Robert Thorn
Encyclopedia
Ambassador Robert Thorn is a fictional character from 1976, horror
movie The Omen
. He is also the lead character in the novel of same name by David Seltzer
, where his name is Jeremy Thorn. The story is about rise of the Devil
's child through the world of politics. Robert Thorn adopts an orphan child who later turns out to be the Antichrist
.
The character is portrayed by Gregory Peck
in the 1976 classic movie and by Liev Schreiber
in the 2006 remake
, USA. He has always been an athlete, and played as the quarterback for the Academy football team (as stated in Damien: Omen 2). At the time The Omen
takes place, current US President is said to be his former college roommate. He had known his wife Katherine Thorn since his childhood days and always loved her.
he was deeply concerned about how to break the news to her, fearing it would kill her. Katherine had wanted a baby for a long time and had two miscarriages. In order to hide the truth he secretly adopted a baby boy, Damien. He shows his concern for Katherine throughout the story and does everything he is capable of doing to help her. He is also portrayed as a loving
father.
. Soon after she arrives, Katherine's feelings toward Damien changes In the novel Katherine complains to Robert that Damien is more comfortable with Mrs. Baylock than with her.
Later, Katherine wants to take Damien to a church wedding. Baylock strongly opposes and does everything to change Katherine's mind. Ultimately Damien is taken to the church, but attacks his mother out of fear. Although Katherine does not make much of it and is convinced he had a bad day, her mind later changes .
The next day when she takes him to the zoo, the animals react to Damien's presence in a violent way. This causes serious emotional damage to Katherine and later that night she cries to Robert that she needs a doctor, but refuses to tell him what exactly her problems were. After seeing a doctor, she starts to get annoyed by Damien and cannot stand his presence.
by doing so. Naturally Thorn does not take it seriously and asks him to leave. The priest however persists and days later requests to meet with him at the Bishop's Park. He warns Robert that if he does not come, his wife may be in danger.
When Robert meets him, Brennan tells him that Katherine is pregnant and the child will die while it is in the womb. Damien will kill first the child, then Katherine and when he is certain that all of Thorn's properties will be his, he'll kill Robert as well. Brennan tells him to meet Bugenhagen in Israel who will tell him how to kill Damien.
Robert leaves with anger and then Brennan dies in a freak acceident. The next day Robert learns Katherine is indeed pregnant and wants an abortion, to which he opposes. Robert is told by an unknown caller to see the newspaper, when he does he sees the news regarding the priest's death. Robert now starts to suspect that something is indeed wrong.
After showing the photos to Robert, Jennings gives him additional information about Brennan. Brennan had cancer and knew he was dying. He had a birthmark on his right thigh; a sequence of sixes; 666. Later they go to Brennan's place which is fully covered with pages of Bible
and 47 crosses. Jennings had found a diary that contained all the information Brennan had gathered by stalking Robert. The last entry said he was supposed to meet Thorn at the Bishop's Park the day he died. Jennings shows Thorn a few paper clippings from five years ago. One is Damien's birth announcement; another is about an unusual phenomenon; an unusual star, much like the Star of Bethlehem
that appeared five years before.
Trying to figure out the meaning of the birthmark, 666, Jennings asks if Robert is his son was born June the 6th, 6 AM. Robert then confesses for the first time that his son is dead and he has no idea whose son Damien is. Jennings wants to help him find out more about Damien but Thorn refuses saying it is his personal matter. Jennings then shows his photo accidentally taken by himself on the mirror which shows the similar mark; implying he will soon die as well.
Robert travels to Rome with Jennings and goes to the hospital where Damien was born; only to find out the old hospital burned down five years ago, killing many staff and destroying records. A nun helps Thorn by telling him that Father Spiletto is at a monastery in Subiaco
. Thorn and Jennings find Spiletto badly burnt. A monk informs them that he does not speak or move; only his right hand moves with which he confessed that he had abandoned Christ
. Thorn asks him to confess to him as well and tell him the whereabouts of Damien's real mother. Spiletto spells 'Cervet' and the monk tells them that Cerveteri
is an ancient and abandoned Etruscan grave-yard.
Thorn and Jennings go there and find the graves of Jackel, Maria Avedici Santoya and a child, whose scull was smashed to death. Thorn realizes his real son was murdered and Damien is not human. They are then attacked by Rottweiler dogs and barely escape the cemetery.
Soon Thorn and Jennings return to their hotel from where Thorn calls Katherine to leave London
and come to him as soon as possible. Jennings tells him to try to remember all that Brennan told him at the Bishop's Park while he goes to find out about the town of Megiddo. Thorn soon learns Katherine is dead and has the urge to kill Damien. By the time Jennings returns he remembered all the things Brennan told him.
The next day they go to Megiddo, Israel to meet Bugenhagen. Bugenhagen gives him "Seven Daggers of Megiddo", the only tool that can kill Damien. He explains Damien must be killed on Hallowed Ground. So that Robert is convinced, he tells him to find a birthmark; 666 on Damien's body. Deeply disturbed by the idea of killing a child, Thorn throws away the daggers soon after leaving Bugenhagen. Jennings is decapitated while trying to pick them up. Finally convinced of evil forces surrounding him, Thorn takes the daggers and flies to London.
shows Damien holding the hand of the U.S. President, Robert's college roommate, and his wife; their backs facing the camera.
in the 1976 version, and Liev Schreiber
in the 2006 version of The Omen
movies in the same manner. A few minor details about their action changes.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
movie The Omen
The Omen
An original score for the film, including the movie's theme song Ave Satani, was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received the only Oscar of his long career. The score features a strong choral segment, with a foreboding Latin chant...
. He is also the lead character in the novel of same name by David Seltzer
David Seltzer
David Seltzer is an American screenwriter, producer and director, perhaps best known for writing The Omen , and Bird on a Wire , starring Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn...
, where his name is Jeremy Thorn. The story is about rise of the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
's child through the world of politics. Robert Thorn adopts an orphan child who later turns out to be the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
.
The character is portrayed by Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
in the 1976 classic movie and by Liev Schreiber
Liev Schreiber
Isaac Liev Schreiber , commonly known as Liev Schreiber, is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s, having initially appeared in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood films, including the Scream trilogy of...
in the 2006 remake
The Omen (2006 film)
The Omen is a 2006 remake of Richard Donner's The Omen of 1976 and a part of The Omen series. Directed by John Moore and written by David Seltzer, the film stars Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles and Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick...
Background
Robert Thorn is the son of wealthy Reginald Thorn and has earned millions as inheritance. He has a brother, Richard, with who he has attended Davidson Military Academy in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, USA. He has always been an athlete, and played as the quarterback for the Academy football team (as stated in Damien: Omen 2). At the time The Omen
The Omen
An original score for the film, including the movie's theme song Ave Satani, was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received the only Oscar of his long career. The score features a strong choral segment, with a foreboding Latin chant...
takes place, current US President is said to be his former college roommate. He had known his wife Katherine Thorn since his childhood days and always loved her.
Characterization
Robert is portrayed as a responsible figure. In the novel it is said that he always knew his wife Katherine was emotionally unstable, but he still wanted to marry her and was a loving and caring husband. After his wife gave birth to a stillborn childhe was deeply concerned about how to break the news to her, fearing it would kill her. Katherine had wanted a baby for a long time and had two miscarriages. In order to hide the truth he secretly adopted a baby boy, Damien. He shows his concern for Katherine throughout the story and does everything he is capable of doing to help her. He is also portrayed as a loving
father.
Damien Thorn
Robert's wife Katherine has always wanted a child. Although not mentioned in the movies, she had previosuly suffered from two miscarriages (the movie only mentions her wanting a baby for a long time). On June the 6th, while in Rome, Katherine finally gave birth. When Robert reaches the hospital the priest in charge, Father Spiletto, informs him that the child is dead. Robert shows deep concern for his wife and Father Spiletto suggests that he sectetly adopt a child without letting Katherine know about it. Spiletto shows him a baby boy, telling him that the child's mother had died at the same time as his son. Although reluctant to some extent at first, , Robert ultimately decides to adopt, thinking about the serious impact the news could put on his wife. Spiletto states "On this night, Mr. Thorn, God has given you a son."Learning Damien's Origin
After the birth of Damien, the Thorns are a happy family. Soon Thorn is appointed as the Ambassador To the Royal Court of St. James. But their perfect lives start to change soon after Damien turns five. During the celebration of his fifth birthday, Damien's nanny hangs herself. Her dying words are "It's all for you Damien".Katherine's Fears Regarding Damien
The Thorn's are soon joined by a new nanny, Mrs. Baylock, who is a servant of satanSatan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
. Soon after she arrives, Katherine's feelings toward Damien changes In the novel Katherine complains to Robert that Damien is more comfortable with Mrs. Baylock than with her.
Later, Katherine wants to take Damien to a church wedding. Baylock strongly opposes and does everything to change Katherine's mind. Ultimately Damien is taken to the church, but attacks his mother out of fear. Although Katherine does not make much of it and is convinced he had a bad day, her mind later changes .
The next day when she takes him to the zoo, the animals react to Damien's presence in a violent way. This causes serious emotional damage to Katherine and later that night she cries to Robert that she needs a doctor, but refuses to tell him what exactly her problems were. After seeing a doctor, she starts to get annoyed by Damien and cannot stand his presence.
Father Brennan
Thorn gets an unexpected visit from a priest, Father Brennan (Father Tasson, according to the novel) the day following the first nanny's death. He tries to warn Thorn about his son's origins, hoping to be forgiven by ChristChrist
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
by doing so. Naturally Thorn does not take it seriously and asks him to leave. The priest however persists and days later requests to meet with him at the Bishop's Park. He warns Robert that if he does not come, his wife may be in danger.
When Robert meets him, Brennan tells him that Katherine is pregnant and the child will die while it is in the womb. Damien will kill first the child, then Katherine and when he is certain that all of Thorn's properties will be his, he'll kill Robert as well. Brennan tells him to meet Bugenhagen in Israel who will tell him how to kill Damien.
Robert leaves with anger and then Brennan dies in a freak acceident. The next day Robert learns Katherine is indeed pregnant and wants an abortion, to which he opposes. Robert is told by an unknown caller to see the newspaper, when he does he sees the news regarding the priest's death. Robert now starts to suspect that something is indeed wrong.
Keith Jennings
Keith Jennings (Huber Jennings in the novel) had attended Damien's fifth birthday party. An eye witness to the nanny's suicide, he becomes very interested in the Thorns. He starts to follow Robert and take photos of people associated with him. The day following the nanny's death, Robert mistakenly breaks Jenning's camera in front of the embassy. That same day when Brennan leaves the embassy Jennings takes his photo and sees an unusual mark in the picture. Days later he sees the priest with Thorn again and once again the photo he takes contains the same mark. When Jennings sees the priest dead by pole passing through his body, he is convinced that the marks he saw in the photos were an omen that he was going to die. A similar mark is seen on the photos he took of Damien's first nanny on his birthday before her death.After showing the photos to Robert, Jennings gives him additional information about Brennan. Brennan had cancer and knew he was dying. He had a birthmark on his right thigh; a sequence of sixes; 666. Later they go to Brennan's place which is fully covered with pages of Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and 47 crosses. Jennings had found a diary that contained all the information Brennan had gathered by stalking Robert. The last entry said he was supposed to meet Thorn at the Bishop's Park the day he died. Jennings shows Thorn a few paper clippings from five years ago. One is Damien's birth announcement; another is about an unusual phenomenon; an unusual star, much like the Star of Bethlehem
Star of Bethlehem
In Christian tradition, the Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, revealed the birth of Jesus to the magi, or "wise men", and later led them to Bethlehem. The star appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew, where magi "from the east" are inspired by the star to travel to...
that appeared five years before.
Trying to figure out the meaning of the birthmark, 666, Jennings asks if Robert is his son was born June the 6th, 6 AM. Robert then confesses for the first time that his son is dead and he has no idea whose son Damien is. Jennings wants to help him find out more about Damien but Thorn refuses saying it is his personal matter. Jennings then shows his photo accidentally taken by himself on the mirror which shows the similar mark; implying he will soon die as well.
Robert travels to Rome with Jennings and goes to the hospital where Damien was born; only to find out the old hospital burned down five years ago, killing many staff and destroying records. A nun helps Thorn by telling him that Father Spiletto is at a monastery in Subiaco
Subiaco, Italy
Subiaco is a town and comune in the Province of Rome, in Lazio, Italy, from Tivoli alongside the river Aniene. It is mainly renowned as a tourist and religious resort for its sacred grotto , in the St. Benedict's Abbey, and the other Abbey of St. Scholastica...
. Thorn and Jennings find Spiletto badly burnt. A monk informs them that he does not speak or move; only his right hand moves with which he confessed that he had abandoned Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. Thorn asks him to confess to him as well and tell him the whereabouts of Damien's real mother. Spiletto spells 'Cervet' and the monk tells them that Cerveteri
Cerveteri
Cerveteri is a town and comune of the northern Lazio, in the province of Rome. Originally known as Caere , it is famous for a number of Etruscan necropolis that include some of the best Etruscan tombs anywhere....
is an ancient and abandoned Etruscan grave-yard.
Thorn and Jennings go there and find the graves of Jackel, Maria Avedici Santoya and a child, whose scull was smashed to death. Thorn realizes his real son was murdered and Damien is not human. They are then attacked by Rottweiler dogs and barely escape the cemetery.
Soon Thorn and Jennings return to their hotel from where Thorn calls Katherine to leave London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and come to him as soon as possible. Jennings tells him to try to remember all that Brennan told him at the Bishop's Park while he goes to find out about the town of Megiddo. Thorn soon learns Katherine is dead and has the urge to kill Damien. By the time Jennings returns he remembered all the things Brennan told him.
The next day they go to Megiddo, Israel to meet Bugenhagen. Bugenhagen gives him "Seven Daggers of Megiddo", the only tool that can kill Damien. He explains Damien must be killed on Hallowed Ground. So that Robert is convinced, he tells him to find a birthmark; 666 on Damien's body. Deeply disturbed by the idea of killing a child, Thorn throws away the daggers soon after leaving Bugenhagen. Jennings is decapitated while trying to pick them up. Finally convinced of evil forces surrounding him, Thorn takes the daggers and flies to London.
Death
Robert Thorn returns to London with the daggers Bugenhagen gave him and prepares himself to kill the little boy. To make sure he is doing the right thing, he checks if Damien indeed bears the birthmark; 666. When he finally discovers the mark he is then attacked by Mrs. Baylock, who is there to protect Damien. After he kills Baylock, he puts Damien in his car and drives to a nearby church. He is asked to stop by a policeman on the way but he doesn't and the police start to chase him. He reaches the church and gets ready to kill Damien. He says "God Help Me." and is about to stab him when the police arrive. The police, having no idea of Damien's origins shoot Robert and Damien survives.Funeral
Robert Thorn along side his wife Katherine are buried in Washington, where they are given an honorable burial and blessed by a Catholic priest. The last scene of The OmenThe Omen
An original score for the film, including the movie's theme song Ave Satani, was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received the only Oscar of his long career. The score features a strong choral segment, with a foreboding Latin chant...
shows Damien holding the hand of the U.S. President, Robert's college roommate, and his wife; their backs facing the camera.
Difference in the Two Film Version Characters
Robert Thorn is portrayed by both Gregory PeckGregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
in the 1976 version, and Liev Schreiber
Liev Schreiber
Isaac Liev Schreiber , commonly known as Liev Schreiber, is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s, having initially appeared in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood films, including the Scream trilogy of...
in the 2006 version of The Omen
The Omen
An original score for the film, including the movie's theme song Ave Satani, was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received the only Oscar of his long career. The score features a strong choral segment, with a foreboding Latin chant...
movies in the same manner. A few minor details about their action changes.