Lewis Butler

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Lewis Butler is a supporting antagonist in the BBC British soap opera drama EastEnders, serving as a major antagonist in 2022.

In his storyline, Lewis started out as a charming barman who seduced local resident Ben Mitchell just as the latter's marriage with policeman Callum Highway had conveniently broken down. Thereafter Lewis raped Ben in the show's first ever male rape storyline; as the pair went out one night until Ben attempted to leave, but Lewis refused and ended up raping him in May 2022.

He is portrayed by Aiden O'Callaghan.

Biography[]

Lewis Butler first came to the fictionalized market town Albert Square in Walford, a fictional borough in East London, from April 2022; he was a barman who later got a job working as the manger of The Prince Albert.

He initially appeared to be a charming and decent bloke who impressed many of the Albert's customers and staff members. Soon enough Lewis became acquainted with local resident Ben Mitchell, and the pair formed a close friendship over their coming out into gay and the fact that Ben's marriage with his policeman husband Callum Highway is falling apart.

Later on one night, Lewis convinced Ben to go out with him rather than join his daughter Lexi for a sleepover with Callum. The night out started well until Ben received a text of Lexi and Callum being happy together, before realizing that they mattered to him the most no matter how trouble his relationships would become. Ben thereafter decided to go back to them, but Lewis tried to convince him otherwise. Ben insisted on leaving, to which Lewis again refused by going for him - which consequently resulted in Lewis raping Ben as a result.

The next day, Ben realizes that Lewis raped him and attempts to confront him about it. Lewis appears to twist Ben's words by making out that he came onto him willingly rather than go back to Callum to make amends. When Callum learns that Ben joined Lewis for a night out, he confronts them - not realizing what Lewis had done to Ben - and ends up punching Lewis for seducing his husband. Shortly afterwards, Callum breaks up with Ben and their marriage continues to collapse as it looks as though they are finished for good.

Ben's trauma with Lewis continues on for the next few weeks. First he misses out on his work routines and at one point attacks his grandson, Peter, after mistaking him for Lewis. Soon enough both Callum and Lexi, along with Lexi's mother Lola, have also been noticing Ben's troubled attitude whilst not knowing the full extent of his ordeal with Lewis.

Eventually, Ben's mother Kathy Beale - the Albert's co-owner and Lewis' superior - learns about her son's situation and confronts him about it. She believes that he cheated on Callum with Lewis and begins berating him until Ben breaks down, tearfully admitting that Lewis "slept with him". When Kathy took her son's reaction into account that he truly never cheated on Callum willingly, she finally realizes that Lewis raped him and comforts her son.

The mother and son later talk about his ordeal and how it partly relates to a similar trauma Kathy went through several decades ago - as she had been sexually abused at a young age before later getting raped by her former boss James Willmott-Brown. It is then Kathy urges Ben to report Lewis to the police; he agrees at first, but later backs out in fear of the ordeal becoming worse for him. Later on, Kathy confronts Lewis and fires him for his actions whilst Ben tells his best-friend and surrogate brother Jay Brown the truth about his ordeal.

Trivia[]

The plot in which Lewis raped Ben Mitchell marks the very first time that EastEnders has tackled a male rape storyline.

Villains Wiki

Lewis Butler

Biography[]

Trivia[]

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