Isaac Pincher

"I drank a chalice of the purest nectar. I had Charlotte Wells and then I wrecked her."

## Other information

### Portrayed by

Alfie Allen

**Isaac Pincher** is played by Alfie Allen.

## Biography

Isaac Pincher is driven by his ambitions to achieve wealth and power. Back in London after fighting in the Seven Years War, Isaac wants to take over London. The brothers lease a tavern together, the Saracen’s Head, which serves as a front for their ever-growing pimping business. Compared to his more quiet and level-headed brother, Hal, he’s the front-man. Rash and impulsive, he makes several in-the-moment decisions that ultimately spiral into chaos for all those involved. Despite being the more volatile of the Pincher brothers, Isaac is also the poet, and has multiple lines of rhyming dialogue.

## Appearance

Isaac has short-cut wavy brown hair, and his wig worn during Lady Fitz's event is a similar shade, though pulled back into an era-appropriate style. His outfits are typically extravagent and detailed, mirroring his own perception of what he wants to be, rather than a reflection of who he truly is. His outfit presents him as a gentry, which is partly what assisted his deception of Charlotte Wells in their introductory scene.

## Personality

Pincher is shown to have weak moral values, especially when considering strangers or people he generally holds no affection for. He behaves deceitfully in order to lower Charlotte's guard, and then even proceeds to blatantly threaten her and her friends' lives. Isaac also has a streak of violence and is very easily provoked into rage. Though he does at times manage to restrain himself, he often allows himself to express his emotions at the expense of other people. He acts aggressively and insults others with crude language, even bad-mouthing Fanny in front of her own daughter. Isaac also seemingly has no issue with cold-blooded arson (and possible murder), as he sets fire to Charlotte's home in a spiteful comeback to her retaliation and the public humiliation she brought down upon him. However, he does appear to have a more sensitive side, and his actor- Game of Thrones alumni Alfie Allen- describes him as being 'driven by his need for some form of honesty'. Though he appears to be largely immoral, he seems to draw the line at injuring people he appreciates or cares for, and considers any form of positive consequence of a bad deed to be stained in value. His poetic tongue is used in order to impress or patronise others, but also a genuine expression of his most honest feelings, as he is seen writing stanzas of self-indulgent art in private.

## Relationships

### Charlotte Wells

A relationship started rocky, Isaac begins his ongoing infatuation with Charlotte by deceiving her, trying to pimp her out, burning her house and threatening her countless times. How romantic. But, the loathing turns to lust as they begin to bed each other for no apparent ulterior motive. And while we can still stand by the idea that it was purely physical attraction, both Isaac and Charlotte appear to almost like one another, though its far more prevalent on his behalf. Contradictory to his ruthless behvaiour when provoked, Isaac offers her a genuine apology for the damage to her property, and even asks her to hold a leisurely conversation about the weather with him (to which she replies with 'I'm not your chat mate'). But regardless to her verbal apathy, she shoots the sky a curious glance upon his leaving. Isaac apparently views her as some sort of equal, but it's confirmed that a large part of his affections stemmed from his inherent love of chaos and disarray. Their relationship is nonsensical and illogical, and both parties thrive on that sort of mayhem. Leading up to the dramatic conclusion of Episode 3, the poet and the harlot are shown kissing one another, which ultimately spurs his brother Hal to act in sudden rage, beating down on Isaac and accidentally flinging Charlotte back over the railing where she suffers severe head trauma. Following Charlotte's untimely demise, Pincher grows obsessed with the idea of her, both stemming from his guilt and his realisation of 'what could've potentially been and what he was really searching for'. He thinks of her excessively, muttering that he was, in fact, in love with her and that they belonged to one another. His prim and devious facade begins to crumble, and his mannerisms grow more unhinged when he has Rosamund wear Charlotte's dress during a sexual encounter so he can mewl about his affections for the deceased girl.

His eventual death is compared to hers in sudden flashing imagery in which they are both shown laying down, wounded, with blood pooling out from their injured left sides.

## Quotes

* "The role I was assigned at birth was poverty."

* "I drank a chalice of the purest nectar. I had Charlotte Wells, and then I wrecked her."

* "This trade turns us into rats."

* "Talk with me. There's the sky to observe, the weather to deliberate."

* "I want to brain Charlotte Wells, not bed her."

* "You add two and two and reach ten again."