Character Relationship Map: Cliffhanger

Characters

• Gabe Walker (played by Sylvester Stallone) — protagonist

  Protagonist and former mountain rescue ranger. Returns to Colorado to retrieve his belongings and reunite with his girlfriend Jessie. After being kidnapped and forced to climb for stolen money cases,...

• Qualen (played by John Lithgow) — protagonist

  Mastermind and psychopathic former military intelligence operative who orchestrates a midair robbery of $100 million in uncirculated bills. His team's plane crashes in the Rockies, scattering the mone...

• Hal Tucker (played by Michael Rooker) — supporting

  Ranger and Gabe's friend who harbors deep bitterness over his girlfriend Sarah's fatal fall. Initially captured alongside Walker, he later allies with him and Jessie to recover the scattered money cas...

• Jessie Deighan (played by Janine Turner) — supporting

  Gabe's girlfriend and fellow mountain ranger. Initially hesitant to reunite with Walker, she eventually agrees to help him and Hal. She locates an old ranger station to retrieve climbing gear, assists...

• Sarah (played by Michelle Joyner) — supporting
• Travers (played by Rex Linn) — supporting

  Corrupt U.S. Treasury agent who hijacks the DC-9 carrying the stolen money and shoots his own team. He survives the crash but is forced to stay with Qualen after the mastermind kills Kristel to ensure...

• Brett (played by Trey Brownell) — minor
• Heldon (played by Denis Forest) — supporting

  Mercenary who opens fire on Gabe Walker while he is tethered and climbing a steep rock face. His shots trigger a massive avalanche that buries and kills him, leading Qualen to initially believe both t...

• Matheson (played by Vyto Ruginis) — minor
• Delmar (played by Craig Fairbrass) — supporting

  Mercenary who shoots down Frank's rescue helicopter, fatally wounding Frank. He is later tracked down by Hal Tucker, who stabs him in the leg with a knife before finishing him off with a shotgun.

• Ryan (played by Gregory Scott Cummins) — supporting

  Mercenary who uses night-vision goggles to locate Walker and Jessie. He is blinded by a flare thrown by Gabe, loses his footing while sliding down a slope, and plummets to his death in a gorge.

• Treasury Agent (played by Bruce McGill) — minor
• Kynette (played by Leon) — supporting

  Mercenary who engages Gabe Walker in a brutal cave fistfight. After threatening Jessie's life, Walker turns the tables and impales him on a stalactite. His death occurs just before the mercenaries rig...

• Frank (played by Ralph Waite) — minor
• Evan (played by Max Perlich) — minor
• Kristel (played by Caroline Goodall) — supporting

  Mercenary and accomplice who participates in capturing Gabe Walker and Hal Tucker. She is killed by Eric Qualen when Travers attempts to betray the group, serving as a ruthless demonstration of Qualen...

• Walter Wright (played by Paul Winfield) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Walter Wright → Travers (Professional Superior)

  The plot identifies Walter Wright as Travers' superior, whom FBI agents warn about the robbery and Qualen's background.

• Travers → Treasury Agent (Professional Colleague And Traitor)

  Travers hijacks the DC-9 carrying the money and shoots his own team members.

• Qualen → Heldon (Power Commander)

  Heldon opens fire while Gabe is forced to climb for the money case during Qualen's operation.

• Qualen → Ryan (Power Commander)

  Ryan searches for Gabe and Jessie with night-vision goggles as part of Qualen's pursuit.

• Qualen → Delmar (Power Commander)

  Delmar works with Qualen's mercenary group and follows the operation in the Rockies.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Matheson → Travers (Conflict Undercover Opponent)

  Matheson is sent undercover to stop the robbery and shoots at the thieves before the DC-9 is destroyed.

• Brett → Evan (Social Climbing Companion)

  Evan and Brett are together on the mountain when Qualen's men open fire; Brett is killed and Evan escapes.

• Hal Tucker → Evan (Alliance Protector)

  Hal tries to warn Evan and Brett away before Qualen's men open fire.

• Frank → Evan (Alliance Rescuer)

  Frank rescues Evan by helicopter after Evan base-jumps from the mountain and parachutes to safety.

• Gabe Walker → Travers (Conflict Mortal Enemy)

  Travers pursues Gabe through the mountains, but Gabe kills him through the ice with a climbing-bolt gun.

• Delmar → Frank (Conflict Killer)

  Delmar flags down Frank's rescue helicopter and fatally shoots him.

• Hal Tucker → Delmar (Conflict Mortal Enemy)

  Hal stabs Delmar in the leg with Frank's knife and then kills him with Delmar's own shotgun.

• Gabe Walker → Heldon (Conflict Combat Opponent)

  Heldon fires at Gabe while he is tethered to the rock face, and the resulting avalanche kills Heldon.

• Gabe Walker → Ryan (Conflict Combat Opponent)

  Ryan locates Gabe and Jessie with night-vision goggles, but Gabe blinds him with a flare, causing Ryan to fall to his death.

• Gabe Walker → Kynette (Conflict Mortal Enemy)

  Kynette confronts Gabe in a cave and threatens Jessie's life; Gabe kills him by impaling him on a stalactite.

Story Analysis

A guilt-ridden mountain rescuer confronts a ruthless criminal operation while rebuilding trust and fighting for survival in the Rockies.

Plot Progression

1. The Fall And Return
2. The Robbery In The Clouds
3. Cases Across The Mountain
4. The Mercenaries Collapse
5. The Helicopter Reckoning