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The Special Forces were a military squad of armed soldiers, trained to perform unconventional missions, who worked with the Home Office and Anomaly Research Centre. They were used to guard Anomalies and to battle against the creatures if they became a threat to the public or members of the field team. The Special Forces had different divisions, including soldiers, divers and medics. One particular division was known as the SAS (Special Air Service).
Original timeline[]
Episode 1.1[]
The Special Forces were assigned to guard the Anomaly in the Forest of Dean after it was found by the Home Office, and one of them, Captain Tom Ryan, was sent through with Nick Cutter on the exploration mission, to protect Cutter from any danger on the other side of the Anomaly.
Episode 1.2[]
After the Home Office became aware of a new Anomaly incursion in the London Underground beneath Arsenal Station, the Special Forces went to assist in the incursion. Claudia Brown chose to first send a Special Forces squad in to locate the creatures, and the soldiers were attacked in an abandoned bunker by Carboniferous Arachnids before retreating from the Underground. The Special Forces later used light from bright torches to clear the Arachnids out of the Underground and drive them back through the Anomaly, and then helped search the Underground for the Arthropleura. Special Forces medics & medical officers later treated Stephen before handing him over to the NHS.
Episode 1.3[]
Special Forces divers were brought in to aide in the search for the underwater Anomaly and the Mosasaur in the reservoir to which a diver was lost through the Anomaly, as a result later died and was found at the Dexter house when the Anomaly opened there. The divers were sent through the Anomaly to the Cretaceous to retrieve Helen Cutter under James Lester's orders after Nick Cutter failed to so.
Episode 1.4[]
The Special Forces were called in after Helen Cutter falsely claimed that a pride of 'vicious Sabre-tooth killers' were going to rampage through London, from a central London tower block. They were also used to pursue Tom and Duncan when they stole the Dodo. The soldiers and Captain Ryan then pursued Tom when he became sick with the parasitic infection that was passed on from one of the Dodo's bites causing him to have rabies-like rage and attack Abby.
Episode 1.5[]
During the incursion at the Forest Heights Country Club golf course the Special Forces soldiers set up a perimeter and secure the area from the incursion. Special Forces medics were used to remove Andy's body from where he was found, they later checked on Claudia and Nick after the attack. Captain Ryan and Nick Cutter clash in this episode when Ryan goes to fatally shoot the Pteranodon. Nick, Stephen and Claudia engaged in a race with Ryan and his team to save the Pteranodon from being killed.
Episode 1.6[]
After the Forest of Dean Anomaly reopened, the soldiers were stationed at the Anomaly site. They helped search for a futuristic predator nearby at the Wellington Zoo and in the forest where one soldier was killed. Later Captain Ryan and two soldiers travelled through the Anomaly to the Permian to look for the future Anomaly (using the baby Predators) and possibly setup a permanent guard there. The mother Predator arrived and killed the two soldiers and Captain Ryan. Helen and Nick Cutter then buried the men in the Permian landscape.
Post-original timeline[]
In the new timeline, the Special Forces along with the Anomaly research branch of the Home Office moved to the Anomaly Research Centre. However, Cutter was anxious to impact history as little as possible, so the Special Forces were often put on standby on most of the incursions. (Series 2)
Episode 2.1[]
James Lester put the Special Forces on standby for the Castle Cross Shopping Mall incursion.
Episode 2.2[]
The Cleaner disguised himself as a soldier and was seen talking to some other Special Forces soldiers.
Shadow of the Jaguar[]
To be added...
The Lost Island[]
To be added...
Episode 2.4[]
After Abby was taken by a Mer Creature in Isle of Dogs, the Special Forces soldiers were called in to help search the canal for her. Later on, after the field team found her and the Anomaly in a warehouse, the soldiers guarded the Anomaly until it could be sealed.
Episode 2.6/2.7[]
When Oliver Leek was revealed himself as the traitor, Lester led the Special Forces to a building where they thought Leek was hiding out but found it empty. (Episode 2.6) The Special Forces took care of all the creatures Leek had threatened to release and later travelled to Leek's Creature Prison to contain the creatures and rescue the field team who had been kidnapped. (Episode 2.7)
Extinction Event[]
To be added...
Episode 3.1[]
Sometime after the death of Stephen Hart; Lester hired a Head of Security to help secure the ARC building and protect the field team from the creatures. Captain Hilary Becker, while not from the Special Forces himself, would commanded the soldiers. Becker and Nick Cutter lead the soldiers to the British Museum to deal with a Pristichampsus incursion. The Special Forces later followed the creature across the River Thames, through a shopping centre and back to the museum, where they pretended to bow with the field team as to not-threaten the Pristichampsus so it would return through its Anomaly.
Episode 3.2[]
After Danny had killed the camouflage beast the ARC had secured the Brooks House. Multiple soldiers were seen boarding up the house and guarding the sight from potential trespassers.
Episode 3.3[]
To be added...
Episode 3.4[]
When an anomaly was detected at Christine Johnson’s Headquarters, the team were sent off to investigate. They were accompanied by Becker and two other soldier. However Christine’s soldiers confronted them and she shooed them away under the false assurance nothing was wrong.
Following this, an anomaly was detected at the Airgo Freight airport. Connor and Jenny went off to investigate with Becker and three other soldiers arriving a small while later. They arrested Mick Harper and Katherine Kavanagh for their interference and knowledge of the anomaly. When a Giganotosaurus came out of the anomaly and went on a rampage, Becker went to confront it with Jenny and ordered his men to stay behind with Connor and guard the anomaly site. They were seen loading up various cases into the trucks when the mission was complete.
Episode 3.5[]
Becker and another soldier were sent to investigate the anomaly at Sir Richard Bentley’s Apartment where they only found Lloyd’s phone covered in future spores. Other soldiers assisted Connor in transporting the samples at the ARC.
A mutated Richard Bentley went on a rampage in the London Underground and was kept monitored by Abby, Jenny, Danny, Becker, and multiple other soldiers. Unfortunately one soldier was struck by the mutated Richard and presumably died. They were also advised against using flamethrowers against the future fungus and could only monitor it and give chase to it in the sewers. They were able to chase it to the truck they had in waiting and it was ushered in by several other soldiers.
Fire and Water[]
To be added...
Episode 3.6[]
To be added...
Episode 3.7[]
A soldier guarded the Anomaly at the Junkyard while the team rounded up a Dracorex and a Medieval knight. Sarah Page tricked him into letting her through the Anomaly so she could find out information on the knight. Later on, Connor Temple enlisted the help of Captain Becker and two Special Forces soldiers armed with Heckler and Koch G36Cs to 'persuade' Tony to give Rex back. (Episode 3.7)
Episode 3.8[]
To be added...
Episode 3.9[]
To be added...
Episode 3.10[]
To be added...
Between Series 3 and Series 4[]
The Special Forces conducted four missions, lead by Becker, to find Connor, Abby and Danny after they headed into the future. After the missions ultimately failed, the Minister suspended the ARC and operation until further notice. (Episode 3.10, Webisode 1)
Approximately four months later, the Minister reinstated the ARC and subsequently the Special Forces. Matt Anderson was brought in as the new field team leader, and on his first day, he argued with Becker about the Special Forces wearing their black military uniforms. Matt believed them to be too conspicuous, while Becker said they promote unity and confidence in his men. (Webisode 2, Webisode 3) It was decided there would be no changes to the uniform. (Series 4)
Episode 4.1[]
Matt introduced new non-lethal Electro Muscular Disruption Weapons to the ARC so the Special Forces and the field team could use them for creature incursions. Later, Matt and Becker lead the Special Forces to Liverpool to contain an Anomaly. The soldiers found Connor and Abby and initially arrested they before Becker released the pair.
A Spinosaurus came through the Anomaly and rampaged down the street, so the Special Forces pursued it. Two soldiers remained behind to guard the Anomaly, but Abby and Connor stole their truck. Matt and Becker lead the dinosaur into an arena and the Special Forces used the EMDs for the first time to takedown the Spinosaur.
Episode 4.2[]
The Speical Forces helped with the Kaprosuchus incursion at the Docks. Unfortunately one soldier knocked himself out with his EMD and was eaten by the reptile.
Episode 4.3[]
One soldier was guarding an Anomaly in the Cooper Street theatre, but he was strangled to death by a Tree Creeper. Another soldier was guarding Emily Merchant, who came from the Anomaly, in the hospital. When he found her bed empty, she sneaked up behind him and smashed a vase over his head, knocking him out.
Episode 4.4[]
During the Therocephalian incursion at McKinnon School, Becker kept asking where the backup team was and Jess kept saying they were on their way, however, the field team had dealt with the incursion before they had arrived.
A small number of soldiers were sent to aid the ARC team during the hyaenodon incursion at the stately house. They kept watch over the perimeter as Connor, Abby, and Matt surveyed the surroundings. Matt declared it was fine for them to return once they had secured the sight.
Another team of soldiers accompanied Becker and later Jess during the raid on Patrick Quinn’s flat, having just barely missed Patrick. They returned to their aid after Jess had saved Becker from a bomb and surveyed the area a second time.
Episode 4.7[]
Special Forces guards were present at the Prison when two anomalies opened there. Ethan (really Patrick Quinn) either killed or disabled one guard in order to gain entry however he is captured before he could reach the anomaly. He is escorted to the ARC to be interogated by Matt Anderson and later by Danny Quinn. Patrick begs his brother to take him back to the anomaly and in exchange he will never attack someone in the present day again however Danny refuses. Patrick then either kills or disables a guard and uses his EMD to shoot Danny. Patrick then captures Emily Merchant and goes back to the prison where he once again either kills or disables a guard who was watching over the locked anomalies.
Episode 5.1[]
A large amount of Special Forces soldiers were used for the Giant Burrowing Insect incursion, guarding the shopping center as well as the roadwork site.
Episode 5.2[]
No Special Forces soldiers, including Captain Becker, were not allowed to help with the North sea anomaly incursion because the team had to go in a submarine.
Episode 5.4[]
To be added...
Episode 5.5[]
A number of quickly assembled emergency teams made up of Abby Maitland, Hilary Becker, all other Anomaly Research Centre personnel and Special Forces soldiers. They were called in during the 2011 Convergence to deal with the hundreds of creatures making their way to the present day, and the entire operation was coordinated by Jess Parker and James Lester. The pair sent all the teams to any new Anomaly sites were they would deal with any creatures and lock the Anomalies. Like in many military systems, teams names were assigned using the NATO Phonetic Alphabet (e.g. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, etc). Many teams, such as Team Delta, did not survive the encounters, and even more failed to stun the creatures and lock the anomalies.
Personnel[]
Name | Time | Role/Job | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Captain Tom Ryan | Episode 1.1 - Episode 1.6 | Anomaly-operation leader for the Home Office/Anomaly Research Centre | deceased |
Andy Blaine | Shadow of the Jaguar | Soldier | deceased |
Sean Lucas | Shadow of the Jaguar | Soldier | deceased |
Jack Stark | Shadow of the Jaguar | Soldier | deceased |
Captain John Willoby | The Lost Island | SAS Leader | deceased |
Sergeant Callum Fox | The Lost Island | SAS mountaineering expert | alive |
Corporal Peter Farnsworth | The Lost Island | SAS demolitions expert | deceased |
Lance Corporal Anita Watts | The Lost Island | SAS communications expert | deceased |
Private David Doody | The Lost Island | SAS medic | alive |
Private Joe Bristow | The Lost Island | SAS heavy weapons expert | deceased |
Jake Hemple | Extinction Event | Anomaly-operation leader for the Anomaly Research Centre | alive (ARC employment status unknown) |
Tim Jenkins | Extinction Event | SAS Alpha team soldier | deceased |
Mason | Extinction Event | SAS Alpha team soldier | alive (ARC employment status unknown) |
Redfern | Extinction Event | SAS Alpha team soldier | alive (ARC employment status unknown) |
Garney | Extinction Event | SAS Alpha team soldier | alive (ARC employment status unknown) |
Murdoch | Extinction Event | SAS Alpha team soldier | alive (ARC employment status unknown) |
Captain Hilary Becker | Episode 3.1 - 3.10 Webisode 1 - present |
Anomaly-operation leader for the Anomaly Research Centre | alive |
Private Jamie Weavers | Fire and Water | Soldier | deceased |
Wilcock | Fire and Water | Soldier | Alive |
Goldman | Fire and Water | Soldier | Alive |
Numerous Special Forces | various | Soldiers/divers/medics | various |
Appearances[]
Canonical[]
- Episode 1.1 (first appearance)
- Episode 1.2
- Episode 1.3
- Episode 1.4
- Episode 1.5
- Episode 1.6
- Episode 2.1
- Episode 2.2
- Episode 2.3
- Shadow of the Jaguar
- The Lost Island
- Episode 2.4
- Episode 2.5
- Episode 2.6
- Episode 2.7 (mentioned)
- Extinction Event
- Episode 3.1
- Episode 3.2
- Episode 3.3
- Episode 3.4
- Episode 3.5
- Fire and Water
- Episode 3.6
- Episode 3.7
- Episode 3.8
- Episode 3.9
- Episode 3.10
- Webisode 3 (mentioned)
- Webisode 4
- Webisode 5
- Episode 4.1
- Episode 4.2
- Episode 4.3
- Episode 4.4 (mentioned)
- Episode 4.5
- Episode 4.6
- Episode 4.7
- Episode 5.1
- Episode 5.3
- Episode 5.4
- Episode 5.5 (latest appearance)
Non-canonical[]
Trivia[]
- The Special Forces appeared to have a comedic nature in Series 1:
- Their leader, Tom Ryan was always making sarcastic comments.
- In Episode 1.4 , the special forces rushed to an apartment, all stood around the front door with guns loaded then knocked on the door and waited.
- In Episode 1.5 , the special forces all rushed into an elevator, waited as the doors closed with guns loaded.
- The Special Forces were mostly background characters in Series 2, Series 4 and Series 5, rarely helping with incursions, only majorly appearing in 1-2 episodes. In Series 3, they helped with most of the incursions but were still background characters.
- The soldiers can be considered the "Red Shirts" of Primeval; their purpose is almost exclusively to give the writers someone to kill who isn't a main character, as almost all of their major appearances involve one of them dying.
- Although they were a British force they never used British army standard weapons (SA80) but instead used American (Colt M4 carbines) and German (Heckler and Koch G36 assault rifles) weapons.