Richard James Croft

Remark: This article describes the fictional character Richard James Croft , formerly Henshingley Croft, from the pre-reboot Tomb Raider video game series. For information on Lord Croft in the Reboot, see Richard Croft (Reboot), for his comic biography see Henshingley Croft (Top Cow Comics) and for his movie biography see Richard Croft (Movie).

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Lord Richard James Croft
Died	Around 1982 Cambodia
Nationality	British
Education	Anthropology and archaeology studies at Eton
Occupation	Archaeologist
Spouse	Amelia Croft
Children	Lara Croft
Game(s)	Tomb Raider (as Lord Henshingley Croft) Tomb Raider Chronicles (supposedly) Tomb Raider Legend Tomb Raider Anniversary Tomb Raider Underworld
Voice	Edward Hardwicke (in Tomb Raider Anniversary)

Lord Richard James Croft (also known as Henshingley Croft in the earlier games) is Lara's father, and the husband of Lady Amelia Croft.

Life

The original Tomb Raider biography

In the pack insert for the original Tomb Raider game we are told that Lord Henshingley Croft - at that time there was no mention of the name Richard - had his daughter brought up as an aristocrat, sending her to a Swiss finishing school. However after the Tokakeriby plane crash, thanks to her rebellion against the stifling demands of the English aristocracy, her family disowned her. We are led to assume that Lara lives alone on the family estate, the Croft Mansion, attended by old retainer Winston. The whereabouts of her parents is not revealed.

Tomb Raider Chronicles

At the beginning of Tomb Raider Chronicles Lara is missing in Egypt, presumed dead. The opening FMV shows her memorial statue being visited by a huddled couple in the rain - the couple being Lara's parents.

Tomb Raider Legend

According to the storylines told in Tomb Raider Legend, Anniversary and Underworld Lara's father Richard Croft was an archaeologist, who after his wife's disappearance travelled all over the world investigating archaeological sites and ruins in search for a stone dais, similar to the one where she had disappeared. During this time, he raised and taught Lara alone. However, he disappeared and was declared legally dead, although his remains have never been found. Even Lara unearthed human remains that could not be identified as his. From what Winston says, we are inclined to believe that he had quite a collection of artefacts.

Tomb Raider Anniversary

According to the Tomb Raider Anniversary storyline, Lord Richard Croft was tutored at Eton in anthropology and archaeology and he spent his younger years mounting innumerable expeditions to historical sites around the world in an effort to support his unconventional hypothesis of a base culture that pre-dated known history.

Richard and his wife, Lady Amelia DeMornay, had Lara only a year after marrying and after Amelia disappeared in a plane crash, Richard sank further and further into obsession, consumed with discovering what had become of her. A few years later, he himself died while on a dig in Cambodia.

Unlockable Biography

The biography of lord Richard Croft can be unlocked in Tomb Raider Anniversary by collecting 32 artifacts in the game.

Lord Richard Croft, Lara's father, was tutored at Eton in anthropology and archaeology. With the considerable wealth of the Croft family behind him, Richard spent his younger years mounting innumerable expeditions to historical sites world wide in an effort to support his unconventional hypothesis of a base culture that predated known history. Richard and his wife, Lady Amelia DeMornay, had Lara only a year after marrying. Nine years later, after Amelia disappeared in a plane crash, Richard sank further and further into obsession, consumed with discovering what had become of her. A few years later, he himself died while on a dig in Cambodia.

Unlockable Biography

Tomb Raider Underworld

In Tomb Raider Underworld, it is revealed that Richard found one of Thor's gauntlets and hid it in his manor in England. He also worked for Natla, but then discovered her true plans. As a clue he leaves behind a note signed as "RJC" - Richard James Croft -, which according to Lara he never did before, which points her to his father, her grandfather, Richard James Croft Senior's tomb under Croft Manor. Later in the game, Natla claims to have killed Richard Croft in Thailand. Later in Beneath the ashes it is revealed that Richard found the Thrall stone in Thailand which he stored in the deepest dungeons of the chapel under croft manor. Richard claims in the descriptive document Lara reads that he was able to control Thralls using the "Ohk Eshivar" spell.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara's father plays an important role, although he is only seen in flashback scenes. When Lara was still a child he was researching the undying Prophet and the Divine Source, a mystical artefact that grants immortality. For this he was discredited by his colleagues who thought he left the path of pure science as well as the press that ridiculed his attempts at explaining the supernatural. In the end he committed suicide, leaving behind Lara - who now is an orphan as her mother already died a long time ago - and his girlfriend Ana.

Heavily relying in his work during her adventure Lara will occasionally listen to tapes he recorded and reminisce about her childhood. Following the trail she arrives in Syria only to find the Prophet's tomb empty and Trinity, an evil organization looking for the Source as well, waiting for her. She returns to her London flat where she has gathered her fathers research and meets Ana there. As soon as she deciphers a clue that leads her to the lost city of Kitezh an Trinity operative appears and steals her work.

Some time after arriving in Siberia Ana reveals herself as being part of Trinity and having only ever entered into a relationship with Lord Croft in order to spy on him. She denies to have anything to do with his death, though, albeit it is insinuated that he did not commit suicide after all, but that Trinity had him killed.

Gallery

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  The mourners in the rain from the opening of Chronicles

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  Lord and Lady Croft in Tomb Raider Chronicles

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  Portrait of Lord and Lady Croft from Legend