The West Wing
S3E21
· Posse Comitatus

Ron's Devastating Discovery of Simon's Corpse

In the dimly lit convenience store at night, Secret Service agent Ron enters and confronts the horrific sight of Simon Donovan, fatally wounded from a robbery, sprawled lifeless on the bloodied floor. He kneels beside the fallen colleague in stunned horror as the swelling 'Hallelujah' chorus amplifies the tragedy's emotional weight. This raw revelation shatters the staff's fragile sense of control, mirroring the episode's themes of random violence and irreplaceable loss amid national crises—a pivotal turning point thrusting personal grief into the political maelstrom.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Ron discovers Simon Donovan fatally wounded on the bodega floor, the weight of the moment underscored by the haunting 'Hallelujah' chorus swelling in the background.

shock to despair ['Convenience store floor']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Ron Butterfield (Secret Service Special Agent)
primary

Stunned horror piercing hardened professionalism

Ron Butterfield rushes into the store, locks eyes on Simon's fallen body, and collapses to his knees beside the bloodied corpse, his face contorting in immediate, unfiltered shock amid the haunting choral swell.

Goals in this moment
  • • Assess and confirm Simon's fatal condition
  • • Bear witness to the irreplaceable loss of a colleague
Active beliefs
  • • Secret Service brotherhood demands personal response to fallen agents
  • • Random urban violence undermines all protective protocols
Character traits
Duty-bound Vulnerable Stoic facade cracking
Follow Ron Butterfield …'s journey
Simon Donovan
primary

Deceased, devoid of agency or emotion

Simon Donovan lies motionless and lifeless on the store's grimy floor, his body riddled with gunshot wounds from the robbery, blood pooling around scattered flowers as Ron kneels in grief nearby.

Goals in this moment
  • • None; life extinguished prior to event
  • • Symbolize vulnerability of protectors
Active beliefs
  • • Protection extends beyond duty even off-shift (posthumous implication)
  • • Charm and vigilance cannot defy random fate
Character traits
Heroic sacrifice Irreversibly fallen
Follow Simon Donovan's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Korean Convenience Store at 98th and Broadway

The dimly lit Korean convenience store at 98th and Broadway serves as the stark crime scene where Ron discovers Simon's body, its grimy confines trapping the metallic tang of blood and wilted flowers, transforming an everyday urban outpost into a tableau of shattered security and profound loss.

Atmosphere Oppressively tragic, fluorescent-lit despair underscored by swelling 'Hallelujah' chorus
Function Discovery site for colleague's murder
Symbolism Encroachment of chaotic street violence into the realm of elite protection
Access Crime scene now secured by arriving authorities
Blood pooling on linoleum floor Scattered flowers and toppled fruit stand Haunting 'Hallelujah' music amplifying grief

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 3
NARRATIVELY_FOLLOWS

"Simon's shooting in the convenience store narratively leads to Ron discovering his body, intensifying the impact of his death."

Simon Uncovers Robbery and Heroically Subdues Suspect Before Fatal Ambush
S3E21 · Posse Comitatus
NARRATIVELY_FOLLOWS

"Simon's shooting in the convenience store narratively leads to Ron discovering his body, intensifying the impact of his death."

Simon Subdues Robber with Improvised Bow Tie Restraints
S3E21 · Posse Comitatus
NARRATIVELY_FOLLOWS

"Simon's shooting in the convenience store narratively leads to Ron discovering his body, intensifying the impact of his death."

Second Robber Fatally Shoots Simon, Grocer Flees in Panic
S3E21 · Posse Comitatus

Part of Larger Arcs

Simon Donovan's heroic off-duty intervention in a bodega robbery escalates to his fatal shooting by a second robber, shattering lives and fueling White House rage against rivals.