Burn Notice Characters

Sam Axe being Sam he became embroiled in a bit of a 'thing' just after Christmas in 2005 when he inadvertently became acquainted, and slept with, the wife of his commanding officer. Even if he had followed the advice of his long time friend, Michael Westen, and had immediately called Admiral Gregory Maitland to confess and soften the blow, he probably would have still been 'sentenced' to lead a contingent of one into 'Operation Provide Support,' a boondoggle that nearly got him killed or even worse court-martialed. Department Governor Perez and his side-kick Commandant Veracruz, part time government officials and full time terrorist thugs, seemed to have the upper hand over some local farmers who had banded together under the name 'Espada Ardiente' rather than be forced off their land for drug purposes. Only after a great deal of effort 'winging-it' was Sam able to rescue the entire 'Doctors for All' clinic caught in the cross fire, including: Beatriz (a teenage thief/journalist's orphan daughter), doctor Ben Delaney (a know-it-all, altruistic doctor) and Amanda Maples (an onery and consumately annoying food relief doo-gooder). Only his quick thinking and bravery got him through the battle which his highly-honed sense of duty required of him; only his people skills got him through the necessary friendships and alliances; and, only his street-savvy-honed self preservation instincts got him through the ensuing legal entanglements of a narrow-minded, vindictive admiral… and a first class plane ticket to Miami.

A doctor, working at the 'Doctors for All' clinic in the highlands of Columbia, who was saved by Sam Axe from drug thugs in 'Operation Provide Assistance,' even though he was not the originally designed recipient of the 'assistance.' Obnoxiously arrogant, naïve and argumentative, he obstructed Sam's every move, even after it was clear their lives were in danger. He did rise to the occasion and build both a detonator for the clinic's fuel tanks out of his defibrillator and a couple of bombs out of 'excess' C-4 the CIA had in their outpost. It seemed a complete  and total surprise to him that a bullet from Veracruz's men would actually hit him when he went to attend a fallen farmer in the battle. Then when Sam asked if he was ok, he retorted 'NO, I'VE BEEN SHOT!' He was eventually saved by Sam who then told him that if he ever wanted to give up doctoring he could be a soldier. As far as we know, he is still working at the new 'Doctors for All' clinic the US military built under their 'arrangement' with Sam.

The teenage daughter of an investigative journalist who came to the highlands of Columbia with her father to cover the story of the local farmers who were being forced off their land by power-hungry/drug-dealing political and military officials who wanted it for their drug traffiking. Her father had just interviewed an ex-military-turned-goat-herder named Louis when he was shot and killed by Commandant Veracruz, a corrupt military official. She ran to Louis who took her in and she convinced him to gather the farmers together under the name of 'Espada Ardiente' and fight back. Being young, she could spy on Veracruz and was able to inflate the Ardiente group's image. She was caught by Veracruz but rescued by Sam Axe, who was tagging along at the time under 'Operation Provide Support.' Eventually she grew to trust Sam and introduced him to her group. When she finally revealed to Sam the 'real' story of her being in the group, he got her to use a CIA camera to document the Veracruz attrocities - which also gave them both: support for their causes and an ace-in-the-hole for Sam when he came to face the legal entanglements he knew he would be in for helping the group. At Sam's request she did go back to her father's old job at the largest newspaper in Columbia with photographs and stories enough to get her a job and Sam out of his court-martial.

A consummately arrogant and obnoxious 'do-gooder' working at the 'Doctors for All' clinic in the Columbia highlands who saw the whole world as evil, especially men, and thought that she alone held the answer to hunger, corner on the market for personal integrity and a divine commission to judge all mankind. Accusing Sam and others of lacking compassion and integrity, she actually had almost none herself. She incessantly badgered, belittled and thwarted every attempt Sam made to help her; and, more than once, refused him sanctuary or assistance because she 'didn't want to get involved.'  However, despite her hateful actions, Sam, in the best 'taming of the shrew' fashion, calmly kept at her until she had no recourse except to accept his help. Eventually, Sam's continued life-risking in her behalf sunk in, and she kissed him, more than once. For all we know, she went back to working with the farmers and locals at the new Doctors For All clinic which the military re-built under their final 'agreement' with Sam.

A long time buddy of Sam Axe's who was off 'spying' somewhere. All he would reveal to Sam was that it was 'somewhere sunny' - a relief Sam told him, from the pastey look he got in Poland back in 1992. In a beard and dressed in a photographers vest, he had a few beers and listened to the problem that was troubling Sam - having just that day slept with his commanding officers wife! A bit unusual for Michael [after all we know him from Burn Notice], he advised Sam to 'come clean. In fact call Maitland right now,' he said. Not at all what Sam wanted to hear just then. Sam pointed out to him that he had 'only dated, like one woman and she was a psycho'; so, didn't take the advice. Mike told him that it was his job to know what people would do, so he knew that Sam wouldn't listen and 'it will blow up in your face.' Sam told him that someday, in the future, he would like him to 'give me spy lessons.'

The adulterous wife of Admiral Gregory Maitland who arranged to have a trist with Commander Sam Axe without revealing she was married. Her husband just happed to be Sam's commanding officer, who Sam recognized immediately when the admiral came home unexpectedly. After her husband found Sam's belt in their bedroom, she 'ratted Sam out' which got him 'sentenced' to punitive duty of indefinite length in Columbia. There was no mention of whatever happened to her, her husband or their marriage.

The understandably angry commanding officer of Sam Axe who caught his wife, Donna, having an affair behind his back. Instead of filing charges of 'conduct unbecoming' against Sam, he ordered him to a one-man 'Operation Provide Support' located in Columbia. Ostensibly he wanted Sam out of his sight, but the orders required Sam to 'check-in' during his apparently 'open-ended' observation tour. Vindictively, he gave orders for Sam's uniform of the day to be 'camouflage blues' which made the poor guy stand-out vividly against the green jungle foliage and raise eyebrows with everyone he met. After giving Sam grief when he was called to provide assistance, no further mention was made of him. It is unclear whether or not he used his influence with Rear Admiral Lawrence to have Sam court-martialed.

A colonel in the Columbian army part-time, and a drug-running, terrorist thug full-time. Under the protection of Department Governor Perez, he hatched a plan to use the might of the army and government to force some farmers, unfortunate enough to live along his intended drug route, off their land. He made the mistake of killing the investigative journalist-father of Beatriz, a teenage girl, who then organized the farmers into the group 'Espada Ardiente' who were fighting back. His plan to blow up the 'Doctors for All' clinic and blame it on the farmers, also failed when Perez initiated a boondoggle designed to obtain US Military money but which ended up with Sam Axe being sent to Columbia 'Operation Provide Support.' His attempt to kill Sam, the farmers and the patients failed when Sam boondoggled the military into unwillingly 'provide support' to the 'real' victims whether they wanted to or not. He did make it through the battle alive but was taken away in restraints and no mention of his disposition or current whereabouts were given.

Two dishonest, bumbling-fool CIA operatives stationed in an outpost of the Columbian mountains.  Unfortunately, for them, a pilot had told Sam Axe where the outpost was located and in need sought them out. They lied to keep from being forced to give aid to Sam and his 'farmer-army'; but, in the end, were forced into assisting. In order to 'save face' they pretended, even to Sam, that they were going for help; but, instead, intended to merely 'bug out' and abandon the group to certain death. Fortunately, for Sam, their nefarious intentions were discovered before going too far so he could force them to return to the outpost. Eventually, they were tied to their chairs and forced to call for help - 'encouraged' in 'selling their story' by Sam who was shooting the wall over their heads. The C-4 that they kept to self-destruct their equipment was used by doctor Ben Delaney, of the Doctor's for All clinic, to make some bombs which helped defend against the drug smugglers Perez and Veracruz. Their camera was used by Beatriz, the daughter of a journalist killed by Veracruz, to document the skirmish for the largest newspaper in Columbia - and provide 'leverage' for Sam Axe to use to encourage the military to 'do the right thing.' Once being relieved from their bonds, it is unknown where the two went or what happened to them. Only one of their names was ever used in the film when he told Sam 'it's only me and Gabe here.' [Gabe is the one on the right. In season 5, episode 68 their names were revealed: Gabriel Manaro and Matt Bailey]

A Department Governor in the Columbian government, apparently part-time; because full-time he is a drug-running, terrorist thug. In cahoots with an army Colonel Veracruz, he designed to take over some prime farmland in the highlands which was along his desired drug-route to the coast by forcing the owners off their land. His avarice and greed knew no bounds and he arrogantly 'called in some favors' from an undisclosed 'friend' in the US government, trying to obtain more US money. Unfortunately for him, his stooge, Veracruz, shot the investigative-journalist-father of Beatriz; and, the US money came tagged with a fact-finding mission called 'Operation Provide Support' and… Sam Axe! Beatriz, seeing her father shot, convinced the local farmers to fight back under the name 'Espada Ardiente' whose reputation she saw to it was grossly inflated. Sam rapidly saw through the nefarious scam and used his considerable skills to turn the 'Provide Support' around toward the 'real' victims.  Using eaves-dropping techniques, his men intercepted Sam's call for help; and, arrogant to the end, he personally went to oversee Veracruz's attempt at liquidating both the Doctors for All clinic personnel and patients as well as Sam, the farmers and two CIA 'observers.' He kicked Sam while he was down and ordered the firing into the CIA outpost building before he and his men were neutralized and taken into custody by Columbian police who finally responded to calls for help.  Sam conjectured that he would 'be going off the grid for their foreseeable lifetimes,' but it is not known what actually happened after he was led away in restraints.

Two dishonest, bumbling-fool CIA operatives stationed in an outpost of the Columbian mountains.  Unfortunately, for them, a pilot had told Sam Axe where the outpost was located and in need sought them out. They lied to keep from being forced to give aid to Sam and his 'farmer-army'; but, in the end, were forced into assisting. In order to 'save face' they pretended, even to Sam, that they were going for help; but, instead, intended to merely 'bug out' and abandon the group to certain death. Fortunately, for Sam, their nefarious intentions were discovered before going too far so he could force them to return to the outpost. Eventually, they were tied to their chairs and forced to call for help - 'encouraged' in 'selling their story' by Sam who was shooting the wall over their heads. The C-4 that they kept to self-destruct their equipment was used by doctor Ben Delaney, of the Doctor's for All clinic, to make some bombs which helped defend against the drug smugglers Perez and Veracruz. Their camera was used by Beatriz, the daughter of a journalist killed by Veracruz, to document the skirmish for the largest newspaper in Columbia - and provide 'leverage' for Sam Axe to use to encourage the military to 'do the right thing.' Once being relieved from their bonds, it is unknown where the two went or what happened to them. Only one of their names was ever used in the film when he told Sam 'it's only me and Gabe here.' [Gabe is the one on the right. In season 5, episode 68 their names were revealed: Gabriel Manaro and Matt Bailey]

An arrogant, narrow-minded US Navy officer who acted as the 'hearing officer' in order to decide the court-martial worthiness of the actions of Sam Axe during the Columbian 'Operation Provide Support.' In spite of his stated spirit of 'friendly conversation,' his real hidden agenda was to obtain necessary information which would enable a referral to courts martial. He was hell-bent on providing the CIA and military with a scape-goat to cover-up their involvement with drug running kingpins who were masquerading under political and military offices. Even though evidence clearly pointed to self-defense and justifiable actions, it was only the street-savvy instincts of Sam which prevented him from carrying out his planned deception. He eventually was forced to drop the charges and give Sam an honorable discharge… a shirt… and a beer.