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Saavik

2025-10-06T22:43:57Z

2603:9001:4500:1C09:8052:DB7B:FE2C:1996: /* Fictional biography */

{{Short description|Fictional character in the Star Trek universe}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Saavik
| series = [[Star Trek]]
| image = Saavik.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Lt. (j.g) Saavik as portrayed by [[Kirstie Alley]] in ''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]''
| first = ''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|The Wrath of Khan]]'' (1982)
| last = ''[[765874 - Unification]]'' (2024)
| creator = {{Plainlist|
* [[Gene Roddenberry]]
* [[Harve Bennett]]
* [[Jack B. Sowards]]
* [[Nicholas Meyer]]
* [[Samuel A. Peeples]]
}}
| portrayer = [[Kirstie Alley]]<br>[[Robin Curtis]]
| species = [[Vulcan (Star Trek)|Vulcan]]
| affiliation = [[Starfleet]]
| children = Sorak
| lbl23 = Posting
| data23 = [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']] navigator<br />USS ''Grissom'' science officer<br />USS ''Titan'' commanding officer
| lbl31 = [[Star Trek uniforms|Rank]]
| data31 = [[Starfleet ranks and insignia#Lieutenant, Junior Grade (Star Trek)|Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Captain]]
}}

'''Saavik''' is a fictional character in the ''[[Star Trek]]'' universe. She first appeared in the film ''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'' (1982) played by [[Kirstie Alley]]. [[Robin Curtis]] took over the role for ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]'' (1984) and ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]'' (1986).

== Fictional biography ==
Saavik's background was never explored on screen. It has, however, been fleshed out in novels and comic books, though none of these sources are considered [[canon (fiction)|canon]]. According to the novels and comics, Saavik was born on Hellguard, an abandoned [[Romulan]] colony, and is half [[Vulcan (Star Trek)|Vulcan]] and half [[Romulan]].<ref name="Vonda N 1982">[[Vonda N. McIntyre|McIntyre, Vonda N.]] (1982). ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'', Pocket Books.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Star Trek Magazine June July 2013 |url=https://archive.org/details/Star_Trek_Magazine_June-July_2013/page/n76/mode/1up?q=Romulan |quote=Does the movie even mention that she's Romulan and Vulcan? I blush to admit I can't remember. That was in the screenplay. }}</ref>

A line of dialogue that would have revealed this in ''The Wrath of Khan'' was edited out prior to the film's release and never restored; as a result, the canonicity of this piece of information has been debated for more than two decades. Saavik's mixed parentage is referenced often in her appearances in ''Star Trek'' novels. However, if Saavik's mixed ancestry were to be made [[canon (fiction)|canon]], it would violate the [[Continuity (fiction)|continuity]] created by the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' episode "[[Balance of Terror]]" (which takes place after Saavik's birth) in which Starfleet learns for the first time that Romulans resemble Vulcans, a fact that appears to be unknown to Vulcans (or at least the extremely knowledgeable [[Spock|Mr. Spock]]) as well.

Some non-canon novels, however, hold that at least some Vulcans were fully aware of the Romulans' heritage, but deliberately concealed that knowledge from the Federation, considering it an embarrassing internal affair that should not be revealed to their allies. The TV series ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' established in canon that some factions of the Vulcan government were aware of the connection as early as the 22nd century. (There has also been some debate about whether Spock rescued the child Saavik before or after the events that occurred during "Balance of Terror". A rescue occurring after the episode would not be in conflict with the Vulcans' knowledge of Romulans.)

A few sources have her (non-canon) origin story aligned to original material found in the film's novelization,<ref name="Vonda N 1982"/> as follows: she was rescued from the colony, along with other children, by Spock, and she was cared for by his parents Ambassador [[Sarek]] and [[Amanda Grayson]]. Following in the footsteps of her mentor, Spock, she entered [[Starfleet Academy]].

In the non-canon 1990 novel ''The Pandora Principle,'' written by Carolyn Clowes, it is established that four Vulcan research ships were captured by Romulans. Their Vulcan crews were abducted by Romulan scientists and their fertility was manipulated to produce half-Romulan, half-Vulcan children such as Saavik to use in mind control experiments. Vulcan scientists learned of the experiments and mounted a secret rescue of Saavik and other child survivors on Hellguard. Spock threatened to reveal the story to Federation authorities and along with it the secret of the Vulcan mating cycle ''[[pon farr]]'' if the survivors were denied Vulcan citizenship. Other members of the party wanted to educate them elsewhere and send the children to live on worlds other than Vulcan. Clowes writes that Saavik's name is of Romulan origin and translates as "little cat". In ''The Pandora Principle,'' Saavik, unlike the other half-Vulcan, half-Romulan child survivors, refuses a [[DNA]] test that would identify her Vulcan relatives. Instead, Spock, who has established a bond with her, takes a year of personal leave to "civilize" and educate the 9- or 10-year-old Saavik. She then lives off Vulcan with foster families or at boarding schools chosen by Spock until she is accepted into the Starfleet Academy as a teenager.<ref>Clowes, Carolyn (1990). ''Star Trek: The Pandora Principle'', Pocket Books.</ref> This agrees with the ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]'' novelization which said Saavik has never been to Vulcan until then.<ref>[[Vonda N. McIntyre|McIntyre, Vonda N.]] (1984). ''Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'', Pocket Books.</ref> After graduating, as a fresh Lieutenant{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} Saavik was on her cadet cruise on the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']] with Admiral [[James T. Kirk]] and Captain Spock when Kirk's old enemy [[Khan Noonien Singh]] sought revenge for the failure of the Ceti Alpha V colony and the death of his wife, [[Marla McGivers]], and attacked the ''Enterprise.''

Spock died while saving the ''Enterprise'' during the events of ''Wrath of Khan'', but before his death transferred his ''[[Vulcan (Star Trek)#Katra|katra]]'' to [[Leonard McCoy|Dr. Leonard McCoy]]. His coffin was fired from the ''Enterprise'' in orbit around the [[Project Genesis (Star Trek)|Genesis Planet]] and was believed to have been destroyed in the atmosphere. A rare expression of emotion by a Vulcan is displayed when Saavik is seen shedding a tear during the [[eulogy]] for Spock by Kirk. Saavik and [[David Marcus (Star Trek)|David Marcus]] (son of Admiral [[James T. Kirk]]), subsequently were assigned to the research vessel ''USS Grissom'' to study the newly formed Genesis Planet. During this mission, Saavik discovered that Spock had somehow been regenerated, and was rapidly aging. As the new Spock entered his teenage years, he began experiencing the mating drive known as ''[[pon farr]]'', and Saavik helped Spock through this difficult time. When the [[Klingon]] commander Kruge and his men captured the landing party the next day, David sacrificed his life to save Saavik from being executed. Saavik helped Admiral Kirk return Spock to Vulcan, where his body and ''katra'' were reunited. Afterwards, she remained on Vulcan with Spock's family for reasons never explained on screen; the film's writers intended that this was because she was pregnant with Spock's child as a result of the ''pon farr'', but no references to her pregnancy made it into the finished movie and it was initially not followed up, thereby once again placing this development into a grey area in terms of canon. Before the Enterprise crew departed Vulcan, Saavik told Captain Kirk how his son had died bravely, sacrificing himself to save both Spock and herself. In the 2024 short film ''[[765874 – Unification]]'' Saavik is shown wordlessly introducing Kirk to a grown Vulcan male (played by [[Mark Chinnery]]  and named Sorak in the credits) indicating he was her son.

== Unrealized concepts ==

Saavik was at one point to appear in the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' episode, "[[Cause and Effect (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Cause and Effect]]" in a scene in which the ''Enterprise''-D encounters a starship that had been trapped in a time anomaly for some 80 years. The idea was dropped when Kirstie Alley insisted on being paid more for a nonspeaking cameo part than the episode budget could supply. (Saavik was to have been shown standing alongside a character played by [[Kelsey Grammer]], Alley's ''[[Cheers]]'' co-star.)<ref>[[Larry Nemecek|Nemecek, Larry]] (2003). ''Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion''. Pocket Books. {{ISBN|0-7434-5798-6}}.</ref>

The character of Saavik was originally intended to appear in ''[[Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country]]'', which would have revealed her as a traitor to the Federation. The idea of using an established character was dropped and instead a new character, Valeris, was created,<ref>Gross, Edward, ed., (1995) ''The Making of the Trek Films'', 3rd ed., Image Publishing, p. 106</ref> whom Douglas Brode described as "a dark doppelgänger of the heroic Saavik".<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Brode |editor1-first=Douglas |editor2-last=Brode |editor2-first=Shea T. |date=2015 |title=The Star Trek Universe: Franchising the Final Frontier |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |chapter=Introduction: Gene Roddenberry's Creation as an Abiding Pop Culture Phenomenon |page=xxi |isbn=978-1-4422-4985-1}}</ref> According to director [[Nicholas Meyer]], writing in his autobiography, ''The View from the Bridge'', Saavik was dropped from the film and Valeris created when Kirstie Alley proved unwilling to reprise the role and Meyer didn't like Curtis's portrayal of the character,<ref>[[Nicholas Meyer|Meyer, Nicholas]] (2009), ''The View from the Bridge: Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood'', Plume, pp. 203 & 212.</ref> while [[Leonard Nimoy]], in his autobiography ''I Am Spock'', said there were also second thoughts about casting a popular, established character as a villain.<ref>[[Leonard Nimoy|Nimoy, Leonard]] (1995), ''I Am Spock'', Hyperion, p. 319.</ref> Saavik, however, does appear in the novelization of the film, as a recruiting officer who inspires Valeris to join Starfleet, and offers some insights on how to deal with a dual heritage.

== Other appearances and ''Next Generation'' continuity ==
In the novel ''Vulcan's Heart'',<ref>[[Josepha Sherman|Sherman, Josepha]] & [[Susan Shwartz|Shwartz, Susan]] (1999). ''Star Trek: Vulcan's Heart'', Pocket Books.</ref> which takes place some years after ''Undiscovered Country'', an older Saavik marries Spock. Saavik appears again in the ''Vulcan's Soul'' trilogy of novels published from 2004. In this continuity, the character has risen to the rank of captain.<ref>[[Josepha Sherman|Sherman, Josepha]] & [[Susan Shwartz|Shwartz, Susan]] (2004). ''Star Trek: Vulcan's Soul: Exodus'', Pocket Books.</ref> In the ''[[Star Trek: Titan|Titan]]'' novel, ''Taking Wing'', it is clearly stated that Spock and Saavik are married, as she sends greetings through [[Tuvok]].<ref>Martin, Michael A. & [[Andy Mangels|Mangels, Andy]] (2005). ''Star Trek: Titan: Taking Wing'', Pocket Books.</ref> [[List of Star Trek novels|Star Trek books]] are not considered part of the [[Star Trek canon|established canon]].

In the "[[Mirror Universe]] Saga" trilogy of novels written by [[William Shatner]], it is revealed that the Mirror Universe's Intendant Spock had a daughter named T'Val with Mirror Saavik.<ref>[[William Shatner|Shatner, William]] with [[Judith Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens, Judith]] & [[Garfield Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens, Garfield]] (1998). ''Star Trek: Spectre'', Pocket Books.</ref>

[[Kirstie Alley]] did play Saavik one other time, in a play that was set between ''The Wrath of Khan'' and ''The Search for Spock'', "The Machiavellian Principle" written by [[Walter Koenig]] for the ambitious "Ultimate Fantasy" convention. It also starred [[James Doohan]], [[Mark Lenard]] (not as Sarek), Walter Koenig, [[Nichelle Nichols]] and [[George Takei]], with a [[Walk-on (actor)|walk-on]] role by [[William Shatner]] as "the Admiral". The short script was eventually published by [[Creation Conventions]] in a booklet about Koenig's career, called "Through the Looking Glass". It misspells the name in the cast list as "Savik".<ref>[[Walter Koenig|Koenig, Walter]] (1987), ''Through the Looking Glass'', Creation Conventions.</ref>

== Early reference ==
[[Samuel A. Peeples]]' unused script, ''Worlds That Never Were'', for the second ''Star Trek'' film, had a male character called "Doctor Savik", who eventually was morphed into the female Lieutenant Saavik.<ref>[[Samuel A. Peeples|Peeples, Samuel A.]], ''Worlds That Never Were'' unused script.</ref>

== Reception ==
Her character has been discussed by a number of scholars in the context of changing the representation of women characters in the Star Trek franchise. Mary Ann Tetreault noted how her story has marked the change in the style of how females are portrayed in Star Trek, noting that "she is not conventionally pretty", nor is she "subordinate to the men in the story", and that she "is shown to be much more capable" than many of them.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Tetreault|first=Mary Ann|date=1984|title=Special Supplement: Star Trek|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/222845358|journal=Minerva|volume=2|issue=4|pages=119|id={{ProQuest|222845358}}}}</ref> Anne Cranny-Francis, discussing her character's background as revealed in a 1990 novel, ''The Pandora Principle'', by [[Carolyn Clowes]], described her as one of the "strong and courageous" women in early Star Trek stories.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cranny-Francis|first=Anne|date=1997|title=Different Identities, Different Voices: Possibilities and Pleasures in Some of Jean Lorrah's "Star Trek" Novels|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4240606|journal=Science Fiction Studies|volume=24|issue=2|pages=245–255|jstor=4240606|issn=0091-7729}}</ref> Likewise, [[Gary Westfahl]] called her "a strong and independent character", also noting that Saavik's character was "effectively destroyed when the producers refused to meet Alley's salary demands and recast the role in the next two films with a spectacularly untalented and vacuous actress, Robyn Curtis, transforming Saavik from a woman warrior to a wallflower".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Westfahl|first=Gary|date=1993|title=Superladies in Waiting: How the Female Hero Almost Emerges in Science Fiction|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1312045895|journal=Foundation|pages=42–62|id={{ProQuest|1312045895}}}}</ref> Sociologist Bärbel Schomers similarly characterized Saavik as an important character and strong female role, and listed her among several such figures that were conspicuously removed from the ''Star Trek'' franchise shortly after their introduction.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Schomers |first=Bärbel |date=2013 |title=Star Trek – auf der Suche nach dem Feminismus |trans-title=Star Trek - the search for feminism |url=https://www.querelles-net.de/index.php/qn/article/view/1066 |language=German |journal=Querelles-net |volume=14 |issue=2 |doi=10.14766/1066 |access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Bick">{{cite journal |last=Bick |first=Ilsa J. |date=1996 |title=Boys in Space: ''Star Trek'', Latency, and the Neverending Story |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1225755 |journal=[[Journal of Cinema and Media Studies|Cinema Journal]] |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=43–60 |doi=10.2307/1225755 |jstor=1225755 |access-date=May 28, 2021|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Donald E. Palumbo stated that the ''Star Trek'' movies closely conform to the structure of the [[monomyth]] as described by [[Joseph Campbell]]. In this view, Saavik provides the "[[Hero's journey#Supernatural Aid|supernatural aid]]" to Kirk in ''The Wrath of Khan''. She is also the "navigator" in this and the following two films. In ''The Search for Spock'', "the reborn Spock appears to have at least a mystical marriage on Genesis with Saavik", who here takes the role of "[[Hero's journey#The Meeting with the Goddess|the goddess as ’good mother’]] who helps him survive ''[[pon farr]]''".<ref>{{cite book |author-last=Palumbo |author-first=Donald E. |editor-last=Geraghty |editor-first=Lincoln |date=2008 |title=The Influence of Star Trek on Television, Film and Culture |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |chapter=The Monomyth in Star Trek Films |pages=115–136 |series=Critical Explorations in Science Fiction and Fantasy |volume=4 |isbn=978-0-7864-3034-5}}</ref><ref name="Bick"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Memory Alpha|Saavik|Lieutenant Saavik}}

{{Star Trek recurring characters}}

[[Category:Fictional lieutenants]]
[[Category:Fictional commanders]]
[[Category:Fictional military captains]]
[[Category:Fictional female soldiers]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 23rd century]]
[[Category:Fictional sole survivors]]
[[Category:Vulcans]]
[[Category:Romulans]]
[[Category:Star Trek (film franchise) characters]]
[[Category:Star Trek hybrids]]
[[Category:Starfleet officers]]
[[Category:Starfleet lieutenants]]
[[Category:Film characters introduced in 1982]]

The Village (The Prisoner)

2025-10-06T12:47:40Z

2603:9001:4500:1C09:8052:DB7B:FE2C:1996:

{{Short description|Fictional setting of the UK series The Prisoner}}
{{multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=January 2021}}
{{notability|date=September 2023}}
{{original research|date=October 2025}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2010}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:The Village (''The Prisoner'')}}
{{Infobox fictional location
| image = Portmeirion.750pix.jpg
| caption = The piazza in [[Portmeirion]], the real-life filming location for exterior shots of the Village
| source = [[The Prisoner]]
| first = "[[Arrival (The Prisoner)|Arrival]]" (1967)
| last = "[[Fall Out (The Prisoner)|Fall Out]]" (1968)
| creator = [[Patrick McGoohan]]<br>[[George Markstein]]
| genre =
| type = [[Village]]
| located_in = [[Great Britain]]
| characters = [[Number Six (The Prisoner)|Number Six]]
}}

'''The Village''' is the fictional setting of the 1960s UK television series ''[[The Prisoner]]'' where the main character, [[Number Six (The Prisoner)|Number Six]], is held with other former spies and operatives from various countries.<ref>{{cite web |first = Steven Paul |last = Davies |date = 17 August 2000 |title = Merciful release |website = [[The Guardian]] |url = https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/aug/17/features.theguardian |access-date = 28 March 2019}}</ref> The theme of the series is his captors' attempts to find out why Number Six resigned from his job and his attempts to escape from the Village and learn the identity of Number One. Ostensibly, those running the Village{{snd}}thought by many to be countries around the world{{snd}}believe that once Number Six is coerced into explaining the {{Not a typo|motive(s)}} behind his resignation, all the state secrets he knows will come tumbling out. However, the ultimate use of these secrets is only intimated, but not overtly explored. Beyond its explicit physical setting, the Village is also viewed as an allegory for humanity and society during the [[Cold War]] era. [[Patrick McGoohan]] notes in various post-show interviews that the Village is "within all of us ... we all live in a little Village ... Your village may be different from other people's villages but we are all prisoners."<ref>{{cite interview |last=McGoohan |first=Patrick |date=March 1977 |subject-link= |interviewer=Troyer, Warner |title=Interview with Patrick McGoohan |publisher=The Ontario Educational Communications Authority |work=TVOntario |url=http://www.difference-engine.co.uk/library/mcgoohan.html |access-date=16 March 2019}}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Stoneship 2.jpg|thumb|The Stone Boat located in front of the Village's "Old People's Home" (in real life [[the Hotel Portmeirion]])]]
The location of the Village is unknown until the end of the series; clues to its whereabouts are contradictory until the final episode. In "[[Many Happy Returns (Prisoner episode)|Many Happy Returns]]," it is said to be on the coast of [[Morocco]] or southern Portugal, possibly an island, and is located by Number Six in this area while making reconnaissance passes in an aircraft. Prior to this, in "[[The Chimes of Big Ben]]," it is claimed to be located in the Soviet Union on the [[Baltic Sea]] (the episode states "in [[Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic|Lithuania]], 30 miles from the [[People's Republic of Poland|Polish border]]"), though it is later revealed that this was a Village disinformation plot. In the alternative version of the episode "The Chimes of Big Ben," Number Six constructs a device that allows him to work out the Village's location; this scene was cut – presumably to remove the reference to navigation by stars, which would have allowed an estimation at the least of the Village's general position, thereby undermining the story line of the episode (if not a key element in the entire series). The un-cut version of the episode is not considered part of the series' "canon".

The series final episode, "[[Fall Out (The Prisoner)|Fall Out]]," reveals that the Village is actually located in Great Britain, as Number Six and other characters are able to drive from the Village to central London. Although a line of dialogue in "Many Happy Returns" has a character speculating that the Village is on an island, this is never confirmed in the series, and in fact all given locations (save for that in "Fall Out") should be considered unreliable evidence given the fact they are mentioned as part of a deception aimed at getting Number Six to reveal why he resigned from his secret British government job.

[[File:Gloriette, Portmerion - view from S.jpg|thumb|right|The Gloriette – used extensively in the episode [[Free for All (The Prisoner)|Free for All]]]]
The [[Italianate architecture]] of the Village is somewhat deceptive as the interiors of the buildings are frequently Georgian, 1960s 'mod', or in a number of instances, an oddly sparse kind of 'ultra modern' design. Throughout the Village, music plays in the background, nearly all of it alternating between rousing marching band music and lullabies, periodically interrupted by public announcements (voiced by [[Fenella Fielding]]). The media and signage consistently incorporate sailing and resort themes.

Exactly who operates the Village is unclear. Ostensibly, the Village is run by a democratically elected council, with a popularly elected executive officer known as "[[Number Two (The Prisoner)|Number Two]]" presiding over it and the Village itself, although internal dialogue indicates that the entire process is rigged. "Work units" or "credits" serve as currency in its shops, and are kept track of with a hole-punched credit card. Although various members of the community in the Village are shown to hold down jobs or even own businesses, most, including Number Six do not seem to work, though they are nevertheless given a comfortable lifestyle.

The exact size of the environs of the Village is never established on screen. Besides the main Village setting, which is known to include a hospital building, there are woods, mountains and coastal areas. The Village is large enough that one episode ("[[Living in Harmony (The Prisoner)|Living in Harmony]]") established that an entire Old West town and environs was built somewhere in the vicinity. In "[[Arrival (The Prisoner)|Arrival]]", "[[Many Happy Returns (The Prisoner)|Many Happy Returns]]" and other episodes, Number Six actually views the Village from the air, yet is apparently unable to spot any surrounding towns or cities. In other episodes (depending upon the camera angle), buildings can clearly be seen on the far side of the bay. Nevertheless, all maps of the Village seen in the series display little beyond the central village, indicating that it is surrounded on three sides by mountains (as seen by Number Six in "Many Happy Returns") and sea on the fourth, though the map does show a road leading off the map which may connect to the other areas, such as the Village hospital which is depicted as being in a field-like area away from the core Village (at least in some episodes like "Arrival;" in others, such as "Chimes of Big Ben," it is shown to be overlooking the central plaza of the Village).

==Identification badges==
For official identification purposes, all residents and staff of the Village are assigned numbers in lieu of names, and with very few exceptions the use of proper names is discouraged, if not outright forbidden. A few characters are referred to by their former military rank such as general or admiral. Numbers are reused and reassigned, presumably as and when the current holder leaves the Village. (However, in "Arrival", two separate characters both wear identification badges identifying them as Number 66; this is neither commented upon nor any sort of plot device, and is almost certainly simply a continuity error.) The actual population of the Village is unknown – other than that there are some residents whose numbers are in the low triple digits (in "The Schizoid Man" a private residence is briefly seen with the number 241; the highest number clearly seen is Number 255, on the badge of the waitress in "Free For All". Careful frame-by-frame analysis of the Blu-Ray version of "Arrival" shows that Rover's first on-screen victim wears badge number 260, but this would not have been evident to TV viewers in 1967.) Save for Number Two, the numbering appears to have no bearing on one's authority or rank within the Village. Most identification badges are white, but occasionally black. The only character never seen wearing a number badge (other than Number Six, who refuses and is only seen wearing a badge on a couple of occasions) is the unnamed butler who serves Number Two; his number (if he has one) is never revealed.

There are a very small number of Villagers consistently identified by a proper name, and not by number. These include Cobb in "Arrival", Alison in "The Schizoid Man", Monique in "It's Your Funeral" and Roland Walter Dutton in "Dance Of The Dead". Each is seen only in one episode.

==Penny farthing logo==
Many items in the Village are branded with its logo, a canopied [[penny-farthing]] bicycle (commonly referred to as an "Ordinary"). It appears on the masthead of the daily newspaper,{{cn|date=February 2023}} which is called the ''Tally Ho''.

Almost all signs and objects are labelled in the same typeface, a modified version of the font [[Albertus (typeface)|Albertus]].<ref name="Fonts in Use Prisoner">{{cite web|last1=Hall|first1=Alastair|title=The Prisoner|url=https://fontsinuse.com/uses/8920/the-prisoner|website=Fonts in Use|date=27 February 2015 |accessdate=9 October 2017}}</ref>

==Filming locations==
Scenes of the Village were filmed in the grounds of [[Portmeirion]], an Italianate resort built by [[Clough Williams-Ellis]] in [[north Wales]]. Principal location shooting took place over four weeks in September 1966, with a return visit for additional, [[second unit]]-style shots for later episodes in March 1967. Sections of the resort (such as Number Six's residence interior with exterior) were sets at [[MGM-British Studios|MGM Borehamwood Studios]] in England. Later episodes were shot almost entirely on the sets on MGM's sound stages and backlot and locations within easy reach of the studio at Borehamwood, (for example, in "[[It's Your Funeral]]", "[[A Change of Mind]]", "Living in Harmony", and "[[The Girl Who Was Death]]"), and by reusing Portmeirion footage from earlier episodes the production company was able to save the expense that further principal photography at Portmeirion would have led to.

Portmeirion had previously been used as a background in early episodes of ''[[Danger Man]] '' to show a foreign location – the episodes were "View From The Villa", "Under the Lake", "The Honeymooners", "Find and Return", "The Journey Ends Halfway" and "Bury the Dead".<ref>[http://www.danger-man.co.uk/portmeirionDM.asp The Danger Man Website]</ref>
{{wide image|Portmeirionpiazza.jpg|1000px|Panoramic view of the central piazza, Portmeirion Village}}

==Infrastructure==
There is an extensive network of [[tunnel]]s and caverns under the Village, connecting many of the public buildings, and a number of secret facilities and support services (plumbing, waste disposal, observation cameras, etc.). These are generally off-limits to all prisoners above, but they appear to be extensively utilised, given the amount of motorcycle traffic observed in them in the final episode. There appears to be a large liquid-filled underground chamber that resembles a [[lava lamp]], probably a short distance off the coast, in which [[Rover (The Prisoner)|Rover]] – the Village's security guardian – resides when it is not being used. The normal background display of the large monitor in Number Two's office is a view of this chamber, and lava lamps are visible in virtually every public building in the Village.

The Village is a self-contained society, and appears to be mostly self-sufficient as well, although no farming areas are ever seen, so it appears that food and supplies are shipped in from outside. It is sprawling enough to contain several hundred prisoners, in a comfort level similar to that of a hotel or a resort. As seen in "[[The Girl Who Was Death]]", the population includes several children, implying that some prisoners are so resigned to their fates that they have married and started families.

The Village has its own daily newspaper (''The Tally Ho''), a cinema, a peripheral statue garden (though the statues are actually surveillance systems to prevent prisoners' escaping), a retirement home, a gymnasium, a fully equipped hospital, taxi service, a radio station (like [[George Orwell]]'s [[telescreen]]s in ''[[Nineteen-Eighty-Four]]'', the receivers cannot be turned off), a television studio (used mostly for news reports and announcements), a restaurant, a music shop, several other stores, and its own graveyard. In addition, there are extensive recreation facilities. Although alcohol is officially outlawed in the Village, in one episode Number Six stumbles onto a hidden bar located in a cave on the beach, run by a single bartender and a home-made distillery that serves real alcohol. An old acquaintance he meets there informs him that the Village authorities tolerate its presence partially to mollify harder cases with alcohol, and because the proprietor is an eccentric genius who doodles groundbreaking equations when not serving customers, which the authorities periodically steal. The local economy functions on a credit chit system. The final episode also revealed that the Village conceals a [[missile launch facility]] deep underground.
[[File:The Prisoner (5631842525).jpg|thumb|right|A taxi in the Village]]

The exact dimensions of the Village are never explicitly defined. Although a map of the Village is shown on screen on several occasions, it only seems to show the core residential and business area of the village, which is shown as being surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges and the fourth by "the sea". The episode "[[Living in Harmony (The Prisoner)|Living in Harmony]]" reveals that the Village is large enough to house a complete western town mock-up (presumably an area ear-marked for "official" use, and therefore not shown on the Village maps). Other episodes also indicate that the Village includes an expanse of beach and seaside cliffs (with caves). The jurisdiction of the Village over water is said to extend for several miles, or otherwise the range of Rover, the Village guardian system.

There is visual evidence in many episodes that the Village also includes large areas of countryside (with residences) as these are often visible in the distance in aerial shots and views looking out to sea.

The small [[Jeep]]-like vehicles used as taxis in the Village are [[Mini Moke]]s.

==Authorities==
[[Image:PennyFarthing.svg|right|frame|The Village's [[penny-farthing]] logo]]
Ostensibly, the Village is run by a democratically elected council, with a popularly elected executive officer known as "Number Two" presiding over it and the Village itself. Though most Village inhabitants seem to go along with this, internal dialogue indicates that the entire process is rigged:

{{bquote|
Number Six: "Where'd you get this bunch of tailor's dummies?" (indicating the Council)
Number Two: "They'd be here when I arrived."}}

Whenever the council is seen, none of its members speak or move in any way.

In actuality, the Village is a brutal dictatorship, best described by Number Six himself as "This farce, this 20th century [[Bastille]] that pretends to be a pocket [[democracy]]." It is ruled by a revolving series of Chief Administrators designated "Number Two", some of whom return to the office after lengthy absences. They vary greatly in personality and in methodology: some of them are quite amiable, some are sadistic, and some are mere bureaucratic functionaries bordering on functional impotence.

Number Two appears to be directly answerable to unseen superiors, the shadowy "They" or "Number One" pulling all the strings from behind the scenes, with direct contact via a red phone. It appears that Number Two is continually being observed by hidden cameras, and indeed one of the Number Twos confides to Number Six in "[[The Chimes of Big Ben]]", "I'm as much of a prisoner here as you are. We're both lifers, my boy!" Whether Number Two literally means that he is a captive is not known for certain; several Number Twos are shown coming and going from the Village at will, and the very first Number Two, when he receives orders regarding his replacement in "Arrival", takes it calmly with understanding (as opposed to other Number Twos such as the one in "[[A. B. and C.]]" who live in fear of such an order).

However, when the Number Two of "Chimes of Big Ben" returns in "[[Once Upon a Time (The Prisoner)|Once Upon a Time]]", it is made clear that it is against his will. In the final episode, "[[Fall Out (The Prisoner)|Fall Out]]", Number Two makes it clear that he had been kidnapped in much the same way as Number Six, but chose to quickly give in instead of fighting his captors.

The episode "[[It's Your Funeral]]" suggests that most of the Number Twos encountered in the series are in fact only temporary appointments, standing in for an older Number Two who has been away from the Village for reasons not explained. This Old Number Two eventually returns, ostensibly in order to retire, but becomes the target of an assassination plot by the current "temporary" Number Two.

Exactly who operates the Village is deliberately obscured. It sometimes appears to be run by [[Communism|Communist]] types, suggesting it is a holding cell for captured western agents, but at others it appears to be operating with some assistance from British Intelligence, implying that it is a holding area for western agents who have been compromised, or are feared to be untrustworthy by their own agencies. Several of the Number Twos in the course of the show appear to be unclear as to whom they are actually working for, and one explicitly says, "It doesn't matter 'who' Number One is. It doesn't matter which 'side' runs the Village ... both sides are becoming identical. What in fact has been created here? An ''international'' community." Another Number Two implies that both East and West are covertly operating the Village together for unknown reasons. The overall impression given by the series is that some kind of nebulous organisation is manipulating all the [[Cold War]] powers for its own ends.

==Security==
Weapons, alcohol, and tools are forbidden in the Village, but there are no walls or visible barriers to prevent escape, and no apparent prison guards. Indeed, aside from Number Two functioning as warden, the Village at first appears to have no real security infrastructure. This is merely a ruse, however, as subsequent episodes reveal that many of the other people in the Village are, in fact, warders planted unobtrusively in the community and reporting back to the current Number Two. It is strongly implied that "They" (the never-revealed masters of the Village) have several [[plant (person)|plant]]s in the Village as well, whose identities are unknown to Number Two, and who report back to "Them" directly; one of the more sadistic Number Twos (seen in "[[Hammer into Anvil]]") is particularly [[paranoia|paranoid]] about this possibility.

An underground [[control room]] monitors [[closed-circuit television]] cameras located throughout the Village. Observers continually spy on Villagers and foil escape attempts with the aid of Rover, a large white balloon-like device that chases would-be escapees. The perimeter of the Village is surrounded by a pleasant wooded area, including one or two caves (which may or may not connect to the network of tunnels). Beyond this, Rover patrols: If anyone ventures too far from town, they will be intercepted and nudged back towards the Village. If anyone attempts to escape, Rover will capture them and they wake up in the Village hospital. Rover has also been shown to kill on two occasions; the exact cause of death is not revealed (the target is "enveloped" / suffocated; this happens to the victims in "[[Arrival (The Prisoner)|Arrival]]" and "[[The Schizoid Man (The Prisoner)|The Schizoid Man]]"), however, in "[[Free for All (The Prisoner)|Free for All]]", Number Six is attacked in a similar manner, but survives.

==Customs==
Citizens use the phrase "Be seeing you" as a farewell, accompanied by a waving [[OK (gesture)|gesture]] consisting of thumb and forefinger forming a circle over the eye, then tipped forward in a salute. This may be a reminder that in the Village, one is under constant surveillance; anyone may be a warder, a stooge working for Number Two – although a simpler theory of the salute could be that the fingers are formed into the shape of a number six. In their book, ''The Official Prisoner Companion'', Matthew White and Jaffer Ali state that actress Norma West said that McGoohan told her the gesture was used by early Christians; it was the sign of the fish (the documentary ''The Prisoner Video Companion'', originally released on VHS in the 1980s and later on DVD by A&E, also makes this statement). In [[Danger Man]] and ''Secret Agent'', John Drake uses that expression often.

Most (but not all) guards wear the same style of resort clothing and numbered badges as the prisoners, and mingle seamlessly among the general population. Thus, it is nearly impossible for prisoners to determine which Villagers can be trusted and which ones cannot.

==Fate==
When last seen in the final episode, "Fall Out", the residents of the Village are evacuated by helicopter after Number Six primes a missile (located within a silo beneath the Village) to launch. The episode and the series never reveal what happens to the Village or its people after Number Six finally escapes.

The Village did appear again in a [[DC Comics]] mini-series based on the series published in the 1980s, which picked up the story 20 years later. In this version (published later as the [[graphic novel]], ''[[Shattered Visage (The Prisoner)|Shattered Visage]]''), the Village is abandoned and falls into disrepair. Number Six seemingly never left the Village, instead choosing a hermit-like existence as its Number One. This existence comes to an end when Number Two writes a book about the Village, inspiring a joint effort by American and British agents to investigate the site. However, a young woman washes ashore before their arrival, awakening to find herself dubbed Number Six. One and Six are able to establish an odd camaraderie before Two arrives, seeking to complete unfinished business. Ultimately, in this version of the story line, the Village is destroyed in a massive explosion.

In reality, [[Portmeirion]] continues to be a popular tourist attraction in north-west Wales, and frequently hosts events related to celebrating the series. It is also a popular destination for owners of Lotus / Caterham Seven cars, as driven by Number Six in the series.
The building in Portmeirion shown in the series as Number Six's house was later converted into a shop selling ''Prisoner''-related souvenirs, with a penny-farthing bicycle parked outside.

==In other media==
{{in popular culture|date=October 2025}}
In ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode "[[The Computer Wore Menace Shoes]]", [[Homer Simpson]] is imprisoned in a location called "The Island" after accidentally uncovering a secret flu shot scheme. He escapes by stealing Number Six's raft (which he had spent thirty years building) and uses a [[spork]] to pop the Rover sent to capture him. Patrick McGoohan guest-starred in the episode, reprising the role of Number Six. It is revealed in this episode that the reason for Six's imprisonment was his invention of the bottomless peanut bag.

In the ''[[Lupin III Part 2]]'' episode "The Sound of the Devil's Bells Call Lupin", Jigen and Goemon are captured and imprisoned in a village in the middle of nowhere called Gemarschaft, run by a mysterious nun called Sister Lavina, and after Jigen sends a distress call, Lupin comes to rescue them and finds out that Lavina has been using a hypnotherapy bell to brainwash the people trapped there so she can use them for a secret military project. Lavina uses Rover-like bubbles to capture people who try to escape.

In [[Alan Moore]]'s crossover comic, ''[[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier]]'', The Village is stated as having been built by the [[Thought Police]] to house enemies of [[Big Brother (Nineteen Eighty-Four)|Big Brother]]. After the death of Big Brother and the collapse of the [[Ingsoc]] regime, [[MI5]] continues to operate The Village. In the comic, The Village is specifically stated as being located in Portmeirion.

In the TV series ''[[2Point4 Children]]'', the episode "Seven Dials" sees one of the main characters Ben played by Gary Olson wake up in the Village at a ''Prisoner'' convention, as part of an ongoing and increasingly surreal vendetta plot with rival plumber Jake Klinger, played by [[Roger Lloyd-Pack]].

In the TV series ''[[The Invisible Man (2000 TV series)|The Invisible Man]]'' (2000), the episode "A Sense of Community" featured a village called "The Community" where troublesome spies were forced to 'retire'.

The Village is recreated in the late-1970s [[Edu-Ware]] computer game, ''[[The Prisoner (video game)|The Prisoner]]'' and its sequel, ''Prisoner 2''. In both games, however, the location is renamed "The Island".

In the [[The Prisoner (2009 TV miniseries)|2009 remake]], the Village is located in the middle of a desert, instead of by the sea, though it was later revealed that this version of The Village does not exist in reality, only in a [[virtual reality]] computer environment. The area that was used for filming was [[Swakopmund]], [[Namibia]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://blogs.amctv.com/the-prisoner/ |series = The Prisoner |title = Download posters and comic; watch preview footage! |publisher = AMC |website = amctv.com |type = blog }}</ref>

[[Iron Maiden]] wrote a song that appeared on their 1982 release of ''[[The Number of the Beast (album)|The Number of the Beast]]'' called "The Prisoner". The group later wrote a second composition that appeared on the ''[[Powerslave]]'' album called "Back in The Village".<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Thill |first = Scott |date = 13 November 2009 |title = The Prisoner: An all-star appreciation |magazine = [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/11/the-prisoner-an-all-star-appreciation/}}</ref>

In the second volume of the ''[[Tales of the Shadowmen]]'' anthology series, [[Xavier Mauméjean]]'s short story "Be Seeing You!" describes the origin of The Village. It was established in 1912 by [[Winston Churchill]], the original Number 1, to interrogate his enemies, including [[Sherlock Holmes]].

In the science fiction TV series ''[[Babylon 5]]'', the culture of the [[Psi Corps]] organization pays homage to aspects of ''The Prisoner'', including a modified salute and use of the phrase "Be seeing you".

In the three-part ''[[Pinky and the Brain]]'' special "Brainwashed", Pinky and The Brain are imprisoned on an island similar to The Village, where each captive dons a specific type of hat.

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last1 = Britton |first1 = Piers D. |first2 = Simon J. |last2 = Barker |year = 2010 |title = Reading between Designs: Visual imagery and the generation of meaning in ''The Avengers'', ''The Prisoner'', and ''Doctor Who'' |publisher = University of Texas Press |isbn = 978-0292783294 }}

==External links==
* {{cite web |title = Portmeirion village |type = official website |url = http://www.portmeirion-village.com/ }}
* {{cite news |title = The Unmutual: ''The Prisoner'' news website |quote = dedicated to the 1960s TV series ''The Prisoner'', starring Patrick McGoohan, and the village of Portmeirion in North Wales where the series was filmed. |url = http://www.theunmutual.co.uk/ }}
{{The Prisoner}}
{{Subject bar
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|commons=yes|commons-search=Category:The Prisoner
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Village, The}}
[[Category:Fictional populated places in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Fictional prisons]]
[[Category:The Prisoner]]
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[[Category:Fictional elements introduced in 1967]]
[[Category:Culture of Wales]]

Conjure One

2025-10-06T03:36:34Z

2603:9001:4500:1C09:8052:DB7B:FE2C:1996: Article is not the “biography of a living person”

{{short description|Canadian electronic music project}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{lead too short|date=January 2016}}
{{refimprove|date=May 2011}}
}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Conjure One
| image = Conjure One Nocturnal Culture Night 10 2015 04.jpg
| landscape = yes
| caption = Rhys Fulber in 2015
| origin = [[Vancouver]], British Columbia and [[Amsterdam]]
| genre = {{flat list |
*[[Electronic music|Electronic]]
*[[ambient music|ambient]]
*[[trip hop]]
*[[Pop music|pop]]}}
| years_active = 1997–present
| label = [[Nettwerk]], [[Armada Music|Armada]]
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|conjureone.com}}
| current_members = [[Rhys Fulber]]
| past_members =
}}

'''Conjure One''' is a Canadian [[electronic music]] project, headed by [[Rhys Fulber]],<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> better known as a member of [[Front Line Assembly]] and [[Delerium]].

==History==
After performing with Front Line Assembly at the 1996 [[Roskilde Festival]], Fulber left the band to pursue a solo career. He set up a studio in Amsterdam; the influence of life there, and traveling to the Eastern Mediterranean, gave him the idea of an ethnic ambient project. Soon after, a debut album was announced, though Fulber's work as a producer and [[remix]]er eventually pushed its release to September 2002.

The resulting album, ''Conjure One'', was a fusion of the electronic characteristics of Fulber's previous work—keyboard-based, with rhythmic dance beats—and the influences of [[Middle Eastern music]], which inspired [[ambient music|ambient]] melodies more reminiscent of Delerium.

A number of songs were more pop-oriented and featured guest vocalists, primarily [[Ann Danielewski|Poe]] and [[Chemda]], the latter singing entirely in [[Arabic]]. [[Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo]], [[Sinéad O'Connor]] and [[Jeff Martin (Canadian musician)|Jeff Martin]] of [[The Tea Party (band)|The Tea Party]] were also featured.

After returning to Front Line Assembly and Delerium, in 2005 Fulber released a second album entitled ''Extraordinary Ways''. This album utilized much more [[Contemporary music|contemporary]] sounds, including much greater prominence given to guitars and [[trip hop]] beats. Vocalists included [[Tiff Lacey]], Poe (credited as "Jane"), Chemda, Joanna Stevens, and Fulber himself ([[cover version|covering]] a song by the punk band [[Buzzcocks]]).

In 2007, [[Sandra (singer)|Sandra Cretu]] covered "Sleep" as a bonus track on her single "[[The Way I Am (Sandra song)|The Way I Am]]".

2012 saw Fulber sign to Dutch dance label, [[Armada Music]], and work began on what became the ''[[Holoscenic]]'' album.

==Discography==

===Albums===
*''[[Conjure One (album)|Conjure One]]'' (Nettwerk, 2002)
*''[[Extraordinary Ways]]'' (Nettwerk, 2005)
*''[[Exilarch (album)|Exilarch]]'' (Nettwerk, 2010)
*''[[Holoscenic]]'' (Armada Music, 2015)
*''Innovation Zero'' (Black Hole Recordings, 2022)

===Singles===
*"Redemption" (featuring [[Chemda]]) Promo Only (2001)
*"Sleep" (featuring [[Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo]]) (2002) – [[UK Singles Chart|UK]] #42<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 117}}</ref>
*"[[Tears from the Moon]]" (featuring [[Sinéad O'Connor]]) (2003)
*"Center of the Sun" (featuring [[Poe (singer)|Poe]]) (2003)
*"Extraordinary Way" (featuring Poe) (2005)
*"Face the Music" (featuring [[Tiff Lacey]]) (2006)
*"I Dream in Colour" (featuring [[Leah Randi]]) (2010)
*"Like Ice" (featuring [[Jaren Cerf]]) (2011)
*"Under the Gun" (featuring [[Leigh Nash]]) (2013)
*"Still Holding On" (featuring [[Aruna (singer)|Aruna]]) (2013)
*"Ghost" (featuring [[Kristy Thirsk]]) (2016)
*"Animals" (featuring [[Jaren Cerf|Jaren]]) (2021)
*"Wolves at the Door" (featuring JEZA) (2022)
*"Wheels Come Off" (featuring JEZA) (2022)
*"I Don't Want To Go There" (featuring [[Jaren Cerf|Jaren]]) (2023)

===Collaborations===
* [[Christian Burns]] – "Then There Were None" (from the album [[Simple Modern Answers]]) (2013)

===Remixes===
* [[P.O.D.]] – "[[Youth of the Nation]]" (Conjure One Remix) (2001)
* [[Alice Cooper]] – "[[I Never Cry]]" (Conjure One Remix) (2003)
* [[Collide (band)|Collide]] – "Tempted" (Conjure One Mix) (2004)
* [[The Crüxshadows]] – "Dragonfly" (Conjure One Remix) (2005)
* [[The Space Brothers|The Realm]] – "Lost in Space" (Conjure One Remix) (2014)
* Mully and Shvman with Rily Shay – "Stranded" (Conjure One Remix) (2021)

== See also ==
*[[List of ambient music artists]]

==References==
{{Commons and category}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.conjureone.com/}}
* [http://www.nettwerk.com/label-film-tv/conjure-one Conjure One] at [[Nettwerk Records]]
* [http://www.mindphaser.com Mind Phaser], Front Line Assembly
* {{cite journal |url= http://www.legendsmagazine.net/129/rhys.htm |series= Interview |title= Rhys Fulber |journal= Legends |first= Daryl |last= Litts |volume= 129 |date= Jan 2003 |access-date= 2005-12-28 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150509202212/http://www.legendsmagazine.net/129/rhys.htm |archive-date= 2015-05-09 |url-status= usurped }}

{{Conjure One}}
{{Front Line Assembly}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1997 establishments in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Armada Music artists]]
[[Category:Canadian ambient music groups]]
[[Category:Canadian dance music groups]]
[[Category:Canadian electronic music groups]]
[[Category:Canadian pop music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Vancouver]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1997]]
[[Category:Nettwerk Music Group artists]]
[[Category:Trip hop groups]]