Maximillian Morton

"*Not even I could have imagined a war like this. What I thought would take a decade for us to achieve has taken two short years. We have drained Europe's resources and millions have died pointlessly. We have broken the trust between the people and the inbred monarchs who only rule due to their fortunate birth. Do you know who hates King George more than the kaiser? Me. The English monarchy has oppressed my beloved Scotland for over 700 years and it is time for retribution. We will pull Russia out of our war and unleash the full might of Germany to destroy England.*"
― Shepherd[src]
Major **Maximillian Morton**, also known as the **Shepherd**, was the founder and leader of a elite flock of agents that started the Great War in order to destroy the monarchies of Europe.

## Biography

### The King's Man

"*You have got to be fucking kidding me. The thorn in my side has just been a peaceloving English rose. The Duke of Oxford. Good day to you, sir! You are the very symbol of everything I'm tryin' to destroy. Aristocrats like you stole my parents' mill in Scotland when I was a lad. Entitlement has "title" in it for a reason, no?*"
― Shepherd to Orlando Oxford[src]
Morton was raised in Scotland and at some point during his childhood aristocrats came and took control of his family's mill. He quickly grew to disdain the aristocracy since he was treated like a second-class. He planned to cause a massive war throughout the continent of Europe in order to inspire the common people to rise against the ruling monarchies. He had an especially strong disdain for the English monarchy since they were responsible for oppressing his beloved homeland. Morton joined the British Army and rose through the ranks until he became the aide de camp to British War General Herbert Kitchener.

During the Boer War, Morton accompanied the general in a concentration camp in South Africa. He was there to greet Orlando Oxford when he arrived for his secret meeting with General Kitchener. He escorted Oxford to Kitchener's tent and followed along quietly as Kitchener and Oxford continued to discuss matters. Morton survived the attack by a lone sniper who suddenly targeted the camp and attempted to kill Kitchener and his associates.

Over the following years, he used his new position in the British government to gather intelligence and sabotage the nation from within. in some time he become friends with Grigori Rasputin, Erik Jan Hanussen, Gavrilo Princip and Mata Hari before founding of The Flock. later At some point, Morton adopted the alias The Shepherd and gathered an elite network of agents to help him accomplish his plans. He ordered Gavrilo Princip to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand and then had his advisors manipulate the German Kaiser and Russians into declaring war.

Previously, as the mysterious Shepherd, from a secret mountain-top headquarters, have their own network of agents, including the Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin, a trusted adviser to Tsar Nicholas of Russia. Then, Rasputin, on the orders of the Shepherd, manipulates Tsar Nicholas by poisoning his young son Alexei, and only curing him when Nicholas promises to leave the war.

### Legacy

Morton's revenge plan against the nobility of the different monarchies of the world was not entirely a failure, since after World War I many monarchies such as Germany and Russia became republics. While in the remaining monarchies, they began to abolish the last privileges of the European aristocracy.

The Shepherd's Flock also continued to be active under the command of the German Emperor's advisor Erik Jan Hanussen and recruited a young man who was destined to be the future dictator of Germany named Adolf Hitler.

## Personality

"*Trust is having confidence in the honesty of others.*"
― Morton[src]
Morton has a deep vendetta against monarchies and aristocrats in general, having lost his family's mill to them. As early as his time in the Boer War, Morton seems to show an uncaring disregard for human rights or life as long as a "war is being won" according to him. This can be seen during his initial conversation with Oxford in the concentration camps.

## Abilities:

* **Peak Human Condition**: Thanks to his military training, Morton was in top physical condition and was exceptionally strong, fast and durable.
	+ **Peak Human Strength**:
	+ **Peak Human Reflexes**:
* **Master Swordsman:** Morton was a talented swordsman
* **Master Tactician:** He was able to orchestrate several events in a few days, including the death of the Romanov royal family. He was also a master manipulator and leader.

## Trivia

* His full name of "Maximillian "Max" Morton" was shown in early production and some early promotion, but it was ultimately not used in the film itself.
* He is the main antagonist who went onto invent the most famous line in the series that state that "manners maketh man".
* He and Roxanne "Roxy" Morton shared the same last name, and also have an "X" in their first name.
* How he died by falling from the mountain, could also be a nod to Roxy's acrophobia.