Reed Strucker

Reed Strucker in the main protagonist of the X-Men tv series The Gifted. He is the husband Caitlin Strucker and the father of Andy Strucker and Lauren Strucker, who he's protecting along with a group of other gifted people from the authorities.
He is portrayed by Stephen Moyer.
==Early Life==
When Reed was a child, his father was always away at work and he hardly ever saw him. He had gotten sick when he was a pre-teen and had been sent to the hospital where he never even saw him. What he didn't know was that his father had administered a serum to him that would suppress the X-gene within him and eliminate his powers though the process nearly killed him. It was during this time that doctors diagnosed Reed with what they believed to be Leukemia. Before his father left, Reed often tried gain his father's attention but he was often too absorbed in his work.
Three years prior to discovering that his children were mutants, his family were nearly the victims of a car accident but the oncoming truck swerved and missed them. His wife preached that it was a miracle that they didn't die for weeks when it had really been their daughter using her powers to save them.
===The Struckers at the bowling alley===
Two years after that event, Reed had taken his family and mother out for a family night of bowling. While there, he saw a young mutant girl being teased by some teenagers and it caused her powers to lash out and damage a bit of the alley. He told the girl's father that they had to leave or he would be forced to call the police. After they left, Lauren confronted him and asked why it had to be the two of them that left, but Reed dismissed it and tried to get them to go back to what they were all doing.
Around that same time, Reed and his wife had taken the family out for a picnic in the park. They were happy to see that their children weren't fighting for a change. Unknown to him, the two had momentarily tapped into their joint power for the first time.
==Season 1==
===Caitlin and Reed at Andy's school===
In exposed, Reed, and his wife Caitlin, showed up at Belleview Acres High School to demand that the school take action in the recurring bullying of their son, Andy. It was negatively influencing his academic performance as well as his sleeping habits and communication between him and his parents. In situations such as this, Mr. Baird recommended the C.A.R.E (communicate, adjust, reconcile, and empathize) system. Before he could continue to explain the functioning purpose of the C.A.R.E system, Reed cut him off, wanting to make one thing clear; Andy needed help. Should the school fail to care for these needs, Reed threatened to sue the school into oblivion. But the school had procedures to follow, meaning they couldn't stray from policy. With a menacing glare on his face, Reed advises Mr. Baird to find someone who can assist Andy as they see fit. Reed is worried that the glare may have been over the top as Mr. Baird exited the office, but Caitlin assured him that it was scary and the perfect amount of glare. Sadly, Reed wouldn't be able to stay to finish out the meeting as he had been tasked with interviewing a mutant at Garland Detention Center. He told Caitlin that he loves her before kissing her goodbye.
Reed meeting with Polaris at Garland
Reed and his associate, Carla, entered the mutant wing of the Garland Detention Center, where he met face to face with Lorna Dane, better known as Polaris. She was accused of the attempted murder of two police officers as well as the illegal use of her mutant abilities. Reed is willing to reduce her charges in exchange for her cooperation. However, Lorna claimed to have no knowledge of anything worth sharing. So her story goes -- she was walking down the street when a cop randomly shot at her. Though with detailed documentation of Lorna and her affiliation to the Mutant Underground, Reed knew this to be false. She and her associates have aided and abetted dozens, if not hundreds, of mutant fugitives. Reed cautiously entered her transparent cell. Whether she believed it or not, he was trying to help her to the best of his ability. He reiterated her attempted murder charges. With her ability to control magnetism, Lorna lightly pulled on the screws embedded in Reed's knee from an old sports injury. She explained that she could tear out the screws and show him what attempted murder truly looks like, meaning if she wanted the cops dead, they would be. There is a factor that Lorna is not yet aware of. Reed pulled her medical exam from a folder. What Lorna read shook her to her core. He was going to ask the court to assign her a lawyer, but she had a big decision to make. Lorna lashed out and in a great display of power, she shattered the lights, broke a window, and cracked her cell.
That night Reed received a frantic call from Caitlin telling him about a mutant attack at the kids' school. If this was the case, he's wondering why there were people at the house. What Caitlin was trying to convey was somehow getting lost in translation. There was so much that she didn't even know where to begin. While the kids were safe, Caitlin doesn't know for how much longer that will remain to be true. As for the mutants that attacked them, Reed asked what had happened of them, to which Caitlin explained that they weren't attacked by mutants, they are the mutants. Reed was nearly speechless, barely able to form a full sentence after learning of this development.
The Struckers at a diner on the outskirts of Atlanta
Reed met up with Caitlin and the kids in a diner on the outskirts of Atlanta. He looked to Andy, asking if anyone was hurt during the incident of his powers manifesting and who instigated the altercation. While Andy wasn't sure if anyone suffered any severe injuries, Lauren assured Reed that Andy did not instigate the altercation. Caitlin reminded Reed that it wasn't a deposition and that a legal understanding of the matter would do little to deter Sentinel Services. Reed initially believed that his wife misspoke when saying Sentinel Services, however, she meant exactly what she said, and this instantly instilled great fear into Reed. Caitlin wondered if he could talk to Cal, his boss, and the District Attorney, but as Reed explained, a mutant related attack being covered by the Sentinel Services was far beyond his jurisdiction. They were a federal agency and the only reason Caitlin and the kids managed to get away was due to the fact that they lacked time in forming a team. They needed to go some place safe where the mutant laws are less strict, like Mexico. The last time the Sentinel Services got involved in one of Reed's cases, a suspect disappeared. There is nothing more important to Reed than his family, so he refused to allow that to happen to them.
===Reed calling Carla===
Reed later called his associate, Carla, from just outside the Central Courthouse Building to ask for her help. Carla first informed him that the Sentinel Services was raiding his office, his computer and emails included, which he was already aware of. He needed the case file for the mutant network investigation. Acknowledging the insanity of this plan, Reed didn't know what else to do in such desperate times. He needed to get his family some place safe and if he could get in contact with the mutants, they may be able to help. While Carla admittedly owed everything to Reed, what he required was asking a lot of her. They were meddling with an open case, thus she could get disbarred or thrown into jail. Despite the risk, Reed pleaded with Carla one last time to help his family, to which she eventually agreed.
With the case file, Reed called Marcos Diaz, one of the members of the mutant underground, hoping that they could help his family get across the border. Reed explained that the mutant incident at the high school was because of his kids. Hearing that Marcos decided that it's not worth the risk, but Reed regained his attention after revealing that he is a prosecutor with the city, involved in building a case against Marcos and his mutant associates for the District Attorney's Office. If Marcos wished to help Lorna, he'd help Reed's family cross the border. Reed wanted a meeting to which Marcos agreed. Reed then revealed to Marcos what was the latest development in a string of recent developments; that Lorna is pregnant.
===Caitlin and Reed spot the Sentinel Services drone===
The next morning after a night of sleep at the Caravan Motel, Caitlin joined Reed by the window and joked that he may be a mutant with a snoring ability. As previously arranged, Reed would be meeting with Marcos later in the evening because they failed to come up with any better options. Caitlin was aware that he was doing the best he could. She'd take one option over none. Caitlin then asked if he knew how rough it was on the mutant fugitives who were constantly evading Sentinel Services. Reed knew it wasn't easy, but they both remembered how it was with the mutants fighting amongst each other, and innocent people getting hurt in the crossfire. Because of this the Sentinel Service was created. Unfortunately their stay at the Caravan Motel would end there as it was time to move again due to a Sentinel Services drone circling the area. While it couldn't see them from inside the room, it knew the license plate of their vehicle. They woke the kids and exited the motel, stealing a truck in the process. To steal the truck Lauren had used her power to stall the owner in which Reed got his first glimpse of his daughter's mutant ability to create force fields.
===Reed meeting with Marcos===
As planned, Reed met with Marcos at Tex's Lounge. He assured Marcos that it wasn't a setup and that no one was coming. Marcos asked about how Lorna and the baby are doing. All Reed would reveal is that she's in a detention center. Marcos lost his patience with his vague answers and grabbed his arm. He began to burn him using a bright ray of light being emitted from his hand and as the heat intensified, Reed confessed that Lorna was being kept at Garland. However, he doesn't know much of the baby's condition as he only saw the medical exam. Reed offered to help Lorna and answer any of Marcos' questions but only after his family is safe. Marcos agreed to his terms handing Reed a piece of paper with an address on it. However, Reed will have to stay behind to make sure that he holds up his end of their bargain.
===Reed on the opposite side of Blink's portal===
That night, after following the address given to him by Eclipse, Reed and his family arrived to an abandoned warehouse facility where Eclipse awaited their arrival. He would get them supplies; food, water, and blankets. After that they would head down to the border. He explained that he knew people down by the border with a specific set of skills that'll allow them to get people under, over, or even through the wall. Once that is done, the underground will get them new IDs. There are churches of people who will help. Unfortunately, their plans went awry as the Sentinel Services surrounded them and ordered them to the ground. Reed suggested that they talk to them. Just as it seemed their chance of escaping was gone, they were rescued by Thunderbird and Blink, two more mutants from the underground network. The seven of them ran throughout the warehouse searching for the nearest exit as Sentinel Services unleashed the Sentinels. They eventually found themselves cornered by the Sentinels. Thankfully, Eclipse and Lauren were able to fend them off while Blink created a portal leading to the Mutant Underground Headquarters. With Blink struggling to maintain the portal, everyone crossed over with the exception of Reed, who was shot in the back and left behind to be captured by Sentinel Services after Blink's portal closed.
In rX, Reed is met by Agent Turner of the Sentinel Services as he is being carried away on a stretcher. He couldn't feel his arms or legs. Agent Turner explained that was a result of the embolization round that he had been hit with, known to last up to a few hours. Once the effects wore off, Agent Turner informed him that they would then discuss his family.
===Reed being interrogated by Agent Turner===
Recovering from his arrest, Agent Turner wanted to make sure that he understood his rights, to which Reed replied that he's been a prosecutor for twenty years. He's well aware of his rights, as well as his children's. "It's not illegal to be a mutant," Reed said. Agent Turned pointed out how he put his family in a dangerous situation. He'd argue that the decisions Reed will soon make are the biggest of his life, and that cooperation is in everyone's best interest. However, Reed questioned why he should cooperate with the same people that sent Sentinels after his children, but as Agent Turner reminded him, the Struckers were given the opportunity to surrender peacefully but they ran. Hearing this, Reed asked for his lawyer, which Agent Turner was obligated to provide him with. However, once that happens, it'll be out of his hands. Reed wondered what charges they actually had on him. Obstruction of justice and accessory after the fact at best, though Agent Turner claimed to have more. Regardless, Reed was still being held without counsel which was against his rights. Unless Agent Turner wanted his case thrown out, Reed suggested that he fix that. Technically, Reed was only being detained, he hadn't been charged yet. So, first things first, Turner planned to bring on the charges for Reed's involvement.
The next day, Reed was astonished by the charges being brought against him, for instance, terrorism. Agent Turner pulled up Lorna Dane's photo on the screen. From what Sentinel Services could gather, Reed used her police file to make contact with the Mutant Underground. Reed denied these claims, but with Sentinel Services having already talked to Carla, the co-worker who retrieved the file for him, denying the accusations were pointless. There's been talk for quite some time about classifying the Underground as a mutant terrorist group, much like the Brotherhood and the Mutant Liberation Front. Lawyers wished to make Reed and Polaris their test case. Reed rejected the notion that the Mutant Underground was anything like the the two aforementioned mutant organizations, leading Agent Turner to remind Reed that just a few days prior, he was set to prosecute Lorna Dane. After learning that Agent Turner's daughter was killed during the July 15th incident, Reed restated his initially claim that the charges were bogus.
===Reed learning the stakes===
Carried out in handcuffs, Reed is escorted to an interrogation room where Agent Turner attempted to explain the stakes to Reed as he was under the impression that he, his wife, and his kids were the only ones in jeopardy. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. They entered the interrogation room to the sight of Reed's mother, Ellen, being interrogated by Agent Weeks. Sentinel Service was bringing in every potential co-conspirator. His mother was being harassed, and Reed wished for it to stop, to which Agent Turner replied that all he had to do was reveal whoever was involved and the where his family was hiding.
Reed had done some thinking and came to the conclusion that he wasn't in as much trouble as Agent Turner would like for him to believe. He has sat on the other side of the interrogation table and the thing is if Agent Turner was going to throw him in jail, he would've done it already. Instead, he's coming in with charges and dragging Reed's mother in for questioning. He claimed that these were all desperate attempts by a desperate man. Reed then said that Turner overplayed his hand as he had a bad day and lost millions of dollars worth of equipment because of it. Not to mention that he allowed six fugitives to slip through his fingers. With that said, Reed agreed to a deal, but on his terms. He will cooperate with Sentinel Services, but he will go down for all of it alone, then demanding that his mother and anyone else brought in to be released. Most importantly, his family was to stay out of prison and a lawyer was to be called on his behalf. Agent agreed to Reed's terms on the condition that he helped bring in the Mutant Underground.
In exodus, Reed is mentioned by Lauren while playing a board game with Andy. He wanted to be the shoe gamepiece but Lauren snapped at him that the shoe was always their father's piece.
Reed being told that he was to be a mole for Sentinel Services.
At Sentinel Services, he is being questioned about Marcos by Jace. He told him that he had met him at a bar and that the owner had been a mutant named Fade. Jace made a plan that Reed would go back to that bar, claiming that he wanted help to get back to his family after escaping from them. Reed didn't believe that Fade would buy that he had magically escaped but Turner told him that they would send out reports and feelers about Reed being wanted and loose for the Mutant Underground to find and give his story credibility. He would then be taken to the Underground when Fade made contact and lead Sentinel Services to where they were.
Later on, Reed is with Jace in a Sentinel Services van. Jace placed a GPS tracker on him. Turner warned him that the tracker wouldn't come off unless he removed it himself so Reed couldn't escape them. Reed then went behind the bar to talk to Fade as their alerts and APB's on Reed had gone public. He told Fade how he was there a few days ago and told him he wanted to see where can he find Marcos. At gunpoint, Reed pleaded with Fade that all he wanted was to find his family. He then told Fade that if he wasn't going to help, then pull the trigger as it would do him a favor. After a minute, Fade told Reed to follow him.
Reed being relieved of his pain by Sheila. Reed is walking in the bar talking about his family. He claimed that Sentinel Services seemed to give up looking for him when they separated as they had prioritized going for his children over him. They walked into the backroom where is introduced to Shelia and her daughter, Dominique. Fade left Reed there and would be back for them when it was time to leave. Reed asked if he would be taken to his family then, but Fade told him that he would be taken to a drop point at which someone from the Underground would arrive to take them the rest of the way. He talked to Shelia and Dominique about his situation and learned about theirs. Apparently, Sheila's husband was taken by Sentinel Services because of his mutant status and now were after them too. Reed was surprised that they would be after a small child like Dominique, but Sheila informed him that they only saw her as a future threat as she possessed the X-Gene. Sheila saw that Reed was still hurt from his own encounter with Sentinel Services and used her powers to relieve him of his pain.
When night fell, they were placed in the back of a van and Fade started to drive them off. Turner, Weeks and their team started to trail after them.
Reed leaves the truck to let the mutants get away.
When Fade announced that they were close, Dominique grabbed Reed's hand saying he doesn't have to be scared anymore. Reed began to have second thoughts about helping his family this way and quickly warned Fade that they were being followed. The man told him not to worry as he could cloak their van but Reed explained how Sentinel Services put the tracker on him. Reed then jumped out the van after telling them he was sorry as he just wanted to save his family. He got up and confronted Jace, who told him how he had just made the biggest mistake of his life and how they had a deal. Reed tells him that he had actually prevented his biggest mistake and for Jace to shove their deal up his ass.
==Navigation==
Category:Parents
Category:Guardians
Category:X-Men Heroes
Category:Protectors
Category:Adventurers
Category:Rescuers
Category:Freedom Fighters
Category:Pawn of the Villain
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Deceased
Category:Male
Category:Movie Heroes
Category:Live Action Heroes