Summary

• Characters like Emily and Carmilla bring nuance and depth to the show, ing Charlie in their own unique ways.
• Niffty and Husk are dedicated staff who add humor and unexpected moments of clarity to the story.
• Angel Dust and Alastor stand out as complex and intriguing characters, adding depth and ambiguity to the show.

Hazbin Hotel, based on showrunner Vivienne "VivziePop" Medrano's webcomic series of the same name, boasts an excellent cast of colorful characters who reside in a comical version of Hell (with a few characters who are residents of Heaven). While the TV show's lively protagonist Charlie Morningstar is on a mission to solve Hell's overpopulation problem by redeeming its residents at a rehabilitation hotel, she is surrounded by intriguing friends and enemies. Medrano released the show's pilot on YouTube back in 2019, after which an entire season was ordered by A24.

After five years of delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Hazbin Hotel season 2.

Hazbin Hotel is available to stream on Prime Video.

10 Emily (Shoba Narayan)

Emily is a unique angel in Heaven who believes in Charlie's mission.

Emily is the only angel in Heaven who appears to be moved by what Charlie has to say. After meeting Charlie, Emily is left questioning everything about Heaven and its standards. Emily tells Charlie not to give up as she is sent back to Hell, but Sera convinces Emily to do nothing.

While Emily does not do much and is not the most interesting character in her own right, the fact that she exists is important. An angel who is on Charlie’s side and might help her in the future makes the show more nuanced.

9 Carmilla Carmine (Daphne Rubin-Vega)

Carmilla discovers something no one else in Hell has before.

Carmilla is one of the Overlords of Hell who plays a vital role in the story, as she discovers that the exorcist angels can be killed. She is a protective mother of two daughters, an experienced politician, and has a stylish design – her weaponized ballet slipper-like heels are very unique.

Additionally, her musical number “Out for Love” in episode 7 emphasizes the show’s emotional foundation. However, Carmilla's character would have been better if she had taken action and come to the main characters’ aid in the battle against Adam in the Hazbin Hotel season 1 finale.

8 Lucifer Morningstar (Jeremy Jordan)

The famous Lucifer is Charlie's father.

Those expecting a wonderfully menacing figure in Hazbin Hotel’s Lucifer will be disappointed – that is closer Alastor’s role in the story. However, Lucifer is an adorably caring father and a quirky take on the legendary fallen angel.

He is ultimately an easy-to-like character, with multiple apples cleverly incorporated into his outfit

Lucifer brings depth to the story by expressing valid worries about the angels in Heaven not listening to Charlie, based on his own experience. Yet he ultimately s Charlie no matter what and has a great entrance during the final battle. He is ultimately an easy-to-like character, with multiple apples cleverly incorporated into his outfit.

7 Niffty (Kimiko Glenn)

Niffty is the Hazbin Hotel's frenetic housekeeper.

Niffty is one of the characters who seems to have no qualms about the violence in Hell, which is used for some dark humor. The Cyclops housekeeper is an unstoppable ball of chaos and mischief who revels in destruction and pain.

There does not appear to be much more to Niffty’s character than that – but she is arguably the hotel’s most dedicated staff member, cleaning at all hours of the day. Niffty is funny every time she is on screen and occasionally catches the other characters off guard with her fervorous comments.

6 Sir Pentious (Alex Brightman)

Sir Pentious is the character who proves Charlie's goal.

Sir Pentious is a character on the path to redemption, whose best traits are his wild steampunk inventions and his Egg Bois minions. He and Angel are the only guests at the Hazbin Hotel in season 1, so the significant plot point of the hotel’s worth falls on them.

He also claims the best plot twist of the season

Pentious initially appears to be an annoying threat of the week, launching an attack on the hotel and then infiltrating it on behalf of the secondary villains, the Vees. However, Pentious turns out to be a loyal friend and lovable dork. He also claims the best plot twist of the season.

5 Husk (Keith David)

Husk is the Hazbin Hotel's blasé bartender.

The seemingly uncaring hotel bartender may be covering up game-changing plot details with a veneer of apathy. Husk’s blunt outlook contrasts with everyone in different ways, but his relatively optimistic song “Loser, Baby” in episode 4 still works with his otherwise pessimistic persona.

This song is used to reveal Husk’s inability to let his friends (in this case Angel) be miserable alone. Husk is a laid-back character, but has an interesting backstory: He was once an Overlord himself, and he seems to know more about Alastor’s history than anyone.

4 Angel Dust (Blake Roman)

The Hazbin Hotel's most complex resident.

Angel has the saddest storyline in Hazbin Hotel, as he is trying to escape the Overlord who possesses his soul. The porn star checks into the hotel pretty much because it’s rent-free and does his best to annoy everyone with his self-flattering comments. However, Angel is slowly drawn into the forming found family of Charlie’s entourage.

Angel illustrates the purpose and the effect of the Hazbin Hotel, working towards redeeming himself, which does not always come easy to him. He turns out to be one of Charlie and the other main characters’ most dedicated friends. If there was anyone left who didn’t like Angel by episode 6, he wins them over by protecting Niffty from Valentino. Angel is overall, an incredibly compelling character.

3 Alastor (Amir Talai)

The Machiavellian host of the Hazbin Hotel has bigger plans in store.

Alastor is a maniacal and fascinating member of the cast, and it’s impossible to tell if he is an ally or a villain in Charlie’s story. While he defends the hotel until he “barely [escapes] being killed by a hair,” he also suggests to Rosie that he only stands by Charlie because he recognizes her power. Alastor still has a favor to call in with Charlie, and it’s anyone’s guess how he will use it. Alastor also gets some amazing, classically evil moments with dramatic music and red lighting during “Stayed Gone” in episode 2 and “Finale” in episode 8.

Alastor is probably motivated by a simple desire for power, but he might still actually care about Charlie and the hotel. His complexity and ambiguity make him one of the best characters on the show. He also has one of the best designs, as an ever-smiling “radio demon” with a radio-affected voice.

2 Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen)

Hazbin Hotel happens because of the Princess of Hell.

Charlie is the heart and soul of Hazbin Hotel. It is her goal to help Hell’s residents become better people that drives the whole show. The fundamental humor of Charlie’s character is that, while she is Lucifer and Lilith’s daughter and the Princess of Hell, she is the kindest person in the show. Her cheeriness and optimism contrast with the grim setting of Hell and the violent, pessimistic mindset of most of the people in it. Metatextually, Charlie's character balances out the show’s tone.

It is impossible not to like Charlie when she cares deeply and never gives up on her friends. Without her, the show would be very grim and somewhat pointless. If Charlie has any trait that is a mark against her likability as a character, it is that she believes in people too much. Charlie’s optimism occasionally comes across as naïveté or turns into sobbing when she cannot help others.

1 Vaggie (Stephanie Beatriz)

Vaggie makes the Hazbin Hotel a reality.

If Charlie is the heart of the Hazbin Hotel, her girlfriend Vaggie is the backbone. Vaggie is the best character because she believes in the hotel's mission – or at least she believes in Charlie – but she is more realistic and shrewder. Quite frankly, people would not be watching a show about people in Hell if they did not like edgy characters. Vaggie and Charlie comprise a classic grumpy/happy duo. Vaggie’s interactions with the hotel’s staff and residents are always hilarious because she doesn’t put up with anyone's nonsense.

However, underneath her rough exterior, Vaggie cares as much as anyone. Her “Whatever It Takes” duet with Carmilla in episode 3 has some great harmonies but also reveals how much Vaggie wants to help Charlie succeed. These traits combined with a fascinating backstory – Vaggie was an exorcist angel herself who was banished from Heaven for sparing a demon – make Vaggie the best character in Hazbin Hotel.