Childhood's End

Main Characters and Their Development

• Rikki Stormgren: The Secretary-General of the United Nations, who becomes the first human to make contact with the Overlords. His role is to mediate between humanity and the aliens. Over time, he retires, realizing his mission is complete.
• Karellen: The Supreme Overlord who oversees the occupation of Earth. He is wise and patient, striving for the welfare of humanity, although his true intentions remain a mystery until the end of the book. In the end, he reveals that the Overlords are merely executing the will of higher powers.
• Jan Rodricks: An astrophysicist who decides to learn more about the Overlords and their plans. He secretly boards their ship and travels to their home planet. Upon returning to Earth decades later, he witnesses the transformation of humanity.
• George Greggson and Jean Greggson: A married couple whose children become part of a new generation with supernatural abilities. They represent the transitional phase between the old humanity and the new species.