Chuck/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Characters from Chuck include:

Main Characters

Charles Irving "Chuck" Bartowski

"Don't freak out."

Rank/Job: Computer Technician / Special Agent
Affiliation: CIA / Carmichael Industries / Buy More

Portrayed by Zachary Levi

Charles Irving "Chuck" Bartowski is the main character of the American fiction television show Chuck. A nerdy guy who works at the Buy More's Nerd Herd desk, he unwittingly downloaded the Intersect into his brain, and has been dragged into the world of espionage.

Tropes exhibited by Chuck include:

Sarah Bartowski

"Do you ever just want to have a normal life? Have a family? Children?"

Rank/Job: Special Agent
Affiliation: CIA / Carmichael Industries / Wienerlicious / Orange Orange

Portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski

First real name is Sam, middle name is Lisa. Sarah Bartowski (f/k/a Walker) is a CIA special agent whose primary mission is to protect the Intersect, Chuck. Little is known about Sarah's past but we do know her father was an infamous conman. She herself participated in many of her father's cons since childhood.

Tropes exhibited by Sarah include:

Chuck: I knew you could be heart-warmed.

John Casey / Birth name - Alexander Coburn

"I don't kid about quiches."

Rank/Job: Green Shirt / Major (formerly) / Colonel
Affiliation: NSA / U.S. Marine Corps / Carmichael Industries / Buy More

Portrayed by Adam Baldwin

A Badass. Colonel John Casey is an NSA agent that is sent to protect Chuck after he gets the Intersect implanted in his brain. Casey has a bit of a short temper and often gets frustrated with Chuck, but is absolutely a man he can count on.

Tropes exhibited by Casey include:

Shaw: (overhearing gratuitous amounts of gunfire and screaming) I see you brought Casey.

  • Overprotective Dad: Casey found out about his daughter mid-Season 3. Since then, he's shown strong signs of this whenever anyone want to cause harm to her... or their name is "Morgan Grimes".

Casey: You break her heart, I break your everything.

  • Real Men Wear Pink: He used to be a choir boy and helped design Devon and Ellie's wedding at the end of the second season. And yet, he is unquestionably the most badass character on the show.
  • Strawman Political: Played with. Casey has several portraits of Ronald Reagan in his home, and is a notable supporter of gun rights. But, this is rarely referenced except in the background.
    • Casey himself also invokes political strawmen on occasion, usually liberal stereotypes. See the Badass Creed above.
  • That Makes Me Feel Angry: Pretty much everything.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Ultimately becomes this toward Chuck and Sarah - initially, he and Sarah just hated each other and he was contemptuous of Chuck. Eventually it transfers over to Morgan.
  • Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: A variant, as he approves of Chuck's somewhat more ruthless behavior in the third season, and Sarah is unsettled by this approval.

Morgan Guillermo Grimes

"No plan? Never stopped me before."

Rank/Job: Green Shirt / Assistant Manager / Manager / Special Agent
Affiliation: Buy More / CIA / Carmichael Industries

Portrayed by Joshua Gomez

Chuck's best friend since childhood, the two have been as close as brothers (of course, one of them is stuck with a super computer in his brain). For the most part, Morgan is largely stuck at the Buy More dealing with (or starting) various nonsense and generally unaware of all the espionage his best friend has been up to, although coincidentally enough many of Morgan's misadventures run parallel to whatever Chuck is dealing with at the time.

As of Season 3, however, Morgan is finally an agent of Operation Bartowski. As of the end of Season 4, he's AN INTERSECT. It does come out eventually, though not without some side effects.

Tropes exhibited by Morgan include:

Eleanor Fay "Ellie" Bartowski Woodcomb

"Morgan Grimes, the boy who took my pillow as his date to the junior prom, knows more about my family being spies than I do."

Rank/Job: Doctor of Neurology
Affiliation: Westside Medican / Carmichael Industries

Portrayed by Sarah Lancaster

Chuck's doting older sister. Ever since both of their parents up and abandoned them, the two have learned to take care of each other, a day they celebrate as "Mother's Day". Ellie was the last person to find out about Chuck's secret, and did not take it well... especially given that Shaw killed their father right in front of her eyes...

Tropes exhibited by Ellie include:

Devon Christian "Captain Awesome" Woodcomb

"Way to go, Chuck! That's awesome."

Rank/Job: Cardiovascular Surgeon
Affiliation: Westside Medical

Portrayed by Ryan McPartlin

Ellie's boyfriend/fiancé/husband, and Chuck's brother-in-law, Awesome is well... an awesome guy. For most of the show, he's mainly stuck to secondary story-arcs, lending his awesomeness to any given situation. However, upon discovering Chuck's identity, his very awesomeness was put to the test...

Tropes exhibited by Awesome include:

Jeff: Have you ever had a dream that didn't come true?
Devon: (Beat) No.

Devon: Well, ever since we've been dating [Ellie], I've come to think of you as a little brother I never had.
Chuck: ...Don't you have two younger brothers?
Devon: Indeed. Indeed.

  • Catch Phrase: "Awesome!" (that's how he got his nickname).
    • Subverted in "Chuck Versus the Truth" when Ellie said if everything is awesome then everything is mediocre.
  • Chivalrous Pervert: Talks about sex a lot, much to Ellie's consternation since he talks about either her brother having sex, or the two of them having sex in front of her brother, he however, is a very honorable and decent guy who would never cheat on his wife.
  • Even the Guys Want Him: Morgan once asks him about his day, the lengthy descriptions of what he does to make Ellie happy, including getting fresh fruit and making smoothies, running baths, etc, makes Morgan swoon.
  • The Everyman: Funnily enough.
  • Hot-Blooded: He's a very energetic man.
  • Jerk Jock: Subverted.
  • Large Ham
  • Mr. Fanservice
  • Nice Guy
  • Properly Paranoid: His desire for "excitement" of the spy life... had side effects.
  • Secret Keeper
  • Sobriquet: He's so awesome, that's what they call him!
  • Stereotype Flip: A beefcake bodybuilder who is also a skilled surgeon and knows how to tango -- basically, a white version of Turk. Hell, it just continues the perception from Scrubs that the surgeons are the jocks.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Since his involvement with Premier Goya and Daniel Shaw.

Brigadier General Diane Beckman

"He's a spy until I say he isn't!"

Rank/Job: General / Director / Manager
Affiliation: NSA / Buy More

Portrayed by Bonita Friedericy

Operation Bartowski's commanding officer, Beckman is a decorated General and head of the NSA. Originally had a different approach to the Intersect compared to Langston Graham, ever since his death, she had to take on the more direct command over it. A role that took quite a long, long time for her to become comfortable with...

Tropes exhibited by Beckman include:

Buy More

Michael "Big Mike" Tucker

"Mornings are for reflection and pastry."

Rank/Job: Manager / Assistant Manager / Green Shirt
Affiliation: Buy More

Portrayed by Mark Christopher Lawrence

Manager of the Burbank Buy More and Morgan's stepfather, he rules his store with an iron fist... or pretends he does. There's a reason why it has amassed its particular collection of freaks. He enjoys fishing, and taking down thieves.

Tropes exhibited by Big Mike include:

Harold Tiberius "Harry" Tang

"Chuck. Hiding from work again?"

Rank/Job: Green Shirt / Assistant Manager
Affiliation: Buy More

Portrayed by C.S. Lee

A loud, short-tempered salesman at the Buy More during Season 1. He is Chuck's main rival for the position of assistant manager, which Chuck loses due to his duties as a spy. Harry and Chuck strongly dislike each other and when Harry becomes assistant manager, he does whatever he can to make Chuck's job harder. After he accidentally finds out that Chuck, Casey, and Sarah are spies, he and his wife are relocated to Oahu, Hawaii where he is made into the manager of a pineapple plant and appears to be quite happy. However, he believes that Casey has recruited him as a spy and that his new job is just a cover.

Tropes exhibited by Harry Tang include:
  • Mistaken for Cheating: Harry gets a tape of his wife asking Morgan to help her pick out a gift for her husband and mistakenly believes that she is having an affair. He intends to catch them in the act, only to walk into a meeting between Team Chuck and General Beckman and Director Graham. Funnily enough, his wife IS cheating on him, but with Big Mike.
  • Put on a Bus: Due to C.S. Lee's commitments with Dexter.
  • Sitcom Arch Nemesis
  • Unfortunate Names: Of the Double Entendre variety.

Lester Patel

"Repulsion is our business..."

Rank/Job: Computer Technician / Assistant Manager / Musician
Affiliation: Buy More / Jeffster!

Portrayed by Vik Sahay

Fellow Nerd-Herder from the Buy More, Lester works under Chuck, and with his best friend Jeff. He is the lead-singer of their band Jeffster!, is a specialist in Apple products, and is proud of his talent as a professional stalker.

Tropes exhibited by Lester include:

Lester: The words "Hero", "Savior"... "God" are thrown around. We deserve them.

Jeffrey Barnes

"...And business is good."

Rank/Job: Computer Technician / Musician
Affiliation: Buy More / Jeffster!

Portrayed by Scott Krinsky

Fellow Nerd-Herder from the Buy More, Jeff works under Chuck, and with his best friend Lester. He plays the instruments and edits the videos for their band Jeffster! He's also an Apple specialist, and quite possibly the creepiest guy in the world.

Tropes exhibited by Jeff include:
  • Abhorrent Admirer: Admires and wants to stalk Chuck of all people... All women, especially overweight housewives shopping for Beastmasters and pregnant women, should also beware...
  • Abusive Parents:

"I like pineapples. My Dad used to throw them at me."

  • The Alcoholic: And how.
  • Casanova Wannabe: He's Lester minus the cuteness, so needless to say his luck with the ladies is even worse.
    • That being said, he still gets kissed by a woman (completely willingly) before Lester. This woman? ELLIE.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: A very, very creepy variant.
    • The Cuckoolander Was Right: Whenever he puts forth some kind of idea or theory, it will get rejected despite him being 100% right. Example: when told to write down who has Ellie's missing laptop purely from his memory banks, he writes down CIA. Despite the fact that the CIA HAS the laptop, Lester tosses it aside.
    • After he's prescribed a good night sleep in Season 5, he stops being this, and more of a normal person, much to Lester's shock. It's implied that his... eccentricity was caused by the fact that he didn't get any REM sleep, due to living in his van.
      • With it running while he slept, implying carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • A Day in the Limelight: "Chuck Versus Tom Sawyer". Jeff is the only character not related to Chuck's spy work that got his own episode.
  • I Am Spartacus: Literally says this after he chugs 12 cans of beer.... at once!
  • Suddenly Always Knew That: His past as a video game champion is very important in one episode. Subverted when Chuck needs to take his place after he passes out from being too nervous.
  • Those Two Guys: With Lester.
  • Wrong Genre Savvy

Anna Wu

"Morgan's so awesome! He can eat anything..."

Rank/Job: Computer Technician
Affiliation: Buy More

Portrayed by Julia Ling

Another Nerd-Herder from the Buy-More, Anna Wu is Morgan's ex-girlfriend. She gives off a very prostitute-y vibe, and has a rather colorful relationship history.

Tropes exhibited by Anna include:

Emmett Milbarge

"Do all your friends give your mother urinary tract infections?"

Rank/Job: Efficiency Expert / Assistant Manager / Manager
Affiliation: Buy More

Portrayed by Tony Hale

An efficiency expert sent from Buy More corporate, Emmett was quickly promoted to Big Mike's assistant manager. His massive douchebaggery shined through as he used Morgan to get Big Mike demoted to a simple green-shirt.

Soon after his promotion, he was shot and killed by Javier Cruz.

Tropes exhibited by Emmett include:

Hannah

"Any idea what she's doing here, other than trying to make you jealous with that ridiculously good looking date of hers?"

Rank/Job: Computer Technician
Affiliation: Buy More

Portrayed by Kristin Kreuk

A cute, spunky computer-expect whom Chuck met on a plane to Paris. Being fired from her job, Chuck offered her to work with him at the Nerd Herd - an offer she accepted. But, with Chuck being a super-spy who has to lie about every little thing to her, their building romantic relationship was very short lived.

Tropes exhibited by Hannah include:

CIA and other spies

'Bryce Larkin

"Hello, Chuck."

Rank/Job: Special Agent
Affiliation: CIA

Portrayed by Matthew Bomer

Chuck's old college buddy and roommate, Bryce is responsible for getting Chuck kicked out of college by framing him for cheating on a test - in truth, he was only saving Chuck from the spy life since he was already being scouted by the CIA. In the end however, Bryce ended up sending the Intersect to Chuck and starting the whole chain of events as he only trusted Chuck with the Intersect.

He was later shot and killed by Miles right before Chuck downloaded the Intersect 2.0..

Tropes exhibited by Bryce include:

Stephen J. Bartowski / Orion

"Maybe we should... wait until dark, they're... they're tracking my every move. Rat bastards..."

Rank/Job: Engineer
Affiliation: CIA (formerly)

Portrayed by Scott Bakula

Chuck and Ellie's estranged father, he is later revealed to have been a CIA spy, engineer, and creator of the Intersect - codenamed Orion. After discovering what the Intersect was truly capable of, he abandoned Chuck and Ellie to protect them from Fulcrum and The Ring.

He was later shot and killed by Daniel Shaw.

Tropes exhibited by Stephen include:

Langston Graham

"At least they (the intersect) weren't sent to his friend."

Rank/Job: Director
Affiliation: CIA

Portrayed by Tony Todd

Graham was the Director of the CIA, and the direct supervisor of the Intersect Project, along with Sarah's superior. He recruited Sarah when she was in high school after he apprehended her father for conning a dangerous individual - claiming he saved them both. It is assumed he is the only other person to have known Sarah's real full name.

He was killed at the beginning of Season 2 after the rebuilt Intersect was sabotaged by Fulcrum.

Tropes exhibited by Graham include:

Cole Barker

"Well, who'd have thought it. Cole Barker loses the girl to Chuck Bartowski."

Rank/Job: Special Agent
Affiliation: FULCRUM (cover) / MI 6

Portrayed by Jonathan Cake

Barker is a MI 6 agent who infiltrated the ranks of Fulcrum as one of their top operatives - only to have his cover blown by Chuck and crew after a case of mistaken identity. Throughout his stay in Castle, some static was caused between him and Chuck, with Barker shamelessly hitting on Sarah at every chance he got. Regardless, he proved he was ultimately a good guy, and a dependable agent.

Tropes exhibited by Barker include:

'Mary Elizabeth Bartowski / Frost

"Come with me if you want to live."

Rank/Job: ???
Affiliation: Volkoff Industries

Portrayed by Linda Hamilton

Mary is Chuck and Ellie's mother. She disappeared for currently unknown reasons when they were children, leaving Ellie to raise Chuck. She first appears in "Chuck Versus the Anniversary" where she is a prisoner of Marco, an agent of Volkoff. She escapes, effortlessly killing her captors. It is still uncertain where her loyalties lie. The only thing that is somewhat clear is that she does not want to hurt her family.

Tropes exhibited by Mary include:

Carina Miller

"You idiot. The reason Sarah is being so cold is because she loves you. Now get your head out of your ass and be a spy."

Rank/Job: Special Agent
Affiliation: DEA

Portrayed by Mini Anden

One of Sarah's old spy buddies (they were part of a four-woman team called the CAT Squad), Carina is a spy who is equally comfortable with either kicking ass or seducing unwitting marks.

Tropes exhibited by Carina include:

Greta

"I have a way with dealing with annoyances. It's very pleasant. But only to me."

Rank/Job: Special Agent / Computer Technician / Green Shirt
Affiliation: CIA / Buy More

Portrayed by Olivia Munn, Isaiah Mustafa, Stacy Keibler, Summer Glau (pictured left)

A unique agent under Beckman's direct orders who is stationed at the rebuilt, CIA-run Buy More, many different individuals assume the identity of Greta, for mission ambiguity.

Eventually, it is revealed that the Gretas were candidates for a new NCS project in which they were candidates vying to be new Intersect Agents. Greta-2 and Greta-3 and became the first members of this program, before a nearly catastrophic disaster resulted in the program being taken under Chuck's lead, and the two Gretas are subsequently de-Intersected.

Tropes exhibited by Greta include:

Roan Montgomery

"The first rule of being a spy: never fall in love."

Rank/Job: Special Agent
Affiliation: CIA (formerly)

Portrayed by John Laroquette

Was one of the best spies in the US government and known for his legendary exploits with the ladies, but is now... past his expiration date. Has a historical relationship with Gen. Beckman.

Tropes exhibited by Roan include:

Jane Bentley

"You know what you're problem is? You want people to like you too much. A true leader shouldn't care about that."

Rank/Job: Director
Affiliation: NCS

Portrayed by Robin Givens

NCS Director in charge of the GRETA project to find field agents to imprint with the Intersect. After the project was scrapped, she was demoted to work directly under Chuck himself, much, much to her displeasure.

Tropes exhibited by Bentley include:

Clyde Decker

"I'm not afraid to be the bad guy."

Rank/Job: Special Agent
Affiliation: CIA)

Portrayed by Richard Burgi

Described as the CIA's toughest and most ruthless agent, Decker was hell-bent on getting rid of Volkoff and foiling Chuck. In the final season, along with a team of corrupt CIA agents, he was once more determined to destroy Carmichael Industries and eliminate Chuck, for rather mysterious reasons. Those reasons were blackmail: Daniel Shaw discovered traces of his corruption, and used it to blackmail him into acting as his lackey. He was killed by Verbanski.

Tropes exhibited by Decker include:

FULCRUM

Theodore "Ted" Roark

"I'm not a monster. ...Maybe a little bit of a monster."

Rank/Job: CEO / Engineer / Director
Affiliation: FULCRUM / Roark Instruments

Portrayed by Chevy Chase

The CEO and founder of Roark Instruments, Ted Roark is secretly the head of FULCRUM and is in charge of developing FULCRUM's own intersect. He also has quite a bit of history with Stephen Bartowski: The two were former college buddies, and supposedly, Ted stole all of his best ideas. Sound familiar?

At the end of Season 2, he was apprehended and killed by Miles, after he had outlived his usefulness to The Ring.

Tropes exhibited by Ted include:

Vincent Smith

"I wish I could give you a proper reward. But, fortunately I have to shoot you."

Rank/Job: Operative
Affiliation: FULCRUM / The Ring

Portrayed by Arnold Vosloo

Vincent heads FULCRUM's search for Orion, and is under direct command by The Ring Elders as well as Ted Roark. For three years, he's been looking for him to no avail - that is until Chuck finally made contact with him.

He was killed by an air strike in "Chuck Versus the Colonel".

Tropes exhibited by Vincent include:
  • Badass: He's willing to go to pretty far-out lengths in his bid to capture Orion, which includes and not limited to, getting blown up and poisoning himself.
  • Badass in a Nice Suit
  • Blessed with Suck: With his track record of getting hurt, no one wants to be in Vincent's shoes.
  • Book Ends: He gets caught in an air strike in his first and last appearances.
  • Butt Monkey: Should be the poster-boy for this trope. Vincent was, in direct order: blown up, shot, poisoned, shot again, beaten up by Stephen, run over by a car, knocked out by Sarah, then finally blown up by an air strike. He is by no means incompetent, just extremely unlucky.
  • Deadpan Snarker
  • The Dragon: To both Ted Roark, and The Ring Elders.
  • Enigmatic Minion
  • Faux Affably Evil: Vincent prides himself in a sense of professionalism.
  • MIB
  • Rasputinian Death
  • Sharp-Dressed Man
  • They Killed Kenny: To the point where some people are still debating whether he was truly killed during Beckman's air-strike...
  • Training from Hell: Implied to have gone through one.

Vincent: It's called Tetradotoxin. FULCRUM agents are trained to withstand it's death-like state.
Chuck: Sounds like a fun class.
Vincent: Not really.

  • The Worf Effect: He's undeniably a top-class operative, who regularly gets beaten and blown up.

Dr. Jill Roberts

"I care about Chuck."

Rank/Job: Operative / Biochemist
Affiliation: FULCRUM

Portrayed by Jordana Brewster

Jill is Chuck's ex-girlfriend back from his Stanford days. Right after Chuck was kicked out for "cheating", she dumped Chuck and fell for Bryce - the very guy who got him kicked out. In truth, she was by then recruited by FULCRUM and was forced to dump Chuck. Since then, there's been some bad blood between them - but at the same time, lingering traces of their love.

She was freed by Chuck in "Chuck Versus the First Kill", and is now on the run.

Tropes exhibited by Jill include:

Tommy Delgado

"Okay... I wouldn't want you kill some random person. I'd feel just... terrible."

Rank/Job: Operative
Affiliation: FULCRUM

Portrayed by Anthony Ruivivar

Tommy is a cold and ruthless operative who attempted to use Bryce to steal the Intersect. Tommy's appearance marks the first time the viewers become aware of FULCRUM.

After Bryce's supposed death, Tommy saved him and used the Demetrios crime family to smuggle his body back into the US. The plan failed, but he was later able to deduce that Bryce was just a decoy, and that Chuck was the real Intersect.

He was then captured and placed in a CIA prison, though he is still somehow involved with the tracking of the Intersect from his cell.

Tropes exhibited by Tommy include:

The Ring

The Ring Elders

Rank/Job: Director
Affiliation: FULCRUM / The Ring

Portrayed by... a bunch of old people?[please verify]

The five superiors who both command The Ring, as well as Fulcrum. Their motives are unknown, but they have been sticking their hands in many different cookie jars - from creating their own Intersect, to the assassination of global leaders.

They were captured at the end of Season 3 by Team Bartowski.

Tropes exhibited by the Elders include:

The Director

"Now this is brazen."

Rank/Job: Director
Affiliation: The Ring

Portrayed by Mark Sheppard

The Director is the direct head of The Ring - of seemingly equal authority as The Elders, he is the driving force of many, if not all of their operations. He has somehow obtained surveillance footage of Sarah's red test, and was directly responsible for Shaw's Face Heel Turn.

He was soon captured by the then civilian Casey, who traded him to earn back his rank, a new Crown Victoria, and making Morgan an official spy of Team Bartowski.

Tropes exhibited by The Director include:

Daniel Shaw

"Sometimes he sounds like Bond, other times it's like a Jerry Lewis movie."

Rank/Job: Special Agent
Affiliation: CIA / The Ring

Portrayed by Brandon Routh

A special agent who worked for the CIA, Shaw specialized in The Ring intelligence and was sent in as the supervisor of Operation Bartowski to make progress against The Ring. During his stay there, he developed a romance with Sarah, but was ultimately short-lived after it was revealed that she killed his wife. What followed suit was a prompt Face Heel Turn with a subtle form of a Roaring Rampage of Revenge.

Mid-season, he was shot and killed by Chuck, but ultimately survived - cementing his status as the season's Big Bad. He was finally beaten and apprehended at the end of Season 3.

Tropes exhibited by Shaw include:

Justin Sullivan

"Shaw, Bartowski's infiltrated the base."

Rank/Job: Operative
Affiliation: The Ring

Portrayed by Scott Holroyd

Justin was a CIA agent and security coordinator for Doctors Without Borders, who truly worked for The Ring. He poised Awesome, and got close to Ellie to manipulate her into giving away her father's location.

In the end, he was captured whilst escorting the Elders to safety.

Tropes exhibited by Justin include:

Hugo Panzer

"Grrr."

Rank/Job: Operative
Affiliation: The Ring / Volkoff Industries

Portrayed by Steve Austin

A Ring operative who was transporting a lock-box key on a flight to Paris. He is an expert at close-range combat, and a master swordsman.

He was knocked out a total of three times by Chuck during the flight, and was apprehended in Paris. He returns in "Chuck Versus the Cubic Z", now allied with Alexei Volkoff.

Tropes exhibited by Hugo Panzer include:
  • Awesome McCoolname To Run Away From Really Fast: When a giant guy named "Hugo Panzer" walks in, you'd damn better run away...
  • Badass:
    • As of Season 4, it's official: Hugo is one of the few, if not the only guy to soundly beat Chuck (whilst uploaded with the Intersect 2.0) in a fair one-on-one match.
  • Bald of Awesome
  • Bald of Evil
  • Bare-Fisted Monk: Implied to be a master of bare-hand combat.
  • Butt Monkey: He's knocked out a total of three times during his flight: first time, he's tranq'd by Chuck. Second time he's knocked out by falling luggage. Third time he's... knocked out by more falling luggage.
  • Giant Mook
  • Katanas Are Just Better: Prefers to use a sword.
  • Mook Face Turn: Following The Ring's destruction, he was more than happy to ally himself with Alexei Volkoff.
  • Super-Persistent Predator: A variation. While he's no dinosaur, and isn't hellbent on eating Chuck for breakfast, he's still a predator, and still fairly damn persistent.
  • Wrestler in All of Us: Subverted. Introduced as an expert in "close quarters combat", it turns out he's actually an expert with a sword.

Volkoff Industries

Alexei Volkoff / Real name - Hartley Winterbottom

"My name is Alexei Volkoff. I believe you were looking for me."

Rank/Job: CEO / Director
Affiliation: Volkoff Industries

Portrayed by Timothy Dalton

Born Hartley Winterbottom, Alexei Volkoff is the insane CEO and founder of Volkoff Industries, an arms manufacturer. He is a recluse, described by Casey as the "Russian Howard Hughes". He is first mentioned in "Chuck Versus the Anniversary" by Marco. He makes his first onscreen appearance in "Chuck Versus the First Fight".

Tropes exhibited by Mr. Volkoff include:

Vivian Volkoff

"You don't know who I am. You have both lied to me, betrayed me, and shattered my life."

Rank/Job: CEO / Director
Affiliation: Volkoff Industries

Portrayed by Lauren Cohan

A young woman targeted for assassination by one of Volkoff's old lieutenants. She is believed to have the key to Volkoff's Hydra database, which is needed to take over his association. She is Volkoff's daughter and originally had no knowledge of what her father did. He had been sending her to various schools to groom her as his successor. The key turns out to be a necklace he gave her as a child. Vivian uses it to access Volkoff's bank account though it is unclear if she will follow in her father's footsteps. She helps Team Bartowski infiltrate a criminal bank in exchange for a visit with her father, but Beckman denies her request. She is suspected of hiring a bomber to infiltrate Castle and kill Chuck. She then tricked her father into helping her obtain a powerful DNA tracking weapon and then takes over his company.

Tropes exhibited by Vivian include:

Boris: You were skeetshooting at age 7, had your black belt by 13, and by the time you graduated from the London School of Economics, you were fluent in 5 languages.

  • Anti-Villain: Type II.
  • Badass Normal
  • Break the Cutie: You can't blame her for being pissed, her father and the CIA both lied to her, she had no other place to go for answers.
  • Catch Phrase: "Nobody can/will be able to touch me, ever."
  • Heel Face Revolving Door
  • Karma Houdini: At the end of Season Four, she's given a blank identity so that she can start afresh and faces no consequences for the numerous attempts she made on the lives of Team Bartowski, actual successful murders of several other people, and whatever other crimes were committed either by her or on her behalf while running her father's company.
  • Lonely Rich Kid: Grew up as one.
  • Parental Abandonment: Though her father did pay for her schooling, Vivian says that he was never a part of her life.
  • Talking the Monster to Death: How she was defeated.

Heather Chandler

"Thanks for that, movie dork. I bet you have like a Tron poster in your room."

Rank/Job: Operative
Affiliation: Volkoff Industries

Portrayed by Nicole Richie

Heather was a high school friend of Sarah Walker, who attended under the alias Jenny Burton. She married Mark Ratner, a high school nerd who ended up as a wealthy engineer. She illegally sold several of his secrets on the black market and was eventually captured by Team Chuck. She later reveals that she was working for Volkoff Industries. She first appeared in "Chuck Versus the Cougars" and returned in "Chuck Versus the Cubic Z".

Tropes exhibited by Heather include:
  • Alpha Bitch: Heather was this in high school and remains one into adulthood.
  • Chekhov's Gun: Turns out that deal she made with with the Russian Mafia during Season 2 was for Volkoff from the start.
  • Hannibal Lecture: In her second appearance, Heather is able to figure out that Sarah and Chuck are together as well as prey on Sarah's insecurities about their relationship.

Marco

"I must break you..."

Rank/Job: Operative
Affiliation: Volkoff Industries

Portrayed by Dolph Lundgren

A Giant Mook under the employ of Mr. Volkoff, Marco was in the process of smuggling a powerful EMP device until he was thwarted by Chuck and his crew.

He was shot and killed by Mary Elizabeth Bartowski.

Tropes exhibited by Marco include:

Marco: Please, I have a family.
Mary Bartowski/Frost: So do I.

Mr. Riley

"Nobody ever said no to your father."

Rank/Job: Lawyer
Affiliation: Volkoff Industries

Portrayed by Ray Wise

Volkoff Industry's attorney who takes Vivian under his wing.

Tropes exhibited by Riley include:

Everyone Else

Alex McHugh

"Whether you like it or not, dad, I'm not going anywhere."

Rank/Job: None
Affiliation: None

Portrayed by Mekenna Melvin

The daughter of Alex Coburn (alias John Casey) and Kathleen McHugh. Kathleen was told that Alex was killed in combat in 1989 (actually volunteered for a special unit) while she was pregnant with their daughter. John first found out about his daughter twenty-one years later in "Chuck Versus the Tic Tac". After being targeted by The Ring agents, she becomes aware of her father's true occupation. She is currently dating Morgan Grimes with her father's reluctant approval.

Tropes exhibited by Alex include:
  • Action Girl: The potential is there, seeing as she managed to stun Casey with a five-hit combo. Of course, she's his daughter.

Alex: I got an A in my self-defense class!

Generalissimo Alejandro Fulgencio Goya

"Come...to Costa Gravas!"

Rank/Job: Dictator / General
Affiliation: The Republic of Costa Gravas

Portrayed by Armand Assante

Dictator of fictional Latin American country Costa Gravas. Four presidents (Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George Bush) issued a kill order on him but failed. Those orders were carried out by John Casey, who Goya calls the "Angel of Death". He gained many enemies, both inside and outside his country, when he decided to allow democratic elections. He is deeply fond of Captain Awesome, the man who saved his life, and even fonder of his wife Ellie. He also respects Casey, who (unwillingly) gave donated blood to save him, and gives him a new nickname "Angel of Life".

Tropes exhibited by Goya include:

Gertrude Verbanski

"Sorry, if I got too physical. Must be the uniform."

Rank/Job: CEO
Affiliation: Verbanski Corporation

Portrayed by Carrie Anne Moss

A (presumably) Russian or Slavic PMC soldier who had a moment with John Casey in the past. She has now returned and is helping the team as well as providing Casey with some romance.

Tropes exhibited by Verbanski include:

(Both Sarah and Verbanski silence a couple of mooks during a mission...)
Verbanski: "...Fine! I love Casey! Just stop grilling me!"
Sarah: "..."

Jack Burton

"A thief has to run out of town as fast as he can, but a good con man can leave whenever he wants"

Rank/Job: None
Affiliation: None

Portrayed by Gary Cole

Sarah's somewhat estranged father. He is a two-bit Con Man who frequently involved Sarah when she was a kid in his schemes, and often rewarded her with ice cream or sometimes hard cash. Sarah claims that her experiences with him rubbed her the wrong way, but Jack (correctly) deduced that she had way more fun conning people than she should have. That said, he always kept her well-being and happiness at heart, and in his own way, looked out for her.

When Sarah was in high school, Director Graham arrested him "for his own protection" after he conned a particularly dangerous man - this same incident was when she was recruited into the CIA. Jack however found out about her much later, and despite being on opposite sides of the law, he's proud of her. Using his skills as a confidence man, Jack helped out Chuck and his team on two separate occasions: freezing the funds of a powerful Sheikh, and obtaining Iranian nuclear missile plans.

Tropes exhibited by Jack include:

Nicholas Quinn

"Nice to meet you. I'm Nicholas Quinn. And I'm about to become the Intersect."

Rank/Job: Special Agent (formerly)
Affiliation: CIA (formerly)

Portrayed by Angus Macfadyen

A rogue freelance spy who has something of a vendetta against Chuck, to put it very mellow. He was a top-grade CIA agent who was set to be the agency's first true Intersect Agent. However, Bryce Larkin happened. After that, his life and career began a downward spiral until he left the CIA and began to work freelance. ...For Fulcrum, The Ring, and Volkoff Industries, all organizations which Chuck himself put out of commission, and Quinn out of business. Quinn snapped, and made it his life's mission to make Chuck's life a living hell even worse than his own, and get the Intersect while he's at it, which technically is rightfully his anyway.

Tropes exhibited by Quinn include:
  • Action Survivor: He has an incredible talent of escaping extremely dangerous situations. Practically an expy of Sark.
  • Badass
  • Big Bad: Of the second-half of the final season.
  • The Chessmaster
  • Complete Monster: A few villains somewhat treaded this line... Quinn stomps across it in spades when he decides to erase Sarah's memories and brainwash her against Chuck.
  • Manipulative Bastard
  • Moral Event Horizon: He crosses it a few times, but brainwashing Sarah is definitely the one.
  • Sanity Slippage: Chuck has, for the lack of better words, completely ruined his life, even if unintentional. The constant repeats have driven the guy completely insane.

Back to Chuck