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My name is Henry Morgan. My story is a long one. Something happened nearly two centuries ago and I was transformed. My life is just like yours...except for one small difference. It never ends. Every time I die, I always return in water, and I’m always naked. Now you know as much about my condition as I do. Over the years, you could say I've become a student of death. You see, I need to find a key to unlock my curse. So, I currently work for the New York City Medical Examiner’s office. It holds the largest collection of slightly-chilled corpses in the world. If your game is death, you go where the action is.

Dr. Henry Morgan is the main character, and male protagonist, of the ABC series Forever. He is New York City's best medical examiner; he is also immortal, though no one is aware of this minor detail except for his adopted son, Abraham Morgan, and the serial killer called Adam, who is likewise immortal.[1]

Biography[]

Dr. Henry Morgan is New York City's star medical examiner--and a man whose plight is the exact opposite of that of a normal human. While normal humans do everything they can to prolong their lives, Henry is a man who, no matter how hard he tries, cannot age even a single day--he is immortal. In addition, whilst he can (in a sense) "die", every time he dies, he always comes back, no matter how many times he dies and no matter how it is he dies: whether he is stabbed, shot, hung, poisoned, suffocated, hit by a car, electrocuted, gets his throat sliced, drowns in water, falls from great heights, even caught in an explosion, etc. Henry knows little about what happens when he "dies" except that everything on him disappears--his clothes and personal belongings--and he reemerges in a body of water, naked. The story has yet to elaborate on the cause of this phenomenon in either Henry's or Adam's cases.

Alongside NYPD Homicide Detective Jo Martinez, Henry uses his vast experience and two hundred years of medical knowledge to solve New York City's most intriguing homicide cases. Initially put off by Henry's presumptuous deductions, Jo has come to appreciate his expertise. As we enter the world of each victim and Henry unravels the unique natures of their deaths, layers of Henry's long and vibrant past are revealed. Despite his uncanny ability to dissect a person in seconds (not just bodies in the morgue) Henry spends most of his free time in his "medical lair" trying to find a means by which he can actually die, much to the chagrin of his adopted son Abe--the sole keeper of Henry’s secret.

Early Life[]

Henry was born September 19, 1779, and experienced his first death at the age of 34 on April 7, 1814.[ep 8] At some point prior to 1812, Henry joined the Diogenes Club in London (named for a fictional gentlemen's establishment created by Arthur Conan Doyle for Sherlock Holmes' older brother, Mycroft), where he learned of his father's participation in the slave trade. He subsequently severed all ties with his father, refusing to take anything paid for by slavery, although he did accept a family heirloom pocketwatch on his father's deathbed. [ep 14] He signed on as a doctor aboard the slave ship called "The Empress of Africa" planning to steal the key to the shackles and cells and help the slaves take over the ship and escape[ep 18]. Henry was murdered by the captain with a flintlock pistol when he refused to stand aside and allow the murder of an ill captive. His body was thrown overboard, which may explain why he reemerges in water.[ep 1] Henry believed that he was cursed because he failed to free the slaves when the "Empress of Africa" foundered. However, Henry later learned that one of the slaves got the key when it fell from Henry's own dead/dying hand, and led a successful revolt against the crew; the Africans were able to make their way to freedom in the North.[ep 18]

Return Home[]

In 1815, Henry returned home to his wife, Nora. Though overjoyed by his return, Nora persistently tried to find out what happened. Eventually, Henry relented and told her of his immortality. He tried to prove it to her, ready to kill himself by slitting his wrists, but she stopped him, claiming she now believed his story. However, Nora believed Henry to be insane and, fearful that he would hurt himself because of his "delusion," had him committed to an insane asylum.[ep 8] At the asylum he underwent a "hydrotherapy", which was similar to waterboarding.[citation needed]

Note: The wagon that took Henry away had "Charing Cross Asylum" painted on it,[ep 8] and a later title card gives the same name for the asylum Henry was confined in. In real life, Charing Cross Hospital was not built until 1821.[citation needed] The doctor who spoke with Nora mentioned Bedlam,[ep 8] which is a nickname used for Bethlem Royal Hospital Asylum, which was built in the 14th century, but it was also used as a generic term for an insane asylum.[citation needed]

Southwark Prison[]

In 1816, Henry was transferred to Southwark Prison, where he shared a cell with a Catholic priest imprisoned for sleeping with the magistrate's wife. During his three months with the priest, Henry told him of his immortality and how it was a curse. The priest told Henry that his 'curse' was a gift, and talked him into escaping by hanging himself. The ceiling was too low for a quick death hanging himself on his own, but the priest's math indicated that their weight together would be enough to break Henry's neck cleanly. The priest acknowledged he would likely be punished for helping Henry escape, but thought it worth the cost, and recommended Henry go far away and start over once he was free. Henry was able to escape, to the priest's delighted astonishment.[ep 13]

Travels in Canada[]

Henry spent several years in Canada. Abe mentions Henry dying in a powder keg explosion on a Hudson's Bay Company ship in 1843, and in an avalanche (his second) in the Klondike in 1857.[Ep18]

Reunion with Nora[]

In 1865, Henry was working at a hospital in London where he saved a boy from a fire. After his picture was published in the paper, Henry's now-aged wife Nora showed up; seeing him still looking as young as he did when he returned home, she now believed Henry to be immortal. Henry spoke with her, but refused to acknowledge that he was her husband nor that he was immortal. Nora declared his immortality to be a gift from God and that the whole world should know about it, while Henry insisted it be kept a secret. A little later a nurse, Anne, with whom Henry had become romantically involved, came to tell Henry that Nora was back and making trouble. Nora appeared with a gun, intending to shoot Henry and prove that he is immortal. However, Anne jumped into the line of fire, sacrificing her own life and preventing Nora from killing Henry. Henry then watched as Nora was taken away for the murder.[ep 17]

Jack the Ripper Case[]

In 1888, Henry assisted Scotland Yard Inspector Frederick Abberline in investigating Jack the Ripper's latest victim, Mary Kelly, on Dorset Street. Henry also mentioned that "before Jack the Ripper, Medical Examiners didn't exist." Thus when he examined the body of Mary Kelly, it could have possibly made him the world's first medical examiner.[ep 6]

In 1906, Henry worked a New York hospital alongside a fellow doctor, James Carter. However, James contracted tuberculosis. Henry treated him with a variety of treatments, but was unable to cure him before he passed away.[ep 3]

World War II[]

During World War II, Henry was a British Army doctor. He was at Normandy beach where he was hit by a shell.[ep 10] At a German internment camp, he met a nurse named Abigail, whom he assisted in saving an infant she had found.[ep 1] Henry and Abigail began a relationship and adopted the baby, naming him Abraham, or Abe, for short. However, when Henry learned that Abigail had been attacked by a soldier, he confronted the man and a fight ensued, ultimately resulting in Henry being stabbed to death. Abigail witnessed him disappearing and so learned he was immortal. Henry attempted to leave, feeling that Abe and Abigail would be better off without him; however, Abigail told Henry she didn't care that he was immortal and that she wanted to be with him. Henry agreed to stay and the pair eventually married.

Orient Express[]

In 1955, Henry and Abigail went on the Orient Express for their honeymoon. When they reached Romania, Henry was then asked to help save Prince Armen Arnov of Urkesh when his appendix burst. Henry was successful in saving the prince's life, and his father, the King of Urkesh, thanked him by treating Henry and Abigail to dinner and giving Henry his ring.[ep 15] In 1956, Henry and Abigail then met Gloria Carlisle at an art museum.[ep 4] In 1957, Henry started to apply grey to his hair, to make him look older along side his wife. However, Henry, Abigail and Abe are forced to move when a man recognizes Henry.[ep 10]

In 1965, Henry was reluctant to allow Abe to join the US army in the Vietnam War, but was convinced to let him go.[ep 12]

Losing Abigail[]

In 1985, Abigail disappeared at the age of 64, leaving Henry a "Dear John" letter. Henry was deeply affected by her disappearance and attempted to track her down for some time before Abe told him to let it go, confiscating the resources Henry was using to try and find Abigail. However, Abe secretly saved Henry's research in a storage facility. He eventually managed to track Abigail down in 2015, to find that she was kidnapped by Adam and killed herself April 7, 1985 in an attempt to save Henry from being hunted down by Adam.

Personality[]

Equipped with two-hundred years' worth of knowledge and a lifetime of experience, Henry has managed not just to acquire genius-level observational and logical reasoning skills, but also a deeper insight into the struggles and mundanities of life. For the better part of his immortality, his acquired erudition allows him to be extremely adept in his job as a medical examiner. The downside, however, is that he is forced to watch all his loved ones die in a way that he never could, leaving him nothing but the memories to cling to for comfort. In fact, it might be this precise reason why Henry has a tendency to keep to himself (as evidenced by the number of times he has rejected his co-worker's offers to spend time together): he is simply tired of watching the people he cares about go somewhere he cannot follow.

Henry is loyal and is dedicated to his work to the point where, when he was a doctor, he actually quit because he chose to protect his own secret over saving someone's life. Henry viewed this as a serious violation of the "Do no harm" oath that all doctors are required to take, and changed his field of specialty as a direct result. Regardless of this, he is still empathetic and understanding.

Memorable Quotes[]

Main article: /Quotes

Trivia[]

  • He is immortal.
    • Henry was 34 years of age when he first discovered that he was immortal, in 1814.
    • His tombstone lists his date of birth as September 19, 1779, and his date of death as April 7, 1814.
    • Also worthy of note about Henry is that he keeps on him the 300-year-old pocket watch given to him by his father, a time-piece that was already being handed down from generation to generation before he was born.[ep 14]
  • Residence & Occupation:
    • He and Abraham live above the antiques shop, Abe's Antiques, that Abraham Morgan maintains, and Henry has a laboratory in the basement..
    • He works at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York (OCME).
    • He used to be a practicing physician.
    • Nobody asks Henry Morgan on-screen when he actually joined the Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York, but Lucas says in the pilot they've been working together for three years, and Liz says his fake records appeared in the system six years ago.
  • Relationships:
    • He was married at least twice, and then widowed: first when his first wife Nora presumably died of old age, and second when his wife Abigail slit her own throat in an effort to escape from Adam and protect Henry.
      • Nora never remarried after Henry escaped from Southwark Prison in 1816. She was possibly taken to an asylum or prison after she accidentally murdered Henry's nurse Anne in 1865 when she tried to prove that Henry was her husband who was truly immortal.[ep 17] She most likely died following that incident.
      • He went on his honeymoon with Abigail on the Orient Express in 1955, having proposed after meeting Gloria Carlisle.
      • He and Jo have a special bond. They both lost someone and understand each other. Their relationship is made of banter, sarcasm and friendship to grow into deep affection (hints toward romantic feelings[ep 19] [ep 20] [ep 21] [ep 22]) as the season goes on.
    • He and Molly Dawes had a date and he told her she was "being courted." After a close brush with losing her to a stalker, Henry broke it off out of fear of getting closer and then losing her.[ep 16]
  • Languages:
    • He knows the Russian language[ep 15] and, presumably, can read Cyrillic.
    • He has demonstrated an extensive knowledge of Latin, Greek and Urkesh.[ep 15] (Presumably, he is well versed in other cultures and languages as well.)
    • He knows at least enough Japanese to recognize that Ojisan means not just "man" but "uptight, straightlaced man". He leaves translating the Frenchman's client list to Abe, but whether this is because Abe's Japanese is better, or just efficient division of labor, is unclear.
    • He seems to have at least a limited knowledge of German.[ep 14]
  • Other:
    • He claims to have perfect pitch.[ep 9] This is the ability to identify and reproduce a given pitch; it does not necessarily make someone a good singer, but is usually associated with musical ability.

Gallery[]

See also[]

Forever Characters
Main Characters
Henry MorganJo MartinezLucas WahlMike HansonJoanna ReeceAbraham Morgan
Recurring Characters
AdamAbigail MorganNora MorganIsaac MonroeMolly Dawes

External links[]

References[]

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