Lincoln Burrows

Template:Infobox Prison Break character Lincoln Burrows, played by Dominic Purcell, is a protagonist of the American television series, Prison Break. The plot of Prison Break revolves around Lincoln Burrows' setup for the murder of the vice president's brother and his brother's plan to help him escape his death sentence. Lincoln's brother, Michael Scofield is played by Wentworth Miller. In episode flashbacks, the teenage Lincoln is played by Max Kirsch, while a younger Michael is portrayed by Hunter Jablonski. Lincoln Burrows was born in 1972.

As one of the principal characters, Lincoln plays a prominent role in the series and has appeared in every episode so far. The brother's relationship is frequently explored in the series as their sacrifices for each other form a large part of the plot. In an interview, series creator Paul Scheuring commented that it was "extremely difficult" to cast the roles of Lincoln and Michael. Dominic Purcell was cast for the role just three days before the start of production of the series pilot.

Background

After their mother's falsified death, Lincoln became Michael's guardian. Lincoln dropped out of Morgan Park High School in Toledo, Ohio during his sophomore year and moved to Chicago to begin his life of crime. Prior to being convicted for the murder of the Vice President's brother, he had been convicted of theft, criminal damage to property, possession of drug paraphernalia, and battery. He and Lisa Rix had a son together, Lincoln Burrows, Jr. (L.J.) (played by Marshall Allman).

When Michael was 18, Lincoln borrowed $90,000 to pay for Michael's university education, telling him that it was his half of his mother's life insurance. There really was no life insurance and this money was the start of the events which ultimately led to Lincoln being sentenced to death. This was revealed in the flashback episode, "Brother's Keeper". Lincoln's actions instigates Michael's feeling of guilt and responsibility, which explains his reason for creating an elaborate plan to rescue his brother.

Appearances

Season 1

Lincoln is accused of murdering the vice president's brother, Terrence Steadman. Although he pleaded not guilty at the trial, he was convicted on all counts and sentenced to death due to an overwhelming amount of evidence. After exhausting all of his appeals, his execution date was set for May 11th.

Throughout the first season, Lincoln is seen locked up in his cell, which coincidentally in real life, is the same cell that John Wayne Gacy was incarcerated in during his time at Joliet Prison. After a surprise meeting with his brother inside the prison's chapel in the series pilot, Lincoln becomes hopeful of Michael's plan to help him escape. Particularly in the first few episodes, Lincoln warns Michael of the dangers in the prison and that he should be aware of his fellow inmates. As the season progresses, Lincoln's relationships with his son, L. J., and Veronica Donovan (played by Robin Tunney) grow stronger as they both attempt to help him find evidence to exonerate him. When the first escape attempt fails on the night before his execution, Lincoln resigns to his fate. However, his execution date was delayed with the help of his father, Aldo Burrows (played by Anthony Denison), whom he later meets. Aldo later explains to Lincoln that the murder setup of Terrence Steadman may have been caused by his desolation of "The Company" after taking information with him about Steadman's company, Ecofield. In various episodes, Lincoln is faced with several attempts on his life by fellow inmates and Paul Kellerman (played by Paul Adelstein). The first season finale finally sees Lincoln and his brother outside the prison.

Season 2

The character is featured more prominently in the second season than the first. Along with his brother and the other escapees in the season premiere, Lincoln successfully evades Brad Bellick (played by Wade Williams) and his guards, but was heavily traumatized after hearing Veronica Donovan's final moments over the phone. Outside the prison, Lincoln's first priority is to find his son. After a failed impromptu prison-break planned to rescue L.J., Lincoln and his brother journey to Utah to retrieve Charles Westmoreland's five million dollars. Lincoln's anxiety for L.J. causes conflicts with Michael, who wants to follow his plan. Eventually, Lincoln leaves Michael to find L.J. but discovers that he is still a target of "The Company". Lincoln's father again comes to his son's rescue. After ensuring L.J.'s safety, Lincoln travels with his father to meet Michael. Aldo is later killed by F.B.I. agent Alexander Mahone (played by William Fichtner), which prompts Michael and Lincoln to stop running and to find evidence to expose "The Company" by searching for Sara Tancredi (played Sarah Wayne Callies). In "The Killing Box" when Lincoln and Michael are captured by the Border Patrol, they are aided by Paul Kellerman, who in an act of self preservation, turns against "The Company".

In "John Doe" Lincoln comes face to face with Terrence Steadman, the man he was convicted of murdering. Steadman commits suicide and forces Lincoln and Michael to look for an alternative way to prove Lincoln's innocence. Lincoln, Michael and Kellerman find Sara and together, they head back to Chicago, where Sara's father, Frank Tancredi (played by John Heard), had hidden the USB drive which holds a recorded conversation between Caroline Reynolds and Terrence Steadman after his supposed death date. When the tape proved to be useless as evidence, Lincoln and Michael attempt to blackmail President Caroline Reynolds (played by Patricia Wettig). When this also fails, Lincoln and Michael are forced to leave the country. In Sona Lincoln's exoneration finally comes through when Paul Kellerman decides to testify against "The Company". This made Lincoln one of the two Fox River Eight members who have successfully evaded capture by the authorities. The brothers' joy was short-lived when Bill Kim (played by Reggie Lee) tracks them down in Panama and has orders to kill "one of them". Sara shoots Kim, allowing them to escape. As the police draws near, Lincoln, Michael and Sara flee from the scene but are separated in the process. Ignorant of his brother's recapture, Lincoln searches for Michael and Sara before spotting Sara traveling alone.

Season 3

Lincoln uses his free status to try to help Michael get out of Sona Prison. He manages to get the consul to transfer Michael to a cleaner and safer prison. While explaining the situation, Michael instructed him to find Sara. The local authorities believe they've found Sara's body, which turned out not to be her. Lincoln is then called by his son LJ and is instructed to meet him and Sara at a bar, but instead he encounters stranger calling herself Susan B. Anthony (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe), who lets Lincoln know that Sara and LJ have been kidnapped and will be killed if Michael doesn't break out a man imprisoned in Sona named James Whistler.

As Michael plots his escape, Lincoln does some sleuthing of his own on the outside: he follows Whistler's girlfriend Sofia Lugo and manages to acquire an ornithology guide with Whistler's notes in it. As Michael begins to have doubts, Lincoln takes matters into his own hands, tracking down Sara and LJ and knocking out two Company agents before the other agents escape with their hostages. Following his failed attempt, Lincoln receives Sara's head in a box. He decides not to tell Michael, who instructs Lincoln to recruit the grave digger. Lincoln is also forced to hand the real bird book to Susan. At the same time, Fernando Sucre and Sofia Lugo offer their assistance.

Lincoln goes about procuring a getaway vehicle. After finding the roads are heavily guarded, Linc buys some supplies at a dive shop, and then goes with Sofia to the beach, not far from the prison, where he buries them. Susan's threat of killing LJ forced Lincoln to back down and follow her orders, instead of trying to outsmart her. The next two episodes follow the escape plan and after the escape ultimately fails, Lincoln engages in a tense standoff with Susan to rescue L.J. but Lincoln is forced to back down again. Susan, while planning for the Bang and Burn operation, then sent Company agents to eliminate Sofia, Sucre and him but this ultimately fails. When the operation fails, Susan decided to try to get Lincoln back into the plan by letting him see LJ.

While figuring out the escape plan, Lincoln goes about buying a bomb to plan an explosive finish for Susan and tried to used Sucre to trick her, but both attempts ultimately fail. Sucre and Maricruz were also implicated as a result, though without Lincoln's knowing. Later on, Susan used Sofia as a hostage. That night, Lincoln steals a bus to knock out the power lines to Sona Prison, which then starts off the escape of Michael and the other inmates inside Sona Prison. The escape is eventually successful, with Lincoln joining the inmates and McGrady parting off with his dad in separate ways. Whistler later tried to escape, but Lincoln managed to get hold of him, forcing Gretchen to carry out the hostage exchange successfully at a museum. Later on, Gretchen's men started creating chaos, so that Gretchen and Whistler could escape unharmed but the firing caused Sofia to be shot.

In the season finale, Lincoln, LJ and Sofia were last seen at the hospital, where LJ is tending to Sofia's wounds.

Season 4

Lincoln was first seen with LJ and Sofia in a restaurant. When a confused Michael called him and asked him if he was sure that he saw Sara's head in the box, he said he was. While he was in a fight with a company agent, Lincoln killed him, which led him to being arrested and extradited. When brought to America and reunited with Michael. They meet Donald Self, a homeland security agent, who gives him along with Michael, Sucre, Mahone, and Bellick two choices: either go back to jail or bring down the company. In the episode 4 Lincoln has four new visible tattoos on his arms – clearly show in episode 13 to be the numbers "08.12.99", "01.30.01", and "07.07.03" twice. When Lincoln is first put with the other convicts, Michael, Sara, Bellick, Sucre, Roland and Mahone he isn't happy to be stuck with the bunch only caring for his younger brother and Sara and having some good feelings towards Sucre. He and Bellick rarely exchange words but Roland often gets on his nerves and he doesn't like the kid, only putting up with him because he's the computer nerd and without him the cons could only do half a job. Mahone is a different story, he swears revenge of his father's death once they fulfill Self's mission. When Lincoln overhears a phone call in which Mahone tells Lang the company killed his son Lincoln relates to the man (the company tried to kill LJ previously) and promises Mahone that after the mission, together they would track down the person(s) who killed Cameron. Lincoln forms a fondness for Mahone realizes the two aren't as different as he initially thought and although he can't forgive the other man for killing his father he has grown sympathetic towards him. He also has a good relationship with Bellick eventually because Bellick on several occasions saved his life and eventually gave his life for the team.

In the episode "The Legend" He is disappointed that Bellick died. Him, along with the rest of the group sees Bellick's corpse for one last time. In the episode "Quiet Riot", him along with Michael, Sucre, and Mahone, enters through the company HQ and reach to the actual scylla machine. In episode "Selfless" they are caught by the General and his goons, although that was the plan. The goons are about to shoot Michael, although they are held at gunpoint by Mahone and Sucre. Lincoln holds the General at gunpoint. The General is forced to give up his card, which he thinks is useless, although he is shocked when Michael shows him the other 5 scylla cards. They take him hostage and the General is telling Lincoln that his father was not only a data analyst, but also a executioner. They escape with Scylla and at the end of the episode, they are betrayed by Self. In episode "Deal Or No Deal" Lincoln is captured from homeland security agents and agrees to testify against Self for immunity. Michael comes in and they are about to be killed by th homeland security agents, until a company agent saves them by murdering the homeland security agents and is about to bring Michael and Lincoln to the General. Sucre sneaks up behind the company agent and points the gun at the agent and Lincoln takes the agent's weapon and kills him with it and they let 1 homeland security agent go. In "Just Business" He pistol whips Self across the face and is about to shoot him until, Grecthen holds the A-Team at gunpoint. He is worried about Michael's health condition and they run in to get Scylla back. Lincoln uses a rocket launcher to blast Self's hotel window. When he runs into Gretchen she tries to shoot him, but misses and the company agents start shooting at Gretchen. He runs to the alleyway, seeing Michael with a bloody nose and unconsious, picked up and thrown in the company van. He goes to confront the General face to face and says he'll do anything to save Michael, even getting scylla back for them. Lincoln tells Michael that he discovered that their mother had worked for The Company also and that he is going to "join the family business" and work for The Company, but only to get scylla back. A preview after the Midseason finale in season 4 shows Lincoln on the phone with Michael and says he will stop at nothing to get Scylla Michael replies and I will stop at nothing to stop you from succeding.

The next day, General Krantz sent a photo of LJ, threatening to harm him if they fail. T-Bag, Self and Mahone got the same thing. Lincoln is informed that Michael join the hunt for scylla. Michael calls Lincoln and Lincoln is furious that Michael ruin the deal, the only chance to get their lives back. Michael informs Lincoln that their mother is alive, which leaves Lincoln shocked.

Lincoln and Mahone goes to a house which used to be Lincoln's mother, Christina house. There's a photo of a pregant Christanta and a young Lincoln. Mahone thinks that Christaina has scylla. Lincoln refuse to believe his mother is alive. Lincoln decides to see if his mother is alive himself. He meets her and Lincoln asks her about scylla. She refuse to tell him only saying that it's in a safe place. Lincoln then says they have nothing to talk about. Christaina tells Lincoln to give her 2 days to kill the General and Lincoln and Michael will have their freedom. Lincoln agress. She says that he can't contact her until this whole thing is over. Lincoln meets with the rest of the group telling them to lay low for 2 days, saying that his mother will handle it. The group refuse to believe that she will take care of it. They reveal to Lincoln that at the church they found automactic weapons and fake ID's. Stating something big is about to go down. Lincoln decides to visit Christaina agian. Mahone tells him that if Christaina told him not to visit her again, that's a warning. Lincoln visit her anyway. Christana's men has a sniper pointed at Lincoln with a clear shot. He asks Christaina should he kill Lincoln. She pauses for a few seconds and says yes.

Tatoos

In episode 7 of season 4 another tattoo appears on his left hand, which Dominic Purcell has done in 2008. It's a matrix which reads the birth dates of his four children. One another tattoo appears in season 4 on his left wrist.

Trivia

Lincoln bumped into Sucre as he was running from the parking garage (prior to his conviction thus not meeting Fernando yet.)

In the first two seasons Lincoln is revealed as very strong, both physically and mentally and he shows himself as very threatening (to the point of fighting five of T-Bag's men single handedly to defend a CO during a riot) and intimidating. Despite that he is revealed as unable to kill. After mastering Mahone in the episede Fin Del Camino his hesitation to shoot him allows Mahone to regain the advantage and master him and causing him to tell Michael "Deep down he's just like you. He has a heart that can't kill a man". In season three Lincoln kills for the first time, shooting two of the company operatives and appears to have no remorse whatsoever In season four it is revealed that despite not having killed Terrence Steadman he is very far from being innocent as a flashback is shown where he and his friend that got them onto the cargo ship that got them to Panama are seen crashing into a car and shooting the people inside it for an unknown motive. Later in the season, Lincoln Burrows appears to have grown ruthless and cruel, acting just like a company agent (including the suit and gun), not hesitating to fire his gun and willing to torture people (seen when he rips out T-Bag's teeth). All this appears to be because he wants everything to be over.

Concept and creation

Portrayal

Purcell was cast three days before the start of production and consequently, he was the last actor to join the original cast. He auditioned for the role while he had a recurring role as Tommy Ravetto on North Shore. Since working on John Doe, Purcell has had an amiable relationship with Fox. Hence, he was sent the pilot script of Prison Break. Scheuring's first impression of Purcell did not convince him as a fit for the role since the actor went to the audition with his hair styled and a tan. However, Purcell's acting won the role. He arrived on the set on the first day of filming with a shaved head, which amazed Scheuring with the physical likeness of the series' two leading actors.

Production details

Ironically, Paul Adelstein, who plays Lincoln's nemesis for the first 35 episodes, Paul Kellerman, originally auditioned for the role of Lincoln.

External links

• Lincoln Burrows' biography at Fox.com