M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller Split (2016), followed by Glass (2019), introduces one of cinema’s most compelling characters: Kevin Wendell Crumb, portrayed with chilling precision by James McAvoy. Diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), Kevin houses 24 distinct personalities within a single body—collectively known as “The Horde.” These personalities range in age, gender, background, and temperament, each surfacing for specific purposes in response to Kevin’s past trauma.

This article provides a fact-checked breakdown of Kevin’s personalities, focusing on those depicted in Split and expanded upon in Glass.

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Understanding DID in the Film Context

DID is a real psychological disorder often caused by severe childhood trauma. While Split dramatizes the condition for storytelling purposes, Shyamalan uses it as a lens through which to explore trauma, identity, and human resilience. Kevin’s personalities are shown to compete for dominance—referred to as “the light”—with some working in harmony and others acting in conflict.

Overview of Key Personalities in Split

1. Kevin Wendell Crumb

Kevin is the core identity and the original self from which all other personalities emerged. His psyche fractured under the extreme abuse inflicted by his mother during childhood. Kevin himself is soft-spoken, passive, and emotionally fragile. When he surfaces, the reality of what the others have done devastates him.
🧠 He represents the true self—wounded, suppressed, and yearning for peace.

• Traits: Withdrawn, passive, unaware of the others’ actions.

• Role: Represents Kevin’s true self and emotional core.

2. Dennis

Rigid, meticulous, and physically powerful, Dennis suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and is fixated on cleanliness. He is also disturbingly voyeuristic and was responsible for kidnapping the three girls in Split. Dennis believes deeply in the rise of “The Beast” and plays a key role in facilitating this transformation.
🧠 He embodies authoritarian control and trauma-induced hypervigilance.

• Traits: Methodical, obsessive-compulsive, manipulative.

• Role: One of the personalities who supports “The Beast.” Often poses as Barry to mislead Dr. Fletcher.

3. Patricia

Elegant and unnervingly calm, Patricia presents as a refined British woman who masks cruelty behind politeness. She is deeply devout, convinced that “The Beast” represents the next stage of human evolution. Her maternal demeanor conceals chilling rationality and a willingness to justify violence.
🧠 She reflects religious zeal, ideological manipulation, and moral absolutism.

• Traits: Polite, controlling, zealous.

• Role: Maintains order among the personalities and justifies the sacrifices made to “The Beast.”

4. Hedwig

A nine-year-old boy trapped in a world of adult decisions, Hedwig is emotionally immature, impressionable, and often used as a pawn by other identities. Despite his youth, he holds the unique ability to take “the light” whenever he wants. His affection for music, dancing, and silly jokes offers a heartbreaking glimpse of Kevin’s lost innocence.
🧠 He symbolizes childhood innocence corrupted and manipulated by trauma.

• Traits: Naive, jealous, emotionally volatile.

• Role: Acts as a gatekeeper, often used to manipulate others due to his innocence.

5. Barry

Charming, expressive, and flamboyant, Barry is a fashion designer who often presents as the system’s spokesperson, especially during therapy sessions. He seems outgoing and balanced—but in Split, we discover that Dennis impersonates Barry to mislead Dr. Fletcher.
🧠 He represents the curated façade—the “acceptable” mask worn to conceal instability.

• Traits: Outgoing, flamboyant, creative.

• Role: Used to keep up appearances with Dr. Fletcher—although Dennis often impersonates him.

6. The Beast

Not merely another identity, The Beast is portrayed as a monstrous transformation. This entity has supernatural strength, wall-crawling abilities, and skin impervious to bullets. He believes that pain purifies and that only those who have suffered are worthy to live. The Beast is revered by Dennis and Patricia as a god-like savior.
🧠 He is the embodiment of vengeance, delusional empowerment, and unprocessed rage.

• Traits: Predatory, powerful, extremist.

• Role: The ultimate persona that justifies violence against those deemed “impure.”

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Secondary Personalities (As seen or logged in Glass)

These identities are only briefly referenced or seen but add depth to the system of personalities within Kevin:

7. Jade

A sarcastic teenage girl with diabetes, Jade is practical and self-reliant. Her medical condition is a reminder that while personalities may differ in identity, they share the same physical body.
🧠 She brings grounded realism and a voice of skeptical self-preservation.

• Traits: Sarcastic, self-aware, rebellious.

8. Orwell

Deeply intellectual and historically inclined, Orwell speaks with gravitas and precision. He is less emotionally involved and tends to observe events with academic detachment.
🧠 He is the embodiment of wisdom, context, and psychological distance.

• Traits: Intellectual, formal, observant.

9. Heinrich

A stoic and philosophical man with a German accent. Heinrich muses on existential questions and seems more focused on metaphysical understanding than day-to-day events.
🧠 He provides depth and ethical contemplation—an internal philosopher.

• Traits: Metaphysical thinker, strict, abstract.

10. Norma

Norma is a conservative, deeply religious woman with a fixation on cleanliness and ritual. She often echoes dogmatic principles and favors structure.
🧠 She channels rigid morality, guilt, and purity culture.

• Traits: Devout, conservative, rigid.

11. Jelin

Jelin is defined by discipline and self-control. His background implies martial arts training or spiritual discipline, though he rarely surfaces.
🧠 He symbolizes bodily control, quiet resilience, and inward focus.

• Traits: Disciplined, physically skilled.

12. Ansel

Gentle and artistic, Ansel communicates through creativity more than speech. He expresses himself through drawing or quiet actions.
🧠 He represents silent artistry and emotional depth.

• Traits: Sensitive, creative.

13. Mary Reynolds

Warm, motherly, and optimistic, Mary’s nurturing presence stands in contrast to many of the darker personalities. She comforts others and seems to seek harmony within the system.
🧠 She reflects caregiving instincts and the internal need for kindness.

• Traits: Motherly, kind-hearted.

14. Luke

Adventurous and bold, Luke is like a mischievous older brother figure. He craves stimulation and tends to disregard danger.
🧠 He symbolizes risk-taking and rebellion against imposed control.

• Traits: Energetic, impulsive.

15. Felida

Primal and animalistic, Felida reacts through instinct, not logic. Her behavior is unfiltered, suggesting a survival-based response to fear or threat.
🧠 She represents the raw, pre-verbal survival instinct beneath conscious reasoning.

• Traits: Instinctive, wild.

16. Samuel

Soft-spoken and withdrawn, Samuel avoids conflict and rarely seeks the light. His presence suggests a reserved personality who absorbs rather than acts.
🧠 He represents quiet introspection and emotional suppression.

• Traits: Reflective, melancholic.

17. Polly

Anxious and easily startled, Polly is constantly anticipating danger. Her presence indicates a coping mechanism born from Kevin’s traumatic need to foresee threats.
🧠 She embodies hypervigilance and fear conditioning.

• Traits: Nervous, skittish.

18. Mr. Pritchard

Quirky, eccentric, and somewhat obsessive, Mr. Pritchard is a stickler for order. He may serve a bureaucratic function within the system.
🧠 He represents a need for regulation and orderliness in chaos.

• Traits: Quirky, rigid.

19. B.T.

Little is revealed about B.T., but he appears to possess tactical thinking and calm decisiveness, possibly surfacing during situations requiring strategy.
🧠 He reflects street smarts and measured decision-making.

• Traits: Strategic, pragmatic.

20. Raul

An aggressive and confrontational man.

• Traits: Hostile, combative.

21. Reynaldo

A theatrical and attention-seeking personality who craves drama and expression. Reynaldo may emerge during moments requiring flair or performance.
🧠 He channels emotional release through performative exaggeration.

• Traits: Theatrical, flamboyant.

22. Kat

Youthful, confident, and stylish, Kat enjoys fashion and music. She’s one of the more socially engaged personalities.
🧠 She embodies feminine confidence, creativity, and social expression.

• Traits: Confident, fashion-forward.

23. Gabrielle

Compassionate and intuitive, Gabrielle exudes emotional warmth and empathy. She may serve as a stabilizer among more volatile identities.
🧠 She reflects emotional maturity and inner healing potential.

• Traits: Empathetic, gentle.

24. Unnamed

The 24th identity is intentionally left undefined in the canon. It’s referred to as the “one who has not yet taken the light” or as an unmanifested or suppressed identity. Some theorize it’s a placeholder for future evolution—or a potential internal threat.
🧠 It symbolizes unrealized potential or emerging transformation.

• Traits: Grandiose, delusional.

 

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Psychological and Narrative Impact

DID as a Narrative Device

Shyamalan takes creative liberties, portraying DID with horror and fantasy elements. While this enhances the film’s suspense, real-world DID rarely presents with such extreme abilities. The personalities, however, do reflect the common therapeutic observation that identities may form distinct roles to manage trauma.

Themes in Split and Glass

• Survival through Fragmentation: Kevin’s identities emerge as protective mechanisms.

• Power and Control: The battle for “the light” reflects the loss and regaining of agency.

• Belief and Transformation: The rise of “The Beast” symbolizes both psychological evolution and the dangers of unchecked belief systems.

Kevin Wendell Crumb’s character is a powerful blend of psychological realism and fictional storytelling. Through his 24 personalities, Split and Glass explore the complexity of identity, the human response to trauma, and the thin line between strength and destruction. James McAvoy’s haunting performance elevates this concept, giving each personality distinct life and making Kevin one of the most memorable and nuanced characters in modern cinema.