Will
Will is the main protagonist of the story. He is fifteen and has lived in the castle ward since he was an infant. Both of Will’s parents died in the war against Morgarath when he was just a baby, which is why he has always lived in the ward. Growing up Will has always wanted to be a knight because that is what his father was, and he wants to be like his dad and honor him. Will is chosen to be a Ranger because he is very small, agile, fast, sneaky, and he is always asking questions to find out more information. He is of course disappointed when he is first chosen to be a Ranger, but soon discovers that it is not so bad. Will is also a very quick learner, as it takes him little time to become proficient with his recurve bow and knives. He is also very brave and courageous because he runs in without hesitating to help Halt fight the Kalkara, and jumps in front of a charging boar to protect his friend Horace. Will usually has a positive attitude and does not let Halt’s lack of emotion bring him down. Additionally, he has a thirst for knowledge and is always asking a question.
Halt
Halt is an old, veteran of the Rangers Corps and has accomplished many great things as a Ranger. He was the mentor of Gilan, and is now the mentor of Will. Halt’s greatest accomplishment made him a legend. He led a group of knights behind Morgarath and drove him out of Araluen, ultimately ending the war. Halt is a very wise and serious person, and he is always the one to make the plan. Halt uses a large longbow and is known as one of the best marksmen in the whole kingdom. It is said that he never misses his mark, even if he has his eyes closed. Halt is an emotionless person as well. He almost never smiles and he never laughs. A slight grin from Halt is like him saying “good job” a thousand times. Despite this, Halt is still a likeable person. He is very easy to respect, as he is very loyal to Araluen and is very wise and humble. Halt puts his life on the line for his kingdom just because it is his duty, not for fame or a reward or anything for that matter.
Horace
Horace is fifteen and grew up in the castle
ward with Will. Horace is the perfect example of a dynamic character. In the
beginning of the story he is very arrogant and disrespectful, but by the end he
is humble and much more respectful. Growing up Horace is arrogant because he is
bigger, stronger, and better looking than everyone else. He has the perfect
body to be a knight and he knows it. So he is always picking on Will, who is
much smaller and weaker than him. In battle school where Horace is learning to
be a knight he is bullied and beaten up by three other students. This makes him
realize that he is not such a big shot and he becomes less arrogant. Horace
also comes to respect Will very much because will risks his life to save him
during a wild boar hunt. By the end of the story Horace sees Will as an equal
and they become great friends. Furthermore, while in battle school, Horace is a
natural swordsman. He learns everything taught in the first year in just three
months and is moved into more advanced training. Overall, by the end of the
book Horace grows up a ton and becomes a very respectable young adult.
Sukina, Kotoni. Ranger’s Apprentice Characters. Illustration. Web. n.d. “Ranger’s Apprentice
2010.” Deviantart.com. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.
2010.” Deviantart.com. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.