Bennett Halverson (portrayed by Summer Glau), is the chief programmer for the Washington, D.C. Dollhouse.
Bennett is notable to be exceptionally smart, even by Topher's standards - he said she was a genius and that if he thinks someone is a genius then "double it". Bennett's technology is superior to Topher's (the distance was painfully obvious when the duo's respective brain scans are put together, although Topher claims this is because Echo's brain scan wasn't meant to be complex), but she seems to have some sort of a schoolgirl crush on him, as she went very nervous and is obviously thrilled to be able to meet him.(S2: "The Public Eye", "The Left Hand").
It is, as of yet, unknown exactly what technological feats (aside from "grafting" aspects onto Daniel Perrin's personality and mixing JAMs with ESAMs to create next-generation proteins, as Topher cited) Bennett has accomplished to be considered such a genius; the full extent of her capabilities remain unknown, and she may or may not be able to accomplish what Topher is capable of doing (such as remote imprinting someone, granting someone active architecture or inventing a disruptor all on her own, etc.)
Her mannerisms and speech suggest she is a nihilist and also slightly deranged. She can also be manipulative, playing on Topher's attraction to her. Unlike Topher's, Bennett's office is sparse and neatly organized.
Because she has both genius and beauty, Topher suspected her of being an Active imprinted to replace a real Bennett Halverson, like Claire Saunders, but proved himself wrong when his disruptor device had no effect on her. Bennett was surprised by his suspicion because she didn't consider herself beautiful.
Bennett's assistant is Grace.
Biography
Bennett was recruited by Rossum and studied at Rossum's campus facility in Tucson, Arizona. Caroline Farrell, acting on information stolen from Rossum, enrolled as a student and befriended Bennett. When Bennett found the stolen file on her, Caroline told her the truth and gained her help.
Bennett and Caroline sneaked into the Rossum lab. Bennett guided Caroline in planting bombs, but when Caroline discovered human test subjects, she tried to stop the bombs. The bombs went off, leaving Bennett trapped under rubble, with her left arm crushed. Caroline tried to help Bennett, but is unable to free her. When Caroline sees that security is coming, she leaves Bennett so that only Caroline will be caught and blamed for the bombing.
After this, Bennett lost the use of her left arm, and kept it in a sling. She eventually became the chief programmer of the Washington DC Dollhouse. Her unstable mind distorted the memory and she believes Caroline betrayed her and left her for dead.
Senator Daniel Perrin (actually an Active modified by Bennett) threatened to expose the Rossum Corporation and the Dollhouse organization with help from Madeline Costley. The L.A. Dollhouse dispatched Echo as a hooker in order to damage Perrin's credibility. However, it was unaware that Perrin was actually working for the D.C. Dollhouse branch.
Cindy Perrin (actually Senator Perrin's handler) captured Daniel Perrin and Echo, and when she brought them to the D.C. Dollhouse, Benett immediately recognized Echo and called her by her former name. She tortured Echo, then gave Echo a distorted memory imprint of herself in the collapsed building, in which Caroline abandoned Bennett to take the blame.
Bennett met Topher at the D.C. Dollhouse along with Adelle DeWitt. The two Dollhouses planned on capturing Echo and Senator Perrin. Topher was able to trick Bennett into giving him a copy of Senator Perrin's brain scan, which he then sent to his copy (imprinted into Victor) in the L.A. Dollhouse. While Topher worked on a remote disruptor system (the "gun") Bennett worked on the program to be transmitted (the "bullet"). However, instead of wiping or disrupting the two Actives, she transformed Senator Perrin into an assassin who would kill Echo.
Bennett allows Echo to escape, helped by Daniel Perrin, then concocts a cover story supported by her injuries (actually from beating her head against a monitor.) This is part of a plan to get Echo out of the DC Dollhouse so that Bennett can remote imprint Daniel as an assassin and kill her. Topher knocked Benett out and then released Daniel, letting Echo escape.
Senator Perrin had killed his handler while in sleeper assassin mode, but later built-in programming prompted him to discredit Madeline Costley anyway.
At the end of the episode, Bennett was seen imprinting Madeline Costley.
Topher suspected that one of the devices he saw her working on was a component of Rossum's ultimate plan, along with his own remote wipe technology and other devices being worked on by other Dollhouse programmers throughout the world. (S2: "Meet Jane Doe")
The LA Dollhouse kidnaps her to help Topher rebuild a damaged personality wedge. Bennett reluctantly helps, until Topher tells him the wedge contains Caroline's personality. She punches him and refuses to help. Echo approaches her and promises to help Bennett torture Caroline after getting the desired information.
Bennett and Topher bond over fixing the wedge, and share several kisses. Before she finishes, she is shot and killed by Claire Saunders right in front of Topher. (S2: "Getting Closer")
Trivia
During a flashback of Caroline seeing a picture of Bennett Halverson, she mutters "bet you could kill me with your brain". This is a reference to a casual remark, "Also, I can kill you with my brain.", by River Tam, a character in the television series "Firefly", who is also played by Summer Glau.