- Marcy Warton: "He's addicted to heroin."
- Grant MacLaren: "He's what?"
- Marcy Warton: "He inherited it from his host."
- Grant MacLaren: "Why would the Director put you in the body of a heroin addict?"
- Philip Pearson: "The historical record said that he died after the first time that he used."
- Trever Holden: "His parents were probably in denial."
- — The team discussing Philip Pearson's recklessness.[src]
Philip Pearson (Traveler 3326), played by starring cast member Reilly Dolman, is the historian of the show's core Traveler team. His host body is a heroin-addicted college student, though The Director and those in the future were unaware of his addiction due to his parent's statement that he had died after his first use, most likely because they were in denial.
Averted Death
Philip would have died from a heroin overdose from a bad batch. The consciousness transfer occurred just before he injected himself and stopped himself. He failed to help his hosts friend who had shot up just before the transfer and died of an overdose, which Philip was arrested for.
History
3326 Future History
Little is known about his past life in the future, mainly due to Protocol 2. He did mention that he has a clear memory of Shelter 41 collapsing when he was a child and he can describe it in some detail.
He was also chosen to be a historian when he was an infant so he could be specifically trained and serve in the Traveler Program. He said that sometimes this made him feel like an experiment while other times he felt like a superhuman. He said that he'd been under the Director's care for his entire life.
While under the influence of heroin and under duress, 3326 claimed his mother was Traveler 2144. (Room 101)
Host
Philip Pearson was a 20-year-old unemployed heroin addict who was mostly friendless. He had one friend, Stephen, who was also his roommate and who he assumedly injected heroin on a regular basis. Stephen later died of a drug overdose. Philip has no close family, although his parents are assumed to be alive as they vouched for his innocence after Stephen's death.
His historical records indicate that he'd never used drugs before the overdose which was meant to kill him. His parents told this to the police, with Trevor saying they wer/are probably in denial. Presumably, his friend had a recorded history with heroin. If he didn't, he would've been a host candidate as well.
Traveler 3326
After being transferred into Philip's body, traveler 3326 stopped himself from injecting the heroin which would've killed his host. He watched Philips friend die while he grabbed his things and ran off. This act caused him to get into some legal troubles.
The following day he was questioned by the police. Detective Gower wanted to convict him of manslaughter, so Philip requested legal counsel and got Ray. Philip learned that Ray, too, is an (gambling) addict. He gives him a few gambling secrets and then manages to get out of custody. He later gives Ray the winners of three horseraces he memorised.
Ray continues to try and get information out of him to continue gambling and when he refuses, Ray dumps him in Detective Gower's sight. Gower chases him, but could hardly keep up and ended up having a heart attack. Philip explains how Gower was considered a potential host, but rejected as it was likely he'd have another heart attack within days. Philip also explained that he's destined to die and there's nothing he could do to help.
He later meets the rest of the team for the first time in the 21st century. Philip explains what they are to Agent Grant MacLaren in the moments before his death. He prevented Jonas Walker from going on a shooting rampage by assisting to his death. (Travelers)
After completing his first mission, Philip goes to the garage he had bought to be the base for the team with a container full of antimatter. He wakes to a message from Marcy over their coms with withdrawal symptoms from his heroin addition. (Protocol 6)
Trivia
- Despite being labeled as the team's Historian, Philip has also been introduced as their main "computer guy".
- Shortly after arriving in the 21st, Philip purchased a turtle after a talk about loneliness with his acquaintance Ray. He later named her Poppy, and seems to care deeply for her.
- He cared about people dying and has tried to do things to prevent it for happening, even if this breaks protocol 3.
