There Will Be Blood - Characters & Cast

His primary motivation is an insatiable desire for wealth and, more importantly, the power to dominate others and be free from them. He professes a deep-seated hatred for most people and sees success as a means of building a fortress against a world he despises. He wants to earn so much money that he can get away from everyone.

Daniel begins as a determined, solitary prospector, defined by his resilience and ambition. As he builds his oil empire, his ambition curdles into misanthropic greed. He adopts H.W. as a business prop, and his capacity for trust and love erodes completely after being deceived by a false half-brother. By the end of the film, he has achieved immense wealth but has devolved into an isolated, alcoholic recluse who has alienated his son and murdered his rival, leaving him utterly alone and spiritually bankrupt.

Eli is motivated by a lust for power and influence, which he seeks through the guise of religious authority. He wants recognition and control over the community, viewing Daniel not just as a sinner but as a direct competitor for the town's soul and resources. His ambition is cloaked in piety, but it is ultimately just as materialistic as Daniel's.

Eli starts as a young, charismatic preacher who sees Daniel's arrival as an opportunity to fund his church, the "Church of the Third Revelation." He presents himself as a pious man of God but is equally as ambitious and greedy as Daniel. He enjoys a moment of dominance when he publicly humiliates Daniel at a baptism. However, his influence wanes as Daniel's power grows. His arc culminates in utter degradation, as he loses his wealth in the stock market crash and comes groveling to Daniel, renouncing his faith for a business deal only to be murdered.

H.W.'s motivation evolves from a child's need for a father's love and approval to an adult's desire for independence and a life separate from Daniel's toxic influence. He wants to forge his own path and escape the shadow of his corrupt and abusive adoptive father.

H.W. begins as Daniel's adopted son and business "partner," a symbol of the family life Daniel pretends to have. After losing his hearing in an oil derrick explosion, he becomes increasingly distant from his father, who struggles to communicate with him and eventually sends him away. As a young man (played by Russell Harvard), he returns to sever his business ties with Daniel to start his own company. This act of independence enrages Daniel, who viciously disowns him. H.W.'s final departure, stating he is glad they are not related by blood, marks the final severing of Daniel's last human connection.