Solomon Tozer

**Sergeant Solomon Tozer** is a character in AMC's *The Terror*. He is a sergeant in the Royal Marines on *HMS Terror*.

## In The Show

Tozer first appears on in episode one talking with able seamen Thomas "Tom" Hartnell and William Strong about Neptune on the deck of *Terror* one evening. Tozer gives Hartnell a telescope and tells him not to drop it because it belongs to Lieutenant John Irving. He is later seen helping bury cabin boy David Young along with Magnus Manson, Thomas Evans and Cornelius Hickey on the shore of King William Island.

In episode 2, he is not seen on deck on HMS Terror or HMS Erebus, which could imply he joined one of the 4 sledge parties to scout for leads with Edward Little or George Henry Hodgson.

He appears next in episode 3 where he is part of the group tasked with killing the Tuunbaq after it killed Lieutenant Graham Gore in the previous episode. Tozer, alongside fellow marines Sergeant David Bryant, Private William Heather, and two other crewmen get their photos taken with Sir John Franklin by Doctor Henry Goodsir. Tozer asks Franklin if he would like to stay with them for a while and suggests maybe he could fire the killing shot. After Sir John is killed Tozer leads the 21 gun salute for his funeral.

In episode 4, he is present when Heather has his skull ripped open by the Tuunbaq. Heather survives much to the astonishment of others but Tozer remarks this should be no surprise as he's a marine. He also remarks that despite being volunteers and getting no bonus pay, the marines loyally step up to fight the Tuunbaq and do not complain about their situation. Later when the severed body parts of Strong and Evans are discovered, Hickey asks Tozer where he last sighted Lady Silence as he believes there's a connection between her and the creature. Hickey along with Manson, Thomas "Tom" Hartnell, and Thomas Armitage kidnap her and are all lashed except for Armitage who avoids detection. During Hickey's flogging, Tozer looks on with sympathy and possibly leaves some tobacco for him in his hammock.

In the next episode, he along with Samuel Crispe can be seen bringing in Frederick John Hornby who collapsed outside on the ice earlier. Not long after he is seen clipping the nails of Heather and speaking with him while the latter is in a catatonic state. Later he is stationed outside when he reports to Thomas Blanky and others that the Tuunbaq had killed Thomas Darlington. Tozer assists Hartnell, Robert Golding, Lieutenant George Henry Hodgson, and Captain James Fitzjames take down the Tuunbaq with a cannon by tilting it up. However because Tozer was not wearing gloves, when he lets go of the cannon a large patch of skin is peeled off his hand. In episode 6, he attends the carnivale thrown by Fitzjames and when a fire is started by Dr. Stephen Samuel Stanley, Tozer tries to hold onto Heather to prevent him from getting killed but to no avail.

In episode 7, Tozer is present along with Hickey, Manson, Golding, and Armitage when they listen to William Gibson's proposed idea for a mutiny to split off from the larger group and create their own. While out on patrol one day, Tozer along with John Morfin discover the remains of Lieutenant James Walter Fairholme's rescue sledge party sent out a year earlier and is ordered by Crozier and Ftizjames to not speak of it with the other men. Later once base camp is set up Tozer approaches Captain Francis Crozier and Lieutenant Edward Little about arming more men including Hickey and others for a better defense which Crozier declines. That evening Morfin is screaming in pain from illness and begs to be killed. He grabs a musket creating a standoff and Tozer moves into position. Once Morfin sees Tozer, he discharges his weapon almost hitting Fitzjames and Tozer fires back killing Morfin. The next day Tozer is present along with Hickey inside a tent where Hickey shows Hodgson the remains of Neptune and try to recruit him into their mutiny.

In the next episode, the camp is in hysterics as Lieutenant John Irving and Thomas R. Farr have been killed on an earlier hunting trip which Hickey claims the local Netsilik were responsible. Hickey is called to return to the murder site and as he's leaving he signals to Tozer to gather weapons. The men at camp believe a Netsilik attack is underway and a paranoid Charles Frederick Des Voeux and Crispe convince Tozer to open up the armory without orders. Little tries to step in but Tozer pressures him to make an official order to distribute weapons. Eventually Hickey is revealed to be the murderer and he is to be hanged for murder while Tozer is to be hanged for issuing weapons to the mutineers. During the proceedings Crozier reveals the fate of Fairholme's sledge party to the others and Tozer interrupts how he was ordered to keep quiet but Crozier silences him. Before the two men could be hanged, the Tuunbaq attacks the camp and both men use the chaos to enact their plans. Little manages to hold Tozer at gunpoint and Tozer tries to persuade Little to join them and he reveals to Little about Crozier's intention to resign on the day Sir John was killed. Immediately after, Armitage knocks Little out allowing Tozer and the others to escape. While gathering more weapons he witnesses Henry Foster Collins being devoured by the Tuunbaq which greatly disturbs him.

In episode 9 and their mutiny complete, Tozer begins to act as Hickey's right hand man. When Gibson is murdered by Hickey, Tozer and the others join in on cannibalizing his corpse. Tozer then expresses concern to Hickey that they should turn back towards the ships but Hickey refuses. Tozer states that he witnessed Collins get his soul devoured by the Tuunbaq which greatly frightened him but Hickey dismisses his fears. Tozer is later speaking with Armitage and Private William Pilkington about the idea of turning back and how Hickey may not approve. Tozer however assures them that Hickey will agree with them and see reason.

In the final episode, Crozier is brought back to the mutineer's camp and Hickey forces him to eat the corpse of Goodsir along with the others. After the meal Hickey knocks out Tozer, having gotten wind of his plan to head south, and chains him to a sledge boat along with Crozier, Golding, and Hodgson. They, along with the others, tow it onto a hill where Hickey intends to confront the Tuunbaq. As the creature arrives, Tozer tries to organize an effective strategy but to no success. As the other mutineers are killed, Tozer manages to unlock his shackles and Crozier tosses him a shotgun. Tozer tries to take down the Tuunbaq but is killed instead.

## In The Book

In the book, Tozer does not partake in Hickey's mutiny. He dies in a tent with four other marines when the ice collapses beneath them.

## Trivia

* A Royal Marine sword was recovered from the Inuits in 1857. It was said to have belonged to a "Great officer". This great officer was very likely Tozer. This suggests that the real Tozer had survived long enough to encounter some Inuit and hand over his sword.