Peter Bishop Prime

The man who was taken from one world and raised in another.

Peter Bishop is a fictional character of the Fox television series Fringe, portrayed by Joshua Jackson. He was born in 1978 in the alternate universe, to parents Walternate and Elizabeth Bishop. As a child, Peter acquired an extremely rare genetic disease. His father, a brilliant scientist in both universes, worked around-the-clock to save him. The Walter Bishop of the prime-universe, having lost his own son to a different illness, used a trans-dimensional window to observe the other Peter. He formulated a compound and opened a doorway into the other universe intending to save Peter, successfully administered the cure, but then kidnapped him, brought him to the prime-universe, and raised him as his own.

Lore & Background

Peter grew up oblivious to Walter's deception, though he repeatedly told Olivia Dunham he was never fond of his father and recalled times when Walter experimented on him—implied to test how his body reacted to moving between universes. In 1991, Walter's lab assistant Dr. Carla Warren was killed in a fire, and Walter was later locked away in St. Claire's Mental Institution (in 1991). Peter visited him only once in 2008, but continued to despise his father, even selling books belonging to Walter Bishop for money.

Despite a genius I.Q. of 190 and fluency in English, Arabic, Persian, Latin, Greek, Cantonese, Russian, and Spanish, Peter became a college drop-out with gambling debts, a jack-of-all-trades, and a master con artist. He falsified a chemistry degree from MIT and published a few papers before his con was discovered. The only time he spoke to Walter during his 17-year stay in St. Claire's was when Walter phoned to tell him Elizabeth had died of a brain aneurysm—though Peter later discovered she actually died of a brain aneurysm, not suicide or a car crash. Peter also owed an undisclosed amount of money to crime lord "Big Eddie."

Reader's Guide

Peter Bishop serves as a civilian consultant for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the area of fringe science, working alongside his father Walter and FBI agent Olivia Dunham. His genius I.Q. of 190 and fluency in eight languages make him a valuable asset, though his background as a con artist and college drop-out gives him a pragmatic, street-smart edge. Key moments include: releasing Walter from St. Claire's in season one to cure John Scott; encountering the Observer September in "The Arrival," which convinced him to stay in Boston; building a device to repair Walter's water-damaged records in "The Road Not Taken"; closing the door to the Other Side on David Robert Jones in the season one finale; discovering his true origins in "The Man from the Other Side" and going on the run; meeting his biological father Walternate and crossing to the alternate universe; returning to the prime-universe in season three, unknowingly bringing alternate Olivia; and discovering Fauxlivia's deception in "Entrada."

His relationships are central: he reconciles with Walter by the end of season one, but their bond is tested when Peter learns the truth about his kidnapping and his mother's suicide. His romantic involvement with Olivia deepens, though it becomes complicated by his affair with Fauxlivia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Peter Bishop in the Fringe universe?

He is the son of Walter Bishop from the alternate reality who was brought to our world as a child to save him from a fatal genetic disease. Raised by his father's counterpart and Olivia Du, he grows up to become a central figure in the FBI Fringe Division.

What role does Peter serve during the series?

He acts as an FBI consultant and alternate reality traveler who bridges the gap between the two worlds. His unique existence allows him to interact safely with phenomena that would harm others from either timeline.

Does Peter Bishop survive until the end of the show?

In the original timeline, he dies from injuries sustained while protecting his family and friends. However, in the final merged reality created by Walter's experiments, he remains alive and continues his life with Olivia.