Dr. Walter Bishop, once hailed as one of the most brilliant scientific minds of his generation, understands the peril and promise of fringe science better than any other. His groundbreaking work with lab partner William Bell, in fields ranging from quantum physics to genetic engineering, propelled him into an undisclosed relationship with the U.S. government to advance its most scientifically innovative - and ethically questionable - research projects. But that was before the accident in 1991 that sent a lab assistant to the grave - and Walter himself to St. Claire's mental hospital.

Seventeen years later, Walter has re-emerged. Recruited by FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham and supervised by his estranged son Peter, Walter supplies the scientific genius and technological wizardry needed to explore The Pattern - a series of events that disturbingly often trace back to Walter's own scientific explorations. Sadly, his shattered memory can only tell him fragments of the real story.