Kate Freelander is a quick-talking swindler and con artist whose services are on offer to the highest bidder. Originally an employee of the Cabal when first introduced, she finds herself on the run once a deal with that diabolical organization goes sour. To escape the Cabal's machinations, she finds herself drawn to the Sanctuary, and into the world of Doctor Helen Magnus and her team. Her loyalties may be uncertain, but her skills and quick wits are beyond doubt.[17]
After having taken sides with the Sanctuary in early 2009, Kate fills the facility's vacant staff position previously occupied by Ashley Magnus; duties of which include the upkeep of the armory and late-night feedings of resident abnormals. She works this role for roughly two years, before being reassigned to Hollow Earth detail in early 2011 to be with her new love interest, a herusan named Garris.
After a year spent underground helping the rebuild effort, in early 2012 Kate is tasked by Magnus to return to the surface to organize the Homeland project.
Kate Freelander was born in Mumbai,[18] and raised in Chicago. Her father was a lock pick who was killed by a bomb, planted by Jimmy, when he wanted to sell out his gang to the police. Kate was eight-years-old at the time, and witnessed the explosion with her mother, who went into labor and gave birth to a son, Tad Freelander. The family eventually left Chicago and traveled around until Kate's mother decided to return to her native Mumbai and Kate moved to Montreal.[19]
Kate Freelander worked as a freelance operative for the Cabal for several years, having some close contact with their chief of operations, Dana Whitcomb. Eventually, she was hired to assist in the abduction of Martin Wood, one of the orphans who had been genetically 'cleaned' as part of Project Montana. However, Helen Magnus and Will Zimmerman surprised her at Wood's home, following her to the Vancouver docks where she was able to deliver Wood to the Cabal, but was herself taken by the Old City Sanctuary team. Magnus interrogated her, but she was still able to get away by tricking Henry Foss.
Later, she called Dana Whitcomb to ask why no money had been delivered to her account. Whitcomb explained that she should not have let herself get caught, and that their business relationship was terminated. Moments later, Cabal snipers tried to take her out, but she managed to get away. She made her way to the Old City Sanctuary, where Magnus attended to a wound in her leg.
During her recovery, Kate Freelander used her insights to help the Sanctuary team prepare for the attack by the Cabal's super abnormal soldiers. Helen Magnus still didn't trust her and wanted her gone, but Kate stayed and saved Magnus's life when a genetically modified Ashley Magnus tried to kill her.
In the aftermath of Ashley's supposed 'death', Kate Freelander wanted to leave, but then learned that the Old City Sanctuary team was in possession of a number of dead stenopelhabilis, whose tusks are very valuable on the black market. She decided to steal them, but instead freed the deceased creatures' offspring, which got away. Kate then helped Henry Foss to hunt the young abnormal down, only to discover that it has come to consider her its mother. She named it Ralphie and decided to stay with Sanctuary for now.
Some time later, Kate Freelander had to help her brother Tad Freelander who got involved with a crime boss named Constantine. She eventually had Constantine killed by the sorkel in the Old City Sanctuary, and word was spread that anyone who dared harm her loved ones would suffer the consequences.
Shortly after the destruction of Praxis, Kate Freelander met a herusan stone artisan named Garris who soon became a leader among the abnormal refugees on the surface. When he decided to return to Hollow Earth and rebuild, she joined him, having obviously fallen in love with him.
Helen Magnus and Kate Freelander about to perform an acrobatic maneuver.
Kate Freelander is shown to have a good sense of physical agility, as well as being a decent hand-to-hand combatant; able to take down three rioting Praxian abnormals.
Though quick-witted with a tough-act exterior, Kate often tries to hide her emotional vulnerability. After joining the Sanctuary Network, she begins to see the error of her past ways, having many personal regrets that she tries to overcome and atone for.[20] After struggling to find purpose in her life, often simply doing things (sometimes morally gray) just because she was good at it in order to survive, under the redeeming influence of the Sanctuary Kate learns that she can make positive changes in her life to create a better future for herself and for others, more than she ever thought possible or deserving of.
Like Will Zimmerman, Kate Freelander soon begins to rely on Helen Magnus as a mentor. The head of Sanctuary encourages her to face her emotions and rethink the decisions she has made in life, and convinces her that she alone can make her life what she wants it to be.[19]
There are moments where Kate Freelander is shown to care deeply for Will Zimmerman; she is far more distraught by his apparent death during his connection to Kali than the others[21] and does not want him to think badly of her.[22] When Will is in danger of losing his humanity by being transformed into a cillobar, Kate takes it upon herself to become his caregiver, ensuring he has proper nutrition and handles the issue of his girlfriend Abby Corrigan wanting to see him.[23] While their relationship is not romantic, Will is one of the very few people that Kate has gotten emotionally close to and who she will open up to about her problems.[20]
Shortly after the destruction of Praxis, Kate Freelander met a herusan stone artisan named Garris who soon became a leader among the abnormal refugees on the surface. When he decided to return to Hollow Earth and rebuild, she joined him, having obviously fallen in love with him.[13]
Notes[]
Age[]
The character of Kate Freelander and actress Agam Darshi who portrays the character have a very large difference in age between them compared to other characters and their actors. For simplicity, Sanctuary adopts the actor's birth year to base the age of their character; usually making the character they portray either a few months younger or older than themselves (Note: this does not include special / historical characters such as Helen Magnus or Nikola Tesla etc. who have a form of longevity and or known real-world birthdates). From dialogue spoken in Episode 2x09 - "Penance" that in-universe chronologically occurred in mid-late 2009, Kate said she was 8-years-old when her father was killed twenty years ago. That would make the current age of the character 28-years-old with a birth year of either 1980 or 1981 (depending on if the birth day was passed or not). Actress Agam Darshi however was born December 23rd, 1987 and was currently 21-years-old during 2009 before turning 22-years-old at the end of the year. (A bit irony, in Episode 2x04 - "Hero", as Kate visits Constantine, she tells him that she's not 21-years-old anymore and that her days of having worked with him are over.) That places a six to seven year age gap difference between the character and actress.
It's an interesting detail when comparing it to other characters, especially main characters. The youngest main character is Ashley Magnus played by Emilie Ullerup; both actress and character share the birth year of 1984. Ashley's 25th birthday was mentioned in Episode 2x08 - "Next Tuesday" which in-universe occurred on a Tuesday in late June 2009 (the actress herself would still be 24-years-old for another four months until late October). However, Agam Darshi is the youngest main actress (born end of December 1987, making her 3.2 years younger than Emilie) playing a character that is at least three years older than Ashley.
↑Kate Freelander was 28-years-old in Episode 2x09 - "Penance". In-universe, the episode chronologically occurred in mid-late 2009 after late June seen in Episode 2x08 - "Next Tuesday". It is unknown if the character's 2009 birthday had passed yet. If yes, it would mean the character was 27/28-years-old during the year 2009, making birth year 1981. If no, it would mean the character was 28/29-years-old in 2009, making birth year 1980.
↑Kate Freelander experienced a temporary stasis death at the very end of Episode 3x10 - "The Hollow Men", before being reanimated in near the beginning of Episode 3x11 - "Pax Romana".
↑Kate Freelander's age as stated in Episode 2x09 - "Penance". Kate said that she was 8-years-old at the time of her father's death, which occurred twenty years ago.
