Hari Seldon
Hari Seldon is the primary protagonist of the stories which comprise the original Foundation “novel.” The very opening words of this massive science fiction series is a biography of Seldon: “born in the 11,988th year of the Galactic Era, died 12,069. The biography then continues until the central element of his place within the narrative: creator of the new mathematical discipline of psychohistory which affords the possibility of foretelling future events on a mammoth scale using probabilistic algorithms.
Salvor Hardin
Hardin is the Mayor of Terminus City, but that position has historically been little more than a political figurehead. Hardin, however, is determined to overcome this historical understanding which situates the Mayor as subordinate to the Board of Trustees. He turns out to be quite successful as he ultimately becomes de facto rule of the entire Foundation.
Hober Mallow
Mallow is a Master Trader from Smyrno who becomes extremely significant to the story in his role as engaging in undercover espionage. Over the course of this secondary career he will eventually be tried for murdering a priest only to ultimately be acquitted and will have acquired power and wealth beyond all his dreams as a simple trader. As the Encyclopedia Galactica somewhat snarkily asserts, it is very easy to forget that Mallow began as a simple trader from Smyrno, but it is impossible not to remember that he became one of the first Merchant Princes in the galaxy.
Linmar Ponyets
Ponyets is another trader who finds himself embroiled in the complex politics of the galaxy when he is sent by the Foundation to meet with the Elders on Askone system to engage in an economy-based negotiation. His secret agenda, however, is to locate a missing Foundation agent and rescue him. During the negotiations, things take a left turn which has Ponyets promising the Grand Master of the Elders that he can build a machine capable of turning iron into gold and, amazing, a test run of the device actually proves to be successful. Any gold that the Grand Master can get out of the machine should be considered payment in exchange for the life of the secret agent in what proves to be one of the more morally ambiguous episodes in the series.
Gaal Dornick
The encyclopedia entry on Seldon contains the interesting little tidbit that most of the details that are known about him are the result of a biography written by Gaal Dornick. His introduction in the actual narrative suggests that may have been at least a partial inspiration for Luke Skywalker, as it describes Dornick as “just a country boy who had never seen” the big city planet before. No simple farmboy slaving for his uncle, however, Gaal Dornick holds a doctorate in mathematics and was personally extended an invitation by the legendary Seldon to join him in his secret project on that big city planet called Trantor. Being a protégé has its advantages, surely, but also comes with a downside of guilt by association and before too long Dornick finds himself on trial alongside Seldon and faces the same terrible fate of exile.
