Robert Franco (Dire)

Robert Franco is a character in the web serial Dire, and is a recurring character in the first season of the series. He is the husband of Alex Morris, and the father of Jaime Morris and Kennedy Morris. Prior to Dire's collapse of society, Robert is portrayed as a drunken father, abusive to his wife, threatened by the success of his eldest daughter and indifferent to the instances of domestic abuse his youngest daughter witnesses. In the series' pilot episode, "So, Now What?", Robert is stabbed to death by his wife in a rage. Though his death occurs in the first episode of the series, he continues to appear in the series throughout following episodes, both in flashbacks and as motivation behind decisions made by the main cast of characters.
== Appearances ==
=== Season 1 (2021) ===
* So, Now What?
== Consequences and Fate ==
=== Consequences of Robert Franco ===
Robert's treatment of his family has several effects on the individuals subjected to his abuse, including motivating future decisions after the events of Dire's fall of society. Jaime's decisions in power as leader of the group are partially motivated by her father's refusal to be a decent man, and Alex's ability to connect with people is frayed and disassociated due to the trauma she had been subjected to. As an individual, despite being a younger girl, Kennedy appears more mature than other individuals around her age, having been forced to grow up on her own, allowing for a short fuse to form left unchecked.
=== Fate of Robert Franco ===
Robert is murdered in his bed amidst a drunken nap by his wife, Alex. His body punctured with the jagged edge of a paint scraper, Robert bleeds to death in his bed. After the murder, local authorities arrive at the Morris family home and enter the premises without a warrant. Despite the deceased body of Robert remaining in his bed, the authorities only focus on inspecting the sinks quickly before departing, never holding Alex accountable for the crime. In a mixture of fear and paranoia, Alex chooses to leave the home, wishing to not allow her children, if returning to the home, to find their mother responsible for the murder of their father.
== Killed by ==
* Alex Morris
== Trivia ==
* Robert is the first character in the series to be murdered, he is also the first character in the series to be murdered by a member of the main cast.