Luther/Characters

John Luther

Played by Idris Elba

""Why did I come here? 'Cause I wanted to tell you I know you kept the gun, and sooner or later I'll find it.""


 * Anti Hero: John is probably a type III, where he's relatively good but dangerous. John has proved that he will go beyond the law and beyond 'good' to do what he needs to ultimately.
 * Badass
 * Badass Bookworm: In episode two, John tells the shooter that he loved to read books growing up - while his dad wanted him to get interested in sports and other things.
 * Batman Gambit
 * Berserk Button: Threatening Zoe.
 * Cowboy Cop
 * Fearless Fool: Big time. You could say it almost overlaps with Death Seeker, because he almost always arranges situations were he's alone with the suspect with little backup.
 * Genius Bruiser: He's not making a lot out of Alice's and Owen Lynch's attempts at killing him. And Henry Madsen is running from him for a reason.
 * Grey and Gray Morality: He will bend rules to the breaking point.  Hence his Anti Hero status.
 * Guile Hero
 * Hero With Bad Publicity: John is helping people but all the people he works with just see rage issues and unreliability...
 * Dude Where's My Respect: ...and yet, he manages to avert this trope. Everyone acknowledges that he's a brilliant cop - his boss responds with "he's back" when Luther sees through Alice in one conversation; Schenk admits that while he'll sack him on charges of improper conduct without blinking, he'll also do that to a good man and policeman; and Zoe immediately thrusts him when told that she's in danger without any evidence at all, solely based on Luther being Luther.
 * Odd Friendship: With both Alice, the woman who murdered her parents to see if she could and Mark, the man who used to sleep with John's wife.
 * Papa Wolf: Has shades of this with Jenny Jones.
 * Scary Black Man: Over 6 feet tall and with some serious anger issues just waiting to get out. Henry Madsen tried to escape him at all costs for a reason.
 * True Companions: By the end of the second series, he's one with Alice, Justin, Mark and Schenk.
 * Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Alice.

Alice Morgan

Played by Ruth Wilson

"Luther: I'm coming for you.

Alice: Not if I'm coming for you first."


 * Affably Evil
 * Badass
 * Badass Bookworm: She DID make a physics doctorate before her 20s, after all.
 * Berserk Button: Arguably Luther, whenever something stays in the way of their "friendship".
 * Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: While more a Nihilist then true evil this is a women who kills people as easily as one scratches an itch. However as she said she understands the why of Good, she does not approve of it.
 * For the Evulz: What could you say about a woman who  just to see if she could get away with it? She tends not to be restrained and seems amused about John and his morals.
 * Good Is Dumb: Believes this completely fascinated with Black Holes believing that their existence proves that things like morality and law are pointless in the end.
 * Knife Nut: When they're heading out on a job, Luther packs a gun. Alice empties her cutlery drawer.
 * Lack of Empathy
 * Manipulative Bastard
 * Nietzsche Wannabe
 * Odd Friendship: Considers Luther her only real friend.
 * The Sociopath
 * Stalker With a Crush: Maybe. Her expression when she looks up Luther's background suggests that she's getting off from it.
 * Token Evil Teammate
 * Undying Loyalty: She flat out admits that she would never betray Luther.
 * Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Luther, even tried to get him to run off with her to see the world.
 * Villainous Crush: On Luther.
 * Yandere: Arguably this.