Chester Thomas

**Chester Thomas** is a character in The Great Moon Hoax. He is the owner of The New York Sun newspaper and the boss of Samuel Stratford and Benjamin Park. He is played by Tony Gonzalez.

## Background

Chester is the owner of the New York Sun, a penny-paper newspaper. He hired Samuel Stratford to work at The Sun but was unwilling to let Rose also work there.

## The Great Moon Hoax

In his first appearance in The Great Moon Hoax, Chester enters stressed about how his newspaper is being outperformed by its rival The New York Sentinel and how this is slowly causing his own paper to go under. He questions his editor Benjamin Park if the stories for the next day are ready and Benjamin informs him that they almost are, he's just helping Samuel edit his story on the weather. Chester isn't convinced by this and demands to see what Samuel is writing, after discovering that Samuel was once more trying to propose a story of fiction, he fires the man from his position at The Sun.

The following day after discovering that Benjamin has added Samuel's fictional Moon article into the newspaper, Chester sends for Samuel and tells him that he knows the story is fake but despite this, The Sun is selling amazingly. He rehires Samuel and instructs him to continue writing the stories.

Following the publishing of the second Great Astronomical Discoveries article, Chester is approached by reporters from rival newspapers who demand to know if the story is true. Chester assures them that it is and explains that Herschel sent Samuel all his notes. He then says that they should be excited and that they're just jealous that the story was published by The New York Sun.

Chester is incredibly pleased by the newfound success of his newspaper and practically revels in it. Despite this, when he's approached by Benjamin asking for a raise, he denies the man this saying that he betrayed him by publishing the first article and that he can't reward someone he cannot trust.

A few days later, Chester is visited by the Mayor of New York who tells him how he's impressed by how he turned the newspapers fortunes around. Chester then tells Samuel about how he feels he could ride the success of the Moon articles to become a senator or even president. This amuses Samuel who tells Chester that if he attempted to run for government he would speak out about how terrible Chester really is. Chester is annoyed by this, realising that Samuel feels guilty for publishing the hoax, and threatens Samuel with revealing the truth himself and how this would cause The Sun to fold, forcing Samuel and Rose to remain working at the Stratford Family Paper Stand for the rest of their days.

Later that day, Chester is horrified to discover that Benjamin has brought the real John Herschel to give a speech at The Sun. When the Sun's employees shout out to the astronomer questioning if the hoax is true, Chester attempts to assure them it is but is told to be quiet by Benjamin. Alongside Samuel, Rose and Benjamin, Chester is shocked to hear Herschel confirm the hoax to be true. After the press conference with Herschel ends, Chester begins to become anxious revealing that now Herschel told everyone that his telescope is fake and, there would be no more Great Astronomical Discoveries articles. However, he is comforted by Samuel, Rose and John who tell him that the Moon doesn't have to be the end and that he can use his own imagination to keep The Sun running.

## Personality and Traits

Chester Thomas is an incredibly self-absorbed and arrogant man. He believes himself to be the best in any room he's in and can be prone to bragging. As a result of this, he is also prone to anxiety when things don't go his way as he desperately attempts to cling to what he has. When anxious in this way, Chester has a tendency to be irrational and to lash out.

## Relationships

### Samuel Stratford

Samuel Stratford is one of Chester's reporters at The New York Sun. Chester finds himself irritated by Samuel and his attempts to publish works of fiction in his newspaper. Despite this, he owes The Sun's eventual success to the man and has a begrudging respect for him. Samuel does not like Chester and finds him arrogant and headstrong.

### Benjamin Park

Benjamin Park is the editor of Chester's newspaper The New York Sun. Benjamin has a key to the building and is responsible for printing the copies of The Sun, as a result of this, Chester trusts Benjamin more than most of his employees. Despite this, the two do not like each other and Chester easily fires Benjamin when he betrays him.