Edward Little

**Edward Little** is a character in AMC's *The Terror*. He is a Lieutenant on *HMS Terror* and one of the expedition's most senior members.

## Franklin Expedition

He is first seen in episode 1 welcoming Sir John Franklin and Commander James Fitzjames on board *Terror* along with Lieutenant George Henry Hodgson while in an alternate version of episode one, Little is first seen on the deck of *Terror* with Captain Francis Crozier telling him to inform John Diggle that Sir John and Fitzjames will be dining on board and how Sir John can choose whatever he likes from the ship's storeroom. Little later has dinner with them and the other officers on the ship. When Fitzjames describes his bullet wound, Little inquires that it is "Like the shot that killed Lord Nelson at Trafalgar" and Fitzjames agrees with him. Little's voice is later heard when *Terror* becomes ice-locked and asks why only one man is picking at a particular location.

Although not mentioned or seen in episode 2, he is one of the leaders of the lead parties implying by his absence on the ships. Just like the rest of the sledge parties, his team came back with no leads.

He is later seen in the third episode speaking with Crozier about his previous experiences with the Netsilik and if they can become vengeful if one of their own is killed. He expresses concern about the fact the Netsilik Shaman's tongue was cut out which he believes might be some form of punishment. Thomas Blanky however assures him that they are far too busy with basic survival to wage a war. He is later seen on the deck of *Terror* when Sir John and his hunting party come under attack from the Tuunbaq and he hands Crozier his spyglass. When Sir John is captured by the creature, Little and other crew members from *Terror* form a search party to find him. After Sir John's death he is present when Crozier gives the order to send out a rescue party led by Lieutenant James Walter Fairholme and later attends Sir John's funeral.

In the fourth episode he is present when the Tuunbaq attacks the ship and almost kills Private William Heather by ripping his skull open. Crozier orders Little to get 30 men into slops and assemble a hunting party. Later he along with Blanky and Crozier witness the last sunlight of the year with the former remarking how it feels like an omen. When the severed body parts of William Strong and Thomas Evans are found, Little informs Crozier how the Tuunbaq's tracks were found along with navy issue boot prints. Crozier orders Little to retrieve Lady Silence in the morning but she is brought on board *Terror* later that evening by Cornelius Hickey, Thomas "Tom" Hartnell, Thomas Armitage, and Magnus Manson without orders. Little along with the other officers of *Terror* assist Crozier in restoring order once hysteria breaks out due to her arrival. Armitage remains hidden and when the remaining three men who brought Lady Silence aboard are being questioned, Little reminds Hickey not to speculate anything regarding her intentions and also silences him when he tries to interrupt Crozier during his sentencing. Little informs Crozier a full court martial is technically required and Hickey is eventually given 30 lashes for his disrespectful behavior while the rest receive 12. Crozier orders Little to inform Thomas Johnson that Hickey is to be punished "as a boy". After the flogging Little takes a poll on how many men from *Terror* would like to transfer to *Erebus* due to *Terror*'s structural integrity becoming precarious. He informs Lieutenant John Irving who then informs Crozier that all but 10 are going to be transferred.

In the beginning episode 5 he meets with Captain James Fitzjames regarding the transfer of men and supplies and Fitzjames informs Little that Lady Silence will be going back with him as he no longer feels comfortable having her on board *Erebus*. Little reluctantly agrees and when he goes to collect her, he notices small trinkets left behind for Lady Silence by some of the superstitious men. John Gregory informs him that Fitzjames orders them removed every morning and promises punishment for leaving them. Doctor Henry Goodsir asks Little that he would like to come along as he's making good progress speaking with her so he agrees and on the trek back Frederick John Hornby collapses on the ice. Little informs Thomas Darlington of Hornby's death and the transfer of Lady Silence. He requests her be put in the slop storage and assures a concerned Goodsir that she'll be safe with Lieutenant Hodgson. Little then informs Crozier and Blanky regarding Hornby's death, that Lady Silence has been brought back, and how Goodsir is making progress speaking with her. Crozier informs Little he can collect them later and sends Blanky to check the ship. Crozier and Little speak in private where the latter informs Crozier that there is no whiskey on board *Erebus* andthe only remaining drinks are rum and gin. Little remarks that Henry Foster Collins may not be as discreet as they had hoped and Crozier orders Little to ask Collins to begin taking whiskey from Fitzjames' personal store instead to which Little reluctantly agrees.

Little is later sent to retrieve Lady Silence and along with Crozier, Blanky, and Goodsir, attempt to question her. Crozier asks her what is hunting them and she replies the creature is called "Tuunbaq". Little asks Blanky if he is familiar with the word and he tells Little it's similar to a Yupik word he knows from Russian America meaning "a spirit that dresses as an animal". Crozier then tells Little that everything that was discussed does not leave the room. Little suggests that perhaps the Tuunbaq has gone off somehow and Crozier orders Little to deny Lady Silence protection on either ship due to her not cooperating to which he protests. Fitzjames soon arrives to confront Crozier regarding the whiskey and Little along with Blanky are forced to restrain Crozier when a physical altercation breaks out.

Not long after the Tuunbaq attacks and Little along with Crozier and the others assist in gathering weapons and finding a way out as one of the hatches had been blocked by debris and the other sealed by Darlington earlier. Eventually they make it outside and Hodgson working with Robert Golding, Hartnell, and Sgt. Solomon Tozer manage to hit the Tuunbaq with a cannon before it could kill Blanky who had gone up prior. Little tells Crozier the creature had ran off and later assists in holding Blanky down for his amputation. Crozier then summons Little along with Fitzjames, Thomas Jopson, and Dr. Alexander McDonald where Crozier announces his decision to quit drinking and asks Little to be in command of *Terror* as his proxy while he goes through withdrawal symptoms. He then gives Little his pistol ordering him to not give it back until he returns on deck and dressed in full uniform.

In episode 6, Fitzjames orders a carnivale be built to celebrate the first sunrise of the new year and during its construction, Little raises concern too many supplies are being used but Fitzjames assures him all the supplies cannot be carried once they abandon both ships in the spring. Little is present when Crozier recovers from his withdrawal pushing away a drunken James Reid and listens to Crozier's announcement to abandon both ships and begin an 800 mile journey down south. The speech however is interrupted by an injured Lady Silence and a crazed Dr. Stephen Samuel Stanley who sets himself and everything else on fire. Little assists the others in combing through the debris and witnesses the first sunrise of the year.

In the next episode Crozier and Fitzjames sends Little and a team of around 50 men ahead early before the larger main group departs. By the time Crozier, Fitzjames, and the others reach King William Island, Little and his men had already established base camp. Little and Crozier discuss the best way to move forward when they are approached by Tozer who requests additional men armed to reinforce their defenses. Crozier declines the request but Little tells him he understands why Tozer would make such a request. The next day Crozier holds a command meeting with Little and the other officers explaining the lead poisoning being caused from the canned foods and orders hunting parties to begin. Little expresses disbelief at first but volunteers to lead a party south while Irving can go east. Little points out to Crozier there is an officer shortage which prompts the captain to promote Jopson to Lieutenant much to the surprise and delight of Little and the other officers.

In episode 8, Little informs Crozier and Fitzjames who returned from patrol that Irving and Thomas R. Farr were allegedly attacked on sight by local Netsilik and Hickey was the only witness. Little asks permission to arm additional men and set up a proper perimeter to which Crozier denies citing Hickey's flogging and only to give Tozer more men to act as lookouts. Little and Fitzjames stay behind at camp while Crozier and others go to the murder site and Fitzjames informs Little to be ready in case Hickey is truthful but calm if not. Little and Hodgson are later talking in which the latter informs him how his mother's cousin married a Texas man and how their family was massacred by 600 Comanches. Little notices men walking around with weapons and orders Hodgson to find Fitzjames and send him to the armory. Little confronts Thomas Armitage and Tozer who admits the armory was opened without orders and that an attack is being staged right now using the foggy weather as cover. Feeling pressured and uncertain what to do, Little reluctantly gives the order to issue more weapons.

Upon returning Crozier reprimands Little for giving the order and not informing Fitzjames. Little claims the fog changed his thinking and there was no time to inform Fitzjames. Crozier forgives Little but tells him Hickey is most likely the culprit behind the deaths of Irving and Farr. Little asks what evidence exists against Hickey to which Crozier shows him a bag of fresh seal meat and also witnesses Goodsir cut open Irving's stomach revealing barely digested seal meat indicating he was fed and not murdered on sight as Hickey claimed. Crozier orders the marines to arrest Hickey but Little tells him not to use the marines as Tozer was the one responsible for opening up the armory and apologizes for his actions.

A court martial is assembled and Little announces Hickey will be tried first for the charges of murder and mutiny both of which are punishable by death. However before the sentences could be carried out, the Tuunbaq attacks the camp and Hickey and Tozer manage to escape. Little goes with Crozier to the armory where the latter almost manages to kill Hickey and Little is ordered to chase Tozer down. Little manages to find him and holds him at gunpoint where Tozer reveals Crozier's intention to resign and lead a rescue sledge party on the day Sir John was killed. Little is then knocked out by Armitage but is later found by Crozier and Blanky who informs them Tozer and the others have escaped.

In episode 9 after the attack, Little gives the order for the men to prepare for departure and the survivors continue on their long journey south. Along the way, Little reports that the Tuunbaq has been sighted but apparently weak after being injured twice. Camp is set up as Fitzjames' health worsens and Crozier meets with Little and the other officers. Little states their pace has slowed and the best option is to leave some men behind while the remaining stronger healthier men move south and return for them later. Jopson condemns the idea and Crozier reminds them all no one is going to be left behind. After Fitzjames dies and his body is being prepared for burial, Little asks Crozier if he would like to say anything but Crozier declines. He orders Little to bury his body carefully so it'll appear invisible and won't be found. Later Golding reports to Crozier and Little that he spotted open water and go to scout it. Unfortunately it turns out to be a trap and a party led by Charles Frederick Des Voeux has been sent to take Crozier back with them. Des Voeux kills Hartnell and Crozier agrees to go with them in exchange for the other men being left unharmed. Crozier tells Little to lower his weapon, return to bury Hartnell's body, and keep moving south with the rest to which Little reluctantly agrees.

In the final episode, despite agreeing to Crozier's order to keep moving south, Little holds a meeting with the other men trying to convince them to organize a rescue party as their best chance of survival is with the captain as none of them have overland Arctic experience and can't speak the Netsilik tongue. However Lieutenant Henry Thomas Dundas Le Vesconte tells Little a vote was made before he woke and they all agreed to keep moving. With no one willing to help him, Little has no choice but to go with them leaving Jopson and others behind. Much later Crozier along with Lady Silence discover Little's camp where the men resorted to cannibalism. Crozier finds a barely living Little whose face is covered in gold chains and piercings. Little mutters the word "close" to Crozier before dying next to him.

## In the Book

Crozier sends Lt. Little out on a boat with Harry Peglar, James Reid, Alexander Berry, Henry Sait, William Wentzall, Samuel Crispe, John Bates, and David Sims to scout for open leads, but they are ambushed and killed by Tuunbaq.

## Trivia

* The gold piercings on Lieutenant Little's face in episode 10 are based on Inuit stories of finding a body with gold chains wrapped around his face.
* In the book, Little is described as being a lover of classical music.
* Interestingly, Little shares his birthday with that of his portrayer, Matthew McNulty.