Russell Edgington

Russell Edgington is a major character on the HBO original series True Blood. Brilliantly played by recurring American actor Denis O'Hare, Russell makes his debut on the episode "Beautifully Broken" in the series' third season. The former Vampire King of Mississippi, an almost 3,000 year old, ancient vampire who was formerly a Chancellor of the newly reformed Vampire Authority, Russell was the main antagonist through the series' third season, and a recurring character through the series' third and fifth seasons. Considered by many to be the oldest, and most powerful vampire in existence, as well as the craziest, Russell met the true death in the Season 5 episode "Save Yourself".

Russell appears to be charming and polite, but that facade can be easily broken, revealing him to be manipulative and almost Machiavellian. He occasionally speaks in an ancient Celt language, denoting his origins. He also cursed to Sookie in German. He believes humans have squandered the Earth and believes in protecting the environment of vampires.

After the death of his consort and progeny, Talbot, Russell's sanity ebbs. He speaks to an urn containing Talbot's remains. His actions seem much more erratic than before, and he goes as far as interrupting a newscast, after brutally killing the newscaster. He is entirely focused upon revenge on the Authority, the American Vampire League, and more importantly, those who have taken Talbot away from him. 

 

Russell Edgington (portrayed by Denis O'Hare)

The human man who would eventually be known as Russell Edgington was born approximately 850 years before the birth of Christ in the Carpathian Mountains into a Celtic community of Pagan Druids, who bestowed upon him the name Korun meaning "Raven" in ancient Celtic. As difficult as it is to learn concrete facts about Korun's human life, information on how he became a vampire is even more scarce. Suffice to say he was eventually "made" vampire at some point during the later years of his middle-age life, although both the circumstances surrounding this event, and the identity of his Maker are a completely unknown.

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