A theory of agency needs to explain how the faculty of willing varies between persons, with some people considered to possess great ‘will-power’, whilst others are said to be ‘weak-willed’, a variation that is encapsulated in the concept of character. This concept refers to that portion of an individual’s conduct which is under willed control and hence is indicative of their moral or ethical standing. Because they are conscious of this fact most individuals typically regard their own conduct as ‘justifiable’. This need to justify action then links willed action with ideals of character, that is models which serve to indicate which patterns of action should be accorded approval. Examples from literature are used to show how this may be either in terms of the overall strength of will or the value to be attached to a specific character trait. It is then noted that the desire to ‘do the right thing’ makes justification and motivation effectively two sides of the same coin. The chapter ends by noting that ‘building character’ has been a defining characteristic of modern developed societies, and hence that the whole person, and hence character, must be the focus of any theory of action.