Paul Kellerman
Paul Kellerman | |
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Kristine Kellerman (sister) Unnamed daughter | |
Spouse | Cindy (ex-partner) |
Paul Kellerman, also known as Owen Kravecki, is a fictional character from the
Arc
Background
After graduating with honors from
Although he had a promising future in the military, he received a better offer from the federal government: a leadership position within the Secret Service, and was soon assigned to
Season 1
Along with his partner and long-time friend
The second part of the season often finds Kellerman at odds with
Season 2
Kellerman's role is larger in the second season. His first appearance is in the episode "
In "
Following these events, Kellerman grows increasingly bitter. After he helps to obtain an audio file that could exonerate Lincoln in the episode "Bad Blood", Kellerman is abandoned by Sara and the brothers and instead decides to seek revenge on his own terms. He obtains a sniper rifle in "Wash" and attempts to kill President Reynolds, but is unsuccessful. His character comes full circle when his suicide attempt fails and he calls his long estranged sister Kristine in the episode "
Season 4
Paul Adelstein resumes his role as Kellerman for the series finale. Kellerman is revealed to be alive, having been freed by people working for Aldo Burrows. Now fully changed, the character plays a critical role in the episode, providing crucial help to bring down The Company. In the series epilogue set four years later, Kellerman is shown to have become a popular Congressman who is running for president. As a reminder of his past, however, the widow of his former partner Hale approaches him and spits in his face, after which he looks remorseful for his past deeds.
Season 5
In the second episode of Season 5, Kellerman is shown to be working for the US State Department as a director. Sara goes to the State Department to report Michael as a US citizen missing after Lincoln sends her a video proving that Michael is still alive and incarcerated in Yemen. Kellerman offers assistance with enlightening Sara as to Michael's whereabouts over the past 7 years, and explains that someone is trying to erase Michael from history. Later in Season 5, Sara believes Kellerman to be the one pulling the strings as Poseidon, and enlists T-Bag to obtain information from him. Kellerman is shown talking on the phone to his ex-wife, discussing custody of his daughter, when Bagwell breaks into his home and holds him at gunpoint. Kellerman explains that he is not in fact Poseidon, but due to his history working in the government, is familiar with him. During the interrogation, Kellerman is shot in his chest through a window, and Bagwell flees. The gunman and Kellerman have a brief interaction, culminating in Kellerman being shot off-screen.
Characteristics
Throughout the series Kellerman is depicted as someone who believes what he is doing is for the good of the country. In one of the first-season episodes he remarks to then-Vice President Reynolds that everything he has done has been for her, her family and most importantly this country. He plays both the villain and the ally in the series and portrays characteristics of both parts. Although perceived to be a cold-blooded killer, he loves his sister very much, and shows reluctance to carry out Mr. Kim's operations. Furthermore, according to Paul Adelstein, who portrays Paul Kellerman, the character's moral compass told him that Reynolds was the best leader for the country, and that anything or anyone who jeopardizes her position must be eliminated, "He is a patriot, if a misguided one. If a few people have to die to ensure her status, so be it."[4]
There is a clear difference to his portrayal throughout the series. In the first season, Kellerman was not only a cold-blooded murderer but also consistently cruel. The best example of this is in the episode Tweener where Kellerman, after having assisted in the murder of L.J. Burrows' mother, taunts the boy about his mom's death. [citation needed]
In the second season, however, Kellerman is portrayed as more human. He starts to object to the taking of innocent people's lives, and shows genuine remorse when he is ordered to kill Sara Tancredi. We are also introduced to his sister, whom Kellerman clearly loves very much.
In the fourth season, he returns as a Congressman of great influence, well loved by the press and seemingly fighting corruption in the government, almost being completely the opposite of where he started out in the series. He eventually becomes the key person to exonerate every member of Donald Self's team, except for
Conceptual history
Concept and creation
The character was initially conceived to be a merely stereotypical villain. Show creator Paul Scheuring comments that the complexity Adelstein has added to Kellerman's character has convinced the writers to make the character more of a regular and a fulcrum of the second season's second half.[4] Paul Adelstein initially auditioned for the role of Lincoln Burrows. Scheuring said the Burrows character needed to possess heart and yet be a physically imposing presence in prison. Adelstein portrayed a vulnerability that sufficiently impressed the directors to hire Adelstein for the role of Kellerman.[4]
The fate of Kellerman
Before the season two finale aired, Adelstein said in a TV Guide article that, "There's a cliff-hanger to Kellerman's story line in the finale, and I think there will be some passionate discussion about exactly what happened. It's not really ambiguous, but it's still open to various interpretations."[5]
According to issue #4 of the Official Prison Break Magazine, writer and co-producer Karyn Usher discussed Paul Kellerman. When asked about his fate, she replied "...this is Prison Break, and I wouldn't be surprised if Kellerman appeared again."
An easter egg on the Season Two DVD release, in part a slideshow of all the characters that had been killed on the show, did not include Kellerman.
Nick Santora said in an interview that he can't reveal anything about Kellerman's current state and possible comeback: "That's not how it works. It's not up to Paul Adelstein… He is under contract to a show, they own his services. As for confirming his death, I cannot confirm or deny that. Sorry but I am not allowed to do that, could cost me my job."
The final episode of Season 4 reveals that Kellerman was not killed. However, the character was ultimately killed off during the fourth episode of season 5.
References
- ^ Indicated by the tabs and the silver oak leaves on the shoulders of his uniform in S02E21, "Fin Del Camino" ("End of the Road")
- ^ Indicated by the medals displayed in S02E21, "Fin Del Camino" ("End of the Road")
- Chicago", Kellerman asks President Reynolds' impersonator a personal question about the restaurant at which they spent his (Kellerman's) 35th birthday.
- ^ a b c Manly, L, "His Character Pursues Fugitives, an Actor Breaks Out Too". The New York Times. Jan 22, 2007. Retrieved on March 1, 2007.
- ^ Wayne Jones, Arnold, "Preview: Prison Break's Game-changing Season Finale! ". TV Guide. April 2, 2007 . Retrieved on April 4, 2007.
External links
- Ryan, M, "Getting out was the easy part: Season 2 of 'Prison Break'", Chicago Tribune. August 18, 2006.