Since making his debut inResident Alienseason 1, episode 9, “Welcome Aliens,” Terry O’Quinn’sPeter “The Alien Tracker” Bach has become a huge part of the irreverent dramedy’s story. Quinn is not only one ofResident Alien’s greatest sci-fi guest stars, but his arc is also one of the darkest and most fascinating in the entire show. His shocking return at theend ofResident Alienseason 3, while perhaps half-expected by the audience, came as a massive surprise to certain residents of Patience, Colorado. WithResident Alienseason 4’s confirmation, his legend was able to be continued.
Quinn has dipped in and out of theResident Aliencastsince he first entered the fray. However, the more Peter Bach features in the show, the more is learned about his devastating origin story and what drives him to track down extraterrestrials on Earth. Interestingly, the show’s approach to fleshing out his character has already resulted in him being temporarily recast for certain key moments. It’s a brilliant way to learn about his motivations, butjumping around Peter’s timeline can make his arc a little difficult to followat times.
Peter Bach’s Origin As The Alien Tracker Explained
The Alien Tracker’s backstory is a devastating one
Peter Bach’s wife was abducted byResident Alien’s Grey Aliensduring the couple’s younger years. The nefarious extraterrestrials used their time-stopping technology to make the task easier, andneither Peter nor his wife remember the event itself taking place. Instead, Peter’s wife, Jenny Bach (Kayla Deorksen), is shown being pregnant one moment, and then her baby bump is missing seconds later. Peter himself was also abducted at some point, but it’s unclear if this was at the same time as his wife and child were taken, or at a later time.
Dylan Sloan plays Peter Bach as a younger man inResident Alien’s flashbacks, and little is known about what happened to Jenny by the time of the show’s present day.
Since the loss of his child, Peter and his wife would regularly work out from context that they had been abducted again by the Greys so they could be near their offspring. This was achieved by the Greys implanting chips into the Bachs so they could be tracked and recalled - a common practice among the Grey Aliens.Peter eventually adopted the moniker of “The Alien Tracker” while searching for the Greysand shared his experiences and knowledge online, which led to the creation of a devoted following of Experiencers and alien enthusiasts.
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Alan Tudyk’s Harry Vanderspeigletore out Peter’s chip when they first crossed paths, as he needed alien technology for something he was working on at the time. This resulted in Peter and Harry developing a fractious relationship. Interestingly,Peter’s origin story is very similar to that of Ben (Levi Fiehler) and Kate (Meredith Hawthorne), as their baby was also taken at theend ofResident Alienseason 2. That being said, Kate’s pregnancy wasn’t as far along as Jenny’s, so the baby’s absence was attributed to a false positive on a pregnancy test.
The Alien Tracker Shares The Same Genetic Mutation As Max Hawthorne
Peter Bach has a very rare ability
Although Harry and other aliens can change their appearances on a molecular level to blend in with humans,certainResident Aliencharacters canstill see Harry’s real face, as well as through the disguise of other aliens. This is because there is a rare genetic mutation present in a very select group of humans that gives them this ability, and Peter Bach is one of them.The only other character to also have this gene is Judah Prehn’s Max Hawthorne. Whenever Peter or Max are in a scene with an alien character, they tend to appear in their natural form.
It’s unclear if Harry is the first alien (other than the Greys) with whom Peter Bach has come into contact. Bach even accuses Harry of being a Grey when they first meet.
It’s unclear if Harry is the first alien (other than the Greys) with whom Peter Bach has come into contact. Bach even accuses Harry of being a Grey when they first meet, which suggestsPeter’s experience with aliens is actually somewhat limited. However, although he wasn’t likely the first person to be exposed to alien life, nor was he the last, and it’s incredibly rare that someone with the alien-spotting gene would also be taken by the Greys. So, it makes him especially qualified to fill the self-created position of Alien Tracker as he attempts to find his son.
The Alien Tracker Is Largely Seen As A Conspiracy Theorist In Resident Alien
Terry O’Quinn’s Resident Alien character is only respected in certain circles
Although it takes place in a heightened reality,Resident Aliendraws a lot of its inspiration from the real world when it comes to the culture around UFO sightings and the general debate about whether aliens exist. In short, because there is so little tangible evidence available to the public,the Alien Tracker and his fellow experts are often operating with scraps, whispers, and theories. As a result, although Peter Bach is respected and believed in certain circles, he is generally seen as something of a fantasist when outside the context of alien conventions and similar scenarios.
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Regardless, Peter Bach is still a standout figure in his field for those who wish to learn more about alien life. He may not be regularly approached by reputable organizations, butExperiencers and enthusiasts know Peter’s name and reputation, and that he is the man to seek out with questions and for more information. This is proven by Deputy Liv Baker (Elizabeth Bowden) summoning Peter to Patience and her reverence for the Alien Tracker’s work.
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Peter was shot while protecting his son
While helping Harry on a rescue mission to liberate prisoners from a government holding facility, Peter is sadly shot down in action. The moment is made even sadder by the fact that he is briefly reunited with his grown-up son after decades of searching. It’s at least discovered that Peter’s son, Robert Hutchins (Paul Piaskowski) was raised by the Greys. After being freed,Robert is re-abducted and later encounters Harry again aboard the Greys' massive moon shipat the end ofResident Alienseason 3.
Peter Bach’s body was kept alive by Linda Hamilton’s General McCallister for a very specific purpose: his alien-spotting genetic mutation.
Believed to be brain-dead as a result of being shot, Peter Bach’s body was kept alive by Linda Hamilton’s General McCallister for a very specific purpose: his alien-spotting genetic mutation. His eyesight is harnessed as a weapon to help the government identify aliens in disguise, andPeter’s body is augmented with advanced technologywith the intention that the cybernetic creation would be under the control of McCallister and her forces.
What To Expect From The Alien Tracker In Resident Alien Season 4
Peter will be instrumental in the fight against the Greys
In one of the show’s biggest twists, Peter’s consciousness returns during a battle in the season 3 finale, and he flees the scene to seek out Liv for help. With Harry trapped aboard the Greys' ship byResident Alienseason 4’s new villain, the Mantid,the Patience townsfolk will be in dire need of leaderswho also have more than surface knowledge of how the Greys operate. Although that could arguably apply to several characters, Peter Bach is the best option and is made even better by his new weaponry.
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That being said,it remains to be seen just how much Peter has been changed by his experiences, and just how much of his memory has remained intact. If the story’s heroes can convince him to fight for them, then they stand a much better chance of winning. With the gentle and understanding Deputy Liv at his side, it seems likely that Peter will opt to join forces withResident Alien’s main cast and continue his mission to not only find his son again but also to take down the Grey Aliens.
Resident Alien
Cast
A television adaptation of the comic book series, Resident Alien is a sci-fi comedy that stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crashes on Earth with one mission - destroy humanity to save the planet. When Tudyk’s character takes the identity of a doctor, he arrives at a small town and begins to act the role preparing his plan. As time passes, he develops human emotions against his will - but his plans are further complicated when he meets the son of the mayor - who can see his actual appearance.
