In Undetale, Chara was the first human to fall into the Underground, and is one of the major forces in the game. Even though they are only briefly mentioned in the story specifically by name.

Chara was a very unhappy child on the surface, and hated humanity. Typical misanthrope. It is never mentioned what led to Chara's very extreme beliefs, but it is known to have led them to hold other's lives in very low regard. Chara fell into the Underground after running away from their village and falling through a hole, possibly the same one Frisk falls through. Where they met Asriel, a monster of similar age and fashion sense to Chara, both wearing very similar clothing. Asriel was the son of Asgore and Toriel, the rulers of the Underground. They took Chara into their family and treated them as their own.

Chara wasn't the greatest person, and often had questionable intentions, also being uncaring at times. Nothing much changed with Chara's misanthropic beliefs, but we know they befriended Asriel. Asriel himself refers to himself as Chara's 'best friend', so we know they were somewhat close. Chara had an opposing character compared to Asriel. Asriel was very shy and not very strong, but Chara was very outward and had an influence on the young prince.

One day, Chara made a plan to release the monsters from the Underground by breaking the barrier. Chara did this by poisoning themselves with flowers and making themselves terminally ill. They were bedridden for a while until they died, but before they did they told Asriel they wanted to see the golden flowers in their original village. When they died, Asriel absorbed their soul, which allowed Chara to influence him in a similar way to how they controlled Frisk in the genocide route. With a human soul, Asriel left through the barrier and went to bury Chara by the golden flowers in their village. The plan was to kill some villagers and absorb their souls so that the seven souls needed to destroy the barrier were available.

Asriel was seen by the villagers though, who immediately presumed Asriel had killed Chara. He managed escape with Chara's body but he was mortally wounded in the process. Asriel managed to get back to the golden flower patch below the entrance to the Underground before collapsing and dying, turning to dust. Chara's body was later taken to the Ruins by Toriel for a proper burial, and it is there that their soul is unwillingly absorbed by Frisk.

Chara seems to remember certain things about the Underground, including things like dogs which make them happy. Chara's personality is 'pushed' due the application of Frisk's determination, and Frisk's actions determine what side of Chara develops. In the pacifist route, the kind hearted actions performed by Frisk and the determination used to save everyone in the Underground revives their better judgement of monsters compared to humans, and their kindness too. However in the genocide route, Frisk's cold thoughts and murders stimulate Chara to become hostile towards everything. Chara then pushes Frisk to destroy everything and after enough LV is reached after defeating Sans, Frisk has enough determination to revive Chara completely.

Chara explains Frisk's determination had reincarnated them, and their actions made him realise why. Chara wanted to be the most powerful being in the universe, playing with them and erasing them over and over for leisure. At the end of the genocide route, Chara is the most powerful entity ever to exist, and is capable of destroying the universe in a single swipe of the knife.

But just keep in mind, it doesn't have to be that way. All you have to do is spare them. Spare them all.

Chara's in=game sprite.

5074147 Seems legit.

5074147

I'll be leaving this group, but as a chara fan, I feel I must reply to this.

>They fell onto a patch of golden flowers

This is false, The flowers were frisk fell are a part chara's grave. It is shown that chara fell on no such flowers in the intro,

>It was there that Chara's soul was deposited, and it was picked up there by Frisk when they fell into the Underground.

This is not the case, chara's body was carried back, and upon their death, they remained with their body, as evidenced by the text in genocide route near the coffin, and floweys dialog that explains how chara's body was moved to the ruins.

>Chara had been dead for so long by the time Frisk picked it up that they could no longer remember anything about themselves or the Underground.
Factually incorrect, as chara narrates things in a way that shows they know a lot about the underground, and the types of creatures within the underground.

>> Chara's personality was dormant when their soul was picked up, and the application of Frisk's determination during the game determines what part of Chara's personality is displayed. In the pacifist route, the kind-hearted actions performed by Frisk and the determination used to save everyone in the Underground revives what was left of Chara's empathy and kindness. However in the genocide route, Frisk's cold thoughts and murders stimulate Chara to become hostile towards everything. Chara then pushes Frisk to destroy everything, and after enough LV is reached after defeating Sans Frisk has enough determination to revive Chara completely.

This is an interesting interpretation, but I don't think you can say it's that simple. Comparing the twisted side to chara's empathy and kindness as being lacking, doesn't jive with what we actually see, they aren't a jaded person learning to love from a vague idea of what it is, they have things that clearly make them happy, near instantaneously, like dogs. Like tea, and things that make them uncomfortable, like fighting any member of their family, or undyne (despite the fact that they wouldn't know undyne). They hate humanity, not monsters, and display a lot of joy and quirks.

5074322
Thanks for filling me in on the things I misunderstood.