\n<\/div>\n
    \n\"\"Noah<\/strong> is a mysterious blond boy who is a close friend of Melissa. He is reserved and speaks very formally.
    \n    Show ▼<\/a><\/p>\n