Good Omens Character Analysis

Aziraphale

Aziraphale is one of the novel’s protagonists and the Angel of the Eastern Gate. As an angel, Aziraphale believes fully in Heaven’s righteousness—in his opinion, it’s nearly impossible for God or anyone in Heaven to… read analysis of Aziraphale

Crowley/Crawly

Crowley, a demon from Hell, is one of the novel’s protagonists. He’s suave, he always wears dark clothes and sunglasses, and he drives a vintage Bentley that’s his pride and joy. He implies that he… read analysis of Crowley/Crawly

Adam Young/The Antichrist

Adam is the Antichrist—the son of Satan—who is inadvertently raised by human parents. According to biblical prophecy and God’s “Ineffable Plan,” the Antichrist is, in the days after his 11th birthday, supposed to… read analysis of Adam Young/The Antichrist

Anathema Device

Anathema is a young witch, a descendent of the 17th-century witch and prophet Agnes Nutter. She’s described as sensible and pretty. Anathema has spent her life immersed in Agnes’s book, The Nice and Accurate… read analysis of Anathema Device

Newton “Newt” Pulsifer

Newt is a young man who, tired of his boring job as a wages clerk, takes a job with Shadwell and the Witchfinder’s Army (WA). Newt joins the WA because he desperately wants a cause… read analysis of Newton “Newt” Pulsifer

Agnes Nutter

Agnes Nutter is Anathema Device’s ancestor. A 17th-century witch, Agnes is the only person in all of human history who could see the future correctly. Thus, she published her book, The Nice and Accurate… read analysis of Agnes Nutter

Mr. Shadwell

Shadwell is the last remaining Witchfinder Sergeant of the English Witchfinder’s Army (WA), which is an organization that both Aziraphale and Crowley employ to help them with their work on Earth. A small, cantankerous old… read analysis of Mr. Shadwell

Madame Tracy

Madame Tracy is Mr. Shadwell’s next-door neighbor. She’s a middle-aged woman who makes a living by hosting séances. In Mr. Shadwell’s understanding, she’s also a sex worker—he often refers to her as the Whore… read analysis of Madame Tracy

Death

Death is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. He’s the tallest of the Four and is never seen without his biker’s helmet, which entirely obscures his face. In the novel, Death speaks in… read analysis of Death

War/Red/Scarlett

War is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the only female Horseman. When she’s posing as a human, she takes the form of a beautiful young woman with long auburn hair. Wherever… read analysis of War/Red/Scarlett

Famine/Black/Sable

Famine is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. While posing as human, he takes the form of a tall, slim, dark-haired man named Mr. Sable. Wherever he goes, people suddenly find themselves hungry… read analysis of Famine/Black/Sable

Pollution/White

Pollution is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; he took over after Pestilence’s retirement, following the invention of penicillin. As Pollution moves through the world, he leaves a trail of garbage, oil, and… read analysis of Pollution/White

Wensleydale

Wensleydale is a member of Adam Young’s gang, the Them. He (like his playmates Adam, Pepper, and Brian) is 11 years old, and he wears thick glasses. Wensleydale was born with the… read analysis of Wensleydale

Pepper

Pepper is the only female member of the Them, Adam’s gang of 11-year-olds who make mischief in Tadfield. She’s a vicious fighter and will take on anyone, even the hulking leader of Tadfield’s rival… read analysis of Pepper

Brian

Brian, along with Pepper and Wensleydale, is one of the members of the Them, Adam Young’s gang of 11-year-olds. He’s good-natured but is consistently dirty, and he seems to shed potato chip wrappers… read analysis of Brian

Hastur

Hastur is a demon and a Duke of Hell. In Crowley’s opinion, Hastur and his associate, Ligur, are evil almost beyond belief—the only beings as evil as these two, Crowley suggests, are human… read analysis of Hastur

Ligur

Ligur is a demon and a Duke of Hell. In addition to being almost evil enough to seem human, Crowley describes him as having a “fourteenth-century mind”—that is, he hasn’t come around to the realities… read analysis of Ligur

Sister Mary Loquacious/Mary Hodges

Sister Mary Loquacious is a Satanist nun of the Chattering Order of St. Beryl and the nurse responsible for the mix-up that gives the Antichrist to the Young family rather than that of the American… read analysis of Sister Mary Loquacious/Mary Hodges

Warlock

Warlock is raised as the son of the American Attaché and Mrs. Dowling—and until he turns 11, Aziraphale and Crowley believe that he’s the Antichrist. Warlock is a shy, quiet boy whom Crowley… read analysis of Warlock

R. P. Tyler

Tyler is the Chairman of the Lower Tadfield Residents’ Association. He’s a well-off, middle-aged man and has a firm grasp on what’s right and wrong in the world. He feels it’s his duty to make… read analysis of R. P. Tyler

Greasy Johnson

Greasy Johnson is the leader of the Them’s rival gang in Tadfield, the Greasy Johnsonites. He’s a hulking, clumsy boy who became a bully out of necessity—it was better to seem powerful as a bully… read analysis of Greasy Johnson

Satan

Satan is the Antichrist, Adam’s, father; he’s a fallen angel and is referred to in the novel’s list of characters as the “Adversary.” He directs the demon characters’ activities, though he never appears in… read analysis of Satan

God

Like Satan, God never appears directly in the novel. He rules over Heaven and is the mastermind behind the “Ineffable Plan”—that is, his unknowable and unchangeable plan for the universe. Crowley in particular takes… read analysis of God

Greaser

Greaser is one of the bikers in the café where War, Famine, Pollution, and Death meet. He and three of his friends (Pigbog, Big Ted, and Skuzz) accompany… read analysis of Greaser

Pigbog

Pigbog is one of the bikers in the café where War, Famine, Pollution, and Death meet. Despite his frightening appearance, Pigbog secretly loves the Bible. He’s the only biker to grasp who… read analysis of Pigbog

Big Ted

Big Ted is one of the bikers in the café where War, Famine, Pollution, and Death meet. He’s noticeably taller than his friends Greaser, Pigbog, and Big Ted. He’s… read analysis of Big Ted

Skuzz

Skuzz is one of the bikers in the café where War, Famine, Pollution, and Death meet. He and three of his friends (Greaser, Pigbog, and Big Ted) accompany… read analysis of Skuzz

Nanny Ashtoreth

A demonic nanny sent by Crowley to make sure that Warlock, whom Crowley believes is the Antichrist, gets a good dose of evil in his young life (even as Crowley has conspired with Aziraphale… read analysis of Nanny Ashtoreth

Mr. Francis

A saintly gardener sent by Aziraphale to make sure that Warlock, whom Aziraphale believes is the Antichrist, gets a solid dose of good in his young life (even as Aziraphale has conspired with Crowley… read analysis of Mr. Francis

Minor Characters

The American Cultural Attaché

The American Cultural Attaché and his wife, Mrs. Dowling, are supposed to have their baby switched with the infant Antichrist. But due to a mix-up at the hospital, the Dowlings instead end up with the Youngs’ biological son, whom they name Warlock.

Mr. Young

Mr. Young is Adam Young’s adoptive father, though he believes that Adam is his biological son. He’s a solid, dependable man who smokes a pipe and works as an accountant. His approach to parenting consists of assuming that Adam has always done something wrong—and usually, he’s right about that.

The Metatron

The Metatron is the voice of God, though the Metatron a spokesperson, not God himself. It is fully committed to following God’s plan and has no real love for the mortal world.

Beelzebub

Beelzebub is Hell’s equivalent of the Metatron; he’s a fallen angel and a Prince of Hell. Like the Metatron, Beelzebub has no real love for the mortal world and wants Armageddon (doomsday) to happen.

Sgt. Deisenburger

Sgt. Deisenburger is the American soldier guarding the Lower Tadfield Air Base. When he starts to wave his gun around too much for Aziraphale’s comfort, Aziraphale causes him to disappear, and Sgt. Deisenburger finds himself in his childhood bedroom.

Nigel Tompkins

Nigel Tompkins is a low-level employee attending a training conference at Mary Hodge’s Tadfield Manor. He shoots Crowley and Aziraphale with a paintball gun.

Giles Baddicombe

Mr. Baddicombe is a lawyer at the firm that Agnes Nutter tasked with guarding her second book of prophecies. He’s delivers the book to Newt and Anathema at the end of the novel.

Jaime Hernez

Jaime is a maintenance employee at a shopping plaza in an unnamed big city. When Armageddon (the end of the world) arrives and trees begin to grow at an alarming pace, Jaime helps the trees in the plaza out by shattering the glass ceiling above them.

Harriet Dowling

Harriet Dowling is the wife of the American Cultural Attaché.

Deirdre Young

Deirdre is Mr. Young’s wife and Adam’s mother.

Pestilence

One of the original Four Horseman of the apocalypse, who retired after penicillin was discovered. Pestilence was replaced in the Four Horseman by Pollution.

Good Omens

Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Good Omens Characters