Riley Poole

Riley Poole is a fictional character from the American film series National Treasure. Poole is the best friend and sidekick of Ben Gates. He is portrayed by actor Justin Bartha. Though he acts like a bit of a geek at times, Poole has a sarcastic sense of humor, often acting as the comic relief in the series. He often uses his extensive knowledge of computers to help his friends in dangerous or difficult situations.

Personality
Riley has a sarcastic, cynical sense of humor, often the comedic relief of the films. While never explicitely stated, he is shown to be a horrible driver, as he had trouble following the road out of Ben and Abby's home, kept swaying in the road during the car chase scene, and in National Treasure 2, totalled his car before even getting onto the street. He is allergic to dogs. While Riley does not know as much about history than the other characters-a constant source of annoyance for him-he is brilliant with computers and will sometimes have to uncomplicate his descriptions of what it is he happens to be doing, for his companions to understand him. While he does complain a lot and may seem a little selfish, this impression is incorrect, as he is selfless and was willing to be left behind in a dangerous situation so that his friends could keep going and find the treasure (In National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets, they realize that someone must be left behind on the platform, and Riley is the first to volunteer, knowing that they won't really need computer skills anyway. Due to the platform tilting, nobody wound up being left behind.) He also made a joke so they knew he was not bitter or upset with the arrangement.
Riley always has his laptop and loves converse. It was said that Ian and Ben found him working in "a windowless cubicle" prior to National Treasure.

Storyline
He first appears in National Treasure as an assistant to Ben, helping him locate the Charlotte using his computer skills. Riley, though reluctant at first, assists Ben in stealing the Declaration of Independence by hacking into the security cameras of the National Archives. In the end, it pays off, and Riley buys a Ferrari 360 Spider.

Poole appears again in National Treasure: Book of Secrets. In the time between the movies, he has written a book: The Templar Treasure And Other Myths That Are True. However, the book proves to be unpopular, and he later discovers that Ben and Abigail have not even read it. Poole is also having financial problems, as his car has been towed by the IRS and he has heavy taxes to pay.

After a diary page links Ben's ancestor to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Ben and Riley go to Paris, France, where Riley's use of a camera on a remote control helicopter helps to locate a clue, and London, England, where his computer knowledge helps Ben break into the Queen's study at Buckingham Palace. A clue found in the Resolute Desk in the White House reveals a secret found in the President's Secret Book, which is one of the theories mentioned in Riley's book. Riley becomes upset about his friends not recognizing the symbol, and he explains the theory about the Secret Book, which is thought to contain information concerning topics such as the Kennedy Assassination and Area 51.

At the end of the film, Riley gets his car back - tax free, courtesy of the President - and promptly wrecks it.

Riley's knowledge of technology has often assisted Ben in many ways, and the two become close friends during their world-wide treasure hunts.

Appearances
*National Treasure (2004)
*National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)

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See Also

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