Maybe it's free will. I don't buy that we're all just defined by our circumstances. Maybe I just made a choice to become the man I wanted to be.
„
~ Captain Lee to his counterpart.
Captain Lincoln Tyrone Lee is a recurring Parallel Earth character on Fox's sci-fi television series Fringe (2008—2013) portrayed by main cast member Seth Gabel. In the series, he is introduced before his Prime Earth counterpart in the first-half of the two-part second season finale, "Over There: Part 1".
Lincoln is the team leader of the parallel Earth's Fringe Division, a special adjunct branch of the Department of Defense on the Other Side. He works primarily with the Redverse counterparts of main Fringe characters Olivia Dunham (whom he harbored romantic feelings for) and the still-living Alternate Charlie Francis.
In Peter's Timeline, he became the leader of the entire Fringe Division following the murder of Colonel Broyles. After this timeline was erased, he was never given a promotion as Prime Olivia Dunham was never experimented on long enough to reveal her abilities to Walternate in 1986. He was subsequently murdered by Alternate Nina Sharp's sniper on the orders of David Robert Jones in 2012.
Accelerated healing for severe injuries: he survived third-degree burns and healed through the Parallel Redverse's advanced nanotechnology.
Resilient to attacks of Pyrokinesis by a parallel Earth super soldier.
Skilled in hand-to-hand combat.
Team leader.
Biography[]
Background[]
Education[]
Captain Lincoln Tyrone Lee was born approximately two years before Nick Lane.[1] According to the backstory he and his Blueverse counterpart recall, he grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey.[2] Both Redverse Nick and Lincoln attended Hamilton High School together in Philadelphia, where he dated Nick's older sister, Kendra. [1][2]These details are discussed in the fourth season episodes "Everything In Its Right Place" (4x17) and "Worlds Apart" (4x20).
Captain Lee dated Kendra, Nick's sister.
Lincoln (and his Blueverse counterpart) also had a high school science teacher named Mr. Glassberg at this school.[2]
In the episode "Bad Dreams" (1x17), Peter reports to Blueverse Olivia from his official documents that Blueverse Nick was born in 1979. The documents reveal Nick's full birthdate to be December 10, 1979—the same year Olivia was born, and coincidentally, both were born in Jacksonville, Florida, an indication of their connection as children.[3] This suggests Lincoln was born around 1977, as Redverse Nick states he was several grades above in school.[4]
Peter's timeline and the Peterless Timeline (which diverged in 1985) led to some changes in characters' backstories.
Potential Divergence: In his senior year at Hamilton High in Philadelphia, he mostly neglected school in order to work at Lee's Hardware, his father's store. His graduating GPA was 3.85. Following his break-up with Alicia Vaskin, he did not attend prom.[2]
Given the uncertainty of his father's hardware store in Peter's timeline, or whether Secretary Bishop recruited him during this period, these events may not have occurred.
Family[]
Lincoln briefly mentions having a brother to Blueverse Olivia Dunham on the Rose twins case depicted in the episode "Amber 31422" (3x05).[5] In his description, he makes a suggestion his issues with his brother pale in comparison to the issues between Joshua and Matthew.[5]
The history of Lincoln's parents is complicated due to multiple timelines and potential detail discrepancies in the series.
Lincoln's father and stepmother.
In Captain Lee's final episode, "Everything In Its Right Place" (4x17), which occurs in 2012, he (and his Blueverse counterpart) recall their mother dying in their adolescence, propelling them to leave Teaneck, New Jersey for Philadelphia. [2]While this mention of his mother's death is exclusive to the Peterless timeline depicted in Fringe season 4, it must have also occurred in the original timeline as well for several reasons:
He was able to recognize his Philadelphia neighbor's Blueverse self. This was an event exclusive to Peter's timeline.[6]
His awareness of Nick Lane was a mystery for two seasons. The writers answered this question by referring to their shared history living near each other in Philadelphia.
Given Philly was a state he only moved into as a result of his mother's death in adolescence, [2]logically his mother must have also died in the previous time loop for Captain Lee to recognize Nick this way.
Lincoln in Peter's timeline.
The first mention of his father occurs in his introduction episode, "Over There: Part 1" (2x21). This mention is notably in the original timeline depicted in Fringe seasons 1-3, also henceforth known as "Peter's timeline" to the characters in the fourth season. In the episode, Captain Lee's father was a well-respected jurist who recently passed away.[6]This recent passing is noted by Secretary Walternate Bishop who alludes to having a professional relationship with his late father.
Divergence in Peterless Timeline: His father is still alive and did not die in 2010.[7] Lincoln's own father also attends his funeral. ("The Consultant", 4x18) His still-living status in the Peterless timeline two years later is unexplained. (See More: Summary of Adjustments section) He is accompanied by Lincoln's stepmother. Notably, his stepmother makes reference to her deceased stepson as if he were her own child, a suggestion of their closeness.
Joining Fringe[]
Captain Lee and B-Olivia.
After high school, he eventually became Redverse Agent Dunham's Fringe Division partner. In the third season premiere episode "Olivia", he recalls to Blueverse Olivia (believing she is Redverse Olivia) that he has been her partner for "two years". This would be 2008, the same time Blueverse Olivia became an agent of her own Fringe Division in the pilot episode.
Peter's Timeline[]
When he first appeared on-screen, he recently lost his jurist father, whom Secretary Bishop was fond of. He and Fringe Division responded to an event at the Manhatan theater where Olivia Dunham, Walter Bishop and others crossed over. Secretary Bishop brought Lee's Fringe team to his office to reveal that there is an Alternate Universe, something Lincoln picked up on when Mr. Secretary alludes to it.
Captain Lee's team are reported to Mr. Secretary's office for a shocking revelation.
The Fringe events that Captain Lee's team were responding to—natural environmental disasters (or holes in the fabric of the universe)—were not natural. Beginning in 1985 with the Zero Event at Reiden Lake, Mr. Secretary revealed that his published 1995 book ZFT is partly a lie, and they are man-made incidents.
The holes in the fabric of the universe they had been responding to all these years led somewhere — another universe... a parallel Earth with similar, but slightly different features. It is that universe that was seemingly inflicting the pattern of destruction that they struggle with daily in this universe.
Lincoln and his team discern the dollar bill is from a parallel universe. The intruder at the theater in Brooklyn did not come alone, so those that came with him are still on the loose and should be considered anything but peaceful. They are ordered to find the invaders quickly.
Captain Lee held at gunpoint by Our Side's Olivia.
Later, Lee tracked the invaders down to Central Park. They dispersed. He recognized his ex-girlfriend, Kendra Lane's younger brother's doppelgänger. But he mistook him for his own Nick Lane in this moment. Our Side's Nick was shot and left to bleed to death. He is severely burned by Nick's girlfriend, Sally Clark's Pyrokinesis. Despite this, both he and Agent Dunham brush it off due to the accelerated healing and nanotechnology in the Alternate Universe. Agent Dunham later informs her boyfriend, Frank Stanton that her work partner Lincoln will survive with third-degree burns. ("Over There: Part 1")
Lincoln healing from his burns. (Seen with a brainwashed Olivia)
While recovering from the burns he sustained at the hands of Sally Clark, he assisted Agent Francis in tracking down Olivia Dunham after she escaped from the Department of Defense facility on Liberty Island. The two worked under the assumption their Olivia had a breakdown. (3x01) He later worked with Fringe Division investigating the case of Milo Stanfield among other cases.(3x03) After Colonel Broyles was killed, he was made leader of Fringe Division. ("Immortality")
Captain Lee and B-Olivia's burgeoning closeness shortly before the timeline was altered forever.
Secretary Walternate Bishop told him of his secrets involving the other universe (our universe) as well as Agent Francis. He revealed that Olivia had been swapped for a time period. His romantic interest in Agent Dunham is shown when he comes to her aid as she gives birth to Peter's child, fearing she will die in childbirth. ("Bloodline") Later, Lincoln sent Olivia's son, Henry Dunham to Marilyn's while she attempted to cross over and warn Peter of Walternate's intentions. ("6:20 AM EST")
After Peter entered the Machine, he foresaw the dark and deadly fate of the universe, meaning Lincoln and billions of others will be sucked into a black hole, and the prime universe, inextricably connected, will also start to die by 2026. As a result, Peter tore holes in both universes to create a bridge, but September partly erased him, and thus a new timeline is established—altering Lincoln (and everyone else)'s history forever. ("The Day We Died")
Alternate Timeline[]
In the Alternate Timeline, Lincoln worked with Olivia Dunham for the first time after the Bridge between two universes was formed. They worked on John McClennon's serial killer case. ("One Night in October") This first-time union between Prime Olivia, sometimes dubbed "Amberlivia", and Captain Lee also meant the Milo Stanfield case was likely never resolved and he was never caught. ("The Plateau")
Lincoln and Olivia work together "for the first time".
During McClennon's case, he also worked with his own Olivia who he flirted with, noting that the "blonde looks good" on her. But in an altered timeline reminder for audiences, B-Olivia stated, "Yeah, but lucky Frank likes the red", confirming Frank and Olivia never broke up, as their break-up was the result of B-Olivia's pregnancy with another man, Peter, who she fell in love with. ("One Night in October") Another change is Lincoln's non-promotion. (Colonel Broyles is alive as Olivia's kidnapping was unscientific in the Peterless timeline; the events of "Subject 13" never occurred so Walternate never brainwashed her, which led to his demise).
The Alternate Fringe Team discuss the mole and organic shapeshifters predicament. ("Enemy of My Enemy")
Sometime later, Redverse Peter Bishop somehow returned, having bled through the new timeline. ("Subject 9") He recruited Prime Lincoln Lee to cross over and pose as Captain Lee on a secret mission to find a way to bring him home. This led to the first time awkward and hostile union between the two Lincolns when Prime Lincoln was forced to surrender to Fringe Agents. ("Back to Where You've Never Been")
Captain Lee and his Olivia tracked down David Robert Jones (who never died in the first season finale because Peter was never around to stop him from crossing over.) Jones asked to be taken to Fringe headquarters where he met Peter—for the first time in his memory. Peter then discovered Walternate was not in charge of the organic shapeshifters, as he had previously proposed to Captain Lee and Agent Dunham, but rather Jones was. Walternate's history became affected by the permanent death of his son in 1985, making him a more subdued version of the previous authoritarian and sinister leader. ("Back to Where You've Never Been")
Colonel Broyles who is secretly betraying his team.
It turned out to be Colonel Broyles who gives away their location on a mission. ("Enemy Of My Enemy") He is being used in exchange for aid of his son, Christopher's treatment. Alternate Nina Sharp ordered a hit on Fringe Division, and Captain Lee was shot. Despite B-Olivia's concern, he stated that because he had been blown up before it was "nothing". Alternate Nina was later arrested after one of Jones' men turned on her. Later, B-Olivia was informed that Lincoln had not survived. The gunshot was fatal. ("Everything In Its Right Place").
Agent Dunham mourns over Captain Lee.
Agent Dunham was later determined to avenge her partner's death with help from his doppelgänger. At his funeral, Lincoln's stepmother hugged Agent Dunham, and also stated to her husband that "our children aren't supposed to die before us", showing her closeness to her stepson. Agent Dunham was assisted by Prime Walter Bishop to resolve the case of who the mole was. She had begun drinking, an unusual behavior of hers, to cope with the grief. During this time, she had also broken up with Frank for unknown reasons. After Alternate Nina inadvertently gave away that it was Colonel Broyles, he was arrested. ("The Consultant")
Posthumous[]
In a sense, he became the adult equivalent of Prime Peter Bishop. The two of them die, while their counterparts live on and have a child with a version of Olivia Dunham, in a different universe from where they were born. Prime Lincoln decides to be with B-Olivia Dunham permanently in the Alternate Universe before the Bridge closed. ("Worlds Apart") This depicted a strong resemblance to his counterpart, as Captain Lincoln Lee had begun to forge a relationship with her at the end of the previous season before the timeline was erased.
For the next 21 years, his doppelgänger enjoyed a happily married life with Olivia Dunham, who became the head of Fringe Division. She and Prime Lincoln had a son, Trevor Lee who technically counts as Captain Lee's genetic son. ("Liberty").
Peterless Changes[]
Background[]
Alternate Peter Bishop was about to drown and die in the Prime Universe's Reiden Lake after falling into it in 1985. He was subsequently rescued by September. ("Peter"). In the alternate timeline, September erased his actions, marking a split timeline. Alternate Peter drowned, and both Peters died shortly after each other.[8]
Both universes were affected by this change. The intensified Cortexiphan Trials in 1986 to bring 8-year-old Peter home: they never happened. Peter did not exist for this to occur.
As a result of this, Olivia ran away from the trials, having never opened up about her stepfather's abuse. She later murdered her stepfather. ("One Night in October")
This is something Prime Olivia almost did in Peter's timeline. She shot him, but never dared to finish him off. ("The Cure")
The moment where she inadvertently confesses this to Walternate in 1986 after crossing over was a critical moment that shaped the war against Our Side. It did not happen without Peter. Without it, hostilities between the two universes and the subsequent conflict were altered from his timeline, and that included Lincoln's own life experiences in a Butterfly effect way.
Summary of Adjustments[]
Nick and Sally's deaths never happened.
In a Peterless world, Secretary Bishop is considerably different with different goals and ideas in his conflict with Our Side, leading to many differences in the Alternate Universe that affect this version of Lincoln Lee:
His career promotion ("Immortality") following Colonel Broyles' execution by Walternate: It did not happen because Colonel Broyles is alive; Walternate never knew of Olivia's abilities to experiment on her and subsequently kill Broyles for aiding her rescue.
Olivia's kidnapping was strictly espionage in the Alternate Timeline, and she was kidnapped and held in captivity for a shortened period of two weeks.
Captain Lee and his team shooting and killing infiltrator Nick Lane, followed by Sally Clark using her Pyrokinesis to revenge-toast Lincoln: It did not happen without Peter. The mission was for the Cortexiphan kids to rescue Peter and bring him back to the Prime Universe.
Instead, both were recruited by David Robert Jones — who survived to cross over without Peter's interference. ("Worlds Apart")
Captain Lee was still blown up somehow under different circumstances, which is left unexplained. ("Everything In Its Right Place")
Captain Lee professes his love for his Agent Dunham as she was giving birth to Peter's son, Henry Dunham. Henry is Peter's son, and without his existence, Henry also ceases to exist. September explains this change to Peter. ("The End of All Things")
Captain Lee's jurist father, who Walternate considered a "good man" passing away: He is now alive but it is left unexplained.
Secretary Bishop's actions in Peter's timeline may reshape the audiences' expectations of what he considered a "good man" as in that timeline, he considered killing billions of people "pragmatic".[9]
With Secretary Bishop evidently changed, so too would his influence on Captain Lee's father. Without Peter, Captain Lee's father is alive, due to different choices made by Walternate as a leader. In the new timeline, he attends his own son's funeral.
Appearances[]
Captain Lincoln Lee appears in a total of 16 episodes of Fringe.
Peter's Timeline
Season 2
2x21: "Over There: Part 1"
Season 3
3x01: "Olivia"
3x03: "The Plateau"
3x05: "Amber 31422"
3x07: "The Abducted"
3x08: "Entrada"
3x13: "Immortality"
3x14: "6B" (cameo).
3x18: "Bloodline"
3x20: "6:02 AM EST"
Peterless Timeline
Season 4
4x02: "One Night in October"
4x08: "Back to Where You've Never Been"
4x09: "Enemy of My Enemy"
4x11: "Making Angels"
4x17: "Everything In Its Right Place"
4x18: "The Consultant" (photo/corpse).
Trivia[]
He is the second Redverse character introduced before their Blueverse self. The first is Peter Bishop.
Before his assassination, he tells B-Olivia that he has been "blown up before" to reduce concerns of whether he will die. However, this event only could have happened in Peter's timeline.
In the Peterless Timeline, Olivia never crossed over[10] and never met anyone from the Cortexiphan Trials until Cameron James[11] (because Alternate Peter did not exist as an adult), and Sally Clark, who died burning him, had not met their team, was alive at least two more years in the Alternate Timeline in Australia.
This was most likely a mistake by the writers, but it is technically possible it occurred under different circumstances (though it would be convenient).
It is not known whether his brother is his half-brother due to his stepmother's later-appearance.
Resources[]
↑ 1.01.1"Worlds Apart" (4x20): Derived from Fringepedia Internet Archive.
↑ 2.02.12.22.32.42.5"Everything In Its Right Place" (4x17): Derived from Fringepedia Internet Archive.
—A detailed account of Lincoln's backstory is revealed in an exchange with his counterpart.
↑"Bad Dreams" (1x17): Derived from Fringepedia Internet Archive.
↑"Worlds Apart" (4x20): Derived from Fringepedia Internet Archive. *Nick's passport states he was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1981. In the timeline that only Peter experienced, Lane's FBI file indicates he was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1979. Lane is an accomplished felon in both timelines and his passport may have been based on false data he supplied, or the variance is a minor deviation in the separate lineages.
↑ 5.05.1"Amber 31422" (3x05): Derived from Fringepedia Internet Archive.
