Haydée Tebelin is a former princess of the planet Janina and a key companion to the Count of Monte Cristo. Her past is marked by profound tragedy. As a child, her father, King Ali Tebelin, was betrayed and murdered by a trusted political ally, a French officer named Fernand Mondego. Following this betrayal, Haydée and her mother were sold into slavery, and her mother eventually died from the emotional toll of their suffering. The Count of Monte Cristo later purchased Haydée from slavery, an act that saved her from a life of servitude and emotional devastation.

Haydée possesses a fragile and strikingly beautiful appearance, often dressed in kimono-like robes and a distinctive collar that hides the brand of her slavery. She has pale skin with a slight greenish hue, long green hair that often covers one eye, and pointed ears. Her quiet and gentle demeanor masks a sharp intellect and a deeply resilient spirit. While she is typically soft-spoken and carries herself with a noble, melancholic grace, she exhibits significant bravery when confronting injustice.

Her primary motivation is rooted in her traumatic past, which makes her a natural ally in the Count's scheme for revenge against Fernand Mondego, who is now known as General Morcerf. However, her role evolves beyond simple vengeance. As she comes to understand the consuming nature of the Count's quest, she develops a strong desire to save him from his own revenge, recognizing that it is destroying him from within. She is uniquely positioned as both a tool for the Count's plans and his potential savior, trying to steer him away from his path of self-destruction.

Throughout the story, Haydée acts as the Count's constant companion, often accompanying him to social events like the opera. Her presence is a silent yet powerful weapon, as the mere sight of her triggers memories of his crimes in Fernand Mondego. Her most pivotal action occurs when she publicly confronts Mondego, revealing his past treachery and ruining his reputation. This act is driven by her own need for justice, but it also serves the Count's intricate plans.

Her key relationships are complex. She harbors deep and sincere feelings for the Count of Monte Cristo, feelings she often keeps hidden because she feels unworthy of his attention or views their bond as a master-servant relationship. She is the only one among his close circle who openly wishes to save him. She also forms an unexpected connection with Albert de Morcerf, the son of her enemy. Recognizing parallels between Albert's doomed fate and her own past suffering, she begins to sympathize with him, which further fuels her desire to stop the Count's cycle of vengeance.

Haydée undergoes significant development from a passive victim to a decisive actor. Initially portrayed as a fragile figure who obeys the Count, she gains the strength to act on her own principles, first by exposing Mondego and later by physically placing herself between the Count and his target during their final confrontation. Her plea for the Count to stop his revenge represents her full emergence as a moral compass in the narrative. In the end, after the Count's death, she is saved from a similar fate by Albert and eventually reclaims her birthright, becoming the queen of Janina.

In terms of abilities, Haydée is noted to be an excellent harp player. She also carries a distinctive dagger, a final gift from her mother intended as a means to protect her own honor, symbolizing her past trauma and her latent resolve.