Grace Balthazar

Character
Name:	Grace Balthazar
Occupation:	laboratory assistant
Relationships:	Natalie Lambert (supervisor)
Fandom:	Forever Knight
Other:	Grace Balthazar (from "Only the Lonely")
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Grace Balthazar is a fictional character that appeared in the first two seasons of the television series, Forever Knight. The part was played by Sandi Ross. Grace is a lab assistant at the Coroner's Office in Toronto, working for Dr. Natalie Lambert.

Although the surname "Balthazar" appeared in the credits, Grace's last name was never actually used in the dialogue of any of the episodes. However, fans consider her surname to be canonical.

Character Evolution

Grace first appeared towards the end of the first season in four episodes (starting with "Only the Lonely") that established her relationship with Dr. Lambert as both collegial and friendly. It is Grace who organizes celebrations for her boss's thirtieth birthday, including a candle-loaded cake and a present—a fancy teddy that is accompanied by the arch comment that perhaps Natalie has reason to wear it that night. (As she doesn't, the remark is not overly appreciated.) In a later episode, the two share a late-night BBQ chicken in the morgue.

Grace also appeared in three episodes early in Season Two, but was not seen thereafter.

I have heard that we didn't see more of Grace because after the first season they lost the writer who created her. Since you have to pay the writer each time you use a character from his or her script in another show, this made Grace a little more expensive to use.

— Lisa McDavid in the post "Grace and Nat" on FORKNI-L, 29 February 2000[1]

Fan Response

Fans were immediately taken with Grace, whose down-to-earth joviality presented them with an appealing colleague for Natalie with whom they could flesh out scenes in the morgue. In most such fan fiction, Grace appears in the same supporting role that she had in canon. Typically, when she is doing more than assist Natalie in the lab, she is concerned about her boss's romantic life. Scenes of female solidarity are typical.

Grace-Focused Factions

There are only a handful of fans who focus their interest on Grace more than the other characters. Nevertheless, between the first two seasons, when fans began to consider the possibility of adding to the roster of factions by creating them for supporting characters, the Graces were quickly suggested.

In War Two, there was one fan who declared her affiliation with the Graces. The faction is, however, rarely treated as a primary faction. Rather, it is claimed as a secondary faction by people who join other groups for war activities.

Fan Fiction

Grace is sometimes the protagonist of fan fiction. Since the character had no backstory, writers can freely create their own. The principal interest in such stories is usually showing a concerned outsider's perspective on Natalie, the Nick/Natalie romance, or events in the series. The following are stories featuring Grace:

• "Full of Grace"[2] by lastscorpion
• "The Book Club Auxiliary"[3] by Amy R.