Red Dwarf characters

Character descriptions and casting details for the Red Dwarf BBC sitcom and series of novels by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor.

Others

The Polymorph

A polymorph is a shapeshifting organism that can change into anything it pleases and lives by draining a person of a negative emotion.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was designed to be the perfect warrior, blending into any background, but mutated into something terrifying. When it boarded Red Dwarf, in the episode Polymorph it drained Lister of his fear, the Cat of his vanity, Kryten of his guilt and Rimmer of his anger. The crew managed to defeat the monster.

Related Topics:
Lister - The Cat - Kryten - Rimmer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the book, Better Than Life, the polymorph has similar effects, except that the shock of regaining his fear kills Lister (who at this time is in his 60s, due to time dilation). The crew then takes Lister's body to a backwards universe, where they will pick him up in 36 years time, when he has de-aged to his "normal" age. In Backwards he stays for half a century.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One of the polymorph's forms appears very similar to the Alien from the film, 'Alien' (1979). Many other similarities between their behaviour exist as well, such as picking off crew members one by one.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

According to the placid Rimmer, the polymorph in his true form may be "an armour plated alien killing machine that salivates unspeakable slobber."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Emohawk in the episode Emohawk: Polymorph II is a domesticated variant. It drained Rimmer of his bitterness and Cat of his cool, turning them into Ace Rimmer and Duane Dibbley.

Related Topics:
Ace Rimmer - Duane Dibbley

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Cat Priest

The Cat Priest was the only member of the species felis sapiens seen on the television show Red Dwarf apart from The Cat.

Related Topics:
Felis sapiens - Red Dwarf - The Cat

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Cat Priest was blind. He was the Cat's teacher and guardian after his parents died, but Cat was never really interested and preferred to go off investigating. The Cat Priest was once a devout follower of the Cat religion, but over time as the Cat race died he lost his faith.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When the Cat Priest was dying, Lister appeared and told him that he was the Cat god Cloister (the Priest believing him, being blind). The Priest apologised for losing his faith, saying "You tested me, and I failed you." Lister assured him that had not failed, and he would get into Fuchal. The Cat Priest's last words before he died were "This is the happiest day of my..."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the remastered version of the episode in which he appeared, the Cat Priest's body was cremated and the ashes jettisoned into space.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mr. Flibble

Mr. Flibble is a holographic penguin hand puppet. He is fluffy and malevolent, and often "very cross". In the episode Quarantine, Rimmer wears Mr. Flibble on his hand and together they terrorise the rest of the crew. Rimmer had been infected by the Hex virus which gave him extra mental powers and made him completely insane. Both Mr. Flibble and Rimmer utilise the dreaded power of Hex vision. When they use this power, their eyes glow red, and then a deadly beam of energy is discharged from their eyes. Mr. Flibble is now an interviewer on Red Dwarf's official website, aided by the right hand of website coordinator Andrew Ellard.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~