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Prison Break is one of those shows that grabs audiences from the very first episode and never lets go. At its heart is Michael Scofield, a brilliant engineer who becomes the intellectual giant behind some of the most impossible prison escapes ever shown on screen.
But what happens to this fascinating character when the series ends? The answer is more complicated than what many viewers assume.
The fifth season of Prison Break gives Michael the happy ending the viewers wished for. After years of separation and risks, Michael finally reunites with Sara and meets his son for the first time. The family, torn apart by sacrifice and conspiracy, is finally united.
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What was the background of Michael Scofield, and what went down in Prison Break?
Michael Scofield (portrayed by Wentworth Miller) is not a typical hero. He's a genius with a brilliant mind for detail and planning. When his brother Lincoln gets wrongly convicted and sentenced to death row, Michael makes a vengeful plan.
He orchestrates to get himself thrown, convicted, and locked in prison on purpose, with a well-built plan to break his brother out. What makes Michael stand out is that he has the blueprint of the prison structure tattooed on his body disguised as an abstract artwork.
Throughout the five-season run of Prison Break, Michael appears healthy enough to orchestrate the plan with wit and intelligence. He also tricks the prison doctor into thinking he has diabetes and visits the medical wing frequently for an escape plan.
The shocking health discovery
As the plan seems to work, a big plot twist occurs in season four of Prison Break: Michael starts experiencing excruciating headaches and nosebleeds.
Initially, he tries to hide this from his brother and his love interest, Sara, the prison doctor. But his condition worsens, and he even collapses due to pain.
When the truth finally comes out, it shocks the viewers. It turns out that Michael has a brain tumour. The doctors claim that he needs immediate surgery, but the story is far from the truth.
The brother reveals that their mother died at age 31 from the same condition, and now Michael has acquired it at the same age. This comes off as a ruthless twist of fate.
Despite the urgent need for treatment, Michael refuses surgery. He's too occupied fighting against a powerful organization called The Company, which has been manipulating events from the background.
This mysterious firm has been the real antagonist throughout Prison Break, and Michael believes that stopping them is more important than saving his own life.
A ray of hope
During season four, Sara tries her best to help Michael. For a while, things look healing. However, Michael passes out during an important mission to steal confidential information from The Company. The Company captures him and makes a deal with Sara and his brother.
They claim their medical technology is advanced enough to save Michael's life, but only if the brother gets them what they want. The helpless brother decides to agree to their terms.
The Company performs an experimental surgery on Michael. As Sara watches in fear, Michael's heart stops beating during the operation.
When the viewers start losing hope, the doctors inject a unique serum directly into his brain. Miraculously, Michael recovers. The experimental treatment saves his life and helps him understand The Company's conspiracy better than ever before.
The ultimate sacrifice
When it seems like Michael might have a win, Prison Break delivers its most devastating twist. Michael faces his greatest challenge in a TV movie called "The Final Break," which serves as the finale for the original series.
It's Sara who ends up convicted of murder to protect Michael on their wedding day. Michael gets another purpose to plan a prison break for the woman he loves.
Michael's plan involves sneaking into the women's cell and getting Sara through underground tunnels to freedom. Everything goes according to plan until they reach the exit, where they get trapped.
Michael reveals a devastating fact: he knew this was coming. The only way to open the passage was to create a power surge over the locking mechanism. But following that would mean an inevitable demise for whoever operated it.
In this remarkable emotional scene in Prison Break, Michael makes the ultimate sacrifice. He collides with two electrical wires, creating the surge that opens the door. Michael, at that moment, gets electrocuted and dies, giving the love of his life freedom.
The tragedy turns even more upsetting when Sara later discovers a shocking truth. The Company never actually cured Michael's brain tumour.
They only delayed his end. Michael knew he was dying anyway, so he chose to bring purpose to his death by saving the person he loved most.
The surreal return
For many years, fans believed Michael's story was finished. His demise seemed ultimate, and Prison Break appeared to conclude. But then, a plot twist occurred. Around 2017, the show returned for its fifth season, and surprisingly, Michael seemed to be alive.
The new season of Prison Break begins with Michael's distinctive voice saying:
"I died seven years ago."
Lincoln learns that Michael might be alive and trapped in a prison in Yemen. But how was that real? Prison Break is a work based on fundamental factors with no elements of supernatural twists, so bringing someone back from the dead needed a believable explanation.
The answer comes in typical Prison Break fashion through conspiracy and secret government operations. The show reveals that Michael's death was completely staged. Before his wedding to Sara, a CIA agent named Poseidon approached Michael with an offer.
If Michael faked his death and worked for him, the agent would guarantee his family's safety. Michael initially resisted the offer, which is why Sara ended up in jail. This compelled Michael to accept the deal.
He faked his death during the electrical surge and spent seven years working undercover for the CIA in various risky locations around the world.
The final ending
Michael's journey throughout Prison Break is ultimately about love, family, and the lengths someone will go to protect the people they cherish. From the beginning, when he tattooed prison blueprints on his body to save his brother, to his final sacrifice and brilliant return, Michael Scofield represents that sacrifice and love can overcome any challenge.
Prison Break may have ended, but Michael Scofield's legacy continues to inspire viewers around the world. His character shows us that even the most impossible obstacle can be overcome with enough determination, brilliance, and resilience.
Whether you're watching Prison Break for the first or tenth time, Michael's journey from tactful engineer to master escape artist to ultimate sacrifice remains one of television's most intriguing and inspiring character arcs. Prison Break is available on Disney Hotstar.
