Character Relationship Map: Absolute Power

Characters

• Luther Whitney (played by Clint Eastwood) — protagonist

  Luther Whitney is a highly skilled master thief who witnesses the killing of Christy Sullivan during a burglary at Walter Sullivan’s mansion. Though suspected by Seth Frank, he is not violent and beco...

• Seth Frank (played by Ed Harris) — supporting

  Seth Frank is the detective leading the investigation into Christy Sullivan’s murder. Although Luther is a prime suspect, Frank recognizes that he has never been violent and works to uncover the truth...

• Gloria Russell (played by Judy Davis) — supporting

  Gloria Russell is the President’s Chief of Staff and participates in covering up Christy Sullivan’s death. She arrives after the shooting and helps stage the scene as a burglary gone wrong. Her role i...

• Michael McCarty (played by Richard Jenkins) — minor

  Michael McCarty is a hitman hired by Walter Sullivan to kill Luther after Christy’s death. He independently prepares to shoot Luther during the arranged meeting with Kate, unaware that Tim Collin is a...

• Tim Collin (played by Dennis Haysbert) — supporting

  Tim Collin is a Secret Service agent involved in the effort to silence Luther and Kate. After learning of Luther’s planned meeting with Kate, he attempts to kill Luther and later rams Kate’s car towar...

• Bill Burton (played by Scott Glenn) — supporting

  Bill Burton is a Secret Service agent who enters Walter Sullivan’s mansion after Christy wounds President Richmond and helps conceal the circumstances of her death. He monitors Seth Frank’s investigat...

• Walter Sullivan (played by E.G. Marshall) — supporting

  Walter Sullivan is a billionaire, a close friend and financial supporter of President Richmond, and Christy’s husband. After her death is disguised as a failed burglary, he hires Michael McCarty to se...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Bill Burton → Tim Collin (Professional Operational Partners) — They operate within the same protective and cover-up apparatus.

  Both Burton and Collin are Secret Service agents involved in the response to the killing and in the effort to eliminate Luther.

• Walter Sullivan → Michael McCarty (Professional Employer And Hitman) — Sullivan uses McCarty as an external instrument of revenge.

  Michael McCarty is explicitly described as a hitman hired by Sullivan to kill Luther.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Walter Sullivan → Gloria Russell (Social Connected Power Figures) — Both are connected to the political power structure surrounding the crime.

  Sullivan is a close friend and financial supporter of the President, while Russell is the Chief of Staff who participates in the official cover-up.

• Bill Burton → Gloria Russell (Alliance Cover-up Associates) — Their actions support the institutional concealment of the crime.

  Burton is present in the operation surrounding the killing, while Russell arrives and helps stage the scene as a burglary gone wrong.

• Seth Frank → Gloria Russell (Conflict Investigator And Suspect) — Frank ultimately converts the hidden evidence into a case against Russell.

  Frank discovers evidence left by Burton and uses it to arrest Russell for her role in concealing the killing.

• Seth Frank → Bill Burton (Conflict Investigative Rivals) — Burton attempts to monitor and manipulate the detective investigating the case.

  Burton asks Frank to keep him informed about the investigation while secretly wiretapping Frank's office telephone.

• Luther Whitney → Gloria Russell (Conflict Opponents) — Russell helps conceal the crime that Luther decides to expose.

  Gloria Russell arrives after the killing and helps stage the scene as a burglary gone wrong. Frank later uses evidence connected to Burton to arrest R...

• Luther Whitney → Walter Sullivan (Unknown Deception And Leverage) — Luther manipulates Sullivan into confronting the truth and seeking retribution.

  Luther replaces Sullivan's chauffeur, tells him what happened to his wife, and gives him the letter opener containing the President's blood and finger...

• Luther Whitney → Michael McCarty (Conflict Assigned Targets) — McCarty is a hired killer opposing Luther's survival.

  Michael McCarty is hired by Sullivan to kill Luther and independently takes position as a sniper at Luther's meeting with Kate.

• Luther Whitney → Bill Burton (Conflict Adversaries) — Burton treats Luther as a threat who must be silenced.

  Bill Burton participates in the cover-up of the killing and later learns of the plan to meet Luther through a wiretap. Burton helps arrange an ambush...

• Luther Whitney → Seth Frank (Alliance Reluctant Allies) — A cautious alliance develops between the thief and the detective pursuing the case.

  Seth Frank investigates the murder but believes Luther is not a murderer. Frank later guarantees Luther's safety and informs him that the Secret Servi...

• Seth Frank → Tim Collin (Conflict Opposing Investigative Interests) — Frank's search for the truth conflicts with Collin's effort to suppress it.

  Frank investigates the murder while Collin participates in covert attempts to kill Luther and Kate.

• Luther Whitney → Tim Collin (Conflict Mortal Enemies) — Collin repeatedly attempts to eliminate Luther and those connected to him.

  Tim Collin prepares to shoot Luther at the outdoor café, later rams Kate's car over a cliff, and attacks her in the hospital before Luther kills him.

Story Analysis

A burglar who witnesses a presidential cover-up uses stolen evidence to expose the conspiracy and repair his relationship with his daughter.

Plot Progression

1. The Hidden Witness — Luther's burglary places him inside a violent political crime. He escapes with both stolen valuables and evidence that exposes the official story.
2. A Case Under Surveillance — Frank investigates the death while Burton monitors the investigation through a wiretap. Luther's anger grows after seeing the public deception surrounding the crime.
3. The Café Trap — Luther's daughter helps arrange a meeting with him, but two separate assassins turn the encounter into an ambush. Luther survives by using a police disguise and begins revealing the truth.
4. Protecting the Witness — Luther returns to Washington after learning that Kate is under surveillance. Collin attacks her twice, and Luther kills him during the hospital assault.
5. Evidence and Reckoning — Luther gives Sullivan the physical evidence needed to confront the President. Burton's final evidence allows Frank to arrest Russell, while Luther reunites with his daughter.