Hennessey
| |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Title | Admiral |
| Gender | Male |
| Status | Alive |
| Ships | |
| Relationships | James McGraw (subordinate) |
| Appearances | First: X. |
| Portrayed by | Greg Melvill-Smith |
- "You are summarily discharged from service. No charges will be drawn against you provided you leave London quietly and are neither seen nor heard from again."
- ―Hennessey to James McGraw[src]
Admiral Hennessey is a high-ranking officer in the Royal Navy and the superior of Lieutenant James McGraw, to whom he was also a father figure.
Biography[]
Season Two[]
In a flashback to 1705, Hennessey appoints young and up-and-coming Lieutenant called James McGraw as Naval envoy to aristocrat Thomas Hamilton, who wanted to clean up piracy in Nassau[1].
When McGraw constantly expresses skepticism towards their ability to reform Nassau. He tells Hamilton that if he wants, he's sure Admiral Hennessey would be happy to send him another liaison, but Thomas rebuffs his offer.
Later, McGraw and Hennessey meet at a bar in London and McGraw tells his superior about his time with Lord Hamilton. Hennessey laughs at Thomas calling the New World "a sacred opportunity to right our wrongs." He asks McGraw if Hamilton is mad, saying half of Whitehall whispers it. McGraw tells Hennessey that Hamilton isn't mad, he's just bright, determined and wealthy all at the same time. Hennessey quips that that's worse. McGraw tells him that he went to one of Hamilton's salons that half the Royal Society attends but most deny attending. Most of them are pretenders who are attracted to his ideas because they make them feel like radicals. Thomas however, is honest and genuine about the need to rethink systemic things. Hennessey is concerned when McGraw says "Thomas" instead of "Lord Hamilton," and McGraw has to explain that Hamilton insists on the familiar. Hennessey has to leave for ship's business but promises to be back soon and has McGraw wait for him.
He first becomes concerned about Lieutenant McGraw, when he sees him fighting a fellow officer who had insulted Hamilton's wife. When he returns to the bar, he orders everyone who is an officer in his fleet to leave the building. Afterwards, McGraw tells Hennessey that good sense escaped him momentarily when Hamilton's wife was insulted, but it reflects no way on his fitness to continue being Hamilton's liaision. Hennessey tells him that he knows how important the posting is and that McGraw knows it. Hennessey is concerned about what cannot be known, the thing that arises in McGraw when passions are aroused and good sense escapes him. All men possess this, but McGraw's is darker and wilder. Hennessey imagines it's what makes McGraw so effective as an officer, but when exposed to extremes, he could not imagine what it is capable of, and neither does McGraw[2].
When approached with the idea of pardoning the pirates, Alfred Hamilton refuses. After arguing with Thomas, he asks McGraw what he thinks. The Lieutenant says that he finds Thomas' intentions to be good and true, and Alfred's wanting. He promises to relay his findings to Admiral Hennessey shortly[3].
With the campaign in Whitehall against Lord Alfred dragging on, McGraw proposes to bring up the idea to Admiral Hennessey, saying he is the closest thing McGraw has to a father. McGraw approaches Hennessey at Admiralty's offices. McGraw attempts to persuade Hennessey, saying they have an opportunity to prevent a catastrophic loss to the empire by issuing military pardons. McGraw admits he knows how it looks for McGraw to be raising the subject with him here, but he thinks that this is too important to be deterred by imagined dangers.
Hennessey is shocked that McGraw thinks that these dangers are imagined, and reminds him that he tried to warn McGraw about these people. McGraw makes an impassioned plea in support of Thomas Hamilton and the pardons. He reminds Hennessey that on the day McGraw was made an officer, Hennessey told him how proud he was. He also told James that the measure of a man is in the moment in which he is confronted by himself, by opposing voices in his head, both arguing that they are right. Hennessey told James to know the difference in that moment is what makes a man and an officer. McGraw tells his mentor that he sees the difference in this moment, he knows it.
Hennessey then opens the door to his office, revealing Alfred Hamilton inside. Hennessey tells James that Alfred arrived shortly before he did, and told him all about his and Thomas' affair. Henessey says that as much as he would like to believe he could help McGraw recover from his weaknesses and flaws, this is too profane. McGraw begs Hennessey's leave to explain, but Hennessey stops him and tells him to consider himself lucky this did not end on the gallows. McGraw and Miranda are to leave London and never be seen or heard from again. If they do not obey, the charges brought against them will be swift and unyielding[4].
Gallery[]
