Thomas Blanky

**Thomas Blanky** is a character on AMC's *The Terror*. Ice Master of *Terror* and longtime friend of Francis Crozier, Thomas Blanky has the experience to be a captain himself but prefers the thrill and challenge of battling the constant puzzle of the Arctic ice to the social demands and shallow politics of command. He is a resourceful, unflappable force on the expedition, who refuses to dignify any emergency with fear and trembling. When others retreat, Blanky stands his ground with a shrewd smile and twelve fantastic ideas about how to put any threat in its place.

## In The Show

Blanky first appears in the early morning after *HMS Erebus* had collided with an iceberg in episode 1 where he and Captain Francis Crozier are discussing the pack ice up ahead while in a slightly different version of the first episode, Blanky is first seen on the deck of *HMS Terror*with Crozier expressing his dislike of dining with Sir John Franklin and in Commander James Fitzjames. Blanky later appears when the officers confer about the best strategy to move forward and Blanky agrees with Crozier's assessment of moving east to avoid the ice. After *Terror* and *Erebus* get stuck in the ice, Blanky can be seen placing explosives in an attempt to free themselves.

In episode 2, Blanky and Crozier have a conversation about one of their previous expeditions together and the Blanky states that if no open water leads are found the ice could pile up adding tremendous pressure on the ships which could either raise it up or crush it to go under. He later appears at the end along with Crozier and Dr. Alexander McDonald trying to speak with Lady Silence in which she warns them if they don't leave they are all going to "huk-kah-hoi" which Blanky translates as disappear.

At the beginning of episode 3, Lieutenant Edward Little expresses concern of a Netsilik retribution after one of their shaman's was killed accidentally but Blanky assures him the Netsilik are too busy with survival to wage an attack. Later he and Crozier discuss the notion of sending a rescue party out without orders and Blanky volunteers to lead it which Crozier denies and asks Blanky to make a list of the expedition's 8 most able bodied men. After Sir John is killed by the Tuunbaq, Blanky is part of the search party sent out and Crozier later gives Blanky the order to proceed with the rescue party and how Lieutenant James Walter Fairholme can lead it.

In episode 4, Blanky is present on the deck of *Terror* to witness the last sunlight of the year and remarks how it feels like an omen. He is later given the task to escort Lady Silence to *Erebus* along with Fitzjames after she was taken back to *Terror* by Cornelius Hickey, Magnus Manson, Thomas "Tom" Hartnell, and Thomas Armitage without orders. Blanky is later mentioned by Doctor Henry Goodsir when he is speaking to Lady Silence and how learned about what happened earlier and more about the Netsilik language through Blanky.

In the next episode, Blanky is speaking with Crozier when Little informs them that Frederick John Hornby had collapsed on the ice to which Blanky replies he was a good man. Afterwards Crozier sends Blanky out to check on various areas of the ship. Not long after Crozier, Blanky, and Goodsir, accompanied by Little try to question Lady Silence regarding the creature. She calls the creature "Tuunbaq" and Little asks Blanky if knows the word and he replies it's similar to a Yupik word he knows from Russian America meaning "a spirit that dresses as an animal". Blanky asks if she speaks with it and she replies she hasn't tried. When Goodsir points out to Crozier she hasn't made any attempts at escaping, Blanky deduces that she's afraid of the creature as well. When she refuses to cooperate with Crozier he orders Blanky to leave her outside which he refuses. Eventually Lady Silence begins to taunt Crozier in Netsilik and asks why he wants to die to which Blanky reiterates what she asked him in English. Soon after Fitzjames arrives and a physical altercation breaks out in which Blanky and Little are forced to restrain Crozier and Blanky warns Crozier if he's not careful what happened to Sir John Ross at Fury Beach will happen to him.

An upset Crozier sends Blanky outside to check on the ice when he and other members of the crew are attacked by the Tuunbaq. Blanky orders the men to go man the cannon while he faces down the creature alone. Blanky manages to set the creature on fire which gives the men using the cannon a point of aim and manage to drive the creature away. Unfortunately, Blanky's left leg was mauled by the creature and is forced to be amputated. Crozier then resolves to end his drinking habit since he ordered Blanky on deck when the creature attacked.

In episode 6, Blanky is attending a meeting with some of the officers where Lieutenant John Irving is giving a report on the remaining provisions. Fitzjames orders an emphasis put on the salt meats as the canned foods and other portable supplies needs to be preserved for the eventual decision to abandon both ships. Afterwards he speaks with Blanky in private regarding one his previous expeditions under the command Sir John Ross and what occurred at Fury Beach. Blanky explains what happened and how Ross's lack of regard towards his men made Blanky want to kill him. He recommends to Fitzjames that it's important to give something the men can enjoy in order to boost morale and avert similar negative feelings before leaving both ships behind. Fitzjames proposes a carnivale to celebrate the first sunrise and to prepare the men for the eventual overland journey. Blanky attends and welcomes Crozier back after the latter recovered from alcohol withdrawal. Unfortunately the carnivale is ruined when it is burned to the ground by an unstable Dr. Stephen Samuel Stanley.

The order to abandon both ships is given in episode 7 and both Crozier and Blanky bid their farewells to *Terror*. Blanky states the ship has been through harsh conditions before and it may possibly survive being crushed by the Arctic ice. Eventually Blanky and the rest of the main group catch up with an advance party led by Little who left earlier and camp is set up.

The camp is thrown into pandemonium in episode 8 when Hickey claims Irving and Thomas R. Farr were brutally slaughtered by the Netsilik while out on a hunting trip. Skeptical of the story, Blanky accompanies Crozier, Goodsir, Lady Silence, Thomas Jopson, Hartnell, Hickey, and Private William Pilkington to the murder site. Once there Crozier and Blanky discover fresh seal meat and believe Hickey is responsible for the murders. After their suspicion is confirmed, Hickey is sentenced to hang but an attack from the Tuunbaq throws the camp into chaos. Blanky works with Jopson to secure the perimeter but Hickey and his companions are able to escape.

In episode 9 after the attack, the survivors are surveying the damage and Blanky speaks with Hartnell and Robert Golding about the mutilated corpse of Thomas Honey and that Blanky is able to recognize him due to the red neckerchief. Before departing, Crozier asks Blanky to burn the deceased so they may be warm as the rest leaves. After the death of Fitzjames and upon hearing the Tuunbaq is not far, Blanky and Crozer try and formulate a strategy. Blanky volunteers to lead the creature away to which Crozier strongly opposes. However Blanky shows Crozier his amputated leg has become gangrenous and that he's done for. Crozier reluctantly agrees and asks what he needs to Blanky replies some forks and rope to make himself an unpleasant meal to the creature.

After the main group departs Blanky walks off and accidentally discovers the Northwest Passage, what the expedition came to the Arctic in search of. After some time the Tuunbaq finds Blanky and he greets the creature with a grin and laugh before he is killed shortly after.