Michael

Michael Samuelle

Name

Michael Samuelle

Birthplace

Marseille, France

Birth date

1965

Family

parents (deceased)
unnamed sister & nephew
Simone (deceased wife)
Elena Vacek (blood cover wife)
Adam (son)
Nikita (lover)

Version

90's

Actor

Roy Dupuis

GALLERY

Michael Samuelle is a former Section One operative and radical activist. He is portrayed by Québécois actor Roy Dupuis in the television series La Femme Nikita.

Biography

History

A former radical student activist whose protest group L'Heure Sanguine sparked the Paris Riots of 1984, Michael is blank-faced, seemingly emotionless and coldly efficient. Not long after being sent to prison, he is recruited into Section One and becomes one of its most successful and respected team leaders. However, a few years later, the apparent death of his wife, Simone — a fellow Section operative whom he married against the wishes of Operations and Madeline — profoundly affects him, and he completely shuts down emotionally, becoming almost an automaton. It is not until Nikita enters the organization that he begins to open up emotionally once again. Complicating their often difficult relationship is Michael's "blood cover" marriage to Elena Vacek, the daughter of a fearsome terrorist that Section One has pursued for decades. His son, Adam, is a product of that union.

Recruitment to Section One

Michael died in prison while serving his sentence for his role in a bombing in Paris that resulted in numerous fatalities.

Training

After his recruitment to Section, Michael was assigned to train with Jurgen . He completes his two year Section training nine months early and is immediately made a Level Three operative.

Plot

Season One

Michael is first introduced while he patiently waits for a sedated Nikita to awaken inside a stark, white room within Section One. He releases her restraints and injects her with a chemical compound. "Good morning," he greets her and a frightened Nikita jumps out of the gurney she lies on. Michael proceeds to inform Nikita about her faked suicide, funeral, and the opportunity for a "second chance". He further outlines her two years of training. A now angry Nikita attacks Michael clumsily and he flips her onto her back. If she refuses Section's offer, then "Row 8, plot 30" will be her future.

After Nikita's two years of intelligence training, Operations considers her too undisciplined for Section and orders Michael to cancel her. Unwilling to do so, Michael vouchers for her and the promise she shows to be a good operative. "If she fails, you fail," Operations threatens. For Nikita's graduation mission, Michael takes advantage of Nikita's infatuation with him and invites her to dinner. Not long into their evening out, Michael reveals to Nikita the purpose of their outing and outlines her mission. After her clumsy but still successful mission, Nikita becomes a full time operative, but her inability to kill when necessary leaves Michael uncharacteristically angry. Ultimately, Nikita's first kill was to save Michael when a hostile sneaks up behind him.

The normally unemotional Michael becomes openly volatile with the reemergence of Glass Curtain, a terrorist group that Section has dealt with in the past. Glass Curtain was responsible for an ambush on Michael and his wife Simone, that eventually lead to her death. However, that belief proved to be false when Nikita's infiltration of Glass Curtain reveals an incarcerated and tortured Simone. After reuniting with Simone, Michael promises revenge on Errol Sparks, the leader of Glass Curtain. Simone has plans of her own and misleads Michael and Nikita on Sparks location and then sacrifices her life to exact revenge on her abductor for her years of imprisonment and torture.

Season Two

After the destruction of the Freedom League's compound six months prior, Nikita is believed to have perished during her Abeyance mission. Since then, Michael has detached from the world around him and become reckless on missions. As Operations tells Madeline, "that stunt he pulled in Zaire could have gotten everyone killed". Michael is even seeing figments of Nikita in the Section One hallways. Michael has spent these six months repeatedly sending messages to the PDA he had given Nikita and wanting confirmation that she had survived the explosion. He never gets a response.

Michael's actions have led Operations to remove Michael from leading missions. During a mission in which he's in the field, a mole within Section causes it to be compromised. Michael barely escapes with his life. When he is ambushed by firefight, he is assisted by an unknown person. That person is revealed to be Nikita, who during a temporary captivity by the Freedom League, hears about the ambush and goes to assist. She quickly vanishes before Michael can confirm if it's her. At Section, Michael once again reaches out to Nikita via the PDA. This time, she confirms that she's alive.

Michael goes to Nikita's location, an abandoned river barge. He observes her alone and startles her upon his entrance. They have a short violent confrontation that results in the two of them falling onto her bed. Michael kisses her passionately in relief and confesses his fear of losing her, "I thought I'd lost you." A defiant Nikita declares that he "never had her" and she kisses him. The two of them consummate the long simmering feelings they had for each other. Later that night, Nikita confesses that the freedom she's experienced isn't what she'd hoped for. The following morning, as Michael prepares to depart, he suggests that Nikita should return to the Section. She instantly dismisses him because his role in her escape would no doubt come to light.

After the revelation that Nikita is alive via the video tape that the Freedom League sent to Section, Michael alerts Nikita via the PDA that he may have a way for her to return to Section. The plan is to use Section's infiltration of the Freedom League's compound as a smoke screen. Nikita is to make her way back inside and she will be "rescued" by Section, explaining her months long absence. Michael finds Nikita waiting for him. To make her captivity believable, they have to show evidence of torture. Michael must bring himself to beat Nikita enough to make it look real. After several hits Michael is ready to stop but it's the injured Nikita one who demands more. "No, can't take any chances," she tells him. Michael beats her several more times at her request.

Season Three

The season opens with Nikita discovering that the witnesses to the final confrontation with Adrain at the end of season two are dying. Her own mission frequency is also increasing and the situations are beyond reckless for any operative. After making numerous requests to speak with Michael, she is told that he's unavailable. Birkoff comments that Operations "has him parked somewhere" but doesn't know where. Nikita asks Madeline if Michael has been transfered and she tells Nikita he's "home I imagine."

Nikita travels to an upper middle class suburban neighborhood in Beauvais, just north of Paris. The home she arrives at is a large and well kept family home. Nikita is greeted at the door by a young woman and eventually her young son. Believing to be mistaken, Nikita begins to make her apologizes for interrupting her. When the boy runs further back into the home, Nikita hears Michael's voice answering to the boy's "Daddy."

Beyond the door, a shocked Nikita sees a casually dressed Michael lifting up the young boy who called him "Daddy." Michael introduces Nikita to his wife, Elena Vacek, as a "cousin of sorts" whom he had lost contact with. Elena welcomes Nikita into their home so that she can get to know Michael's family. Later at Section, Nikita inquires if Adam is really his child, to which he answers in the affirmative. Madeline chastises Michael for not reporting Nikita compromising his blood cover. Because Sala Vacek is known to be watching his daughter from afar, Section deepens Nikita's cover as Michael's long lost cousin who has moved to Paris to pursue her fashion design career. She is to also encourage Elena to pursue reaching out to her father. At Elena's insistence, Nikita briefly moves in with Michael and his family.

Michael discovers that Section One has poisoned Elena.

With Sala Vacek still absent, Section orders Michael to poison Elena. Nikita is to serve as witness during the dinner where it's to happen. Michael is unable to follow through with his orders. A disappointed Madeline and Operations manage to poison Elena while Michael is away. Elena's hospitalization leads to Sala Vacek kidnapping Michael from the hospital and offering his personal doctors. Michael urges Vacek to visit his daughter but he refuses. With Elena a death's door, Michael asks Madeline to deliver the antidote to Elena. He is certain Vacek will not come, but Madeline disagrees. Just as Elena is saying her final goodbyes to Adam, Sala Vacek calls to inform them about his upcoming arrival. Section operatives mobilize and prepare to eliminate Sala Vacek.

After briefly reuniting with his daughter, Vacek begins to suspect that Michael is not who he appears to be. A lone Section operative bursts into Elena's hospital room and kills Sala Vacek. Michael is also "killed", leaving Elena to witness the event. Michael walks the city streets alone, knowing he can never return to his blood cover family.

In the days after the closure of his blood cover assignment, Michael is despondent and suicidal. His new home, a large loft space lies empty except for a large television screen where he watches home movies of his son Adam. His grief almost leads to him taking his own life but instead he falls further into depression. At Section, he is indifferent to his duties, which leads Operations to pull him from his missions. He advises Michael that his poor performance and attitude would have dire consequences. Michael is indifferent to the threats. Nikita tries to encourage him to talk but he politely refuses. She quietly takes over Michael's duties to cover for him. On a visit to Michael's home, Nikita finds him playing his cello to a still image of Adam on the television. Michael reveals that he would often play the cello to help Adam go to sleep. That day is also Adam's birthday. He encourages Nikita to cut ties with him because everyone who cares for him gets hurt. An attempt on his life, to which Michael is entirely indifferent to, leads Nikita to guard his home for several days in a row, foregoing sleep.

On a later mission Nikita is captured and Michael is ordered to return to Section. A significant threat to Nikita's life, snaps Michael out of his downward spiral. He refuses orders and goes after Nikita, rescuing her from repeated torture. In the aftermath of the mission, Michael is still hurting but in a better place to perform his Section duties. During a conversation, Operations confirms to Madeline that he was the one who arranged for Nikita to get kidnapped. He is pleased to have Michael capable of performing his duties. After witnessing Nikita and Michael leave Section together, Madeline points out that there's nothing keeping the two operatives apart romantically. Operations ominously points out that he won't interfere as long as it suits his needs, but he realizes that eventually one will "have to be put down."

Any closeness between Michael and Nikita is downplayed as Michael resumes his responsibilities at Section One with his trademark efficiency. There is no romantic relationship between them even with the closure of the Vacek mission and the end of his blood cover marriage to Elena Vacek. This is further confirmed when Red Cell infiltrates Section with a perfect double of Nikita. Nikita tricks the double to insinuate to an already suspicious Michael about spending their down time together like "any other night between us". Michael sleeps with the Red Cell double of Nikita to buy Section time to locate where Red Cell is holding the real Nikita hostage.

Michael continues to manipulate and withhold information from Nikita as mission parameters dictate. He lets her believe that he is responsible for an orchestrated take over of Section so that he can collaborate with Red Cell. When she refuses to collaborate, he "kills" her in front of a Red Cell informant. At the mission's conclusion, she is displeased with the way Michael continues to use her feelings to manipulate her. In contrast, Operations is pleased with the way Michael handled himself on the very delicate mission. He muses to Madeline that Michael might have what it takes to be his "successor". Madeline suggests that he doesn't want it. To which Operations replies, "Oh, he wants it. He just doesn't know it yet."

Michael's relationship with Nikita eventually starts to warm up again after a significant amount of time has elapsed after the conclusion of the Vacek mission. On one occasion he asks Nikita if she'd like to "spend the day together" with their mutual down time. Nikita refuses the invitation because she is in the middle of a secretive initiative to keep her recently resurfaced mother out of Section's crosshairs. When she realizes the degree to which her mother has gone to determine Nikita's whereabouts, she goes to Michael for assistance. Normally the issue would be resolved quickly through cancelation but Nikita want to protect her mother. Michael manages to set up a scenario that will give Nikita's mother the proper closure and therefore end her inquiries into Nikita's whereabouts. Michael, posing as a private detective, suggests to Nikita's mother that an imprisoned Nikita opted to participate in an experimental drug test rather than remain incarcerated. The trials have left her unresponsive in a hospital. Nikita's mother is able to say her final goodbyes, ask for forgiveness, and orders that Nikita be taken off life support. Even though she was feigning sleep, the encounter had a profound effect on Nikita. Back at Section, Nikita expresses her gratitude towards Michael and his efforts on her behalf. Nikita kisses Michael briefly on the lips and tells him, "That's the kindest thing you've ever done for me."

When torture fails to work on him, Adam's safety is used to get Michael's cooperation.

When Michael is seemingly passed over for a promotion to Head Strategist of Section One, he goes to Nikita and tells her that they're "getting out". When Nikita questions Michael as to why he needs her to escape, he replies, "I don't need you. I want you." While out on a mission he and Nikita escape into the rural countryside with a Section router that allows them to monitor all Section frequencies. They spend a quiet and idyllic evening at a rural farmhouse that he acquired years ago. Michael suggests that the time is right for Nikita to get to know him better. The escape, Nikita discovers is a ruse to uncover a Red Cell mole but the emotions revealed in the cabin are real. While having dinner together, Nikita tells Michael that anything they have together can't be casual.

Michael goes to Nikita and tells her that "enough time has passed" and that he's "missed her". Michael and Nikita embark on a brief romantic relationship that is derailed when Michael is named the head of Section One while Operations is called to Oversight. Nikita disapproves of the methods Michael uses to achieve difficult objectives and his desire to keep Nikita out of the field and out of harm's way. Nikita ends their relationship shortly thereafter. Michael is unwilling to let her go and pursues her, even jeopardizing a Section mission to provide Nikita support when she gets pinned down during a gun fight. The incident displeases Madeline and she informs Nikita that a Type One Directive has been issued about her and Michael's relationship. The relationship is to end immediately. When Michael finds out about the Directive he presses Nikita for her opinion. In defiance of the Type One Directive, Michael and Nikita resume their relationship. In response, Michael is stripped of his Level Five status and removed from all of his supervisory and tactical duties. He is relegated to mission back up and subjected to public scorn from Operations and other operatives (some of it encouraged by Madeline). Despite proclaiming that his position in Section doesn't matter, Michael is noticeably somber. Nikita can no longer watch Michael slip further away and she ends the relationship for his well-being. Michael proclaims to her that he will find a way for them to be together.

Michael and Nikita begin to meet clandestinely during missions, using encrypted messages embedded deep in their panels to outline rendezvous details. The encryptions are placed by Walter, who is helping the lovers in their desire to be together. Operations and Madeline are suspicious but have nothing concrete as evidence because the panels are wiped clean immediately after return and all the missions Michael and Nikita participate in together are successfully completed. When Birkoff is asked by Madeline to confiscate the panels immediately upon arrival, finally in Nikita's panel is the evidence Madeline needs to prove Michael and Nikita's activities.

During an undercover mission to infiltrate a pharmaceutical company manufacturing a deadly biochemical agent, Nikita fails to meet Michael at the rendezvous location. While on her way to meet him, Nikita is immobilized by Section operatives on Madeline's orders and she undergoes forced brainwashing designed to drain her of any emotional feelings for Michael. As a result, she withdraws completely from Michael even if she's unsure why she's done so. When questioned by Michael on her behavior, Nikita tells a clearly devastated Michael that she "doesn't love him anymore." Michael vows to reverse whatever has been done to Nikita.

Season Four

Nikita has been gone from Section One for four months. During that time, the conditioning she has undergone has further imbedded itself within her. Any confusion she'd experienced when she last saw Michael is gone. By Madeline's estimations, Nikita is now the "perfect operative". Michael knows that something has been done to Nikita. Nikita tries to put him at ease by telling him that she is mainly playacting to appease Madeline and Operations. She pleads with Michael to believe her. After their encounter, Michael determines that Nikita has indeed gone behavior modification and that she lied to him about faking her response. With Birkoff's help, Michael determines that Nikita has been subjected to the controversial Gelman Process. Operations views Michael's actions to determine what has happened to Nikita as treason against Section One. He orders that Michael be cancelled. Already suspicious of Operations, Michael escapes Section, determined to undo what has been done to Nikita.

Over a year after Michael's "death", Section learns that Salla Vacek's brother Stefan is looking into his brother's death. They place a Valentine operative named Corden to gain Elena's trust. Michael discovers this while performing surveillance on his family. When confronted, Corden tells Michael that he's been trying to establish a relationship between himself and Adam by posing as a surrogate father figure for the young boy. Elena remains grief stricken by the loss of her husband and is reluctant to enter a new relationship. Nikita, is ordered to reconnect with Elena and encourage her to move on and open her heart to another man. Stefan Vacek orders a hit on Elena to draw his brother's killers into the open. Michael confronts Stefan Vacek. He recognizes Elena's "deceased" husband from family photos and immediately puts together what transpired. During their confrontation, Vacek is accidentally killed by Corden, who arrives on site, and is therefore dies the only chance to have the ordered hit on Elena lifted.

Michael rushes to Elena's home, but he's too late. Elena and Adam have been spirited away by Section One. Operations informs Michael that their new location will be withheld from him for his family's safety.

Michael tries to reconnect with a distant Nikita.

After sinking their files, Michael and Nikita spend an unspecified amount of time on a sailboat evading Section detection. While driving down a road in Iceland, Michael asks Nikita where she'd like to go next. When she says an island, Michael suggests Rhodes. When Nikita questions the location, Michael says that there's a restaurant on the southern tip of the island that is owned by a family he once helped. Nikita asks if he was in Section at the time and he says yes. Nikita seems pleased that on his own Michael took the chance to help a family in need.

Michael and Nikita are eventually captured by Section One. By all appearances, they were careless with how they accessed funds. Upon their arrival at Section One, Michael and Nikita are separated. They are divided by a single pane of glass. They can see and hear each other but can't touch. Michael outlines to Nikita what will likely happen: one of them will die, the other will be sedated to prevent suicide, after some time has passed they will awakened and continue on as an operative. Nikita tells him that if he dies, then she will walk in front of the first bullet shot at her. Michael refuses to accept that and asks Nikita to watch over Adam for him.

Michael is taken from his cell and strapped into a chair in the White Room. Operations appears with a syringe. Michael calmly tells him that he prefer a bullet to be the method of his cancellation. Operations echos Nikita's words about he being able to live without Nikita than she can live without him. The realization that Nikita will be the one cancelled causes Michael to shout out in despair just as Operations injects him with the syringe. The drugs immediately sedate Michael and he falls silent.

Like all other Section operatives, Michael's performance is evaluated by Nikita after the revelation of her undercover work for Center. She determines that Michael is an exemplary operative and has upheld Section's highest ideals. Michael tersely objects to her assessment. He tells Nikita that he betrayed Section One every time he put her [Nikita's] well-being above all else. With that fact out in the open, Nikita recommends Michael for cancellation. He asks for an Abeyance mission, and Nikita grants it.

Walter offers Michael some last minute gear that could give him a fighting chance after the detonation. Michael quietly thanks him but leaves without taking Walter's offering. On his mission, Michael works through his marks methodically. He arrives at his final mark and encounters Nikita waiting for him. She got there using Walter's "bag of tricks". She strips a silent Michael of his explosives and tells him to follow her. Together, they escape the compound before it's destroyed. As far as Section One is concerned, Michael died on his Abeyance mission.

Out in the woods, Michael and Nikita work their way further away from the mission site. Using a field router, she hands it to Michael and tells him that with it he'll be able to make his escape away from Section. Michael asks Nikita if she's "out" as well but she tells him that she needs to go back. He asks her to go with him. Blank faced and stoic, Nikita looks at Michael. "I don't love you. I never did." They stare at each other for several long seconds. Michael takes out his knife and holds the blade underneath his eye. Nikita watches as Michael cuts a small gash into his skin, releasing blood that falls against his face like tears. They continue to look at each other. Michael returns the router to Nikita. After one last look, Michael turns and walks away from Nikita. He disappears into the woods. Nikita continue to stands where she was, alone.

Season Five

After his Abeyance mission, Michael is believed to be dead. Marco O'Brien is brought into Section One to take over his responsibilities. When Section One's missions against The Collective continually go wrong, Mr. Jones suspects a mole within Section and he order Nikita to determine who it is. In a meeting with The Collective, Michael reveals himself as the source feeding them information about Section's activities. In exchange for further information, he demands that Nikita remain unharmed in their objective to destroy Section One.

Michael is asked to commit suicide to save Adam.

Michael communicates with Nikita and requests to be brought back in. After helping to thwart a terrorist attack at a secret NATO conference, Michael negotiates the price for his assistance with Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones informs Michael that Elena died in a car accident and that Adam has been placed in a foster home. He's been there several month. Michael wants Adam's location before he leaves again. Mr. Jones agrees but informs Michael that Nikita will remain with Section One. Michael counters that that is Nikita's decision to make. After admitting to Michael that her final words to him when they parted were a lie, the two of them make love in Nikita's Section quarters. Over dinner, Michael asks Nikita to come with him. Along with Adam, the three of them can be a family and follow their dreams. Michael even brings up the possibility of them having children of their own. Nikita fears that she's become too disillusioned to follow their dreams. Michael promises her that they'll make it work.

Michael oversees a mission.

Skills

Michael is extremely accurate with firearms, almost never missing a shot. He is proficient in several languages including French (his mother language), English, Thai, Czech, Vietnamese, and Portuguese.

He is highly skilled in hand to hand combat and has a strong background in computers.

Michael received training as a Valentine operative, which allows for him to be used in seduction scenarios, both inside and outside of Section.

Personality

Michael is a quiet and seemingly emotionless man. He speaks little and only when necessary. Many of his mannerisms are gentlemanly in nature. His physical presence is noteworthy and he walks with a steady, graceful and unhurried gait

Moments of rare anguish have brought out the more volatile side of his personality. When he loves, he loves deeply and passionately. He shows great tenderness with the women he loves.

He is a patient and disciplined man.

Relationships

Nikita

“	"You know a lot about me Nikita, but not everything. There are things that have to remain hidden, But it has nothing to do with how I feel about you."	”
–Michael to Nikita, Psychic Pilgrim

Michael kisses Nikita in the middle of Section One.

Upon Nikita's arrival to Section One, she is assigned to Michael as his material for her two years of training. During this period he is still in mourning over the loss of his wife Simone. It is during this two year training period that Michael develops some extreme protectiveness towards Nikita. Towards the end of her training, Operations observes that she still "lacks disciple" and orders Michael to cancel her. Michael disagrees and believes that she can be a good operative. Operations warns Michael of the dangers of becoming attached to his material. He tells Michael that if Nikita fails, "he fails". Michael's behavior towards Nikita is equal parts protective, possessive, and distant, which frustrates her immensely. Michael knows of her attraction to him and will often use those feelings to manipulate her, sometimes because of Section mandates but also to prevent her from risking cancellation. Michael frequently breaks Section One protocol on behalf of Nikita and must at times answer to Operations and Madeline on his decisions concerning Nikita. As protective as Michael is behind the scenes on her behalf, he does not allow Nikita to see those actions, leading her to believe that his manipulations are done with great enjoyment.

When his obligations to his blood cover are complete and Michael has established a new status quo for himself without his mission family, he freely pursues the relationship with Nikita that he's long wanted. She is at first skeptical but eventually receptive. When Nikita falls under fire during a mission Michael breaks position to assist her. This breach in protocol does not go unnoticed and Nikita is ordered by Madeline to stay away from Michael. Undeterred, Michael continues to pursue Nikita and a Type One Directive to separate them is ordered. They make a public break but continue to see each other covertly during missions.

Several characters throughout the series have pointed out to Nikita that Michael loves her, including Jurgen, Adrian, and Madeline. Michael has alluded to both Nikita and Madeline that he would not want to live if Nikita were to die. He responded with visceral anguish when he thought she'd been cancelled over him.

Operations

Michael's status as a Level 5 operative makes him a valuable asset to Operations. He is often tasked with difficult responsibilities and Operations trusts Michael to carry them out. That, however, does not afford him special privileges. On several occasions, Operations has been willing to regretfully sacrifice Michael on missions if mission closure is threatened. Michael is always respectful but he isn't afraid to push back when necessary. When Operations suggests that an incident of what Operations feels was poor judgement will appear on Michael's record, Michael counters with his own ability to refute the incident with something that could be construed as an abuse of power. Operations backs down but will not forget the incident. Operations is of the belief that while Michael not appear to want power, he is confident that Michael will eventually take it. The transition of power at Section One to Michael is something that Operations has alluded to at times. If Operations moves up in the organization rather than getting ousted, he would be supportive of Michael's rise to the top.

Madeline

“	"What do you want? A promotion? More power? All you have to do is wait. It'll come."	”
–Madeline to Michael, All Good Things

Madeline's relationship with Michael is enigmatic. Of everyone in Section, they are the most similar in disposition--difficult to read and strongly rational. She is strongly attuned to Michael's emotional attachments. She warned Operations about potential problems with Michael in the wake of Nikita cancellation during her Abeyance mission. Madeline also advocated for leniency on Michael's behalf after the closure of his blood cover mission led to severe despondency.

Unexpected friction errupts between Madeline and Michael when he is named temporary head of Section One.

Simone

“	"Come back to me, Simone."	”
–Michael to Simone, Simone

During his early years in Section One, Michael met and eventually married Simone, another field operative. It is unclear what Operations and Madeline's reaction to the marriage was. The policy on relationships between operatives is murky. It is often said that Section does not condone them, but several operatives are seen in relationships with others. In the episode "War" it is revealed from Michael's file that Simone gave birth to a son who died at a young age. It claimed that Michael blamed Section One for the death of his son. When Nikita brings up the pregnancy in "Soul Sacrifice", Michael corrects her and says that Simone was never pregnant, leaving the subject open to interpretation. It is suggested that Simone, like Michael, was an excellent operative who understood the demands of Section One. When Nikita asked Michael what Simone thought of his blood cover marriage, he said that they didn't talk about it. Either Simone reluctantly accepted it or avoided the subject all together.

During the fateful mission against Glass Curtain that led to her capture, Simone told Michael that she wanted backup. He told her it wasn't necessary. The two of them were ambushed. In the firefight the two of them were separated and it was believed that Simone had perished. According to Walter, Michael shut down after her "death". It wasn't until he was assigned to train Nikita that he began to open up again. Three years after Simone's disappearance, Glass Curtain resurfaces. Michael is heavily invested in the mission, but Operations opts to send in Nikita instead to infiltrate their compound. Once inside, Nikita discovers the imprisoned and tortured Simone. It is strongly suggested that Operations knew of Simone's imprisonment and withheld the information from Michael. Upon freeing Simone from her cell, Michael is tender and loving towards his battered and traumatized wife. He voices his remorse to her that he stopped looking for her. Set on revenge against Erroll Sparks, the head of Glass Curtain, Michael wishes to shield Simone while he pursues Sparks. Simone deceives Michael and Nikita on Spark's location and exacts her own revenge. She locks the two of them in a bunker and sets the entire facility to self-destruct. When Michael discovers this, he passionately pleads with Simone. He tries desperately to breach the sealed room that Simone and Sparks are in with his assault riffle. Simone apologizes to Michael and professes her love for him. It is only after Nikita's repeated pleas to Michael about the safety of the other operatives within the compound that pushes him to order an evacuation. Nikita must still drag Michael away from the locked door where Simone still is. The building self-destructs just as Michael and Nikita make their exit. Michael watches in silent shock at the remains of the compound where his wife has truly perished. Back at Section One, Michael thanks Nikita for what she did. He tells her that he has no right to feel cheated, given that Section One has given him a life. Nikita doesn't think he should downplay his feelings and offers him a friendly shoulder over coffee. Michael quietly accepts.

Elena Vacek

“	"If she dies, they die."	”
–Michael to Nikita, Opening Night Jitters

Michael embraces Elena.

Salla Vacek is one of the most reclusive and influential terrorists Section One has ever encountered. All attempts to eliminate him have failed. No one has seen him in years. A mission profile is developed to reach him via his only daughter, Elena Vacek, who he has not seen since he left the family when she was six. Elena had recently lost her mother, her last remaining family member, and Michael is assigned to romance the young Elena and get into her confidence. He is to encourage her to reach out to her father for a reconciliation. The mission is expanded to a full blood cover, in which Michael will marry Elena and continue to encourage her to reach out to her estranged father. Michael now divides his time between Section One and his new bride Elena. This coincides with Michael's marriage to Simone and her eventual believed death at the hands of Glass Curtain. Elena believes her husband to be a business man, whose work requires frequent travel. He is a gentle man who works long and hard hours so that he can provide for his family. Eventually, the lack of progress with Salla Vacek prompts Section to order Michael to get Elena pregnant. It is believed that perhaps a grandchild would motivate Vacek to reach out to his daughter and her family. This coincides with the time that Nikita is recruited into Section One. A son named Adam is born to Michael and Elena but Salla Vacek still does not contact his daughter.

Adam Samuelle

Adam talks to Adam before taking him to see his sick mother.

After his blood cover marriage to Elena Vacek failed to motivated her terrorist father Salla Vacek to reach out, Michael was ordered to get Elena pregnant. Their son Adam was born out of that directive. Michael is affectionate and loving with his son. Michael enters a deeply depressive state after he's "killed" at the end of his blood cover mission, therefore depriving him of his son. During this time he was prone to repeatedly watching home movies that featured Adam. Aside from Nikita, Adam's safety is the one piece of leverage that can be used over Michael.

Lisa Fanning

Michael seduces Lisa Fanning.

Michael sedates Lisa for a kidnapping.

Michael is ordered to seduce the lonely and battered wife of professional assassin David Fanning. He poses as a bohemian tech worker and romances her with kind words and attention. The relationship develops fast with Nikita covering for the two of them. "He's the most desirable man I've ever met" Lisa tells Nikita one day. Michael tells Lisa that they have to break off their affair because her husband almost found out. Distressed, Lisa tries to convince Michael otherwise. He tells her he wants to live openly with her and the only way to do that is for Lisa to come away with him. She reveals to Michael that David has a lot of money. Michael "knows computers" and can help her get access to his files. Using Section encryption equipment, Michael talks Lisa through its operation once she gains access to his secure office. David Fanning catches Lisa in the unauthorized portion of the house. Both Michael and Birkoff witness the beating Lisa receives at the hands of her husband for her disobedience. When Nikita discovers Lisa's bruises the following day, she is unconcerned because now she and Michael can run away together. Section One operatives storm Fanning's home with Lisa present inside. She sees Michael and is immediately elated until she notices that he is no longer the warm, loving man she fell in love with but the distant and methodical Section operative. "It was all a trick to get to David," she says sadly. Lisa briefly attempts suicide before Michael stops her. At the conclusion of the mission, Lisa receives a check for $1 million from monies Michael siphoned from Fanning's account. In a note Michael tells Lisa to live her life.

Jurgen

Jurgen trained Michael when he first came to Section One.

In his capacity as Spec Ops, Jurgen is brought in to reprogram Nikita and to investigate whether or not she has been turned by the Freedom League. While trying to conceal his and Nikita's deception about her six months outside of Section, Michael must contend with Jurgen's growing suspicions. By his own admission, Jurgen tells Nikita that he has to make those under him "hate him". After Jurgen's death, Michael admits that some of the things he told Nikita about Jurgen were untrue. Michael tells her that he will miss him [Jurgen].

Quotes

• (To Nikita) "...I thought I was gonna break, but I didn't. I thought of you. You're the only one of us who still has a soul. I'm so sorry, Nikita. We'll never leave this place alive. I don't know what love is anymore, but the only part of me that's not dead is you."--War, Season One.

• (To Nikita) "After the explosion I started to believe that you hadn't made it out in time. I thought you were dead. When I saw you in Lyon, it brought me back. I never realized I needed you so much."--Hard Landing, Season Two.

• (To Nikita) "When you were at his [Jurgen's] house, I was listening. I had to keep my feelings separate. It's how I live my life Nikita, split in two. I never let anyone see the other half, but it's there, always a part of me."--Approaching Zero, Season Two.

• (To Nikita) "If it were anyone else who came after me, I would have killed them. I can't allow you to become my weakness."--Mandatory Refusal, Season Two

• (To Nikita) "You know a lot about me Nikita, but not everything. There are things that have to remain hidden, But it has nothing to do with how I feel about you."--Psychic Pilgrim, Season Two.

• (To Nikita) "Whatever I do, I need to do it well. The best I can. That means something to me. Whatever they want to do to me, I can handle."--Third Party Ripoff, Season Three

Behind the Scenes

Casting

With Australian Peta Wilson cast as the series lead, the pool of actors for the male lead of Michael was restricted to Canadian actors as to adhere to Canadian Content requirements. After numerous audition sessions in Toronto, Vancouver, and with Canadian New York City based actors proved fruitless, Québécois actor Roy Dupuis was recommended by producer Adam Haight of Fireworks Entertainment, the Canadian company who co-financed La Femme Nikita after having worked with him on a failed English language pilot that starred Kelly McGillis. Executive Consultant Joel Surnow met with Dupuis but English actor Simon MacCorkindale, who had obtained Canadian citizenship, was ultimately offered the role and entered into negotiations. He eventually changed his mind in favor of focusing on projects he was developing. After more auditions turned up no viable candidates, Dupuis was offered the role of Michael.

Wardrobe

During season 1 of the series, Michael wears only Gaultier. Suits are all black, all made from Lycra stretch wool, all narrow and single breasted, all worn with Gaultier black T-shirts or mock turtlenecks. In subsequent seasons, Michael will also wear Gucci, as designed by Tom Ford as well as Versace and its Istante line.

Trivia

• Roy Dupuis' skill with motorcycles was incorporated into the character as was his talent for playing the cello.