Allan is a 100-year-old Swedish pensioner who possesses an unwavering optimism and a lifelong passion for explosives. Orphaned at a young age and sent to work in a dynamite factory, he approaches the world with a strictly apolitical, practical mindset. He prefers to address conflicts over a bottle of vodka rather than through ideological arguments.

Julius is a 70-year-old petty thief who lives an isolated existence in a rural Swedish station. Regarded with distrust by local residents due to his checkered past, he embraces his pariah status. He quickly welcomes Allan into his home, sharing meals and swapping life stories with complete candor.

Benny is a handsome man in his fifties who drives a silver Mercedes. Having spent decades taking university courses without ever receiving a diploma to exploit an uncle's inheritance clause, he possesses "almost expert" knowledge in many subjects. He offers to act as a driver for the fleeing older men.

Gunilla, often called "The Beauty," is an earthy, voluptuous woman in her early forties. She lives frugally on a farm she inherited from her parents, keeping company with her Alsatian dog, Buster, and an escaped circus elephant named Sonya. Though she frequently uses foul language, she acts as a moral compass for the group.

Per-Gunnar, known to his followers as "Pike," is the massive, 6-foot-6-inch, 500-pound leader of the "Never Again" criminal gang. Having started as an unscrupulous businessman, he formed his gang while in prison. He demands absolute loyalty from his subordinates and ruthlessly pursues the fortune he lost.

Bosse is Benny's estranged older brother. He acquired a significant fortune by altering foods to improve their taste and by selling Bibles with a peculiar misprint at the end. He maintains ties to his former questionable business contacts and enjoys a luxurious rural lifestyle.

Bengt, known as "Bolt," is a scruffy, aggressive member of the Never Again gang. He wears a gang jacket and uses intimidation to get his way. His impatience and poor judgment lead him to leave his highly valuable suitcase in the care of a seemingly harmless 100-year-old stranger.

Henrik, called "Bucket," is a slow-witted henchman in the Never Again gang. He previously tried to form his own gang called "Violence," which failed spectacularly after his girlfriend misspelled the name as "Violins" on their jackets.

Aronsson is a dogged but continually frustrated police detective assigned to the case of the missing centenarian. Unlike his glory-seeking colleagues, he genuinely wishes to uncover the truth and follows every lead, though the bizarre nature of the case constantly confuses him.

Ranelid is an ambitious civil servant who seeks to build his career on a high-profile criminal case. He frequently jumps to unverified conclusions and feeds incorrect information to the press in hopes of securing a dramatic conviction.

Estabán is an impassioned young Spanish worker who befriends Allan. He tries to convince the incorrigibly apolitical Allan to care about the socialist revolution brewing in his home country.

Father Kevin is a Scottish Anglican priest who spent 12 years attempting to convert Iranian Muslims to Christianity. His obsessive and unsuccessful evangelical schemes lead the Iranian government to imprison him on suspicion of being a communist spy.

Yury is a brilliant Russian physicist working for the Soviet Union's nuclear program. He acts as an envoy to recruit Allan, hoping to extract his knowledge of atomic weapons for the Soviet government.

Herbert is the notoriously dense half-brother of the famous physicist Albert Einstein. Kidnapped by the Russians in a case of mistaken identity, he spends his time expressing a wish for death because he lacks the courage to end his own life.

Originally named Ni Wayan Laksmi, Amanda is a young Indonesian woman from a lower social caste. She is renamed by Herbert because he cannot pronounce her birth name. Like Herbert, she is simple-minded but possesses a keen understanding of how bribery and money operate in Indonesian society.

Harry Truman is the Vice President, and later President, of the United States. He encounters Allan at a critical moment in the nuclear program. Truman appreciates frank, honest communication and shares a celebratory, drunken meal with Allan.

Mao Zedong is the leader of the Chinese communists. He recognizes Allan from past events and immediately demonstrates immense gratitude, altering the course of Allan's journey through Asia.

Jiang Qing is the wife of communist leader Mao Zedong. Her mistreatment by corrupt military guards prompts Allan to intervene, setting off a chain of events that alters his standing in global politics.

Joseph Stalin is the tyrannical leader of the Soviet Union. He attempts to buy Allan's knowledge but quickly loses his temper when Allan candidly brings up his relationships with anti-communist figures.