Fitz Kreiner
Encyclopedia
Fitzgerald Michael Kreiner, or simply Fitz, is a fictional character
in the Eighth Doctor Adventures
novels based upon the British
science fiction
television series, Doctor Who
. The Eighth Doctor
first met him in the novel The Taint
by Michael Collier
— the character was co-created by Stephen Cole
— and he went on to become one of his companions
. The canonicity of the novels with respect to the television series, like other Doctor Who spin-offs
, is open to interpretation.
in Hampstead
. His father died when Fitz was young, and his mother fell ill, forcing Fitz into foster care. During World War II
, he was often subjected to beatings by other boys, due to his German heritage.
Fitz was 27 years old when he first met the Eighth Doctor
and Sam Jones
in 1963. He smoked, drank and liked to think of himself a ladies' man (which he is not). He often found himself out of his depth in futuristic and alien settings, but was always loyal to the Doctor and was the longest serving companion in the novels (55 novels to date).
In The Taint, Fitz was working at a florists' when he became entangled with an alien plot. He discovered that his mother, a patient in a mental institution, and all the other patients had alien leeches in their heads. Mrs. Kreiner was killed when the Doctor reprogrammed a humanoid robot to kill all those infected by the leeches, lest they destroy humanity. After these events, Fitz decided to travel with the Doctor and Sam, technically on the run from the police.
After an adventure on the Vega space station some time in the future, the TARDIS
crew returned to 1967 to investigate the activities of the "Revolution Man
". During this time, Fitz left the TARDIS for two years, and became a brainwashed agent of Communist
China
, only returning when the Doctor broke his conditioning.
In the two-book Interference
story by Lawrence Miles
, Fitz was put into stasis and was awakened in the 26th century by the Faction Paradox
cult. Thereafter he became a Faction agent for at least four years. A copy of his biodata was given to a race known as the Remote. The Remote were formerly human, but were now sterile, replacing its dead by creating a new body out of raw biomass and using the memories of the deceased's friends to reconstruct its personality. Using this technology, the Remote created a copy of Fitz which went by the name Kode.
The original Fitz, in the meantime, went on to become Father Kreiner, a Faction agent who hunted down many Time Lord
s before he was drawn into a bottle universe by the mysterious Gallifreyan I.M. Foreman. This version of Fitz makes an unnamed cameo appearance in Miles's Virgin New Adventure Dead Romance
as part of a creature known as The Horror, made up of various individuals who have fallen into the space-time vortex. The Doctor used Remote technology to "remember" Fitz from Kode, and this Fitz, after coming to terms with his own identity although he was a copy, continued to travel with the Doctor (Interference). The original Kreiner returned, apparently for revenge, in The Ancestor Cell
, but wanted the Doctor to change the past so he would never become Father Kreiner. Ultimately, Kreiner was killed by the Faction's leader, Grandfather Paradox
, for his betrayal.
When the Doctor destroyed Gallifrey and was rendered amnesia
c in the aftermath, his living TARDIS companion Compassion
transported the Doctor to the end of the 19th century to begin the long process of recovery. At the same time, she dropped Fitz off in 2001 to await the Doctor. After meeting the Doctor as arranged, the two continued to have adventures and were joined by Anji
and later, Trix
, Fitz occasionally working to prevent the Doctor from learning the truth about his past too early. Fitz's own memories about the destruction of Gallifrey also began to disappear, due to the Doctor subconsciously trying to wipe them. He briefly left the Doctor in Time Zero
to serve as chronicler for an expedition to the Antarctic in 1899, having grown tired of being a sidekick, but returned to the Doctor when reality faced peril from the Doctor's foe Sabbath
.
By the time of the last regular Eighth Doctor Adventures
novel, The Gallifrey Chronicles
by Lance Parkin
, Trix and Fitz had fallen in love and had started a relationship. They prepare to leave the TARDIS, but insect-like alien creatures the Vore attack Earth and Fitz is apparently killed. However, the Doctor reveals that all the Vore victims are actually still alive, but the chemicals secreted by the Vore render them invisible to humans. Fitz and Trix along with the Doctor, were last seen about to jump down a huge ventilation shaft to confront the Vore inside. The resolution to that confrontation, and any further adventures, have yet to be chronicled.
audio drama The Company of Friends
, where he is portrayed by Matt Di Angelo
. The story takes place sometime during the pair's travels with Anji, who doesn't appear due to sleeping off an alien cocktail given to her by Fitz.
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...
in the Eighth Doctor Adventures
Eighth Doctor Adventures
The Eighth Doctor Adventures are a series of spin off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and published under the BBC Books imprint. 73 books were published overall...
novels based upon the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series, Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. The Eighth Doctor
Eighth Doctor
The Eighth Doctor is the eighth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Paul McGann...
first met him in the novel The Taint
The Taint
The Taint is an original novel written by Michael Collier and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The work features the Eighth Doctor and Sam. This also marks the introduction of a new companion, Fitz Kreiner.-External links:*-Reviews:*...
by Michael Collier
Michael Collier (author)
Michael Collier is the author of the Doctor Who novels Longest Day and The Taint, both in the BBC's Eighth Doctor Adventures series, and of the short story "Vigil" on the Doctor Who audio release Out of the Darkness.-External links:...
— the character was co-created by Stephen Cole
Stephen Cole (writer)
Stephen Cole is an author of children's books and science fiction. He was also in charge of BBC Worldwide's merchandising of the BBC Television series Doctor Who between 1997 and 1999: this was a role which found him deciding on which stories should be released on video, commissioning and editing...
— and he went on to become one of his companions
Companion (Doctor Who)
In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
. The canonicity of the novels with respect to the television series, like other Doctor Who spin-offs
Doctor Who spin-offs
Doctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, is open to interpretation.
Character biography
Fitz was born in 1936 to Otto Kreiner and Muriel Tarr Kreiner at the Royal Free HospitalRoyal Free Hospital
The Royal Free Hospital is a major teaching hospital in Hampstead, London, England and part of the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust....
in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
. His father died when Fitz was young, and his mother fell ill, forcing Fitz into foster care. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was often subjected to beatings by other boys, due to his German heritage.
Fitz was 27 years old when he first met the Eighth Doctor
Eighth Doctor
The Eighth Doctor is the eighth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Paul McGann...
and Sam Jones
Sam Jones (Doctor Who)
Samantha Angeline Jones, or simply Sam, is a fictional character in the Eighth Doctor Adventures novels based upon the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The Eighth Doctor first met her in the novel The Eight Doctors by Terrance Dicks, and she went on to become one of his...
in 1963. He smoked, drank and liked to think of himself a ladies' man (which he is not). He often found himself out of his depth in futuristic and alien settings, but was always loyal to the Doctor and was the longest serving companion in the novels (55 novels to date).
In The Taint, Fitz was working at a florists' when he became entangled with an alien plot. He discovered that his mother, a patient in a mental institution, and all the other patients had alien leeches in their heads. Mrs. Kreiner was killed when the Doctor reprogrammed a humanoid robot to kill all those infected by the leeches, lest they destroy humanity. After these events, Fitz decided to travel with the Doctor and Sam, technically on the run from the police.
After an adventure on the Vega space station some time in the future, the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
crew returned to 1967 to investigate the activities of the "Revolution Man
Revolution Man
Revolution Man is an original novel written by Paul Leonard and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Sam and Fitz.-Plot:...
". During this time, Fitz left the TARDIS for two years, and became a brainwashed agent of Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, only returning when the Doctor broke his conditioning.
In the two-book Interference
Interference: Book One
Interference: Book One is an original novel written by Lawrence Miles and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
story by Lawrence Miles
Lawrence Miles
Lawrence Miles is a science fiction author known for his work on original Doctor Who novels and the subsequent spin-off Faction Paradox...
, Fitz was put into stasis and was awakened in the 26th century by the Faction Paradox
Faction Paradox
Faction Paradox is a fictional time travelling cult/rebel group/organized crime syndicate, originally created by the author Lawrence Miles. The Faction's belief-system as portrayed has some similarities to voodoo, and is sometimes described as such...
cult. Thereafter he became a Faction agent for at least four years. A copy of his biodata was given to a race known as the Remote. The Remote were formerly human, but were now sterile, replacing its dead by creating a new body out of raw biomass and using the memories of the deceased's friends to reconstruct its personality. Using this technology, the Remote created a copy of Fitz which went by the name Kode.
The original Fitz, in the meantime, went on to become Father Kreiner, a Faction agent who hunted down many Time Lord
Time Lord
The Time Lords are an ancient extraterrestrial race and civilization of humanoids in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, of which the series' eponymous protagonist, the Doctor, is a member...
s before he was drawn into a bottle universe by the mysterious Gallifreyan I.M. Foreman. This version of Fitz makes an unnamed cameo appearance in Miles's Virgin New Adventure Dead Romance
Dead Romance
Dead Romance is an original novel by Lawrence Miles, originally published as part of the Virgin New Adventures series. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
as part of a creature known as The Horror, made up of various individuals who have fallen into the space-time vortex. The Doctor used Remote technology to "remember" Fitz from Kode, and this Fitz, after coming to terms with his own identity although he was a copy, continued to travel with the Doctor (Interference). The original Kreiner returned, apparently for revenge, in The Ancestor Cell
The Ancestor Cell
The Ancestor Cell is a novel by Peter Anghelides and Stephen Cole, based on the science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz Kreiner, Compassion and Romana III- as well as a brief appearance of the Third Doctor in a ghost-like state due to the Faction's...
, but wanted the Doctor to change the past so he would never become Father Kreiner. Ultimately, Kreiner was killed by the Faction's leader, Grandfather Paradox
Grandfather paradox
The grandfather paradox is a proposed paradox of time travel first described by the science fiction writer René Barjavel in his 1943 book Le Voyageur Imprudent . The paradox is this: suppose a man traveled back in time and killed his biological grandfather before the latter met the traveler's...
, for his betrayal.
When the Doctor destroyed Gallifrey and was rendered amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
c in the aftermath, his living TARDIS companion Compassion
Compassion (Doctor Who)
Compassion is a fictional character in the Eighth Doctor Adventures novels based upon the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Compassion was originally from a people known as the Remote, a splinter group of the time travelling voodoo cult Faction Paradox...
transported the Doctor to the end of the 19th century to begin the long process of recovery. At the same time, she dropped Fitz off in 2001 to await the Doctor. After meeting the Doctor as arranged, the two continued to have adventures and were joined by Anji
Anji Kapoor
Anji Kapoor, or simply Anji, is a fictional character in the Eighth Doctor Adventures, a novel series based upon the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. The Eighth Doctor first met her in the novel Escape Velocity by Colin Brake, and she went on to become one of his companions....
and later, Trix
Trix MacMillan
Beatrix MacMillan, or simply Trix, is a fictional character in the Eighth Doctor Adventures novels based upon the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. The Eighth Doctor first met her in the novel Time Zero by Justin Richards, but it was not until the novel Timeless by Stephen Cole...
, Fitz occasionally working to prevent the Doctor from learning the truth about his past too early. Fitz's own memories about the destruction of Gallifrey also began to disappear, due to the Doctor subconsciously trying to wipe them. He briefly left the Doctor in Time Zero
Time Zero
Time Zero is a BBC Books original novel written by Justin Richards and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz and Anji and introduces a new companion, Trix.-Plot:...
to serve as chronicler for an expedition to the Antarctic in 1899, having grown tired of being a sidekick, but returned to the Doctor when reality faced peril from the Doctor's foe Sabbath
Sabbath (Doctor Who)
Sabbath is the name of a recurring villain from the Eighth Doctor Adventures — spin-off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. The character was created by Lawrence Miles and first appeared in The Adventuress of Henrietta Street...
.
By the time of the last regular Eighth Doctor Adventures
Eighth Doctor Adventures
The Eighth Doctor Adventures are a series of spin off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and published under the BBC Books imprint. 73 books were published overall...
novel, The Gallifrey Chronicles
The Gallifrey Chronicles (2005 novel)
For the John Peel book of the same name, see: The Gallifrey Chronicles The Gallifrey Chronicles is a BBC Books original novel written by Lance Parkin and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
by Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale...
, Trix and Fitz had fallen in love and had started a relationship. They prepare to leave the TARDIS, but insect-like alien creatures the Vore attack Earth and Fitz is apparently killed. However, the Doctor reveals that all the Vore victims are actually still alive, but the chemicals secreted by the Vore render them invisible to humans. Fitz and Trix along with the Doctor, were last seen about to jump down a huge ventilation shaft to confront the Vore inside. The resolution to that confrontation, and any further adventures, have yet to be chronicled.
Appearances in Other Media
Fitz appears as a companion to the Eighth Doctor in the Big Finish ProductionsBig Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
audio drama The Company of Friends
The Company of Friends
The Company of Friends is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The play is made of four one-part stories, by different authors, rather than the usual multi-part serial...
, where he is portrayed by Matt Di Angelo
Matt Di Angelo
Matt Di Angelo in London, England is an English actor and singer.He is mostly known for playing fictional character Deano Wicks in the popular British soap EastEnders, and for his current role of Sean Kennedy in the BBC series Hustle.-Education:He attended Southgate School, and started studying...
. The story takes place sometime during the pair's travels with Anji, who doesn't appear due to sleeping off an alien cocktail given to her by Fitz.