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Peter Quinn
Peter Quinn S6
Name: John
Status: Deceased
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America
Date of death: 2016
Cause of death: Multiple gunshot wounds
Nationality: Flag of the United States American
Alias(es): Peter Quinn. "guy who kills bad guys". The Hitman,
Affiliation: Central Intelligence Agency
Profession: CIA Agent, Black Ops, Directorate of Operations (CIA), Special Activities Center
Marital status: Single
Significant other(s): Ex-girlfriend:
Julia Diaz

lovers:
Astrid

Children: with Julia Diaz:
John Jr.
Played by: Rupert Friend
Season(s): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
First episode: "New Car Smell"
Last episode: "America First"
  • Because you made me this way! It’s always your mission, your mission, your mission! - Peter Quinn to Carrie Mathison

John, known in the CIA as Peter Quinn, was a CIA paramilitary officer who was assigned to lead a surveillance team consisting of Carrie Mathison, Saul Berenson, Virgil and Max to observe Congressman Nicholas Brody after it was discovered that Brody had attempted to assassinate Vice President William Walden. His former lover Astrid, a german intelligence officer, this is real love of your life.

Quinn leaves behind Carrie, his partner at the CIA; his former girlfriend Julia Diaz; his son John Jr.

Background[]

CIA operative Peter Quinn is a self-proclaimed "guy who kills bad guys" within the agency. But despite his job description, he has a conscience. He has been working both for and against Carrie at various times in his career, now neither position has dampened the feelings he has for her.

Early life[]

John "Peter Quinn" told Carrie that he was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States of America. He also tells her that he attended The Hill School and Harvard University. (New Car Smell) Quinn tells his landlady he did not have a degree. Dar Adal (F.Murray Abraham) tells Carrie that Quinn was found by the CIA as a sixteen year old foster child in Baltimore. (A False Glimmer).

He later met a woman named Julia Diaz. The two have a son together, John, Jr., who Quinn wasn't around to raise. (Two Hats)

CIA Recruitment[]

According to Dar Adal, at sixteen years old, Quinn was found in a Baltimore foster home and was recruited by the CIA and two years later became the youngest SAD officer of the agency, due to his natural talent. He served under Dar Adal. (Two Hats) (Broken Hearts)

Monitoring Congressman Brody[]

Peter Quinn

Quinn after being assigned to kill Brody.

Peter Quinn is hired by David Estes to assist Saul Berenson and Carrie Mathison in monitoring terrorist Nick Brody. Quinn is supposed to lead the operation, which arouses suspicion among his colleagues because they have never seen Quinn, who claims to have been working for the CIA for six years, in Langley before. Quinn, on the other hand, dislikes the fact that Carrie often doesn't follow his instructions and instead has her own way. He thinks she often acts too emotional because she has feelings for Brody.

That's why Quinn is the one who questions Brody before Carrie after his arrest. After Brody tells him several lies, Quinn shows him the farewell video that Brody recorded the day he also wore an explosive vest. Brody then admits that he knew Abu Nazir's son Issa, but he still refuses to admit that he almost sacrificed himself to kill the vice president. This makes Quinn so angry that he stabs Brody in the hand with a knife. Carrie then takes over the questioning and is able to win him over as a double agent for the CIA. Quinn then has to admit that Carrie's method was far more successful, but he continues to warn her that she shouldn't blindly trust Brody. Quinn also doesn't want to involve him in the CIA's plans because Brody seems mentally unstable to him.

When the CIA receives a tip from Brody, Quinn leads a search of a tailor shop in Gettysburg. Shortly after he calls for armed reinforcements, they are attacked there by terrorists. Quinn is shot and then plays dead, making him the only survivor besides Danny Galvez. After a few days in the hospital, Quinn discharges herself to return to work.

One day Quinn gets a call from Julia Diaz, his son's mother. Unlike his colleagues at the CIA, Julia knows that his real name is John and informs him that Saul Berenson is slowly discovering his secret. Quinn then meets with his instructor Dar Adal. A short time later, Estes tells Quinn that Saul now knows that he is not a normal CIA employee, but that he is here because he has the task of executing someone. In fact, Quinn's job is to kill Brody on behalf of Estes after Abu Nazir is captured. Quinn is about to do this when Estes tells him at the last second that they have to call off the operation because Abu Nazir hasn't been caught as expected.

Quinn: Nothing happens to Brody.

Estes: Or?
Quinn: Or you'll find me back in this bedroom one night. Right back in that chair...'cause I'm the guy that kills bad guys.

Peter Quinn threatens David Estes
Quinn confronts Estes

Quinn confronting Estes.

When the CIA is once again on the verge of catching Abu Nazir, Quinn is there and coordinates the FBI's TAC teams alongside Galvez. When almost the entire unit disappeared again because the search was unsuccessful, Abu Nazir was found and killed. Peter Quinn is then given the green light to murder Brody. He spends the following days with Carrie at a house by the lake. As Brody prays on the shore of the lake, Quinn has the opportunity to shoot him, but he lets Brody live. He later shows up at David Estes' house and tells him that he won't kill Brody because he's a good person and doesn't deserve it after keeping his end of the deal with the CIA. (The Choice)

Post-12/12/2012[]

After the attack on Langley and the death of David Estes, Peter Quinn starts working for Saul. On behalf of this, he is first supposed to eliminate several terrorists. After he aborts his first attempt to save the life of a little boy who would otherwise have died in the operation, he only later eliminates the terrorists with targeted shots. Ultimately, he has to realize that the innocent boy was also one of his victims. As a result, Quinn is plagued by severe remorse.

At the same time, he is also concerned with the events surrounding Carrie, who is being held in a psychiatric hospital by Saul. Quinn doesn't take kindly to this and tries to support Carrie as best she can. After she is released from the psychiatric hospital and secretly works with Saul to get to the main suspect in the attack on Langley, Majid Javadi, Quinn no longer lets her out of her sight, as Carrie is also being monitored by Javadi's men. He also enables her, along with Virgil and Max, to secretly have a conversation with FBI Agent Hall. Since both then assume that Carrie has been exposed, Quinn is inattentive for a moment and Carrie is kidnapped and taken to Javadi. Although the CIA initially holds all the cards, Javadi manages to escape their surveillance and kill both his ex-wife and his daughter-in-law. Quinn finally finds nothing but a bloodbath at the crime scene and then has Javadi brought to Saul.

As a result, Quinn faces another problem because the neighbors' surveillance cameras show him in front of the house at the time of the murder of the two women, which makes him the main suspect for the city police. Carrie then tries to help Quinn, but to no avail. Therefore, Quinn has no choice but to answer the police's questions. Since it is easier to take the blame than to explain the circumstances, Quinn claims to the police that the murders were necessary for national security. Therefore, the case is not pursued any further and Quinn is also relieved to have made a confession, even if it was not his crime. He begins to doubt the CIA's system and wonders whether its means are really always justified.

Nevertheless, he then promises Carrie his help in proving Brody's innocence and finding the real assassin. They actually succeed and find out the identity of the bomber. When they try to capture him, the operation fails because the man has already been killed by Paul Franklin. Because Carrie doesn't follow Dar Adal's instructions during the procedure and gets her own way in order to keep the bomber alive and thus prove Brody's innocence, Quinn ultimately has no choice but to shoot her in the shoulder and so on from jeopardizing the operation. At the hospital he then takes a look at Carrie's file and finds out that she has already been pregnant for fifteen weeks. When he asks her about it, Carrie reacts angrily and has no interest in Quinn's concerns and advice.

A short time later, Brody is assassinated in Tehran and Saul is replaced by Senator Lockhart. Quinn, like Carrie, remains loyal to the CIA. Four months after the events, he speaks again about her pregnancy with Carrie, who now plans to become an office manager in Istanbul. He reminds her that he also has a child and doesn't want her to screw it up like he did.

Hunting for Haqqani[]

Some time later, Quinn works in the CIA operations center in Islamabad, Pakistan, which works closely with the American embassy there. After Carrie led a drone operation that killed not only the terrorist target Hassaim Haqqani, but also numerous other civilians who had just celebrated a wedding, the Taliban want retribution. However, they are not targeting Carrie, who is stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan, but rather the CIA chief in Islamabad, Sandy Bachman. As he is sitting in the car with Quinn and Carrie, they are stopped by a mob on the street and the people drag Sandy out of the car and beat him to death. Quinn quickly realizes that they can't save him and prefers to get Carrie and himself to safety by disappearing from the scene. He then gets into an argument with Carrie, who believes that they should have helped her colleague.

This is not the only argument between the two. Quinn increasingly notices how cold-blooded Carrie has become through her work and that she does not see herself responsible for the deaths of the civilians at the wedding. Quinn herself is even more burdened by the events. Back in the USA, he regularly resorts to alcohol and often ends up in bed with his landlady Eden (Emily Walker). One morning he even goes so far as to beat up a few men who make fun of the overweight landlady, which results in a CIA investigation. When Dar Adal finally shows up at his door and confronts him about letting Sandy die to save his beloved Carrie, Quinn becomes angry and makes it clear to Dar Adal that he wants nothing more to do with him. Later, he watches a video of the attack on Sandy on the Internet, where he notices a man who is on the phone and appears to be coordinating the attack. He immediately shares his discovery with Carrie, who then persuades him to come back to Islamabad because she needs him there. Quinn, who actually planned to quit his job at the CIA for good, lets her persuade him to return.

“Is there no line, Carrie? Is there no fucking line?” - QUINN


Back in Islamabad, Quinn helps observe Farhad Ghazi, the unknown man from the video. Just as they are about to catch him, Fara tells Carrie that Haqqani is still alive, changing the entire situation. Quinn and Carrie realize that Sandy was killed to convince the CIA that Haqqani is dead and no longer needs to be pursued. While Carrie then tries to recruit Haqqani's nephew Aayan Ibrahim, who survived the attack, Fara and Quinn pursue one of Haqqani's allies, but ultimately have to stop because Carrie cannot be reached. Quinn is annoyed that Carrie spent time with Aayan instead, and they get into another argument.

Meanwhile, Saul has disappeared without a trace. Quinn tries to figure out what happened to him while Carrie continues her plan. When Aayan and Haqqani finally meet and they are about to arm the drone to finally finish off Haqqani, Saul suddenly appears in the picture, having been captured by Haqqani's men. Carrie still makes the decision to kill Haqqani, especially since he just shot Aayan in front of her, but Quinn reminds her that Saul's life is also at stake here. Eventually the operation is aborted, meaning they lose all trace of Haqqani and Saul.

It wasn't until a few days later that they received a call from Saul, who had managed to escape on his own. Quinn and Carrie immediately develop a plan to take him to a safe place, but Carrie has to promise Saul that she will let him die before he is captured by the terrorists again. Ultimately, that's exactly what happens. Carrie, Quinn and Lockart then strike a barter deal with the Pakistani delegation, exchanging several of Haqqani's men for Saul. Quinn watches the prisoner exchange with Lockhart and Ambassador Martha Boyd via the monitors in the command center while Carrie is on site. When the swap is completed, Carrie and Saul are attacked on the way to the embassy. Almost all available American soldiers are then sent there. Only later does Quinn learn that this is just a diversionary tactic and that Haqqani and his men are simultaneously entering the virtually unprotected embassy through a tunnel.

It doesn't take long until Haqqani and his men arrive at the embassy and start killing the employees there. Haqqani wants a list with the contact details of the CIA's allies, which Lockhart uses to lock himself in a safe room. Quinn watches as his colleagues are killed when Lockhart refuses to hand over the list to Haqqani. When it's finally Fara's turn, Lockhart steps out of the safe and gives the list to Haqqani, who kills Fara in cold blood anyway. Quinn, together with a soldier remaining on site, manages to shoot some of Haqqani's men and also injure Haqqani himself. Nevertheless, the Taliban leader manages to escape from the embassy because one of Haqqani's companions detonates an explosive device in the tunnel that prevents Quinn from following them any further.

Quinn then tries to find out where Haqqani could be hiding with the help of Saul. When Saul can't give him helpful answers, Quinn becomes aggressive. Carrie interrupts the conversation and explains to him that they have received orders from Washington to withdraw from Pakistan. However, for Quinn this is out of the question. He is determined to hunt down Haqqani and begins to search for him on his own. He follows Farhad Ghazi again and kidnaps him to get more information. This gives Quinn access to Ghazi's cell phone, which matches those of Haqqani's killed men at the embassy. He asks an old acquaintance named Astrid from the German embassy to locate phones with similar serial numbers. In fact, this is how they find out that the phones are all in the same place. At the same time, Max tries to give Quinn a fake passport and money, but he is caught by Carrie, who wants to find Quinn and stop him from putting his plan into action. When they finally meet in a parking garage, Quinn doesn't even hesitate to shoot Carrie's colleagues in the leg so that they don't force them to fly back to America.

Quinn then starts building a bomb. He then enlists the help of Kiran, Aayan's friend, whom he is able to convince that together they can take revenge on Haqqani for the deaths of Aayan and Quinn's colleagues. Kiran then ensures that a call for a demonstration to take place near Haqqani's hiding place is published on the Internet. Quinn is there with the bomb disguised as a protest sign. After placing them, he moves away and waits for Haqqani to arrive. Meanwhile, his supporters have started a counter-demonstration and are soon in the majority. However, as Quinn prepares to trigger the bomb when Haqqani shows up, he suddenly sees Carrie in the crowd and doesn't have the heart to pull the trigger.

Quinn is then able to escape Islamabad with the help of the German embassy. Back in the USA, he meets Carrie again at her father Frank's funeral. Quinn and Carrie want to put the events in Islamabad behind them. When the two kiss that evening, Carrie is unsure because none of her relationships have ended well so far. However, Quinn is optimistic and therefore rejects the offer of a friend named Rob, with whom he has repeatedly pursued terrorists on behalf of Dar Adal. But when Carrie makes it clear to him that she can't make a decision about the relationship between the two at the moment, Quinn takes this as a rejection and agrees to Rob's offer. Since he cannot be reached during the mission, he leaves Carrie a letter that she will receive in case he dies.

Mission in Germany[]

After thirty months in Syria, Quinn returns to Langley. In a conference he tries to make it clear to his colleagues that they have to use more radical means in order to be able to fight IS. However, after expressing his opinion, he submits to his superiors again and has Saul Berenson regularly commission him to carry out contract killings. To do this, they set up a locker in Berlin, where Quinn now works from, for which they both have a key. Saul leaves names in the locker and Quinn leaves photos of the people killed. He shows little compassion for his victims and murders them without batting an eyelid.

One day Quinn is given the task of killing Carrie. To get to her, he kidnaps the son of her new friend Jonas Hollander. He then tracks the calls Jonas and Carrie make to find out their shared location. His plan works and he is finally able to arrest Carrie. However, he doesn't fulfill his assignment, instead he just takes photos in which she appears to be dead, so that she is not pursued any further for the time being. In order to find out who ordered the murder, they then go to the locker together. Quinn is shot by a man who was just waiting for him to put the photo evidence in the locker. Carrie wants to take Quinn to a hospital immediately, but he refuses. She therefore asks Jonas for help, who can get antibiotics for Quinn through his sister. Nevertheless, his condition worsens and when Carrie leaves the two men alone for a while, Jonas doesn't want to take any risks and calls the emergency doctor. Quinn fears this could put Carrie in danger and runs away. As he is about to drown himself in a river, he is found by an Arab named Hussein, who does not want to let Quinn kill himself. Since he is a doctor, he takes Quinn to his home, where he gives him medical care and gives him painkillers.

However, not everyone in the building where Quinn recovers during the following period is friendly to him. One of the roommates, Hajik, thinks Quinn is a spy and tries to kill him as Quinn is about to say goodbye. However, he is able to defend himself and kill Hajik, whereupon Hussein takes him back in and treats his new wounds. Quinn is then asked by another roommate named Bibi if he would accompany her to the East, since he has already been there and knows the best way to cross the borders. He is offered a lot of money in return because one of the men has a rich and influential uncle. Quinn then visits Dar Adal and explains to him that he will accompany the group in order to use the opportunity to get closer to Uncle Al-Qaduli and find out more about him.

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Shortly afterwards, the group around Quinn and Bibi, the leader, sets off. In Kosovo they stop to pick up something and change cars. Quinn suspects that they are weapons, which is why he makes it clear to Bibi that they won't be able to cross the Syrian border with them, but Bibi has no plans to go further east anyway. Instead, they return to Berlin. When Quinn finally sees what was picked up in Kosovo, he realizes that they are planning a poison gas attack in the capital. He tries to explain to Qasim, Bibi's cousin, how painfully they are killing people and that he must prevent the attack at all costs. Qasim has no courage to oppose his cousin, but when he learns that Quinn is to be used as a test subject for the poison gas, he gives him an injection with an antidote to give him a chance to survive. The video of Quinn being exposed to the poison gas and collapsing is shortly afterwards made available to the public by Bibi as a warning of an attack. He gives the UN Security Council a few hours to recognize the Islamic State, otherwise it will carry out the attack.

In fact, thanks to Qasim's help, Quinn survives and is found a short time later by Carrie and Astrid. He is then taken to the Landstuhl Medical Center, where he is initially unconscious. However, since Carrie and Saul really want to talk to him to get any information about the attack from him, the doctors try to wake him up. When Quinn hears Carrie's voice, he actually comes to, but before he can say anything to her, he coughs up blood and falls back into unconsciousness. Shortly afterwards he also suffers from brain haemorrhages. Doctors can operate on him, but the doctor believes he will suffer permanent brain damage. At his bedside, Dar Adal finally gives Carrie the letter Quinn wrote to her before his trip to Syria. In this he explains that he has never led a normal life and that there is no longer any hope of it. He also declares his love for her. After reading the letter, Carrie turns off all devices that Quinn is connected to.

Post-Germany[]

After Quinn is released from the hospital, he is sent to a facility that cares for wounded veterans. He is supposed to receive physiotherapy there, but when he is sure that he is no longer making any progress, he simply stops the therapy. Carrie, who visits him every day, is anything but enthusiastic about it, but is told by the doctors that her frequent appearances are not good for Quinn's recovery. He eventually sneaks out of the facility to buy drugs. He receives help from an acquaintance named Clarice. During their trip, Quinn is attacked by a man who takes his cash. When Quinn returns to the facility, Carrie wants to talk to him about what happened, but he isn't ready. When she sees how violently he is treated, she decides to let him move into the apartment below her.

The move does not bring about any improvement in Quinn's condition. Max is called away by Carrie to look after Quinn, but he is anything but enthusiastic about being assigned a babysitter. When Quinn has a seizure while shopping, Max notices how bad things are for his friend and, against Quinn's request, informs Carrie about it. There is then a clarifying conversation between the two, in which Quinn asks Carrie what actually happened to him. Carrie, who previously assumed that he remembered the poison gas, tells her about his near death. Quinn is then grateful to Carrie for her saving act, which improves their relationship.

Shortly afterwards, when Quinn observes the man breaking into Carrie's apartment from across the street, he visits Tommy, the thief, again and takes his gun from him in return for the stolen money. Quinn then breaks into the apartment opposite and chases the man in the car some time later. Since he initially can't find anything suspicious, Carrie doesn't see any danger in him either.

A few days later, Carrie asks Quinn to look after Franny for a short time because there has been an attack in New York and the babysitter is late. Quinn is surprised at the trust shown and agrees. Shortly after Carrie leaves the house, numerous reporters show up outside her apartment and ask questions. Quinn can't get rid of her and takes Franny and her nanny Latisha, who has since appeared, into the basement, whereupon he acts aggressively against the journalists and the mob in front of the house. The police assume that it is a hostage situation, and even Carrie is no longer allowed into her own house. Quinn then takes a man from the task force hostage so that they stop trying to break into the house. When Carrie is finally allowed into her house by the head of the task force, the situation resolves without bloodshed and Quinn is arrested.

Quinn is then admitted to a psychiatric facility, where he is initially not allowed to have any contact with the outside world for three days. When Carrie finally visits him after these three days have passed, he makes it clear how betrayed he feels and that he has done nothing other than protect Franny. Shortly afterwards he is kidnapped from the facility by Astrid. She takes him to a secluded lake house where she wants to look after him. However, Quinn only has one thing on his mind: finally catching the man who is after him. He tries to escape, but doesn't get far. Astrid then asks Dar Adal for help, who travels specifically to talk to Quinn. As the two talk, Quinn finds out that Carrie woke him up while he was in a coma, risking his health. Dar Adal concludes that Carrie has only been looking after Quinn in the past few weeks out of pity and not love.

It's always your mission, your mission, the mission." - Peter Quinn

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Quinn was brought back to the psychiatric hospital and later abducted by a mystery man and Astrid, who had flown in from Berlin to bring him to a safe house by the lake. Recognizing that Quinn is being tempted back to New York by Carrie's situation, Dar reveals to Quinn that Carrie made the decision to have Quinn awakened from his coma, likely causing the stroke that he suffered.

Quinn then becomes very insecure again and questions Astrid's ambitions to help him. Since he finally doesn't trust her anymore, he throws the ammunition from her gun into the lake, knocks her unconscious and finally flees in her car. He tracks down a man he thinks is Carrie's neighbor, but after knocking him out, he realizes he's not actually his pursuer. Back at the lake house, Quinn apologizes to Astrid for his behavior when suddenly a shot is fired. Astrid then gets her gun out of the car, but cannot use it to defend herself against the attacker because Quinn had previously removed the ammunition from the gun. As a result, she herself is badly hit and ultimately killed. Quinn is furious and tries to escape, throwing himself into the water after being shot by the attacker. When the attacker disappears, Quinn reappears and returns to Astrid's body once more before finally disappearing. He then robs a gun shop and takes all sorts of weapons and ammunition. He then visits Dar Adal and threatens him with a gun because he wants to know who killed Astrid. However, Dar replies that he has nothing to do with it. Quinn doesn't have the heart to kill his long-time companion, but knocks him unconscious with his weapon. When he listens to a conversation between Dar and his accomplice a short time later, he learns that Dar sent the attacker to kill him. The call gives Quinn a new lead and finally finds a house where a group of people are meeting, including the man who lives across from Carrie's apartment. He also finds out that Sekou's van is in the house, which proves that he planted the bomb for the attack. When he informs Carrie about this, he demands that she be the one to kill the man. He also accuses her of making him what he is today by waking him up from his coma. In the conversation he makes it clear that she has destroyed his life and that she owes him something.

When Carrie breaks into the house herself shortly afterwards, she is attacked, but Quinn is able to rush to her aid in time and kill her attacker. Carrie then calls in a lawyer to look at the van and also make sure that Quinn is not arrested for the murder. In a one-on-one conversation, Quinn tells her about Astrid's death and also admits that he blames himself for her death. When Carrie then apologizes for what happened in the Berlin hospital, Quinn replies that he has always been the way he is now and nothing has changed. In the house, Quinn then finds evidence that the men who were previously there are on their way to New York to carry out an attack on the would-be President Keane. Before Carrie can warn anyone in New York, a bomb goes off in the house's garage.

Quinn and Carrie survive the explosion and immediately head to New York to prevent the attack on Keane. Meanwhile, with the help of fake profiles on the Internet, suspicions were raised that Quinn was planning the attack. In reality, however, he is doing everything he can to keep the president safe. After he and Carrie were able to save her from a bomb planted in the hotel's underground car park, he takes the wheel of the car while Keane and Carrie seek shelter under the back seat. As Quinn leaves the underground car park and continues on the street, he is shot at by numerous gunmen. When the armored window of the car finally no longer holds up, Quinn is hit several times. Despite his life-threatening wounds, he continues to drive the car. The car only comes to a stop a few blocks away after Quinn has lost consciousness. Carrie can only confirm his death. Six weeks later, she finds numerous pictures of his son and one of her in Quinn's things, showing her how much she meant to him.

Season 7[]

Carrie has a psychotic break at the hospital as she is overwhelmed by thoughts of what she nearly did to Franny, as well as flashbacks to the deaths of Brody, Aayan and Quinn. (Useful Idiot)

Ruined: Peter Quinn's Death[]

There was at least an effort by the showrunners to try and fill the void left by Brody. Peter Quinn rose from being a supporting character to a key character. He even had a relationship with Carrie, just like Brody. The message kinda was: we are sorry for taking away your favorite character but here's another good one.

But then Peter Quinn was also killed off in a brutal manner. He drove a Chevy Suburban through a hail of bullets and died with his head on the wheel. Fans were so angered by the death that a group named #NotOurHomeland wrote a long letter to the showrunner, lamenting about the turn of events, and paid the Hollywood Reporter to publish it. - BY PHILIP ETEMESI

Fitting Ending: Quinn[]

While Quinn’s death in the season six finale upset and frustrated many, it can’t be argued that his exit was anything but heroic. While we all wished he could have spent his last days in a more stable condition, the sarin gas attack, which left him with severe brain damage, changed his entire life for the worst.

Quinn’s character development in S6 really showed us that he really was not going to recover from the trauma he suffered in the previous season. Quinn’s final sacrificial act in S6 was a fitting ending, as he finally was able to show who he really was and do one last good act before he passed on. - BY ELIVA ANDRIAMORA

Character profile[]

Peter Quinn, a character in the acclaimed television series Homeland, is a highly skilled operative who is renowned for his efficiency and unwavering dedication to completing missions. However, beneath his outwardly composed exterior lies a troubled past and a constant internal struggle with the moral implications of his work. In this article, we will delve into the multifaceted nature of Quinn's character, examining his traits, motivations, and the ethical dilemmas he faces.

Quinn's exceptional abilities as an operative are a testament to his extensive training and experience in the field. He possesses a remarkable level of agility, intelligence, and resourcefulness, making him a valuable asset to the CIA. His meticulous attention to detail and ability to think on his feet allow him to overcome even the most challenging obstacles that come his way. Quinn's unparalleled efficiency in executing missions has earned him a reputation among his peers as someone who gets the job done, no matter the cost.

However, underneath Quinn's formidable exterior lies a deeply conflicted individual. His troubled past haunts him, causing him to grapple with guilt, remorse, and self-doubt. Quinn's moral compass is often tested as he confronts the harsh realities of his work, where lines between right and wrong blur in the pursuit of national security. This internal struggle makes him not just a skilled operative but a complex and multidimensional character.

Throughout the series, Quinn's journey is marked by moments of intense introspection, where he questions the morality of his actions and the consequences they have on innocent lives. His internal conflict serves as a powerful reminder that even those trained to protect society must face the ethical complexities inherent in their work. Quinn's troubled past has left an indelible mark on his psyche, causing him to question his own humanity in an environment where the ends often justify the means.

In exploring Quinn's character through an analytical lens, we can draw upon various theories to shed light on his motivations and struggles. One such theory is Kohlberg's stages of moral development, wherein individuals progress through different levels of ethical reasoning. Quinn, having reached the post-conventional stage, demonstrates an awareness of the complexities of morality, wrestling with his duty as a government operative and his personal sense of right and wrong.

Additionally, Quinn's character can be analyzed through the lens of existentialism, a philosophical perspective that emphasizes individual freedom and personal responsibility. Existentialist thinkers often grapple with the notion of authenticity, questioning whether their actions align with their true selves. Quinn's constant struggle to reconcile his actions with his conscience reflects the existentialist theme of the individual's search for meaning and authenticity in an often chaotic world.

Quinn's character not only provides valuable insights into the intricate world of intelligence operations, but also serves as a catalyst for contemplation on the moral implications of our choices. As viewers, we are reminded that the people tasked with protecting our national interests are not immune to the psychological toll of their actions. Through Quinn's internal conflict, we are urged to reflect on the broader societal questions surrounding the balance between security and individual liberties.

In conclusion, Peter Quinn is a highly skilled operative whose efficiency and dedication to his missions are matched only by the complexities within his character. His troubled past and constant struggle with the moral implications of his work make him a captivating and thought-provoking character in the Homeland series. Through an analytical and theoretical approach, we have explored the various facets of Quinn's character, considering his traits, motivations, and ethical dilemmas. Quinn serves as a powerful reminder that even those with extraordinary abilities are not immune to the moral quandaries that arise in the pursuit of national security.[x]

Note[]

Peter Quinn, faced with the major aftereffects of a severe brain injury (due to a complicated set of events that began with exposure to sarin gas and a brain hemorrhage), has seizures, PTSD, extreme mood swings, mobility problems, cognitive changes (with some deficits), anger management issues, impulsivity, and paranoia. As a skilled CIA black ops agent, his world and future have imploded. He has friends and colleagues who care and want to help, but Quinn has always been very independent, private, and self-reliant. He does not want their help.

As the season progresses, Quinn has moved into the basement apartment of the house Carrie shares with her young daughter Franny Mathison. He becomes convinced that someone is watching Carrie's house, and that they are up to no good. To Carrie, this seems like just another symptom of his condition, but she eventually comes around to his side. Quinn's instincts, skills, and training have begun to kick in, just in time.

About this season  6, what Quinn went through, the interactions with others around him, how he learned to cope with his disabilities, how he used the instincts, training and skills he still had to maximum advantage, and how he ultimately died in the line of duty, saving two people's lives, including the President's, and Carrie's.

Reviews[]

When we first met Quinn he was a highly trained, black ops assassin. But he's still a soldier. Any soldier is a fierce patriot and hates people who, in any way, jeopardize their country. Particularly American soldiers. They really don't like people who threaten their country's freedoms. I think Quinn always found the idea that Brody thought that was okay very difficult. - By Emily Zemler

Showrunner Alex Gansa weighs in on the death of character Peter Quinn, after a group called "#NotOurHomeland" paid for a rather scathing ad in THR. - MIKEY O'CONNELL

'Homeland' Fans Take Out Full-Page Ad To Protest Character's Death. Read the group’s letter in full below: Sara Boboltz

One of the key parts of Quinn’s personality is an absence of social grace of any kind. Not long after meeting Carrie, referring to Brody, he blurts out, “You were fuckin’ him, huh?” “He doesn’t have great social skills or know how to relate to people on an emotional human level,” Cuesta explains. “But that became a way of discovering him.”

“My favorite line,” says Stiehm, “is her response to the ‘fucked Brody’ question: she says, ‘Oh, who did you fuck last night?’ and he answers, ‘An ER nurse, but I’m not that into her.’” Notes Friend, “Through all that backchat and squabbling is a base of very deep mutual respect. They can smell the deep and layered intelligence in one another. Neither takes bullshit from anybody, and I think that links them together in a certain way.”

While “Homeland” viewers may still be upset over the death of Peter Quinn, the actor seemed fine with his departure from the series following the spring finale. “I never want to overstay my welcome for any character. I would rather people are excited by the ideas a character generates in them rather than feeling bored and wishing he would just go away,” Friend told Entertainment Weekly.

“I disliked this,” reads another popular post. “They just erased Quinn and make it look like he never existed and never meant anything to anyone and we are talking about the main character who was on the show for five seasons. Do you still expect people to care about this show?” By Rebecka Schumann

Quotes[]

  • Saul tells Quinn: "You're a real diplomat, you know that!"
  • Quinn tells Carrie: ‘I’ve always been this way’,
  • “Is there no line, Carrie? Is there no fucking line?” - QUINN, Peter
  • “Is he dead?” asked Keane.
  • “Yeah.” -Carrie
  • “He saved our lives.” - Keane
  • “Yeah.” - Carrie
  • "Nothing happens to Brody, or you'll find me back in this bedroom one night. Right back in that chair. 'Cause I'm a guy that kills bad guys." - Quinn to Estes.
  • “Mostly, I just didn’t want to live in a bunker and kill people by remote control.” - Quinn
  • CARRIE: What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t care? I don’t care so much I visited you in the hospital every day? I don’t care so much I took you into my home? I lost my daughter? I don’t care so much I fucking dropped everything when your hooker girlfriend showed up out of the blue and said you needed me?
  • QUINN: You had no choice!
  • CARRIE: Oh believe me I did.
  • QUINN: You owe me!
  • CARRIE: Why’s that?
  • QUINN: Because you made me this way! It’s always your mission, your mission, your mission! [throws object angrily]
  • Carrie,

I must be finished, and we were never together. I'm not good with words, but they are flowing now. I don't believe in chance or fate or horoscopes, but I'm not surprised it turned out that way. I always felt like something pulled me into darkness. That makes sense? I couldn't have a real life, real love. These were things for normal people. With you, I thought, "Maybe, who knows." But now I know it was a fake glimpse. I'm used to it, it always happens in the desert, but this one moved me. And the point is, this death, my end, is exactly what should have happened. I wanted darkness. I asked for it. I belong to her now. So don't put a star on the wall for me. Don't make a stupid speech. Think of me as a light on the cape, a beacon, pulling you away from the rocks. I loved you. Yours, now forever.

Peter

Behind the Scenes[]

Appearances[]

Season 2
"The Smile" "Beirut is Back" "State of Independence" New Car Smell Q&A
A Gettysburg Address The Clearing I'll Fly Away Two Hats Broken Hearts
In Memoriam The Choice
Season 3
Tin Man Is Down Uh... Oh... Ah... "Tower of David" "Game On" The Yoga Play
Still Positive Gerontion A Red Wheelbarrow "One Last Thing" Good Night
Big Man in Tehran The Star
Season 4
The Drone Queen Trylon and Perisphere Shalwar Kameez Iron in the Fire About a Boy
From A to B and Back Again Redux Halfway to a Donut There's Something Else Going On 13 Hours in Islamabad
Krieg Nicht Lieb Long Time Coming
Season 5
Separation Anxiety The Tradition of Hospitality Super Powers Why Is This Night Different? Better Call Saul
Parabiosis Oriole All About Allison The Litvinov Ruse New Normal
Our Man in Damascus A False Glimmer
Season 6
Fair Game The Man in the Basement The Covenant A Flash of Light Casus Belli
The Return Imminent Risk Alt. Truth Sock Puppets The Flag House
R Is for Romeo America First
Main Characters
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
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