T-Bag (Prison Break)

Template:Infobox Prison Break character Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell, played by Robert Knepper, is a fictional character from the American television series, Prison Break. T-Bag is part of the main group of characters in the series. After guest-starring in the series' second episode, "Allen", the actor became one of the regular cast members.

The character was introduced into the series as a fellow prisoner of the protagonist, Michael Scofield (played by Wentworth Miller), at Fox River State Penitentiary. As the leader of a white supremacist group and someone who shows little remorse for his crimes, T-Bag is the most villainous of the Fox River Eight. Throughout the first season, T-Bag plays a major part in the season's main plot. In the second season, the character's storyline veers from the main plot as a separate subplot. As the series progresses, more of the background story of the character is revealed. T-Bag is described by TV Guide's Maya Schechter as "one of the creepiest characters on television" and is mentioned by Entertainment Weekly as one of "TV's best villains".

Background

A native of Conecuh County, Alabama, Theodore Bagwell was born of both incest and rape after his father sexually assaulted his Down syndrome-afflicted sister. He was also molested by his father. His father is also the person responsible for his eloquent use of language; He once forced T bag to recite ten synonyms for 'destroy'. This was perhaps common place in his childhood. Ever since he was young, Bagwell was constantly in and out of jail, often for vandalism and torturing animals. While in fourth grade, he attempted to set his teacher's house on fire and was sentenced to juvenile hall. During this time, he became a member of the Alliance for Purity, a fictional white supremacist group.

As an adult, T-Bag started committing more serious crimes such as battery, assault, attempted murder, murder, rape, and kidnapping. He quickly became the leader of the Alliance for Purity inside Donaldson Prison in Alabama and under his leadership the gang became so powerful inside the prison that the warden disbanded it and sent T-Bag to Fox River.

Prior to incarceration at Fox River, Bagwell eluded the authorities and pursued a relationship with a single mother named Susan Hollander, who had two children of her own from a previous marriage. This was one of the storylines featured in the first season's flashback episode, "Brother's Keeper". Upon learning that he was a wanted murderer and rapist (by watching America's Most Wanted), she notified the police. T-Bag had love for Susan and had tried to change, but her betrayal prompted "that old dirty bastard [to come] right back home".

Upon seeing that there were no Alliance for Purity members at Fox River, T-Bag started a new chapter of the gang; its growth granted him significant influence within the prison. Being a bisexual, he has no qualms about seeking sexual gratification from other inmates, often preying upon younger men.

Appearances

T-Bag appeared in every episode of the first season except the series pilot but does not appear in every episode of the second season . A younger Theodore played by Michael Gohlke has appeared in one episode via a flashback sequence in "Bad Blood".

Season 1

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T-Bag in season 1.

Upon the arrival of Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) at Fox River, T-Bag wanted to ensnare him as his personal playmate, but was unsuccessful. During a race riot in episode "Allen", his "special friend" was amongst those who were fatally wounded. Believing Scofield had done it, T-Bag sought revenge but was stopped by John Abruzzi (Peter Stormare).

During a second riot in a subsequent episode, T-Bag learned of the escape attempt and threatened to tell the other inmates if Michael and the others did not include him; the others have no choice but to agree. When the group discovered that they had one too many for a successful escape, John Abruzzi gives T-Bag an ultimatum: back out of the escape or die. In retaliation, T-Bag slashes Abruzzi's throat, but fails to kill him.

T-Bag makes a second attempt on Abruzzi but is stopped by C-Note (Rockmond Dunbar), who reminds him that Abruzzi is providing their transportation. In the penultimate episode of the season, T-Bag escapes from Fox River with Michael and six other inmates. In order to ensure his safety, he handcuffs himself to Michael. Abruzzi, finally getting his revenge, chops off T-Bag's cuffed hand with an axe, seriously wounding him and leaving him for dead.

But he could still manage to get away from the police dogs and cops. Like the five other fugitives, he failed to catch the plane.

Season 2

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T-Bag in season 2.

The first four episodes of the season features T-Bag's journey to Utah, where Charles Westmoreland had hidden his money. Before heading to Utah, T-Bag has his hand reattached and bleaches his hair to change his appearance. In the fifth episode and the subsequent two episodes, Knepper rejoins part of the main cast as the group of five fugitives dig for Westmoreland's $5 million under a garage. T-Bag tricks the other fugitives, stealing the money and begins his journey to find Susan Hollander, the woman who betrayed him. From the eighth episode onwards, T-Bag's storyline separates from the main plot which concerned the protagonists escaping and later deciding to solve the conspiracy.

In the following episode, "Unearthed", T-Bag is captured by Brad Bellick (Wade Williams) and Roy Geary (Matt DeCaro) after hiding the five million dollars in a locker at a train station. The next episode follows Bellick and Geary's torture procedures of T-Bag as they try and discover where T-Bag had hidden the money. After he admits the location to them, they use plastic handcuffs to attach his wrist to a radiator. However, after T-Bag escapes in "Bolshoi Booze" by re-severing his hand, he kills Geary, who betrayed Bellick and took the money. Before leaving with the money, T-Bag frames Bellick for Geary's murder.

T-Bag eventually locates Susan in the last episode to be aired in 2006 in the United States, "The Killing Box", which served as one of the episode's cliffhangers. In his next two appearances of the season, T-Bag holds Susan and her children hostage in their home in Ness City, Kansas. He takes them to his childhood home in Alabama in episode "Bad Blood", where he reveals that they are his "salvation" and that he wants to rebuild his home, and become part of their family. Despite all this, Susan tells him she won't be able to love him. T-Bag is heartbroken by Susan's rejection and finally leaves them, calling the police to release them from his home.

Beginning from the eighteenth episode, the next part of T-Bag's storyline concerns his decision to travel to Thailand. After taking the identity from a therapist he deliberately killed, T-Bag bought a ticket to Bangkok and boarded a stop-over flight from Chicago, which coincidentally was the same plane Bellick is flying in. After T-Bag recognized Bellick at Mexico City International Airport, he is forced to hide and consequently loses his money in the luggage carousel. He then grapples with a security guard in an attempt to retrieve the money, but fails to overpower him or retrieve the money, so he runs away, as security footage of him fleeing is transmitted on a Mexican news station.

After narrowly avoiding Sucre and Bellick, T-Bag is captured after murdering a prostitute who insulted Susan. However, Agent Kim sends an agent to Panama in order to have T-Bag help lead them to Lincoln and Michael, who are also in Panama.

Kim's plot fails in the next episode, however, and T-Bag finds himself being chased by Bellick, Sucre and Michael. He manages to escape Bellick by shooting him in the leg, but is captured soon after by Sucre and Michael. T-Bag escapes once again by stabbing Sucre in the chest with a screwdriver but is followed by Michael follows to an abandoned house. After Michael refuses T-Bag's truce (feeling responsible for everyone T-Bag has killed since escaping from prison), the two fight and Michael ultimately apprehends Bagwell by viciously impaling his remaining hand to the floor and leaving him for the Panamanian police. T-Bag is last seen screaming in a Panamian jail, a man from the Company leaving him imprisoned.

Characteristics

In contrast to being despised by the other convicts for his heinous crimes and affiliation with the Alliance for Purity, T-Bag is quite eloquent and seen as charming among many of the women he meets. Robert Knepper, T-Bag's portrayer, comments that, "T-Bag's not crazy. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's not going to make himself stupid [to fit a stereotype]." In a separate interview, Knepper says, "I never play him like a stereotypical racist or redneck. He's actually quite cunning and smart." Furthermore, he likens the character to "Truman Capote without a degree".

The character's sexual interest ranges from men to women and children. When asked about the character being a pedophile and homosexual, the actor asserts, "We're not passing judgment. We're not trying to get these people off the hook. T-Bag's not a homosexual. He's a raw animal. He'd [sleep with] anything."

Knepper has stated that, "Around episode 6 or 7, I got so many letters from people saying, 'When I first started watching this show, I absolutely hated you and I wanted you dead. Now I still want you dead, but I'm starting to feel for you.' I think there's something in my eyes, a childlike thing in there. There's still an innocence. There's still a bit of hope".

Production details

Silas Weir Mitchell, who was cast in the role of Charles "Haywire" Patoshik, originally auditioned for the role of T-Bag.

External links

• Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell's biography at Fox.com
• Criminal Minds: Robert Knepper as Prison Break's Theodore "T-BAG" Bagwell at Entertainment Weekly