“ | Midnight has been a haven for centuries. People like us, make it home. | ” |
Lemuel "Lem" Bridger is a human-turned-vampire in Midnight, Texas; however, he does not feed as a traditional vampire would, such as sucking blood. While he can take blood, he also feeds on the energy and emotions of humans and supernatural beings alike. Compared to his other neighbors, he's lived in Midnight longer than most and even knew Xylda, Manfred's grandmother, when she was alive. He's described as powerful, wise, and safeguards those he considers friends, no matter the cost, and uses quick and deadly force against those that threaten Midnight. Naturally, he works the night shift at Midnight Pawn. He's in a romantic and mutually beneficial relationship with Olivia Charity, such as "feeding" from her and helping her with her anger management issues. As of The Virgin Sacrifice, Lemuel has married Olivia.
Character Description[]
Lemuel is a powerful and wise vampire who works the night shift at the pawn shop. He is one of the oldest residents of Midnight and has an intense relationship with Olivia Charity.[1]
Lemuel is a powerful and wise vampire who works the night shift at the pawn shop. He is one of the oldest residents of Midnight and has an intense connection with his wife, and resident assassin, Olivia Charity.[2]
Backstory[]
![MTX 103-018-Lemuel-Abraham](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/midnight-texas/images/1/1e/MTX_103-018-Lemuel-Abraham.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20170809024108)
Lemuel plans to escape
More than 200 years ago, Lemuel was a human and spent his living days as a slave, owned by his plantation master. One day, Lemuel was savagely whipped, undergoing agonizing pain as tears ran down his face while the other slaves watched helplessly. Following the whipping, he planned to escape the plantation. Abraham, a fellow slave and friend, advised against it, as the attempt was too risky, but there was nothing they could do to Lemuel that they hadn't already done. Abraham reminded Lem that they could hang him, but he believed this to be a better option than his current plight. Slavery was not a way to live. There was a way out, so he had to try despite Abraham's warning that what he had heard about freedom were merely rumors. Lemuel offered Abraham a chance to join him in hopes that they would find freedom together but his offer was declined.
![MTX 103-023-Lemuel](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/midnight-texas/images/1/14/MTX_103-023-Lemuel.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20170809024512)
Lemuel becomes a vampire
That night, after escaping his captor, Lemuel made his way through a dark and dry field until crossing paths with a man sitting down in front of a fire, he would later come to know this man as Zachariah. He was far from home, Zachariah noted. Lemuel had heard stories about him; how he could offer freedom to individuals in need. Zach admitted that he could free him but it would cost Lemuel, and once it was done, there was no going back. For Lemuel, there was no going back as he was as good as dead either way. Zachariah bared his fangs just before biting Lemuel's neck and draining his blood until the point of near-death. Lemuel was then fed Zach's blood, which resulted in a near-instantaneous transformation into a vampire. With his newly found power, Lemuel broke free of his chains.
![MTX 103-047-Lemuel](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/midnight-texas/images/8/89/MTX_103-047-Lemuel.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20170809024836)
Lemuel feeding on the Plantation Master
Following his completed transition into a vampire, he and Zach returned to the plantation where he was a slave, only to find that Abraham, the very same slave that had warned him of the consequences of escaping the plantation, had been hung from a tree. He had been made an example out of. Zach and Lemuel entered the slave master's house as he ate dinner. Lemuel tells the slave master that he owns him. Then, he and Zach slaughtered everyone in attendance. As Lemuel feasted upon the dead slave masters, Zach approached him, grabbing Lemuel on his shoulder and asking if he felt better, which he admittedly did.
![MTX 103-084-Young Xylda-Lemuel](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/midnight-texas/images/f/fa/MTX_103-084-Young_Xylda-Lemuel.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20170809025504)
Xylda freed Lemuel of his curse
Sometime around the 1950s,[3] in Midnight, Lemuel sat alone in Home Cookin', sadden and depressed, before being approached by Zach and Pia, both of whom were disappointed in his recent behavior. They brought him a gift in hopes that it would lighten his mood. The gift was a young Gypsy girl named Xylda. Lemuel took her to one of the rooms upstairs, where he told Xylda to close her eyes and that it'll only hurt for a second, then it will feel good, and finally, it'll be over. Still a slave, he remarked, but this time to blood. He couldn't do it anymore. Lem looked to Xylda, telling her to wait until daylight and then sneak out the back where no one would see her. He was letting her go. He even considered joining her into the daylight, thus putting an end to his miserable existence. Xylda didn't believe death was the answer. He could change even though he had chosen his path a long time ago. It was never too late. He could put the curse behind him with her help. Lemuel returned to the restaurant with Xylda right behind him. Almost immediately, Zach noticed his vivid blue eyes, the likes of which he had never seen before. Lem claimed that Xylda saved him.
![MTX 103-108~Pia-Zachariah-Young Xylda-Lemuel](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/midnight-texas/images/9/91/MTX_103-108~Pia-Zachariah-Young_Xylda-Lemuel.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20170809025819)
Lemuel embraces his newfound abilities
Xylda had freed him of his curse. She could do the same to Zach and Pia. They'd never have to kill another human again, but the notion of living alongside humans instead of killing them was laughable to them both. They liked the killing and the bloodshed. Lemuel liked the taste of blood more than anyone, Pia claimed. With no intentions of changing their ways, Lemuel exiled Zach and Pia from Midnight. However, they weren't willing to leave so easily. Zach ordered two of his men to deal with Lemuel but he didn't account for Lemuel's ability to kill vampires by leeching their energy, which was a near-instantaneous death and a result of whatever modifications were made to him by Xylda. After seeing the true capabilities of the power that Xylda had bestowed onto Lemuel, Zach now sought to have this power for himself, but Lemuel had since revoked the offer, telling Zach to leave or else he would suffer the same fate.[4]
Lemuel stayed in Midnight, eventually opening and running Midnight Pawn until he eventually sold the shop to Bobo Winthrop, no questions asked and in cash.[5]
Throughout Midnight, Texas[]
Season One[]
![]() Lemuel leeching from Manfred In Pilot, Lemuel and Olivia are joined at Home Cookin' by the newcomer, Manfred Bernardo. After warning Manfred to proceed with caution around Creek due to her father, Lemuel moved closer to Manfred, telling him that he lived under the pawn shop, and worked the night shifts. As Creek was waiting tables, he noticed a couple of members of the biker gang, Sons of Lucifer, harassing her, and with so little strength, he was forced to leech off of Manfred's energy in order to put up a fight, should the time come. Lemuel explained that he was a vampire, and in spite of him draining Manfred's energy, drinking his blood is very much so still an option. Manfred would feel better in the morning, and while Lemuel would not be able to attend due to the sunlight, he urged Manfred to accompany Creek to the annual fall picnic as Midnight was very different in daylight, he said. A couple of nights later, Lemuel woke from his sleep to find that Olivia had stripped Manfred, and tied him up for questioning. Manfred insisted that he wasn't working with law enforcement nor did anyone send him to Midnight. He explained that his grandmother told him Midnight was a safe place. Much to Lemuel's surprise, Manfred's grandmother was an old friend of his, named Xylda. After Manfred explained that people were trying to kill him solely based on the fact that Xylda was dead, Lemuel decided to let him go upon the realization that Manfred was one of them. Midnight's been a safe haven for supernatural creatures for centuries, some would come and go, but others, like himself, would stay and make it a home. As long as they were quiet, cops and the humans tolerated them, but Aubrey Hamilton's death was far from quiet. With digging being done by law enforcement and the media, flaming torches weren't far behind, Lemuel surmised. ![]() Lemuel vs Sons of Lucifer gang member After apologizing to Manfred for the misunderstanding, and sending him on his way, Lemuel and Olivia intervened in a fight between Bobo and the two Sons of Lucifer members from a couple of nights prior. Olivia shoots one biker in the shoulder with an arrow, pinning him to the dresser, while Lemuel snaps the other's neck. He tells Bobo that Aubrey isn't worth dying for, and sends him home. As Olivia disposes of the body, Lemuel questions the wounded biker, asking who sent him, but when he doesn't get the answer he was hoping for, Lemuel rips into the biker's neck, thus killing him. The following night, Lemuel was eager to point out Olivia's notable increase in anger due to Aubrey's murder, and the passing up of a well-paid hit, so he offered to take some of that anger away. Olivia rested in his arms as he drained her energy. Afterward, he and Olivia joined their fellow Midnighters in the street as Officer Gomez and Sheriff Livingston were placing Bobo under arrest for Aubrey's murder. They had already decided that Bobo was guilty, which is precisely why Lemuel didn't trust them. The last thing they should want to do is start a war. Fiji Cavanaugh, the town's witch, was more frustrated than anyone, and while she initially attempted to stop them from leaving by crushing and levitating the police vehicle, Fiji eventually released the car, and allowed them to leave as the Midnighters stood on the road helpless. In Bad Moon Rising, Lemuel, Olivia, Fiji, Rev, and Joe reconvened at the pawn shop to discuss their next plan of action. Lemuel was outraged at the fact that the police came into their town and took one of their own. Bobo was going to have to face the consequences of their actions. They scared the police, which never ends well. The Midnighters mutually agreed that they needed to get back off of law enforcement's radar and free Bobo. ![]() Olivia and Lemuel hit the streets That night, although late, Lemuel joined Olivia at the pawnshop to take over during the night shift. However, he hadn't fed yet. Unfortunately for Lemuel, Olivia had covered the shop for the entire day and was in no mood for leeching. Just then, he caught a scent. With the smell of blood in the air, he and Olivia walk the streets of Midnight in search of the source and prepared for a fight, which is precisely what they got upon the discovery that Rev, who had transformed into a weretiger, had escaped the cellar and was attacking Manfred and Creek. Olivia fired several shots at the beast, sending it running into the darkness. Initially assuming Manfred was the cause of Rev's escape, they soon learned that Officer Gomez was responsible for his release, which resulted in her death and her body being hoisted in a tree. He then realized that Manfred was bleeding and that it was fresh. With Creek taking Manfred to Madonna in hopes that she can sew him up, Lemuel and Olivia returned to the apartment for ammunition suited to hunting a weretiger, silver bullets to be exact. While they sickened Lemuel, the slightest of scratches from one could kill the Rev. ![]() Lemuel leeching off the weretiger They managed to track him down to the woods outside the ranches. Lemuel sought to talk the creature down, calling out to Rev by his first name, Emilio. However, this does little to soothe the beast as it lunges at Lemuel, taking a bite out of him before being thrown off. After pleading with Olivia to stand down, as she was convinced that they should kill it, Lemuel takes on the tiger yet again. This time, he gains the upper hand, managing to tackle the beast to the ground and leech it's energy, resulting in its unconsciousness for the rest of the night. In Lemuel, Unchained, Lemuel rushes to Creek's rescue having heard her screams of terror just outside the pawn shop. He tosses Creek's attacker into the road only to discover that it was Zachariah, an old vampire friend of his. As Manfred, Fiji, Bobo, and Rev arrived at the scene, Zach apologized for having attacked Creek as he didn't know that she was a friend of Lemuel's, however, as he explained, everyone in Midnight was a friend. Lemuel insisted that everyone calm down, while at the same time wondering why Zach was in town. Zach claims that they were passing through on the way to Mazatlan but they decided to stop for the night. Midnight brought back memories, old memories, Lem noted. ![]() Lemuel introducing Zach to Olivia He took Zach into the pawnshop, where he introduced him to Olivia, who was off-limits. Lemuel never mentioned Zach prior to this incident due to a previous falling out, which resulted in the two of them parting ways. Zach asked for a second chance, hoping that he and Lem could put the bad blood behind them, leading Lem to his next point, which was the ground rules. No feeding on anyone in the county, Midnighters, and locals included. Lemuel was surprised to learn that Zach had turned over a new leaf in the sense that he was no longer feeding on humans but from blood bags instead. A long time ago, Lem grew tired of the hunt. It simply took Zach a little long to see the light. With that being said, Lemuel welcomed him back to Midnight with open arms. As Zach exits the shop to visit the old restaurant, Olivia asked if Lemuel trusted him. Lemuel's response being that Zach was like a brother to him and he deserved the benefit of the doubt because he owed Zach his life. Lemuel and Olivia entered Home Cookin' to discover that the nest had made themselves quite comfortable in the short time they had been in town. He was then ambushed and kissed by Pia, making for an awkward exchange of stares before Olivia headed out, claiming that a migraine was coming on. He knew this was simply a ploy to get out of an awkward situation. They had a lot of catching up to do, so Olivia kissed him goodbye and exited the restaurant. Lem and Pia proceeded to dance as they recalled their time spent together in Buenos Aries, where Pia tried to stake him. They both laughed over the incident before being interrupted by Olivia and Manfred, who had returned to Home Cookin' with accusations of misconduct on the nest's behalf. The blood bag that Zach was carrying came from a girl that they were draining on the bus. Zach explained that the girl's name was Tiffany and that she was a vampire groupie. Lem followed this up by telling Manfred and Olivia that Zach and Pia couldn't drain energy, so blood was the only way for them to sustain their life, with vampire groupies being the most humane solution as they were a willing food supply. Lem then requested a moment alone with Olivia. He could tell that she hated his friends, but he had been a vampire for a long time, with Zach being at his side for most of it.
Lemuel explained to Zach that he ran away from evil only to become worse. If it wasn't for Xylda, he would've ended his life. However, Zach saw it as a betrayal to the nest. Lem chose power over them, he claimed, but Lemuel's desire was never power, however, it was so clearly Zach's. Midnight was his new family, and he couldn't allow Zach to stay and jeopardize that. Seemingly accepting of this, Zach wanted to end the night on a good note, so he wanted to have a drink for old times sake, to which Lemuel agreed. Upon drinking the blood offered by Zach, Lem screamed out in pain and collapsed to the floor like a burning sensation coursed throughout his body. Lemuel awakens in an abandoned hotel room, chained to the floor with Zach standing across from him. Zach opens the curtains, telling Lemuel that the sun would be up soon, which would shine directly into the room, killing Lem. Zach tells him that the Midnighters and locals would be dead soon enough as well. Lemuel comments that he should've killed Zach when he had the chance. ![]() Olivia feeding Lemuel her blood Lemuel listened helplessly as Manfred called out to Zach from the streets below to offer him a deal, in which Manfred would grant him the same power given to Lemuel in exchange for something of his choosing. Lemuel ordered him to stop but was knocked unconscious by Zach. Shortly after Zach left to join Manfred in the street, Olivia managed to find him in the room but she didn't have the strength to break the chains and he was still too weak from the silver poisoning to break them himself. Olivia smashes the window, using a shard of glass to cut her wrist, then allowing Lem to feed on her, thus providing him with the strength to break free and get away before the sun rose. At the apartment, Lemuel tells Olivia that it was never his intention to taste her blood. However, she wasn't willing to stand by and watch him die, even in spite of all she had heard about his dark past, which most people in Midnight had. The two of them smiled at each other and shared a passionate kiss. Editor's Note: The following summary is from a deleted scene released by NBC after the initial airing of the episode.[6] In Sexy Beast, Lemuel joins Olivia outside the pawn shop as she returns to Midnight from a contract hit in El Paso. First, they kiss, then she asks him to retrieve her items from the trunk, which included a man that she had tied up in the back. Lem nonchalantly comments that she was bringing her work home. ![]() The Midnighters discussing the Succubus Lemuel joined Manfred, Creek, Joe, Chuy, and Fiji in the Midnighter's room after Manfred was nearly attacked at a rest stop by an unknown creature. Joe illustrates a depiction of the creature as Manfred provides descriptions. Lemuel concludes that the creature that nearly killed Manfred was a Succubus, which is odd because he hadn't seen one in Midnight in over a century. They were ancient supernatural hunters. They were also rare, however, they typically were discreet. They possess a perpetual glamour that allows them to appear beautiful to their prey, that being men who have caused pain. Lem began to wonder why a succubus would suddenly show up in town after so much time, behaving so recklessly. They needed to stop the succubus before she caused any further damage, considering that the trail of bodies she was leaving would bring law enforcement back to Midnight. Dragon's breath was the only way to kill a succubus, however, they had no way of acquiring such an element, so Fiji offered a possible solution. She created a tincture, which was essentially a potion designed to remove the succubus' glamour, thus revealing her true form and preventing her from seducing any more men. ![]() Lemuel leeching from Olivia's pain Lemuel returned to the apartment to find that Olivia's interrogation wasn't going so well. She rushes over into his arms crying, asking if he could leech off of her pain, to which he agrees, causing her skin to momentarily turn gray. He then invited her to join him and the other Midnighters at The Cartoon Saloon to assist with hunting the succubus. They entered the bar, each Midnighter with their own casing of Fiji's tincture, which they only needed to get a drop off in the succubus' mouth, meaning they would have to lure her away from people, somewhere private, where no one would see them. While keeping an eye on the room, the bartender asks him what he would be having to drink. Lemuel replies that he gave up drinking a while ago but sometimes he indulges on special occasions. However, once he gets a taste, it's hard to stop. It was a slippery slope. Unbeknownst to the bartender, Lemuel was referring to blood, not alcohol. Lemuel's hunger began to grow as he could hear the blood pumping through the bartender's veins. ![]() Lemuel arriving to the parking lot The Midnighters made their way out to the parking lot after receiving a text from Creek, telling them that she found the succubus. Having already sprayed her with the tincture, Lemuel picked Gina up on his shoulders and sped off into the nearby woods, where no one could see them. Everyone else joined him soon thereafter in Manfred's RV. As her choking worsened, Gina fell to the ground, rolling around in agonizing pain, which was a result of the tincture transforming her back into her true succubus form. Lemuel tells Gina that supernaturals lay low in Midnight. And indiscriminate hunting of humans was not tolerated. Gina rushed him, but Lemuel was far stronger having knocked her against a tree with great force. Gina returns to her feet and runs off into the night. However, her departure was almost immediately followed by Connor's scream for help. After finally catching up to Connor, they find him in the succubus' grasp, with her threatening to end his life. Lemuel attempted to reason with her as he also struggled with an insatiable appetite that he needed to keep in check, but when this failed, Manfred set her on fire with a propane tank just after Lemuel snatched Conner out of her reach while she was distracted. ![]() Lemuel checking on Olivia Back at the apartment, Lem releases Ross Wheeler at Olivia's request, after learning that he was hired by her father. Lemuel listens as Olivia tells Ross about his employer and her father. He abandoned her when she was a child. He left her with the woman he married, and that woman was addicted to pills. When she was cut off, the wife of Olivia's father had to find other ways to support her habit, she did this by selling Olivia to multiple men who were willing to pay top dollar for a pretty little girl. She was repeatedly sexually abused. This was all news to Lemuel. Afterward, he playfully comments that he also fetched top dollar during his day. Olivia jokes that they have so much in common. Her pain did, however, give Lemuel plenty of energy to leech off. He was sorry for what she had to endure, but Olivia told him not to be as he saved her. He then inquired about the men that abused her, to which Olivia responded they were all dead. In Unearthed, Lemuel awakens from his slumber to find that the pawnshop has been set on fire by the Sons of Lucifer. Bobo insisted that Lem stays out of the way as the bikers were solely after him. However, the bombing of Olivia's homemade it personal. Bobo then receives a call from Peter Lowry, telling him to come alone to Service road off Ranchville Drive. Lemuel recalls Bobo's arrival in Midnight. He offered to buy the shop in cash. Lem knew he was running from something bad, but since it was none of his business, he didn't ask. But now that the Sons of Lucifer have brought the fight too close for comfort, Lemuel feels compelled to ask Bobo what it is that he's running from. ![]() Lemuel and Bobo outside bunker Just beneath an old, abandoned truck outside Bobo's home, lied a hidden bunker, leading down below. Inside was a collection of riches and weaponry. Bobo confesses that he was running from his wealthy and well-connected family of white supremacists. They had big plans for all that stuff, but once Bobo found out about it and what they had planned, he stole the goods and stashed them. Unfortunately, word began to spread about the stash. It eventually became the Holy Grail for those who represent white supremacy. One of the bikers must've learned of his true identity. Lem surmises that this is why they sent in Aubrey. Manfred told Bobo that Aubrey's feelings for him were real, which is why they presumably killed her. And now they had Fiji, but not for long, Lem says. He was ready to bring Fiji home. Yet again, Bobo insists that he go alone as Lowry requested, or else they'll kill Fiji. However, Lem wasn't comfortable with sitting back and doing nothing. After coming to an understanding, Lemuel latched onto the bottom of the delivery truck as Bobo met up with the bikers to deliver the goods. He listens helplessly from under the truck as Bobo is beaten by the bikers as retribution. However, they do hold up their end of the deal by reuniting Bobo with Fiji at some kind of worksite. ![]() Lemuel emerging from the smoke Lemuel comes from beneath the truck while three of the bikers are distracted during target practice. He comments not bad but wonders how well they'll fare against a moving target, such as himself. He bares his fangs and attacks the bikers, leaving a trail of bodies in his way. Lemuel appears almost unstoppable, taking on a barrage of bullets and a rocket launcher, yet nothing seems to knock him off his feet. He approaches one of the bikers, saying "that hurt", before feeding on him. After dispatching most of the bikers, Lemuel frees Bobo and Fiji from the storage unit they were being held in just as they were running out of air. With sunrise quickly approaching, the three of them head back to the delivery truck, where after Bobo kills Peter Lowry, he blows up the goods with a grenade as they leave the site. That morning, after getting patched up by Olivia, she lectures him on his reckless behavior, asking him what he was thinking. Not calling her after Fiji was kidnapped was Bobo's call, not his. As he lays down on the bed, Olivia threatens to stake him. He notices that her anger is derived from a place of worry and love. He expresses his love as well, causing Olivia to settle down. She tells him to stop almost dying, leading to a joke about him already being dead. ![]() Lemuel scaring off the Davy teens In Blinded by the Light, after scaring off a group of trouble-making teens from Davy the night prior, Lemuel and his fellow Midnighters convene at the Midnighters room in Home Cookin', where Fiji is convinced that she was being haunted by a demon. She had been hearing it in her house, and Manfred saw it as well when they were cleaning his house, though Manfred insists that they banished it. Fiji, on the other hand, wasn't so sure. She begins to consider the possibility of a demon being responsible for the killings. However, this was unlikely. Lemuel explains that demons are malevolent beings, not of their earth. The attack on Connor was fairly sloppy and human-like. Yet this doesn't explain why Manfred is suddenly seeing an increase in ghost and Fiji seeing demons. The Rev soon joins them, but not as a man of God, as Emilio, a Midnighter and friend. He reveals that the veil between hell and Midnight is fraying. The evil energy is seeping out, affecting each of them, and drawing out their inner darkness, as well as drawing evil to Midnight. With Aerin still missing, Lemuel and Manfred head out to the site of Connor's attack in hope that Manfred could get a read on something. Lemuel couldn't help but wonder who Rev's informant was. All in all, the fraying veil accounted for his sudden insatiable appetite. Despite Manfred failing to gather a reading from the site of Connor's attack, Lemuel catches the scent of blood. He and Manfred stumble upon Shawn Lovell, who has the missing girl in his hands. Shawn places the girl down and attempts to run in the opposite direction, though he never truly had a chance of escape when taking into account Lem's vampire speed, which he uses to get ahead of Shawn and leech from him to the point of unconsciousness. ![]() Lemuel threatening to drain Shawn The Midnighters tie up and surround Shawn Lovell in the center of the pawnshop after getting Aerin to safety. Lem always wondered what drove a man to move himself and his two children somewhere so small and isolated. Most people wouldn't bring their family to such a remote town, but he imagines that Shawn loves it as it was the perfect hunting grounds for a serial killer. Despite catching Shawn with the girl red-handed, Bobo states that they needed to be sure that he was the killer. Lemuel demands that Shawn tell him how many girls he has killed. He threatens to drain Shawn should he refuse. Manfred enters the shop and brings an end to the aggressive interrogation. They weren't going to torture Creek's father, despite the fact that he did worse to those women and his own son. Not to mention, he brought law enforcement back to Midnight. Lem and Olivia are dead-set on handling things the "Midnighter's way", which was swift and simple. Lem suggests that they handle Shawn in the same manner that they handled the vampires and succubus. After discovering that Shawn was only protecting the actual killer, Connor, the Midnighters began to grow increasingly concerned with Creek's well-being as she was with Connor without knowledge of his atrocious acts. Connor was sick and he always has been. He took pleasure in certain wicked activities, such as killing animals. The doctors they took him to wanted to lock Connor up, but Shawn refused having already lost his wife. Shawn put their home in danger because of this. He brought Connor to Midnight because it was isolated and each of them could protect themselves, however, he admittedly failed in stopping the murders. Shawn says that Connor would never hurt Creek, but the Midnighters aren't so sure. Connor was a killer. It's who he is, Lem says. Creek will eventually figure it out, and when she does, Connor will feel cornered. They begin to worry about what will happen once he does. Manfred abruptly exits the shop, with Lemuel chasing after him, wondering where he was headed. Manfred was planning to go driving around, hoping that he would miraculously find her, though there was too much ground to cover. Joe removes his jacket and shirt, revealing his wings and the fact that he's an angel. With flight, he could cover more ground than any of them. Lemuel, as well as the rest of the Midnighters, were shocked by this recent development. Lem then speeds off to search from the ground as Joe searches from the sky. ![]() Lemuel killing Connor He and Joe manage to catch up to Creek and Connor on an empty road. Creek joins Joe as Connor runs off into the darkened field, with Lemuel not far behind. Lem runs up to Connor from behind, and snaps his neck, bringing an abrupt end to Connor's short life. Lem, Joe, and Creek return to Midnight with Bobo, Manfred, Fiji, and Olivia awaiting their arrival. Unfortunately, Lem informs them that Connor did not make it out alive. Olivia hugs Lem and holds him close. ![]() The Midnighters gathered around the apartment In Angel Heart, Lemuel is aggravated, having been woken up during the daytime, due to another supernatural threat that the town was facing. The Midnighters gather at his and Olivia's apartment. He sent Emilio a message to join them at the apartment, though he had yet to receive a response. With the Rev not picking up his phone, Lem's patience was growing thin. He looks to Joe and Chuy, wondering why they called for a meeting. Joe and Chuy needed their help. There was an angel in Midnight named Bowie, and she was hunting Joe. Angels not only protect humans, but they also kill demons. Bowie enjoyed the latter above all else. She was Joe's former mentor and friend, but he abandoned Bowie when he walked away from that lifestyle, and now she's holding a grudge. She might have forgiven Joe for falling and leaving the fold, though the real reason she was hunting him was that he fell in love with Chuy, who was shockingly half-demon. Joe and Chuy met at a marketplace, where Joe saved Chuy from an attack, and from there, everything changed. Chuy disproved everything Joe knew about demons. However, Bowie couldn't allow such an unholy union to take place. Chuy explains to them that his mother was human and that they were close. She taught him to control his demon side, and now he has his connection with Joe to keep him strong. Lem was upset that this was the first that any of them were hearing about this. Now they had an angry angel to worry about. They begin to discuss how best to handle the situation. Angels were tough, they could read minds and use your secrets against you. Humans stood no chance at killing them, and Joe wasn't powerful enough to take Bowie on. However, demons could take down Bowie, but Chuy doing so was not an option. The last time Chuy changed, it took three years to get him back. Short of killing her, the Midnighters came up with a plan to open a portal to hell and send Bowie in. ![]() Lem and Olivia making the most of their relationship Angels are mean and powerful, not to mention they don't like vampires. Lem tells Olivia that her taser would be ineffective in combat. He sits back on their bed, expressing just how tired he was of all the secrets. Olivia comments that she had a hidden armory, so she's good with secrets. Lem asks if there were any secrets that she wanted to tell him. There was one thing that she wanted to get off her chest, and while it wasn't exactly a secret, she states that their relationship has an expiration date. He'll stay that way he is forever, while she will inevitably grow old, so when the time came, Olivia was prepared to leave. Lem reminds her that there are other options, he could turn her, but Olivia didn't want to become a vampire. She says this just before kissing Lem. They could at least enjoy what they had while it lasts. Lem agrees, but his facial expression says otherwise as Olivia walks away. ![]() Lem and Fiji outside the Inquiring Mind With Bowie taking Creek, Rev, Madonna, and many of the locals hostage inside Home Cookin', the Midnighters are forced to enact their plan to trap Bowie in hell using a mirror as a portal. They head over to the restaurant, where Lem hides behind a car, waiting for his cue as Joe distracts Bowie. Lem super speeds from behind the vehicle, pushing Bowie off her feet and towards the portal to hell. Unfortunately, she destroys the portal before reaching it. With the portal destroyed, Joe is forced to fight Bowie head-on as the Midnighters watch along. Of the two of them, Bowie is clearly superior. As she prepares to kill Joe, but Chuy intervenes after transforming into his demon form. The Midnighters scatter as Chuy kills Bowie. Lem grabs Fiji, and they head back to her place, however, the Inquiring Mind was inhospitable to the dead. Lem couldn't come in. Like a raging animal, Chuy runs towards him. Lemuel attempts to leech his energy, though his attempt at bringing down the demon backfires. Lem's eyes darken and he begins coughing up a black substance, presumably blood. Luckily, Joe was able to calm the beast and return Chuy to his human state. Afterward, the Midnighters regroup at Home Cookin', where Chuy apologizes for his actions as he and Joe leave the restaurant. Olivia asks him if he's ready to go home, which he wasn't, but he needed their bed. Olivia comments that they're not the only mixed couple in Midnight, though Lem knew a lot of new things after today. ![]() Lem leeching from Olivia In Last Temptation of Midnight, Lemuel leeches from Olivia while the two of them lay in bed together. She tells him to stop, but he continues, though the continuous leeching is not intentional. With his hunger growing to dangerous levels, controlling his urges is becoming far more difficult. The sound of Olivia's beating pulse and her blood rushing through her veins is almost too tempting to resist. Only after she repeats herself does Lem stop. He points out that there was a lot to leech from Olivia, especially with so much chaos arising in Midnight, such as the veil fraying, Joe and Chuy being supernaturals, as well as Manfred taking off. While Olivia was not the least bit surprised by Manfred's departure, Lemuel was certain that he would be sticking around. Olivia didn't trust him, but then again, she never trusts anyone, which is what Lem loves about her. They share a kiss before she leaves for the evening. ![]() Creek asking Lem to leech away her pain Lemuel's hunger continues to grow while at Home Cookin with Olivia, practically salivating while eyeing her neck. Olivia receives a job offer in San Diego, so she's hoping that Lem is up for a road trip, but he passes due to the often sunny skies attributed to the city. Creek brings them their order, a salad for Olivia, and for appearances only, a drink for Lem. With the turmoil surrounding the Lovell family still fresh on everyone's mind, Lem asks Creek how it's been for her back at work. Creek is having a hard time. She thought that working would take her mind off of all of it, but that is not the case. Her father gave her the deed to the house before he left town, but the thought of going back makes her want to vomit. Lem expresses his deepest apologies. Creek looks to both him and Olivia, before asking a favor. She wants Lem to leech away her pain, but Olivia interjects. She tells Creek that it doesn't work that way because it's more complicated than it seems. He couldn't help her, or so Olivia claims. Creek apologizes for making things uncomfortable, but as far as Lem is concerned, it wasn't Creek that was making an innocent enough question into something more, it was Olivia. Lem is filled with anger. He does not appreciate Olivia answering for him. She had no right. He is in disbelief that Olivia would be jealous of Creek. An argument erupts between the couple. They discuss the level of intimacy of Lem's leeching. Olivia questions if it meant nothing to him because she believes that it's something special, only to be shared between the two of them. Lem thought more of his leeching as well, that is until he learned that Olivia would be leaving him. While Olivia admittedly would be leaving Midnight eventually, she reminds him that it wasn't happening anytime soon. Lem asks for a favor. When she unilaterally decides that their relationship is over, he knows that one day he's going to wake up, and she's going to be gone without any kind of warning or note. He nicely asks her to do more. ![]() Olivia burns Lem with silver With a total of five dead crows outside the pawnshop, Lem and Olivia begin to worry about the future of Midnight. If one dead crow was a bad omen, then five meant that they should truly be concerned. He asks Olivia if she's scared, which she is. Olivia would be stupid not to be. As mean and cruel as humans are, she is experienced, giving her the upper hand, but the same could not be said with supernaturals. Lem adds that's why she has him. He holds Olivia from behind and leeches away the negative energy. While doing so, the temptation to feed reemerges. Lem bares his fangs, inching closer towards Olivia's neck. However, she can feel his fangs nearing her, so she burns him with her silver bracelet. Biting was not on the menu, Olivia says. Lem claims that he wasn't going to bite her, but he apologizes for losing control. He doesn't know what came over him. ![]() Olivia stabs Lem Lem suggests that Olivia go to bed as she paces back and forth throughout the shop, but she isn't tired. He knows the real reason she's on edge and refuses to leave is that she's keeping an eye on him. Olivia could still feel Lem's fangs at her neck. He admits to being hungrier than usual, but is it solely supernaturals being affected by the veil, he wonders. Olivia reminds him that humans don't scare her. Lem, on the other hand, was starting to frighten her with his recent odd behavior. He's angry and hurt. Is his vampiric nature so distasteful to Olivia that she would rather die than be like him. Olivia never said this, but she believes that life should end. It means pain and memories end. It's the natural order of things, but this does not mean she feels any differently for him. Seeing that Olivia shares no desire in becoming a vampire, Lem questions why she is even with him. Was it solely the leeching because he can get rid of her pain when it overwhelms her. Or was it maybe that she liked being a little afraid. Lem aggressively grabs Olivia by her hair as she attempts to leave. Olivia stabs him with a wooden stake, which was only an inch away from his heart. It was a warning shot. The next time she'll go for the kill. Lem states that this was a grave mistake as he removes the stake. Olivia runs up into the apartment, locking and barricading the doors behind her. Lemuel kicks the front door clean off the hinges. He moves about the apartment with caution, unaware that Olivia is lying in wait for him. He hears a noise come from her hidden armory closet. She swings down and kicks Lem in the chest as he opens the closet. Lem immediately notices the haircut she gave herself in between the time it took him to get upstairs. He comments that it looks good. She wants Lem out of the apartment, but he refuses to leave. Olivia fires several rounds of silver bullets at Lem. He superspeeds across the room, though she does manage to hit him at least once. Lem takes Olivia's gun and grabs her from behind. As he removes the bullet from his shoulder, Olivia flips him over hers and pulls out a knife. ![]() Lem vs Olivia She then goes on the attack, and while Lem is far stronger, Olivia manages to hold her own. She uses a number of silver objects to fend him off as he tries to explain that he only seeks to turn her because he loves her, but Olivia knows that he's only behaving in such an aggressive manner because of the veil's influence. She delivers a massive dropkick before grabbing two silver batons from under the bed. The two of them go at it, and despite her best effort, Lem ultimately wins the battle. She's pleading with him to stop, but with the veil's influence growing stronger, he doesn't seem to care. He throws her into the wall and knocks her into the tub. He slowly approaches Olivia, growling, and baring his fangs. Luckily, Manfred enters the apartment with a potion Fiji created to remove the veil's influence. Lem attempts to apologize for his action, but Olivia screams at him to back off. Although he and Olivia certainly have issues to work out, Manfred asks that they table it for the moment as they all had greater concerns. ![]() The human sacrifice being made After being informed of the new threat in Midnight, the Midnighters head into the street to stop the faceless supernatural, and the offering before it's too late. After faceless pours gasoline all over the bodies, Lem, Bobo, and Olivia disarm and hold faceless down, before he can light the pile of dead bodies. Faceless recognizes Fiji. He says that when his master rises, Fiji will be his. From him, they learn that the demon's name is Colconnar. The ground begins to crack beneath their feet as the flames of hell begin to seep out and engulf the offering. Faceless escapes Lem and Bobo's hold. He grabs Fiji and tells them all that it won't be long before Colconnar rises, and takes what's his. Manfred commands the ghosts of the humans that were sacrificed to drag faceless back to hell, saving Fiji in the process. Manfred explains that it was an old trick he used to do, but it, unfortunately, didn't stop the sacrifice from being made. |
Personality[]
Having been around for two centuries, Lemuel Bridger has become an experienced vampire, who is strong, wise, and protects those he considers allies and friends, no matter what. Also, he is not hesitant to use quick and deadly force against those that threaten Midnight.
Despite the seemingly casual way he kills his enemies (even taking pleasure in killing a man who tried to kill Bobo), Lem is shown to have a strong conscience, as he was the only vampire in his nest who felt guilt over killing people, even willing to end his own life to stop killing. Unlike most vampires, Lemuel does not view humans as a food source. Upon acquiring the ability to leech energy rather than drink blood, he offered his friends the chance to share his power. When Zachariah only showed interest in the power to kill other vampires with a touch, Lemuel banished him and all other vampires from Midnight. Although it has been decades since he killed an innocent, Lemuel still feels ashamed of his past crimes, initially unwilling to share his past with others.
Despite all the killing, he does care for those in his life. He holds quite a romantic relationship with Olivia, which shows a somewhat softer side to Lemuel rarely seen when he socializes with others. He also demonstrates a profound sense of loyalty, as he stopped Olivia from killing the Rev in spite of Emilio's request to do so should he hurt someone. Despite their falling out, he showed a fondness for Zach and his nest and was willing to believe they had changed their ways. It is implied that because Xylda freed him of his bloodthirst, he was extremely grateful and fond of her, becoming more friendly to Manfred after learning he was her grandson and asking after her.
Skills[]
Lemuel possesses all the standard abilities of a vampire in Midnight, Texas. Additionally, he can also drain the energy and emotions of others, which can kill other vampires, with his touch. This is because of Xylda, who altered his vampiric abilities due to his despair over being a slave to blood.
Appearances[]
Season One Appearances: 10/10 | ||||
Pilot: Appears |
Bad Moon Rising: Appears |
Lemuel, Unchained: Appears |
Sexy Beast: Appears |
Unearthed: Appears |
Blinded by the Light: Appears |
Angel Heart: Appears |
Last Temptation of Midnight: Appears |
Riders On The Storm: Appears |
The Virgin Sacrifice: Appears |
Season Two Appearances: 9/9 | ||||
Head Games: Appears |
The Monster of the Week is Patriarchy: Appears |
To Witch Hell and Back: Appears |
I Put a Spell On You: Appears |
Drown the Sadness in Chardonnay: Appears |
No More Mr. Nice Kai: Appears |
Resting Witch Face: Appears |
Patience is a Virtue: Appears |
Yasss, Queen: Appears |
Trivia[]
- Lemuel states that the term vampire is "one word for it", suggesting what he is, or can be, called something different, though that is not elaborated on further.
- In the novels, Lemuel is Caucasian.
- Before he turned, he stated that he wanted to have children in his human life.[7]
Gallery[]
Season One Promotional |
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Pilot (1x01) |
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Bad Moon Rising (1x02) |
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Lemuel, Unchained (1x03) |
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Sexy Beast (1x04) |
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Unearthed (1x05) |
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Blinded by the Light (1x06) |
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Angel Heart (1x07) |
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Last Temptation of Midnight (1x08) |
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Riders On The Storm (1x09) |
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The Virgin Sacrifice (1x10) |
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Season Two Promotional |
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Head Games (2x01) |
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The Monster of the Week is Patriarchy (2x02) |
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To Witch Hell and Back (2x03) |
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I Put a Spell On You (2x04) |
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Drown the Sadness in Chardonnay (2x05) |
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No More Mr. Nice Kai (2x06) |
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Resting Witch Face (2x07) |
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Patience is a Virtue (2x08) |
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Yasss, Queen (2x09) |
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References[]
- ↑ Midnight, Texas Cast - Global
- ↑ Midnight, Texas - NBC - Lemuel Bridger
- ↑ During a flashback, a jukebox plays Teardrops on my Pillow by Sunny Gale. This song was released in 1953.
- ↑ Turi Meyer & Al Septien (Writers) and David Solomon (Director) (July 24th, 2017). Lemuel, Unchained. Midnight, Texas. Season One. Episode Three. NBC.
- ↑ Brynn Malone (Writer) and Milan Cheylov (Director) (August 21st, 2017). Unearthed. Midnight, Texas. Season One. Episode Five. NBC.
- ↑ Midnight, Texas - Deleted Scene: A Favor Owed (Digital Exclusive)
- ↑
See also[]
Midnight, Texas Characters | |||||
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Main Characters | |||||
Manfred Bernardo • Lemuel Bridger • Fiji Cavanaugh • Olivia Charity • Sheriff Livingston • Creek Lovell • Rev. Emilio Sheehan • Joe Strong • Bobo Winthrop | |||||
Recurring Characters | |||||
Walker Chisum • Connor Lovell • Shawn Lovell • Kai Lucero • Patience Lucero • Lyric • Mr. Snuggly • Madonna Reed • Sequoia • Chuy Strong • Xylda | |||||
Guest Characters | |||||
Aerin • Grace Barrone • Basil • Bowie • Celeste Mansfield • Philip Charity • Colconnar • Dawnette • Delilah • Gina • Kiva Goldwater • Hightower • Janice • Jeremy • Peter Lowry • Mary • Mildred • Pia • Melanie Pratt • Faceless Supernatural • Theophilus • Violet • Ross Wheeler • Addie Wigget • Wraith-Jeremy • Zachariah |