Warning: This article contains spoilers for DMZ.
The DMZ is an HBO Max miniseries adaptation of the DC/Vertigo comic of the same name. The series follows the lives of those left behind in a demilitarized zone called the DMZ and a mother on a search for her missing son.
As the plot of the series unravels itself, audiences are introduced to some dynamic characters in the series. From Alma to Wilson Lin, many of these characters have complex backstories that give light to their bravery in this brand new world. They each endure and adapt to their settings the best way they can, and it's interesting to see the drama that unfolds as these characters interact and come face to face.
Carmen
Carmen is a woman that stands behind her man, and that’s exactly what she does for Parco Delgado. She's the woman behind the Spanish Harlem Kings and wife to Parco, making her aware of all the things her husband is responsible for. Although she's not allowed to speak her mind in regards to his business, she still holds his ear and is none too happy when his ex, Alma, shows up in the DMZ and at her door.
Her dislike of Alma is only fueled because of their past with Parco; however, when she finds out she's pregnant, she comes to understand her in a way that only another mother can. Viewers learn of her bravery in sticking beside Parco even when things got rough because she saw it as her duty to do so and felt she could make him a better man. When this proved to be something that would not be the case, she was brave enough to let go and enter into the journey of placing her child's happiness and health first before anyone else, especially Parco. Characters like Carmen help DMZ to stand out and compete with some of the best HBO Max Original shows.
Wilson Lin
Leader of Chinatown and old acquaintance to Alma before the war, Wilson Lin is a man of ambition and opportunity. In the first episode of the miniseries, fans learn that before the war, Wilson was a kind hospital orderly who gained his reputation and status while the DMZ was being evacuated. He took this chance to take control of the largest bank and funds left behind, leaving him to carve out his legacy and come into control of Chinatown.
Wilson is unafraid to step on toes and manipulate if he sees this as his chance to gain something that he wants. During the race for leader of the DMZ, he's unafraid to do unsavory things to ensure that he wins, and this includes killing Alma and Skel when he captures them after learning Skel has stolen his gold.
Parco Delgado
There are a few movies worth watching to understand father-son relationships that would do Parco some good in the end when it comes to his relationship with Skel. He's brave in the sense he created a following in the DMZ; although ruled by fear, he holds respect as the leader of the Spanish Harlem Kings and controlling hand of other sectors.
Parco is a man confident in his own ability to get the DMZ what it needs, and he's unafraid to start a war if it means that his end goals would be accomplished, and this makes him brave yet dangerous.
Skel
Just a young boy in a man's body, Skel is the son that Alma has been desperately searching for. He is the son of Parco and the enforcer of his father’s threats, so he's definitely not a young man that comes from one of the best families in the world. Although fans get a glimpse of a scared 16-year-old in flashbacks, they are presented with a man feared in the DMZ. Skel’s bravery is in the fact that he's able to stand alone even while fighting for his father's love and trust.
When his mother comes searching for him, Skel is forced to look and acknowledge the man he's become. He's brave enough to look inside himself and it that he doesn't want to be his father, and he wants a normal life with his girlfriend, Tenny.
Odi
Odi is a young boy just trying to survive the DMZ. After the world changes and Odi loses his grandfather, he's essentially alone and forced to grow up. Although he's now the future of a dystopian war-ravaged world, Odi doesn't allow this to change his heart and character.
When it becomes clear just how much the world and the DMZ have changed people, Odi’s innocence and intelligent mind are a welcomed fixture. He wants to protect those he adores, and this is evident in his bravery to carry and detonate a bomb at the border when he is told and believes that Zee is in danger. Even though Parco tells him he will be saving Zee’s life and he won't be harmed, he knows that there's a possibility that he could be hurt, and yet he still decides to risk his life for Zee.
Alma/Zee
A mother will do and sacrifice whatever she can to protect and care for her child. In DMZ, Alma is a woman on a mission to locate her son in a world torn apart by war. With so many mothers in the category of worst parents of all time, Alma definitely doesn't fall under this category. In her quest to find her son, Alma (AKA Zee) enters the DMZ and weathers a power struggle between two sectors run by Wilson Lin and her ex, Parco Delgado.
Alma’s mission for her son turns into a brave fight for not only him but also the people of the DMZ who have no voice. She's forced to take a stand to take the reins from both Parco and Wilson. Her bravery stems from her fight to make sure that those left behind in the DMZ have a world where they can live freely, not run by a heavy hand and ruled by fear. Fans can further enjoy post-apocalyptic shows on Netflix if they want to see others like Alma fighting for survival and a better world.
