John Fisher (Bishop of Rochester)

Defiant on the surface, but deeply unsettled by Cromwell’s exposure of his writings and the realization that his network has been compromised. Fear undercuts his composure, though he maintains a facade of moral certainty.

Defiant on the surface but deeply unsettled—his fear flickers when Cromwell reveals control over his printers, a moment of raw vulnerability beneath his composed exterior.

Righteously indignant but increasingly unmoored as Cromwell dismantles his defenses. His fear is palpable when his printers are mentioned, revealing the depth of his isolation. He oscillates between defiance and desperation, a man who knows he is losing but refuses to yield.

Indirectly present; his mention serves to highlight the moral and political stakes of More’s defiance and the king’s response to it.

Absent but symbolic; his defiance and execution loom over the scene, serving as a moral benchmark for More’s own actions and a reminder of the cost of resistance.

Absent but evoked; More’s reference to Fisher carries admiration and a sense of moral kinship. Fisher’s mercy in death is framed as a contrast to More’s impending fate, underscoring the regime’s selective cruelty.

Not applicable (off-screen), but his defiance is framed as the catalyst for Anne’s rage, suggesting he is unafraid and unrepentant even in the face of death.

Inferred as resolute and unyielding, much like More. His absence highlights the ideological stakes of the conflict and the lengths to which Anne and Henry are willing to go to suppress dissent.