Who’s Who in the Netherworld
Laharl
Our, uh, hero. Laharl is, as ever, the life support system for a short temper and a bad attitude. He thought he’d proved his right to be Overlord back in Hour of Darkness, but that’s just given people time to plan and set up their conspiracies. Laharl’s out to persuade the inhabitants of the Netherworld that he is the Overlord and they should respect him. It’s not working out quite like he’d hoped.
Etna
Where Laharl goes, so also goes Etna, his second-in-command and a Prinny’s worst nightmare. She’s there both as backup and as a constant implicit threat: the moment Laharl shows anything resembling weakness, she’ll be the first one to take advantage.
Flonne
Since she became a Fallen Angel, Flonne has built a new life in the Netherworld as Laharl’s ... well, she’d say “friend” and he’d say “vassal.” Either way, her hobbies include gardening, including flowers that should not be able to grow in the Netherworld’s cursed soil, and watching as much anime and tokusatsu as her poor eyes can stand. Her optimism and naïveté are still equal parts charming and insane.
Sicily
Are you a would-be usurper on a teenager’s budget? If so, take a tip from Sicily and mail yourself to the home of the person whose station in life you’d like to steal. (Just remember to leave air holes in the package.) She’s an angel who thinks she’s got a shot at the throne of the Netherworld, for reasons that would almost be legitimate if they made any sense whatsoever.
Grosso
Never trust a guy who refers to himself as “the Noble Demon.” Grosso’s the leader of the Krichevskoy Group, which seeks to replace Laharl as Overlord out of what they claim is their respect for the memory of the late King. Grosso made his name back in the day as one of Krichevskoy’s advisors, and apparently ended up with a taste for being the power behind thrones. He’s actually a pretty reasonable guy if you ignore the fact that he wants to depose you.
Rainier
A famous treasure hunter and a member of Grosso’s regicidal attack squad, Rainier also has the distinction of being Laharl’s old babysitter. Her idea of how to quiet down a crying baby involves oxygen deprivation, which may explain a lot about Laharl. It’s been over a thousand years since then, but she might be the reason for Laharl’s current fear of ... um, built women.
Garungun
A golem and the third member of Team Grosso, Garungun would be a powerful combatant if he weren’t absolutely convinced that a great and terrible Majin demon is locked away inside his left arm. Every time he’s about to get into a fight, he’s sure that this time will be it: he’ll unleash the beast within and everyone—everyone—will pay. As it turns out: not so much.
Barbara
One of the most dangerous warriors in the Netherworld, Barbara has only one flaw: she can only follow orders and will do so to the letter. It’s not that she’s stupid or cursed or anything like that; it is simply her preference. Being on the bad side of one of those orders can be absolutely lethal, but her inability to take personal initiative may be her downfall.
Virunga
One of the commanders of the angel battalion dispatched to the Netherworld in search of their missing comrades and the new Archangel of Celestia, Varunga is as unhappy to be here as Laharl is unhappy to see him. He’s got his orders, and he intends to carry them out even if that puts him into direct conflict with the Overlord. Let’s see how that works out for him.
Seraph Lamington
You might remember Lamington as the guy who sent Flonne to assassinate King Krichevskoy in Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, despite the fact that by the time she showed up, Krichevskoy had already been dead for two years. He doesn’t have much of a role to play in the events of A Brighter Darkness, but as usual, he knows more about what’s going on than you do.
Xenolith
A mysterious demon swordsman in a long coat who, when asked, is evasive about his true agenda. I’m sure he isn’t up to anything. Don’t worry about it.
King Krichevskoy
He may be dead, but his presence is still felt all over the Netherworld. Krichevskoy was the gold standard as far as Overlords go: he was charismatic, intelligent, diplomatic, and powerful enough to break stars and freeze oceans. The only person who thinks Laharl’s got a shot in hell of living up to Krichevskoy’s legacy is Laharl himself.
Prinnies
When in doubt in the Netherworld, get the Prinnies to do it. They’re the hapless souls of dead sinners, and their lot in (after)life is to serve more powerful demons as soldiers, spies, mascots, disposable minions, and improvised grenades. Their hope is that they can earn enough money doing the Netherworld’s grunt work to pay off their karmic debt, but sadly for them, Laharl doesn’t pay them very much at all.