Murdoch Swan

Murdoch Swan is an arrogant, greedy, and callous man who openly abuses his position at Eden Academy. As the son of the former headmaster, he is acutely aware of the lingering influence his father holds and flaunts it without shame, using it to intimidate others and justify his misconduct. He repeatedly invokes this authority to silence opposition, even threatening Henry Henderson when his methods are challenged and referring to Eden as though it belongs to him personally. thumb|Murdoch gleefully provokes Yor after making Anya cry Having lost custody of his daughter and endured a bitter divorce, Murdoch harbors deep resentment toward happy families. This bitterness manifests during the admissions interviews, where he deliberately targets applicants he envies, seeking to expose or fabricate flaws in order to deny them entry. To Murdoch, the acceptance of families he deems "fortunate" represents an injustice in a world he believes has wronged him. This hostility is most evident during the Forger family's interview. Jealous of their harmonious appearance, Murdoch relentlessly provokes them, questioning Yor's marriage to a widower and humiliating her for not conforming to his expectations of a wife. He further escalates the situation by cruelly asking Anya to choose between her mothers, taking visible pleasure in her distress and Yor's anger. Though momentarily shaken when Loid nearly strikes him, Murdoch quickly regains his composure and lashes out verbally as the family departs. Beyond spiteful cruelty, Murdoch is also calculating and corrupt. During Anya's second school term, his greed and ambition culminate in an elaborate scheme to remove Henry from Eden entirely to make the process of his illegal admissions easier. He orchestrates forged evidence, commissions fabricated scandal articles, bribes security staff, and abuses his father's access privileges to frame Henry for accepting bribes. His willingness to manipulate public perception and sacrifice a colleague's career shows his belief that money and influence outweigh truth or integrity. Even while conducting illegal admissions deals, Murdoch displays contempt for the effort involved, dismissing large bribes as mere "pocket change." thumb|left|Murdoch's attempt to sway the children with an offer of Stellas His arrogance extends to underestimating others, including children. When confronted by Anya, Damian, and Becky, he attempts to deceive them with forged evidence. When they get their hands on incriminating evidence against him, Murdoch resorts to bribery by offering them unlimited Stella Stars, believing his authority and rewards can buy silence. After this fails, he immediately escalates to violence by ordering his subordinates to silence them, showing little remorse while doing so. Despite his bravado, Murdoch is fundamentally cowardly. When faced with genuine authority or force, such as Loid or Henry striking him, or Donna Schlag's intervention during his corruption scheme, he resorts to pleading and opportunism. His influence also appears to corrupt those beneath him, as some students under his supervision exhibit poor conduct and discipline, reflecting his own lack of ethics and responsibility as an educator.

Murdoch is a stout, middle-aged man. He has black hair that is receding, small eyebrows, and a thick walrus mustache. He wears a navy blue suit (dark brown in the anime) with a striped tie.