The World of ‘NOS4A2’ Part 3: Favorite Characters

4/28/2021

Written by Juanita ‘Obi-Juan’ Bonner

Well kiddies, we’ve reached the end of our NOS4A2 journey. I hope you enjoyed the ride thus far. To end the tour, I’d like to share with you some thoughts on my favorite characters throughout the overall universe. Because wow… it really is a universe, isn’t it? From novel to comics to television, NOS4A2 has introduced various realms and ties to the supernatural world – some old and some new. In particular, Joe Hill has went out of his way to tie this world to some of his other works and that of his father’s as well. VERY COOL!! While Showrunner Jami O’Brien sought to expand on these unique creations even further via the deliciously evil and visually stunning television series. NICE!! All of which have culminated into one hell of a body of work that we here at Nerds That Geek wholeheartedly love and support via our NOS4A2 Collections page seen here! So, to add to this page and celebrate the work even more, grab some hot cocoa and join me as I hang a few more decorations on this incredibly awesome character tree, starting with Chris McQueen!!

Chris McQueen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach)

The patriarch of the McQueen household, Chris is a war veteran, rides a Harley and works on a demolitions crew. As if any of that wasn’t cool enough, he’s Vic’s biggest cheerleader and always backs her against Vic’s mother Linda (Virginia Kull). So basically, on the surface, Chris seems like the proverbial cool dad. Dig a little deeper however, and it’s easy to see that he’s an abusive alcoholic and adulterer with a whole host of issues he projects onto his wife and daughter. To put it mildly, on several levels, he’s loathsome!! So why the hell is he on this list? Well, because the deeply flawed often turn out to be the most surprising. It seems O’Brien agrees since she clearly brought this character to the forefront versus his novel counterpart. Likely because in many ways, good and bad, Vic is who she is because of her father. Further, despite both of their faults, Chris, with just a few words, often gives incredible advice and insight to Vic on life, college, parenthood, anger, trauma and forgiveness which I LOVE!! To say nothing of the HUGE fact Ebon knocks this role out of the park! So much so, that I found myself rooting for Chris. That he would do the right thing in the end. And in both the novel and television series, he does just that, losing his life in the process! It’s absolutely heartbreaking, particularly on screen. *SIGH*

Bing Partridge (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson)

From novel to screen, Bing Partridge is a towering individual with the intellect of a child. He’s that quiet unseen, until it’s too late, type of evil. CHILLS GALORE!! Not to mention, overall, his arc is disgusting and sad. Honestly, if I only had the novel to know this character, I am not completely sure he would make this list. But Ólafur gives him a more jolly and pitiful feel. Especially since O’Brien decided to portray him as Vic’s friend appearing a bit more like a manipulated gentle giant. A big dumb oof who’s just looking for approval. She also takes care to show us the darker nuances of his evil in pieces making him all the scarier down the road. And HOLY COW what a dark road it is!! He’s a complicated character with a lot of layers and Ólafur does an excellent job of showing us just how many layers there are. The best part is seeing his expressions change from jolly to confused to outright cold evil. YIKES!!

**Agnes Claiborne (The Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland comic series; IDW Publishing; 2013)**

Beyond Charlie, who graces all three mediums of this mouthwateringly evil universe, Agnes is the only comic character to make my list. A seemingly average prison guard whose near retirement, Agnes ends up being one of the best additions I could ask for to a prisoner transport gone very, very wrong! She’s smart, feisty and brutally honest. All good traits for sure. I loved her almost instantly… LOL!! But what really put her on the list is despite waking up from being drugged smack dab in the middle of Christmasland, she thinks fast on her feet and holds her own to the very end. Plus, since the comic takes place less than 5 years prior, I’ll always wonder if she’s somehow related to a one Dolores Claiborne (Stephen King; Viking; 1992) making her yet another tie in by Hill to King’s work. NICE!! Finally, amongst her other triumphs, I laughed my ass off at the several panels of whoopass she hands out to a very well deserved piece of crap prisoner named Denis Sykes. HECK YEAH!!

Lou Carmody (Jonathan Landon)

Anyone who reads the NOS4A2 novel falls in love with Lou. If not, there is ice in your veins… LOL!! A big bear of hugs, he’s warm and funny. And despite his own fears, he’s a true stand-up guy from day one. Plus, his parenting skills are tried and true and come directly from the heart. AWWW!! I remember reading tweets and seeing how happy fans were to see him brought to screen. Then I read the novel and completely understood their jubilation. But, I met him on screen first and felt and saw all those same character traits through the talents of Jonathan Landon. He’s a superhero whether he believes it or not and I love that O’Brien chose a person of color to embrace this role. I don’t believe his race is discussed in the novel so Landon is the only one I envisioned when reading it. Thus, Landon will always be Lou to me!! Besides, considering the heart of the character isn’t changed much, the combination of the two – pages and screen – made me love him all the more. So much so that I kept thinking he was going to die in one format or another, but Lou makes it through both!! *WHEW*

Charles Talent Manx III (Zachary Quinto)

Compared to all the other dark Strong Creatives, Charlie seems to have immense power. I mean… all the creeps in the Parnassus Bar vacate upon his presence. Even Pennywise! WHOA! Not to mention, when viewing the United Inscapes of America map, he’s the only one that can travel from one end to the other via the St. Nick’s Parkway AND, like the others, the Night Road. And though we never truly learn why he’s so powerful, I will always maintain it’s because of the shared power with his Knife – The Wraith. But what truly lands him on my list is twofold: the comics AND Zachary Quinto!! Charlie’s backstory is quite a layered tale and the character illustrations are crazy creepy in all the right places. But with Quinto’s charisma, Manx becomes the perfect villain!! I bet O’Brien and Hill were ecstatic to see this character on screen!! For, his curmudgeonly rude disposition as an old man is hilarious… LOL! Yet, there’s always a linger of evil lying about. As for his younger self? Quinto is intoxicatingly at ease with this character and I LOVE IT!! Especially when he’s courting someone. Be it Bing, children or Vic, he often says things that are generally true, making his prey question what’s actually happening. So much so, you almost want him to win… ALMOST!!

Victoria McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings)

Aside from Charlie, Vic is quite the anchor in this twisted tale. Tough and determined, she’s the perfect nemesis to stand up to Manx and the two together make for some spectacular television. YEP!! But what lands Vic on my list, beyond the great character exploration put forth by Hill’s words in the novel, is her portrayal by Ashleigh Cummings on screen. I couldn’t get enough! Her coming of age tale spun by O’Brien from an amalgamation of Vic’s younger years and her high school days, are relatable AF!! She’s always just a bit awkward and uncomfortable in her own skin which fits this character perfectly. I also LOVE her dynamic with Maggie!! Plus, season one Vic is hard headed and naïve while season 2 Vic, eight years later, is notably more grown and calculated. Not an easy task for any actor, yet Cummings makes it look easy! BRAVO LADY!!

Margaret Leigh (Jahkara Smith)

Having been brought to the NOS4A2 world via the television series, I must say that Maggie’s novel counterpart seems different to me. In fact, while having a lot of guts and a similar tough exterior, book Maggie seems weaker than TV Maggie somehow. Of course, this is quite far from the truth, as book Maggie dies a noble death standing up to Manx while simultaneously protecting Vic’s whereabouts. NICE!! I can honestly say I was quite distraught over her death. But Jahkara!!! Well, she adds an entirely new element to this character that wasn’t felt through the page. A newcomer to acting, NOS4A2 was Jahkara’s first major role, though one could hardly tell since she settles into the character like a veteran badass. DAMN STRAIGHT SHE DOES!! I mean… the entire cast brings their A-game to be sure, but Smith stands out for me. Her relaxed portrayal makes Maggie feel like “the witchy best friend I’ve always wanted.” Not to mention, in O’Brien’s version, not only does she NOT die, she defeats the Hourglass Man (Paul Schneider) AND helps Vic take down Christmasland. F@*K YEAH!! Plus, she ends the series by taking an elevator seemingly to explore the mysterious World of Thought leaving ALL OF US guessing yet happy, that come hell or high water, she’s coming into her own. Because if anybody can find more Strong Creatives for the fight or a safer way to use their gift, it’s Maggie!! *BIG GRIN*

And there you have it kiddies!! My favorite characters in the world of NOS4A2. A few honorable mentions include: Virginia Kull as Linda McQueen for her conviction towards such a deeply complicated character; Jason David as Bruce Wayne McQueen for his diversity and range at such a young age; and Mattea Conforti as Millie Manx who embodied the comic character with admirable intensity. Of course, as I’ve already mentioned, the ENTIRE cast is pretty damn phenomenal but any actor can only excel at their craft when given the material to do so. And, beyond the crazy awesome source material, boy did Jami O’Brien deliver!! Her adaptation is fantastic!! HECK YEAH! She moved characters around like pawns on a chess board with delicious and fascinating precision. A change here and there while still holding true to the source material is what any television adaptation needs and O’Brien wastes no time proving her talents here. Plus, her vision intrigues me greatly because the avenues touched on in the novel and comics hold endless possibilities and it’s clear from her deviation that she was more than interested in exploring ideas!! Though I’m saddened by the cancelation after only two seasons, I will never be sorry for seeing its magnificent exploration into this ever fascinating universe. Not to mention, it will always be MY Knife. For it led me to the novel and comics bringing about the love I didn’t even know I wanted. Or dare I say, for all their evil intents and purposes, NEEDED! *WINK*

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