Lincoln Burrows

Infobox Prison Break character


caption =
name = Lincoln Burrows
first appearance = Pilot
first appearance num = S1E01
last appearance =
last appearance num =
season = 1, 2, 3, 4

Episode Count = 64
portrayer = Dominic Purcell
Max Kirsch (young Lincoln Burrows)
Hunter Jablonski (young Lincoln Burrows)
alias = Link the Sink
Archie Ryan (S2E01)
occupation =
family = Aldo Burrows (father) (deceased)
Christina Rose Scofield (mother) (deceased)
LJ Burrows (son)
Michael Scofield (brother)
relationships = Lisa Rix (ex-girlfriend)(deceased)
Veronica Donovan (ex-girlfriend) (deceased) Sofia Lugo (girlfriend)

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.

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.Australian Associated Press, " [http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/prison-break-success-shocks-creator/2006/01/27/1138319425109.html Prison Break success shocks creator] ", "Sydney Morning Herald". January 27, 2006. Retrieved on April 7, 2007.] Dominic Purcell was cast for the role just three days before the start of production of the series pilot. [Mitovich, M. W., " [http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Interviews-Features/Article/default.aspx?posting={78454B46-D7A3-4CB1-A6D8-8C0808FF1F71} Prison Break DVD News, Season 2 Preview!] ", "TV Guide". August 8, 2006. Retrieved on April 7, 2007.]

Background

After their mother's 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. [ [http://www.fox.com/prisonbreak/bios/bio_burrows.htm Lincoln Burrows' biography] "Fox Broadcasting Company".] 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.Ryan, M, " [http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-050824prisonbreak,0,1650127.story Joliet prison is a 'Break'-out star] ", "The Chicago Tribune". August 24, 2005. Retrieved on April 7, 2007.] 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 and 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 and 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.

eason 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 Micheal. they meet Donald Self a homeland security agent, who gives him along with Micheal, 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.

Production details

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

References

External links

* [http://www.fox.com/prisonbreak/bios/bio_burrows.htm Lincoln Burrows' biography] at Fox.com