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| “ | In my life as I was making my way, I always asked the question; am I the most powerful person in the room? The answer needed to be yes. To this day, I still ask that question. And the answer is still yes. In every room in the entire world, the answer is yes. With the exception of one. Or two. And that drives me. I intend to leave a legacy. The standard of which was set by god, when he created the earth, and man after his own image. Anything less is... not worth mentioning. | „ |
| ~ Phillip Price's speech on power. |
Phillip Price is a major antagonist in the USA Network drama TV Show, Mr. Robot. He is the power-obsessed CEO of E-Corp.
He is portrayed by Michael Cristofer.
History[]
After CEO Lester Moore of E-Corp died in a plane crash, orchestrated by the Whiterose because of interfering in her plans, Whiterose employed Phillip as the new CEO of E-Corp. One of the main reasons why she did this was because she needed someone to look over her plant in Congo, which Phillip apparently was a good choice for because of his obsession and search for power.
As CEO of E-Corp, Phillip can be held responsible for the corrupt acts E-Corp has committed throughout the years. One example is the Washington Township scandal, an event where toxic waste started leaking out at a chemical plant owned by E-Corp due to a lack of security. 26 employees died during the scandal, including Elliot Alderson and Angela Moss' parents. This lead to the two becoming vengeful and wanting to destroy E-Corp, no matter how much damage it might cause.
Season 1[]
Phillip doesn't do much this season, serving as a sort of enigmatic figure who's implied to have a lot of power. After Tyrell Wellick kills Sharon Knowles and becomes a person of interest to the police, Phillip decides to remove him from the list of candidates to become CTO of E-Corp. When an employee of E-Corp, James Plofe, commits suicide, Phillip decides to go to Angela and gives her the chance to go home due to witnessing Plofe commit suicide. She was so near him that she got blood on her shoes, so Phillip gives her money to buy new heels. In the final episode, Phillip and the Whiterose meet at a celebration at a mansion full of rich people, and they discuss a project involving coltan mines in the Congo. Phillip says that it will be handled as usual and that she doesn't have to worry about it.
Season 2[]
In mid-June, Phillip meets with Scott Knowles and Susan Jacobs, General Counsel for E-Corp, to discuss fsociety's recent hack and ransom of the E-Bank's network. Phillip is reserved while Scott and Susan discuss their options, only speaking up to question the condition that the ransom money must be delivered by a chief; a chief officer, Susan explains. Phillip laughs, but refuses the idea of sending a security person undercover. Scott volunteers to deliver the 5.9 million dollars to the determined location.
After the debacle in which Scott is told to burn the cash in public, Phillip meets with three politicians, Janet Yellen, Mary Jo White, and Jack Lew, in Washington D.C. They are refusing a further bailout, claiming that E-Corp has already used 900 billion USD in 30 days. Phillip is annoyed that Lew has a smudge on his face from their lunch. He proposes that the US can get the money from China as the real recovery program is months from being done. Mary wants results within three weeks, but Phillip explains that rebuilding the database is the only solution. Despite his cooperation with the FBI, the politicians want Phillip to resign. He tells them that FDR lied to the American public in order to stimulate economic recovery during the Great Depression. Killing confidence in E-Corp would only kill the con job of getting people to stop hoarding cash and hurting the market. Phillip refuses to resign and demands Congressional votes before leaving.
In New York, Angela reports to Phillip's office. He offers condolences for the murder of her former boss Gideon Goddard. Then he wants to rearrange a TV interview Angela has negotiated: Fox instead of Bloomberg, no pre-interview, and approval of all questions. Angela says she's on it, but suggests that Bloomberg is where their investors get their news. Phillip sits her down and invites her to dinner at a restaurant. He arranges for a car to pick her up from her apartment Saturday at 8:00, before agreeing on Bloomberg. As she leaves, he notes that she always looks at a framed picture on his wall, the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. He is fascinated by how the world can change with one bullet.
At Fidelio's, Angela arrives dressed to impress, only to find Phillip with two E-Corp executives, Jim Chutney and Saul Weinsberg. After dinner, Price asks her about the meal he suggested, to which she says was delicious. Jim and Saul leave, as Price tells Angela about their virtue, their families, and how they were in the room with Terry Colby as they covered up the Washington Township leak. He gives her incriminating evidence on their recent insider trading and tells her to remove emotion when deciding if she should ruin their lives. They are later arrested.
In late June, Phillip is then seen in his office speaking to the Whiterose on the phone. The Whiterose is curious about using "her", Angela, to solve their problems when there are other options. Price jokes that it's simpler than blowing up the Western Hemisphere. The Whiterose reaffirms that the plant must not be shut down. Phillip is annoyed at the ticking clock and the pressure on him to resign, citing that the Whiterose started this game and has done nothing. He assures his partner that the bailout and a UN vote will happen, but he that needs time, knowing the Whiterose's obsession as she hangs up.
Later, Angela confronts Phillip in the lobby as he waits for his driver. She says that she has deduced from every version of the Washington Township lawsuit settlement that Phillip wants the contingency of third party inspections of the plant dropped. She offers to convince the class to oblige, in exchange for an office on the 20th floor and a change in department. Phillip brushes her off and leaves.
In early July, Phillip is in his office speaking to Speaker of the House John Boehner on the phone. The recent shooting attack on the FBI in China has made it so that the US asking the Chinese for money would seem traitorous, Boehner contends. Phillip calls it bullshit, but the call is ended. His assistant lets him know that Minister Zhang's office can't be reached, but Phillip says to keep trying at all costs. He also demands that NYPD Commissioner Bratton be told to send as many police as it takes to liberate his car and driver trapped in a parking garage surrounded by protesters.
On the Fourth of July, Phillil meets with Angela to let her know that the contingency has been dropped, even though he told her not to. She explains that her "evil, secret agenda" is to be moved the Risk Management Department in order to change the company from within. Phillip calls it a lateral move and squandering her new capital. He then tells her that despite what the Internet says, today is his birthday, a secret he tells no one. He asks if she wants to celebrate with him tonight, but she says no. Maybe next year, he replies. A few days later, the Congressional meeting on the bailout is physically attack by fsociety and the vote is negative.
On August 7th, Phillip meets with Minister Zhang at a large estate. They lament the state of things, but find the bright side in Angela's success. However, Phillip reveals that without the bailout, the federal government will foreclose on the Washington Township plant. Zhang makes a veiled threat referencing that Price's predecessor was killed by Zhang. Phillip blames Zhang's shootout in China and now demands that the Chinese loan E-Corp the money it needs with little to no interest. Zhang agrees to speak with the government. Price understands that threatening the plant was a big move and that his only move left would be to start World War 3, a compromise Price is content with as long as he brings Zhang down with him.
Later that night, Phillip meets with Colby in his office as the former CTO gives him the last advanced copy of his book, The Last Honest Man. The two briefly discuss Donald Trump running for president as Price deems politics to be for puppets. Price tells Colby to cash in favors with their friend Winston Campbell tonight to tell Barack Obama to tell the US ambassador to abstain on the UN vote to allow China to annex the Congo. Phillip dismisses Central Africa as a hellhole, but assures Colby that he won't forget his help. When Colby asks why he does this, trading countries like playing cards, Phillip answers that he seeks to be the most powerful man in any room, although there may be one or two in his way. He intends to leave a legacy, referencing that God made man in his own image, which is to say he wants to be God-like.
In the morning, China has loaned E-Corp 2 trillion dollars with zero interest. Phillip meets with Jack in Washington to discuss his E-Coin loan program. Lew deems it unconstitutional to create a new currency. Phillip believes in taking the market out from under Bitcoin, partly owned by Chinese miners, who is already taking the market away from hard cash. Phillip is fine with any regulations, as long as it is not shut down. He assures Lew that it isn't personal, as Phillip doesn't give a shit about him. Later that night, the program is launched.
Season 3[]
Price is having a speech regarding making the economical situation better again after the 5/9 hack by making E-Coin the standard currency to judge all others. 19/20 countries have signed this, except for China who is using Bitcoin. He says that this might cause a currency war and that they should sign it, before finishing his speech. The Whiterose, who is watching the speech, meets with Phillip after he's done. Phillip tries forcing the Whiterose into getting China to sign, but the Whiterose doesn't care and considers continuing the discussion a waste of time. Phillip then reminds the Whiterose of the UN letting China annex Congo in 11 days, but that UN might now vote in China's favor, in which the Whiterose responds by indirectly threatening to kill Angela.
Later in the season, Phillip and the Whiterose meet at a party full of wealthy people. They talk about Stage 2, a project which the Whiterose and the Dark Army have been planning for a long time, which was recently carried out. The goals of Stage 2 turn out to be blowing up thousands of E-Corp buildings in order to destroy the company as much as possible, and when the Whiterose tells her motive to Phillip, "to teach a lesson", he calls her a sadistic fuck.
In the final episode, Phillip has a meeting with Angela. He reveals to her that he is her biological father, but that her mother didn't want her daughter to be raised by a monster, so she left him. They talk about Angela participating in Stage 2 while having no idea what the true final goal of it was, and they agree on that they should take down the Whiterose together.
Season 4[]
This season starts where season 3 left off, with Angela and Phillip sitting together at a bench and talking. Phillip eventually leaves Angela by herself, but she is killed by Dark Army operatives as he is walking away. Phillip was fully aware that this was going to happen and has now had enough of the Whiterose and is intending on taking the entire Dark Army down no matter what it can cost. At the end of the first episode, Phillip has some of his henchmens kidnap Elliot and make him overdose on heroin, only to revive him, essentially faking his death. The overdose is successful, and when Elliot wakes up, Phillip is standing above and welcomes him back. He is now intending on cooperating with Elliot and Mr. Robot.
Phillip looks over Elliot's board where he has written his conspiracies, and Phillip explains how the Whiterose created a group named Deus Group in 1989 together with the wealthiest people in the world. He then explains that the Whiterose had ordered him to kill Elliot, and he was going to kill him, but instead decided to fake his death so that he could get help with defeating the Whiterose. The Whiterose and Phillip then meet in a house. Phillip reveals to her that he is going to leave his position as CEO of E-Corp and that she has to find a new CEO, which angers the Whiterose, but Phillip quickly walks away. In the third episode, it's revealed that the Whiterose is planning on making Tyrell Wellick the new CEO of E-Corp. However, in episode four, Tyrell takes a bullet intended for Elliot leading to his death.
Arranging a meeting with the Whiterose at a museum, the Whiterose reveals that she is aware of Phillip and Elliot's collaboration. If he tells her about what their plans were, he will peacefully die in his sleep, if not then he'll die quickly. He doesn't reveal it. The Whiterose then starts talking about how impressive Tyrell is in the Deus Group meeting and how everyone thinks he's a perfect CEO of E-Corp, which Phillip is sceptical about as Tyrell isn't even at the meeting. The Whiterose's assistant Wang Shu confirms this, which angers the Whiterose. After a phone conversation between Mr. Robot and the Whiterose, Phillip and the Whiterose walk out of the museum. Phillip stops for a while and starts talking about Angela. How she lives on in those who loved her. Phillip then reveals that Elliot hacked the Deus Group's bank account, and is being overdrawn. This leads to all the money being lost, leaving the Whiterose broke and all the money that she would finance her project with gone. The Whiterose completely loses it because of this, grabbing a gun that one of her henchmens carried and shooting Phillip to death out of anger. Phillip dies knowing that the Whiterose is going down, having truly avenged Angela.
Personality[]
Phillip Price was shown, when he fired Tyrell Wellick, to be both cognizant of the man's desire for the CTO position and dismissive of the man's potential advances on Sharon Knowles. He's introduced as an intelligent, and mildly affable businessman who is cunning, manipulative ruthless, dismissive, and controlling. He does whatever it takes to spread E-Corp's influence, wealth, prestige and power. In a conversation with Zhi Zhang, he calls himself a "mercenary" and says he "doesn't play fair".
Phillip is a man that may appear as egotistical and just a narcissistic god wannabe, but as his actor Michael Cristofer states, Phillip has inner loneliness that he is constantly trying to fill in with his power. Angela Moss is a kind of way of fulfilling it, especially as it is revealed in season 3 that Angela is, in fact, his biological daughter. Despite all of his power, wealth, and intelligence, Phillip is surprisingly nice to people and likes having conversations with people about certain things. But that said, Phillip is still egotistical and has low empathy, with Angela being one of the few people he cares for whatsoever. This is shown when one of his employees commits suicide and Angela happened to be nearby; he gives Angela new heels to comfort her, but shows no sympathy for the suicide victim.
Phillip also claims to have loved Angela's mother, Emily Moss. However, he admits to Angela that he was cruel to her. Although we know little about their relationship, it is very likely that he treated her like he treated most people: like they were meant to obey him. Year later and well after her death, he seems to have regretted the way he treated Emily Moss.
Despite only being CEO of E-Corp due to the Whiterose and the Deus Group's intervention, Phillip had a deep loathing for the Whiterose, due to the constant schemes to undermine him and control him. Given Phillip's pride, he loathes working under someone else. He, and E-Corp by extension, are also the frequent targets of the Whiterose's vitriol and it has made Phillip bitter and vengeful. He even stated, in a conversation with Zhi Zhang, he would gladly allow himself to lose if it meant taking the Whiterose down as well. After Angela's death, Phillip allies with Elliot Anderson to bring down Whiterose once and for all, dismissing the threat of his own life by stating that he was a dead man the minute he agreed to work with the Whiterose. For all of Phillip's faults, he was shown to be fearless and bold in his final moments.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- To be added.
External Links[]
- Phillip Price on the Mr. Robot Wiki
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 Villains
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Dark Army E-Corp Vera's Gang Prison Other | ||