Raylan Givens

Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens is the main protagonist of the FX tv series Justified and Justified: City Primeval, but initially appeared in the novel Pronto and Riding the Rap written by Elmore Leonard. 
He was portrayed by James LeGros in 1997 television adaptation of Pronto, and by Timothy Olyphant (who also played Agent 47 in the titular 2007 film and Cobb Vanth in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, and voiced the Spirit of the West in Rango and Grinch in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3) and Danny Wildman young in the FX series Justified.
==History==
===Background===
He is a 19th-century style lawman in 21st-century Kentucky. He is a quirky, dedicated marshal who, having committed a justified killing in Florida (he shot a mob hit man who had just drawn a gun on him with intent to kill, although Raylan was hoping he would draw his weapon to give him an excuse to shoot him.), has been re-assigned to his hometown in Kentucky.
Having grown up in Harlan County and having spent much of his life trying to escape from it, Raylan is not pleased to be sent back there. Ghosts from his past — including his ex-wife, a former friend now involved in criminal militia activity, a criminal father, and his own persistent anger management issues — all come back to haunt him. With the deaths of his father (Arlo), his step-mother (Helen) and mother (Frances), Raylan and his daughter are the only living members of the Givens family. 
==Biography==
===Novels===
In the novels, Raylan's background is shown in that he is native of Harlan County, and that he was in the United States Marine Corps before being being assigned as weapons instructor at the U.S. Marshals Service Basic Training in Georgia. Though a U.S. Marshal, Givens has the intention to kill his adversaries on most occasions despite acting righteous. Due to his actions, Givens is assigned to his home town as punishment in the short story "Fire in the Hole".
===Justified===
====Early Life====
Raylan Givens was born in 1970, Harlan, Kentucky to Arlo and Frances Givens, and was also raised by his maternal aunt, Helen. As a child, Raylan was abused by his father Arlo, a criminal who remained emotionally distant from his son, who would often run away from home to his aunt. When his mother passed away, Helen married Arlo, becoming Raylan's stepmother and continued to raise him. Due to his father being a criminal, Raylan became familiar with the criminal element in Harlan, which became useful to him when he was older. Raylan later became a coal miner in his late teens alongside his childhood friend Boyd Crowder, but would leave off to college due to being disgusted by his home town's corruption and crime.
Joining the Deputy U.S. Marshals, Raylan would spend much of his career pursuing fugitives, with most of them being his former childhood friends. Law enforcement would send Givens across the states on several assignments, and was later assigned as the U.S. Marshal weapons instructor due to being an expert marksman. In Georgia while instructing, Raylan met Art Mullen, who would become his boss and somewhat of a mentor. While continuing his service, Raylan met a woman named Winona, and the two married before getting a divorce after she had an affair with the realtor Gary Hawkins. Despite his divorce, Givens remained in the force and was transferred to Miami, Florida. Before the events of the series, Raylan became known for his Western attire, which made him appear as a cowboy or a gunslinger for his marksmanship, and was determined to stop criminals and fugitives to protect the innocent.
==Quotes==
==Trivia==
*He has appeared in every episode of the series.
Category:Male
Category:Book Heroes
Category:TV Show Heroes
Category:Live Action Heroes
Category:Tragic
Category:Officials
Category:Controversial
Category:Fictionalized
Category:Archenemy
Category:Rivals
Category:Wrathful
Category:Charismatic
Category:Casanova
Category:Honorable
Category:Selfless
Category:Parents
Category:Obsessed
Category:Lethal
Category:Paranoid
Category:Determinators
Category:Rogues
Category:Spouses
Category:Victims
Category:Damsels
Category:Protectors
Category:Successful
Category:In Love
Category:The Hero
Category:Chaotic Good
Category:Falsely Accused
Category:Related to Villain
Category:Friend of a Villain
Category:Good Vs. Good
Category:Anti-Heroes
Category:Deal Makers
Category:Jerks