Delton 4

Delton 4 is a leader from Kreton's mysterious home planet and makes his appearance at the play's conclusion after being called by Ellen Spelding. He describes Kreton as "morally retarded" and reveals that Kreton "managed to escape from his nursery." Delton 4 expresses regret for Kreton's actions and takes him back home.

Kreton (kree-tahn)

Kreton is a visitor from a remote planet in another dimension, central to the play's title. Like others from his world, Kreton does not need food, is immortal, and has no sexual desires since immortality has eliminated the necessity for reproduction, and their society has eradicated passion as a moral vice. Kreton possesses mental abilities that allow him to read minds, generate invisible barriers, and levitate objects. He arrives on Earth intending to witness a Civil War battle but lands in 1957 due to a navigational mistake. Intruding into Roger Spelding's home, Kreton becomes fascinated by the everyday lives of humans, referring to them as his "hobby." To stir up some excitement, he orchestrates a prank that he believes will trigger a global nuclear conflict. Viewing Earth as a playground, he hopes a war will showcase how "primitive" humans act. Kreton is a blend of a super-intellectual and a naive child.

Conrad Maybery

Conrad is Ellen's boyfriend and a gentle young farmer. As a pacifist who detests war in all forms, Conrad's views clash with those of both Roger Spelding and General Powers. In a humorous scene, Kreton attempts to incite aggression in Conrad, which he succeeds in doing with a soldier whose thoughts about Ellen are broadcast by Kreton. Vidal uses Conrad to satirize individuals who conveniently adopt pacifism to justify their lack of ambition and laziness.

General Tom Powers

General Powers is the Army officer tasked with investigating the spacecraft hovering over the Speldings' residence. He expresses dissatisfaction with this duty, preferring to return to his "Laundry Project," where he manages the military's uniform cleaning operations. Powers suspects that Kreton might be a "hostile alien" dispatched by a "foreign power" to initiate an invasion of the United States. Vidal uses his character to humorously critique paranoid military perspectives, officious bureaucrats, and the widespread fear of Communism in 1950s America.

Ellen Spelding

Ellen is the daughter of Roger, a college student who feels unfulfilled and longs to do "something important," like "save the world." She persuades Kreton to teach her some of his mental "tricks," and she eventually uses these skills to reach out to Kreton's superior, Delton 4, to stop the war Kreton has initiated. Ellen also sets her romantic sights on Conrad, a local farmer whom her father disapproves of. She represents youthful optimism and idealism and is the one character Vidal refrains from portraying as foolish.

Reba Spelding

Reba is Roger's wife and Ellen's mother. Her primary concern in the play is that Kreton's spaceship has landed in her rose garden. Through Reba, Vidal satirizes the 1950s ideal of the perfect housewife, depicting a woman fixated on maintaining a flawless image, from her delectable apple pie to her lovely, well-behaved children.

Roger Spelding

Roger is a news commentator who initially dismisses the existence of UFOs but quickly changes his stance when an alien from another dimension visits his home. He is preoccupied with the potential ratings his TV show might achieve by "breaking" the story of Kreton's visit. When not focused on his own potential fame, Roger is often reprimanding his daughter Ellen for her choice of boyfriend. He symbolizes the increasing influence of television in American society. By the 1950s, television had already become a significant source of information, granting substantial status and power to those who managed it. This explains Roger's eagerness to interview Kreton; his first reaction is not to protect his family from possible danger but to secure the television rights to the alien event.