Martin Riggs
Encyclopedia
Martin Riggs is a fictional police officer
and protagonist
from the Lethal Weapon
franchise. He is played in all four films by Mel Gibson
.
at age 19, eventually becoming a member of Special Forces
, receiving specialized training in weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. These skills would later serve him well when he became a police officer. Most of Riggs' time in special forces was in Vietnam
, where he served as an assassin under the CIA's "Phoenix Project
" directive; while his ability as a trained killer would later plague his conscience
, he thought of it as "...the only thing I was ever really good at."
. Driven to the brink with grief
and anger, he regularly puts himself (and anyone else near him) in harm's way, secretly hoping someone will put him out of his misery, something he has been unable to do himself. This total disregard for his safety gives him an edge over his enemies, turning him into a Lethal Weapon. By the end of the first movie, he has resolved these suicidal thoughts. In the second film, we learn that his wife's death was actually a murder attempt on Martin himself, gone wrong.
division after a shooting incident. He is partnered with fellow detective
sergeant
Roger Murtaugh
in hopes that the older, more conservative veteran will keep him in line. After a rough start, the two become good friends, even though Riggs always gets on Murtaugh's nerves. By the end of this film, the two have worked together to rescue Murtaugh's daughter, who had been kidnapped by drug lords and military mercenaries.
In Lethal Weapon 2
, Riggs discovers some shocking details about his wife's death. It is revealed that the South Africa
n crime lord Arjen Rudd he and Murtaugh are pursuing had in fact ordered his death in 1984, but his enforcer, Pieter Vorstedt, killed Victoria by mistake and, to cover their error, made the murder look like an accident. After avenging the deaths of his wife and Rika van den Haas (whom Riggs had briefly become involved with romantically before she too was murdered), he is able to finally put his demons to rest and move on with his life.
His badge reads: Detective LAPD (not Detective Sgt) badge number 5893.
), an internal affairs
officer, in Lethal Weapon 3
during an investigation into the disappearance of weapons from LAPD impound. The two found themselves to be equals in temperament and attitude (not to mention that Lorna is shown to be a fan of the Three Stooges), and worked closely together after a stolen impound gun was found to be involved in a shooting incident where Murtaugh was forced to kill a friend of his son's in self-defense. The two ended up falling in love, and moved in together after the end of the film.
In Lethal Weapon 4
, Riggs and Cole are still living together, and Cole is pregnant with their child, but they have dodged the issue of marriage. Both Riggs and Murtaugh are promoted to Captain
by the fourth film in order to keep them out of trouble, but by the end of the movie their status is returned to Sergeant. At the end of the film, Riggs makes peace with his first wife Vickey and remarries to Cole, while she is giving birth; at the same time, Murtaugh's eldest daughter, Rianne, is giving birth as well, and Cole's son and Rianne's daughter are in the hospital's nursery together.
, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu
, judo
, boxing
, and muay thai
(leading Murtaugh to jokingly suggest that Riggs himself be registered as a "lethal weapon") and a Beretta 92
F (assume FS) pistol as his signature weapon, though he will often commandeer an H&K MP5
sub-machine gun or AK-47
assault rifle
from a vanquished foe if more firepower is needed, and also briefly used a Heckler & Koch PSG1
sniper rifle in the first film, for ranges exceeded by accurate 9x19mm (Luger) fire power. Riggs has previously claimed to have killed a target in Laos
from a distance of 1000 yards "with a rifle shot in high wind," something he claims 8 to 10 people in the world could have accomplished.
in Los Angeles. His original one was destroyed by the South Africans during Lethal Weapon 2, but he escaped along with Rika van den Haas, who was also there at the time. He has a new trailer in deleted scenes (restored in a director's cut) in Lethal Weapon 3, and still lives there with Lorna Cole in Lethal Weapon 4.
Riggs has a loose shoulder which can dislocate
easily. How he developed the issue is unknown, but it could be possibly it might be a battle injury from his times during the war in Vietnam. He is able to dislocate and re-set it at will, although resetting it is very painful for him. He sometimes demonstrates this as a trick, but it has also proven quite useful for him. It helps him escape execution by the South Africans in Lethal Weapon 2 when he is able to escape a straitjacket
while tied up underwater.
Riggs also loves dog
s. He owns a collie
named Sam who is seen in all four films (and escaped the trailer attack in the second film). He refused to kill a Rottweiler
that was defending a drug operation in Lethal Weapon 3, saying, "I can't shoot a dog. People okay, but not dogs." He instead befriended and rescued the Rottweiler, and still keeps him as a pet along with Sam in the fourth film.
It isn't unlike Riggs to be comedic. He particularly enjoys antagonizing Leo Getz. After Getz was shot while pursuing rogue cop-turned-gun runner Jack Travis at a hockey game in Lethal Weapon 3, Riggs added proctology
to Getz's medical chart, dooming him to a needless rectal exam
. In Lethal Weapon 4 where he is annoyed by Leo Getz ranting about cell phones charging you for the first minute after you make a call and get cut off, Riggs calls Leo on his cell phone and asks him to investigate his privates, charging Leo 3 dollar
s for a phone call.
Riggs prefers driving GMC trucks, and owns a different GMC truck in every film. All four trucks are black. In the first film, he drives a 1986 GMC 3500 crew cab dually. In the second film, he drives a 1989 GMC Sierra 3500 club cab dually. In the third film, he drives a 1992 GMC 3500 dually, which looks identical to the one in the second film. In the fourth film, he drives a 1999 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 club cab.
Riggs is also a fan of The Three Stooges and is sometimes known to imitate Curly while taunting his enemies.
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
and protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
from the Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon is a 1987 American buddy cop action film and the first in a series of films, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives, and Gary Busey as their primary adversary...
franchise. He is played in all four films by Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
.
Military career
Riggs joined the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
at age 19, eventually becoming a member of Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
, receiving specialized training in weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. These skills would later serve him well when he became a police officer. Most of Riggs' time in special forces was in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, where he served as an assassin under the CIA's "Phoenix Project
Phoenix Program
The Phoenix Program |phoenix]]) was a controversial counterinsurgency program designed, coordinated, and executed by the United States Central Intelligence Agency , United States special operations forces, and the Republic of Vietnam's security apparatus during the Vietnam War that operated...
" directive; while his ability as a trained killer would later plague his conscience
Conscience
Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong. Moral judgement may derive from values or norms...
, he thought of it as "...the only thing I was ever really good at."
Death of his wife
In 1984, Riggs' wife of 11 years, Victoria Lynn, dies in a car accident, sending him into a deep depressionDepression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
. Driven to the brink with grief
Grief
Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions...
and anger, he regularly puts himself (and anyone else near him) in harm's way, secretly hoping someone will put him out of his misery, something he has been unable to do himself. This total disregard for his safety gives him an edge over his enemies, turning him into a Lethal Weapon. By the end of the first movie, he has resolved these suicidal thoughts. In the second film, we learn that his wife's death was actually a murder attempt on Martin himself, gone wrong.
As a cop
In Lethal Weapon, Riggs is transferred from the narcotics division to the homicideHomicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
division after a shooting incident. He is partnered with fellow detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Roger Murtaugh
Roger Murtaugh
Roger Murtaugh is a fictional character and protagonist in the Lethal Weapon films, played in all four by Danny Glover.-Lethal Weapon:...
in hopes that the older, more conservative veteran will keep him in line. After a rough start, the two become good friends, even though Riggs always gets on Murtaugh's nerves. By the end of this film, the two have worked together to rescue Murtaugh's daughter, who had been kidnapped by drug lords and military mercenaries.
In Lethal Weapon 2
Lethal Weapon 2
Lethal Weapon 2 is a 1989 action comedy film directed by Richard Donner, and starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Patsy Kensit, Joe Pesci, Derrick O'Connor and Joss Ackland...
, Riggs discovers some shocking details about his wife's death. It is revealed that the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n crime lord Arjen Rudd he and Murtaugh are pursuing had in fact ordered his death in 1984, but his enforcer, Pieter Vorstedt, killed Victoria by mistake and, to cover their error, made the murder look like an accident. After avenging the deaths of his wife and Rika van den Haas (whom Riggs had briefly become involved with romantically before she too was murdered), he is able to finally put his demons to rest and move on with his life.
His badge reads: Detective LAPD (not Detective Sgt) badge number 5893.
Lorna Cole
He met Sgt. Lorna Cole (played by Rene RussoRene Russo
- Early life :Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley , a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Rene was two. Her father and maternal grandfather were of Italian descent. Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and their...
), an internal affairs
Internal affairs (law enforcement)
The internal affairs division of a law enforcement agency investigates incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force...
officer, in Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 3 is a 1992 American action film directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo and Stuart Wilson. It is a sequel to Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon 2, and it is part of the Lethal Weapon film series.The movie is set in 1992, six years after...
during an investigation into the disappearance of weapons from LAPD impound. The two found themselves to be equals in temperament and attitude (not to mention that Lorna is shown to be a fan of the Three Stooges), and worked closely together after a stolen impound gun was found to be involved in a shooting incident where Murtaugh was forced to kill a friend of his son's in self-defense. The two ended up falling in love, and moved in together after the end of the film.
In Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4 is a 1998 American action film directed by Richard Donner, starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock and Jet Li. It is the third sequel in the Lethal Weapon series of films. -Plot:...
, Riggs and Cole are still living together, and Cole is pregnant with their child, but they have dodged the issue of marriage. Both Riggs and Murtaugh are promoted to Captain
Police captain
- France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant....
by the fourth film in order to keep them out of trouble, but by the end of the movie their status is returned to Sergeant. At the end of the film, Riggs makes peace with his first wife Vickey and remarries to Cole, while she is giving birth; at the same time, Murtaugh's eldest daughter, Rianne, is giving birth as well, and Cole's son and Rianne's daughter are in the hospital's nursery together.
Weapons
Throughout all four films, Riggs has used martial artsMartial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
, judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, and muay thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
(leading Murtaugh to jokingly suggest that Riggs himself be registered as a "lethal weapon") and a Beretta 92
Beretta 92
The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The model 92 was designed in 1972 and production of many variants in different calibers continues today...
F (assume FS) pistol as his signature weapon, though he will often commandeer an H&K MP5
Heckler & Koch MP5
The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar....
sub-machine gun or AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
from a vanquished foe if more firepower is needed, and also briefly used a Heckler & Koch PSG1
Heckler & Koch PSG1
The PSG1 is a semi-automatic rifle designed by the German company Heckler & Koch of Oberndorf am Neckar.-Development:...
sniper rifle in the first film, for ranges exceeded by accurate 9x19mm (Luger) fire power. Riggs has previously claimed to have killed a target in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
from a distance of 1000 yards "with a rifle shot in high wind," something he claims 8 to 10 people in the world could have accomplished.
Other traits
Riggs lives in a travel trailer on a beach along the Pacific Coast HighwayCalifornia State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
in Los Angeles. His original one was destroyed by the South Africans during Lethal Weapon 2, but he escaped along with Rika van den Haas, who was also there at the time. He has a new trailer in deleted scenes (restored in a director's cut) in Lethal Weapon 3, and still lives there with Lorna Cole in Lethal Weapon 4.
Riggs has a loose shoulder which can dislocate
Dislocated shoulder
A dislocated shoulder occurs when the humerus separates from the scapula at the glenohumeral joint. The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body and as a result is particularly susceptible to dislocation and subluxation. Approximately half of major joint...
easily. How he developed the issue is unknown, but it could be possibly it might be a battle injury from his times during the war in Vietnam. He is able to dislocate and re-set it at will, although resetting it is very painful for him. He sometimes demonstrates this as a trick, but it has also proven quite useful for him. It helps him escape execution by the South Africans in Lethal Weapon 2 when he is able to escape a straitjacket
Straitjacket
A straitjacket is a garment shaped like a jacket with overlong sleeves and is typically used to restrain a person who may otherwise cause harm to themselves or others. Once the arms are inserted into the straitjacket's sleeves, they are then crossed across the chest...
while tied up underwater.
Riggs also loves dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s. He owns a collie
Rough Collie
The Rough Collie is a long coated breed of medium to large size dog that in its original form was a type of collie used and bred for herding in Scotland. Originating in the 1800's, it is now well known through the works of author Albert Payson Terhune, and through the Lassie novel, movies, and...
named Sam who is seen in all four films (and escaped the trailer attack in the second film). He refused to kill a Rottweiler
Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is a medium to large size breed of domestic dog that originated in Rottweil, Germany. The dogs were known as "Rottweil butchers' dogs" because they were used to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered meat and other products to market...
that was defending a drug operation in Lethal Weapon 3, saying, "I can't shoot a dog. People okay, but not dogs." He instead befriended and rescued the Rottweiler, and still keeps him as a pet along with Sam in the fourth film.
It isn't unlike Riggs to be comedic. He particularly enjoys antagonizing Leo Getz. After Getz was shot while pursuing rogue cop-turned-gun runner Jack Travis at a hockey game in Lethal Weapon 3, Riggs added proctology
Proctology
Colorectal surgery is a field in medicine, dealing with disorders of the rectum, anus, and colon. The field is also known as proctology, but the term is outdated in the more traditional areas of medicine...
to Getz's medical chart, dooming him to a needless rectal exam
Rectal examination
A rectal examination or rectal exam is an internal examination of the rectum such as by a physician or other healthcare professional.-Procedure:...
. In Lethal Weapon 4 where he is annoyed by Leo Getz ranting about cell phones charging you for the first minute after you make a call and get cut off, Riggs calls Leo on his cell phone and asks him to investigate his privates, charging Leo 3 dollar
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
s for a phone call.
Riggs prefers driving GMC trucks, and owns a different GMC truck in every film. All four trucks are black. In the first film, he drives a 1986 GMC 3500 crew cab dually. In the second film, he drives a 1989 GMC Sierra 3500 club cab dually. In the third film, he drives a 1992 GMC 3500 dually, which looks identical to the one in the second film. In the fourth film, he drives a 1999 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 club cab.
Riggs is also a fan of The Three Stooges and is sometimes known to imitate Curly while taunting his enemies.