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This is a roleplay account for the character of Betelgeuse as played by Michael Keaton in the 1988 movie Beetlejuice. There are, however, elements of the cartoon Beetlejuice thrown in here, as well. Some things I will leave intentionally vague. There is supposed to be a Beetlejuice 2, so I'm hoping we'll get more information about him then and I'll fill in the blanks a bit.

History

Betelgeuse is a ghost, who died sometime in the fourteenth century. All that is really known of his living years is that he lived through the Black Plague and claims he had a good time doing it. After he died, he spent one hundred and twenty-five years haunting somewhere on Earth, his house or some other location of importance to him. After that, Betelgeuse went to work for Juno, a caseworker for the recently deceased. Betelgeuse rebelled against the system, earning himself a reputation as a trouble-maker. Betelgeuse didn't like the rules and restrictions, feeling they kept him from being effective. Leaving the system, Betelgeuse became a freelance bio-exorcist, hiring himself out to the newly dead to fight off the living and help the ghosts adjust to the afterlife.

Personality

Betelgeuse is a very chaotic personality, with a very high energy level. He can be charismatic, but he tends to undermine himself by pressing other people too hard and being overly enthusiastic.

Betelgeuse can best be described as chaotic neutral. His morals aren't very strong, mainly due to his dislike of being constrained by rules. However, he doesn't tend to hold grudges. His temper can be fierce, but is also rather short-lived. He holds very little malice to people in general, though he doesn't have much respect for them either, considering them foolish. Despite this, Betelgeuse can and will be helpful, if asked. Granted, he tries to use people and situations to his own advantage, but even in doing so, he keeps his promises.

Betelgeuse, despite being dead, is very focused on sex. He tends to have consent issues, looking up women's skirts and stealing kisses. Fortunately, he is easily deterred by a firm no, especially in the form of a hard slap. (Also, mun will never initiate any touching without permission first.) Betelgeuse is not a pedophile, though he tends to see the age of consent as younger than most people would, given the practices of the fourteenth century (generally about sixteen or seventeen). However, he prefers full grown women with plenty of experience.

Betelgeuse is a very friendly ghost, but he's no Casper. Underneath his friendly facade of bon homie is a very real mean streak. Though short-lived, his temper can be both vicious and violent, particularly with antagonists. He can and does control it with people he cares about, though he does tend to yell a bit. He might impatiently snap at a romantic interest, but would never hit or attack them. Like the cartoon version, his mean streak often comes through in the form of jokes and pranks.

Despite his mean streak, Betelgeuse is capable of empathy, even kindness. He can be very protective of anyone who falls within his circle of interest, generally people he identifies with, such as other ghosts. This is not a side of himself that he chooses to broadcast. Betelgeuse vastly prefers to be seen as a business man, even a con man, than as some sap who helps people for nothing. However, generally, he will step in and help, if he can and there is not an active reason not to do so. E.g. the only reason he didn't step in and help the Maitlands, until Lydia asked, was because he was trapped in the afterlife and needed her to say his name three times. Then, hey, while he was at it, he might as well try to get something useful out of it, right? Right. Once he determines to help someone, he won't stop, until they are safe. Of course, if he ever decides to stop or kill someone, he won't stop then, either.

Betelgeuse has some bad personal habits. His language is coarse and often vulgar. He invades people's personal spaces and is loud and fast-talking. Betelgeuse intentionally makes people uncomfortable, a sort of test of their tolerance and personalities. He usually takes this too far, however, and will warn people to let him know, if he crosses the line. Betelgeuse is a smoker, who enjoys eating bugs and insects. He also keeps his pockets full of bugs, mice, snakes, and other unsavory items. He does wear interesting clothes however, including his signature white and black striped suit.

Abilities

Betegeuse is a poltergeist with a lot of strong magic that he calls his juice. Among his abilities are telekinesis, conjuring, body manipulation, illusion, voice-throwing, mimicry, and possession. He can also transform matter, such as changing people's clothing on them. He can animate inanimate objects. Betelgeuse, if he has a destination firmly in mind, can teleport himself and others, particularly other ghosts.

Weaknesses

Betelgeuse's name has a lot of power over him. He can not say his name himself. Anyone who says his name three times can conjure him from the afterlife. Once he is summoned, Betelgeuse can be banished back to the afterlife in the same way. Once banished, he can not travel from the afterlife to the living world by himself. However, if Betelgeuse is summoned to the living world and no one says his name to return him to the afterlife, he can travel back and forth freely.

As a ghost, Betelgeuse can be exorcised. This would send his soul permanently to the afterlife, probably to the lost soul's room. However, Betelgeuse is very old and powerful. It would take an exorcist of extraordinary power to perform well enough to capture Betelgeuse with no loopholes. (This is generally something the mun will not allow, though a temporary exorcism, for a very good plot, might be arranged).

Betelgeuse tends to be rather cocky and to underestimate people. He's the type of clever person who is so busy being clever that he trips himself up. Also, he pushes people to the point that they push back, harder than he expected.

Appearance/physical form

Strictly speaking, Betelgeuse does not have a body. He is a ghost or spirit. He can manifest and feel solid, if he chooses, though. Unless he chooses to do so for a haunting, Betelgeuse doesn't smell like a corpse. He has no body, so cannot accumulate actual dirt and, of course, he doesn't sweat or produce body oils. If he has a smell at all, it is probably a faint smell of ozone or maybe burning leaves...an autumn type smell.

In appearance, Betelgeuse is a medium-sized, fairly strong-looking man, with a pot belly. He has medium length, greenish blond hair that sticks out from his scalp. Betelgeuse also has a receding hairline. His eyes are a bright, wintry blue, though they are sunken in and surrounded by dark circles. Betelgeuse does have a neglected appearance. His fingernails are long and ragged, looking almost like claws.

Betelgeuse has very white skin that is fairly dirty in appearance and seems to be growing mold. Neither the dirt or mold are actual dirt and mold. Instead, they are manifestations of his spirit, probably a clue to how he died. (This is never said anywhere in the movie or cartoon, but I suspect he was buried alive, somehow.)

One of the most interesting aspects of Betelgeuse's appearance is his clothing and accessories. Betelgeuse, in addition to his iconic white and black stripe suit, wears a plaid white and black shirt and a patterned red and black shirt, a hat saying GUIDE, a filthy trenchcoat, and an old fashioned dressing gown. Betelgeuse constantly wears four or five wristwatches (all at once!) and a gold and ruby ring on his right, index finger. (Honestly, I LOVE his hands.)

Cartoon vs Movie