Morton (The Sun Makers)

Morton was a Gatherer who worked for the Company. Hade named his plan to destroy the outlaws of the undercity Morton's fork, in memory of his "illustrious predecessor". (TV: The Sun Makers)

Behind the scenes

In reality, "Morton's fork" is a term for a forced choice between two lines of reasoning which lead to the same unpleasant conclusion. It derives from John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor under Henry VII, who argued that a man living frugally must have money to spare and therefore could afford to pay taxes, and that a man living opulently must be rich and therefore could afford to pay taxes. Thus, Hade's "illustrious predecessor" was not an earlier Gatherer at all.