Crown of Midnight Characters: Full List & Analysis

Who drives the story

Main characters

Celaena Sardothien

The King's Champion and the realm's most feared assassin, secretly working against the throne she serves. Nehemia's murder breaks her open; she destroys a Wyrdkey, loses Chaol, and rides south under a new name to finish what her friend started.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Champion's Leash; Part 6: The Champion's Leash; Part 9: Blood on the Marble; Part 14: Blood on the Marble; Part 23: The Name Beneath the Crown
Themes:: Grief as a weapon that cuts both ways; The price of loyalty; Hidden identities and buried names; Friendship as the spine of the story

Chaol Westfall

Captain of the Guard, in love with Celaena since the day she arrived, torn between his King and her. His attempt to protect Nehemia backfires fatally, costing him Celaena's love and his own loyalty.

Appears in:: Part 4: The Champion's Leash; Part 7: The Champion's Leash; Part 11: Blood on the Marble; Part 14: Blood on the Marble; Part 17: The Name Beneath the Crown; Part 20: The Name Beneath the Crown
Themes:: Grief as a weapon that cuts both ways; The price of loyalty; Friendship as the spine of the story

Nehemia Ytger

Princess of Eyllwe, secretly allied with the rebels and teaching Celaena the Wyrdmarks. Her brutal murder is the book's wound — and the coded message carved into her body becomes Celaena's map.

Appears in:: Part 6: The Champion's Leash; Part 9: Blood on the Marble; Part 10: Blood on the Marble; Part 11: Blood on the Marble; Part 12: Blood on the Marble; Part 13: Blood on the Marble; Part 14: Blood on the Marble; Part 16: The Name Beneath the Crown; Part 19: The Name Beneath the Crown; Part 20: The Name Beneath the Crown; Part 22: The Name Beneath the Crown
Themes:: Grief as a weapon that cuts both ways; The price of loyalty; Friendship as the spine of the story

Dorian Havilliard

The King's son, who discovers raw magic of his own when he freezes a glass of water. He now hides the one power his father is eradicating from the kingdom.

Appears in:: Part 21: The Name Beneath the Crown
Themes:: Magic as the empire's dirty secret

Also in the story

Supporting characters

The King of Adarlan

A conqueror wielding Wyrdmarks to breed monsters and hoard Wyrdkeys toward a demon army. He admits his plans to Celaena's face and tries to kill her for knowing.

Appears in:: Part 2: The Champion's Leash; Part 23: The Name Beneath the Crown

Archer Finn

A former courtesan and rebel sympathizer marked for death, spared on condition of intelligence. He survives Celaena's torture but leaves her with the Wyrdkey's location.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Champion's Leash; Part 3: The Champion's Leash; Part 13: Blood on the Marble
Themes:: Grief as a weapon that cuts both ways

Arobynn Hamel

The King of the Assassins, watching Celaena's rebellion from the shadows. Her escape delights him: she's becoming exactly what he trained her to be.

Themes:: Hidden identities and buried names

How they are connected

Key relationships

Celaena Sardothien Chaol Westfall
Nehemia's murder breaks her open; she destroys a Wyrdkey, loses Chaol, and rides south under a new name to finish what her friend started.
Celaena Sardothien Nehemia Ytger
Nehemia's murder breaks her open; she destroys a Wyrdkey, loses Chaol, and rides south under a new name to finish what her friend started.
Chaol Westfall Nehemia Ytger
His attempt to protect Nehemia backfires fatally, costing him Celaena's love and his own loyalty.
The King of Adarlan Celaena Sardothien
He admits his plans to Celaena's face and tries to kill her for knowing.
Archer Finn Celaena Sardothien
He survives Celaena's torture but leaves her with the Wyrdkey's location.
Arobynn Hamel Celaena Sardothien
The King of the Assassins, watching Celaena's rebellion from the shadows.

Go deeper

Crown of Midnight themes & symbols

Grief as a weapon that cuts both ways · The price of loyalty · Hidden identities and buried names · Magic as the empire's dirty secret

Themes explained

Read the full Crown of Midnight summary

The full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.

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