What disease did Berlin have? The terminal illness explained

September 27, 2025 •

4 min read

The criminal mastermind known as Berlin in the hit series Money Heist was diagnosed with an incurable, terminal illness that played a crucial role in his story arc. The answer to what disease did Berlin have? lies in the fictional condition known as Helmer's myopathy, a rare and aggressive form of muscle degeneration.

Quick Summary

Berlin, the charismatic and cruel character from Money Heist, suffered from a fictional, terminal degenerative muscular condition called Helmer's myopathy, which caused muscle weakness and eventually led to his tragic demise in the series. He managed his symptoms with the medication Retroxil, but his limited time fueled his complex personality and actions.

Key Points

Fictional Disease: The character Berlin from Money Heist had a fictional, degenerative muscle disease called Helmer's myopathy.
Terminal Condition: As depicted in the series, Helmer's myopathy was an incurable, terminal illness that progressively worsened over time.
Symptoms: The disease caused muscle weakness and tremors, particularly noticeable in his hands.
Character Motivation: The terminal diagnosis fueled Berlin's volatile personality, his desire to live life intensely, and his ultimate sacrifice for his crew.
Distinction: Helmer's myopathy should not be confused with real-world medical conditions, including the famous real 'Berlin Patient' who was cured of HIV.
Treatment: To manage his symptoms, Berlin used a fictional medication called Retroxil.

Berlin's Terminal Diagnosis: Helmer's Myopathy

In the Spanish drama series Money Heist (original title: La Casa de Papel), the character Andrés de Fonollosa, known by his city-based alias Berlin, is portrayed as living on borrowed time due to a fictional, incurable disease. This condition, Helmer's myopathy, is a degenerative muscular disease that progressively weakens the body's muscles. The illness is revealed through flashbacks, particularly in scenes with his brother, the Professor, highlighting the profound impact it has on Berlin's mindset and life choices.

The Nature of Helmer's Myopathy in the Series

While a fictional creation for the show, the symptoms and progression of Helmer's myopathy are depicted with some detail. In the series, viewers see Berlin's hands trembling uncontrollably, a clear sign of the muscle deterioration caused by the disease. To manage his symptoms, Berlin injects a fictional medication called Retroxil. This temporary relief allows him to maintain a facade of control, masking the physical and emotional toll the disease takes on him. The knowledge of his impending death also pushes him to live his life with an intensified urgency, embracing his role as a thief and a lover with an elegant, yet often erratic, fervor.

Fictional Versus Real Medical Conditions: Myopathy Explained

Helmer's myopathy is a fictionalized condition, but it draws inspiration from and has parallels with several real-world health issues. The term "myopathy" refers to any disease that affects the muscles controlling voluntary movement in the body. These conditions cause muscle weakness and can be either congenital or acquired. Degenerative myopathies, similar to the fictional Helmer's, involve the progressive loss of muscle function over time. Examples of real-world myopathies include:

Myofibrillar myopathy (MFM): This is a specific type of myopathy characterized by the breakdown of myofibrils, which are the fundamental rod-like units of muscle cells. MFM often leads to progressive muscle weakness, affecting both proximal (hips and shoulders) and distal (hands and feet) muscles.
Muscular Dystrophy: A group of genetic diseases characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles. While not a direct comparison, it shares the degenerative nature with Berlin's fictional disease.
Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM): An inflammatory muscle disease that causes progressive muscle weakness. It is one of the most common myopathies in individuals over the age of 50.

Helmer's myopathy serves the story's purpose by giving Berlin a clear motivation to live life to the fullest in a short amount of time. For information on genuine muscle disorders, the National Institutes of Health provides comprehensive resources.

The Psychological and Narrative Impact

Berlin's illness is not just a medical subplot; it's a core component of his character and the show's narrative. His terminal diagnosis and fluctuating symptoms contribute to his volatile personality, oscillating between charming elegance and ruthless cruelty. The disease serves as a poignant motivation for his actions, explaining his reckless behavior and his ultimate willingness to sacrifice himself for the crew in the finale of the second part. His character arc is a complex exploration of mortality, showing how the inevitability of death can both bring clarity and amplify one's existing flaws.

Character Motivation and Legacy

Berlin's diagnosis provides a deeper layer to his motivations. He is driven by a desire for grand, beautiful heists and a legacy that extends beyond his limited time. The planning of the Bank of Spain heist, seen in flashbacks, further illustrates how his health condition influenced his collaboration with his brother and his pursuit of something bigger than himself. His death is not just a loss for the team but a symbolic climax of his journey, a man confronting his own mortality on his own terms. His character and his struggles with Helmer's myopathy left a lasting impression on viewers, cementing his status as a fan-favorite, which eventually led to his own spin-off series.

Distinguishing from the Real 'Berlin Patient'

It is important to note that the term 'Berlin patient' also refers to a real person, Timothy Ray Brown, who was the first individual to be cured of HIV. He received a stem cell transplant from a donor with a natural resistance to the virus to treat leukemia, which inadvertently cured his HIV. This distinction is critical to avoid confusion between the fictional character and this significant real-world medical case. Our focus here is on the fictional character from Money Heist.

Conclusion

The fictional Helmer's myopathy in Money Heist was a central element of Berlin's character, driving his actions, defining his personality, and ultimately shaping his fate. While not a real disease, it effectively served to add profound depth and motivation to one of television's most memorable and complex anti-heroes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Helmer's myopathy is a fictional degenerative muscle disease created for the television series Money Heist. It is not a real medical condition.

No, Berlin's disease was not the direct cause of his death. He sacrificed himself by confronting police to allow his crew to escape from the Royal Mint of Spain.

In the series, Berlin manages his symptoms with a fictional medication called Retroxil. No real-world medical treatments are shown, as the condition itself is not real.

Berlin's terminal diagnosis contributed to his complex and unpredictable personality. It gave him an urgency to live intensely, but also amplified his cruelty and recklessness.

The show depicted Berlin's illness through his visibly shaking hands, which required him to inject medication to manage his tremors. His struggle with the illness also comes to light during personal conversations with the Professor.

While Helmer's myopathy is not real, it shares characteristics with real degenerative muscle conditions, or myopathies. For example, myofibrillar myopathy is a real disease involving the progressive weakening of muscles.

The real 'Berlin Patient' was Timothy Ray Brown, a person cured of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant to treat leukemia. This case is unrelated to the fictional character in Money Heist.