List of A Series of Unfortunate Events characters

The children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events and its film and television adaptations features a large cast of characters created by Daniel Handler under the pen name of Lemony Snicket. The original series follows the turbulent lives of the Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, after their parents are killed in an arsonous structure fire. It chronicles their multiple escapes from the murderous Count Olaf, and their discoveries of a connection of between both their late parents and Olaf and a secret organization called V.F.D.

The author himself is also a character, playing a major role in the plot. Although the series is given no distinct location, other real people appear in the narrative, including the series' illustrator, Brett Helquist, and Daniel Handler himself.

Main characters

Count Olaf

Count Olaf is the franchise's main antagonist and one of the primary characters. His name was chosen to suggest Scandinavian origin to add confusion and ambiguity about the setting of the series.

He claims to be a distant relative of the Baudelaires, either their third cousin four times removed, or their fourth cousin three times removed. Olaf is a failing actor (though he claimed to have been considered for major acting awards) and is after the Baudelaire fortune. He and his acting troupe follow the children with dogged determination to kill them and obtain their inheritance. He is known for his one eyebrow, gleaming eyes, and V.F.D. insignia tattoo, shaped like an eye, on his left ankle.