Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell is a fictional character from the American television series Prison Break. Played by Robert Knepper, he is part of the main group of characters in the series and is part of the Fox River Eight. 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 (Wentworth Miller), at Fox River State Penitentiary. As the leader of a white supremacist group, T-Bag is the most villainous member of the Fox River Eight. 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. The character has appeared in A&E's Breakout Kings, portrayed by Knepper. A younger version of the character, played by Michael Gohlke, appeared in one episode via a flashback sequence in "Bad Blood".
Characterisation
Despite being despised by the other convicts for his heinous crimes and affiliation with the Alliance for Purity, T-Bag is quite eloquent and many women find him charismatic and charming. Knepper comments that, "T-Bag's not crazy. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's not going to make himself stupid."Ryan, M, "Robert Knepper: The bad boy gets the best lines ." Chicago Tribune. March 16, 2006. Retrieved on March 2, 2007. In a separate interview, Knepper says, "I never play him like a stereotypical racist or redneck. He's actually quite cunning and smart."Fonseca, N, "T-Bag... and no sympathy ." Entertainment Weekly. December 2, 2005. Retrieved on March 2, 2007. He likens the character to "Truman Capote without a degree."Jensen, J, "Pro Cons: Theodore 'T-Bag' Bagwell ." Entertainment Weekly. March 16, 2006. Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
As an adult, T-Bag starts committing serious crimes, such as battery, assault, attempted murder, murder, rape, and kidnapping. It is also insinuated that he is a pedophile, and it is implied once in passing that he is also a necrophiliac. The character's sexual appetite ranges from in general, young men and women, adolescents, and children. The character once seduced a transgender woman within the prison at the behest of Sucre so as to obtain a pair of female undergarments necessary for a ruse; yet previously mocked the individual, stating 'I may be social, but that's the boundary line even I won't cross.' When asked about the character's sexuality, Knepper stated, "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 said of fans of the series, "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.""Criminal Minds ." Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
During season four T-Bag starts showing disillusionment with his actions, even saying that he wishes that he could have been Cole Pfeiffer, respected salesman and person. He shows reluctance to undertake disturbing tasks. He shows emotion and is upset after receiving the news of Bellick's death. He does not want to take GATE hostage and reacts emotionally when Gretchen kills Gregory White, his employer and only true friend. He demonstrated authentic reluctance to kill Gretchen's family or the Bible Salesman/Company Agent. He eventually offers to even release him, at great risk to his personal freedom and lets Gretchen's family go. In the fall finale, T-Bag is the main party against Lincoln killing Gretchen, citing her being a mother as a reason, which can be seen as significant as she had tried to kill him not more than a few days earlier.
During press for the revival season, Knepper himself stated that he doesn't like talking about the heinous crimes for which T-Bag was initially imprisoned. E!. Retrieved on June 25, 2017.
Storylines Season 1
Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell is the leader of the Aryan gang inside Fox River. A racist and a pedophile, he is detested by most other inmates, such as John Abruzzi (Peter Stormare) and Benjamin Miles "C-Note" Franklin (Rockmond Dunbar), but his status within the Alliance for Purity protects him from attacks. Upon the arrival of Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) at Fox River, Bagwell wants to ensnare him as his sex slave, but is unsuccessful. During a race riot in episode "Allen", his cellmate and lover is fatally wounded. Believing Scofield was responsible, Bagwell seeks revenge but is stopped by Abruzzi, who has his goons assault him, sending him to the infirmary after which the character is absent for two episodes. When he returns in the episode "Riots, Drills and the Devil", Bagwell instigates a full-scale riot, during which he accidentally learns of the escape attempt and threatens to tell the other inmates if Michael and the others do not include him; the others have no choice but to agree. At the end of the riot, Bagwell defies the orders of Michael and Abruzzi and murders a guard that could expose the escape. He later frames his friend and fellow Aryan gang member Trokey for the murder. Following this, Bagwell becomes a fully-fledged member of the escape team in the episode "The Old Head", blackmailing them to include him.
Bagwell is initially an endless source of friction on the escape team, testing the others' patience with racist taunts, and is a constant strain on Michael's conscience. Throughout the season, T-Bag is shown as having a sexual interest in other inmates, and coerces his new cellmate Seth into a sexual relationship. After Seth hangs himself, Bagwell moves on to harass newly arrived inmate Tweener, who had alienated himself among Fox River's prison population. Michael, who was feeling guilty about Seth's death, finally confronts Bagwell with a crowbar to the knee and tells him to leave Tweener alone. In the following episodes, friction continues to increase between Bagwell and the other members of the escape team. When the group discovers that they have one too many for a successful escape, Abruzzi gives Bagwell an ultimatum in the episode "Odd Man Out": back out of the escape or die. Bagwell also learns that his cousin James Bagwell and his son had been killed and is deeply upset. Knowing that Abruzzi was behind it, Bagwell seeks revenge, and slashes Abruzzi's throat with a razor blade in a failed attempt to kill him. Bagwell is among six inmates included in the first unsuccessful escape attempt in the episode "End of the Tunnel".
Bagwell is more loyal to the team in the season's later episodes, contributing to keep the escape tunnel hidden and engaging in reluctant relations with a transvestite inmate to further the escape plan. In the episode "Bluff" his skills at rigging a deck of cards also help the team. Upon learning in "The Key" that Abruzzi has returned to the prison, Bagwell is frightened and makes a second attempt on Abruzzi's life but is stopped by C-Note, who reminds him that Abruzzi is providing their transportation. Abruzzi claims to have forgiven Bagwell, but the characters keep a wary eye on each other for the rest of the season. In the final episode of the season, Bagwell escapes from Fox River along with Michael, Abruzzi, C-Note, Tweener, and three other inmates. In order to ensure his safety, he handcuffs himself to Michael, knowing that it will keep Abruzzi from killing him. Abruzzi gets his revenge when he cuts off Bagwell's cuffed hand with an axe, seriously wounding him and leaving him for dead. Despite this, Bagwell survives and eludes capture. His last scene of the season features the character staggering through the woods with his severed hand tucked into his armpit.
Season 2
Bagwell has his hand reattached by a veterinary surgeon named Dr. Marvin Gudat, whom he murders afterwards. Bagwell then bleaches his hair to change his appearance, and begins his four episode long journey to Utah, to locate the money Charles Westmoreland had hidden there. In the fifth, sixth and seventh episodes, he rejoins part of the main cast as the group of five fugitives dig for Westmoreland's five million dollars under a garage. Bagwell tricks the other fugitives, stealing all the money, and sets out to find Susan Hollander, the woman who betrayed him. From the eighth episode onwards, Bagwell's storyline separates from the main plot, which concerns the protagonists escaping and later deciding to solve the conspiracy. In the following episode, "Unearthed", Bagwell arrives at Hollander's house, which has been vacated and is for sale. He is captured at the house by Brad Bellick (Wade Williams) and Roy Geary (Matt DeCaro) after hiding the five million dollars in a locker at a bus station. The next episode follows Bellick and Geary's torture of Bagwell as they try to discover where he has hidden the money. During the torture, the key to the locker that Bagwell had hidden in his sock falls out. The three men scuffle to retrieve it. Bagwell grabs the key and swallows it. Bellick and Geary tie Bagwell to a toilet in the house and shove Copenhagen tobacco in his mouth, along with laxatives. Bagwell passes the key, which has the location information on it. They clean it up, and use plastic handcuffs to attach his wrist to a radiator. Bagwell escapes from the cuff in "Bolshoi Booze" by re-severing his hand. Geary betrays Bellick and takes the money to an upscale hotel. Bagwell, having placed a tracking device in the bag, tracks it down and kills Geary by smashing his head with a champagne bottle. Before leaving with the money, Bagwell frames Bellick for Geary's murder, by placing Bellick's credit card receipt in Geary's dead, bloody hand. In the "fall finale" episode "The Killing Box" the last episode to air for 2006 in the United States, Bagwell sees a Vietnam war vet in a bar, who has a prosthetic hand. It's implied that Bagwell killed the man, as in his next scene of the episode, Bagwell is in possession of the prosthetic hand. He then takes advantage of a postal worker with his wily charms to gain access to Susan Hollander's new address. The postal worker genuinely likes Bagwell, until she recognizes him from a Wanted poster on the wall. Ever the survivalist, Bagwell eliminates her.