"The only thing taking revenge will do, is earn you a life sentence."
Vera Bennett is a character in Wentworth, the re-imagined version of Prisoner. Vera is the Governor of Wentworth Prison, during the first three seasons served as deputy governor alongside Joan Ferguson (Wentworth), before being promoted to governor after the fire at Wentworth.
Vera is demoted in the last few episodes of season 5 due to Channing's investigation, but regains the governorship in season 6 after Doyle and Ferguson's escape
Vera in season 7 is heavily pregnant and stands down from her governors duties, making Will her acting Governor, and remaining highly dedicated to the job, and is taken aback when Will brings in Linda as his deputy.
Vera is portrayed by Kate Atkinson
Time at Wentworth
Vera is the Prison Warden of Wentworth Correctional Centre.
Vera first appeared in Episode 1. She was quite a pleasant officer to begin with, trying to get to know the prisoners as people, trying to help prisoners adjust to life at Wentworth, and so on. This version is a complete opposite (so far!), of the original character.
Vera helped to induct Bea Smith, and was a bit of a friend to her in general. However, this attitude to the prisoners didn't go unnoticed, as Meg Jackson observed. Meg told Vera she needed to stop making friends with the prisoners, and start looking at what was really going on.
After Meg's death, Vera became acting governor for a short time. During this time, she seemed to be stressed with the job itself, as well as the issues surrounding the prison. Eventually, Erica Davidson took over as the new governor.
Relationships
In Episode 3 of season 1, we learn that Vera has a boyfriend called Adam, but it then turns in later episodes that he is imaginary and made him up to make it seem like she is interesting away from Wentworth. In episode 4 it is suggested that she has feelings for Matthew Fletcher that most of the staff already know about, although Vera denies it. In episode 5, however, she appears to be jealous while Linda Miles is talking with
Vera as the governor
Fletch about a trivia night at the local pub. Vera struggles to maintain her friendship with Officer Linda Miles during season 2 after Linda is suspended and Fletch is sent home and the two are seen having drinks together, Vera scolds Linda for failing to do her job properly when a pregnancy test is found on the grounds, but the two manage to make up on somewhat friendlier terms during later seasons.
Vera during the fire
She also has a strained relationship with her mother. As shown in Series 1 Episode 6, she lives with her mother and is emotionally abused by her. Vera is made to feel very guilty if she leaves her mother for something other than work; she is constantly manipulated by her co-dependent mum which has put a huge strain on her almost non-existent life outside of her job at Wentworth.
Season 4 Vera becomes Governor of Wentworth after the events of season 3. She also sets up Brenda Murphy for letting Bea Smith have access to kill Ferguson.
Linda, Will, Vera and Jake
In Season 5 Vera saves Joan from being lynched by the other prisoners.
In Season 6 Vera is Pregnant to Jake and threatens to expose him after that murder of Nils Jesper and the escape of both Joan and Franky. But realises this would implicate her to, so she keeps quiet..
Season 7
Vera is 6 months pregnant and in the premiere is still governing the prison, she gets taken hostage by a junkie inmate and decides after that to step back from the governors duties, asking Will to take over as acting governor.
Vera in episode two announces she is handing over the governorship to Will as she is going on reduced duties and is clearly amused when Linda asks who will be acting deputy, Vera is also asked by Greg Miller before she goes on her leave to help him get better binding because of her good relationship to the prisoners and has good knowledge of them and what makes them tick, telling Greg to appeal to Boomer's better nature and for Liz's ongoing struggles with dementia.
Vera in season 7
Vera in episode 4 speaks with Greg and reveals that she is scared that she could turn into her mother as she is raising a daughter and that she probably won't feel anything until it actually happens. Vera then has a argument with Jake after he finds out from Miller that she is having a girl, she tells Jake he can't play the victim card and Jake storms out, as Vera later has words with Miller, she later gives Jake an ultrasound pic and receives apology flowers from Miller, and allows Kaz to stay with Liz in medical after she has an episode.
Vera is seen in episode 5 walking around the prison, until she spots the security cameras have been moved, Vera goes to check it out and she finds Kaz's body, Vera then turns detective and calls the memorial for Kaz a bad idea, while Vera is helping the detectives she finds that Marie had a jumper on at one stage and took it off and is shut down by Will, is seen with Greg when he says that Liz may have done it, later Vera speaks with Greg again and says that Liz should've stayed in medical. Vera later watches the rise of a new top dog.
Vera in episode 7, informs Rita that the doctors need to operate immediately and Rita asks if she can go and see her, but Vera says she'll speak to Will about it, Vera then grills Will about why he released Marie from the slot so early and says that just because Marie is grieving her son its not a good look for drugs to be seen. Vera informs Rita that she cannot see Ruby as Will has denied the request, and when Rita goes to jump the fence, she gets caught in it and Vera radioes for help telling Rita not to move. Vera talks with Rita in the slot and during the night decides that what Will has done isn't fair and that she takes Rita out of the slot and drives her to the hospital. Vera and Rita wait for news as the two talk, Rita informs Vera that the injury was her fault, as the night goes on, Rita and Vera get to know each other better and Rita tells Vera that she'll make a great mum, Vera holds Rita's hand and puts it to her belly to feel the baby kick. Vera and Rita go back to Wentworth and Rita tells her to get some sleep, Will is standing in the entrance to the slot furious.
In episode 8 Will is still angry at Vera, but he understands in the end why she did what she had to. and she says that the only people who know are Will, Rita and herself. Vera later bumps into Rita and tells her something about Ruby, and seen with her again telling Vera that he is seeing Marie go with him all the time, Vera fluffs it off as it happens because she's top dog, but Rita says "during the night though?", this prompts Vera to investigate the security footage.
In episode 9 Vera listens to Marie and Will have sex in her office during the night, and in the morning confronts him about it, Will tries to justify his actions but Vera tells him "At least I didn't bury a prisoner alive." she later tells him that he is compromised and that Marie manipulated him. Vera later tells Marie that she will not let her destroy Will. Vera later is seen taking Liz to strip search when she asks Sean and the other officers for their IDs, when Vera goes into the room, she is taken hostage and an officer is knocked out, during the struggle to keep Liz quiet, Vera manages to press the panic button and all hell breaks loose. Vera is threatened by Sean, and is taken into the laundry where other hostages are. Vera reveals to the women that Marie is working with Sean and its an escape. Sean points a gun to everyone, and threatens to shoot Vera.
In episode 10, Vera goes into labour while being taken hostage in the laundry along with the others, is taken hostage by Sean to get pain relief when one of his cronies is shot in the arm. She gives birth to her daughter and she names her Grace, with the help of Liz and Boomer after the gunmen leave her in the boiler room, Vera is taken to hospital but before she is placed into the ambulance she has a talk with Will in which he says sorry to her.
Trivia
- This version of Vera is nothing like the Vera of the original to begin with. During Episode 1, many fans tweeted that Vera and Meg seemed to have switched roles/names.
- Vera's nice attitude won't last. Kate Atkinson has stated in interviews that Vera will get nasty over time, and this has been correctly proven in Episode's 8, 9 and 10. Although she does become stricter she still a bit lenient as governor.
- Boomer, Liz, Vera and Will are the only characters to appear in every episode.
Appearances
| Wentworth: Season 1 | |||||||||
| "No Place Like Home" Appears |
"Fly Me Away" Appears |
"The Girl Who Waited" Appears |
"The Things We Do" Appears |
"The Velvet Curtain" Appears |
"Captive" Appears |
"Something Dies" Appears |
"Mind Games " Appears |
"To the Moon" Appears |
"Checkmate" Appears |
| Wentworth: Season 2 | |||||||||||
| "Born Again" Appears |
"Whatever It Takes" Appears |
"Boys In The Yard" Appears |
"The Danger Within" Appears |
"Twist The Knife" Appears |
"The Pink Dragon" Appears |
"Metamorphosis" Appears |
"Sins of the Mother" Appears |
"The Fixer" Appears |
"Jail Birds" Appears |
"Into The Night" Appears |
"Fear Her" Appears |
| Wentworth: Season 3 | |||||||||||
| "The Governor's Pleasure" Appears |
"3x02 Failing Upwards" Appears |
"Knives Out" Appears |
"Righteous Acts" Appears |
"3x05 Mercy" Appears |
"Evidence" Appears |
"The Long Game" Appears |
"Goldfish" Appears |
"Freak Show" Appears |
"A Higher Court" Appears |
"The Living and the Dead" Appears |
"Blood and Fire" Appears |
| Wentworth: Season 4 | |||||||||||
| "First Blood" Appears |
"Poking Spiders" Appears |
"Prisoner" Appears |
"Screw Lover" Appears |
"Love and Hate" Appears |
"Divide and Conquer" Appears |
"Panic Button" Appears |
"Plan Bea" Appears |
"After Life" Appears |
"Smitten" Appears |
"The Eleventh Hour" Appears |
"Seeing Red" Appears |
| Wentworth: Season 5 | |||||||||||
| "Scars" Appears |
"The Bitch is Back" Appears |
"Nothing but the Truth" Appears |
"Loose Ends" Appears |
"Belly of the Beast" Appears |
"Happy Birthday, Vera" Appears |
"The Pact" Appears |
"Think Inside the Box" Appears |
"Snake Head" Appears |
"Mere Anarchy" Appears |
"Coup de Grace" Appears |
"Hell Bent" Appears |
| Wentworth: Season 6 | |||||||||||
| Clean Slate Appears |
The Boxer Appears |
Bleed Out Appears |
Winter Is Here Appears |
Bitter Pill Appears |
The Angel of Wentworth Appears |
The Edge Appears |
Lovers and Fighters Appears |
Shallow Grave Appears |
Fractured Appears |
Indelible Ink Appears |
Showdown Appears |
| Wentworth: Season 7 | |||||||||
| Blood Wedding Appears |
Payback Appears |
Atonement Appears |
Karen Appears |
Ascension Appears |
Mother Appears |
Bad Blood Appears |
Protection Appears |
Under Siege Part One Appears |
Under Siege Part Two Appears |