Loretta is the Grand Colossal of the Angola-Hammond Chain and one of the highest-ranked fighters in the CAPE program. Burdened by guilt over a murder she committed before her incarceration, she initially enters the death matches expecting and welcoming her own demise. She suffers extreme torture from the Influencer technology while in regular prison. As a team leader, she uses her earned resources to protect her teammates and implements a strict no-violence rule within her Chain.

Hamara is a Harsh Reaper on the Angola-Hammond Chain who fights under the moniker Hurricane Staxxx. Incarcerated for killing a man who was sexually assaulting her, she refuses to let her trauma or the penal system destroy her spirit. She maintains a strong sense of humor and consistently preaches love and forgiveness to the audience before her battles. She hopes to eventually help dismantle the CAPE system entirely.

Hendrix is a fighter on the Sing-Attica-Sing Chain who joins the CAPE program after spending years in a silent prison facility. He reclaims his voice in the matches and becomes known for singing to the audience while fighting. He displays empathy toward his fellow combatants and tries to maintain his humanity within the brutal tournament structure.

Simon is a fighter who enters the CAPE program after enduring extensive solitary confinement and severe torture via the Influencer device. The extreme abuse shatters his memory and mental health, leaving him highly unstable and prone to dissociation. He forms an unlikely dependence on his teammate Hendrix, whom he views as a guardian figure.

Mari is a young abolitionist and member of the Coalition to End Neo-Slavery. Raised by her aunt while her parents were incarcerated, she refuses to accept capitalist definitions of success and dedicates her life to protesting the CAPE program. She risks her own safety to demonstrate at the live death matches, hoping to expose the inhumanity of the prison-industrial complex.

Tracy is a newly hired sports newscaster for the network that airs the CAPE death matches. Recognizing her former high school track teammate on the BattleGround, she uses her platform to speak out against the system. She sacrifices her dream job to publicly condemn the program and invigorate the abolitionist movement.

Sunset is a highly ranked veteran fighter on the Angola-Hammond Chain and a respected elder among the combatants. He frequently preaches the importance of self-forgiveness to his fellow inmates. Despite his success in the arena, he harbors deep anxiety about his impending High Freedom and the prospect of reuniting with his estranged daughter.

Micky is the enthusiastic announcer and public face of the CAPE program's television broadcasts. He rides a floating platform around the arena, prodding the fighters for dramatic soundbites to entertain the audience. As public backlash grows, he slowly begins to question his own complicity in the violent system he promotes.

Melancholia is one of the most famous fighters in the CAPE program, sitting just one match away from securing her High Freedom. She offers unexpected wisdom and advice to newer fighters during the rare moments of unrecorded privacy on the BattleGround.

Rico is a newer fighter assigned to the Angola-Hammond Chain. He joins the team as an eager fan of the veteran fighters but quickly realizes the brutal realities of survival. He benefits directly from the generosity of his team leaders, who help equip him for upcoming matches.

Randy is a veteran fighter on the Angola-Hammond Chain who helps keep morale high among the group. He sells cheese at the farmers market during the team's community service hours and maintains a cynical but supportive presence within the group.

Kai is the unofficial leader of the Coalition to End Neo-Slavery and Mari's primary maternal figure. She organizes protests outside the CAPE arenas and fiercely protects the younger activists from aggressive reporters and police intervention.

Patricia is the original inventor of the technology that powers the Influencer. Originally intending to cure chronic nerve pain, she attempts to destroy her research when she realizes its potential for torture, resulting in an arson conviction and a prison sentence.

Jerry works as the transport van driver for the Angola-Hammond Chain. He maintains a quiet demeanor while shuttling the fighters between Hub Cities and remote campsites, harboring a secret family connection to one of the famous combatants in his care.

Wil is an obsessive fan of the reality shows built around the CAPE program. He actively gambles on the death matches and excitedly explains the brutal mechanics to anyone who will listen, treating the incarcerated fighters purely as sports entertainment.

Emily is Wil's wife, who watches the CAPE broadcasts primarily to connect with her husband. She is frequently horrified by the violence playing out in her living room, though she sometimes rationalizes the system when viewing heavily prejudiced combatants.

Officer Lawrence is a sadistic guard who oversees solitary confinement. He regularly abuses inmates using the Influencer device, extracting compliance through unimaginable pain and breaking down his victims' psychological stability.

Mitchell is a GameMaster and one of the primary architects behind the CAPE program's profitable structure. He invented the Blood Points currency system and actively works to dehumanize the fighters to make their deaths more palatable to the viewing public.

Sai is a transgender fighter on the Angola-Hammond Chain. They sell lemonade during the team's community service duties and frequently face harassment regarding their identity from both fans and the system at large.

Gunny is a white, female fighter on the Angola-Hammond Chain who harbors intense resentment toward her team's leadership. She grudgingly agrees to the group's no-violence rule but maintains a pessimistic view of the CAPE program and her fellow inmates.