Samuel Braithwhite was a minor character and the overarching antagonist in Lovecraft Country. He was portrayed by Tony Goldwyn.
He was the patriarch of his family, who views people as assets and objects and outsiders including his daughter Christina as inferiors.
History[]
Biography[]
Samuel is a distant cousin of Ardham's founder, and the original owner of the Sons of Adam Lodge, Titus Braithwhite. Upon inheriting the land, Samuel decided to use it for his summer home, and never installed telephone lines so as not to be disturbed by the business that hounds him most of the year.[1]
Throughout the Series[]
Season 1[]
Samuel meets with Atticus through an arrangement made by Christina. Samuel undergoes a painful surgery while awake to have an organ removed. Samuel is sewn up following his surgery. He gets to his feet and remarks that Atticus is darker than he expected. He points to one of his favorite paintings of Adam, by Josef Tannhauser. He entitled it "Genesis 2:19." Tannhauser's version details how in naming these creatures, Adam is assigning them their final form and putting them in their place. At the dawn of time, everything was the way it should be, but then Eve brought entropy and death into the world. Samuel compares himself to Adam and says that he’s worked a long time to return to Paradise.
Samuel hosts a dinner with the other lodge members. They’re founder, Titus Braithwhite, was a son of a son, and they follow in his image just as he followed in the first son’s. As Adam gave of his rib to create Eve, so did Titus give of himself to empower the founding members of the Order. So Samuel honors him by giving a piece of himself over — his organ that was removed during the surgery is to be eaten by the lodge members.
George came across the bylaws for the Order of the Ancient Dawn. Usually, the Order wouldn’t admit a black man but there’s a loophole. Men who are direct descendants of Titus Braithwhite are automatically high ranking members known as sons among sons, who can give orders to regular members. He believes that Atticus is the last blood heir of Titus Braithwhite. So Atticus orders everyone but Samuel to leave. Atticus then tells Samuel to return his father. Samuel explains that he isn’t a zealot. The limits of his belief in tradition and ceremony stop at the fact that the others believe it. Titus used the Book of Names to spell his body to be more powerful, and Atticus is a reservoir of that power. Diluted and tainted, but still useful.
Having Learned that Atticus, Leti, and George rescued Montrose, Samuel and Christina spelled an invisible barrier near the bridge. The Freemans crash into the barrier, and Samuel and Christina approach them. Samuel shoots Leti, who bleeds out in a matter of seconds.Samuel then gives Atticus a choice of who he will shoot next. When Atticus doesn’t choose, he shoots George.
Upon Atticus agreeing to participate in the ceremony, Samuel brings Leti back to life and agrees to heal George after the ceremony. Atticus acts as a conduit for Samuel's ceremony. He stands in between three conductors as a door to the Garden of Eden opens. Unfortunately, the ceremony destroys the lodge in the process. As Samuel recites the spell, Hanna appears on the other side of the portal and derails the ceremony, turning Samuel and the other lodge members to stone.[1]
Personality[]
Samuel was a well respected man in his field, though he was very conceited and consumed with his work. He thought little of his daughter Christina and made it his life's mission to gain access to the Garden of Eden and thus achieve true immortality.
Physical Appearance[]
Samuel was a middle-aged white man with blue eyes and blond hair. He often wore glasses and high-end attire.
Relationships[]
- Christina Braithwhite - Samuel's daughter, who holds little importance to him when compared to the Order of the Ancient Dawn and their mission to access the Garden of Eden.
Appearances[]
- Season One
Quotes[]
At the dawn of time, just for a moment, everything was where and as it should be... from God to man to woman, down to the lowliest wriggling creature. It was Nirvana.
Samuel to Atticus, Whitey's on the Moon
I am not a zealot, Mr. Freeman. The limits of my belief in tradition and ceremony stop at the fact that the others believe it. Titus used the Book of Names to spell his body to be more powerful, and you're a reservoir of that power, diluted, no doubt, and also tainted somewhat, but still useful for the work I have to do.
Samuel to Atticus, Whitey's on the Moon
Gallery[]
