Character Relationship Map: The Fifth Element

Characters

• Korben Dallas (played by Bruce Willis) — protagonist

  A former major in Earth's special forces who now drives a flying taxi. Korben rescues Leeloo after her escape, delivers her to Cornelius, and is recruited to recover the elemental stones. He protects...

• Leeloo (played by Milla Jovovich) — protagonist

  A humanoid woman recreated from a severed armored hand and identified by David as the fifth element. Leeloo escapes the laboratory, joins Korben and Cornelius in recovering the stones, and becomes des...

• Zorg (played by Gary Oldman) — supporting

  An industrialist working for the great evil who hires alien mercenaries to obtain the elemental stones. Zorg reneges on their deal and kills some of them, later attacks Leeloo and plants a bomb aboard...

• Cornelius (played by Ian Holm) — supporting

  A priest of the secret order who understands the weapon and the recurring threat of the great evil. Cornelius receives Leeloo with Korben, identifies the importance of the fifth element, instructs Dav...

• Ruby Rhod (played by Chris Tucker) — supporting

  A flamboyant talk-show host who accompanies Korben on the luxury flight to Fhloston under the cover of a rigged contest. Ruby becomes caught in the attack on the hotel and escapes with Korben, Leeloo,...

• David (played by Charlie Creed-Miles) — supporting

  Cornelius's apprentice who helps prepare the ancient temple for the weapon's activation. After Korben brings Leeloo to Cornelius, David recognizes her as the fifth element, then remains at the temple...

• Priest (played by John Bennett) — minor
• Diva (played by Maïwenn) — minor
• Mondoshawan (played by Justin Lee Burrows) — cameo

Canonical Relationships

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

• Cornelius → Mondoshawan (Professional Human Contact) — Cornelius maintains the human side of the Mondoshawan mission.

  Cornelius is the current human contact of the Mondoshawans and informs the authorities about the great evil and the weapon.

• Cornelius → David (Professional Master And Apprentice) — Cornelius directs David within the secret order.

  Cornelius is identified as a priest, and David is explicitly described as his apprentice; Cornelius instructs David to prepare the temple.

Story Dynamics

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

• Zorg → Ruby Rhod (Conflict Circumstantial Opponents) — Zorg's actions place Ruby in direct survival opposition to him.

  Ruby is among those escaping Zorg's hotel after Zorg's bomb triggers the evacuation and endangers everyone inside.

• Diva → Mondoshawan (Alliance Trusted Custodian) — Diva is the designated bearer of the elemental stones.

  The Mondoshawans inform Earth's government that the four stones were entrusted to the alien opera singer Diva.

• David → Mondoshawan (Narrative Mission Successor) — David helps continue the Mondoshawan plan on Earth.

  David prepares the temple for the weapon's deployment after the Mondoshawan mission has been disrupted.

• Ruby Rhod → Cornelius (Alliance Escape Teammate) — They cooperate during the evacuation and escape.

  Ruby and Cornelius flee together with Dallas, Leeloo, and the stones in Zorg's private spaceship.

• Ruby Rhod → Leeloo (Alliance Escape Teammate) — Ruby becomes part of Leeloo's emergency escape group.

  Ruby escapes from the exploding hotel with Leeloo, Dallas, Cornelius, and the stones.

• Zorg → Diva (Conflict Indirect Adversary) — Diva's possession of the stones makes her an indirect obstacle to Zorg.

  Zorg seeks the stones, which have been entrusted to Diva, and his pursuit contributes to the attack on the concert mission.

• Zorg → Cornelius (Conflict Ideological Enemy) — Their objectives place them on opposing sides of the central conflict.

  Cornelius explains and supports the weapon that can defeat the great evil, while Zorg works for that evil and seeks the stones.

• Zorg → Mondoshawan (Conflict Mission Opponent) — Zorg's objective is fundamentally opposed to the Mondoshawan mission.

  Zorg works for the great evil, while the Mondoshawans transport the weapon intended to defeat that evil; his hired mercenaries ambush their spacecraft...

• Priest → Mondoshawan (Ancient Alliance) — The priest participates in the original protection agreement.

  In 1914, the Mondoshawans meet their human contact, a priest of a secret order, at an Egyptian temple and entrust him with the weapon's protection.

• Cornelius → Priest (Social Order Member) — Both are linked through the secret priestly order across different eras.

  The 1914 contact is described as a priest of a secret order, while Cornelius is the order's current human contact in the future.

• Leeloo → Mondoshawan (Unknown Created Guardian) — Leeloo is directly connected to the Mondoshawan weapon through the sarcophagus.

  The government recreates the original occupant of the Mondoshawan sarcophagus, and Leeloo is identified as the fifth element.

• Leeloo → Diva (Narrative Weapon Mission Link) — Their separate roles are necessary to assemble the complete weapon.

  Leeloo is the fifth element, while Diva is entrusted with the four stones needed to activate the weapon.

• Leeloo → David (Alliance Mission Associate) — David helps identify Leeloo's role in the mission.

  David recognizes Leeloo as the fifth element after Dallas brings her to Cornelius and David.

Story Analysis

A reluctant soldier and a recreated cosmic guardian unite with a secret order to assemble an ancient weapon and defeat recurring evil.

Plot Progression

1. The Returning Darkness — The Mondoshawans safeguard a weapon against an evil that returns every five thousand years. In the future, the evil reappears and the weapon's journey to Earth is attacked.
2. The Fifth Element Awakens — Leeloo is recreated from the wreckage of the Mondoshawan spacecraft and escapes into New York City. Dallas discovers her and brings her to Cornelius and David.
3. The Hunt For Stones — Leeloo reveals that the elemental stones are missing, while the government learns that Diva possesses them. Dallas receives a cover mission to reach the concert at Fhloston.
4. Bloodshed At The Concert — The competing factions converge at Diva's concert. The attack kills Diva, but Dallas recovers the stones before Zorg's bomb forces a desperate evacuation.
5. Light Against The Evil — The survivors reach the temple as the great evil approaches Earth. Dallas revives Leeloo's hope, allowing the stones and the fifth element to destroy the threat.