From its chilling 2007 debut to a somewhat out-of-the-blue reboot in 2021, the The Ghost Dimension.
That said, Paranormal Activity presents a surprisingly well-told and intricately interconnected hexology that's denser and more lore-rich than most found-footage horror tales. Though it boasts few genuinely likable characters, the series' many protagonists and antagonists are integral to making the terrifying collection of films as intense and complex as it is.
Micah
The de-facto protagonist of the original Paranormal Activity movie, Micah comes off as somewhat unlikable thanks to his unwillingness to take the idea of demonic possession seriously. Eager to dismiss his wife's anxieties and goad the entity apparently stalking them, Micah gets what's coming to him by the end of the film.
That said, Micah ends up being an important character in the overall franchise. The husband of Katie, who would later become a major antagonist, Micah is at least partially responsible for the events that would transpire later on in the series.
Daniel
A prequel to the first film in the series, Paranormal Activity 2 focuses on Kristi, the sister of Katie, and Daniel, her husband. Throughout most of the film, Daniel is as hapless and stubborn as Micah, going so far as to dismiss the family's maid for suggesting that some sort of spirit may be haunting their home.
In the end, however, he comes to be a major player in the series. Opting to perform a ritual to cause the demon to target Katie instead of Kristi, Daniel burns the photo that's later discovered in the attic of Micah and Katie's home, thus saving his family—or so he believes.
Lois
The grandmother of Katie and Kristi and an apparent major player in the cult known as The Midwives, it's implied that Lois may have been responsible for instigating the events depicted in the franchise. Allegedly having made a deal with a demon, Lois was granted riches in exchange for the soul of the next son of her lineage.
Lois is only seen in Paranormal Activity 3, but the impact of her actions can be felt in each franchise installment. Her home also serves as the site on which the ritual to give the demon Tobi a human form was performed.
Chris
After discovering a link to her ancestry in Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, Margot and her boyfriend Chris venture to a New York farm so she can reconnect with her biological family. The two decide to turn the pilgrimage into a documentary, but the focus quickly shifts toward the strange events taking place around the farm.
Margot may be the main character of Next of Kin, but Chris is the true hero. Though he's ing of his girlfriend and her ambitions, he's able to recognize when things aren't right, and he helps Margot to escape as all hell breaks loose—quite literally.
Hector
After he probes a bit too deeply into the strange circumstances surrounding his murdered neighbor, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones' Jesse begins exhibiting strange, supernatural powers which he documents with the help of his friend, Hector. However, Jesse's new gift soon becomes a curse as a demonic entity begins to consume him.
In a desperate bid to save his friend, Hector s Ali, who was a minor character in a previous PA movie. She directs him to Lois' home, where he attempts to rescue Jesse. Though this doesn't go well for anyone involved, it still marks Hector as one of the most heroic characters in the series.
Kristi
The sister of Katie and granddaughter of Lois, Kristi lived a tragic and unfortunately short life. Introduced to the world of the occult at a very young age, Paranormal Activity 3 discloses the fact that the demon Tobi has more or less been following her for her entire life.
The found footage film continuation Paranormal Activity 2 reveals that she was the original target of Tobi, though Daniel manages to redirect the demon to her sister. She may not be quite as important to the overall plot of the franchise as Katie, but she's still undeniably one of the most crucial.
Katie
The focal point of the original Paranormal Activity movie, Katie is perhaps the series' most tragic character. Indoctrinated by Lois' cult in her childhood, Katie slowly comes to be possessed by the demonic Tobi throughout the events of the first film.
She's seen again in the second, third, and fourth films, albeit now at the behest of both Tobi and the Midwives. Though the movies never follow one specific character for more than a single installment, Katie is about as central to the franchise as can be.
Tobi
The central antagonist of Paranormal Activity, Tobi is presumably the demon with whom Lois made a deal, and, decades after the fact, he's returned to claim what he's apparently owed. An all-encoming evil responsible for all of the horrors seen throughout the series, Tobi is as terrifying as he is enigmatic. Gone from an intangible threat to a fiend of flesh and bone, he's the be-all-end-all of paranormal terror.
Though he doesn't seem to have a role in Next of Kin, the series' most recent installment, IGN suggests that Asmodeus, the demon who escapes from the Beiler farm, could be the reincarnated Tobi who came to be trapped there after traveling through time.
