Tobias Lynchwater is the real Catcher Freeman, a great ancestor of Robert Freeman, Huey Freeman, and Riley Freeman. Previously thought to be a fellow slave of a fictionalized "Catcher" Freeman, Tobias grew up as a house slave and his master Colonel George Lynchwater's unclaimed son, before accidentally betraying him. He married Thelma Freeman and moved to Canada. Both Robert and Uncle Ruckus present stories of a glorified (in their own images) Catcher Freeman, while presenting Tobias as a side villain/hero within their stories.
He is voiced by Donald Faison, who also provided the voice of Wedgie Rudlin.
Personality[]
In all incarnations of the Catcher Freeman story, Tobias is Massa Colonel's sniveling, butt kissing house slave/right hand man who is subject of disdain and ridicule of all the other slaves on Massa's plantation. In Huey's more accurate telling of the story, Tobias had a talent for writing and storytelling. However he was still shown to be a conniving coward, shameless sellout and equally shameless opportunist. All of which are traits Robert himself possess, which makes this telling that much more accurate.
The Story of Catcher Freeman[]
Consistent in all three versions of the story is that Tobias was a light-skinned house slave, educated and loyal to his master, while disliked by his fellow slaves and love-of-his-life Thelma. When his fellow slaves refused to work, he tried to convince them to step it up, leading to his ridicule as a "house n***a." It is said in the third version of the story that Tobias wrote the first screenplay, prior to the invention of moving picture technology. He attempts to sell the script to his master, a week before the impending rebellion by the slaves. Upon his master's approval and informal recognition of him as his son, he reveals the plan to overthrow his rule. However, the plan commences a week early, to Tobias' dismay.
As the battle begins, Tobias is caught between protecting his father and his business interests or siding with Thelma. With the two locked in combat, he chooses to kill Thelma, but accidentally kills the Colonel instead. Visibly shocked, he decides to side with the slaves, winning his freedom and Thelma's love. His script was never produced.
Both Ruckus and Granddad are dissatisfied with this incarnation of Catcher Freeman, and storm off.