Biography for
Michael Westen (Character)
from "Burn Notice" (2007)

Michael Westen was born in Miami Florida in the late 70's. He was raised by a caring, yet enabling mother, Madeline Westen. Michael's father was an abusive alcoholic which lead to the development of Michael's rebellious tendencies. Michael was not alone in his struggles of everyday life, keeping his mother safe and keeping food on the table. He was later joined in this life by his younger brother, Nate. By the time Michael was finished with high school he decided that he had had enough of his dysfunctional, abusive homelife. With a signed wavier from his parents, he joined the Army. He later discovers that his mother forged his fathers signature. Madeline's justification for this is her understanding that if Michael stayed in that type of environment causing trouble and breaking laws he could end up on the wrong side of it. While Michael's tenure in the Army remains a mystery, it is clear that much of his work was done during the cold war and Gulf War I. After Michael leaves the Army he falls into covert operations. While he makes it clear that he never worked for any branch of the government directly, he was frequently contracted for "black ops" by the government because he is the best at what he does. During his time abroad Micheal worked with many interesting people, most notably Sam Axe, Fiona Glenanne, Larry Garbure, and Lucy. Sam Axe was a navy seal who Michael worked with during his time in the army. They developed a type of friendship based on their understanding that what they were doing for the government was important. Fiona, is a former member of the IRA, a radical terrorist organization in Northern Ireland (or an organization dedicated to freeing Ireland from oppression by the British government and establishing self-rule; a lot depends on your point of view here. If it weren't for the terrorists in the colonies back in the 1700s we'd all be Canadians here on northern North America.), whom Michael met while he was a spy on a mission in Dublin under the cover of Michael McBride. Michael and Fiona developed a relationship that lead to a serious romance. But Micheal's cover was later compromised and he was forced to flee without properly telling Fiona where he's going or why he's left. Larry is to Michael what Michael is to Lucy; an older, seasoned spy who takes a novice under his or her wing to teach him or her the ins and outs of the covert community. During a routine money transfer in Nigeria, Michael is informed that he has been blacklisted. To be blacklisted, or "burned", in the covert community is to be a ghost. It is an idea that they do not want you dead, but they want you under their thumb. Essentially, you are put on ice. Using his wits and extensive training Michael is able to escape, barely, from his Nigerian predicament. After which he finds himself in a Miami hotel being awakened by a swift kick from none other than Fiona. Michael then pieces together that he is burned and there is no getting around it, and so begins "Burn Notice".