Walter Sherman is a former U.S. Soldier and Iraq war veteran.
Walter gained a reputation as being the go-to guy for tracking down insurgents, deserters and improvised explosive devices (IED's) in the Iraq War. Unfortunately, one bomb maker found Walter before he could find him, resulting in severe brain damage with a lasting and unexpected effect: Walter transformed from someone skilled at the standard recovery of people and things in wartime scenarios to someone – something – much more extraordinary - "A Finder". Because of this, he is afraid that if he gets treatment, his skills will disappear.
He is often hired by outside parties who end up finding more than they bargained for. On occasion, Walter also finds things for members of government agencies under the profession: "Discombobulated Objects Acquisition." However, once he aims to find something, he keeps working to find what he's looking for, even if he gets fired by his employers. He also resorts to getting himself arrested in the process of finding things, but he finds ways to make himself untouchable to the law. (Booth describes this as Walter having a "guardian angel" on his shoulder.) In the end, Walter's methods also won him favors from many important figures, including Stephen Hawking, John Fogerty, the Attorney General, and even President Barack Obama.
Character History[]
Background[]
Walter's mother was a drunk who left the family for a richer man when Walter was a freshman student in high school. He chose to stay with his father while his older brother Langston Sherman went with her after the divorce one year later.
Walter was a member of the 16th Military Police Brigade, where he reached the rank of Major. He served in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He received two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Distinguished Service Cross. After surviving the explosion, he was given an honorable discharge, and his father tried to commit him to a mental hospital, leading to their estrangement.
Personality[]
Prior to his accident, Walter was a very serious person, with a strong focus and no sense of humor -- much like his father. Now, he is very care-free and whimsical. Obsessed with (and extraordinarily gifted at) finding things, Walter's mood swings somewhat vary very unpredictably between cheerful optimism and bouts of paranoia. He can also be quite sensitive about delicate questions, but is extremely loyal to his friends and clients, refusing to quit until he's solved his current case, even when they fire him.
Walter often thinks "outside the box" (which outside observers sometimes mistake for mental instability); this unusual approach to investigative work dovetails nicely with his "finder power", often revealing information that is not readily apparent initially.
Relationships[]
Seeley Booth[]
Though Booth acknowledges that Walter's skills are useful, he holds him in some contempt. During his time in the Army, he went AWOL when Rebecca was about to give birth, and Walter, working for the military police, tracked him down and arrested him moments after Parker had been born.
Leo Knox[]
Leo is Walter's best friend, handler, sidekick, and legal adviser -- and, in dangerous situations, often the 'muscle' of the team. He owns the bar from which Walter and his friends operate. When his wife and daughter died of E. Coli poisoning, Walter stopped him from killing the man responsible.
Isabel Zambada[]
Isabel is Walter's "friend with benefits" and a US Deputy Marshall. She often provides whatever information on criminal activity she can give Walter when their paths cross. They also agreed to putting their "friends with benefits" relationship on hold whenever one person tries to start a relationship with someone else. They call this condition "Paragraph C." However by Swing and a Miss, Walter later decides to revoke Paragraph C and have a real relationship with Isabel.
Willa Monday[]
Willa is a criminal mastermind who was under Leo's supervision and worked at the bar. She uses her various skills to aid Walter and Leo in their searches, notably her pickpocketing. She also used her family's underworld connections to assist in locating people associated with the things they find.
Timo Proud[]
Willa's cousin and confidante. He offers his assistance to the team when Willa asks him for a favor. He also pulls multiple scams and cons to make money. Timo also helped Leo by reading his aura with tarot cards, as he specializes in reading people.
Cristina Farrel[]
Willa's probation officer who is very strict and skeptical of Walter's state of mind. After finding Melissa Weller during a hurricane, she starts to trust Walter's instincts.
Trivia[]
- The Finder was the pilot episode for the 13 episode long spin-off series; The Finder.
- Bones wanted to bring back Walter and Leo for another episode in Season 7 to explain what happened to The Finder, but before they could make the episode, the actor who played Leo Knox died.