This is a list of characters on Archer, an American animated spy comedy television series created by Adam Reed for the FX network.
Characters
Sterling Archer
Sterling Malory Archer (H. Jon Benjamin), codename: Duchess, is 184 lb, 6'2", 36 years old (computer-screen readout in the show's first episode) and has black hair and blue eyes. He is considered the world's most dangerous secret agent. Though he shows proficiency in stereotypical spy skills—weapons, driving, martial arts—his primary interest in the job is the opportunity to enjoy a jet-setting lifestyle full of sex, alcohol, thrills, lacrosse, fast cars, designer clothing, and spy toys.
Egotistical and self-serving, Archer generally lacks empathy towards anyone, though he is very quick to call out others for perceived bigotry. He shares many of his mother's flaws such as alcoholism, selfishness, impulsive behavior, and the stubborn refusal to listen to anyone. Flashback sequences show that his mother, between her career as an international spy and her social promiscuity, had very little time for Sterling in his youth. As such, Archer was primarily raised by his valet Woodhouse, whom he abused both verbally and physically.
He is almost always seen with an alcoholic drink. He insists that he has an incredibly high tolerance for alcohol yet is commonly seen in an inebriated state. He wears only hand-tailored suits to the office, and often refuses to wear anything other than black turtlenecks (which he calls "tactilenecks") during operations. He claims he was the first to recognize the garment's tactical potential, and becomes enraged when his style is copied by other agents. His sidearm of choice is the Walther PPK (the same weapon used by James Bond) despite being consistently insulted due to the gun's diminutive stature by his co-workers (Ray Gillette: "You'd better put that back in your purse," Conway Stern: "Oh, I'm queer, coming from the man whose tiny gun came with a matching purse"). In the season three episode "Drift Problem," he receives a modified black Dodge Challenger as a gift from Malory Archer, but she has the car stolen from him hours later in an effort to teach Archer a lesson about taking care of his possessions. In recent episodes he is seen driving a black Chevrolet El Camino.
Although Archer has a high kill rate, having stopped and killed a number of highly dangerous criminals, he usually does so not out of a desire to uphold the law, but for his own personal selfish reasons. He has, however, demonstrated compassion for others on occasion: in "Placebo Effect" he genuinely cared about fellow cancer patient Ruth, and was upset over her death, vowing vengeance against the mobsters who were selling phony chemotherapy medication; in "Double Trouble," Archer attempts to stop Katya Kasanova and Lana from fighting, as he doesn't want them to hurt each other. Archer admits to Lana in Season 3 that she is his only friend, and later suggests that his feelings for her go beyond physical attraction. At the conclusion of Season 4, Archer voluntarily drowns himself to save Lana after learning she is pregnant, confessing his love to her in the process (he is resuscitated moments later). He shows surprising levels of concern throughout Lana's pregnancy, going so far as to become a certified Doula to help her through labor. He has shown great affinity towards large felines, such as ocelots and tigers, but fears large reptiles, in particular alligators and crocodiles. He has also displayed a heavy dislike of cyborgs/robots, possibly stemming from a childhood incident in which he nearly lost his testicles to a vacuum cleaner (which he was using to simulate fellatio).
Despite his numerous personality flaws, he is undeniably an exceptionally gifted operative who doesn't hesitate to throw himself into dangerous situations. This is shown during his escape from Moscow, when he repeatedly outwits and outfights the soldiers pursuing him, despite numerous injuries. When he is finally cornered in an elevator, he blindfolds himself and fully intends his last words to be, "Fuck you, you douchebags." Though he claims not to have a death wish, Archer is clearly a thrill-seeker and an adrenaline junkie. He revels in activities such as skydiving, and driving powerful automobiles, sometimes joking that such things give him, "a giant erection."