Fugitive; when this word comes to my mind, I immediately picture a dangerous and deadly criminal trying to escape the legal system. Despite the fact that he is a convicted criminal on the run from the law, this description does not apply to the protagonist of the program Prison Break, Michael Scofield. To further illustrate, Michael Scofield is initially faced with the task of helping his innocent brother, Lincoln Burrows, escape from wrongful jail time. To a new viewer, Michael may seem like an average man trying to do right by his brother. However, he is so much more. Michael obtains latent inhibition, causing him to see the world as a puzzle rather than as objects. This is both the quality that allows Michael to be such a successful structural engineer for his day job and makes his character truly unique. With his genius mind and utter devotion to family, Michael is the ultimate individual. For these reasons, if I could choose to be one character from a television show, I would easily choose Michael Scofield.

The only way that Michael sees his plan to save Lincoln from death row is to insert himself into the Fox River Penitentiary, full of some of the most intense criminals and murderers in all of Illinois. To do this, Michael must commit a crime so severe that it will land him in the exact same prison as his brother. To accomplish this goal, he purchases a gun and attempts to “rob a bank,” ultimately allowing himself to be captured and brought straight to the penitentiary after quickly being proven guilty. This act of putting himself in danger and risking his life for the sole reason of helping his family is a quality that Michael never loses throughout the seasons, and in my opinion, it is what is most appealing about his character. Despite the fact that Michael had a stable life, job, and lacked a criminal record, he was willing to sacrifice it all in order to attempt to break his brother out of jail. Keeping in mind that Lincoln is located in a penitentiary so highly secured and monitored, this is an almost impossible goal.

Furthermore, Michael knew that getting himself into Fox River would most likely be the easiest part of his mission. Upon his entry into the prison, he had to find a way to privately communicate with Lincoln, avoid suspicion from the guards, and hardest of all, keep a low profile in the walls that are enclosed with corruption, gangs, and utter chaos. It would not be an easy task for Michael, a man who looks nothing like the average inmate, to not be targeted or questioned. Keeping this in mind, he used his exceptional brain to conjure up a master plan in meticulous depth. For example, Michael gets tattoos that cover almost every inch of his upper body that serves as a roadmap to escape the prison. These tattoos were encoded with various reminders as well as blueprints of the penitentiary. From a chemical equation to blow up a piece of the prison cell, to the name of the grave that his passports and clothes were hidden, Michael thought of just about everything that could occur at his time before, at, and after Fox River. His genius mind is something that I find fairly interesting and would love to have as a trait of my own. Michael sees the world in a different light than everybody else, and he has the ability to use it to his advantage.

Michael’s plan sounds almost seamless, except for the fact that he had to account for any possible problems or, specifically, any people that could ruin his plan. These bumps in the road did arise, but Michael stayed focused on his goal; Lincoln needed his help. This clearly proves that Michael is a well-developed character. While he does everything in his power to achieve his goal, he is loyal to those that most people would not be. For instance, Michael unintentionally falls in love with the penitentiary's doctor, Sara Tancredi. Still, Michael manages to be compassionate and kind by trying to protect Sara from his highly illegal and elaborate plan. This love story definitely adds depth to the show as well as to allow viewers to see this less serious side of Michael. Through this relationship, it is evident that Michael can be stern and serious but also loving and sweet, only uncovering more of his desirable qualities.

On the other hand, if I had to change anything about this character, I can honestly say that there is nothing to change. I find his character so fascinating and exciting, and I believe that his personality makes complete sense in the nature of the series. The only thing I wish could be different for Michael is the life he was given. He was born into a family full of secrets and lies, and he was practically oblivious to this until he escaped Fox River. Michael and Lincoln were constantly on the run. At first, they are on the run from the outside party believed to have had framed Lincoln for murder. Then, they were on a transcontinental chase to be recaptured and brought back to prison.

Inside this phenomenal show, Michael is seen in his true and greatest form. His exceptional mind and demeanor is something I believe would be extremely beneficial to have as an individual. Despite that fact that I will never come close to having the identity of this fictional character, I will keep watching Prison Break in order to watch Michael in his mission to save himself and his loved ones.