Mother (The Avengers)

"Mother" is a fictional character in British TV series The Avengers. "Mother" is a codename. In the series the incumbent in the role is a wheelchair-bound male British government official. He made his debut in "The Forget-Me-Knot", which was Emma Peel's final episode and Tara King's first. In subsequent episodes he gives orders to John Steed and Tara King. He appears in most episodes of series six, the last season of the series. In the television series Mother is portrayed by Patrick Newell. He is an irascible yet highly intelligent character and is a great admirer of Steed and especially his wine cellar. He has 2 elderly aunts whom he entertains with stories of his departments cases.

Actor Patrick Newell had played various characters in previous episodes of The Avengers, most recently Sir George Collins, a sometime Minister of the Crown and close relative of the Attorney General, in season five's "Something Nasty in the Nursery".

The 1998 film based on the series, also titled The Avengers, depicts Mother giving orders to Steed and Mrs Peel. In the movie, he is portrayed by Jim Broadbent.

In spite of his disability he seems mobile, continuously moving his headquarters from such traditional locations as a stately home to more eccentric locales such as a double-decker bus or under water. Mother has a new base in practically every episode. The plots of several episodes involve attempts to assassinate Mother, so these moves are presumably a security measure.

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