Luther/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


John Luther

“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”


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. Help bury bodies and frame other criminals. Threaten witnesses to protect someone under his care. 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

The Black Hole to his Burning Sun

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