Ivan Vorpatril

Captain Lord Ivan Vorpatril, also known as "That Idiot Ivan" or "Ivan, You Idiot" (a likely reference to Ivan the Fool, common hero of Russian folk tales), is a fictional character in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga. He is Miles Vorkosigan's second cousin, foil, burden, workhorse, and until Miles has children, his formal heir. He is everything Miles is not - tall, handsome, and athletic. He waltzed into the military academy and waltzed right back out into one plum posting after another. He inhabits any uniform - even the Dendarii's - like a second skin.

Prior to Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, Ivan had last been seen as a Captain in the Barrayaran military, but detached to serve as aide to his mother, Alys Vorpatril, in the planning for the upcoming Imperial wedding. Although not an heir to a Countship, Ivan is addressed as "Lord Vorpatril," rather than "Lord Ivan" or just "Vorpatril," presumably because of his descent from an Imperial daughter, though he provides much amusement for Count Falco Vorpatril, Ivan's distant uncle. Ivan tends to act simple—not dumb, but not especially bright either—but has stated that looking too smart is a bad idea if you are a potential heir to the Empire, a position whose risks and responsibilities he heartily seeks to avoid. Until Emperor Gregor had children, he was the third in line to the throne after Count Aral Vorkosigan and Miles. An imperfect character, it is established in Young Miles that he routinely attempted to sexually assault Miles's first love interest, Elena Bothari, when they were both teenagers. Her improved confidence and physical fighting skills, when she becomes a mercenary, seem to make him abruptly change his behavior towards her.