Knox

Knox
Portrayed by	Jamie Hector
First appearance	The Second Coming
In-story stats
Known ability	Enhanced strength
Formal name	Benjamin Washington
Gender
Place of birth	Los Angeles, CA
Occupations	Agent of Pinehearst Company, former criminal

Benjamin Washington, also known as "Knox", is a criminal who was among the escapees from Level 5, and was eventually recruited into Pinehearst Company. He is an evolved human with the ability to feed off people's fear and turn it into his own incredible strength.

Character History

The Second Coming

While in Noah Bennet's house, Sylar, while stalking and hunting Claire throughout the house, finds a collection of evolved human files in one of Noah's boxes, one of which is on Knox. Sylar remarks the files are a "shopping list" of new abilities, and intends to take Knox's ability, as well as those of the other prisoners.

While in his cell, Knox, kept in a straitjacket, paces back and forth repeatedly.

The Butterfly Effect

When Sylar does arrive, Elle Bishop ends the battle by unleashing a massive discharge that blows out Level 5's power grid, releasing a dozen prisoners. Knox gathers some together, including Jesse Murphy (inhabited by Peter Petrelli), Eric Doyle, Flint and the German, and leads them to escape Primatech Research.

Much later, the group has arrived at a gas station, where Knox and the others take their time murdering the other tenants. Knox stops Peter from calling Nathan and directs him to the car the German secures for them. Knox then convinces "Jesse" to come with them and escape, as sirens approach.

One of Us, One of Them

Knox arrives at the First Federal Bank of New York in Poughkeepsie with the German, Flint, and Jesse, whose body is still inhabited by Peter. As they are entering, Knox questions Peter about feeling scared. After the heist, the other Level Five escapees ask why the police have arrived. Knox says he called the police because it's not just about the money. The German threatens Knox, but Knox senses his fear and punches his hand through the German, killing him and severely denting the metal wall behind him. Later, Knox is sitting and watching the police gather outside, waiting for the Company to arrive. When Peter asks what they are waiting for, Knox replies the reason they broke out was to exact revenge on the man in the horn-rimmed glasses. Knox perceives that Jesse is not himself when he uses his knowledge of Jesse's past life to trick Peter.

Later on, when Noah enters the bank, the hostages are released and Knox sits Noah down. He confronts him about being locked in Level 5 and says that its his turn to punish him. Peter then screams, sending Knox flying. After Future Peter's visit, Jesse (now freed from Peter dwelling within him) assists Knox in subduing Noah. They are stopped by Sylar, who telekinetically grabs Knox mid-punch. After Noah exits the bank with Flint, Knox runs away because he sees that Sylar is staying with ill-intent.

Graphic Novel:The Sting of Injustice

At a diner, Knox mets Jesse Murphy and is amazed with his ability. Some gangsters get into the place and Jesse uses his ability once again to scare them, as Knox feeds himself from their fear and gains strength. He quickly defeat them using his ability and cause a bloodbath. Both get confident of themselves and feel they're in the top of the world, but suddenly Noah Bennet appears with the Haitian and they capture them easily, locking them out in Level 5, where Knox warns that he won't rest until taking revenge and seeing the man with the glasses dead.

Angels and Monsters

Knox gets hired for Pinehearst by Daphne. He gets assigned to capture Adam Monroe and recruit Hiro Nakamura.

Dying of the Light

Knox witnesses Hiro "killing" Ando, then leaves the Specials for Hire Bar. Knox brings Adam to the Pinehearst Company to meet Arthur Petrelli, where Arthur steals Adam's power, killing him. Knox is present with Daphne, Flint, and Maury when Arthur steals Peter's power.

Eris Quod Sum

Knox follows Daphne to New York City and Matt Parkman's apartment, assigned to make sure she carries out her mission to kill Matt. When she refuses, Knox bursts in and seemingly uses her fear to enhance his strength and break her neck. Matt temporarily paralyzes Knox using telepathy but Knox enhances his strength further by absorbing Matt's fear and puts his fist through Matt's chest. After he leaves, this is revealed as an illusion that Matt projected into Knox's mind from the next room. It appears that Knox and Daphne staged the entire scene, since it is later revealed Daphne's true assignment was to convince Matt she was joining his side.

Heroes Evolutions

The Company has an Assignment Tracker 2.0 profile on Knox (file: C005; password: BWygq63a) at primatechpaper.com. His personal history reads:

Washington was born in Watts, Los Angeles, and appears to have spent his childhood in the informal care of people other than his natural parents. Sometime during his early adolescence, he became a de facto ward of a Los Angeles street gang. Sources suggest that Washington may have worked for a number of years as a key soldier for a notorious southern Californian syndicate crime figure.

[Sentences Omitted: Classified] This intelligence suggests that Matt Parkman may have been a long-standing auxiliary parent figure for Washington, possibly in the context of Parkman's service as a parole officer.

[Paragraph Omitted: classified]

The decision to terminate surveillance early and apprehend Washington was made as a result of a high-profile altercation at a Los Angeles diner, during which Washington murdered a number of local gang members in public using his ability. Washington was interred in Level 5 with his accomplice, Jesse Murphy, but both escaped during a system-wide security failure. He remains at large. [Sentences Omitted: classified]

The subject displays marked psychological deference toward authority figures, primarily as a result of an adolescence spent in the highly structured hierarchy of organized crime.

However, the manifestation of his ability appears to have caused significant cognitive dissonance after authority figures proved incapable of accepting the subject or countering his will. As a result, the subject developed inappropriate coping strategies, primarily repression, resulting in passivity, mood swings and chronic anger. Preliminary examination conducted during his interment in Level 5 may also indicate symptoms of early schizophrenia. All contact with the subject should be recorded and analyzed for signs of additional psychological degradation.

Evolved Human Abilities

Knox has the ability to feed off of a person's fear, turning it into his own extraordinary strength. Knox apparently is able to sense the fear around him either by smell, or possibly even through a form of intuitive perception. He has also shown the ability to identify who around him is producing the fear on more then one occasion. His assignment tracker profile lists his ability as enhanced strength.

According to his assignment tracker profile, Knox's control index is 85%. His data analysis shows his biological level at 45, cerebral at 75, elemental at 20, and temporal/spatial at 55.

Cranial imaging

Notes

• The casting call for Knox originally read "25. Male. African-American. Frightening and intense--with the eyes of a predator--Knox has returned to New Orleans with plans to reclaim the criminal territory he used to run before he was sent to prison." He was originally supposed to appear in at least episodes thirteen and fourteen of Season Two, but the plans were changed due to the writers strike. In actuality, Jamie Hector filmed an episode prior to the writers strike.

See Also

• For Knox's history in the "exposed future", see Knox (exposed future).

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