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| “ | You were supposed to stick to the plan. You were supposed to come with us. Mom needed you, I needed you. You're my big brother. You bailed on me. Hey, you know, I'm glad you stayed. Everything worked out for you. You leave, you get the opposite. Okay? You leave, you get to bury people. | „ |
| ~ - Tommy to Brendan Conlon |
Tommy Conlon is the main protagonist in the 2011 film Warrior. He is a former Marine who went AWOL from his unit following the friendly fire death of his brother-in-arms, Sergeant Manny Fernandez, and went home to compete in Sparta, the biggest mixed martial arts spectacle in history and the middleweight championship of the world. He struggled to rebuild his relationship with his alcoholic father, Paddy, and his brother, Brendan, who stayed behind while Tommy and their mother left during their childhood.
He is portrayed by Tom Hardy, who also portrayed Eddie Brock/Venom in the titular films of Sony's Spider-Man Universe and Max Rockatansky in Mad Max: Fury Road.
Early Life[]
Tommy is a former high school wrestling prodigy and professional MMA fighter from Pittsburgh. He grew up under the tutelage of his alcoholic father, who was also his coach, and became an undefeated wrestling sensation. However, he fled with his mother from his abusive father during his teenage years and had to take care of her when she became terminally ill. After his mother passed away, he joined the US Marine Corps and recently came back to the United States. He is close with a fellow soldier named Manny Fernandez, who was killed in a friendly fire incident.
Appearance[]
Tommy is 5ft 10in (177 cm) tall with light blue eyes & dark brown hair. He has light beige skin & his build is muscular and athletic, partly due to the intense physical training & exercise that made him prepare for the Sparta tournament. Due to this, he is exceptionally strong for a peak human and has great stamina when fighting.
Biography[]
Tommy visits his father, Paddy Conlon, a recovering alcoholic who has returned to his Catholic faith in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a child, Tommy had to run away from Paddy with his dying mother due to Paddy being an abusive alcoholic, and has never forgiven him. Paddy tries to convince him that he has changed, but to no avail. The next day, Tommy enters a gym where he quickly knocks out Pete "Mad Dog" Grimes, one of the world's best middleweight fighters; a video of the fight goes viral on the Internet, and soon Tommy becomes an internet sensation.
Learning about a winner-takes-all MMA tournament called Sparta, whose winner will receive $5 million, Tommy asks Paddy to help him train for the tournament, but only under the condition that Paddy does not try to reconcile their relationship.
Meanwhile, the video of Tommy beating Grimes was uploaded to YouTube & attracts the attention of a Marine, who tells the press that Tommy saved his life in Iraq, by ripping off the back hatch of a drowning tank. Although Tommy becomes a national hero, his military records reveal that he deserted after everyone else in his unit was killed in a friendly fire bombing. He reveals his plan for his winnings. The military police will take him into custody but will wait until after the tournament is over. Tommy pledges to win and then donate the entire $5 million purse to Pilar, the widow of Manny, one of his friends in the corps.
Over two fights, Tommy has a contrasting fortune: Tommy quickly and brutally knocks out opponents, all while barely speaking. The night before the final day, Paddy attempts to talk to Tommy about his actions in Iraq. Tommy angrily dismisses his father, letting out all his pent up emotions. As a result, Paddy relapses and starts drinking again. Seeing him in pain, Tommy calms and comforts him, thus resurrecting their relationship.
In the semifinals, Tommy is matched up with Mad Dog Grimes, knocking him unconscious almost immediately, and the commentators claim this is one of the fastest knockouts in MMA history. Tommy and Brendan's relationship is revealed to the world when they are the tournament's last remaining fighters. Brendan shows desire to reconcile, but Tommy, still in pain, shows no interest in doing so. Tommy wins the first two rounds, but Brendan eventually dislocates Tommy's shoulder with an omoplata arm-lock. Brendan wants to tell the referee about Tommy's dislocated shoulder and end the fight, but his coach suggests otherwise. As the fourth round starts, Brendan insists Tommy give up as Tommy only has use of one arm. Tommy has a high tolerance for pain, as he continues to fight. Brendan unloads a barrage of strikes trying to win. Tommy asks Brendan to continue hitting him as the fourth round ends. At the start of Round 5, Brendan realizes he has to force Tommy to submit, and he traps him in a rear naked choke. As they struggle on the canvas, Brendan apologizes to Tommy and tells him that he loves him. Tommy taps and submits after hearing the words. As a result, he ultimately lost to Brendan. Brendan and Campana tactfully avoid the referees and the doctors checking in on Tommy. The reconciled brothers exit the ring as their father walks away into the background smiling.
Personality[]
Tommy is a quiet, serious, and angry individual who has gone through a difficult life that has made him miserable and distrustful of others. He has never his exceptional skills in unarmed combat have given him a feeling of nonchalant confidence in his ability to defeat anyone. Despite his bitter attitude, he is compassionate, respects his obligations and tries to do the right thing. However, he is unable to forgive his family, especially his father, which has caused a deep-seated bitterness that affects his entire life.
Quotes[]
| “ | Paddy: [arriving home] "Tommy? Jesus! What are you doing here?" Tommy: "I was just passing through. I figured why not have a belt with the old man." |
„ |
| ~ Tommy & Paddy's first lines |
| “ | "So you found God, huh? That's awesome. See, Mom kept calling out for him but he wasn't around. I guess Jesus was down at the mill forgiving all the drunks. Who knew?" | „ |
| ~ Tommy to Paddy Conlon |
| “ | "I think I liked you better when you were a drunk." | „ |
| ~ Tommy to Paddy because of Paddy's alcoholism |
| “ | Paddy: "The devil you know..." Tommy: "...is better than the devil you don't." |
„ |
| ~ Tommy & Paddy Conlon |
| “ | Tommy: "Not much of a woman's touch around here." Paddy: "No women for me anymore, Tommy." |
„ |
| ~ Tommy & Paddy |
| “ | Tommy: That's Tess. And that's Emily and Rosie. Brendan: They're your nieces, Tommy. |
„ |
| ~ Tommy & Brendan |
| “ | Brendan: God, man, I don't understand this. You won't forgive me, but you'll forgive Pop? Tommy: S**t. He's just some old vet I train with. He means nothing to me. From what I hear he means nothing to you, either, so you got balls talking about forgiveness. |
„ |
| ~ Tommy & Brendan Conlon |
| “ | Paddy: Come on, kiddo. I've been there. I've done it. I've seen it. You can trust me. I'll understand. Tommy: Spare me the compassionate father routine, Pop. The suit don't fit. |
„ |
| ~ Tommy & Paddy |
Trivia[]
- During production, Tom Hardy suffered a broken toe, broken ribs, and a broken finger.
- Tom Hardy went through a demanding training routine for gaining muscle during the film's pre-production, gaining around 28 pounds (13 kg) of muscle (a physique which he also used to portray Bane in The Dark Knight Rises).
- Tom Hardy was nominated for Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture for the role of Tommy Conlon, but lost to Ryan Gosling, who won the award for his lead role in Drive.
External Links[]
- Tommy Conlon at the VS Battles Wiki