| “ | I am going to release every secret that Roarke was so desperate to hide to a hundred major law firms and civil-rights organizations, including the ACLU. America deserves the truth and nothing less. Yes, this is highly classified and incriminating intelligence and yes, I have violated so many laws by leaking this to you, the people. But this country will not fix itself in the shadows anymore. The light is all we have, and the truth is all we can trust. So resist. Fight back. That's what I did and will always do for my country! | ||
— Alex Parrish
|
” | ||
Alex Parrish is the main protagonist of the Quantico series and a former FBI recruit at Quantico. She is considered to be the brightest recruit of her cohort. After she became an FBI field agent, she was framed by her former instructor and became the prime suspect for a terrorist attack on Grand Central Terminal. Despite clearing her name, she was fired from the Bureau and went on to join the CIA, where she was later named a fugitive for releasing classified U.S. intelligence to the public. She is portrayed by Priyanka Chopra.
Character Biography
Alex Parrish is the top recruit at Quantico and the top suspect in the bombing of Grand Central. Since the moment, she discovered her father had been an FBI agent, Alex dreamed of going to Quantico to discover the secrets he kept from her. What she never expected was that she would be so good at being an agent. She's not only found her calling, she's found true friends, and possibly romance. Alex can read people instantly which makes it hard for her to trust anyone - her relationships tend to be quick and dirty. That's what she thought when she met Ryan Booth on a plane but things are turning out a little differently than she expected. Fiercely competitive and naturally gifted, everything that she learned at Quantico is put to the test when she's accused of the biggest terror attack since 9/11. What she experiences on the run transforms her from the FBI's top recruit to the best-trained agent imaginable...if only she could clear her name.
Description
Alex was born on July 18, 1982. She grew up in Oakland, California, with her parents Michael Parrish and Sita Parrish. Her father was an alcoholic and physically abusive towards his wife. When Alex was in her pre-teenage years, Michael was killed during a violent episode against Sita. The police declined to press charges, unaware that Alex was responsible for Michael's death. Alex was then sent to live with Sita's family in Mumbai, India. Years later, Alex returned to the United States, where she commenced her studies and later graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. Sometime after her graduation, she enrolled at the FBI Academy in 2015. Unknown to the Bureau, Alex had discovered that her father was a former FBI agent and had applied to learn more about his past. Alex kept her activities a secret from Sita, telling her mother that she was starting graduate school.
On her way to Quantico, Alex had sexual relations with a stranger, Ryan Booth, only to discover that he, too, is a new trainee. At the Academy, Alex befriends her fellow New Agent Trainees (NATs), including Shelby Wyatt, Raina Amin, Nimah Amin, Simon Asher, Eric Packer, Brandon Fletcher, Elias Harper and Caleb Haas. She gains a rival in Natalie Vasquez and later begins a romantic relationship with Ryan. The recruits were trained vigorously on a daily basis, learning different lessons presented every week by the supervising training agent, Liam O'Connor under the guidance of Deputy Director, Miranda Shaw. Sometime later, Alex discovers that Liam had hired Ryan to spy on her from day one and even earlier. She also learns the truth about her father.
After the merging of two different classes at Quantico in early 2016, Alex is partnered with Drew Perales, who used to play for the Chicago Bears before joining the Bureau. Several other NATs are also included as part of the merge, including Iris Chang and Will Olsen. During her training at Quantico, Alex learns that Liam and Ryan were indirectly responsible for an incident of gang violence that took the life of Drew's girlfriend and led him to join the FBI, a source of tension between Liam and Drew. Later, Drew and Alex become romantically involved before Drew is kicked out of the Academy for medical reasons. After successfully completing their training at Quantico, Alex and her remaining classmates graduate from the Academy with offers to work in field offices across the nation.
About a year after her arrival at Quantico and several months after the successful completion of her training, Alex lived in New York City. She was preparing to work the security detail for the upcoming Democratic National Convention, before someone kidnapped her. On the morning of the convention, Alex was seen, awakening from the ruins of the Grand Central Terminal, and discovered, that it was destroyed several hours earlier with high-grade explosives. Later, Alex is taken into custody and learned that, she was the prime suspect of the terrorist attack on Grand Central. After she was charged for the attack, she was taken into a prisoner transport vehicle. Later, it was revealed that the driver of the vehicle, was none other than her former mentor at the Academy, Miranda Shaw. Miranda aids Alex's initial escape and warns her to evade capture from the authorities as she is now considered a high level fugitive.
Alex tried to prove her innocence in the Grand Central Terminal bombing case with the help of her classmates at Quantico as well as from the rogue hacking group dubbed "The Unknown". Later, it is revealed that the suspected bomber was former FBI analyst-trainee Elias Harper. Elias helped with the bombing at Grand Central as well as planting a bomb at the FBI Command Center under the instruction of a terrorist mastermind. Three months after the Command Center bombing, a congressional hearing was conducted. Alex and her colleagues were brought in as witnesses to testify Elias's role in the bombings. After the hearing was over, Alex's name was cleared and she was reinstated as an FBI agent and assigned to the field office in New York City, specifically the operations section. She tried to uncover the true mastermind behind the bombings, but prior to the 2016 election day, the terrorist kills Natalie Vasquez and Drew Perales to force Alex into doing their bidding. At the end, Liam is revealed to be the traitor, with Alex and Ryan killing him.
After the ensuing publicity from the bombings as well as Liam's treachery, and Simon Asher's death, Alex is fired from the Bureau. Two months after the 2016 United States presidential election, Alex is approached by Matthew Keyes, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who extends an offer for her to join and work for the organization.
Six months after accepting the offer, Alex is seen, working a desk job as an analyst at the Agency, while living with Shelby and continuing her relationship with Ryan, who later becomes her fiancé. Later, she is given an opportunity to train at Camp Peary, to become a CIA officer.
At Camp Peary, she is joined with other recruits, including Harry Doyle, Dayana Mampasi, Sebastian Chen, León Velez, Leigh Davis and Jeremy Miller. Ryan later joins the other recruits at the site, much to Alex's surprise. Sometime after her recruitment, Alex has a meeting with Matthew Keyes and Miranda Shaw. It is revealed that she was recruited by the CIA as part of an FBI undercover mission. Ryan was also selected to be a part of the mission. The goal of the mission was to infiltrate Camp Peary, in order to uncover the AIC, a rogue faction of the Central Intelligence Agency. After their secret meeting with Matthew Keyes and Miranda Shaw, Alex and Ryan, both commit to their mission, in order to expose the members of the AIC within the training facility. They each get assigned, case handlers as part of the operation. Later, it is revealed that Shelby Wyatt is assigned to be Alex's handler, while Ryan's handler for the operation is Nimah Amin.
Owen Hall is confirmed to be the primary CIA instructor for the training site at The Farm. In addition, Lydia Hall is later revealed to be another trainer on-site. Alex and the other recruits undergo a series of training assessments in order to become future clandestine workers of the Agency. After being kicked out of The Farm by Lydia, Alex goes back to working as an analyst. In addition, she breaks off her engagement with Ryan, prior to the events of 2018 G-20 hostage crisis in New York.
During a hostage crisis at the 2018 G-20 summit in New York, Alex witnesses the execution of the First Lady before disguising herself as a member of the Citizens Liberation Front. She attempts to gain information about the terrorist group that was involved in orchestrating the crisis. Prior to escaping the financial district area, she manages to expose the conspirators within the FBI and CIA that are deeply connected to the Citizens Liberation Front as well as the AIC. The AIC is later revealed to be a rogue intelligence group within the CIA that had the backing of a shadow cabal syndicate.
Two weeks after the end of the hostage crisis, President Claire Haas and CIA director Matthew Keyes put forth a covert joint task force between the FBI and CIA. President Haas mentions that there were eight collaborators within the shadowy cabal group who are secretly involved with the AIC. Due to Lydia's actions, the collaborators gained access to sensitive U.S intelligence. This information was vital to their goal of controlling certain areas within the government. As a response, the task force is assigned to uncover the conspiracy and expose the involvement of the collaborators in orchestrating the hostage crisis. Alex is hired to be a member of the task force along with Ryan Booth, Nimah Amin, Shelby Wyatt, and Dayana Mampasi. The leader of the group is Clay Haas, a renowned political advisory strategist. Prior to the formation of the task force, Alex is re-instated as an FBI agent.
The team members are assigned missions to uncover the identities of the collaborators. They fail to achieve their goal after the media reports on the unsanctioned activities of the task force. Following the publicized accounts of the task force in the broadcast media, the Speaker of the House, Henry Roarke takes the opportunity to criticize Claire Haas's presidency and calls for her impeachment. After Haas resigns from her presidency because of the scandal, it is revealed that Roarke has succeeded in being appointed as the President of the United States. Shortly after his inauguration, he requests a new Constitutional Convention to rewrite the United States Constitution.
In the days leading to the Constitutional Convention, Alex and the rest of the task force try to stop Roarke from getting the votes needed to allow the Convention to take place. After their initial plan fails, they resort to a final strategy. At the convention in Philadelphia, Alex publicly broadcasts Roarke's recordings with the Federal Security Service and emails the evidence to the ACLU and other rights organizations, before having Miranda fake her death by shooting her at the event. Roarke, not willing to face the press or the police, commits suicide.
Due to Alex committing treason by releasing classified U.S intelligence to the public at the Constitutional Convention, she is branded as a fugitive of the United States. Sitting together in a car, Owen mentions to Alex that she needs to maintain her cover to evade capture from domestic and international law enforcement agencies, due to being issued an INTERPOL Red Notice for her arrest. Along with Ryan, she leaves the country on a plane to Thailand.
After living in Thailand for some time, Alex leaves Ryan without notice and heads to Montepulciano, Italy. Presumably, Ryan returns to the United States after Alex's disappearance. For three years, Alex stayed with a chef named Andrea and his daughter, Isabella. On a particular night, Alex encountered associates of a mysterious arms dealer known as The Widow, who successfully located her. After disarming the assailants, Alex attempted to escape to Zurich, Switzerland, in order to rendezvous with Ryan. During their conversation, Ryan mentioned that the associates of The Widow kidnapped Shelby Wyatt. Soon afterwards, they chart a plane back to the United States. Moments after their arrival, Alex encounters Owen Hall, who left his position at the CIA for a position at the Bureau as Deputy Director of the FBI. Soon afterwards, Owen with the help of Alex and Ryan, successfully recruits Harry Doyle and Jocelyn Turner to the team, in order to rescue Shelby and take down The Widow. After succeeding in saving Shelby, Owen offers Alex an opportunity to join a covert black ops team to help out the United States government and states that she is fully pardoned for her past crimes after the success of their operation in retrieving Shelby.
After traveling back to the United States, Alex tries to prioritize the welfare of her romantic partner Andrea along with his daughter Isabella, over the course of the third, and final season. During a mission, Shelby has Ryan return her jacket to her duffel bag, but Ryan, unknowingly, opens Alex's duffel and notices a pregnancy text box on the top of her belongings. He goes to Shelby and asks her about the pregnancy test in her bag, but she says that she doesn't have one and didn't know about there being one. They both look at one another when their question is later answered, as Alex walks into the diner car of the train. Later, Shelby confronts Alex about the test, and Alex admits that it is hers, and Shelby realizes that Alex is scared to take it. Alex says that she isn't scared for herself, but for Andrea, for she fears that if the test is positive, she will have to tell him and put Andrea and Isabella into danger all over again.
Sometime later, Alex starts to take a pregnancy test, with the test result later being confirmed as positive. During another mission, Alex attends an AA meeting, to investigate a middleman connected to Garrett King, a persona non-grata to the U.S., who is planning on an assassination attempt of a North Korean defector with good intel that could prove useful for the U.S. government. She later uncovers the fact that David Quintana, her AA sponsor, works under Garrett, and discovers that he received orders to assassinate the defector Jun Ho Park. After some conversation going back and forth between King and Alex, King realizes that Alex is wearing a wire, and tries to kill her. She almost drowns and dies, and is taken to the hospital, and while in the ambulance, Shelby makes note to the doctors and Jocelyn that Alex is about 10 weeks pregnant. She ends up losing the baby, as she had too much water in her lungs, and her and the baby were deprived of oxygen. Later, Alex is consoled by Shelby.
In her most recent mission, Alex tries to locate Andrea and Isabella, who were taken by Conor Devlin, an Irish criminal going after Ryan, who killed his son. Isabella was taken by Devlin, who wanted to trade her for Ryan instead. Before the trade happened in Ireland, Andrea and Alex have a conversation about Alex's lies and the fact that she really loves him and Isabella. Andrea says that if she ever had a child of her own, she would understand. They talked about him wanting, and needing to go after Isabella and being there for her. She started to say something, most likely about her past pregnancy, but was cut off by Mike McQuigg, offering Andrea coffee as a peace offering. She never got to say anything about the pregnancy to Andrea before he was shot and killed by Devlin.
Personal Relationships
Ryan Booth
Ryan and Alex first, encountered each other on an airborne flight. After discussing their individual travel plans, they seem to develop a friendly rapport. Sometime after the plane lands, they meet up at a designated location. Soon after, they engage in a sexual fling, inside a car. At the time, both Alex and Ryan were unaware of their real identities, until they unexpectedly, encountered each other again at Quantico.
Six months after accepting the offer, Alex is seen, working a desk job as an analyst at the Agency, while living with Shelby and continuing her relationship with Ryan, who later becomes her fiancé. Later, she is given an opportunity to train at Camp Peary, to become a CIA officer. Unbeknownst to Alex, Ryan was also given, the same opportunity to become a recruit. After they both encounter each other at the premises of The Farm, they manage to set aside their quibbles and continued their secret relationship at a discreet cabin. Later, they both committed to completing their undercover FBI mission of exposing the rogue faction within the Agency, by providing the necessary intelligence to their handlers.
Later, they formed a relationship with each other, after, Alex confined her secrets about her family life. However, their relationship is later tested, when Alex uncovered the truth, behind Ryan's assignment at the Academy. Furious, she argued with him and then, broke off the relationship. After Ryan leaves the Academy, he tried to reconcile with Alex. Though, they briefly communicated with each other over the phone, Alex started to feel they were moving apart due to their circumstances. When the upper class merged with Alex's cohort after a training exercise, she takes an interest in Drew. However, Ryan is later brought back to the Academy as an instructor, complicating matters. After Drew is kicked out of the Academy, Alex started to reconnect with Ryan. Nonetheless, their relationship is tested again, prior to Alex's graduation. When Alex finally realized that Ryan was going to move across the country for a work opportunity, Alex was frustrated that he withheld that information from her. After they both have a heated conversation, they broke off their relationship again, before Alex, commenced her service as an agent at the field office in New York. Sometime later, Ryan started a relationship with Natalie. Three months after graduation, Alex was suspected of orchestrating the Grand Central bombing. After making an escape, Ryan was brought in to investigate Alex's case. After Alex convinced him of her innocence, he helped her in uncovering the real suspect of the bombing case. Later, it was revealed that Elias was the suspect, behind the bombing. Before apprehending him, he commits suicide, but not before, another bomb is detonated at the FBI Command Center. Three months after the bombing, a congressional hearing is held. Alex testified against Elias's role and cited, that he was not the real perpetrator but later, retracted her statement. After the hearing is over, Ryan tried to comfort Alex, highlighting that the past hardships that she faced would finally be over. However, a month later, Ryan gets kidnapped by Liam, who turned out to be the real mastermind behind the bombings. Alex convinced her colleagues that Liam had plans of destroying the Academy using a nuclear weapon. After they made their way to Quantico, Alex faced off against Liam, later killing him. However, they both realized that, Simon sacrificed his life to stop the bomb from exploding within the premises of the Academy. Two months after Simon's funeral, Alex and Ryan, both started a relationship again and made plans for a secluded trip, together, but not before, she gets offered a CIA position from Matthew Keyes.
During their time at The Farm, Ryan proposed to Alex and highlighted that although, their mission was a priority at the training facility, it was important for them, to not lose sight of each other. Nonetheless, an incident contributed to Alex being kicked out of the Academy by Lydia Hall. Shortly after, Alex broke off the engagement. Ryan continued his training and later, became a CIA case officer after the completion of his training at Camp Peary.
Nine months later, a hostage crisis at the G-20 summit occurred in New York. After members of the Citizens Liberation Front took control of the summit, Alex infiltrated the Federal Building, in order to find a way, to save the hostages. At the time, Ryan was observed to be one of the hostages, along with Nimah and his former CIA colleagues. However, it was later revealed that he was working undercover for the group, in order to stop the AIC. One month after the crisis ended, both, Alex and Ryan were provided an opportunity to join the task force, put forth by CIA Director, Matthew Keyes and former Madam President, Claire Haas. Whilst, they managed to contribute to the team by providing necessary Intel during their missions, the task force was later disbanded after Claire's resignation. After Henry Roarke's inauguration, a date for the Constitutional Convention is set in stone. Prior to the start of the convention, Ryan did not know of Alex's strategy against the U.S. President. When Alex got shot, Ryan was shocked and quickly came over to her side. After Alex received an medical emergency transfer, Ryan requested to join the back of an EMS vehicle. Shortly after, Alex woke up and revealed to Ryan, that she needed him to be in the dark, for her plan to work. Moments later, Ryan is elated, that Alex is alive and well.
Sometime before meeting Alex on a plane, Ryan resigns from the CIA. After Alex was issued a Red Notice for her arrest by INTERPOL, Ryan makes a choice. He leaves the country alongside, Alex on a plane to Thailand in order to evade the authorities.
Drew Perales
Drew and Alex had a romantic fling, during her training days at the FBI Academy. With a heated rivalry, the two pairs would compete against each other in training exercises, but later, bond over their shared moments. Sometime later, they engage in a sexual fling, inside a cabin.
After Drew was diagnosed with a medical condition, Alex tried to warn him about the consequences of not reporting it to the Bureau. However, Drew argued with Alex that his position as a recruit would be compromised. In addition, he added that losing this opportunity would be devastating, as he lost countless others, citing examples, such as his forced retirement from the Chicago Bears, his lawsuit loss against the NFL team and the deaths of his fiancée and unborn child from the 2014 Chicago shootout. Though, Alex was conflicted at first, she later reported to Liam about Drew's condition. Shortly after, Drew was kicked out of the Academy, but not before, having a heated conversation with Alex, telling her that his career was over and that nothing was left for him, outside.
Trivia
- She is an FBI agent.
- She is a former NAT at Quantico.
- During Alex's time at the FBI academy, she lived in a private dormitory.
- In Run, it was revealed that Shelby was her roommate.
- She was a former suspect in the Grand Central bombing case.
- In Cover, Sita revealed to Liam in a private conversation, that Alex spent ten years, outside the United States after the death of her father. However, she also added that though, Alex spent nine years living overseas in India, she spent one missing year outside of India.
- Later, Alex stated in Found, that she travelled to Pakistan and Iran in that missing year. During her time in Pakistan, she met, Amir Salaam, a former operative of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Pakistan's main intelligence agency.
- In Turn, there was a particular scene that highlighted Alex's room. She had a stuffed bear with a UC Berkeley sweater on her desk. This suggests that she might have attended the University of California, Berkeley prior to enrolling at the FBI academy.
- She is Indian American.
- Alex can speak and understand multiple languages. She is fluent in Hindi and mentioned about being able to speak Marathi when asked about her accent by Harry Doyle in Lipstick. In Kubark, she spoke in casual Swahili to Raina Amin during the hostage crisis perpetrated by the Citizens Liberation Front at the G-20 summit in New York. In The Conscience Code, she demonstrated her fluency in the Italian language as she spoke to numerous residents in Montepulciano, Italy.
- In Clear, her Myers-Briggs personality test revealed that she is an ENFP, also known as "The Champion"
- Two months after the presidential election, Alex is approached by the CIA director Matthew Keyes, who provides an opportunity for her to join and work for the organization.
- After accepting the offer, Alex worked as an analyst at the CIA while living with Shelby and continuing her relationship with Ryan. Sometime later, she became a CIA recruit.
- Matthew Keyes and Miranda Shaw put Ryan and Alex into the Farm to gain intelligence on a supposed rogue faction within the CIA.
- After being kicked out of Camp Peary by Lydia Hall in EPICSHELTER, she goes back to working as a CIA analyst again.
- After accepting the offer, Alex worked as an analyst at the CIA while living with Shelby and continuing her relationship with Ryan. Sometime later, she became a CIA recruit.
- She is a former love interest of Drew Perales.
- In Care, they slept together in a cabin.
- She is a former fiancée of Ryan Booth.
- In the future timeline of Kudove, it was revealed that she broke off an engagement with her partner Ryan Booth.
- She is the former girlfriend of Andrea.
- In The Conscience Code, she resided with him and his daughter at a vineyard house in Montepulciano, Italy for three years.
- She is a romantic interest of Mike McQuigg.
- In Ghosts, they slept together.
- In the second season, her signature Om bracelet is replaced by a silver, metallic ring.
- Her original bracelet was worn on her left wrist while her new ring is worn on the pinky finger of her right hand.
- During Alex's time at Camp Peary, she lived in a bunkhouse.
- In Kudove, it was revealed that Dayana Mampasi was her roommate.
- After the events in EPICSHELTER, Alex becomes part of the covert joint task force put forth by President Claire Haas and CIA director Matthew Keyes. The task force was assembled to take out terror threats to the country made possible by Lydia Hall who uploaded one of the intelligence drives to the internet during the conclusion of the G-20 hostage crisis in New York. The task force also includes; Ryan Booth, Nimah Amin, Shelby Wyatt and Dayana Mampasi.
- In LNWILT, Alex is re-instated to work again as an FBI agent. This information was highlighted in a conversation with Shelby Wyatt.
- In MOCKINGBIRD, Alex's file report which contained classified personal information was vetted by Owen Hall and Clay Haas in a private meeting. The latter wanted to find out if Alex had the capacity to fulfill her role within the designated task force.
- In RESISTANCE, it was revealed that Alex committed treason by releasing U.S classified intelligence to the public. As a result of her actions at the Constitutional Convention, she is branded as a fugitive of the United States. Later, Owen provided a burner phone and multiple passports to Alex in order to help her escape from the country. Soon after, he mentioned to Alex of the importance of maintaining cover so as to evade capture from domestic and international law enforcement agencies as a result of being issued an INTERPOL Red Notice. Along with Ryan, she leaves the country on a plane to Thailand.
- In the same episode, it was revealed that the remaining members of the former task force watched the news segment that depicted the aftermath of Alex's disappearance after the Convention ended. The television presenter mentioned that there were reports of unconfirmed sightings of Alex in Belgrade, Serbia.
Appearances
| Season 1 | ||||
| "Run" | "America" | "Cover" | "Kill" | "Found" |
| "God" | "Go" | "Over" | "Guilty" | "Quantico (Episode)" |
| "Inside" | "Alex" | "Clear" | "Answer" | "Turn" |
| "Clue" | "Care" | "Soon" | "Fast" | "Drive" |
| "Right" | "Yes" | |||
| Season 2 | ||||
| "Kudove" | "Lipstick" | "Stescalade" | "Kubark" | "KMFORGET" |
| "AQUILINE" | "LCFLUTTER" | "ODENVY" | "CLEOPATRA" | "JMPALM" |
| "ZRTORCH" | "FALLENORACLE" | "EPICSHELTER" | "LNWILT" | "MOCKINGBIRD" |
| "MKTOPAZ" | "ODYOKE" | "KUMONK" | "MHORDER" | "GLOBALREACH" |
| "RAINBOW" | "RESISTANCE" | |||
Gallery
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