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Porthos du Vallon is one of the main characters of The Musketeers . A loyal and devoted Musketeer himself, he often puts himself in needless danger to protect his friends and family. When D'Artagnan arrives in Paris , he helps to train the newcomer in control during combat and believes he has a great influence. In his spare time, he likes visiting the tavern to enjoy a drink and a card game.
On the matter of his past, Porthos is less enthusiastic. He rarely talks about how his mother was once a slave from West Africa , who traveled to France and was freed. He continues to uphold his disgust for slavery and turns vicious towards Emile Bonnaire after discovering his plans to pack slave ships and send them to the Americas. He is portrayed by Howard Charles .
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Porthos once recalled that his mother was a freed slave who came to France from West Africa . At an early age, he learnt to fend for himself. [1] Sometime in his history as a soldier, Porthos visited Poitiers , where he sustained an injury during a skirmish. [1]
Member of the Musketeers
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Porthos was playing a card game with Dujon when Athos arrived inside a local tavern. When he defeated his opponent, Dujon accused him of cheating and challenged him to a fight. Porthos succeeded despite only wielding a kitchen fork, but was surprised by his impatient friend, Athos, who had knocked his opponent on the head, claiming that they were running late to see Treville . Porthos accidentally revealed that he had indeed cheated in the game.
Looking for Aramis , they found him hanging out of Cardinal Richelieu 's private residence. At Treville's house, Porthos and his two friends are informed of the disappearance of Captain Cornet during his mission for the King in Chatres . They were supposed to find him. After finding no whereabouts of Cornet, the three returned to Paris. When a man named D'Artagnan attacked his comrade, Athos, and accused him of killing his father. Porthos was obliged to join the fight in order to stop the man from forcing harm on himself. Porthos was surprised when Treville arrived announcing Athos's arrest on the suspicion of robbery and murder.
In order to help his friend, Porthos and Aramis met up with D'Artagnan again to ask his help to find the culprits for the robbery and murders. After traveling to the inn where D'Artagnan and his father were attacked, Porthos deduced that the body they had found was not a Musketeer, but had been dressed in clothes to look like one. Traveling further, Porthos was displeased to discover Cornet's dead body. Following a hunch about S panish coins, Porthos went looking for Dujon and captured him to be questioned. Eventually, after interrogating him, Dujon revealed that Captain Gaudet was behind the attacks. Infiltrating the Red Guard camp, Porthos helped subdue to the soldiers and find evidence accusing Gaudet and his soldiers of framing Athos for his crimes.
Watching from the edge of the Red Guard camp.
The following morning, Porthos joined Aramis to show Athos's signed release papers at the execution. To celebrate his release, they journeyed to the tavern. However, Athos kept to himself and Porthos explained to D'Artagnan that this was because his mind was on a woman. As Aramis left the tavern, Porthos offered to play a game of cards with D'Artagnan. [2]
Porthos and his friends are scolded by Treville.
In a plot, devised by the Musketeers to get inside information about the criminal Vadim , Porthos helped to stage an illegal duel for D'Artagnan to be arrested and taken to the Chatelet . On Good Friday , Porthos was part of an escort for Queen Anne in a visit to the Chatelet. When a mass escape came about, including Vadim's escape, Porthos helped to round up and kill as many prisoners as he could.
After a tip-off from D'Artagnan, Porthos was given a plan of Vadim's assassination schemes. He informed Treville and they stormed Vadim's hideout, but found it empty, save for some blood on the floor. The Musketeers feared that D'Artagnan's true loyalties had been discovered. After the Easter mass , Porthos and the Musketeers realised that they had been fooled by an attack, which was a distraction for the real threat. Heading directly for the Louvre palace , Porthos joined his companions in apprehending Vadim, but was unaware of the secondary explosion underground - he was temporarily knocked out. Later, he found that D'Artagnan had dealt with Vadim single-handedly and the royal treasure saved. [3]
Porthos receives a Calabash from Bonnaire.
On a mission to capture Emile Bonnaire in Le Havre , Porthos and his friends learnt that Bonnaire had many enemies, including his wife Maria Bonnaire . After fending off his attackers, they arrested him, not before they gave him the chance to have a moment with his wife. Later, when escorting Bonnaire to Paris , they talked about Bonnaire's time in West Africa , and Porthos revealed that his ancestry derived from that area. As they arrived at a derelict building, they were ambushed by men who wished to kill Emile. Porthos was forced to protect Bonnaire, but was injured in the battle.
His friends helped him to a nearby house, which was revealed to be owned by Athos. There, Porthos was knocked out, so that Aramis could perform the treatment without delay. After awakening again, with his arm healing, Porthos was keen to take a look at Bonnaire's ship plans, but the man was surprisingly secretive about them. While his friends went out to recapture Emile with his wife, Porthos was tempted to open the plans once more. When they returned, he was angry to discover that Emile had plans of a slave ship and he tried to attack Emile for it. Athos succeeded in calming him down and explained that slavery was cruel, but not a crime.
Escorting Emile directly to Paris, Porthos was adamant that Emile would not get any fair treatment for his cruel deeds, whatever his promises. To his disgust, it was revealed Bonnaire had struck a deal with the Cardinal to run tobacco plantations with an investment from Richelieu himself. In retaliation, Porthos and his friends plotted to have Emile captured by the spanish in Le Havre, and Emile's goods were passed on to Paul Meunier . [1]
At the parade for the arrival of the Duke.
The Musketeers, including Porthos, were forced to attend a parade for the arrival of the Duke of Savoy . When the Duke had finally arrived, a shot was fired from nearby and Porthos helped to protect the King from the attacker, while D'Artagnan, Athos and Aramis chased after them. When Captain Treville turned sour about the fact they had let the assassin escape, Porthos was ordered to watch over the palace. He later learnt that Aramis and D'Artagnan had been hiding Marsac because he was an old friend. Porthos grew particularly furious when Treville was named as a traitor by the Savoy soldier and believed it was a lie.
At the royal palace, Porthos was surprised to hear that the Duke wished to duel Athos to decide whether he was stay for the peace treaty or head home. He was pleased to see Athos win, and was glad that his friend was chosen instead of him, as he would've beheaded the Duke eventually. Along with Athos, Porthos later saw the scarring on the Duke's back and believed Marsac to be telling the truth. To find out more, he offered to follow Gontard, who lead him to a tavern in the city. There, Porthos saw the Savoy minister speak with a jailer from the Chatelet, who gave him information about a prisoner.
Eager to keep prove Treville innocent in the Savoy massacre, he claimed that they should again try to talk to the captain in order to find out exactly what happened. In the middle of his discussion with his friends, the Duchess of Savoy rode in to the Musketeer courtyard and demanded that they stop her husband from discovering Cluzet , ex-chancellor of Savoy. Porthos proposed that they move him. He lead her escort to the Chatelet and helped move the ex-chancellor from his cell. At the treaty ceremony , Porthos was present and was informed by the Duchess never to speak of her true identity to anyone. [4]
Following a night of jubilation, which involved Porthos performing a shooting act as he fired at a watermelon on Aramis head, while drunk, the Musketeer found himself in an alleyway alone apart from a dead body nearby. A group of Red Guards arrived nearby and apprehended him on suspicion of murder. Inside the Chatelet , his friends visited him and assured him that they would clear his name. In court, Porthos claimed that after his birthday celebration was over, he decided to go for walk and wound up in a tavern talking to a woman. Beyond this, he didn't recall any other events. The judge decided to sentence Porthos to death in order to show an example, and he was stripped of his Musketeer insignia and escorted out of court. Outside, he was suddenly captured by hooded figures and taken to the Court of Miracles .
There, he was reunited with Charon and Flea , who he was surprised to notice were a couple, and the primary individuals in the court. Porthos was then invited to stay, regardless of whether he killed anyone or not. Charon explained that the next day he had organised a celebration as the perfect distraction for Porthos to leave Paris. Their discussion was interrupted by a masked assailant who shot Charon while aiming for Porthos. Feeling guilty, the Musketeer treated his friend's wound and succeeded in removing the bullet. Outside, he shared a kiss with Flea in a brief moment of affection.
Porthos surveys the Court with Flea and Charon.
The following day, during the celebrations in the court, Porthos discovered stored barrels of gunpowder, already fused. He told Charon and Flea about his discovery, to which Charon was not surprised. He revealed that he had been employed by Emile de Mauvoisin to smuggle barrels into the court for it later to be destroyed. Porthos was angered to learn that it was Charon who had initially framed him for the murder of Jean de Mauvoisin . When Charon was about to shoot Porthos with his pistol, Flea turned it towards herself and she was left dying while Charon made his escape.
In an attempt to subdue his lost friend, who is hell bent on killing Porthos to end the trail of evidence against him, Porthos disarmed him. He desperately attempted to persuade to his cease his madness. When his fellow Musketeers arrived, Charon took his chance to kill Porthos, but was stopped by Aramis' who stabbed him through the heart. Despite everything, Porthos held him in his arms as he died. After the chaos of the attack, Porthos left the Court of Miracles in Flea's charge, leaving her with a warning that the Cardinal might eventually destroy the area. [5]
Personality
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Profile of Porthos.
Porthos predominantly has a spirited character. His actions are based on what he feels like and whether he's in the right mood. He enjoys a challenge, and often heads directly for the front line to get a fight, because he's passionate about being a Musketeer. Fearless, even in precarious positions, he finds himself enjoying the experience and learning new tricks. This especially comes out in his fork against sword fight with Dujon. [2] But, in some respects he can take fights seriously, especially when it comes to protecting the King and Queen. [3] At times, he can properly enjoy himself, by enjoying a few drinks and using a mellon as target practice. [5]
Sometimes, his deeper feelings get the better of him, and one example is where he loses his patience with Emile Bonnaire, as it is revealed that he trades slaves. [1] He often threatens Marsac with his strength as he tries to protect Treville from his accusations. [4]
Loyal to the last, Porthos has great loyalty towards his fellow Musketeers and those in need. When Athos is imprisoned, Porthos feels determined to prove him innocent, whatever the cost. [2] The same is true with D'Artagnan, despite only knowing each other for a short time. [3]
At times, Porthos does show a deeper wisdom, which he can often present when giving advice for another friend, such as warning Aramis about his affections for the Queen. [3]
Mainly a reserved character, Porthos does have some deeper feelings, which derive from his family origins and his distant past. His reaction to slavery is quite absolute as he feels angered and distraught by Emile's plans to bring slavery from West Africa. He finds it difficult to recall his mother's terrifying situation of being slave, before being freed when she came to France. This is perhaps the cause for his supreme strength amongst his friends and his quick temper to boot. [1]
Relationships
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Porthos respects Athos strongly as a friend, but they often differ from each other in attitude and style. It is often seen that Athos takes charge of Porthos for he sometimes exhibits a care-free manner, and it is down to Athos to uphold the seriousness. [2] Athos does, however, show that he cares for Porthos's wellbeing as he is often forced to restrain Porthos from not endangering himself or his reputation. [1]
D'Artagnan
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A new and brewing relationship, Porthos enjoys having a friend he can pass some tricks onto. [2] D'Artagnan often learns sword fighting skills from Porthos when it comes to dueling. In addition, Porthos finds that it is his duty to save D'Artagnan from dangers which Porthos himself had put him in, as he feels guilty of it. [3]
Aramis
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Aramis and Porthos.
Both characters share a sense of humour between each other, and have a similar care-free attitude to life. When it comes to the serious missions, however, they both respect their cause and are good at working together to complete that mission. [2] Aramis also exhibits a supreme amount of knowledge for Porthos's feelings and mannerisms, but is perfectly happy to treat his injuries all the same. When it comes to the subject of Emile Bonnaire, Aramis finds it easy to empathize with Porthos. [1] Porthos tells Aramis that he would be more willing to follow Captain Treville than a traitorous Musketeer like Marsac. [4]
Emile Bonnaire
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At first, both characters share a simpatico relationship, where they've both experienced similar trend lines in the lives. However, when Porthos learns of Emile's true ways in business, especially in the slaving area, he grows very resentful towards him, and eventually tries to kill him or give him great pain. As a type of payback for Emile's endeavors, Porthos plans a capture by the Spanish to keep Emile away from the shipping business. [1]
Charon
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Due to their history together in the Court of Miracles, Porthos and Charon are like brothers, but they are both separated by their different aspirations. Porthos' longing for the life of Musketeer initially put Charon off, but he eventually came around to appreciating the new lifestyle. However, because of Charon's unsuspecting loyalties, Porthos was forced to work against his so-called brother and foil his plot to destroy their old home. The Musketeers later learned that this betrayal was caused by the love they both had for Flea. [5]
Flea
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Flea was a one time relationship for Porthos while he spent his days in the Court of Miracles. They were forced to separate when Porthos turned to the life of a Musketeer. But when he surprisingly returned to the Court under Charon's protection, their love soon rekindled, despite her relationship with Porthos' old friend. When they discovered Charon's treacherous ways, Porthos still wanted to remain in the Musketeer garrison, and Flea appreciated that, reluctantly remaining alone at the court. [5]
Abilities
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Porthos's main skills lie in hand-to-hand combat. The man grew up on the streets and learnt to fight dirty from a young age, also his large stature and intimidating appearance help with this aspect. Despite this form of combat, Porthos is also shown to be skilled enough to use a musket and sword. Porthos does not seem to have any skill in tending to wounds and often has Aramis patch him up when needed.
It is suggested that Porthos may know a few people within the Court of Miracles that he trusts and can protect him such as Charon and Flea. Also, he is seen to have a very strong relationship with Captain Treville, who has stood up for Porthos as much as Porthos wishes to protect him and the Musketeers.
Porthos also has the ability to drink a horse under the table, he is often seen drinking during the evenings and is considered to run on alcohol. Despite his common intoxication he is able to function quite well and even managed to shoot a melon of Aramis's head while severely intoxicated and from Athos's reaction, it seemed to be a common occurrence.