Gerhardt Frankenstein[1] is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. He débuts in the fifth episode of the second season and is portrayed by guest star Chad Michael Collins.
Gerhardt is based on Victor Frankenstein's brother William and Frankenstein's monster from the classic novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
History
In the Land Without Color, Gerhardt is the younger son of a military man named Alphonse and brother to Victor. Though Alphonse loved both his sons equally, their father favors Gerhardt for being a dedicated soldier as he is but thinks little of Victor's medical pursuits, believing his firstborn's ambition to achieve, though fringe medicine, life untouchable by death to be folly. Despite being the apple of his father's eye, Gerhardt looks after his older brother Victor and supports him in his scientific efforts. One night, an incredulous Gerhardt comes upon Victor in the cemetery digging up a dead body after being told where the latter was by Victor's laboratory assistant, Igor. A graveyard guard shoots at them and in the melee of getting away, Gerhardt is shot in the stomach and killed. Devastated, Victor attempts to revive him with one of the hearts he has, but the organ burns to a crisp black. Alphonse happens to walk into the lab and is shocked to see the body of his son. He blames Victor for Gerhardt's death, and bitterly states he now has no sons. Hoping to make up for it, Victor seeks to revive his brother with the "perfect heart," which deal maker Rumplestiltskin states he can provide from the Enchanted Forest as long as Victor does something for him. ("In the Name of the Brother")
Victor succeeds in taking an enchanted heart from Enchanted Forest, which is given to him by the Queen, Regina, who thinks it will be used to bring her true love Daniel back, but is fooled by Victor who feigns failure in the operation. Afterwards, Victor is sent home by portal jumper Jefferson. Upon return, he successfully uses the heart to resurrect Gerhardt. ("The Doctor")
At first, when Victor tells his father the news of Gerhardt's return, he is overjoyed. But, as Alphonse meets his son face to face, he realizes the person is not Gerhardt. In anger, he has a violent outburst directed at Victor, but the commotion upsets Gerhardt, who pulls his father to the ground and beats him to death. In acknowledgement of failure, Victor locks Gerhardt in a tower room and later comes to him with a pistol. Sensing what he is about to do, Gerhardt takes the gun and has Victor point it at his head. At the last minute, Victor changes his mind, and walks out, saying he can fix this. Despondent, Gerhardt is left in the tower all alone. ("In the Name of the Brother")
When the Dark Curse is cast by the Evil Queen, Gerhardt remains in the Land Without Color while Victor is transported to Storybrooke. ("The Doctor")Family
Mother † | Alphonse Frankenstein † | ||||||||||||||||
Victor FrankensteinDr. Whale | Gerhardt Frankenstein | ||||||||||||||||
Notes:
- Solid lines denote blood parent-child relationship
- Dashed lines denote marriage and adoption relationships
- † denotes the deceased
Trivia
Production Notes
- The casting call describes him as, "handsome, idealistic military man in his late 20s, with a family he loves."[2]
Costume Notes
- The epaulettes worn by Alphonse[3] and Gerhardt Frankenstein[4] are the same design worn by the Arendelle General in "Rocky Road,"[5] the Duke of Weselton[6] and King Harald[7] in "The Snow Queen," the Royal Palace Guards of Oz in "Heart of Gold,"[8] "Our Decay"[9] and "Where Bluebirds Fly,"[10] and Captain Nemo in "Dark Waters,"[11] "Page 23"[12] and "A Wondrous Place."[13] ("In the Name of the Brother")
Appearances
Once Upon a Time: Season Two | ||||||||||
"Broken": | "We Are Both": | "Lady of the Lake": | "The Crocodile": | "The Doctor": | "Tallahassee": | "Child of the Moon": | "Into the Deep": | "Queen of Hearts": | "The Cricket Game": | "The Outsider": |
Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
"In the Name of the Brother": | "Tiny": | "Manhattan": | "The Queen Is Dead": | "The Miller's Daughter": | "Welcome to Storybrooke": | "Selfless, Brave and True": | "Lacey": | "The Evil Queen": | "Second Star to the Right": | "And Straight On 'Til Morning": |
Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Centric Listing | ||||||||||
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References
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