Fringe: What Happened To Charlie (In The Alternate Universe)

What became of the alternate universe’s Charlie Francis in Fringe? One of the biggest plot devices in cult sci-fi series Fringe is the existence of a parallel world, similar, yet simultaneously very different, to our own. This fun feature allowed Fringe to introduce mirror versions of almost every major character, with Olivia becoming the flame-haired Fauxlivia, and the mild-mannered Walter Bishop becoming the ruthless big-shot known as Walternate. While each parallel character broadly experiences the same journey as their counterpart, there are clear deviations that prove their lives play out quite differently, and this is certainly true for Charlie.

Portrayed by Kirk Acevedo, Charlie debuts as one of Olivia’s close friends in the FBI, and it’s not long before he’s embroiled in the crazy world of Fringe science along with the main team. Charlie has a close brush with death in season 1’s “Unleashed,” infected with the larvae of a chimera that leaves the agent with only hours to live. Fortunately, Walt is able to knock up some typically madcap solution to save Charlie’s life. Much less fortunate is Charlie’s fate in Fringe season 2. A shapeshifter assassin sent from the other universe is tasked with infiltrating the Fringe team and killing Olivia. After initially failing, the shifter takes out Charlie, assumes his identity and disposes of the real body in a furnace, putting a swift end to the fan favorite character.

Thanks to the alternate universe, the death of prime world Charlie created more opportunities for his mirror iteration in Fringe‘s third season. This Charlie has a sizable scar on his face and evidently endured the same death-by-larvae ordeal as his doppelganger. Since Walt was never part of the Fringe team in the alternate world, however, Fringe‘s resident mad scientist wasn’t on hand to halt Charlie’s condition, but because his world’s technology is more advanced, alternate Charlie is able to control the larvae infestation through regular injections instead. Just as Fringe‘s alternate universe story is heating up, the scarred Charlie goes AWOL and isn’t seen again in Fringe after season 3, leaving a question mark over whether the conclusion to his story was as fatal and tragic as Charlie-Prime.

Although alternate Charlie doesn’t appear in Fringe season 4, his absence is addressed on screen. According to Alternate Lincoln during “One Night in October,” Charlie married Mona Foster, the bug specialist he met as a result of the larvae in his blood. During the events of Fringe‘s fourth season, the newlyweds are holidaying abroad, far away from the troubles that come with being a Fringe agent.

The final chapter of alternate Charlie’s story is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it provides a much happier ending for a popular character who originally met a very grisly end. Many Fringe fans felt that Charlie had more to offer the series and were disappointed that he was offed by the shapeshifter so early. The reveal also shows another divergence between the two Charlies. In the main world, the character was happily married to a woman named Sonia, who makes a brief appearance in season 1 (and was played by Acevedo’s actual wife). For whatever reason, this didn’t happen in the other world, with Charlie instead marrying Mona at a later point in his life.

Potentially, Walt might’ve been the difference-maker in preventing Charlie and Mona meeting in the Fringe prime world. In “Immortality,” Mona states that she was responsible for treating alternate Charlie after his initial sting. Perhaps if Walt hadn’t been on hand to save the day, the main universe’s Mona would’ve been called in to assist Charlie’s recovery. Sonia Francis may have Walt to thank for helping her husband avoid a potential love rival.

About The Author

Craig Elvy
(3630 Articles Published)

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

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Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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