Reginald J. Priest
Encyclopedia
Priest is a character in the sci-fi TV show Lexx
.
Priest's first appearance was in season 3, as chief underling to Prince
, the ruler of the planet Fire
. Like all people on the planet Fire, Priest was the reincarnation
of someone who lived once before, and he wasn't born, but rather "woke up" as an adult. Priest served Prince faithfully until the arrival of the Lexx crew, when he seized an opportunity to kill Prince and gain control of the planet Fire. This idea backfired when Prince, while falling to his death, shot and killed Priest with a crossbow. (It wasn't a particularly clever plan at any rate, since Prince would simply be resurrected soon after with all his memories intact.)
In season 4, Priest "wakes up" for a second time on the planet Earth with the name Reginald J. Priest. He is allegedly a Vietnam veteran
who was held captive for 30 years by the Viet Cong, and is swiftly elected President of the United States
with some help from Prince (in his new incarnation as head of the ATF). Following an abortive attempt on Prince's life, Prince has Priest's first wife murdered in a parody of the John F. Kennedy assassination
. Shortly afterwards, Priest marries the more attractive Bunny
.
Priest's "Presidency" is a disaster for Earth, marred by his own incompetence, cowardice, laziness, and gross lack of ethics. One of his first actions as President was to attempt the assassination of Prince (again), which failed and resulted in the complete destruction of the city of Orlando, Florida
. Priest, with Prince's help, managed to blame the city's destruction on Cuba
, which they then nuked off the face of the Earth. Because of Priest's tendency to play sexual games with Bunny
instead of working, America, and the world at large, soon falls apart. Priest refuses to take calls from the UN or other international bodies, provokes several Middle Eastern nations to declare a Jihad
against the United States, fails to help South Carolina
after a major disaster, ignores the threats of the South to secede from the Union, launches unprovoked nuclear attacks on Newfoundland
and Vietnam
, and does nothing to counter a massive alien invasion.
Despite his all around ineptitude, stupidity, and lack of enthusiasm, when properly motivated Priest can display a certain low cunning. He displays rare intellect while conning Stanley Tweedle to use the Lexx to kill Prince, promising to make Stanley King of Newfoundland, “a tropical paradise of wine, women, and constant song,” by his “supreme Executive authority,” if he assisted in the assassination. He further shows cunning through his later successful attempt to convince France
to drop its objections to America dumping its out of date nuclear submarines in the Indian Ocean by pretending to have a French ancestor and an appreciation for French culture.
In the final episode ("Yo Way Yo"), Priest admits that he has no memory of being imprisoned in Vietnam, and is aware of the fact that he came from the planet Fire, which would make him unique on Earth as the only person to retain his memories from a previous life (with the exception of Prince). He escapes the destruction of Earth with Prince and Bunny on a spacecraft
Lexx
Lexx is a science fantasy television series that follows the adventures of a group of mismatched individuals aboard the organic space craft Lexx. They travel through two universes and encounter planets including a parody of the Earth....
.
Priest's first appearance was in season 3, as chief underling to Prince
Isambard Prince
Prince is the main antagonist of season three and a main antagonist in season four of Lexx. In season three he is the cruel ruler of the Planet Fire and in the fourth season he reappears as Isambard Prince, head of the United States' Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and secret master of...
, the ruler of the planet Fire
Fire (LEXX)
In the sci-fi television series LEXX, the fictional planet "Fire" is the afterlife for all evil souls, and the location for much of Season 3. It shares a tight mutual orbit and an atmosphere with the Planet Water, which is the afterlife for all good souls...
. Like all people on the planet Fire, Priest was the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of someone who lived once before, and he wasn't born, but rather "woke up" as an adult. Priest served Prince faithfully until the arrival of the Lexx crew, when he seized an opportunity to kill Prince and gain control of the planet Fire. This idea backfired when Prince, while falling to his death, shot and killed Priest with a crossbow. (It wasn't a particularly clever plan at any rate, since Prince would simply be resurrected soon after with all his memories intact.)
In season 4, Priest "wakes up" for a second time on the planet Earth with the name Reginald J. Priest. He is allegedly a Vietnam veteran
Vietnam veteran
Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or...
who was held captive for 30 years by the Viet Cong, and is swiftly elected President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
with some help from Prince (in his new incarnation as head of the ATF). Following an abortive attempt on Prince's life, Prince has Priest's first wife murdered in a parody of the John F. Kennedy assassination
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
. Shortly afterwards, Priest marries the more attractive Bunny
Bunny (LEXX)
Bunny is a character in the sci-fi TV show Lexx.Bunny first appeared in season 3 as a resident of Gametown on the planet Water. Like all people on the planet Water, she wasn't born, but rather "woke up" one day as an adult. After waking up, Bunny played games every day until the arrival of the...
.
Priest's "Presidency" is a disaster for Earth, marred by his own incompetence, cowardice, laziness, and gross lack of ethics. One of his first actions as President was to attempt the assassination of Prince (again), which failed and resulted in the complete destruction of the city of Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Priest, with Prince's help, managed to blame the city's destruction on Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, which they then nuked off the face of the Earth. Because of Priest's tendency to play sexual games with Bunny
Bunny (LEXX)
Bunny is a character in the sci-fi TV show Lexx.Bunny first appeared in season 3 as a resident of Gametown on the planet Water. Like all people on the planet Water, she wasn't born, but rather "woke up" one day as an adult. After waking up, Bunny played games every day until the arrival of the...
instead of working, America, and the world at large, soon falls apart. Priest refuses to take calls from the UN or other international bodies, provokes several Middle Eastern nations to declare a Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
against the United States, fails to help South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
after a major disaster, ignores the threats of the South to secede from the Union, launches unprovoked nuclear attacks on Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, and does nothing to counter a massive alien invasion.
Despite his all around ineptitude, stupidity, and lack of enthusiasm, when properly motivated Priest can display a certain low cunning. He displays rare intellect while conning Stanley Tweedle to use the Lexx to kill Prince, promising to make Stanley King of Newfoundland, “a tropical paradise of wine, women, and constant song,” by his “supreme Executive authority,” if he assisted in the assassination. He further shows cunning through his later successful attempt to convince France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to drop its objections to America dumping its out of date nuclear submarines in the Indian Ocean by pretending to have a French ancestor and an appreciation for French culture.
In the final episode ("Yo Way Yo"), Priest admits that he has no memory of being imprisoned in Vietnam, and is aware of the fact that he came from the planet Fire, which would make him unique on Earth as the only person to retain his memories from a previous life (with the exception of Prince). He escapes the destruction of Earth with Prince and Bunny on a spacecraft