Walter Bishop (Fringe)
Encyclopedia
Walter Bishop, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the Fox
television series Fringe
. He is portrayed by John Noble
. Noble also plays Walter's counterpart in the show's parallel universe
, who is referred to in the show as Walternate.
), who became a spy for the Allies against the Nazis. Walter grew up with a love for science, and by the 1970s, became a head developer for a U.S. Government experimental research program called "Kelvin Genetics", alongside his long-time friend William Bell. He married Elizabeth Bishop in an undisclosed year, and his son, Peter Bishop was born in 1978.
Walter and his friend William Bell conducted numerous experiments in the area of fringe science
, including developing highly advanced weapons for the Army. At some point during 1970s, Walter and Bell discovered the existence of another universe, through the heightened use of LSD
, among other drugs. They constructed a "trans-dimensional window", a portal which could view the other universe, which was more technologically advanced than our own (in "Peter
", the Other Side appears to have already created digital cell phones by the year 1985). They began copying the advanced technologies they saw over there, and sold them to the Army to benefit this world. They spent much time sending objects over to the Other Side, including Bell's car, and discovered that the "multiverse" requires balance. If a car goes over the Other Side, then a car of the same mass must be sent into our universe.
In 1985, the now seven-year-old Peter contracted a rare and savage disease. Walter attempted numerous methods to cure him, ranging from trying to build a time machine to bring a researcher who specialized in these cases from 1930s to the present, to watching his alternate self, dubbed "Walternate", work with advanced medicine to cure his own Peter in the alternate universe, who was also ill. But Walter could not save his son, and he died in his arms. Following the funeral, which Bell never attended, Walter became consumed with watching Walternate work to save the other Peter. Through the trans-dimensional window, Walter discovered that Walternate had formulated the correct cure for his son, but did not notice as he was distracted by The Observer known as September. Knowing that Walternate would not be able to cure the other Peter, Walter created the correct compound and built a doorway into the other universe, with the intentions of curing Peter there, and then to return home.
Nina Sharp, after discovering this, went to stop Walter from opening the wormhole on Reiden Lake (the water from the lake would absorb any excess energy the doorway released). In the ensuing struggle, Walter managed to get through the wormhole, but Nina's arm was caught in-between both universes, and she needed to have a cybernetic arm put in its place. On the journey to the Other Side, the vial holding the cure was destroyed, forcing Walter to kidnap Peter, cure him back in our universe, and then return him. On the way back, they fell through an icy lake, but were rescued by September, who warned Walter that Peter could never return to the alternate universe. After he cured Peter, he and Elizabeth could not find themselves able to send Peter back, so they decided to raise him as their own.
In 1991, Walter's lab assistant, Dr. Carla Warren, was killed in a fire, and Walter was charged with manslaughter, but was deemed mentally unfit to be tried, so he was locked away inside the St. Claire's Mental Institution. Walter would spend 17 years inside St. Claire's, and was never visited by Peter. Bell, under the alias of Dr. Simon Paris, performed several brain surgeries on Walter, extracting pieces of Walter's brain tissue, which contained the memories of how he crossed universes, per the request of Walter himself, who was frightened of what he was becoming. With the pieces of his brain gone, Walter's intellect was diminished, and he was driven insane.
In the beginning of the first season, Olivia Dunham
blackmailed the adult Peter Bishop to release his father from St. Claire's, in hopes of curing her lover, John Scott. Peter became Walter's legal guardian. After they saved John (who was thought to be a traitor, but later revealed to be an undercover NSA agent), Olivia requested that Walter and Peter remain in Boston, to which Peter reluctantly agreed.
In episode 1x04, "The Arrival
", September returned and asked Walter to hide a mysterious cylinder for him. Peter became fed up with his father and decided to leave Boston, but was kidnapped by a man who wanted the cylinder for himself. September encountered Peter, and appeared to read his mind, making Peter realize "The Pattern" was far more than just plain coincidence. He also began to see that Walter was not as insane as he originally thought, and a father-son relationship started to blossom. And, Walter and Peter became civilian consultants to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, under the supervision of Phillip Broyles.
During the episode, "Safe
", Mitchell Loeb and a team of bank robbers used a vibrational dematerializing device to steal components from safety deposit boxes around the country. The science team realized the safe belonged to Walter, and the components were all pieces of the machine he constructed in 1985 as his original plan to save Peter, but was eventually scrapped, which could "bring anybody from any time or anywhere". Loeb used the device to rescue David Robert Jones from a German prison, and Jones became ill with radiation poisoning soon after.
The organization Jones worked for, called "Zerstörung durch Fortschritte der Technologie" (ZFT), or, in English, "Destruction through advances in technology", was based on a self-published, anonymous manifesto under the same title. Walter discovered that the ZFT manifesto was written in his very lab, by William Bell, years ago, after they discovered the alternate universe. In episode 1x20, "There's More Than One of Everything
", Walter reveals the existence of the Other Side to Peter, without telling him he was in fact from there. Walter and Peter helped Olivia and Fringe Division stop Jones from crossing over to the Other Side to kill William Bell, and carried on with their lives, now happy as father-and-son.
A subplot in the first season was Walter and Bell's experiments with a nootropic drug called "Cortexiphan", which they used on children. Olivia was among the children who were treated with it, and was able to see into the Other Side because of it. But, this left her emotionally scarred, and she is always defensive when it is brought up.
In the season two premiere, "A New Day in the Old Town
", Walter and Peter learned that Olivia had returned to our side after visiting William Bell in the other universe, but, her return voyage left her gravely wounded and comatose. Walter seemed to be greatly affected by this, as he had begun to look to Olivia like his own daughter. Thankfully, she regained consciousness, and Walter learned that the person who tried to kill her was a shape-shifting assassin from the Other Side.
By now, Fringe Division is aware of the alternate universe, and just as the ZFT manifesto predicted, they had intentions to destroy us. In the episode "August
", an Observer called August contacted Walter to help correct a mistake, which Walter initially believed was to send Peter back to the alternate universe, but, it was in fact a method on how to "cheat death", which he had achieved before. In episode 2x10, "Grey Matters
", Walter was kidnapped by Thomas Jerome Newton, the shape-shifters' leader, and had his missing brain tissue re-implanted for a short time. Walter, temporarily sane, was forced to reveal to Newton who he crossed over to the other universe, and nearly died because of it, driving Peter to great lengths to save him. In the episode "Jacksonville
", Walter reactivated Olivia's Cortexiphan abilities, and she was able to identify objects from the other universe because of their distinctive "glimmer". When she looked at Peter, she saw that he projected the same glimmer, making her realize he is from the Other Side. But, she eventually promises Walter that she would not tell Peter the truth, though Walter decides he must do it himself.
In the episode "White Tulip
" Walter is seen writing a letter to Peter revealing to him that he was from the alternate universe. He is unable to bring himself to give the letter to Peter for the fear of losing him again is too great. The team are chasing down a man trying to rewind time to save his fiance from a fatal car crash. Each time the team comes close to catching him he "resets" time once again. Sent to negotiate with the time traveler, Walter tells him of his actions to save Peter and urges the man not to make the same mistake of changing the natural course of events, saying that he had "traveled through madness" to realize that some things must not be changed. Walter reveals that he has asked God to send him a sign of forgiveness in the form of a white tulip, a flower that did not bloom in that time of year. Heeding Walter's words, the man resets back to the day of his fiance's death and holds her as a truck hits their car, killing them both. It is later revealed that during his last time 'reset', the time traveler leaves a letter for Walter with a colleague, to be delivered on the original day of the case. When Walter opens the delivered letter, he finds a tulip drawn on a white piece of paper: his so desperately sought after "White Tulip
."
In the episode "The Man from the Other Side
" Peter, when attempting to foil Newton's plan of bringing a bridge from the parallel universe, unexpectedly discovers that he is in fact, not from this universe. He is injured and while in the hospital, confronts Walter ("You said the effects of Newton's vibrations would be devastating. And they were, they... destroyed that FBI agent... they just... disintegrated him like he wasn't even there. But they didn't kill the man from the other side... and they didn't kill me. I'm not from here, am I?") and angrily blames Walter for his mother (of our universe) committing suicide ("That's why my mother committed suicide, isn't it? She knew. Didn't she? And when I left, the guilt was too much for her to live with... the lie."). At the end of the episode, Olivia notifies a crushed Walter that Peter has checked out of the hospital and is now on the run.
In "Northwest Passage
", Peter is subdued by Newton and meets the man from the other side, who reveals himself to be Walter from the other universe (Walternate). Recognizing him as his biological father, Peter agrees to accompany him back to the alternate universe, where "Walternate"--who is in full command of his faculties, and holds the position of U.S. Secretary of Defense—tasks him with working on a mysterious machine which Peter eventually discovers ominously requires him to serve as a component. Informed by the Observers that Peter is in danger, Walter and Olivia cross to the alternate universe to recover him, with Walter sustaining a gunshot wound in the process. On their return to our universe, Peter tells Walter that he still hasn't forgiven Walter for taking him from his family as a child, saying, "I've been trying to see this your way Walter... and I can't. But you did cross universes twice to save my life. That's got to count for something." This gives Walter the promise of eventual reconciliation.
Following the events of the season two finale, "Over There
", Walter begins to readjust to life with Peter, but his son still shows a hint of resentment towards his father. Unbeknownst to either of them, the Olivia Dunham they returned to our universe with was in fact her doppelganger, "Fauxlivia", while the prime-Olivia was held captive in the other universe. Fauxlivia was under orders from Walternate to locate the pieces of the doomsday machine constructed by "The First People". Massive Dynamic and Fringe Division begin collecting the pieces and rebuilding the machine in a secure bunker, and Olivia is able to cross over momentarily to alert Peter of Fauxlivia's deception, who he had been romantically involved with. In 3x02, "The Box
", Walter discovers that William Bell (who sacrified himself in the season two finale to allow the others to return to their universe) left him a controlling interest in Massive Dynamic, making him CEO of the company.
The science team captures Fauxlivia, but she is able to flee back to her own universe. Olivia manages to cross back onto our side, and reunites with the team. Following this, September reappears and orchestrates a series of events just to see if Walter is finally able to let Peter die, which he eventually realizes he can do. The science team visits the Massive Dynamic bunker where the doomsday machine is held, and it instantly activates because of the proximity to Peter, whose nose begins to bleed. The machine also does something to Peter—it "weaponizes" him. His behaviour slowly begins to change, and he even begins to hunt down and murder shape-shifters, making Walter realize the effect the machine has on him. After confronting him about it, it appears that Peter might be accepting what is happening to him, frightening Walter.
, though to distinguish between the prime and parallel versions of Walter, the show's characters as well as its producers, journalists, and fans, identify the parallel character as "Walternate", a portmanteau of "Walter" and "alternate". However, they have several key differences in personality: Walternate never suffers from the brain damage his counterpart does, and is thus completely in control of his mental facilities. He is also more ruthless and cruel than his counterpart, with a firm belief that the ends justify the means.
Walternate in the parallel universe had a similar history to Walter through 1985, having married the same Elizabeth and having their own child Peter. There are variations in their history as well, in part due to the William Bell of the parallel universe dying in a car accident as a child and thus never befriending Walternate. Walternate was appointed as the United States "national security czar", and saw that the Strategic Defense Initiative
to its success. Walternate is also shown to have started a company called "Bishop Dynamic" (a parallel to Massive Dynamic, the company founded by William Bell in the prime universe).
In 1985, Walternate had worked on a cure for his Peter, but was distracted by September before seeing the successful result of the test. When Peter was kidnapped by Walter, Walternate slipped into depression and alcoholism, his job at risk, unable to explain how Peter was taken. After receiving moral support from Elizabeth, he returned to work, and later is surprised when young Olivia appears to him when she crosses over from the prime universe. Receiving her sketchbook, Walternate discovers that Peter is in the prime universe and resolves to get him back.
Leading into the show's present, Walternate has become the U.S. Secretary of Defense, overseeing a more militant Fringe division from his base on Liberty Island
, though he has since separated from Elizabeth. He is also good friends with the second-in command of the Fringe Division, Colonel Phillip Broyles. He identified means of stopping the singularities caused by Walter's crossing in 1985 by using an amber-like substance to seal the area around these, regardless of the innocent lives trapped. He has also engineered the shapeshifters to cross to the prime universe and perform actions that ultimately allow him to cross over and convince Peter to return to the parallel universe. He shows Peter the doomsday device
that they have found and reconstructed, and urges Peter to figure out how it works as the device only reacts to his biological signature. The purpose of the machine is later revealed during scene at a pub; the observer strolls by leaving behind a drawing depicting Peter being responsible for the apocalypse through the doomsday device.
When the prime universe Olivia and Walter arrive to rescue Peter, Walternate arranges for Olivia's doppleganger, Fauxlivia, to pretend she is Olivia and return with Walter and Peter. Having captured the original Olivia, Walternate subjects her to memory implantation to make he believe she is Fauxlivia while trying to recreate the Cortexiphan drug and understand its properties, intending to execute her once his goals are reached. Meanwhile, Walternate has engaged Fauxlivia to help the prime universe discover the same doomsday machine, eventually recovering one part that was missing in his construction. When it comes time for Fauxlivia to be extracted from the prime-universe, Walternate arranges for Olivia to be executed and her brain removed, with her body being used for the exchange of mass needed for Fauxlivia to return. However, a sympathetic Colonel Broyles helps Olivia escape, and is killed by Walternates mercenaries in the effort, causing Walter to use his friend's body for the mass-exchange, but has it mutilated first so that it would have the same mass as Fauxlivia.
When Fauxlivia returns and finds out she is pregnant with Peter's child and Walternate's grandchild, Walternate 'offers' to help in any way he can, believing the child will be an alternative way of activating the doomsday device through acquiring Peter's genes, going as far as to organize an anonymous kidnapping of Fauxlivia and accelerating her pregnancy to ensure the baby's survival. By now it is revealed that the vengeful, relentless Walternate's only previous interest in Peter was his unique biological blueprint needed to activate the machine. Believing that now that Peter has chosen his side, he doesn't hesitate to proceed to activate the machine with the intent of destroying the prime universe and his son along with it.
However, the machine does not work as expected: while it accelerates the deterioration of the prime-universe, it does not begin to heal the alternate one. After Peter activates the prime-universe version of the machine in an attempt to combat the decay, Walternate discovers he cannot shut down his version of it, and attempts to have Fauxlivia do it, believing that she might be able to access the same telekinetic powers as her counterpart. However, Peter uses the prime-universe machine to create a "bridge" between both worlds, so that both can work together to heal their prospective universes, an alliance which Walternate grudgingly agrees to.
was cast in January 2008 as "an institutionalized scientist whose work might be at the center of the coming storm". At the time, he was a relatively unknown actor best known to audiences as Denethor
in the 2003 film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
. Noble became aware of the Fringe casting call from his daughter, actress Samantha Noble
. He explained, "She was in L.A. She said, 'Dad'—she rang me—'Dad, there's a role that's made for you. I've heard it, everyone's talking about it. J.J. Abrams.' So I rang my manager, and I said, 'Well, this role.' And they said, 'No, no, no, it's not for you, you're too young for it.' I said, 'Oh, okay, glad I asked.' So I went back to Australia and we were back there over the Christmas break, and she was there as well. I got a phone call", asking him to tape his audition. He taped it with his daughter and sent it; Noble commented "And that was it, off that tape. This is so unusual. Off that tape, I was cast as Walter Bishop. Just unheard of."
Noble has closely worked with the Fringe writers to develop his character's traits, in particular those that relate to Walter's madness. He explained, I did my own research into those rare breed, the geniuses, and it's not that they are anti-social — they simply have no social skills. It misses the point, in a way, to think any other way about it. I also studied the people who have been subjected to a lot of drug use — prescription and otherwise, the psychotropic drugs and so forth — and what happens in mental institutions. Walter would have been subjected to electroshock therapy, so that was something I looked into, what the short- and long-term effects might be. I made all of that part of Walter." For his character's accent, the Australian actor developed a Mid-Atlantic English
dialect, which Noble described as "sort of a Boston accent, but tempered with a bit of fake English, from years of flying around to conferences and talking to other academics from all over the world." In his research, Noble noticed many prominent scientists had "complicated and interesting relationships" with music, causing him to create a similar bond between it and his character.
In a November 2008 interview with the Los Angeles Times
, Jeff Pinkner has called the character of Walter "incredibly fun to write for because he can say and do anything, which is a blast for a writer. He's incredibly brilliant and he's forgotten just how brilliant he is. He's scared of his own shadow, and he's scared of the things he's done in the past, and he's incredibly childlike." Pinkner continued that he, the other writers, and Noble himself have striven to focus on Walter's humanity, "[Noble] plays it from a believable place and doesn't play him from a goofball, cuddly cute place. That's our prime directive: Keep it real and honest."
with deep past connections to fringe science
. He has significant memory loss as well as odd quirks, which are the result of living in a mental institution for seventeen years. Some of these traits involve random foods, such as licorice and strawberry milkshake
s. Walter remains deeply remorseful about his past, morally questionable activities, such as the Cortexiphan drug trials he performed on children.
Walter has a deep connection to music.
, who was largely raised by his mother Elizabeth. Elizabeth committed suicide while Walter was in the mental institution. Walter and Peter have since gradually grown closer, though the relationship suffered upon Peter learning he was taken from the parallel universe as a boy.
Walter has remained fond of Olivia, and it was later revealed that she was one of his test subjects for his nootropic
drug, Cortexiphan. Their relationship suffered when Olivia learned about this connection. Walter also is close with his lab assistant Astrid Farnsworth.
called Noble the series' "secret weapon" for his ability to "move with lightning speed between surreal goofiness and touching insecurity, often within a single scene." Paste
magazine named Noble as the 23rd best performance of 2010, calling him "excellent right out of the gate" and Walter as the "show's best character". TV Squad named Walter one of 2010's best television characters.
. Noble was nominated at the Satellite Awards
for 2008 and 2009. At the 2009 and 2010 Saturn Award
s, Noble received nominations for Best Supporting Actor on Television
. Noble was nominated in 2009 and won in 2010 for the "Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" category at Entertainment Weekly
s Ewwy Awards.
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
television series Fringe
Fringe (TV series)
Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
. He is portrayed by John Noble
John Noble
John Noble is an Australian film and television actor, and theater director of more than 80 plays. He was born in Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia and is currently starring as scientist Walter Bishop in the J. J. Abrams television series Fringe.He made occasional appearances on the...
. Noble also plays Walter's counterpart in the show's parallel universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
, who is referred to in the show as Walternate.
Arc
Walter Bishop was born in Cambridge in 1946, the son of former Nazi scientist, Dr. Robert Bischoff (anglicized to Bishop following World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
), who became a spy for the Allies against the Nazis. Walter grew up with a love for science, and by the 1970s, became a head developer for a U.S. Government experimental research program called "Kelvin Genetics", alongside his long-time friend William Bell. He married Elizabeth Bishop in an undisclosed year, and his son, Peter Bishop was born in 1978.
Walter and his friend William Bell conducted numerous experiments in the area of fringe science
Fringe science
Fringe science is scientific inquiry in an established field of study that departs significantly from mainstream or orthodox theories, and is classified in the "fringes" of a credible mainstream academic discipline....
, including developing highly advanced weapons for the Army. At some point during 1970s, Walter and Bell discovered the existence of another universe, through the heightened use of LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
, among other drugs. They constructed a "trans-dimensional window", a portal which could view the other universe, which was more technologically advanced than our own (in "Peter
Peter (Fringe)
"Peter" is the 16th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 36th episode overall. Considered a keystone episode of the series, "Peter" is a flashback episode, told as Walter Bishop reveals to Olivia Dunham that his son Peter is really the...
", the Other Side appears to have already created digital cell phones by the year 1985). They began copying the advanced technologies they saw over there, and sold them to the Army to benefit this world. They spent much time sending objects over to the Other Side, including Bell's car, and discovered that the "multiverse" requires balance. If a car goes over the Other Side, then a car of the same mass must be sent into our universe.
In 1985, the now seven-year-old Peter contracted a rare and savage disease. Walter attempted numerous methods to cure him, ranging from trying to build a time machine to bring a researcher who specialized in these cases from 1930s to the present, to watching his alternate self, dubbed "Walternate", work with advanced medicine to cure his own Peter in the alternate universe, who was also ill. But Walter could not save his son, and he died in his arms. Following the funeral, which Bell never attended, Walter became consumed with watching Walternate work to save the other Peter. Through the trans-dimensional window, Walter discovered that Walternate had formulated the correct cure for his son, but did not notice as he was distracted by The Observer known as September. Knowing that Walternate would not be able to cure the other Peter, Walter created the correct compound and built a doorway into the other universe, with the intentions of curing Peter there, and then to return home.
Nina Sharp, after discovering this, went to stop Walter from opening the wormhole on Reiden Lake (the water from the lake would absorb any excess energy the doorway released). In the ensuing struggle, Walter managed to get through the wormhole, but Nina's arm was caught in-between both universes, and she needed to have a cybernetic arm put in its place. On the journey to the Other Side, the vial holding the cure was destroyed, forcing Walter to kidnap Peter, cure him back in our universe, and then return him. On the way back, they fell through an icy lake, but were rescued by September, who warned Walter that Peter could never return to the alternate universe. After he cured Peter, he and Elizabeth could not find themselves able to send Peter back, so they decided to raise him as their own.
In 1991, Walter's lab assistant, Dr. Carla Warren, was killed in a fire, and Walter was charged with manslaughter, but was deemed mentally unfit to be tried, so he was locked away inside the St. Claire's Mental Institution. Walter would spend 17 years inside St. Claire's, and was never visited by Peter. Bell, under the alias of Dr. Simon Paris, performed several brain surgeries on Walter, extracting pieces of Walter's brain tissue, which contained the memories of how he crossed universes, per the request of Walter himself, who was frightened of what he was becoming. With the pieces of his brain gone, Walter's intellect was diminished, and he was driven insane.
In the beginning of the first season, Olivia Dunham
Olivia Dunham
FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series Fringe . Olivia first appeared in the pilot episode on September 9, 2008. She is portrayed by actress Anna Torv....
blackmailed the adult Peter Bishop to release his father from St. Claire's, in hopes of curing her lover, John Scott. Peter became Walter's legal guardian. After they saved John (who was thought to be a traitor, but later revealed to be an undercover NSA agent), Olivia requested that Walter and Peter remain in Boston, to which Peter reluctantly agreed.
In episode 1x04, "The Arrival
The Arrival (Fringe)
"The Arrival" is the fourth episode of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode was written by the series co-creator and executive producer J. J. Abrams and executive producer and show runner Jeff Pinkner. Paul A. Edwards directed it...
", September returned and asked Walter to hide a mysterious cylinder for him. Peter became fed up with his father and decided to leave Boston, but was kidnapped by a man who wanted the cylinder for himself. September encountered Peter, and appeared to read his mind, making Peter realize "The Pattern" was far more than just plain coincidence. He also began to see that Walter was not as insane as he originally thought, and a father-son relationship started to blossom. And, Walter and Peter became civilian consultants to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, under the supervision of Phillip Broyles.
During the episode, "Safe
Safe (Fringe)
"Safe" is the 10th episode of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode was written by David H. Goodman and Jason Cahill, and directed by Michael Zinberg. It begins when a group use technology to walk through a bank's wall and steal a safe deposit...
", Mitchell Loeb and a team of bank robbers used a vibrational dematerializing device to steal components from safety deposit boxes around the country. The science team realized the safe belonged to Walter, and the components were all pieces of the machine he constructed in 1985 as his original plan to save Peter, but was eventually scrapped, which could "bring anybody from any time or anywhere". Loeb used the device to rescue David Robert Jones from a German prison, and Jones became ill with radiation poisoning soon after.
The organization Jones worked for, called "Zerstörung durch Fortschritte der Technologie" (ZFT), or, in English, "Destruction through advances in technology", was based on a self-published, anonymous manifesto under the same title. Walter discovered that the ZFT manifesto was written in his very lab, by William Bell, years ago, after they discovered the alternate universe. In episode 1x20, "There's More Than One of Everything
There's More Than One of Everything
"There's More Than One of Everything" is the finale of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The finale followed David Robert Jones' attempts to open a doorway to the parallel universe, while the Fringe team tries to stop him.The episode's story was...
", Walter reveals the existence of the Other Side to Peter, without telling him he was in fact from there. Walter and Peter helped Olivia and Fringe Division stop Jones from crossing over to the Other Side to kill William Bell, and carried on with their lives, now happy as father-and-son.
A subplot in the first season was Walter and Bell's experiments with a nootropic drug called "Cortexiphan", which they used on children. Olivia was among the children who were treated with it, and was able to see into the Other Side because of it. But, this left her emotionally scarred, and she is always defensive when it is brought up.
In the season two premiere, "A New Day in the Old Town
A New Day in the Old Town
"A New Day in the Old Town" is the season premiere and first episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 21st episode overall. It was written by co-creator J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, with Goldsman also directing...
", Walter and Peter learned that Olivia had returned to our side after visiting William Bell in the other universe, but, her return voyage left her gravely wounded and comatose. Walter seemed to be greatly affected by this, as he had begun to look to Olivia like his own daughter. Thankfully, she regained consciousness, and Walter learned that the person who tried to kill her was a shape-shifting assassin from the Other Side.
By now, Fringe Division is aware of the alternate universe, and just as the ZFT manifesto predicted, they had intentions to destroy us. In the episode "August
August (Fringe)
"August" is the eighth episode of the American science fiction drama television series Fringes second season. The episode was written by executive producers J. H. Wyman and Jeff Pinkner, and directed by Dennis Smith...
", an Observer called August contacted Walter to help correct a mistake, which Walter initially believed was to send Peter back to the alternate universe, but, it was in fact a method on how to "cheat death", which he had achieved before. In episode 2x10, "Grey Matters
Grey Matters (Fringe)
"Grey Matters" is the 10th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode was written by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz, and directed by Jeannot Szwarc...
", Walter was kidnapped by Thomas Jerome Newton, the shape-shifters' leader, and had his missing brain tissue re-implanted for a short time. Walter, temporarily sane, was forced to reveal to Newton who he crossed over to the other universe, and nearly died because of it, driving Peter to great lengths to save him. In the episode "Jacksonville
Jacksonville (Fringe)
"Jacksonville" is the 15th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 35th episode overall. In the episode, Olivia is forced to recount her time spent as a child in tests conducted by Walter to regain the ability to see objects that have...
", Walter reactivated Olivia's Cortexiphan abilities, and she was able to identify objects from the other universe because of their distinctive "glimmer". When she looked at Peter, she saw that he projected the same glimmer, making her realize he is from the Other Side. But, she eventually promises Walter that she would not tell Peter the truth, though Walter decides he must do it himself.
In the episode "White Tulip
White Tulip
"White Tulip" is the 18th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. It followed a scientist in his quest to time travel back and save his fiancée, while the Fringe team investigates the consequences of his actions, and Walter struggles to tell his...
" Walter is seen writing a letter to Peter revealing to him that he was from the alternate universe. He is unable to bring himself to give the letter to Peter for the fear of losing him again is too great. The team are chasing down a man trying to rewind time to save his fiance from a fatal car crash. Each time the team comes close to catching him he "resets" time once again. Sent to negotiate with the time traveler, Walter tells him of his actions to save Peter and urges the man not to make the same mistake of changing the natural course of events, saying that he had "traveled through madness" to realize that some things must not be changed. Walter reveals that he has asked God to send him a sign of forgiveness in the form of a white tulip, a flower that did not bloom in that time of year. Heeding Walter's words, the man resets back to the day of his fiance's death and holds her as a truck hits their car, killing them both. It is later revealed that during his last time 'reset', the time traveler leaves a letter for Walter with a colleague, to be delivered on the original day of the case. When Walter opens the delivered letter, he finds a tulip drawn on a white piece of paper: his so desperately sought after "White Tulip
White Tulip
"White Tulip" is the 18th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. It followed a scientist in his quest to time travel back and save his fiancée, while the Fringe team investigates the consequences of his actions, and Walter struggles to tell his...
."
In the episode "The Man from the Other Side
The Man from the Other Side
"The Man from the Other Side" is the 19th episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode follows the attempts of Thomas Jerome Newton, with the help of shapeshifters, to create a pathway between the two parallel universes, while the Fringe...
" Peter, when attempting to foil Newton's plan of bringing a bridge from the parallel universe, unexpectedly discovers that he is in fact, not from this universe. He is injured and while in the hospital, confronts Walter ("You said the effects of Newton's vibrations would be devastating. And they were, they... destroyed that FBI agent... they just... disintegrated him like he wasn't even there. But they didn't kill the man from the other side... and they didn't kill me. I'm not from here, am I?") and angrily blames Walter for his mother (of our universe) committing suicide ("That's why my mother committed suicide, isn't it? She knew. Didn't she? And when I left, the guilt was too much for her to live with... the lie."). At the end of the episode, Olivia notifies a crushed Walter that Peter has checked out of the hospital and is now on the run.
In "Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage (Fringe)
"Northwest Passage" is the 21st episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe, and the 53rd episode overall...
", Peter is subdued by Newton and meets the man from the other side, who reveals himself to be Walter from the other universe (Walternate). Recognizing him as his biological father, Peter agrees to accompany him back to the alternate universe, where "Walternate"--who is in full command of his faculties, and holds the position of U.S. Secretary of Defense—tasks him with working on a mysterious machine which Peter eventually discovers ominously requires him to serve as a component. Informed by the Observers that Peter is in danger, Walter and Olivia cross to the alternate universe to recover him, with Walter sustaining a gunshot wound in the process. On their return to our universe, Peter tells Walter that he still hasn't forgiven Walter for taking him from his family as a child, saying, "I've been trying to see this your way Walter... and I can't. But you did cross universes twice to save my life. That's got to count for something." This gives Walter the promise of eventual reconciliation.
Following the events of the season two finale, "Over There
Over There (Fringe)
"Over There" is the two-part second-season finale of the Fox science fiction drama series Fringe. They are the 22nd and 23rd episodes of the season, and the 42nd and 43rd episodes of the series overall. Both parts were written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, together with...
", Walter begins to readjust to life with Peter, but his son still shows a hint of resentment towards his father. Unbeknownst to either of them, the Olivia Dunham they returned to our universe with was in fact her doppelganger, "Fauxlivia", while the prime-Olivia was held captive in the other universe. Fauxlivia was under orders from Walternate to locate the pieces of the doomsday machine constructed by "The First People". Massive Dynamic and Fringe Division begin collecting the pieces and rebuilding the machine in a secure bunker, and Olivia is able to cross over momentarily to alert Peter of Fauxlivia's deception, who he had been romantically involved with. In 3x02, "The Box
The Box (Fringe)
"The Box" is the second episode of the third season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode was written by Josh Singer and Graham Roland, and directed by Jeffrey Hunt. The third season spent its time alternating between the prime and parallel universes, and "The...
", Walter discovers that William Bell (who sacrified himself in the season two finale to allow the others to return to their universe) left him a controlling interest in Massive Dynamic, making him CEO of the company.
The science team captures Fauxlivia, but she is able to flee back to her own universe. Olivia manages to cross back onto our side, and reunites with the team. Following this, September reappears and orchestrates a series of events just to see if Walter is finally able to let Peter die, which he eventually realizes he can do. The science team visits the Massive Dynamic bunker where the doomsday machine is held, and it instantly activates because of the proximity to Peter, whose nose begins to bleed. The machine also does something to Peter—it "weaponizes" him. His behaviour slowly begins to change, and he even begins to hunt down and murder shape-shifters, making Walter realize the effect the machine has on him. After confronting him about it, it appears that Peter might be accepting what is happening to him, frightening Walter.
Religion
In the first season Walter describes God as the only other individual who had access to all his research. In the second season Walter describes himself as a former atheist who realized he had committed a grievous crime against God when he stole Walternative's son and is now actively seeking forgiveness for his trespass. In the final episode of the third season Walter kneels before a Cross and begs God to spare humanity from obliteration.Walternate
Walter also exists in the show's parallel universeParallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
, though to distinguish between the prime and parallel versions of Walter, the show's characters as well as its producers, journalists, and fans, identify the parallel character as "Walternate", a portmanteau of "Walter" and "alternate". However, they have several key differences in personality: Walternate never suffers from the brain damage his counterpart does, and is thus completely in control of his mental facilities. He is also more ruthless and cruel than his counterpart, with a firm belief that the ends justify the means.
Walternate in the parallel universe had a similar history to Walter through 1985, having married the same Elizabeth and having their own child Peter. There are variations in their history as well, in part due to the William Bell of the parallel universe dying in a car accident as a child and thus never befriending Walternate. Walternate was appointed as the United States "national security czar", and saw that the Strategic Defense Initiative
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic...
to its success. Walternate is also shown to have started a company called "Bishop Dynamic" (a parallel to Massive Dynamic, the company founded by William Bell in the prime universe).
In 1985, Walternate had worked on a cure for his Peter, but was distracted by September before seeing the successful result of the test. When Peter was kidnapped by Walter, Walternate slipped into depression and alcoholism, his job at risk, unable to explain how Peter was taken. After receiving moral support from Elizabeth, he returned to work, and later is surprised when young Olivia appears to him when she crosses over from the prime universe. Receiving her sketchbook, Walternate discovers that Peter is in the prime universe and resolves to get him back.
Leading into the show's present, Walternate has become the U.S. Secretary of Defense, overseeing a more militant Fringe division from his base on Liberty Island
Liberty Island
Liberty Island is a small uninhabited island in New York Harbor in the United States, best known as the location of the Statue of Liberty. Though so called since the turn of the century, the name did not become official until 1956. In 1937, by proclamation 2250, President Franklin D...
, though he has since separated from Elizabeth. He is also good friends with the second-in command of the Fringe Division, Colonel Phillip Broyles. He identified means of stopping the singularities caused by Walter's crossing in 1985 by using an amber-like substance to seal the area around these, regardless of the innocent lives trapped. He has also engineered the shapeshifters to cross to the prime universe and perform actions that ultimately allow him to cross over and convince Peter to return to the parallel universe. He shows Peter the doomsday device
Doomsday device
A doomsday device is a hypothetical construction — usually a weapon, or collection of weapons — which could destroy all life on a planet, particularly the Earth, or destroy the planet itself, bringing "doomsday", a term used for the end of planet Earth...
that they have found and reconstructed, and urges Peter to figure out how it works as the device only reacts to his biological signature. The purpose of the machine is later revealed during scene at a pub; the observer strolls by leaving behind a drawing depicting Peter being responsible for the apocalypse through the doomsday device.
When the prime universe Olivia and Walter arrive to rescue Peter, Walternate arranges for Olivia's doppleganger, Fauxlivia, to pretend she is Olivia and return with Walter and Peter. Having captured the original Olivia, Walternate subjects her to memory implantation to make he believe she is Fauxlivia while trying to recreate the Cortexiphan drug and understand its properties, intending to execute her once his goals are reached. Meanwhile, Walternate has engaged Fauxlivia to help the prime universe discover the same doomsday machine, eventually recovering one part that was missing in his construction. When it comes time for Fauxlivia to be extracted from the prime-universe, Walternate arranges for Olivia to be executed and her brain removed, with her body being used for the exchange of mass needed for Fauxlivia to return. However, a sympathetic Colonel Broyles helps Olivia escape, and is killed by Walternates mercenaries in the effort, causing Walter to use his friend's body for the mass-exchange, but has it mutilated first so that it would have the same mass as Fauxlivia.
When Fauxlivia returns and finds out she is pregnant with Peter's child and Walternate's grandchild, Walternate 'offers' to help in any way he can, believing the child will be an alternative way of activating the doomsday device through acquiring Peter's genes, going as far as to organize an anonymous kidnapping of Fauxlivia and accelerating her pregnancy to ensure the baby's survival. By now it is revealed that the vengeful, relentless Walternate's only previous interest in Peter was his unique biological blueprint needed to activate the machine. Believing that now that Peter has chosen his side, he doesn't hesitate to proceed to activate the machine with the intent of destroying the prime universe and his son along with it.
However, the machine does not work as expected: while it accelerates the deterioration of the prime-universe, it does not begin to heal the alternate one. After Peter activates the prime-universe version of the machine in an attempt to combat the decay, Walternate discovers he cannot shut down his version of it, and attempts to have Fauxlivia do it, believing that she might be able to access the same telekinetic powers as her counterpart. However, Peter uses the prime-universe machine to create a "bridge" between both worlds, so that both can work together to heal their prospective universes, an alliance which Walternate grudgingly agrees to.
Development
Australian actor John NobleJohn Noble
John Noble is an Australian film and television actor, and theater director of more than 80 plays. He was born in Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia and is currently starring as scientist Walter Bishop in the J. J. Abrams television series Fringe.He made occasional appearances on the...
was cast in January 2008 as "an institutionalized scientist whose work might be at the center of the coming storm". At the time, he was a relatively unknown actor best known to audiences as Denethor
Denethor
Denethor II of the House of Húrin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Return of the King, which is the third and final part of his novel The Lord of the Rings. In the novel, he is the 26th and penultimate ruling Steward of Gondor....
in the 2003 film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
. Noble became aware of the Fringe casting call from his daughter, actress Samantha Noble
Samantha Noble
Samantha C. Noble is an Australian actress who has worked on television series and films. She is currently best known for her role as Jade/Amitiel in Gabriel, and has appeared in several films including See No Evil and .-Personal life:...
. He explained, "She was in L.A. She said, 'Dad'—she rang me—'Dad, there's a role that's made for you. I've heard it, everyone's talking about it. J.J. Abrams.' So I rang my manager, and I said, 'Well, this role.' And they said, 'No, no, no, it's not for you, you're too young for it.' I said, 'Oh, okay, glad I asked.' So I went back to Australia and we were back there over the Christmas break, and she was there as well. I got a phone call", asking him to tape his audition. He taped it with his daughter and sent it; Noble commented "And that was it, off that tape. This is so unusual. Off that tape, I was cast as Walter Bishop. Just unheard of."
Noble has closely worked with the Fringe writers to develop his character's traits, in particular those that relate to Walter's madness. He explained, I did my own research into those rare breed, the geniuses, and it's not that they are anti-social — they simply have no social skills. It misses the point, in a way, to think any other way about it. I also studied the people who have been subjected to a lot of drug use — prescription and otherwise, the psychotropic drugs and so forth — and what happens in mental institutions. Walter would have been subjected to electroshock therapy, so that was something I looked into, what the short- and long-term effects might be. I made all of that part of Walter." For his character's accent, the Australian actor developed a Mid-Atlantic English
Mid-Atlantic English
Mid-Atlantic English is a cultivated or acquired version of the English language that is not a typical idiom of any location. It blends American and British without being predominantly either. It is also used to describe various forms of North American speech that have assimilated some British...
dialect, which Noble described as "sort of a Boston accent, but tempered with a bit of fake English, from years of flying around to conferences and talking to other academics from all over the world." In his research, Noble noticed many prominent scientists had "complicated and interesting relationships" with music, causing him to create a similar bond between it and his character.
In a November 2008 interview with the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Jeff Pinkner has called the character of Walter "incredibly fun to write for because he can say and do anything, which is a blast for a writer. He's incredibly brilliant and he's forgotten just how brilliant he is. He's scared of his own shadow, and he's scared of the things he's done in the past, and he's incredibly childlike." Pinkner continued that he, the other writers, and Noble himself have striven to focus on Walter's humanity, "[Noble] plays it from a believable place and doesn't play him from a goofball, cuddly cute place. That's our prime directive: Keep it real and honest."
Personality
Walter is a mad scientistMad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
with deep past connections to fringe science
Fringe science
Fringe science is scientific inquiry in an established field of study that departs significantly from mainstream or orthodox theories, and is classified in the "fringes" of a credible mainstream academic discipline....
. He has significant memory loss as well as odd quirks, which are the result of living in a mental institution for seventeen years. Some of these traits involve random foods, such as licorice and strawberry milkshake
Milkshake
A milkshake is a sweet, cold beverage which is made from milk, ice cream or iced milk, and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup or chocolate sauce....
s. Walter remains deeply remorseful about his past, morally questionable activities, such as the Cortexiphan drug trials he performed on children.
Walter has a deep connection to music.
Relationships
Prior to the pilot, Walter was estranged from his son, PeterPeter Bishop
Peter Bishop is a fictional character on the Fox television series Fringe. He is portrayed by Joshua Jackson.-Fictional character biography:...
, who was largely raised by his mother Elizabeth. Elizabeth committed suicide while Walter was in the mental institution. Walter and Peter have since gradually grown closer, though the relationship suffered upon Peter learning he was taken from the parallel universe as a boy.
Walter has remained fond of Olivia, and it was later revealed that she was one of his test subjects for his nootropic
Nootropic
Nootropics , also referred to as smart drugs, brain steroids, memory enhancers, cognitive enhancers, and intelligence enhancers, are drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods that improve mental functions such as cognition, memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, and concentration...
drug, Cortexiphan. Their relationship suffered when Olivia learned about this connection. Walter also is close with his lab assistant Astrid Farnsworth.
Critical reception
Maureen Ryan of the Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
called Noble the series' "secret weapon" for his ability to "move with lightning speed between surreal goofiness and touching insecurity, often within a single scene." Paste
Paste (magazine)
Paste is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine published in the United States by Wolfgang's Vault. Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture."-History:...
magazine named Noble as the 23rd best performance of 2010, calling him "excellent right out of the gate" and Walter as the "show's best character". TV Squad named Walter one of 2010's best television characters.
Accolades
For the second season, Noble submitted his work for consideration in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
The 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, took place on August 29, 2010, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California beginning at 5:00 p.m. PDT...
. Noble was nominated at the Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama...
for 2008 and 2009. At the 2009 and 2010 Saturn Award
Saturn Award
The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
s, Noble received nominations for Best Supporting Actor on Television
Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television
The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Supporting Actor on Television:N.B. Year column refers to year of eligibility, the actual ceremonies are held the following year to those stated....
. Noble was nominated in 2009 and won in 2010 for the "Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" category at Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Ewwy Awards.
External links
- Walter Bishop at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...