Sir Elyan was adventurous, leaving Camelot a year before Merlin arrived and travelling widely. However this meant that he was out of contact with his sister, even when their father passed away. Gwen who didn't know if he was alive or dead. Gwen commented that Elyan had never settled down but preferred to follow his heart and that he had a tendancy to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Elyan was affectionate and demonstrated his love for his sister, hugging her when they were reunited and later agreeing to live with her in Camelot.

He was also cunning enough to be able to hide during Morgana and Morgause's attack on Camelot, and was the only known person apart from Gaius to escape the attack unscathed (The Coming of Arthur).

Elyan was courageous and an adept fighter, leading to him gaining a position as a Knight of Camelot and one of Arthur's most trusted comrades. He was shown to be very loyal, with others attesting to the fact that Elyan would never harm Arthur of his own volition, no matter what he had done to him (A Herald of the New Age). He was also shown to be kind as he was one of the only knights who didn't tease and bully Merlin.

He was very affectionate towards his sister Gwen. You see this when Gwen was kidnapped by Morgana (The Dark Tower). He often blamed himself for Guinevere's kidnapping, even though it wasn't fully his fault. He was so passionate to bring back his sister that it cost him his life.