Bigfoot arrived at the Old City Sanctuary in 1951.[1] After Magnus removed "more than a few bullets" from him, he would not leave the Sanctuary, so she gave him a position on her staff.[2] He acts as a butler, chauffeur, bodyguard, medical assistant, and general handyman. He appears to be an intelligent neanderthal species. Before he met Magnus he liked to scare little children.[3]
Bigfoot is infected by the Lazarus virus created by the Cabal to wipe out abnormals. Having recently determined that the pathogen causes paranoia and violence, Magnus puts him in isolation. Eventually, he begins to show the symptoms of the disease and tears up the isolation room. At one point, Dr. Magnus attempts to expose herself to the pathogen by entering the isolation room in order to determine whether her own source blood has made her immune. Bigfoot wakes up and attacks her, and she is forced to stun him.
Though Ashley Magnus (under the control of the Cabal) stole the source blood[4], Nikola Tesla had enough time with it to be able to synthesize an antidote and was able to distribute it among the infected, thereby avoiding a mass outbreak and total chaos. Bigfoot however refused to take the 'man-made' antidote and has been using natural remedies of his people to stop the infection, succeeding only in slowing the virus and giving him a prolonged painful death according to Tesla. When a frustrated Henry Foss spoke to him about how stupid he was being to do this to honor his people, when he had not visited them since coming to the Sanctuary, he revealed that he was an outcast for some unknown reason. When Henry said the Sanctuary was his family now, he just said he wouldn't forget who he was, so as Henry put it, he was willing to die "a psychotic, diseased animal".
Bigfoot is visited by Helen Magnus, who tells him that unlike the others she understands his reason because she has known him so long, but tells him things are changing and if they all don't pull together it will be the end of everything. She then leaves but not before leaving him a vial of the cure, telling him that she has faith in him and that this is the last time she will visit him. When Ashley Magnus and the other super soldiers arrive at the Sanctuary, Bigfoot has taken the cure arrives just in time to defend Will Zimmerman from two of the soldiers who were about to kill him.
A fully recovered Bigfoot helps the rest of the team with the enormous clean up operation after the Cabal's attacks. He works with Henry Foss trying to figure out where to put all the new arrivals who have come seeking shelter while the overseas Sanctuaries are repaired.
At the beginning of the episode, up in Magnus's study, it is explained by Helen Magnus to Will Zimmerman that both Henry Foss and Bigfoot are currently away from the Old City Sanctuary surfing in Tasmania. At the time of discussion, their prolonged absence from the facility coupled along with some other reasons, helped Magnus force Will to stay at the Sanctuary for the next few days (instead of letting him go on his trip to Iceland).
Near the beginning of the episode, up in Magnus's study, Will Zimmerman asks Helen Magnus why Henry Foss can't help them investigate their current case (something that would be a lot easier with Henry's help). Magnus says that Henry is on a mission of "upmost importance" and that she has been "sworn to absolute secrecy". Based on Magnus's cheeky demeanor, Will quickly figures out that Henry is currently unavailable because he's attending San Diego Comic-Con. When Will then asks where Bigfoot was, Magnus's smiling head turn indicates that he's with Henry. Will is in disbelief and Magnus explains that it's one of the few places Bigfoot actually blends in. Will then concludes that he's working with "fanboys" and leaves the room.
It is revealed that the crixorum had forced Bigfoot to join the Hollow Earth abnormals in an uprising. He was part of a suicide bomb team, but was stopped by Helen Magnus and Kate Freelander. They got Sally to cure him of the mind control and he was eventually cured. Later, Bigfoot is shown to still be working with the Hollow Earth abnormals.
Right before the destruction of the Old City Sanctuary, Bigfoot is presumably beaten to death by Caleb and a group of fellow abnormals after they find out that he stole an important vial from Caleb. Caleb and co. then deposit his apparent lifeless body at the front gate of the Sanctuary, pissing off Helen Magnus who comes out to investigate and check his vitals. Magnus then gets revenge by luring Caleb and his group into the Sanctuary, killing them off until eventually ending in Magnus skewering Caleb to death with the automated-assist mechanism down in the main lab. If that wasn't enough, Magnus then blew up the Sanctuary seconds later, burning their bodies to nothing but ash and dust.
Characteristics[]
Bigfoot is allergic to flowers [5], and mates only once every five years.[1]
Having come to Helen Magnus for help with his wounds, Bigfoot became her trusted manservant and one of her closest friends for over 50 years. He often goes out of his way to protect her, and becomes uncharacteristically hostile towards anyone threatening her.
Casting / Trivia: As Bigfoot, Christopher Heyerdahl had to wear prosthetics. Amanda Tapping believed that Heyerdahl "has this incredible gift wearing prosthetics and acting through them and creating real humanity, and he does it with Bigfoot."[6]
Name: In Episode 1x02 - "Sanctuary for All, Part II", Ashley Magnus calls him "the Big Guy". While another name is not stated on-screen, the name 'Bigfoot' is the one used by the creators of Sanctuary in promotional material, BTS material, and on the official website.
Status: In Episode 4x13 - "Sanctuary for None, Part II", Bigfoot is apparently killed by Caleb and a group of abnormals after they find out that he took a vial from Caleb.
