Indeed, four men like them, four men devoted to each other from their money to their lives, four men always supporting each other, never retreating, performing singly or together the resolutions they had made in common;
four arms threatening the four points of the compass or all turning to a single point, must inevitably, be it surreptitiously, be it openly, be it by mines, by entrenchments, by guile, or by force, open a way to the end they wanted to reach, however well defended or far off it might be.
Alexandre Dumas,
The Three Musketeers
Tom Burke is Athos (Photo Courtesy of BBC America)
Athos in his perpetual state of morose. Perhaps that is why Captain Tréville, head of the Musketeer regiment, designates him as the leader for most of their daring assignments. He takes everything seriously… even his play time is approached with a degree of study and solitude.
D’Artagnan: Why is Athos sitting by himself?
Aramis: He takes his drinking very seriously. Not to worry, he’ll be his usual charming self by morning.”
The sourpuss expression, whose permanent home is Athos’ face is not there without reason. The root of his secrets stem from, of course, the most emphasis lady of all and his connection with her began long before his days of safe guarding King Louis.
Drawn to that which repels him it seems. Milady doesn’t protest overmuch either. (Photo Courtesy of BBC America)
Up until recently he kept his landowning aristocratic heritage a secret from all, including his brothers-in-arms. It was as a young lad that his path crossed with MiLady. She, although young herself had, by the time she ended up on his familie’s lands, left a trail of misdeeds in her wake to threaten the pedigree of any seasoned criminal.
Her beauty struck him, as it had countless men before him, and he was smitten. Keeping her treacherous past hidden from him, (Lest he think less of her, as she tells it) they wed, against his family’s wished. They were for a time to all appearances, gloriously in love. Truth will out, as usual.
Upon his discovery of her crimes, our Athos, unable to stomach her deceit insisted she be hanged for her crimes. He thought the deed had been carried out and has been carrying the guilt of this rash decision with him ever since. Imagine his surprise when she shows up bearing a neck ringed with scars, but very much alive and just as evil as he had thought. It’s hard to know if he in fact created the monster when he nearly strangled to death.
A ready quip and rare smile are always welcome from Athos (Photo Courtesy of BBC America)
However, his sullen nature and self-righteous proclivity for justice being thusly presented, Athos is more understandable in this than in previous incarnations. And this Athos, though he spends as much time as his pals in pubs and wayside inns, doesn’t get sloppy drunk like some gruff mumbling malcontent. He can at times even have fun, in a underplayed fashion.
Upon downing the Comte de Rochfort with an unexpected right to the jowls, The Comte growls up at him, “What was that for?”
Athos: “Wondered what it would feel like…”
Porthos chuckles.
Athos: Felt good.”
Funny stuff. We like this too… very much.
[Related to The Musketeers]
