Doctor Hans Zarkov is an eccentric genuis scientist from Earth. When meteor showers start striking his world he discovers their source, the planet Mongo and kidnaps Flash Gordon and Dale Arden to try to do something about the source of the meteorites. When Ming's henchman Klytus tries to read Zarkov's mind and brainwash him, Zarkov fills his mind with anything and everything he knows and the attempt fails.

This character is simply fun. He is the leader of the hawkmen. He fears what Ming may day to his daughter so he doesen't rebel againt Ming. But when Vultan sees Flash Gordan fight against Prince Barin and spare the Barin's life, Vultan has a change of heart and decides its time to fight Ming.

Prince Barin is the leader of the Tree People of the planet Mongo. The Barin forces Flash to play a game involving a poisonous animal in a hole. Flash is also later forced by the Hawkmen to fight the Barin on a tilting platform with spikes. After sparing the Barin's life, Flash finds a very powerful ally in his struggle against Ming.

Princess Aura is the daughter of Ming the Merciless. When Earth man Flash Gordon arrives on her world she begs her father to spare his life. When her father refuses the Princess uses her influence to bribe someone to help fake Flash Gordon's death so that Flash can live. Princess Aura's father, Ming finds out about her treachery and orders his daughter tortured.

Kala is a trusted high ranking officer of Ming. When a rocketship is coming in off course at a high speed, she deduces something is not right and orders it fired upon as she should have since Flash Gordon was trying to ram it through the Emperer's defense shields. When laser firing is heard during Ming's wedding Kala covers it up by claiming it is fireworks in honor of the great Ming when in reality the palace was involved in a great battle..

Klytus is like the head of Ming's secret police. He heads branwashing sessions and is an expert in extracting information. Klytus personally performs the probe on Dr Zarkov's mind.

This character only has a smale role in the film. Ming the Merciless is told by this man that his people have no riches to share with Ming except their loyalty. Ming then states he values nothing more and asks the man to fall on his sword as a sign of loyalty. The man then attempts to kill ming with a passionate "DEATH TO MING" but that alone would not be enough to end Ming's rule.

These guards greet Flash Gordon, Dale Arden, and Dr Zarkov when they are taken before Ming. Flash Gordon decides to play a game of football with them. He throws a metal ball at them and rams through them in true football hero fashion. Flash performs so well against them that Ming wonders if his men are getting their proper vitamins.

These guards are the backbone of Ming's army. They Carry laser weapons and defend with mounted tripod weapons. When they die they make a screechy like howl before they go down for the count.

These guards are the ones that defend a Ming rocketship from attack by the Hawkmen and Flash Gordon. They run up and down stairs to their posts and are attacked with grenades, rifles, and even club like sword weapons. Their costumes are very interesting.