Walter Bishop (Fringe)

Walter Bishop is a male television character who features in Fringe.

Biography

Walter Bishop was born to Doctor Robert Bischoff (August 21, 1912 - December 11, 1944) who was a former spy for the allied forces. His father was a scientific pioneer at the University of Berlin who conducted espionage on behalf of the Allies by operating within the Nazi government. In that time, he sabotaged German research and even smuggled scientific information back to America. As a result, Walter grew up with a love for science and by the 1970's he became the head developer of Kelvin Genetics. This was a experimental research program operated by the United States Government and he worked on his alongside his long-time friend William Bell. At some point, he got married with his wife becoming Elizabeth Bishop with the two having a son named Peter Bishop who was born in 1978.

In 1985, the now 7-year old Peter contracted a rare and savage disease. Walter had attempted numerous methods to cure him, ranging from trying to build a time machine to bring a researcher who specialized in these cases from the 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 returning home. Nina Sharp, discovering Walter's intentions and their universally-destructive repercussions, went to stop Walter from opening the wormhole on Reiden Lake where 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 his own 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. (Episode: Peter)

In 1991, an accident resulted in the death of at least one of his assistants named Carla Warren. (Episode: The No-Brainer)

When John Scott, an FBI agent, was infected by a toxin that caused his flesh to degenerate, agent Olivia Dunham discovered that Walter had conducted research on a very similar type of toxin. With the reluctant help of Walter's estranged son Peter Bishop, Olivia was able to speak to Walter about the toxin; he revealed that he had known someone would ask him about it. Olivia had much trouble communicating with Walter, as his words were disjointed and he was distracted. After several questions, he demanded to see Peter. The two reunited briefly and informally, and Peter showed some hostility toward his father. However, this meeting seemed to help Walter regain his focus, and he stated that he would need to see Scott's afflicted body in order to identify how advanced the toxin was. Walter was then released by the hospital into Peter's custody, and he traveled back to the hospital to examine Scott. During this, he discovered that his former laboratory had been closed down, and he became violently upset. At his request, the FBI reopened the laboratory and provided Walter with several pieces of equipment, including a cow. The laboratory was subsequently reopened. Making the laboratory his headquarters, Walter became more enthusiastic and less distracted, though he still acted somewhat eccentrically, often developing cravings for foods that he had been deprived of during his time in the mental institution. In the process of solving the case, Walter used a synaptic transfer to give Olivia access to John Scott's memories, a process that would later be repeated several times. After the case was solved, Peter decided to stay with Walter to help solve more cases related to The Pattern. (Episode: Pilot)

Later, a mysterious cylinder that burrowed up from the ground presented itself to Walter, and Walter found it necessary to hide the cylinder from everyone else. The cylinder case also led him into contact with The Observer, whom he had met before during a "car accident" from Peter's childhood. (Episode: The Arrival) Walter later explained the concept of parallel universes to Olivia Dunham to help assist her during a fringe case, with which it will be of huge significance in the overall scheme of matters. (Episode: The Road Not Taken)

When Walter has an MRI of his brain, his charts show that he has been through a procedure on his brain. A review of Walter's test results showed that has had three incisions on the left temporal lobe. Walter had tissue removed from his hippocampus, which stores memory and contributes to spatial awareness. This was done by his friend William Bell to remove the memory of how Walter opened the doorway to the dimension. When his brain pieces were reconnected by Thomas Jerome Newton he seemed more normal than ever. (Episode: Grey Matters)

Walter says that he had been an atheist until he stole Peter from the other side. The night after the crime Walter instinctually realized that he had violated God's trust and domain and believes the series of misfortunes that have taken place since have been God punishing him. Walter asks God for proof of his forgiveness in the form of a white tulip. When another scientist points out that tulips don't bloom at this time of year, Walter responds "But he's God". He further explains that "If God can forgive me maybe it's in the realm of possibilities that my son can forgive me too" (Episode: The Man from the Other Side)

After an incident on a bridge where Peter sees "a man from the other side", Peter realizes that he is not from the prime universe. Walter is saddened by Peter's anger and he tries to apologize, but Peter won't forgive him. ("Brown Betty")Walternate crosses over to take Peter home, and Walter is further saddened by this. (Episode: Over There: Part 1) He then gathers Cortexiphan test subjects to cross over to rescue Peter. While over there, he reunites with William Bell and eventually rescues Peter. Though Bell dies in the process when they return to the prime universe, Walter does get some closure from Bell. (Episode: Over There: Part 2)

After Bell dies, Walter inherits Massive Dynamic from him. (Episode: The Box) Once they travel back to the prime universe, Walter does not want Peter working on the machine as he believes no good could come from it. Once parts of the machine are found underground, Walter becomes increasingly interested and even allows Peter to work on it in his lab. (Episode: 6955 kHz) The machine is eventually put together, but Walter becomes worried when he believes that it is changing Peter. (Episode: Reciprocity)

Overview

Personality and attributes

A mad scientist who has had parts of his brain removed by his partner, William Bell, and who spent more than 17 years in a psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane, Walter Bishop can best be described as an eccentric man. Once a brilliant scientist in the realm of fringe science, his trials in life have left him with gaps in his memory and with traits that can best be described as child like. While many parts of his intellect remain intact, he suffers from some degree of agoraphobia and has difficulty properly looking after himself, such that in both timelines he requires either Peter or Astrid to provide him with a basic level of care and supervision.

He rarely remembers Astrid's name: referring to her by many variations including Asterisk, Astro, Asteroid and others. Despite that, Astrid was considered his best friend.

Powers and abilities

He began to prescribe and administer his own medication that was a cocktail of psychoactive drugs. Walter claimed it re-balanced him after having been institutionalized for 17 years.

Notes

• Walter Bishop was created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci where he was portrayed by actor John Noble and featured in the setting of the Fringe universe.

Alternate Versions

• In the other universe, an alternate version of Walter Bishop appeared in the reality of the different Earth. Walternate 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 alternate 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 the Strategic Defense Initiative or Star Wars to its success. Walternate is also shown to have started a company called Bishop Dynamic. In 1985, Walternate had worked on a cure for his son Peter but was distracted by the Observer 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. In 1995, he wrote and published ZFT - The Natural Decay Of Our World. He admits to his current Fringe Division team in Manhattan that the book is a half-truth and that the tears are not natural decay but lead to something on the other side. In the present day, 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 the 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 Shape-shifters, led by Thomas Jerome Newton, to cross to the primary universe and perform actions that ultimately allow him to cross over and convince Peter to return to the parallel universe. He shows Peter The Vacuum that they have found and reconstructed and urges Peter to figure out how it works as the device only reacts his biological signature. The purpose of the machine is later revealed during a 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 primary universe Olivia and Walter arrive to rescue Peter, Walternate arranged for Olivia's doppelganger, 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 her 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 Vacuum, eventually recovering one part that was missing in his construction. When Fauxlivia returns and finds out she is pregnant with Peter's child, Walternate 'offers' to help in any way he can, believing the child will be an alternative way of activating the Vacuum 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 primary universe, it does not begin to heal the alternate one. After Peter activates the primary 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 primary 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.

Appearances

• Fringe:

External Links

• Fringe Wiki Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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