The Skinjacker Trilogy/Characters

The characters of The Skinjacker Trilogy:

Nicholas/"Nick"
""What if we're lost here forever?""

The fourteen-year-old hero. He arrives into Everlost with Allie following a car accident. While initially passive and at times insecure, Nick develops into a more determined and strong-willed person. He quickly develops a crush on Mary Hightower.


 * Betty and Veronica: He is the Veronica to Vari's Betty in Everlost, and the Betty to Milos's Veronica in Everwild and Everfound.
 * But Not Too Foreign: Nick is half-Japanese.
 * Character Development
 * Character Focus
 * The Hero
 * Kid Hero
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Love At First Sight: Towards Mary.
 * Platonic Life Partners: Nick and Allie.
 * Reddish-Brown Headed Hero
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Trapped in Another World

In Everlost

 * Boy Meets Girl: Nick meets Allie, Nick meets Mary.
 * Distressed Dude: Gets captured twice--first by the Haunter and then by the McGill.
 * Dogged Nice Guy
 * The Eeyore
 * Fish Out of Water/Naive Newcomer
 * Home Sweet Home: Nick's initial goal until he meets Mary Hightower.
 * Longing Look/Luminescent Blush: Whenever he's around Mary.
 * Love Hurts
 * Love Makes You Dumb
 * Only Sane Man: With Lief when he becomes a Cloudcuckoolander.
 * Took a Level In Badass:
 * Well, Excuse Me, Princess!: Between Nick and Allie.

In Everwild

 * Like Brother and Sister: How Allie regards her relationship with Nick.
 * Names to Run Away From Really Fast:
 * Not So Different: With Mary.
 * Names to Run Away From Really Fast:
 * Not So Different: With Mary.

In Everfound

 * Fake Memories: Milos manipulates Nick into believing that Jill is who he loves and not Mary. This doesn't last for long.
 * Laser-Guided Amnesia:
 * : With Mary.
 * : Nick eventually regains his memories and sense of self.
 * : Nick eventually regains his memories and sense of self.

Alexandra "Allie" Johnson
""What if I don't want to forget the living world?""

The-fourteen-year-old heroine. Arrives into Everlost with Nick following a car accident. She is practical and sarcastic. Allie desperately desires to return home and displays hostility towards Mary. Her choices in the story cause a chain of events that lead her to untimely consequences.


 * All Girls Want Bad Boys: The McGill/Mikey and Milos.
 * Body Surf
 * Character Development
 * Character Focus
 * : The reason why she (and other skinjackers) can skinjack.
 * Guile Heroine
 * Hair of Gold
 * Home Sweet Home: Her main goal.
 * Hot-Blooded
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Kid Hero
 * Morality Chain: For the McGill/Mikey.
 * Not So Different: Allie and the McGill.
 * Only Sane Man
 * Pinocchio Syndrome: Allie wishes she could become human once again.
 * Platonic Life Partners: Nick and Allie.
 * Ship Tease: With the McGill/Mikey.
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Tsundere: Type A. She can be quite Hot-Blooded and impulsive, but she genuinely cares about her friends.
 * Unresolved Sexual Tension: Mikey and Allie, Milos and Allie.
 * Will They or Won't They?: Mikey and Allie.
 * Worthy Opponent: To the McGill.

In Everlost

 * Batman Gambit/Scheherezade Gambit: Allie convines the McGill that she can teach him the twelve steps on how to skinjack so she won't get thrown overboard. They're all Blatant Lies.
 * Becoming the Mask: Nick calls out Allie on this when it appears the McGill's influence is rubbing off on her.
 * Beware of Hitch-Hiking Ghosts:
 * Conflicting Loyalty: Between her loyalty in rescuing Nick and Lief versus her sympathy to the McGill.
 * Did You Just Scam Cthulhu??: Tricking McGill into beliving that she was teaching him how to Body Surf.
 * Did We Just Have Tea With Cthulhu??: Whenever the McGill begins showing genuine kindness towards Allie.
 * Easily Forgiven: The McGill easily forgives Allie twice--after he catches her opening his fortune cookies, and then
 * Fish Out of Water/Naive Newcomer
 * Foe Yay: With the McGill.
 * Interrupted Suicide: Subverted. When the McGill sees Allie staring off at the horizon from the deck and approaches her, she accuses him of trying to pull a Beast and Beauty. The McGill actually thought Allie was going to jump and wanted to make sure she wasn't going to.
 * It's All My Fault: After Nick and Lief get captured by the Haunter.
 * The Lancer
 * Rescue Romance:
 * Stockholm Syndrome: Allie's slightly gradual sympathy towards the McGill.
 * Well, Excuse Me, Princess!: Between Nick and Allie.
 * Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Allie attempts this on the McGill to defend herself from the Haunter. The Haunter gets thrown overboard, but the gambit fails for Allie because the McGill already knew she had fooled him.
 * Well, Excuse Me, Princess!: Between Nick and Allie.
 * Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Allie attempts this on the McGill to defend herself from the Haunter. The Haunter gets thrown overboard, but the gambit fails for Allie because the McGill already knew she had fooled him.

In Everwild

 * Badass in Distress/Distressed Damsel:
 * The Hero: In her respective team.
 * Like Brother and Sister: How Allie regards her relationship with Nick.
 * Love Hurts
 * Mentor Ship: With Milos.
 * The Smurfette Principle: In her respective team.

Mary Hightower/
""You see emptiness. I see possibility.""

Mary is a fifteen-year-old girl who takes in Afterlights and gives them a home in her utopia. She is exceptionally knowledgable when it comes to Everlost and has written many books on it. Mary is slowly drawn to newcomer Nick.


 * Alliterative Name:
 * Big Applesauce: Mary's haven for the Afterlights is the Twin Towers, where a good portion of the story happens.
 * Broken Bird
 * Character Development
 * Character Focus
 * Control Freak
 * Cool Airship:
 * Dead Little Brother:
 * Heroes Want Redheads: Played straight with Nick. Subverted by Vari and, who are not quite heroic.
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Most Writers Are Writers
 * Red Headed Heroine
 * Redhead in Green
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: Mary and her brother
 * Stepford Smiler
 * Team Mom -> / ->
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Redhead in Green
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: Mary and her brother
 * Stepford Smiler
 * Team Mom -> / ->
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Trapped in Another World

In Everlost

 * Defrosting Ice Queen/Kuudere
 * Meet Cute
 * The Reveal:
 * Yamato Nadeshiko

In Everwild

 * Not So Different: With Nick and Mikey.
 * Not So Different: With Nick and Mikey.
 * Not So Different: With Nick and Mikey.

In Everfound

 * : With Nick.
 * : With Nick.
 * : With Nick.
 * : With Nick.
 * : With Nick.
 * : With Nick.

The McGill/ "Mikey"
""I am the McGill. Hear my name and tremble.""

A monster feared by all of Everlost. It is said that he leaves no survivors.


 * Alliterative Name:
 * Beast and Beauty: The McGill and Allie.
 * Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Allie.
 * Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Milos's Veronica.
 * Big Bad -> ->  ->
 * Bishounen: As Mikey.
 * Blackmail: Believes in the power of this.
 * Blue Eyes: As Mikey.
 * Brought Down to Normal
 * The Captain
 * Cannot Spit It Out: Feeling left out when he is around the Skinjackers, his ability to change, and his feelings for Allie.
 * Character Development
 * Character Focus
 * Cool Boat: Has a ship named the Sulphur Queen,
 * Cool Horse:
 * Dark and Troubled Past
 * Eldritch Abomination: As the McGill.
 * Foe Yay: With Allie.
 * Hesitation Equals Dishonesty: After the McGill catches Allie opening his fortune cookies, she hesitates in answering him, and he assumes that she will lie. In spite of this, he decides to believe what she says.
 * Hot-Blooded
 * Humanity Is Infectious
 * I Love You Because I Can't Control You: The McGill takes a growing interest in Allie not only because of her skinjacking ability but also because she doesn't fear him (she secretly does).
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Jerkass -> Jerk With a Heart of Gold
 * The Lancer
 * Living Lie Detector: The McGill believes he is this, but his arrogance blinds him from seeing Allie's Blatant Lies.
 * Luminescent Blush: Or glowing lavender.
 * Meaningful Name:
 * Names to Run Away From Really Fast: Played straight with the McGill. Averted with Mikey.
 * Not Good With People
 * Not So Different: With Allie.
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: To Milos's Blue Oni.
 * Roaring Rampage of Revenge
 * In Everlost, the McGill chases after for foiling his plans,
 * In Everwild,
 * Ship Tease: With Allie.
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Tsundere: Type A as Mikey. Tsun-tsun towards people he doesn't know or when socializing with others in general. Dere-dere towards Allie.
 * What Is This Thing You Call Love?: Initially doesn't understand and denies his feelings for Allie.
 * Will They Or Won't They?: With Allie.
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Tsundere: Type A as Mikey. Tsun-tsun towards people he doesn't know or when socializing with others in general. Dere-dere towards Allie.
 * What Is This Thing You Call Love?: Initially doesn't understand and denies his feelings for Allie.
 * Will They Or Won't They?: With Allie.

In Everlost

 * Big No:
 * I Have You Now, My Pretty: Narrowly averted towards Allie.
 * I Have Your Friends
 * Lima Syndrome: Develops feelings for Allie.
 * Pinocchio Syndrome: His initial goal.
 * Stalker With a Crush: After he starts to like Allie, he has a habit of appearing behind her several times.
 * Take My Hand:
 * Take My Hand:

In Everwild
"Mikey had no idea whether or not Milos was a good spirit, or bad, all he knew was that he hated Milos for simply existing."
 * Body Horror:
 * Butt Monkey: For some time in the story since he's not as threatening in his fifteen-year-old body than he was as the monsterous McGill, and well, because Loners Are Freaks.
 * Cassandra Truth: When he tells the Afterlights at the diner that he was the McGill, and when Mikey tells Milos, Squirrel, and Moose that
 * Crazy Jealous Guy: He does not take too kindly to Milos, a rival for Allie's affections and a fellow skinjacker. What sends him on the tip of the iceberg and makes him is
 * Date Peepers: Mikey spies on Milos's and Allie's "lesson," and everything went downhill after that...
 * Green-Eyed Monster: Sees Milos as a threat and is jealous of the growing closeness between Allie and Milos and how much time they've been spending together.


 * If I Can't Have You:
 * I Will Find You: Twice towards Allie--
 * Loners Are Freaks
 * Love Hurts
 * Love Makes You Crazy
 * Not So Different: With Mary.
 * Reckless Sidekick
 * Reckless Sidekick

In Everfound

 * Love Redeems: He acknowledges that his love for Allie had "saved" him and restored him to his true self, but at the time, cooled off his furious McGill nature, which serves to be a bit of a problem when Nick and him are attempting to follow Mary's train by going through the earth (as doing so needs willpower and fury).

Lief/
""It would have been a fun forever. But that's okay. I don't mind. I'm ready.""

An initially nameless boy who finds Nick and Allie and introduces them to the world of Everlost. Allie names him "Lief."


 * Character Focus
 * Cloudcuckoolander: Becomes this after he gets captured by the Haunter and gets stuck in a pickle barrel.
 * Distressed Dude: Gets captured twice--first by the Haunter and then by the McGill.
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Please Don't Leave Me: Does this to Nick and Allie when they decide to leave the forest to find their homes. He secretly follows them to make sure they don't get hurt and rescues them when they are ambushed by Johnnie-O and his gang.
 * Plucky Comic Relief
 * Retro Gaming: Plays The Legend of Zelda on the Game Boy at one point and becomes so obsessed with Pac-Man that he plays it for five days straight.
 * Tagalong Kid: For Nick and Allie.
 * Trapped in Another World

Speedo
A finder working under Mary. Owns the Hindenburg.


 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Keet
 * Trapped in Another World

In Everwild

 * Mission Control

In Everfound

 * Motor Mouth: Because he's in the engine room with no one to talk to, once someone comes, he or she will be a "captive audience" until the train stops.

Johnnie-O
""Welcome to Everlost. This here's my territory, and you gots to pay me for passage.""

A gang leader that Nick and Allie encounter during their first few days in Everlost.


 * Bratty Half-Pint
 * Character Focus
 * Chaste Hero: According to Allie, he doesn't like girls because he died a year too young.
 * Cowardly Sidekick: At times.
 * Delinquents
 * Heel Face Turn
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Jerk With a Heart of Gold
 * Minor Major Character: Gets a bigger role in Everwild.
 * Only Sane Man
 * Quirky Miniboss Squad
 * Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
 * Smoking Is Cool:
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Trapped in Another World

In Everlost

 * Defeat Equals Friendship: He and his gang join Allie in rescuing Nick and Lief from the Haunter.
 * Shout-Out: Allie compares him and his gang to Peter Pan and the lost boys with herself as Wendy.

In Everwild

 * Number Two: To Nick.
 * Reckless Sidekick
 * Sarcastic Devotee: Towards Nick.
 * Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The Manly Man to Charlie's Sensitive Guy.
 * Slap Slap Kiss: With Zin. Lampshaded by Nick.

Stradivarius/"Vari"
""She'll grow tired of you. She likes you because you're new, but you won't be new forever. Soon you'll be just another Afterlight, and she won't even remember your name. But I'll still be here.""

Mary's right hand man and favorite, Vari is greatly loyal to Mary and grows jealous of Nick, who Mary takes an interest in.


 * The Betty: The Betty to Nick's Veronica.
 * Bratty Half-Pint]]
 * The Bus Came Back:
 * Character Focus
 * Crazy Jealous Guy: Towards Mary. Doubles as Green-Eyed Monster, especially when he tries to Murder the Hypotenuse by indirectly leading Nick, Allie, and Lief to the Haunter.
 * Creepy Child: Especially in the beginning of the story when he's a Crazy Jealous Guy.
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Number Two: To Mary.
 * Precocious Crush: On Mary.
 * Red Oni: To Nick's Blue Oni.
 * Tagalong Kid: To Mary
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Tagalong Kid: To Mary
 * Trapped in Another World

The Haunter
""The price of faliure is an eternity to think about it."''"

An expert in the Criminal Arts of haunting the living world. He captures Nick and Lief.


 * I Have Your Friends
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Meaningful Name: Exactly What It Says On the Tin.
 * Minor Major Character
 * Only the Worthy May Pass
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Trapped in Another World

Pinhead
""He's my captain, not my master.""

The McGill's chief associate, Pinhead is a boy with an unusually small head.


 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Meaningful Name: Exactly What It Says On the Tin.
 * Minor Major Character
 * Number Two: To the McGill
 * The Reveal:
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Trapped in Another World

Choo-Choo Charlie
A nine-year-old Afterlight and the conductor of a ghost train.


 * Character Focus
 * The Chick
 * Cowardly Sidekick

In Everlost

 * Cool Train: Owns a ghost train and the only source of transportation for Nick's team.

In Everwild

 * Mission Control
 * Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The Sensitive Guy to Johnnie-O's Manly Man.

In Everfound

 * Broken Record/Madness Mantra: Sings endlessly while trapped on the Hindenburg with Johnnie-O.

"Zach the Ripper"/Zinnia "Zin" Kitner
Known as "Zach the Ripper" in rumors of an Afterlight with the Criminal Arts skill of ecto-ripping. Nick hopes to find the Ripper to add to his forces to defeat Mary. It is soon revealed that "Zach" is actually a girl named Zin. She reluctantly joins Nick's cause when she hears about a war.


 * Affirmative Action Girl
 * A Girl And Her Dog
 * Bob Haircut
 * Character Focus
 * Child Soldiers
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Meaningful Name
 * Reckless Sidekick
 * Samus Is a Girl
 * Sarcastic Devotee: Towards Nick.
 * Slap Slap Kiss: With Johnnie-O. Lampshaded by Nick.
 * The Smart Guy
 * The Smurfette Principle: In her respective team.
 * Southern Belle: Averted.
 * Tomboy
 * Team Pet: Her dog, Kudzu.
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Trapped in Another World

Vitaly Milos Vayevsky
""I can forgive you for everything...except for taking her away from me. I will never forgive you for that.""

A skinjacker who befriends Allie and Mikey and travels with them. Milos and Allie can understand each other because they are both skinjackers. He is the leader of the group, the Deadlies, and his companions are Squirrel and Moose. Milos is looking for their former companion, Jackin' Jill, who he was once fond of.

"... Curious eyes that were blue, speckled with white, like a sky dotted with clouds."
 * Birds of a Feather: Played with. Jackin' Jill and he are both skinjackers and were once in a relationship, but Jackin' Jill betrayed the Deadlies and disappeared. As fellow skinjackers, Allie and he also gradually grow closer, much to Mikey's jealousy, but Allie ultimately rejects him for Mikey.
 * Blue Oni: To Mikey's Red Oni.
 * Body Surf
 * Broken Masquerade: Allie isn't the only person who can skinjack.
 * But Not Too Foreign: He is Russian.
 * Character Focus
 * The Dragon/Dragon With an Agenda: To Mary. He seeks to rule with Mary and to replace Nick in her heart. By Everwild, he has become the substitute leader
 * Et Tu, Brute?: Two of his relationships with girls end sourly due to their betrayal until he meets Mary Hightower.
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * In Love With Love: Even he is aware that he falls in love too fast.
 * Love Makes You Crazy
 * Love Makes You Evil
 * Mentor Ship: With Allie.
 * Number Two: This is what he wants to be towards Mary.
 * Perma Stubble: He crossed into Everlost when he was 16, so he has a little bit of facial hair. And since he's an afterlight, it's literally permanent.
 * The Rival
 * Romantic False Lead: For both Mikey/Allie and Nick/Mary.
 * Second Love: Invoked. He wants to replace Nick in Mary's heart.
 * The Smart Guy
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Technicolor Eyes:
 * Technicolor Eyes:


 * Temporary Love Interest: For Allie.
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Veronica: To Mikey's Betty for Allie and to Nick's Betty for Mary Hightower.
 * You Are Not Alone

In Everwild

 * Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are: He hunts down Allie to bring her to Mary as a prisoner in this fashion in order to be in Mary's favor.
 * Enigmatic Minion
 * Face Heel Turn
 * This Is Unforgivable!/Tranquil Fury:

In Everfound

 * Break the Haughty
 * Even Evil Has Standards: Allie knows that in spite of how hot-headed he can get when his buttons are pushed or how evil his actions are, he won't hurt a girl or break his word. Of course, that doesn't stop him from using Exact Words loopholes.
 * Hot-Blooded: He can be quite furious at times if his buttons are pushed or if he's stressed.
 * Undying Loyalty: To Mary.
 * Yandere: Only for Mary.
 * Undying Loyalty: To Mary.
 * Yandere: Only for Mary.

Jackin' Jill
Jackin' Jill was the former member of the Deadlies, a group consisting of Milos, Squirrel, and Moose. Among the jobs they did, she was the one who passed on messages of Afterlights to the living. Milos and Jackin' Jill were close. But one day, Jackin' Jill left, taking with her all of their belongings, as well as the belongings of the Afterlights they were staying with. Milos, Squirrel, and Moose are currently trying to find Jackin' Jill.


 * Body Surf
 * Dark Chick
 * Enigmatic Minion
 * Lovable Traitor
 * Meaningful Name
 * Psycho for Hire
 * The Smurfette Principle: Was the only girl among the Deadlies.
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Unkempt Beauty
 * Wild Card

In Everwild

 * Number Two: She wants to be this towards
 * So Long and Thanks For All The Gear: Stole all the finest belongings of the Deadlies and of the Afterlights they were staying with.
 * So Long and Thanks For All The Gear: Stole all the finest belongings of the Deadlies and of the Afterlights they were staying with.

In Everfound
"Jill: Very touching. I may have to skinjack someone just so I can hurl."
 * All Girls Want Bad Boys: Inverted. Jix is the one who's attracted to her. She later reciprocates his feelings.
 * Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Jix.
 * Character Development
 * Deadpan Snarker:


 * Defrosting Ice Queen/Pet the Dog: She sacrifices her coin in an attempt to free Jix when they are ambushed by the Neon Nightmares.
 * High Heel Face Turn: She leaves Mary's group after
 * Reverse Mole: But she rejoins Mary at 's suggestion to remain in her good graces and to keep an eye on her.
 * Kiss Kiss Slap: When having to choose between Jix and returning to Milos and the gang, Jackin' Jill kisses Jix and then slaps him before deciding to stay.
 * Love Redeems: Jix's presence makes her second-guess her choices and lifestyle.
 * Tsundere

Squirrel and Mitchell "Moose" Terrence Moessner
Skinjackers who follow Allie, mistaking her for their former companion Jackin' Jill. Squirrel and Moose are companions of Milos, the leader of their group, the Deadlies.


 * Body Surf
 * The Brute
 * Heterosexual Life Partners
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * Those Two Guys
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Trapped in Another World

Jix
The loyal subject of the Mayan King of Everlost, perpetually fifteen-year-old Jix is a "furjacker"--a skinjacker except that Jix prefers to possess animals (specifically jaguars) rather than humans. After spying on Milos and his group on a excursion, he decides to join them their cause with a hidden agenda--to learn more about the "Eastern Witch" Mary Hightower.


 * Animal Motifs/Transformation Conventions
 * The Atoner: After because the indirect cause of a little girl's death, Jix makes it his responsibility to look after the girl and apologize her to after she wakes up from her nine-month-hibernation.
 * Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Jackin' Jill.
 * Body Surf: Though he prefers to possess animals rather than humans.
 * Catboy
 * Cheshire Cat Grin
 * Cute Little Fangs
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Dogged Nice Guy: Towards Jackin' Jill. His main reason for prolonging his stay on the train is because of her.
 * Enigmatic Minion
 * Jacob Marley Apparel/Limited Wardrobe
 * My God, What Have I Done?: Jix is devastated when his actions of releasing a panther he had furjacked led it to killing a little girl standing nearby and letting it run loose in the city. See The Atoner.
 * Reverse Mole
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Unusual Ears: Much like the rest of his cat-like appearance, his ears have shifted higher on his head and have become smaller and pointier.
 * Walking Shirtless Scene
 * Wild Card

Clarence
A former firefighter hero turned public nuisance following a fire rescue that burnt the left side of his face and left his eye dead, his ear deaf, and stole his left fingers, Clarence can see Everlost through his left eye and is determined to uncover the "spirits" he sees to prove to everyone that he's not going mad. He turns out to be a "scar wraith," a being that is half in Everlost and half in the human world and has the ability to extinguish an Afterlight by touching one.


 * Cool Old Guy
 * Everyone Can See It: He quickly takes notice to Mikey's feelings for Allie and isn't above telling Mikey straight to his face that Mikey is in love with her.
 * I Reject Your Reality
 * Jerkass -> Jerk With a Heart of Gold
 * Sanity Slippage