Based on the popular graphic novel, Nimona tells the story of the dynamic duo of the titular Nimona and banished former knight, Ballister Boldheart. Nimona is always looking for an excuse to create mischief and chaos, while Boldheart is still attempting to solve the mystery and clear his name after being framed for the murder of the queen. Together, the duo embark on a quest back into the kingdom in order to clear Boldheart's name, making sure to leave a trail of destruction wherever they go.
The combined futuristic and medieval world of Nimona is filled to the brim with a wide variety of interesting characters, both those joyous and filled with heart and those with dark and hardened souls. Even outside the primary duo of Nimona and Boldheart, there are a number of other important kingdom citizens who each have their own important impact on the story and mystery at hand.
9 The Director
Voiced by Frances Conroy, The Director is the leader of the Institute of Elite Knights and becomes the defacto leader of the entire kingdom following the death of Queen Valerin. She is a character fueled and defined by her love of the Gloreth ideology of keeping the kingdom secluded and safe from the outside world, destroying anything and anyone that threatens the commune.
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The lengths to with The Director goes to uphold her flawed ideology are shown to be more and more vile as the film goes on, from killing the Queen for knighting Ballister to attempting to kill Ambrosius to silence the truth. Of all the characters in the primary cast, she's the only one that doesn't show any true signs of remorse or positivity, acting as the true ideological villain of the film.
8 Sir Thoddeus "Todd" Sureblade
Voiced by Beck Bennett, Sir Thoddeus "Todd" Sureblade is a knight under the institute who harbors an antagonistic rivalry toward Ballister, even before his banishment, because of his origins from poverty. He revels in the chance to take down Ballister after he is banished from the kingdom, always willing to get into a fight with an overconfident demeanor.
Todd is the classic low-intelligence dude-bro archetype but translated to the future medieval setting, making for a variety of great comedic moments at his expense. He's far from an actual likable character for the audience to root for, but Bennett brings life to the wannabe frat boy in the best way possible, making him a comedic delight every time he's on-screen.
7 Gloreth
Voiced by Karen Ryan, Gloreth is a legendary and heroic knight who established the Institute for Elite Knights a thousand years ago after vanquishing a "great black monster" and enclosing the kingdom for its protection. Gloreth's legacy is felt throughout the entire kingdom, and her bravery and heroism are a driving point that the entire kingdom strives to be more like.
For the majority of the film, Gloreth acts more as an overarching ideology than an actual character herself, yet in a pivotal flashback sequence, we see her origin play out in real-time. We see that as a young child, she was originally best friends with Nimona, but after the adult townsfolk fear and revolt against Nimona, calling her a monster, Gloreth joins the townsfolk and turns on Nimona. The character's turn against Nimona hits extra hard because the audience sees just how great of friends they were, yet the mob changed Gloreth in a way that would subsequently change the world forever.
6 Amalzapam Davis and Nate Knight
Voiced by Indya Moore and RuPaul, Amalzapam Davis and Nate Knight are the kingdom's signature newscasters and television anchors that spread the news across the kingdom. Even during the highest moments of turmoil and pain felt across the kingdom, the duo is on air providing an insight into the mindset of the kingdom as a whole.
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While there's a great deal of comedic potential that comes from the concept of news anchors in the futuristic medieval world of Nimona, the film doesn't give these characters many stand-out moments. While the characters are a constant throughout the film and can be seen as a personification of the evolution of the kingdom's thoughts on our main characters, they act more as vessels than anything else.
5 Diego the Squire
Voiced by Julio Torres, Diego is a squire for the Elite Knights, and is a shy and reclusive type who tends to stay more in the background. He soon becomes the primary focus of Ballister's investigation, as he was the one who handed Ballister his impostor weapon which murdered the queen.
While a member of the Elite Knights, Diego is much more cowardly and shy than the noble and honor-based knights, being much more willing to pass off duties to the nearest person than deal with them himself. His shy nature and inability to speak up indirectly causes Ballister to be banished from the kingdom, although he has a good heart, the character doesn't have it in him to do the right thing.
4 Queen Valerin
Voiced by Lorraine Toussaint, Queen Valerin was the queen of the entire kingdom, and was looking to usher in a new era in which anyone could rise up and become a knight of honor. Her plans to change the kingdom for the better were sadly cut short, as she was assassinated during the knighting ceremony of Ballister and Ambrosius.
While her screen time is relatively short compared to most characters, there is an overwhelming feeling of grace and care for the entire kingdom and its people from the queen. Even more than simply following the ideology set by Gloreth, the choices and decisions made by the queen feel as those of a true leader, looking to better the lives of the entire kingdom instead of hiding away.
3 Ambrosius Goldenloin
Voiced by Eugene Lee Yang, Ambrosius Goldenloin is a modern-day descendant of Gloreth, as well as the champion knight of the entire institution and a lover of Ballister Boldheart. While to the public he is the personification of Gloreth's continuing glory and might, he finds difficulties living up to the legacy of his ancestors, as well as balancing this with his own personal desires.
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Ambrosius is a multi-faceted character who deals with mental hurdles throughout the film, having to track down a lover that he still loves for the murder of the queen, filled with regret and sorrow. Ballister acted as the one person he could truly talk to about his feeling and experiences, and while he still loves Ballister, he puts his duty towards the entire kingdom above his own love and feelings. Eventually is constantly looking for a middle ground and is hesitant to fully blame Ballister, and eventually becomes a hero in his own right instead of only one under Gloreth's namesake.
2 Ballister Boldheart
Voiced by Riz Ahmed, Ballister Boldheart is a former knight for the Institution who grew up from nothing into a respectable knight and personification of progress and glory from anywhere in the kingdom. His glory as a knight is quickly cut short as he is framed for the murder of Queen Valerin during his knighting ceremony, forced to live in recluse before meeting the mischievous Nimona, who decides to help him prove his innocence.
Ballister acts as a great, grounded, and relatable character for the audience to adjust themselves to the fantastical futuristic medieval world, being a character who found greatness from humble beginnings. The audience immediately roots for his returned success and for him to retain his glory, as we see firsthand how the murder wasn't his fault. His friendship and connection with Nimona even furthers his positive namesake, as the two bond and connect in a heartwarming and honest way that makes them even more likable as a result.
1 Nimona
Voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz, Nimona is the titular rambunctious shapeshifter who forces herself into the life of Ballister, insisting that she become his sidekick in evil deeds against the kingdom. While initially disappointed in Ballister's continued goody-goody nature, she still revels in the opportunity to cause chaos in the kingdom while attempting to clear Ballister's name and take the kingdom down a peg.
Nimona is a character who has been wrongly persecuted and belittled by the entire kingdom for over a thousand years, directly resulting in her comedic, Bugs Bunny-esque demeanor and love of chaos. She acts on her own rules and philosophy, directly contrasting with the honor and glory-based mindset of the kingdom, and making for a hilarious energetic character who delights at every opportunity. While some of her actions could be perceived as too mean, her annoyance towards the kingdom as a whole is rightfully justified by the end, making her antics that much greater in hindsight.
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