Character Relationship Map: Retribution

Characters

• Karen (played by Cynthia Watros) — protagonist

  Karen is the central protagonist, whose niece Ashlee Simmons is taken hostage during a robbery and left in a coma after a shooting. Acting without official help, Karen tracks down and kills the robber...

• Frank (played by Brian Krause) — protagonist

  Frank is the lieutenant assigned to investigate the robbery and the attack that leaves Ashlee Simmons in a coma. He initially helps Karen pursue the perpetrators, but soon suspects her involvement in...

• Bobby Lean (played by Gary Kohn) — supporting

  Bobby Lean is the final robber Karen confronts and kills. He is also connected to Karen’s past, having assaulted her when she was young and shot the person who defended her. Because that earlier case...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Frank → Bobby Lean (Professional Case Investigator) — Frank's official role places him on the investigative side against Bobby's criminal actions.

  Frank is the lieutenant responsible for the case involving the robbery, shooting, and kidnapping connected to Bobby.

• Karen → Frank (Professional Investigator And Suspect) — Frank's professional investigation gradually places him in opposition to Karen.

  Frank is the lieutenant handling the case, helps Karen at first, and soon begins to suspect her.

Story Dynamics

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

• Karen → Bobby Lean (Conflict Revenge Target) — Bobby is the central personal cause of Karen's pursuit and revenge.

  Bobby Lean previously assaulted Karen and shot her brother when he defended her. Years later, Karen tracks down the robbers and ultimately kills Bobby...

Story Analysis

After a violent robbery leaves a child in a coma, Karen pursues the perpetrators and confronts the unresolved violence of her past.

Plot Progression

1. The Robbery Witnesses — Karen and her niece witness a robbery that turns into a shooting. The child is taken hostage, released on the road, and falls into a coma.
2. A Search Beyond Justice — Karen decides to find the robbers herself instead of waiting for justice. Frank, the lieutenant handling the case, initially helps her search.
3. The Vigilante Trail — Karen uses a revolver to kill the robbers one by one. As the killings become connected to the case, Frank begins to suspect her.
4. The Buried Wound — Karen's earlier encounter with Bobby is revealed: he assaulted her and shot her brother when he defended her. The failure of justice explains the depth of her revenge.
5. The Last Kidnapper — Karen tracks down Bobby, identified as the last kidnapper, and confronts him with her revolver. She kills him, while the child eventually recovers without lasting effects.