Winifred Burkle
Encyclopedia
Winifred "Fred" Burkle is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 created by Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...

 and introduced by Shawn Ryan
Shawn Ryan
Shawn Ryan is a writer, and the creator of the FX Networks series The Shield and the Fox TV series The Chicago Code.-Education/Personal life:...

 and Mere Smith
Mere Smith
Mere Smith is a American television script-writer who wrote a number of episodes of the series Angel. She was also the executive story editor and script coordinator for 66 episodes from 1999 to 2003....

 on the television series Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...

. The character is portrayed by Amy Acker
Amy Acker
Amy Louise Acker is an American actress. She is best known for her roles on the television series Angel as Winifred Burkle and Illyria and on Alias as Kelly Peyton. She is also known for her role as Dr. Claire Saunders/Whiskey on Dollhouse.-Early life:Acker was born and raised in Dallas, where she...

.

Character history

Fred was born in San Antonio, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 to Roger and Patricia "Trish" Burkle. When she finished college, she moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 for graduate school at UCLA. Originally majoring in history, Fred took a physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...

 class with Professor Seidel, which inspired her to take another path. Around this time, she began working at Stewart Brunell Public Library. In 1996, while shelving a demon language book, a curious Fred recited the cryptic text out loud and was accidentally sucked into a dimensional portal to Pylea
Pylea
In the fictional universe established by the television series Angel, Pylea is a world in an alternate dimension where demons are the dominant life form and humans are treated as animals to be used as beasts of burden or even food...

 (her future friend Lorne was sucked into the same portal on his side and ended up in Los Angeles). It was later discovered that the portal was actually opened by Fred's jealous college professor, Professor Seidel, who had sent every promising student to it, essentially sending them to their death. Fred was the only one of at least six to return (cf. "Supersymmetry
Supersymmetry (Angel episode)
"Supersymmetry" is episode 5 of season 4 in the television show Angel. Written by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain and directed by Bill L. Norton, it was originally broadcast on November 3, 2002 on the WB network.-Plot:...

"). In high school or college, Fred was a marijuana user as shown in the episode "Spin The Bottle
Spin the Bottle (Angel episode)
"Spin the Bottle" is episode 6 of season 4 in the television show Angel. Written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon, it was originally broadcast on November 10, 2002 on the WB television network...

." In that episode, she asks Wesley and "Liam" for weed and was also revealed to have had to take a personality disorder
Personality disorder
Personality disorders, formerly referred to as character disorders, are a class of personality types and behaviors. Personality disorders are noted on Axis II of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-IV-TR of the American Psychiatric Association.Personality disorders are...

 test and to be something of a conspiracy theorist
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...

.

Angel Investigations

For five years, Fred spent an arduous life as a "cow," the Pylea
Pylea
In the fictional universe established by the television series Angel, Pylea is a world in an alternate dimension where demons are the dominant life form and humans are treated as animals to be used as beasts of burden or even food...

n word for humans who are kept as slaves. The harsh life of solitude and serf
SERF
A spin exchange relaxation-free magnetometer is a type of magnetometer developed at Princeton University in the early 2000s. SERF magnetometers measure magnetic fields by using lasers to detect the interaction between alkali metal atoms in a vapor and the magnetic field.The name for the technique...

dom took a serious toll on her social skills
Social skills
A social skill is any skill facilitating interaction and communication with others. Social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning such skills is called socialization...

, as well as her mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...

; when Angel meets Fred she is curled up in a cave, scribbling on the already-covered walls, having seemingly convinced herself that her previous life in L.A. had not been real.

It was revealed that Fred had once been forced to wear an explosive shock collar. However, Fred's salvation comes when Angel and his crew arrive in Pylea to find Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel...

, who had become trapped there. It is notable that when Angel's demon came fully to the fore, it attacked just about everyone but Fred – including Gunn and Wesley. Despite this shocking display of violence, Angel never seemed to scare Fred, and even at his most demonic, he never attacked her. In fact, her presence seemed to have a calming effect on him.

When Pylea is liberated, Fred accompanies Angel and the rest of the gang back to Los Angeles and stays in the Hyperion Hotel
Hyperion Hotel
The Hyperion Hotel is a fictional home base for Angel in the television series Angel during the middle seasons of the show. The gang move into the Hyperion at the beginning of the second season, following the destruction of their offices in the finale of season one, "To Shanshu in L.A.".-History:In...

 to re-adjust to life on Earth and regain her mental stability. Despite several traumatic instances, such as being held hostage by Gunn
Charles Gunn
Charles Gunn is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series, Angel. The character is portrayed by J. August Richards, and was named by Whedon after filmmaker James Gunn and actor Sean Gunn, both of whom had worked with Whedon...

's old vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...

-hunting crew, she adjusts quite well to "normal" life.

Her knowledge of physics and mathematics make her an excellent asset when researching and developing strategies. Fred quickly develops a romantic relationship with Gunn, which lasts roughly one year. She is also the object of affection of Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...

, who attempts to step aside after Gunn and Fred started dating, but is still drawn to her. Near the end of her relationship with Gunn, Fred and Wesley share a kiss, but after discovering that Wesley had been in a relationship – albeit a rather complex one – with Lilah Morgan
Lilah Morgan
Lilah Morgan is a fictional character from the television series Angel, played by Stephanie Romanov. She is first introduced in the episode "The Ring," and appears in the show's first and second seasons. After Lindsey McDonald leaves Los Angeles, Lilah becomes the primary face of Wolfram & Hart,...

, her feelings for Wesley cool considerably.

Eventually, Fred discovers that it was actually her former professor's fault that she had been trapped in Pylea, and indeed, Professor Seidel had attempted to trap her in another world yet again. Furious, she plots to kill him with Wesley's help. Gunn, however, feels that such a brutal act, even against Seidel, will ultimately destroy her. As a result, in a battle where she is trying to trap him in a hell dimension, Gunn snaps Seidel's neck himself and drops the body into the portal. Unfortunately, this causes a rift between Fred and Gunn, and ultimately ends their relationship.

Wolfram & Hart

However, everything changes for Fred when she and the rest of Angel's crew join Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...

. Her memory is altered by a spell and it is unclear how much of Seasons Three and Four she remembers differently or at all (everything specific to Angel's son Connor is definitely lost). Fred receives her own laboratory and becomes the head of Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...

's Science Division. She is a major asset to the team; Angel consistently relies on her department to quickly and efficiently solve problems. After going on a few dates with co-worker Knox, Fred begins to have feelings for Wesley again. The pair are together for about a week, but the couple's happiness is not to last.

A mysterious sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...

, allowed through customs by a signature from Gunn, appears in the lab. As Fred examines it, a hole opens in the cover and a breath of wind blows into her face. It turns out that the sarcophagus is a holding cell for one of the original, pure-breed demons known as the Old Ones, which is predestined to rise again. The air Fred inhales is actually Illyria's essence, which immediately begins a parasitic existence in her body, eating away at it and making her a shell. Worse still, Knox had worshipped Illyria for years and worked at Wolfram & Hart for the sole purpose of bringing the demon back. Because of his affections for Fred, he chose her as the only one "worthy" to house his god.

As Angel and Spike travel to England to find a cure, Wesley remains in Fred's bedroom with her, comforting her as she fights bravely, but slowly begins to die. Angel learns that the only way to save Fred would be to draw Illyria back to the Deeper Well in England by using her sarcophagus as a beacon. However, thousands of others would die as Illyria's essence cut across the world back to the Well. Thus, Angel and Spike are forced to do nothing, deciding that Fred would not want this.

As she lies dying, Fred's mind begins to give way. Nearing the end, she panics, stating that Feigenbaum, a stuffed rabbit named for mathematical physicist Mitchell Feigenbaum
Mitchell Feigenbaum
Mitchell Jay Feigenbaum is a mathematical physicist whose pioneering studies in chaos theory led to the discovery of the Feigenbaum constants.- Biography :...

 who studied chaos theory
Chaos theory
Chaos theory is a field of study in mathematics, with applications in several disciplines including physics, economics, biology, and philosophy. Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions, an effect which is popularly referred to as the...

, should be there. When Wesley asks her who Feigenbaum is, Fred replies that she doesn't know. Cradling her in his arms, Wesley stays with Fred until the moment she dies, after which her body is taken over by Illyria. "Wesley, why can't I stay?" are Fred's last words.

According to Dr. Sparrow, Fred's soul is consumed by the fires of resurrection, which Wesley interprets upon overhearing as soul destruction, seemingly making it impossible for her to return from the dead or enjoy an afterlife, although the specifics of this process are not elaborated. Later, though, Illyria states that there are remnants of Fred in the form of her memories, which are a source of confusion for Illyria. On occasion, Illyria takes on the appearance of Fred in order to go about unnoticed and to deal with Fred's parents.

Joss Whedon originally intended for Fred and Illyria to be split in two had Angel gotten a sixth season, as revealed by Amy Acker in an interview: "As I’m playing this new character now, it was just some stuff that he was going to do with her and bringing Fred back and getting to work with both characters." This implies that Fred's soul may not actually have been destroyed as Dr. Sparrow believed.

After the Fall

Fred seemingly reappears in the fifth, sixth and ninth issues of Angel: After The Fall
Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall is a comic book published by IDW Publishing. Written by Brian Lynch and plotted with Joss Whedon, the series is a canonical continuation of the Angel television series, and follows the events of that show's final televised season...

, manifesting as a transformation of Illyria into not just the physical appearance of Fred, but also her personality. This happens a first time upon the initial fusion of Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...

 and L.A.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 and then a second time upon a reunion of Illyria and Wesley. Issue #9 reveals that the Illyria and Fred essences have been struggling for dominance over their shared body, and that Spike has been trying to suppress Fred's manifestations (even going so far as to ask Angel for help), and admits that he would have kept Illyria away from the battle had he known Wesley was going to be present. It is later revealed in Spike: After the Fall that seeing someone Fred cared for triggers the change, while dangerous situations transform her back into Illyria. However, issue #14 explains that the Fred manifestations were just Illyria's interpretation of Fred; with these remnants lost, Illyria reverts to her true form. Later the telepath Betta George puts Wesley and Spike's memories (of Fred) into Illyria's brain to make her question her own actions. Illyria later tries to behave in such a way as Fred would have wanted, and has taken on more of her characteristics (for example, in the After the Fall Epilogue she has scrawled on the walls of her rooms as Fred did, albeit listing methods of killing).

After the Senior Partners rewind time after Angel is killed by Gunn, Angel renames a wing of the L.A. public library the "Burkle Wyndam-Pryce Wing" in honor of Fred and Wesley.

Powers and abilities

Fred is a normal human woman with no supernatural abilities; however, her brilliant mathematical mind, immense knowledge of quantum physics and science, and a natural ability in designing inventions make her an important asset of Angel's team; Wesley
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...

 once says, while addressing most of Angel's crew, "She's smarter than all of us put together". Due to spending so many years in Pylea she also has a limited knowledge on the Pylean language and culture.

During this time, Fred also acquires some reasonably good fighting skills, mainly with weapons such as stakes, guns, swords, knives, etc. Later, when Jasmine takes over Los Angeles, she's forced to face down all of Los Angeles on her own, and it is shown that she is also able to hold her own unarmed, effortlessly taking out a few armed Jasminites, including one armed SWAT member. It's seen in Season Three that she likes plants, actually talking to them during her period of mild insanity. In the episode "Spin the Bottle
Spin the Bottle (Angel episode)
"Spin the Bottle" is episode 6 of season 4 in the television show Angel. Written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon, it was originally broadcast on November 10, 2002 on the WB television network...

," while she's under the effect of a magical spell, Fred is briefly fascinated with a fern. After undergoing the transformation to Illyria, she can talk to plants while at full power.

Fred is also portrayed as an innocent, unassuming young woman which often leads people to underestimate her. On many occasions, she has used this to her advantage, such as shocking Connor with a stun gun
Stun gun
Stun gun may refer to:*Electroshock weapon, an incapacitant weapon that momentarily disables a person with an electric shock*Directed-energy weapon, a weapon that emits energy in an aimed direction without projectile, if it causes unconsciousness...

 and knocking out a suspicious lab assistant at Wolfram & Hart or in the third season in "That Old Gang of Mine
That Old Gang of Mine (Angel episode)
"That Old Gang of Mine" is episode 3 of season 3 in the television show Angel, originally broadcast on the WB television network. In this episode, Gunn discovers his former comrades are murdering harmless demons for fun...

" when she tricks Gunns old gang into thinking she was going to kill Angel. Also, she shows signs of great inner strength and an innate ability to survive on her own despite overwhelming circumstances. This is shown in Season Four as she attempts to flee from Jasmine's followers, and earlier with her experiences in Pylea.

Canonical appearances

Fred has 64 canonical Angel appearances overall:
Angel:
The character of Fred appeared in the final four Season Two episodes of Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...

("Belonging
Belonging (Angel episode)
"Belonging" is episode 19 of season two in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:The Angel Investigations team celebrates at an expensive restaurant for Cordelia's role in a national commercial. Cordelia expresses her worries about leaving them temporarily while Wesley and Gunn are sure they can...

", "Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow (Angel episode)
"Over the Rainbow" is episode 20 of season 2 in the television show Angel, originally broadcast on the WB network. This episode begins immediately where the previous ends: Cordelia has been inadvertently sucked into a dimensional portal. She ends up as a slave in an alternate world called Pylea,...

", "Through the Looking Glass
Through the Looking Glass (Angel episode)
"Through the Looking Glass" is episode 21 of season 2 in the television show Angel. Written and directed by Tim Minear, it was originally broadcast on May 15, 2001 on the WB network. It is the second episode in a three-part arc....

", "There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb") before becoming a regular in Season Three, until her death in "A Hole in the World" (episode 5x15), although her body continued to appear as the 'host' of Illyria. She appears in a total of 63 episodes (2001–2004).
Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall is a comic book published by IDW Publishing. Written by Brian Lynch and plotted with Joss Whedon, the series is a canonical continuation of the Angel television series, and follows the events of that show's final televised season...

:
In the final page of Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall is a comic book published by IDW Publishing. Written by Brian Lynch and plotted with Joss Whedon, the series is a canonical continuation of the Angel television series, and follows the events of that show's final televised season...

 #5, it appears that Illyria turns into Fred after noticing Wesley and issue 9 shows her transforming back and forth between Fred and Illyria. However, this is later noted in issue #15 as a misguide. Illyria had been in control of the body the entire time, as well as Fred being dead the entire time.

Non-canonical appearances

Fred also appeares in the Angel expanded universe. She is featured in a number of novels such as Sanctuary
Sanctuary (Angel novel)
Sanctuary is an original novel based on the U.S. television series Angel.-Plot summary:Angel and Co. are enjoying some downtime at the karaoke bar Caritas when a loud explosion occurs. The gang and the rest of the bar are attracted outside. A building nearby is on fire. It seems that it may have...

, The Longest Night
The Longest Night (Angel novel)
The Longest Night is a collection of short stories based on the U.S. television series Angel.-Plot summary:It's December 21, and hour by hour Angel and his crew must survive the longest night of the year.-The House Where Death Stood Still:...

, and Nemesis
Nemesis (Angel novel)
Nemesis is an original novel based on the U.S. television series Angel. Tagline: "Evil lurks where the science and supernatural collide." -Plot summary:...

.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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