NiGHTS Into Dreams/Characters

Main Characters

NiGHTS

The eponymous character of the series, NiGHTS is a carefree, mysterious being that flies around the world of dreams. They're interested in anything new and unusual, including Visitors, and tends to do their own thing, for the most part. NiGHTS has a tendency to be unthinkingly rude, especially towards Owl, but they generally acts in fun, and means no harm.

• Ambiguous Gender
  • No Biological Sex
• And Then John Was a Zombie: Averted.
• Attention Deficit Ooh Shiny: Look! It's Octopaw!
• Beware the Nice Ones: Possibly. They're never seen to lose their temper, but they also has no problem with killing their enemies if they're pushed too far.
• Disney Death
  • Go Out with a Smile
  • Heroic Sacrifice
• The Fool
• Friendly Enemy: Usually acts like this toward Reala.
• Heel Face Turn: Before the series started.
• Idiot Ball: Mostly in the sequel, where they are constantly being captured.
• Immortality: Implied to be Type II.
• Shapeshifting: Besides transforming into a dolphin, a dragon and a rocket by means of Persona Masks, NiGHTS takes on the shape of a boat and a roller coaster car.
• Trickster Archetype
• Villainous Harlequin: Pre-series, possibly.

Claris Sinclair

An aspiring singer with a serious case of stage fright, Claris finds her way into Nightopia after a disastrous audition.

• Continuity Nod: Her voice actress sings the "Sweet Snow" version of Dreams Dreams in Journey of Dreams... and quite well, in fact.
• Curtains Match the Window
• The Cutie
• Daddy's Girl: One of her levels signifies her love for her father.
• "Happy Holidays" Dress: In Christmas NiGHTS, although it's cut in a way that could also be a Sexy Santa Dress.
• High School Sweethearts: Implied to be this with Elliot at the end of the game. Even more so in the ending for the Christmas game.
• Informed Ability: She supposedly has a beautiful voice, but this doesn't shine through thanks to her voice actress. It gets better, if the Continuity Nod mentioned above is any indication.
• It Runs in The Family: Claris comes from a family of artists.
• Lonely Rich Kid
• Shy Pink Haired Girl

Elliot Edwards

A friendly, popular boy who loses confidence in himself after the local Jerk Jock and his friends push him around. He then finds his way into Nightopia...

• Alliterative Name
• Curtains Match the Window
• David Versus Goliath: He plays against older, more experienced kids.
• The Hero: In the comics and the storybook.
• Heroic Resolve: As with the other main characters, but Elliot's is especially focused on in the storybook.
• High School Sweethearts: Implied to be this with Claris at the end of the game. Even more so in the ending for the Christmas game.
• Nice Guy
• You Gotta Have Blue Hair: He has blue hair as the logical contrast to Claris.

Helen Cartwright

A child prodigy who is gifted at playing the violin. She's very close to her mother, and finds herself in the Night Dimension when she begins to have nightmares out of guilt for sacrificing her time with her mother for her social life.

• Action Girl: She spends a lot of time running around Nightopia by herself, fighting nightmarens.
• Big Fancy House
• The Chick: When Helen's not busy being an Action Girl, she's this.
• Damsel in Distress: Gets this a few times, especially when Wizeman kidnaps her in Will's route.
• Duet Bonding: With her mother.
• Hair of Gold
• Hot Mom: Has one of these.
• Kawaiiko
• Naive Everygirl
• Pink Girl, Blue Boy: Her pink jacket.

William Taylor

A lonely boy whose favorite hobby is soccer. He's very close to his father, so when the man leaves for a business trip, Will's loneliness leads to nightmares. It's after this he finds his way to the Night Dimension.

• Adorkable
• Beware the Nice Ones: He may be young, and full of angst. But don't go underestimating him.
• Butt Monkey: The poor kid has a really hard time with some situations in the Night Dimension.
• Child Prodigy: At least at the game of Soccer.
• Cute Shotaro Boy
• Determinator: Will shows signs of this in his route.
• Doting Parent: His dad is hinted at being this.
• Humble Hero
• Kid Hero: More so than Elliot because he's a little younger.

Owl

An elderly, owl-like Nightopian, he serves as a guide to both Helen and Will throughout Journey of Dreams. He panics easily in bad situations and is irritated by NiGHTS' childish antics.

• Grumpy Old Man: He doesn't always like NiGHTS' childishness.
• Mentor Mascot
• Mister Exposition
• The Obi-Wan
• Older and Wiser: At least he says so.
• Talking Animal: A talking Owl to be precise.

Villains

Wizeman

The ruler and creator of Nightmare. Wizeman created the Nightmaren as well. He seeks to rule over the Night Dimension (and the waking world in the US version of NiGHTS Into Dreams) and is especially interested in corrupting Nightopia.

• As Long as There Is Evil: Ties directly into his Type I Immortality, being the seeming source of it.
• Big Bad
• The Blank
• Card-Carrying Villain
• Evil Sounds Deep: In Journey of Dreams.
• A God Am I: Granted, he is implied to be a god, but that doesn't stop him from acting out this trope.
• Immortality: Type I. It doesn't stop him from being destroyed in the good ending of Journey of Dreams, however. Or does it?
• Was Once a Man: His backstory states that he was a Visitor who was deprived of his Ideya.
• You Have Failed Me...: He tends to pull this a lot on second-level Nightmaren, and even threatens to do this to Reala.

Reala

NiGHTS' rival. Unlike NiGHTS, he's cruel and insidious, willing to do just about anything to get what he wants. He is completely loyal to Wizeman and is constantly out on missions from him.

• Card-Carrying Villain
• The Dragon:
  • Dragon Ascendant: Briefly in the comic book adaption.
• Evil Twin
• Kick the Dog: He's practically made of this in Journey of Dreams.
• Large Ham
• Mirror Boss: In the first game.
• Playing Tennis With the Boss: In the second.
• The Rival: Due to equal skills and opposing personalities, Reala is constantly led into rivalry with NiGHTS.
• Trivial Pursuit: He disappears after his second defeat in Journey of Dreams.

Jackle

A second-level Nightmaren created by Wizeman. Only appears in the first game.

• Cheshire Cat Grin
• Improbable Weapon User: Razor-sharp tarot/playing cards.
• Insane Equals Violent
• Mad Oracle: Implied, what with his Tarot Motifs in the Japanese version.
• Slasher Smile
• Weaksauce Weakness: He can't do anything without his cape.