The Usual Suspects - Characters & Cast

His primary motivation is to maintain his anonymity and control. By orchestrating the massacre on the boat, he eliminates the one person who could identify him. By creating a fabricated story for the police, he manipulates them into letting him go, ensuring his continued freedom and preserving the myth that grants him power in the criminal underworld.

Verbal Kint begins as a seemingly weak, talkative, and physically disabled con artist who is easily intimidated. He appears to be a follower, caught up in events far beyond his control. His arc is a complete inversion; by the end of the film, his physical disabilities disappear, and he is revealed to be the mythical, ruthless, and brilliant criminal mastermind Keyser Söze. His transformation is not one of development, but of revelation, showing his initial persona was a masterful performance.

According to Verbal's story, Keaton's motivation is to leave his criminal past behind for his girlfriend, Edie Finneran. However, his anger at the police for wrongfully putting him in the lineup pushes him to participate in one last series of heists. Agent Kujan believes his motivation is a lust for power, seeing him as a cold-blooded killer incapable of change.

Dean Keaton is presented as a former corrupt cop trying to go straight, but is constantly pulled back into a life of crime. Throughout Verbal's narrative, Keaton is portrayed as the reluctant, intelligent leader of the group. His arc is a tragic one within the confines of the story, as he is seemingly killed by Söze. However, his true purpose in the narrative is to serve as Agent Kujan's (and the audience's) prime suspect—a perfectly crafted red herring that distracts from the real mastermind.

Kujan is driven by his obsession with catching Dean Keaton, a criminal he has been investigating for years. This obsession becomes his blind spot, making him susceptible to Verbal's story which conveniently paints Keaton as the villain. His motivation is to solve the case and prove his long-held theory about Keaton's villainy.

Agent Kujan starts as a confident, arrogant, and intelligent customs agent who believes he is in complete control of the interrogation. He is certain he can break Verbal and uncover the truth. His arc is one of intellectual downfall; his confidence turns into hubris, allowing Verbal to manipulate him. He pieces together a compelling but ultimately false narrative, and his dawning realization in the final moments signifies his utter defeat.