Prison Break might have featured some unforgettable villains among the prisoners in the show, but the main one was not a single person. Throughout the first two seasons of Prison Break, most of the plot was split between the surviving members of the Fox River Eight, who escaped Fox River Penitentiary with Michael and Lincoln. As the show progressed with more Prison Break seasons and a movie, it seemed to lose its edge, becoming more of a procedural drama that brought its main villain into the spotlight. However, this antagonist was more complex than any of the other Prison Break characters.
Most of the dangers faced by the main Prison Break characters came in the form of dangerous inmates, like the scene-stealing Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell, or sadistic and corrupt guards, like Brad Bellick. This allowed the show to explore different angles and expand on the characters’ backstories, which were often intriguing. That said, there was one overarching antagonist in Prison Break, which was harder to defeat than any other character, as it was an immensely powerful group. Prison Break‘s main villain was The Company, and they were a part of the show from the very beginning.
The Company Were The Overarching Villains of Prison Break
What Exactly Is The Company?
Prison Break‘s plot started comparatively simply, with Michael breaking into prison to help his brother escape. As the first season progressed, it was clear that Lincoln had been framed, which considerably expanded the world outside the prison. However, it was not one person framing Lincoln, but a group of people known as The Company. Prison Break kept The Company’s purpose and motivations relatively mysterious, but as the story progressed, so did the layers of corruption. Season 1 mostly pitted Michael and Lincoln against assassins, but by season 4, they were face to face with the head of The Company.
The Company in Prison Break is a top-secret group of unfathomably wealthy corporate alliances
Unfortunately for Prison Break, the villain reveal ruined the show, taking away the character-driven narrative that made it so compelling. The Company in Prison Break is a top-secret group of unfathomably wealthy corporate alliances, who influenced virtually every aspect of life, from major businesses to politics. General Jonathan Krantz ran The Company for most of Prison Break, with a team of five people, including his daughter, working directly for him. At the level below the top six people were federal agents and business leaders, who generally did as they were told, with some exceptions, like Kellerman.
Why The Company Orchestrated To Get Lincoln Burrows Arrested
The Company Is Linked To One Of Prison Break’s Most Shocking Twists
Michael and Lincoln’s father, Aldo Burrows, once worked for The Company. When he became aware of its corruption, he went rogue and began leaking information about Company dealings. One of the businesses Aldo tried to expose for corruption was Terrence Steadman’s fake company, EcoField. After leaking his information, Aldo went into hiding. To try and draw him out, The Company faked Steadman’s murder and framed Lincoln for it. Though the plan worked, with Also going to great lengths to save Lincoln from execution, its far-fetched nature is one of the harsh realities of rewatching Prison Break.
Michael’s mother is important in his escape, with his “Christ in a rose” tattoo revealing the name of his boat, “Christina Rose,” which is named after her.
The later seasons of Prison Break became notorious for their coincidences and unlikely twists, which undermined the phenomenal first two seasons. That said, Prison Break was still fun to watch, with plenty of surprises with every episode. One of the most unexpected things to happen in Prison Break was the reveal of its final villain, who was thought to be dead. Michael’s mother, Christina Rose Scofield, was revealed to be alive, a former Company executive, Lincoln’s resentful adoptive mother, and a major antagonist. Unfortunately, she was not given long enough to make her mark after an explosive few episodes.
What The Company’s Ultimate Goal In Prison Break Was
The Company Was One Of The Most Powerful Prison Break Villains (But Not The Best)
There were many things about The Company that Prison Break never truly explained, but The Company’s final goal involved controlling the economy throughout the world. This could be seen early on in The Company’s attempt to manipulate the US President, Caroline Reynolds. Caroline had an incestuous relationship with her brother, Terrence Steadman, who owned EcoField. By blackmailing her with this information, The Company had a pawn in the White House, with a large amount of power over the rest of the world. Reynolds might have escaped by resigning from the presidency, but it is unclear what happened to her afterward.
Prison Break Series’ Main Villains | ||
|---|---|---|
Series | Year | Main villains |
1 | 2005 | T-Bag, Bellick, The Company |
2 | 2006 | T-Bag, Mahone, The Company |
3 | 2007 | Lechero, The Company |
4 | 2008 | The Company |
The Final Break (movie) | 2009 | General Krantz, T-Bag |
5 | 2017 | Jacob Anton Ness a.k.a. Poseidon |
The Company was one of the most powerful villains in the Prison Break series, with seemingly limitless resources, multiple agents, and protection from the government. With Jonathan Krantz guarding his privacy so fiercely and rarely speaking on the phone in case his voice is recorded, he appeared to be untouchable, and it took help from the United Nations to take The Company down. That said, the best episodes in Prison Break involved the dangers posed by single villains like T-Bag, Gretchen, and Bellick, as they made more compelling characters than a group of largely interchangeable people.
What Happens To The Company And Scylla At The End Of Prison Break
The Company Could Return For The Prison Break Reboot (But It Would Be A Bad Idea)
The Company’s greatest weapon was the mysterious Scylla, which was a collection of formulas for advanced technology that could change the world. Though Michael’s team managed to get the codes from its six-person guarding system, the full potential for Scylla remained a mystery. After Kellerman was revealed to be alive and working for the United Nations, Michael handed Scylla over to the government, and General Krantz was arrested and put on death row. The head of The Company might have been put out of action, but it is unclear what happened to some of its operatives, though many are dead.
Related
Prison Break’s Reboot Will Fail If It Doesn’t Fix A Problem That The Original Show Never Figured Out
While Prison Break was one of the best crime thrillers of the 2000s, one aspect hasn’t aged well and must be fixed in a potential reboot.
With many members of The Company still alive and the potential for more secret operatives to be revealed, The Company could return as a main antagonist in the upcoming Prison Break reboot. That said, that would be a terrible idea. One of the best things about the original Prison Break series is the tightly woven escape plot, which relied on its characters to carry out. The best villains in Prison Break were unpredictable, like Gretchen, or thoroughly evil but indispensable, like T-Bag. Rather than bringing The Company back, the Prison Break reboot needs a single but formidable new villain.
Prison Break tells the story of two brothers who must unravel a political conspiracy while escaping from one of the most secure places on Earth. When petty criminal Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) is falsely convicted of murdering the Vice President’s brother, his own brother, Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller), has himself incarcerated in order to stage a daring prison break using the blueprints of the facility he has tattooed on his body.
- Release Date
-
August 29, 2005
- Cast
-
Curtis Lum
, Sarah Wayne Callies
, Marina Benedict
, Amin El Gamal
, Wentworth Miller
, Steve Mouzakis
, Dominic Purcell
, Bobby Naderi
, Christian Michael Cooper - Seasons
-
5
- Writers
-
Paul Scheuring
, Nick Santora - Directors
-
Paul Scheuring
- Showrunner
-
Paul Scheuring