Prison Break: Who Were The Fox River Eight, Explained

Prison Break might have turned into a show about huge government conspiracies, but the original appeal of the series was Michael Schofield, the Fox River Eight, and what happened to them. The series followed Michael, who intentionally got himself caught during a bank robbery just so he could be thrown into Fox River Penitentiary. That happened to be the same jail as his brother, Lincoln Burrows, who was on death row for the murder of the Vice President’s brother. Michael counted on this in order to break his brother out.

Since Michael is an architect who helped build the prison, he was able to get his hands on Fox River Penitentiary’s blueprints. Michael tattooed the prison’s blueprints on his whole body, which helped him inside the prison’s walls. However, Michael made both friends and enemies in prison who learned about this plan, and they joined him on his great escape. They were known as the Fox River Eight. Two other inmates, Charles Westmoreland and Manche Sanchez, were almost part of the Fox River Eight, but Westmoreland was fatally wounded and Sanchez was caught during the break.

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Michael Scofield

Portrayed By Wentworth Miller

The mastermind behind the prison break, Michael Scofield, had to overcome a lot of obstacles to be completely free. Though not a criminal by nature, Michael passed himself off as a failed bank robber in order to be incarcerated with his brother so he could then break him out. With the help of his tattoos, Michael had all the information he needed for his escape plan at the ready. He also had to develop a relationship with the prison’s doctor, Sara Tancredi, to get access to the infirmary, but that relationship developed into a genuine romance.

While Michael was one of the Fox River Eight who managed to remain under the radar for a while, sadly, he did end up getting captured again after being caught by the authorities trying to flee with Lincoln and Sara (season 2, episode 22). Imprisoned in Panama at the beginning of season 3 and facing several great challenges, Michael was forced into another prison break by The Company, who had devious plans to take control of the USA’s economy and wanted one of their operatives out too.

Given Michael’s pure heart, it’s not surprising that he created a plan to outsmart them. Not only did he use their resources to break out of Panama prison in season 3, but he also got the upper hand once again in season 4 when Michael gave their device, Scylla, to the U.N., to secure his and several Fox River Eight members freedom. Unfortunately, it appeared that Michael wouldn’t get his happy ending as he died helping Sara escape in The Final Break.

Given that Sara and Michael’s romance stole the show since season 1, it was devastating to see them end this way, so it wasn’t surprising that there was a revival series that came seven years after the original series ended. In season 5, it’s revealed that Michael didn’t die but was thrown into a Yemeni prison after being framed for murder (just like Lincoln was five seasons earlier). However, this time, Lincoln, Franklin, Sucre, and even T-Bag, are the ones helping Michael escape, and he eventually gets his happy ending with Sara and their son, Mike.

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Lincoln Burrows

Portrayed By Dominic Purcell

Lincoln Burrows was framed for the murder of the Vice President of the United States’ brother, and as a result, he was put on death row. It’s revealed in season 4 that Lincoln’s incarceration was part of a government cover-up to keep The Company’s identity a total secret. Prison Break’s original plan was going to be much different.

Although there are tons of episodes, a TV movie, and a revival series, it was originally going to be a limited series, which would have ended once Michael broke Lincoln free. However, Linc’s story barely even started by the end of Prison Break season 1. Once they escape Fox penitentiary, Lincoln accompanies his brother in searching for Westmoreland’s money and trying to clear their names.

Lincoln achieved that by the end of season 4, and after taking down The Company, he’s exonerated in return for Scylla. Years later, Linc owns a scuba shop, something that he and Michael had talked about doing while in prison, and it was the most satisfying end to season 4 there could have been given that he’d gone through four years of suffering. But it came with the price of Michael’s supposed death.

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Fernando Sucre

Portrayed By Amaury Nolasco

Fernando Sucre was sentenced to jail after he robbed a liquor store, but it wasn’t entirely his fault, as he was pressured into it by Hector (who then called the cops on him). He was introduced as Michael’s cellmate, with the two forming a quick bond. However, when Sucre learns of Michael’s plan to escape he asks to transfer cells so that he doesn’t get more time added to his short sentence. When Sucre finds out that his girlfriend is getting anxious about their future, he decides to break out to be with her.

Sucre was the lovable romantic, and he decided not to search for Westmoreland’s money in Utah and go after the love of his life instead. Unfortunately, he couldn’t escape being tied to Michael and the conspiracy surrounding Lincoln. But along with the rest of the team, Sucre was exonerated by Kellerman in season 4 and got the happy ending he deserved. And he very briefly returned in the revival, as Sucre helped Lincoln save Michael.

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Charles Patoshik

Portrayed By Silas Weir Mitchell

Charles “Haywire” Patoshik was imprisoned after shooting his parents dead. Haywire got lucky when he became Michael’s cellmate in Prison Break, as Michael had no other choice but to recruit him into the crew. Initially, Haywire has no interest in escaping so Michael has to work his plan around his intrusive roommate. After Haywire notices patterns and hidden things in Michael’s tattoos, Michael has him transferred to the psychiatric ward. However, when Michael loses part of his tattoo, he relies on Haywire to remember it.

After escaping, Haywire attempted to flee to Holland, but he was caught by Mahone after killing an abusive father who reminded him of his own (season 2, episode 16). He jumped to his death to avoid going back to Fox River. His death was one of the hardest-to-watch moments, as Haywire was easily manipulated and had a pure heart. If he stayed on longer, he could have become one of the best Prison Break characters.

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John Abruzzi

Played By Peter Stormare

John Abruzzi was another member of the Fox River Eight, who managed the prison and bribed several of the staff to his side. Since he had connections, Michael needed the mob boss to escape with him as Abruzzi could provide the plane following the escape. He was also an essential member of the team inside the prison as he organized the various work details that allowed the escapees to move about the prison as they needed.

While he managed to escape, Abruzzi was one of the first to get caught when he attempted to get revenge on Fibonacci, killed by the FBI (season 2, episode 4). Abruzzi’s death was bittersweet, as he immediately became hated when he cut off Michael’s small toe (season 1, episode 2) but he grew into an anti-hero and became surprisingly lovable.

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Benjamin Franklin

Portrayed By Rockmond Dunbar

Benjamin “C-Note” Franklin turned to crime when he struggled to find a job after being dishonorably discharged by the U.S. Army. However, that discharge was a result of his attempt to uncover the army illegally torturing detainees. While the other prisoners who were part of the Fox River Eight were there because they were needed as part of the plan or simply got lucky, C-Note got his place by being smart enough to discover Michael’s plan and blackmail his way into being included.

After escaping, C-Note came so close to incarceration and even death several times as the FBI knew he’d try to be close to his family (with Mahone ordered by The Company to blackmail C-Note when he captured him, promising the safety of his family providing he take his own life). However, another FBI agent offered to enter C-Note into the Witness Protection Programme in exchange for a testimony against Mahone. C-Note accepts and it’s the first time a Fox River Eight member was written off with a happy ending.

Unfortunately, his life is in danger in season 4 when Internal Affairs doesn’t follow through on the Witness Protection deal. The character ultimately gets exonerated with the Scylla deal and becomes a UPS driver. He also seems to be happy in Prison Break’s revival series, where it’s revealed that he found peace within himself.

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Theodore Bagwell

Portrayed By Robert Knepper

Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell was thrown in prison in Alabama for kidnapping, rape, and murder, but was transferred to Fox River when his prison gang became too powerful. He became a part of the Fox River Eight when he found the hole behind the sink in Michael’s cell. Between searching for Westmoreland’s money, becoming a telesales expert, and returning to a life of crime, T-Bag’s course changed so many times following the prison break, as his subplots were mostly separate from the main story. But he ultimately ended up getting caught and sent back to Fox Penitentiary (The Final Break).

However, T-Bag was released in the revival series. Despite his vile past, T-Bag has a redemption arc, as he helps Sara and Michael, and it’s revealed that T-Bag, unexpectedly, has a long-lost son in Prison Break. Although he ends up back in Fox River, he’s put in a cell with his son’s murderer (at Michael’s request) and gets his revenge. Given that T-Bag was a vulgar and despicable inmate, killing guards and giving others no other choice but to kill themselves, somewhat redeeming the character was by far the weirdest direction the series could have possibly gone in.

Related

10 Best Shows Like Prison Break

Prison Break follows a man planning a prison escape for his brother, and while its premise is unique, some other TV shows share similar qualities.

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David Apolskis

Portrayed By Lane Garrison

David “Tweener” Apolskis was a naive kid who turned to pickpocketing after being deemed academically ineligible. Tweener was unluckily incarcerated for stealing a baseball card that he didn’t know was worth $300,000. Michael felt sorry for Tweener and allowed him to join the team, as it was either that or becoming T-Bag’s “human pet.” However, Tweener nearly destroys the entire escape plan when he decides to tell guard Bellick about the hole in the guards’ room with the hopes of getting special treatment.

Once escaped, Tweener rejoined Michael and the crew to help find Westmoreland’s hidden $5 million. Unfortunately, he was caught by Mahone when he went into town to pick up fuel. After he lies about where his fellow escapees are hiding, Mahone shoots him dead and makes it look like a suicide (season 2, episode 7).

Planned Fox River Eight Members Who Didn’t Make It

While the Fox River Eight successfully escaped from prison, the group was originally made up of ten convicts who were part of the original plan in Prison Break. However, two of those members never made it out. The first of the would-be escapees to fall was the oldest member of the group, Charles Westmorland. He was revealed to be the infamous criminal who was never caught after making away with a fortune. Michael chose Charles in order to get access to the hidden money from his famous heist.

Charles initially had no interest in escaping but chose to go with Michael and the others when he learned he would not be able to see his terminally ill daughter in time. As the group makes their escape, Charles subdues Bellick when he finds the hole in the guards’ room. However, Charles is injured in the process and bleeds to death before he makes it out of the prison.

Another member of the original group is Manche Sanchez, Sucre’s cousin, who is arrested for robbery. When serving with Sucre, Manche does various favors for his cousin, not knowing they are part of Michael’s escape plan. However, when one of these favors results in Manche getting in trouble, he forces Sucre to tell him about the plan.

Manche helps out with some of the planning. However, during the escape, he becomes overly anxious and tries to climb across a wire Michael is already climbing, causing it to break. Manche falls to the group and is caught by the guards, adding 10 years to his sentence.

Prison Break

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

Seasons

5

Network

FOX

Directors

Paul Scheuring

Showrunner

Paul Scheuring