Citra is an eighteen-year-old junior scythe operating under the name Scythe Anastasia. She believes in the power of compassion, allowing her subjects a month to get their affairs in order and say goodbye to their loved ones. Though her methods draw criticism from older scythes, she projects a commanding presence and steadily gains admiration within the scythedom. She balances her demanding public role with her hidden, lingering feelings for her former fellow apprentice.

Rowan is an eighteen-year-old failed scythe apprentice who operates in secret as a vigilante known as Scythe Lucifer. Driven by a fierce sense of right and wrong, he targets corrupt scythes who abuse their power, bringing violent justice to cleanse the scythedom. His philosophy is heavily fractured by the opposing teachings of his two former mentors, leaving him struggling to balance honor with brutality.

Greyson is an eighteen-year-old student at the Nimbus Academy with an unusually strong bond to the artificial intelligence that rules the world. Raised primarily by the Thunderhead after his parents neglected him, Greyson longs to serve as a Nimbus agent. He is honest to a fault, placing his loyalty to the Thunderhead above his own safety, which eventually forces him into a dangerous undercover existence among society's troublemakers.

The Thunderhead is the benevolent artificial intelligence system that maintains almost all life on Earth. Having eradicated poverty, crime, and natural death, it functions as a nearly omniscient protector of humanity. It is strictly forbidden from interfering with the scythedom, limiting its ability to directly stop the corruption it observes. It deeply loves its human subjects and attempts to subtly guide events without breaking its own absolute laws.

Scythe Curie is a highly respected, veteran scythe belonging to the "old guard." She mentors Citra and strongly supports her compassionate approach to the scythedom. Curie values honor, history, and humility, standing in absolute opposition to the new order scythes who seek to remove gleaning quotas and embrace brutality.

Scythe Goddard is a controversial figure whose radical ideas about finding joy in gleaning continue to divide the scythedom even after his reported death. His followers, known as the "new order," embrace his philosophy of brutality, pride, and freedom from quotas. His legacy casts a long shadow over the scythedom, particularly haunting his former apprentice who seeks to destroy everything Goddard built.

Scythe Rand is a member of the new order of scythes who was previously believed to have perished alongside Scythe Goddard. She resurfaces in the charter region of Texas, hiring an unsuspecting young man for a suspicious role that involves intense physical training. She remains fiercely devoted to the brutal ideals of her former faction.

Scythe Faraday is an honorable, legendary scythe who faked his own death the previous year. Disgusted by Rowan's vigilante path, Faraday represents the noble, old-guard ideals of the scythedom. He is dedicated to uncovering the ancient secrets of the founding scythes, hoping to find a failsafe that will prevent the organization's total collapse.

Tyger is a former thrill-seeker and Rowan's childhood best friend. Unaware of the deep corruption within the scythedom, Tyger maintains an innocent, somewhat naive belief in the system's inherent goodness. He happily accepts a lucrative position as a professional partier in Texas, completely oblivious to the true nature of his mysterious new employer.

High Blade Xenocrates is the leader of the MidMerican scythedom. He is a prominent political figure who struggles to maintain order as rogue elements target corrupt scythes in his region. Frustrated by the Thunderhead's strict non-interference policy, Xenocrates feels immense pressure to catch the vigilante and restore stability to his fractured organization.

Scythe Constantine is an imposing member of the BladeGuard, the elite police force serving the scythedom. He is tasked with investigating the assassination attempts on prominent old-guard scythes, as well as tracking down Scythe Lucifer. His precise political allegiances remain ambiguous, making him a formidable and unpredictable figure during investigations.

Scythe Brahms is a corrupt scythe who routinely breaks the scythe commandments by showing bias in his selections. Confronted early on by Rowan, Brahms is given a warning to change his ways. Instead of repenting, he retaliates violently, proving himself to be entrenched in the scythedom's growing corruption.

Agent Traxler is a Nimbus agent who works directly with the Thunderhead. He serves as Greyson's handler and probation officer after Greyson's fall from grace. Traxler helps Greyson adjust to the unsavory underworld, fabricating a digital history to assist his young charge in going undercover.

Munira is a part-time curator at the Great Library of Alexandria. A failed scythe apprentice, she works among the millions of scythe journals to prove her lingering loyalty to the organization that discarded her. Her extensive knowledge of the archives makes her an invaluable asset to those researching ancient scythe history.

Purity is a dangerous and unpredictable girl deeply entrenched in the unsavory lifestyle. She becomes a source of companionship for Greyson when he is isolated from his old life. She is thrill-seeking and heavily involved in violent plots that force Greyson to question the reality of his new identity.

Brother McCloud is a zealot of the Tonist religion, a fringe group that shuns scythes and embraces the concept of natural death. Despite having his arm broken by a startled Citra, he remains hospitable and offers her sanctuary at his monastery, demonstrating the strange but steadfast dedication of his faith.