diff --git a/src/character_select.py b/src/character_select.py
index 490cd38..a51529b 100644
--- a/src/character_select.py
+++ b/src/character_select.py
@@ -1,50 +1,69 @@
 import os
 import json
+from .sn0w import ConfigReader
 
 class CharacterSelectNode:
-    # Get the directory of the current file
-    dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
-    # Check if the last part of the path is 'src' and adjust the path accordingly
-    if os.path.basename(dir_path) == "src":
-        dir_path = os.path.dirname(dir_path)
+    # Initialize class variables
+    character_dict = {}
+    final_character_dict = {}
 
-    # Construct the path to the 'characters.json' file
-    json_path = os.path.join(dir_path, 'characters.json')
-    # Load character data from the JSON file
-    with open(json_path, 'r') as file:
-        character_data = json.load(file)
+    @classmethod
+    def initialize(cls):
+        print("Initializing CharacterSelectNode...")
 
-    # Attempt to load 'custom_characters.json' and merge its contents
-    custom_json_path = os.path.join(dir_path, 'custom_characters.json')
-    if os.path.exists(custom_json_path):
-        with open(custom_json_path, 'r') as file:
-            custom_character_data = json.load(file)
-            if custom_character_data:  # Check if the custom data is not empty
+        dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+        if os.path.basename(dir_path) == "src":
+            dir_path = os.path.dirname(dir_path)
+        
+        cls.load_characters(dir_path)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def load_characters(cls, dir_path):
+        json_path = os.path.join(dir_path, 'characters.json')
+        with open(json_path, 'r') as file:
+            character_data = json.load(file)
+
+        custom_json_path = os.path.join(dir_path, 'custom_characters.json')
+        if os.path.exists(custom_json_path):
+            with open(custom_json_path, 'r') as file:
+                custom_character_data = json.load(file)
                 for custom_character in custom_character_data:
                     for character in character_data:
                         if custom_character['name'] == character['name']:
                             character['prompt'] += ", " + custom_character['prompt']
                             break
-                    else:  # If the custom character is not found, add it to character_data
+                    else:
                         character_data.append(custom_character)
 
-    # Create a dictionary mapping character names to their data
-    character_dict = {character['name']: character for character in character_data}
+        cls.character_dict = {character['name']: character for character in character_data}
+
+        if ConfigReader.get_setting("sort_characters_by_series", False):
+            cls.final_character_dict = {name: cls.character_dict[name] for name in sorted(cls.character_dict, key=cls.extract_series_name)}
+        else:
+            cls.final_character_dict = {name: cls.character_dict[name] for name in sorted(cls.character_dict)}
+
+        print("Final character dict initialized with:", len(cls.final_character_dict))
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def extract_series_name(character_name):
+        return character_name.split('(')[-1].split(')')[0].strip()
 
     @classmethod
     def INPUT_TYPES(cls):
-        character_names = ['None'] + sorted(cls.character_dict.keys())
+        if not cls.final_character_dict:  # Check if initialization is needed
+            cls.initialize()
+        character_names = ['None'] + list(cls.final_character_dict.keys())
         return {
             "required": {
                 "character": (character_names, ),
                 "character_strength": ("FLOAT", {"default": 1.0, "min": 0.0, "max": 100.0, "step": 0.05, "round": 0.01}),
                 "character_prompt": ("BOOLEAN", {"default": False}),
-                "xl": ("BOOLEAN", {"default": False},),
+                "xl": ("BOOLEAN", {"default": False}),
             },
         }
 
-    RETURN_TYPES = ("STRING", "STRING", "BOOLEAN",)
-    RETURN_NAMES = ("CHARACTER STRING", "CHARACTER PROMPT", "XL",)
+    RETURN_TYPES = ("STRING", "STRING", "BOOLEAN")
+    RETURN_NAMES = ("CHARACTER STRING", "CHARACTER PROMPT", "XL")
     FUNCTION = "find_associated_string"
     CATEGORY = "sn0w"
         
@@ -53,14 +72,11 @@ class CharacterSelectNode:
         if char_item:
             associated_string = char_item['associated_string']
             prompt = char_item['prompt'] if character_prompt else ""
-            strength_part = f":{character_strength}" if character_strength != 1 else None
+            strength_part = f":{character_strength}" if character_strength != 1 else ""
 
-            if associated_string != "":
-                if strength_part:
-                    return (f"({associated_string}{strength_part}), ", prompt, xl,)
-                else:
-                    return (f"{associated_string}, ", prompt, xl,)
+            if associated_string:
+                return (f"{associated_string}{strength_part}, ", prompt, xl,)
             else:
                 return ("", prompt, xl,)
 
-        return ("", "", "")
+        return ("", "", "")
\ No newline at end of file