The Godzilla franchise has undergone an extraordinary renaissance since the dawn of 2023, with this latest installment dramatically reshaping the trajectory of our beloved monster. This enthralling movie has mesmerized audiences and redefined the franchise’s essence, establishing a benchmark that promises to reverberate through future narratives.
With its innovative storytelling approach, Godzilla Minus One has infused the franchise with a revitalized vigor, weaving intricate layers into its plot while remaining true to the monstrous roots we cherish. The visual spectacle presented in this film is nothing short of breathtaking, characterized by awe-inspiring cinematography and innovative special effects that bring the colossal creature to life in ways we could only dream of before.
Image courtesy Toho Studios
As fans, this extraordinary moment fills us with pride and excitement, a thrilling preview of Godzilla’s adventures yet to come. The dedicated team at Toho Studios has shown an unwavering commitment to elevating Godzilla to unparalleled heights, exploring new narrative terrains, and expanding the monster’s mythos. Minus One has reshaped the franchise and established a new, elevated standard for the illustrious future of Godzilla films!
Godzilla etched its name into cinematic history when it was nominated for and triumphantly won an Academy Award in March 2024 for Best Visual Effects. This remarkable achievement transcended mere accolades; it stood as a testament to the franchise’s breathtaking visual spectacle and the filmmakers’ incredible talent in crafting a masterpiece on a modest budget of just $15 million. As devoted fans, we can reflect on this moment with immense pride, celebrating the recognition of our beloved franchise on the grandest of stages. It serves as a beacon for Hollywood, highlighting the brilliance of Minus One in its resourceful use of budgetary constraints. Every department shone brightly, harmoniously combining every element to create an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Image by Lori Glumac for WormholeRiders News Agency
This year, Godzilla’s iconic film received four impressive nominations at the prestigious Saturn Awards, which doubled viewership in 2025, including categories for Best International Film, Best Film Direction, Best Film Screenwriting, and Best Visual/Special Effects. Celebrating its remarkable journey, the film emerged victoriously, winning the award for Best International Film. This accolade is more than just a trophy; it serves as a profound validation of Godzilla’s legacy and highlights Japan’s exceptional talent in the realm of filmmaking. Once again, Japan has demonstrated its indomitable presence in the cinematic landscape, reminding us that it remains a formidable force that continues to captivate audiences worldwide. As devoted fans, we can bask in the glow of this recognition, feeling a deep sense of pride and validation for our beloved franchise that has woven itself into the fabric of popular culture including a cool Stern Pinball game!
Image courtesy Saturn Awards
The Saturn Awards, a prestigious celebration of genre cinema, first graced the entertainment world in 1972, spotlighting the captivating realms of science fiction, fantasy, and horror films.
Over the years, this iconic ceremony has broadened its scope to embrace the magic of television storytelling. In a heartfelt tribute to the late Lance Reddick, the awards introduced in 2024 the inaugural Lance Reddick Legacy Award, honoring Keanu Reeves for his outstanding performances in the beloved John Wick franchise. This accolade embodies a profound appreciation for an actor’s talent and the unforgettable characters they bring to life on screen.
Lance Reddick, a cherished figure within the science fiction community, garnered acclaim for his remarkable role in one of my all-time favorite series, Fringe. His untimely passing in March 2023 left a void in the hearts of fans, yet his enduring legacy will be celebrated through this special award in perpetuity.
Image courtesy Dean Devlin on X
Dean Devlin of Electric Entertainment, whose series The Ark earned a nomination, aptly described the Saturn Awards as “a great celebration of nerds cheering on nerd stuff.”
As an admirer of Mr. Devlin’s many contributions to genre entertainment over the past thirty years which include Stargate and Independence Day in then 1990’s, I wholeheartedly resonate with his sentiment!
As devoted science fiction fantasy drama fans, we revel in honoring our favorite narratives and characters, and this year, the highly anticipated Godzilla Minus One has undoubtedly secured its place on our list of cherished highlights.
Image courtesy Takashi Yamazaki on X
Godzilla Minus One is not only a genre film but also sets itself aside as a lesson in filmmaking. As I mentioned, what the director, Takashi Yamazaki, did regarding special effects is astonishing.
Unlike other recent Godzilla movies that are so CGI-heavy that they take you out of the fantasy, Minus One managed to strike a perfect balance. It utilized CGI to enhance the storytelling and create a visually stunning experience without overshadowing the narrative or the iconic monster. This balance is a testament to the film’s quality and a reason for us, as fans, to be reassured about the franchise’s future, knowing it is in good hands.
Image courtesy Toho Studios
In this latest interpretation of Godzilla, the narrative strategically emphasizes the deeply woven human stories that resonate throughout the film. The creature, a looming shadow of fear, is not always depicted in its monstrous form but instead manifested through the terror and awareness of its impending presence. The filmmakers masterfully crafted a narrative that operates on multiple levels, disguising itself as a poignant commentary on political and social issues. Within this framework, Godzilla emerges as a powerful symbol of humanity’s hubris, a tangible representation of the chaos and destruction that ensues when conflict ravages a nation. The film unfolds as a chilling reflection on the aftermath of war, illustrating how its consequences give rise to a monstrous reality that lurks beneath the surface. Let us delve into the rich political and social themes “Minus One” explores, revealing how they intricately enhance the film’s overall narrative depth.
Image courtesy Toho Studios
What I find captivating about the film is its intricate weaving of Japanese cultural elements, vividly illustrating how the world has grown increasingly complicated. The filmmakers boldly decided to minimize Godzilla’s on-screen presence, yet his overwhelming impact reverberates through the narrative when he does appear. This deliberate restraint heightens the tension and anticipation, making the moments when the monster is revealed even more gripping, allowing the viewers to feel his powerful influence throughout the film.
One compelling reason to celebrate “Minus One” is its complete embrace of the Japanese language, which enriches the film’s authenticity and immerses viewers in a culturally nuanced experience. This choice elevates the storytelling, making it particularly enchanting to enthusiasts of Japanese cinema. Godzilla, a legendary icon, originated in Japan and deserves to be depicted through the lens of its rich cultural heritage.
Image courtesy Toho Studios
The film boasts an extraordinary cast, with Minami Hamabe portraying the resilient Noriko Ôishi and Ryûnosuke Kamiki embodying the complex Kôichi Shikishima as they navigate the challenges of post-war Japan. Their performances breathe life into the struggles and emotional depth of a society grappling with its past.
With the release of this latest incarnation of Godzilla, I hope Hollywood will pay attention to the nuances of crafting a genre film. It is a refreshing reminder of how to skillfully operate within the constraints of a modest budget while emphasizing storytelling more. The filmmakers of Minus One demonstrated an impressive ability to utilize visual effects with remarkable efficiency, creating a more immersive experience. Additionally, I was captivated by how the film concluded, leaving viewers with an intriguing hint of potential for a thrilling sequel which is currently being written to add to the seventy year Godzilla phenomena.
In closing, I penned an article that explores my deep affection not just for Godzilla but specifically for Minus One. The sheer brilliance of the filmmakers resonates with me profoundly; their remarkable dedication and creativity breathe new life into this legendary monster, resurrecting it from the figurative grave. It is truly inspiring to witness how they reimagined this iconic creature, blending nostalgia with innovative storytelling. I cannot help but admire their remarkable efforts in elevating the Godzilla legacy to new heights.
Thanks to Kenn for video and image embedding for my feature article and many thanks to you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency. Join us as we prepare for the excitement in the new year when I visit the Turner Classic Movie Film Festival 2025 in April and in July when Kenn and I visit San Diego Comic-Con 2025!
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This second season continues with this exciting episode as another disaster befalls our heroes who cannot seem to catch as break! The fabulous fourth episode of season 2 is one of our favorites since it deals with an alternate reality likely caused by a quantum entanglement as a result of an unstable wormhole when Ark-1 was exiting Faster Than Light (FTL) travel at the end of previous episode “Anomaly”.
This excellent episode written by Madeline Hendricks Lewen is fantastic not only because the writer does a superb job, but because the story in this superb episode provides the main cast an opportunity to portray alternate versions of themselves that highlights their awesome acting talent.
In that last sequence of the previous episode, Lt. James Brice (Richard Fleeshman) disappeared after Ark-1 had been traveling to Ark-3 to obtain spare part to fully repair the FTL drive. Due to damage suffered at Proxima B, Ark-1 needed parts for their longer journey to rejoin the remnants of humanity now headed to a new life at the Trappist 1D solar system.
Image courtesy Star Trek
In modern science fiction television, the 1967 Star Trek original series episode “Mirror, Mirror” set the stage for alternate reality versions of the main characters. Viewers will recall that the Enterprise was sent to an alternate reality where it is in the service of a brutal evil Empire with a equally barbaric crew.
In “Mirror, Mirror” the Enterprise encountered an ion storm sending four crew members including Captain Kirk (William Shatner) to an alternative reality universe after they were negotiating with an alien race for Dilithium crystals that are the warp drive energy source for the Federation Starship fleet.
Image courtesy Warner Brothers
Similarly, the fabulous Fringe series (2008-2013), and as depicted in many other science fiction series, viewers know about an alternate version of characters between universes, even observing both versions of the Olivia Dunham character in many episodes of this beloved science fiction series.
Fringe fans will recall that a murdered Alternate Inspector Broyles (Lance Reddick) arrived in the “prime universe” when his dead body was transferred from the “alternate universe” as an exchange with Alt Livia (Anna Torv) who had been on a spy mission in our universe after she was returning to her own alternate universe.
However, what actually happened is that Ark-1 and an alternate universe version were exiting FTL at the exact same time, causing the quantum entanglement that traps the two ships in a starless void. As for the vanishing of Lt. Brice, that is precisely where this fascinating fourth episode of season two begins with a number of events that delighted the viewers at an X party the night of the broadcast!
Image courtesy SYFY
Alicia Nevins (Stacey Read) runs in to the Ark-1 FTL engine control room to alert everyone that something “weird” is happening.
The ship did not drop out of FTL near Ark-3 where they were supposed to.
Alicia also notes the weirdness is further accentuated in that there are no stars that are visible outside Ark-1 because they are in a starless black void!
Image by Aleksandar Letic Ark TV Holdings, courtesy SYFY
We are then apparently with Cat Brandice (Christina Wolfe) who had died during the first episode of the season in “Failed Experiment”.
As science fiction admirers know, characters come back to life in SciFi series!
I for one was happy to see Cat again!
However, viewers were at first left scratching their heads over this development until the reason for her apparent survival becomes clear.
Image courtesy SYFY
We witness Cat getting out of a stasis pod calling for “Will”. Cat is referring to her lover William Trust (Paul Leonard Murray). We then see Cat walking down a hallway where she sees a flabbergasted William Trust and runs to hug him.
Captain Garnet and the prime reality crew soon learn that Cat is actually a duplicate from another Ark-1 in an alternate reality timeline. We learn that Alternate Cat must have switched places with Lt. Brice during the quantum entanglement exchange with the alternate universe.
Image by Aleksandar Letic Ark TV Holdings, courtesy SYFY
The scene switches back to the Ark-1 control room where Captain Garnet, Eva, Lt. Spencer and Alicia are struggling to comprehend what has transpired and why they cannot see any stars.
Captain Garnet suspects that the ships cameras are not working while Alicia says they are in a black “void”. Garnet, Spencer and Alicia run to Captain Garnets room which has exterior viewing windows. When they arrive they confirm that there are in fact no stars!
Image by Aleksandar Letic Ark TV Holdings, courtesy SYFY
Security Chief Felix Strickland (Pavle Jerinic) and Kimi Joma (Díana Bermudez), former head of Ark-15 security now serving with Felix on Ark-1 as a security officer, urgently call with an urgent message to meet them in the mess hall.
Sure enough, William Trust and Cat are sitting at a table together. To make matter stranger, Cat refers to Lt. Spencer as Commander Spencer, and Cat, an American in the prime universe, now has a decidedly delightful British accent proving she is not the same Cat who was killed in “Failed Experiment“.
Image by Aleksandar Letic Ark TV Holdings, courtesy SYFY
Events continue to bear out that Cat is from another alternate universe when she states that William Trust is her husband and that James Brice died in her universe some ten years ago when he thwarted a terrorist attack on the lunar colony that no one survived, including Lt. Spencer’s father.
Lt. Spencer demands answers believing that Cat is not who she claims to be. Captain Garnet on the other hand, realizes that something odd has happened and that they must investigate to get the answers they require to explain this alternate reality manifestation.
Image courtesy SYFY
Prime universe genius Alicia provides a credible explanation that Ark-1 never dropped out of FTL and became quantum entangled between the versions of reality that Cat and our heroes are experiencing. Felix if such a phenomena is possible. William Trust confirms that it is not only possible, but is the only logical explanation for what has happened. Alicia is asked by Captain Garnet how they can be “quantum untangled”. Alicia admits that she does not know, but will work on the problem.
We make a stop in the medical bay where Dr. Sanjivni Kabir (Shalini Peiris) is helping Dr. Marsh (Jadran Malkovich) diagnose patients much to his annoyance. Kabir says she is bored while Marsh says she must get more rest before she can return to duty.
Image by Aleksandar Letic Ark TV Holdings, courtesy SYFY
We shift to Kelly, who although locked up, is hearing voices, including Lt. Brice trapped in the alternate universe. Kelly is released by Captain Garnet, Fleix and Kimi who leads them to a wall where she says the voices of William Trust and Lt. Brice are emanating from, Alt William questioning Lt, Brice asking who he is since he died a decade ago in their universe.
The episode focuses on the Ark-1 in the prime universe is about finding a solution to fixing why Lt. Brice and Cat switched universe realities. There are many enjoyable bits by Alt Cat who goes by her full name of Catrina and sports a British accent. The crew are dealing with the Kelly who Alt Cat is able to figure out since artificially enhanced humans, called “Post Humans” in this episode, were her specialty in the alternate universe. Alt Cat decides to help Kelly which will be revealed at the end of the episode. We also learn that Helena (Mercedes De La Cruz) was a manipulative bitch in both realities, and that William Trust is a good person in the alternate reality.
Image courtesy SYFY
Prime universe Alicia shares that the only way to break the linkage between the two realities is to move Ark-1 to physically un-entangle the two versions of Ark-1.
We then are in the alternate universe with a stark naked Lt. Brice and the alt Ark-1 crew members who are shocked to see him. Not the naked part, but that in their alternate reality Brice died saving the lunar colony from an attack by Eastern Alliance soldiers. Alt Eva then smacks prime Lt Brice for being naked while making provocative statements as Alt Sasha enters the FTL control room.
Image by Aleksandar Letic /Ark TV Holdings, courtesy SYFY
A fun series of alternate antics begins to take place with Alt Sasha calling Brice a pervert for exposing his “junk hanging out” and chases Prime Universe reality Brice around the Ark-1 FTL engine control room.
Alternate Felix and his security assistant alternate Angus Medford (Ryan Adams) are alerted. They decide to separate to find the intruder, Prime Universe Brice, now trapped in the alternate universe reality version of Ark-1. This sets up several more enjoyable scenes with the cast performing alternate versions of themselves in humorous scenes.
Image courtesy SYFY
Brice, now dressed and calmed down finds a disheveled Alt Sharon Garnet Prime Brice. She starts gushing over his eyes that she has missed. Alt Sharon tells Prime Brice that they were to be married before he was killed saving the lunar colony. Prime reality Brice finds Alt Alicia Nevins, chief of waste management in the alternate reality, to figure out how to fix the quantum entangled mess they are in! Alt Alicia says she’s a only a genius about garbage and “purifying urine” and that prime reality Brice needs Alt William Trust to figure it all out. Alt Angus shows up and calls Alt Alicia his “babe” thereby proving that some things stay the same in either of the entangled universes! Prime Brice makes the mistake of calling Alt Angus “Plant Boy” who then beats Prime Brice to a pulp with his stun baton! Alt Alicia, who believed Prime Brice, knocks out Alt Angus with his own stun baton because Alt Angus cheated on her last week, and they should “hook up to even the score” before kicking At Angus.
Meanwhile Prime Brice seeks out Alt William Trust who still has Klampkins disease, is still in a stasis pod while his Alt wife Cat’s pod is empty proving the mass displacement quantum entanglement theorem. Alt Trust explains that both Ark-1 ships dropping out of FTL caused the quantum entanglement. They go to see Captain Oliver Lane (Howard Saddler) who is Spencer Lane’s father in the alternate universe. Prime Brice and Captain Lane begins to develop a plan to set things right once again by stopping Alt Ark-1 and sending a binary signal that both Arks must move in opposite directions to send Prime Brice and Alt Cat back to where they belong! During the flashes we briefly see Naomi Spencer (Jessica Yemi) in the Prime Reality.
Image courtesy SYFY
We move to a conclusion finding a heartbroken Alt Sharon outside the Alt Ark-1 bridge to say goodbye to Prime Reality Brice. Alt Sharon who lost her future husband in the alternate reality gives Prime Brice a kiss.
Despite Alt William Trust not including which direction to move each ship, Prime Alicia figures it out and Lt. Brice returns to Prime Ark-1 (stark naked) once again this time getting a huge hug from Eva! Then we see William Trust sobbing over Alt Cat’s empty clothing knowing he will never see the woman he loves again.
Image courtesy SYFY
The last two scenes of the episode begin with Kimi sitting down with Lt. Brice questioning him about the lunar colony mission Brice was a hero of in the alternate reality, and if he was involved in this reality.
Lt. Brice says no, but if he had been, no one would have died. Here we find out what Kimi’s mission in this reality, obviously Brice didn’t go on the lunar mission as he was supposed to, and someone Kimi loved perished there, so it appears Kimi is seeking revenge!
Image courtesy SYFY
We end the episode when we are with Kelly who is being returned to captivity. Inside her cell, Kelly finds a computing device with message from Alt Cat that she is now in control of her “POST” human enhancements.
Will everything else be okay on Ark-1 now that we know about Kimi’s secret and Kelly having the ability to control her POST Human implants?
Find out next week in the scary fifth episode of season two named “Museum of Death” that will likely deal with the lunar mission and the casualties that became reality in our universe!
We will be back soon to continue reporting on our analysis of The Ark and our adventures in San Diego for Comic-Con 2024, including exclusive interviews! In the meantime, please feel free to share this article with your friends, co-workers and or your family!
We look forward to you visiting our dedicated review and analysis web site here in the future! Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit TeamWHR on X, or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story. I and TeamWHR look forward to Seeing You on The Other Side!“
Well Fringe fans this is it, my very last Fringe review, ever.
Sad, I know, it has been an incredible journey these last five years. We have seen characters come and go and return again. We have seen shapeshifters, parallel universes, things that no human being should ever bear witness to.
We have witnessed what a family is, both on screen and off. Fringe has become, to quote The Sopranos, Family. Redefined.
I hope that you loved this final episode as much as I did. Honestly I did not know what to expect.
Like everyone, I had heard various Fringe rumors about maybe a time reset was going to happen, and if so that means that Peter (Joshua Jackson) may disappear, that Henrietta Bishop (Georgina Haig) may not be able to be restored to Peter and Olivia (Anna Torv), that Walter would make the ultimate sacrifice, or perhaps worst of all that all the events that unfolded in this final season would have been moot.
I always had faith in Joel Wyman and the others involved that when they said they penned a love letter they meant it. To me this last episode was not only a love letter, but a culmination of everything that made Fringe the groundbreaking, brilliant, funny, edgy, suspenseful, etc show that it has become.
There has not been a show like this before and have I have feeling there never will be another one like it. There will also never be a fandom like this again, passionate people that are the lifeblood of this show. Joel and the rest of the cast have always expressed their love and gratitude to us the fans and we whole heartedly accepted it with open arms.
I will warn you now, since this is my last Fringe review, I may get a little emotional, which is warranted considering the epicness of this last episode. I have used that word epic over and over not only in my reviews but on my twitter account as well when describing this show. When I use words like epic or brilliant I do not use them lightly, I really mean them. So please forgive me if I go a little overboard with the usage of both words.
Now…on with the last Fringe review…The opening scene with Donald/September (Michael Cerveris) and December (Eugene Lipinski) is interesting, but it sets up what is to come. I also think that it is a set up in a way of possibly a continuation.
When Donald says “If our plan doesn’t succeed they will cease to exist” it makes me think that this has always been planned out. That this already happened before and that due to the reality changes that the Observers are a part of, they need this to go right this time.
When Donald asks December “After all this time, the feelings you had for these people, the feelings we all had, they have not grown in you?” I know he was talking about the original 12 Observers. The ones that had started it all and the ones that were closer to what Michael (Rowan Longworth) is than Windmark (Michael Kopsa). I do believe that is why December and September always had a soft spot for the Bishop Boys and Olivia.
“When we first came here we did not know the true nature of our expedition” September tells him. It freaks me out to see this scene again, because again, it is a sign that this all happened before, that the original 12 were sent back to fix the problem or to make sure this time that the plan went right.
I am going to be quoting a book that was recommended to me by Kenn (it has since become a favorite of mine) called “The End of Eternity” by Isaac Asimov. This book is chock full of very Fringe like references, including Observers, time shifts, alternate realities, etc.
It is the one book that has allowed me to understand Fringe a bit more. If you have not read this book I highly recommend it. The reason I bring this book up is my previous statement that both December and September knew the consequences of what would happen if their plan did NOT succeed, hence the changes. They need to get it right this time, for humanity sake or it would surely be an invasion all over again, but maybe worse.
“Destiny can be changed” Donald reminds December and it already has been, a few times, why not one more (or a few more) times. I love that September makes the justification that the people of this era are worth saving. That is the nature and reason for the reality changes, the book talks about that, too.
Walter (John Noble) and his comment about a cancer inducing cell phone is hilarious. It must be so frustrating being a genius when everyone else around you is so dumb!
I am certainly going to miss his Walterisms, they are such a part of the Fringe lexicon that I have uttered a few in my everyday life. That is the brilliance of John Noble, he has such a wonderful way of making things his own and putting his signature on them. There will certainly be a void of that kind of wit on TV.
Uh oh Broyles is all I can think when Windmark appears in the garage. I love that Broyles is always walking that fine line between both worlds. Lance Reddick does a great job at making you understand why he is doing what he is doing.
Whether it be his Alt character helping Olivia (Anna Torv) escape from the Alt universe in the Entrada episode while he sacrificed himself, or his trusting Etta (Georgina Haig) and her ability to teach him how to block the thoughts from the Observers. Broyles has always been a moral character; you know how to perceive things by how he perceives them.
The gang returning to the lab with Michael (Rowan Longworth) in tow looks like a family vacation gone awry. When Olivia asks Donald why Michael stepped off the monorail, his answer is short “Apparently there was a reason, there always is” again reminds me of what he said to December about why these people should survive, why time should be reset.
It is sweet to see Michael’s reaction to the static on the computer screen. It is such an innocent one, he is smiling, and it almost makes you think that he sees something that we do not.
Often it has been said, in paranormal studies, that “white noise” actually is living. It has voices and shapes that we normally miss. Leave it to a child to make us aware of such things, their imaginations and emotions are deeper than those of us adults. Deeper and more real because of the purity of them, they have not been corrupted by life and such to warrant bad feelings.
When Donald had said that the initiating reactor core has been deteriorated and enlisted help “from my time” makes me think that this plan has already happened and that the shift is almost in place to make the REAL change. He needs it to make it became THAT reality. Asimov’s book again comes into play here, again, with the time shifts and the changing of realities.
I love hearing Walter explain to the others what the purpose of the device is that Donald is building. It is always great to see him when he gets into his scientist role; it brings out that wondrous part of him, with a side order of mad genius. John Noble always makes science fun and easily accessible. It is no wonder he is also the host of that great TV series Dark Matters on the Science Channel (shameless plug, I know, but worth watching).
As I mentioned in a previous post about Michael being the Archangel, Donald confirms it. He says that when he gets to the year 2167 Michael will change the course of human evolution.
Just as Archangel Michael changed the course of his destiny and that of the chosen ones. Just like Olivia changed the course of her history and timeline, just like Peter did and ultimately just like Walter did.
It comes full circle, like it was always meant to be this way, that Peter (Joshua Jackson) was always supposed to meet Olivia (Anna Torv) that they were always supposed to fight for a greater cause.
This was always supposed to happen, maybe it got a little of track, but these people were always meant to do what they were destined to do; it just needed a little tweaking.
The way that Donald looks at Walter when Astrid (Jasika Nicole) asks how he will know who the scientist is, is again a sign that this plan was always in motion. Walter has a look of knowing a look of acknowledgement like he knows the answer but is not willing to volunteer the answer.
I love that Broyles knows he has been compromised by how he notices the gloves on his dash. He does the right thing by leading them on a wild goose chase. It is unfortunate that he cannot be there to help them, but he also does the right thing by sacrificing himself again for the greater good. “The most important thing is the plan” is what Broyles stresses to Olivia, no matter how much she protests. That is one of the many things I love about Broyles, moral to the end.
This next scene with Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Walter (John Noble) is by far the best scene ever filmed in Fringe history…in my opinion. There was a picture if this scene posted on Facebook and twitter and now we know what it was a part of. The emotion in this scene is outstanding, John Noble has never been better and I do not think he will ever be able to top this scene.
Watching this again it make me realize that this is not only a scene between a father and a son, but two men, two actors who have grown to love and respect each other as a real father and son. The love and respect that they both have for one another in unquestionable, them saying goodbye was for real and I am sure that both Josh and John will never again experience anything quite like it.
Watching John Noble in this scene is astonishing; again a word I don’t use often but when I do its meaning is perfect in this scene. There are a few times in my life as a director when I have been rendered speechless by an actor, whether I was working with them or watching them on screen, this is truly one of those times.
The raw depth and immense power of John and his emotion is so powerful that he floored me, literally. I was so moved that my floor was littered with used tissue after tissue.
THAT Ladies and gentlemen is what acting is…living in the moment, feeling it from your toes to your head and extending out to everyone around you. The fact that John has been snubbed time and time again by the major awards is a tragedy, but also a blessing. A blessing to us fans who can selfishly hog him and his talent all to ourselves. We can say “I have witnessed perfection and his name is John Noble.”
Josh is fantastic in this scene as well, his love for this man is evident, not only in real life but on the show. Josh truly did find a father figure in John as did the rest of the younger cast. He was saying goodbye to Walter and to John at the same time; his emotion has never been more real than in this scene.
This is the purest Josh has ever gotten, not even when Olivia (Anna Torv) was shot and killed or shot again, not even when Etta (Georgina Haig) died or his upon seeing his mother Elizabeth (Orla Brady) again. This is what real love, respect and friendship is folks and Josh and John are showing us in spades.
It is hard for me to really expound on this scene any further, watching it is the only explanation needed. That alone will give you the answers to the question of what is brilliance and talent and I say to you…this, this scene is.
There are some scenes that are so beyond any words when you watch them, to describe them using primitive language is futile, feeling is the only way you can experience the powerful meaning. This is that scene, if no other scene is ever filmed again in regards to Fringe, let this be the beacon, the guide, the shining light of what Fringe is, has been and ever shall be…
Okay, now that I have sufficiently cried myself silly again watching this scene, let’s talk about the paradox that Walter mentions. Again I must go back to Asimov and what he says about paradox “in every apparent paradox of time travel, reality always changes to avoid the paradox and we come to the conclusion that there are no paradoxes in time travel and that there can be none”.
Reality has to be reset and Walter knows this, hence what happens at the end of this episode and why it is so significant that we are hearing this now. Walter mentions how nature abhors a paradox; it has to heal itself (reset itself if you will). It is so brilliant that Joel had picked up on this; I suspect that he has read Asimov and incorporated the paradox and reality changes because of him.
Asimov also writes about reality “With an infinite number of Realities there can be no such thing as determinism”. Sound familiar? September said something similar to Walter about why he cannot know the absolute outcome because nothing is determined. The mere definition of determinism is what has been a thought line in Fringe from the beginning. Real is just a perception, as has been mentioned time and time again and has always been in the background somewhere.
It is so sad when you see the final fate of our friend and fellow Observer December (Eugene Lipinski). His death was not in vain, he died to help the team. This may be a weird coincidence, but it seems that every death of a significant character in this season has served as a reminder of what is at stake, what the team is fighting for. No death has been in vain, it has been the catalyst and what will finally drive the fate of the team.
When Windmark gets his hands on the reactor it is not a good sign, but then you know that fate has another chance to rear its head. Never count out our team; they are never down for the count. With all the references to realities, time travel and the shifting of realities, I cannot quote all of the time Asimov uses these to make my point in Fringe, so I will ask that you read the book and understand what I mean.
When you see Broyles get caught by the Observers that is when the episode shifts. The stakes have now become higher and things are at the most dire. It’s getting real people!
Leave it to Olivia to go to Michael to figure out the plan. Maybe they do really have a connection after all. They are basically the same, in some weird way, both anomalies, both children that possessed something far greater than ever imagined, both children that essentially changed the realities and timelines.
“Because it’s cool”…oh Walter, how we are going to miss your little Walterisms. I suspect that Fringe fans all over the world are uttering this as I type this!
It is another one of the many, many cool ways that Fringe has become part of our everyday lives.
I absolutely love love love the scene with Jasika and John when she shows him Gene. It again is a true testament to the friendship and special bond John and Jasika have formed over the five year run of the show. It is also so incredibly beautiful that he FINALLY acknowledges her real name and how beautiful it always has been. John, you kill me, literally kill me!
I love that Windmark tells Broyles about the original twelve that arrived and that there assignment was to observe. Something strange happened…Hmm, I wonder what could that have been? “They succumbed to irrational emotions,”…no Windmark, they were just being human!
It is such a great scene, because Windmark thinks he is superior to Broyles when as Nina (Blair Brown) pointed out in the Anomaly episode that the Observers are the primitive ones and we are the advanced ones, well we eventually learn to be more advanced thanks to Michael. “I believe you call it hate” states Windmark, “the feeling is mutual” Broyles retorts! Match point to Broyles!
The beautiful scene in the car between Peter and Olivia is what Anna and Josh do best. They have always had an uncanny ability to be perfectly intimate with the world watching. They are great at dropping the fourth wall and making the private public, which is why they are one of the most epic couples in TV history.
Their hope (that word!) of seeing Etta again is closer than before. It makes me happy that their fight was not futile, that the hope Olivia had that she would be able to finally be the mother she ultimately wanted to be. It is such a sweet thing that Peter gave her the bullet that truly did save the world!
Now we are at the part that for me becomes the locomotion to the end. It is so fraking cool what happens to the Observers that enable Peter and Olivia to conquer. Again the old school Fringe is harkened back to. It was so great to see some of the past cases come back to life, albeit a bit gruesomely, but still neat to see again.
I love that Donald volunteers to go to the future in Walter’s place. It is a very noble thing to do. I love that throughout the run of the show Michael Cerveris has always been a favorite of mine. This multi talented man has shown us his true colors and I for one love it. You always knew there was something different about September and that is one of the reasons he became one of my favorite characters.
So when September told Peter “It must be difficult to be a father” all those years ago, he knew in some weird way that feeling. Now as Donald he knows it with every emotion he has, he knows what Walter felt about Peter. “It’s about changing fate, it’s about hope” well said Donald! That word again is the theme, sometimes it is all you have to hold on to, that is what gives you strength to carry on.
Let the Fringe freak fest begin! The floodgates are now open! Here comes the pain! I was cheering loudly when the plethora of old Fringe events started spreading like wildfire. It was so great because it reminded me of all the past episodes and seasons and how extraordinary this show is and will always be.
When I saw the six fingered hand, I thought to myself, The Princess Bride, which I have referenced before in my posts. Remember him? Christopher Guest played him well…but I digress.
Let’s fast forward to the last ten minutes of this episode. These scenes are the most crucial to me; it is what we as a fandom have finally been waiting for. It is not only the final battle, but the final chapter in the wonderful love letter that Joel has penned for us the fans. From the gun fight which reminded me of an old western film to the floating Observer (Walter was right, it is cool!), Fringe has always had the makings of epic television.
Watching these scenes again I am filled with the excitement that I was the first time I watched the episode. How edge of my seat I was hoping and praying that the plan goes perfectly. It is such a great treat to watch it again and still feel those emotions surge in my body!
As Peter and Windmark battle, the thoughts that went through my mind were “the plan will work, I know it will,” but there was still a glimmer (yes pun intended) that it may fail. Bite my tongue, I know but then again it’s Fringe, anything can happen.
Ironic that Windmark had Olivia by the throat much like he did Etta? What follows this scene is perhaps my favorite Olivia scene ever. It is what Olivia was meant for, what she was born for, what William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) had said time and time again she was used (I hate to use that word, but it fits) for. She was always the strongest one as Bell mentioned, kept Peter by her side, but Nina reminded her that she always had an incredible capacity for compassion.
It was Olivia’s capacity for feeling that made both Walter and Bell use her…Nina (Blair Brown) said that Bell needs something from her. Just like they need something from Michael, he is the chosen one as well. It is the reason Michael has always had a strong connection to Olivia.
She is the chosen one as Bell states. She has always been afraid of her abilities, but Nina again pointed out that Olivia always had the most extraordinary gifts, the only thing she denied was knowing, she’s had the power all along…(Wizard of Oz reference again).
Damn I love this show). “Olivia is an uncertainty engine, every breath she takes brings us closer to nirvana, and with every beat of her heart she tears the world from its hinges. She is the redeemer” Bell said, about Olivia and in this scene she proves it.
When she sees the necklace strewn across the ground, I bet Etta flashes through her mind, her baby girl, her “perfect little soul” her second or in this case third chance to get her back. I love this scene, Anna is extraordinary.
It reminds me of a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the power she posses to inflict the final blow. How fitting is it that Windmark is crushed, literally and figuratively, by Olivia. That she was the redeemer; she did have the power the whole time. The fear and love she has always possessed have been her triggers and the cortexiphan her weapon.
When Donald/September got shot I guarantee you there way collective screaming and flailing across Fringe fandom, but remember this is Fringe, everything happens for a reason. It was sad to see Donald meet his fate, but it was also I suspect the way it was always meant to be. The tune that Michael plays is Greensleeves and the significance is perfect in this situation. It is as it always has been how it was fated to be.
It started with Walter and a boy, it will end with Walter and a boy. It is because of the immense love that Walter had for Peter and it ended with the immense love Walter had for Peter.
It came full circle again; Walter saved a boy…again. It was such a beautiful scene with Josh telling John he loved him, I bet that was genuine! As I am watching Walter walk off into the proverbial sunset, I am tearing up, but not from sadness, from joy! He finally became the better man…this time.
Remember Walter is not dead, he is in the future. Something John Noble said in the last Noble intentions that makes me think we will not only see him again, but the cast possibly in a movie.
He had mentioned that because Walter is in the future, for a while, he may miss his family and want to come home for a bit…there is always hope.
And so brings us to the end…or rather the beginning again, of a whole new life. A rebirth of sorts, a chance for all of them to start over. As I watch the end I cannot help but feel a swell of emotion. I write this through blurred vision, because of the tears in my eyes.
The ending is perfection. I had told Kenn that there were two places that the reset would happen, either Etta’s birthday party or the park and I was right on one. I am so glad to see our beloved Bishop family intact again and enjoying their third chance at happiness. How does the saying go, third time is the charm?
Olivia finally has her third chance, she finally feels like the redeemer Bell always said she was. She is at peace, I believe, finally having her life, love and daughter back where they belong. Peter with Etta is so amazing; he has such love for this little girl. Josh is great, so tender and loving!
No comes the conclusion to the longest love letter in history. The shot of Peter (Joshua Jackson) looking through the mail is great. You can see a letter or ad that says “Thanks for the support” which I think Joel put in there as a thanks to all the fans that have supported the show through the five year journey.
What really, though, is the ultimate “We love you” to all the fans is the symbol that has meant so much in the Fringe world and to us fans around the world. The White Tulip, the symbol of solidarity, of forgiveness, or what a son means to his father and what this show has meant to all of us. The look that Peter/Josh has in his eyes leads me to believe that this saga is not over that we may (fingers and toes crossed) see a movie in the future as John Noble hinted at during SDCC 2012.
Well, my fiends I will share this quote from Peter Pan “Never say goodbye, because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting” so instead of saying goodbye to Fringe, I will bid see you again.
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the fans I have become friends with over the years. I want to say thanks to Kenn, Managing Editor of Team WHR for allowing me to be a part of this amazing team of people that covered this amazing show.
Most of all I want to thank every single person ever involved in Fringe; you have brought me such joy, such happiness, such laughter and such tears. It is because of you that I found my creative life again and that means more to me than you will ever know.
On one final note about the series and the time reset, I will conclude with an Isacc Asimov quote here for the last time:
“Reality has a tendency to flow back it its original position.”
Please feel free to leave a comment here or If you prefer, you may also click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit me on Twitter by clicking the links or images avatars in this news story. See You on The Other Side“!
Welcome back Fringe fans for our final series of reviews in this timeline,
How does one write about the apparent end of Fringe during ones final analysis for such an epic science fiction drama series that has brought excellence to our screens for five years?
Was it The End of Eternity as this reviewer has written about previously? Or is it simply a new beginning for a franchise that could to be headed to the big screen deserving of Academy Awards to atone for the many years of being snubbed by the Emmy’s?
This editor believes this is the case. In my opinion, and many others whom we have consulted with, Fringe movies loom in the future. The only question is when “Fringe Movies” will actually enter our timeline!?
With a focus more in the present timeline, the Fringe creators recently sanctioned products including September’s Notebook created by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry set for publication in March of this year!
Although not actually revealed in “The Recordist”, the end of the current Fringe eternity began with the return of September (Michael Cerveris) to the series story arc when we met, with fleeting glimpses what seemed to be a new character. Then referred to as Donald, who appeared at a remote mountain encampment, the final foundation was set.
“The Recordist” featured a well known and much admired actor Paul McGillion as Edwin Massey. Massey had laboriously recorded all of human history since the invasion of Earth by The Observers in 2015.
Massey related that Donald, whom we now know is September, had been captured by The Observers subsequent to when “Donald” had visited their remote encampment on a secret mission.
The Fringe team went on a field trip to track down clues revealed in Walters Betamax video tapes (I loved that video format, so superior to VHS as Walter confirmed during the series).
Olivia (Anna Torv), Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Walter (John Noble) met Massey discovering a high energy mineral needed for Walters plan to stop The Observers per the Betamax video cassette “bread crumb” he had left behind before being ambered in the year 2015.
As we reviewed previously here at WHR, we speculated that Donald was September, but “The Recordist” episode did not confirm September was alive as a fact until his return in “Anomaly XB-6783746” via the memories imparted from the child Observer Michael (Rowan Longworth) after he was secured in “Black Blotter”, when as you may recall Walter decided to take a little trip via LSD!
We include an edition of “Noble Intentions” courtesy of FOX Broadcasting that chronicles the memories imparted to Walter from Michael, the Child Observer.
The Boy Must Live:
After a bit of work in the former Harvard University lab to locate September, between Walter and Peter with the ever able work of Astrid (Jasika Nicole), in this episode we finally learn about Donald (September) and what happened to him since his disappearance at the hands of evil Observer Overlords from the year 2609.
With Peter’s, Astrid’s, and Olivia’s help to monitor the experimental events, and as Michael looked on with curiosity, Walter Bishop entered “The Tank” in the laboratory to isolate the important memories imparted to him by the Child Observer Michael (Rowan Longworth) in “Anomaly XB-6783746” in order to locate September in the year 2036.
In a truly humorous moment, well beyond anything ever contemplated on “Naked Tuesdays”, where Walter at least had an apron to cover his vitals, Olivia opens the tank in the lab only to find Walter stark bare ass naked in the process of searching his thoughts about September.
This fun scene brings us a moment of levity in the serious story arc full circle. One can only assume that it must be “Naked Tank Tuesday” in the year 2036! Even Olivia smiles at what they have discovered, Walters nakedness notwithstanding!
Subsequent to discovering enough clues from “Naked Tank Tuesday” to locate September, Walter dons some clothes to cover his fine physique to lead the Fringe team on the search for September in 2036.
In a number of memorable sequences, Peter and Walter chat about why he is so sure about things, including Walter remembering that he does not really enjoy “public displays” of affection and not using public restrooms to “go number two”. Peter’s growing love for his father’s eccentric nature is displayed lovingly with a wonderful smile.
We are suddenly taken to the year 2609, the central nexus of The Observers strangle hold on humanity. Now one may ask, why did The Observers Commander (James Kidnie) or delightfully evil Captain Windmark (Michael Kopsa) and other implied higher Observer authorities simply not kill September after his meddling with time without their explicit approval?
For those who read and follow the time-line psychology ripple effects of changing events or people as eloquently depicted in Fringe and by Isaac Asimov’s novel in “The End of Eternity”, the answer is simple. Well almost.
As discussed between Captain Windmark and The Observers Commander in “The Boy Must Live”, in order to not disturb the certainties of the reality they have created wherein they are the dominate species across the universe, certain individuals cannot be eliminated or they risk that the entire equation of time could unravel. September is one of those individuals in this reviewer’s opinion.
Now you may hypothecate; WAIT! Other of The Observers, their Loyalists and quite a few resistance humans have been killed. Why did these events not impact the timeline?
Although not delineated directly, the Fringe creators require viewers to think about serious consequences of ripples in time across realities from changes. This reviewer believes that this may have been partly responsible for lower ratings because Fringe as a story, took much thought to internalize. This factor was also responsible for the initial lackluster reception of the novel “The End of Eternity” that later went on to become a cult classic.
Nevertheless, the epic nature of the program can be understood as follows; One must assume that if a person was killed “out of order” in contravention to The Observers philosophy of “Everything In Order”, then a viewer should assume that the Observer command nexus in the year 2609 would have dispatched other Observers to fix or “patch” the timeline to restore 99.9999% infinity likelihoods just as what was performed in The End of Eternity to ensure the future eventualities desired.
More on these complex factors later in my analysis.
Walter, Olivia, Peter, with Michael in tow find September at an apartment after leveraging Walter’s memories ascertained in the tank.
September, in turn, obviously is quite happy to see Olivia, Peter, almost the entire team, and Walter in specific for reasons we learn in major reveals in the series story arc.
We were thrilled to also see an emotion of joy on September’s face when he sees the Observer Child is with the team.
Michael is later confirmed to actually be September’s son Michael. September opens a cigar box to retrieve a tiny music box which plays the memorable song “Greensleeves also known as “Who is the Child” when the tiny handle in turned.
A most appropriate selection by music composers Chris Tilton and Michael Giacchino in the opinion of this reviewer that is featured in episode.
After relating what had happened to themselves, our heroes learn that September had been stripped of the technology implanted in his skull which allows The Observers to traverse time across multiple alternate realities with causation by making minute adjustments in the time-line.
The ultimate purpose is to ensure Observer dominance across all realities to within 99.9999% infinity percent likelihood as discussed above.
We learn that September was punished for his many instances of meddling with the plans of the Overlord Observers to ensure their dominance across all time and in all universe possibilities.
Logically we must assume that after his capture and punishment, September was deemed to be harmless by The Observers without his enhanced abilities.
This proves that The Observers, the season five antagonists, are not all powerful. By not monitoring September more closely, thereby making a major mistake, especially considering the perseverance of Walter and our heroes of the Fringe Team in the year 2036, the quest to destroy their slavish, albeit intellectually developed society will become realty.
In the process we learn that September chose his name, Donald O’Conner, from a favorite movie he and Walter had once watched together; “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952).
One is also left to ponder another interesting theory. Did Walter name “Gene the Cow” to honor Gene Kelly who starred in the 1952 award winning film enjoyed by September? This reviewer find this theory to be highly likely.
As Olivia and Peter listen with great emotion on their faces, they find out, among the many details Walter did not remember, despite having many “feelings” imparted by Michael, that this included all the details of “the plan” to stop The Observers from manipulating all time and universes.
Powerless, September, had been inserted into the year 2036 where he could be “observed” by Captain Windmark after his capture and punishment.
September then began life as a normal human believing that his plans with Walter twenty-one years previous in the year 2015 to save humanity would never be realized.
In a major reveal about what has transpired over the past five (season) years, September shared how it all happened.
In stunning visual effects sequence reminiscent of “The Matrix” (1999), September reveals how Michael was created from his own genetic material in a vault of young Observers. The chilling scene delighted this reviewer to no end.
Michael, September’s progeny was deemed flawed by the genetically fascist Observer hierarchy of the year 2609. The result was that Michael’s maturation was deliberately stunted.
Although not depicted in the episode, September informs our Fringe Team heroes that he took the boy from the year 2609 and hid him in the past of the year 2036 to hopefully be found later by Walter, Olivia, Peter and Astrid.
During the meeting in the year 2609, we learn more about the weakness of The Observers. Although seemingly firmly in control, they are not capable of predicting all possible outcomes, and in fact are afraid of the consequences of making any additional changes to eliminate “the resisters” as the Fringe Team is referred to.
The Observer Commander relates to Captain Windmark; “we are not prepared to deal with a readjustment of probabilities”. The Observer Commander is obviously referring to the killing off the Fringe Team and or Michael, the “defective” Observer Child.
To his displeasure, Captain Windmark is forbidden from going back in time to kill them all. This is the next Observer weakness that is revealed.
Although The Observers have invested nearly five centuries from 2167 to 2609 to “breed out” emotion in favor of intellect, the Observer Commander detects something is wrong. Captain Windmark states “the idea of ending their existence consumes me”.
As we know from being emotional human beings in 2013, obsession is a destroyer of many aspects of humanity. So it will be with The Observers. Obsession causes people to make mistakes and or draw the wrong conclusions from history that ultimately leads to serious errors in judgment.
When the Observer Commander states “they are insignificant”, we know that our heroes can leverage their arrogance to ultimately win the day!
With a segue back to the Fringe Team at the apartment, now with September restored as an ally, we discover “The Plan” is to take Michael to the year 2167 on the 28th of February, and introduce him to The Powers That Be (TPTB) of that era. All of history, past, present and future would be radically altered to benefit humankind.
By offering a different alternative in humanities future decision making process, with proof they do not have to sacrifice human emotions for intellect, the result would cause the evil of The Observers as we have known them, to never become manifest, to never exist!
Brilliant move in the story arc by the creators!
We move in the episode to a rather touching tender sequence whereby Olivia and Peter discuss that if the plan succeeds, and the timeline is reset, that they will be restored to a point in time before the invasion with their daughter Etta (Georgina Haig) when she was young. Olivia is optimistic, while Peter says they have a long way to go to succeed.
At this point in the series, our Fringe Team Leader Lori theorized the time reset result would be in the park in the year 2015 with young Etta when she was playing with Peter and Olivia during a family picnic.
The episode moves quickly as Captain Windmark returns to the year 2036 plotting obsessively to learn all about and track down September who has unfortunately been tagged with Observer chip “784651”.
Captain Windmark’s intent is quite clear. Although he is not actually disobeying direct orders from his superior, The Observer Commander in year 2609 by track downing his obsession in the past, Windmark is absolutely determined to kill our heroes in the year 2036 to achieve his goals.
September thinking carefully ahead of their arrival, has removed his tracking chip before leaving his apartment. September’s foresight is correct, he has setup a booby trap with an Observer tech quantum bomb at the apartment for Captain Windmark and his Observer minions whom he is certain will try to find him there.
In another wonderful sequence involving foot tapping to jazz music, The Observers are affected by a somewhat reflex human emotion, rhythm. September almost succeeds in killing Captain Windmark and his two Observer minions.
Windmark and his main minion escape, however one of The Observers is apparently killed unable to dematerialize quick enough as the Observer bomb from the future vaporizes the entirety of September’s apartment.
The episode winds down as our heroes gather the parts September has stashed in the year 2036 to complete the device to establish a wormhole and send Michael to February 28, 2167 to reset the timeline, but not without consequences.
September and Walter are at a warehouse gathering the requisite parts. Walter recalls a partial memory imparted by Michael.
Walter, with September’s prompting understands that he will have to sacrifice himself by accompanying Michael to the year 2167.
September fills in the missing memories and discusses “A White Tulip”, its importance and the strength given to Walter over the five years of Fringe. Tears well up in Septembers eyes as they discuss the events of past that have brought them here.
However, while the White Tulip is seen by Walter in his mind, it is missing from an envelope in September’s Notebook.
The poignant scene provides a startling revelation of the Fringe series mythology now made manifest, the existence of his, “September’s Notebook”, which is seen on screen in September’s hands!
This fantastic book that contains the secrets of the series mythology is created by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry, whom we had the honor to interview on WormholeRiders You Decide Sunday February 03, 2013!
In the final hectic moments of “The Boy Must Live” episode, evil Captain Windmark tracks our heroes down on a local commuter train.
Aware of the importance of their freedom to complete “The Plan”, and for reasons not explained in the episode, Michael makes a sacrifice allowing himself to be captured by Captain Windmark in order to allow the others to escape!
As Captain Windmark takes Michael into Observer custody, an evil grin of revenge and retribution spreads across his face, all we see and hear is; “Hello” as the television screen fades to black!
Michael Kopsa is absolutely delightfully creepy as Captain Windmark, superbly delivering his final line in “The Boy Must Live” episode. This reviewer says simply; Bravo Mr. Kopsa, BRAVO!!
Our Team Leader Lori will be writing the last two reviews of the series to be posted in rapid succession after this analysis. Lori will include interesting quotes from The End of Eternity novel to dovetail our belief that Isaac Asimov’s book was an inspiration for Fringe.
Just remember, #ItsNeverOver when it comes to altering the timeline, meaning this reviewer believes Fringe will return in movies as changes ripple across our timeline to become reality in the future!
Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article.
Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story. I and Team WHR look forward to Seeing You on The Other Side“!
As we approach the end of one of the most epic science fiction dramatic television series produced within the past quarter century, we take pause to remember those whose contributions have made the Fringe series one of the most beloved in all of televised entertainment history!
WormholeRiders therefore pays tribute to some of the dozens of lesser known, albeit crucial crew members who toiled tirelessly for Fringe in general, and “Black Blotter” in specific. Each exquisitely made the series come to life before our very eyes on our television and or computer screens over the past superb five seasons coming to close in January 2013.
Click here to see all whom have made Fringe an excellent entertainment product!
Image courtesy Ari Margolis of JonXProductions via Twitter
The music selected for Walter’s LSD “trip” is the centerpiece of his altered mental state that reinforces an adventure in the episode that makes “Black Blotter” so worthwhile. Special kudos to Chris Tilton and Michael Giacchino for their delightful music score, and for selecting wonderful background music for “Black Blotter” including Donovan (Hurdy Gurdy Man) and Steppenwolf (The Pusher). Included above, these epic 1968 hit songs accurately reflect “Black Blotter” from the era of LSD!
For retrospective regarding this analysis, back in 2009, when WormholeRiders was a fledgling news agency, a single web site with a single blog, this reviewer called “it”; that wormholes, time paradoxes, alternate realities and universes would be the fundamental premise well beyond the first season of Fringe.
A few said this reviewer was wrong, some said this reviewer was, in fact, crazy. Time itself has edified this reviewer’s belief that the series creative genius’ had planned carefully in what has proven to be precisely that edification.
Image courtesy Joel Wyman via Twitter
Late in 2010 and early 2011, when the two “sides” or realities of Fringe fought each other, this reviewer postulated the opposing forces of Olivia/BOlivia, Broyles/Alt-Broyles, Nina/AltNina, and most critically, Walter/Walternate would join forces to fight an even more evil third enemy.
Not one to bother TPTB Executive Producers, over time I had sent a series of single tweets to Joel Wyman regarding this subject matter. He responded with what I thought it would be?
I answered with two words; “The Observers”, but that I would not say more to avoid spoiling.
Mr. Wyman responded with two words of his own; “Much appreciated”. And so it has become with The Observers in the 2036 timeline.
Only because this reviewer had read a similar tale known as “The End Of Eternity” by Isaac Asimov, was the insight I learned remembered, not for any other reason.
Fringe admirers learned in the recent past via discussion at San Diego Comic-Con and Twitter from creative genius Joel Wyman that seven (7) episodic seasons were planned. This reviewer stands by his belief that Fringe will not end after only five (5) television seasons on FOX Broadcasting.
While this reviewer may prove to be incorrect in this regard, it is hard to believe that Warner Brothers and Bad Robot will abandon one of their most respected and creative franchise endeavors.
This reviewer fervently believes that Fringe will continue on the big screen (movies), with direct to DVD mini-series, be picked up by a new network (Science Channel?) or a combination of all three to bring the adventure of seven contemplated seasons full circle.
Black Blotter Primer:
The reveals within the “Black Blotter” episode are many. Flashbacks are utilized via Walter’s use of LSD to identify key elements from the first four seasons that hold the answers to understand the 100+ episode journey that is Fringe.
At episodes end, new and compelling questions are presented that cement the solid foundation being laid by Fringe Executive Producer Joel H. Wyman.
How will Cecil (Zak Santiago), who was with “The Child Observer” from the “Pocket Universe” dovetail this finding in “Black Blotter”?
What does Walter learn on his LSD “trip”? Will the “acid” open memories that lead to the answers to defeat The Observers domination of the Earth in this altered reality timeline? Can his grand daughter Etta (Georgina Haig) be saved (restored)?
In a major reveal within “Black Blotter”, does anyone doubt that “Michael” the young Observer is the child of September (an homage in my opinion to Michael Cerveris) from the year 2036? Will Michael eventually once again alter the time line to save Peter (Joshua Jackson), Olivia (Anna Torv) Walter (John Noble), Astrid (Jasika Nicole), Broyles (Lance Reddick) and the irascible Nina Sharp (Blair Brown) from death at the hands of The Observers?
From the earliest fond memories of Fringe in our minds, all have wanted all our heroes to survive. But will they? And by what mechanism will this become manifest? Which, if any, of our heroes will be the ones that remember everything that has happened when all is said and done? To the point: Will any of them remember anything?
And what of another beloved series character, bowling alley manager Sam Weiss (Kevin Corrigan)? All have desired to learn the fate of Sam Weiss. Did Sam perish fighting to support the resistance leading up to the events in 2036? In “Black Blotter” we will find the answer to this question in a somewhat shocking, yet bittersweet discovery.
Walter’s memories, brought to the surface by ingesting “Black Blotter” LSD, revolve in part around those of Elizabeth Bishop, his wife. Elizabeth Bishop (Orla Brady) graced the series five times previously in “Peter” (2010), “Over There Part One” (2010), “Subject 13” (2011), “Back to Where You Have Never Been” (2012) and “Enemy of My Enemy” (2012). Each is critical is in this reviewers opinion, becoming the crux of “the what”, and “the why” of all that is about to happen in the closing episodes of season five.
Not to spoil for those who have yet to experience Fringe, one should never forget that it was “our” Walter’s tampering with the timeline, bringing alternate Peter to “our side” of the universe that set the stage for what was to occur over the course of all five seasons.
Walter’s intervention, to stave off his broken heart over the loss of their son, ultimately led to his involvement with David Robert Jones (Jared Harris), the ZFT manuscript planted in the 1930’s, Walter’s dubious association with William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) and multiple interventions by The Observers who at first seemed benevolent visitors to the Earth.
All of these situations occurred in attempts to restore or maintain the timelines in “balance”. This leads to the theory that such interventions are what shifted The Observers from being benevolent watchers of the timeline to The Observers of 2036.
Led by the evil Captain Windmark, brilliantly portrayed by Michael Kopsa, one must ask, was all of this the reason The Observers became the radicalized invaders of our fair planet? And just how and why did they become so selfish and evil? Was a reality change the ultimate cause?
Could all be restored if the cure for “his own” Peter could be made available in the past, obviating Walter’s original universe reality crossing expedition? Would such eliminate the revenge driven character “Walternate”? Would such a “fix” allow Walter and Elizabeth to lead normal lives in both realities, each with their own Peter?
Would such a solution also free Peter to not become the subject of cross universe adversarial situations that brought Earth to the attention of The Observers in the first place? Or were The Observers watching anyway as this reviewer suspected long ago based on a novel by Isaac Asimov that I had read in my youth?
What of Olivia and Peter? Will they be the only ones to remember everything when order to the universe is restored? How will it all be accomplished? With only four episodes of the fifth season remaining, read my closing theorem at the end of this analysis and then… we shall see Fringies, we shall see!
More on these topics later in the theorem section at this reviews analysis and contemplated conclusions.
Before beginning my analysis of “Black Blotter”, we include, courtesy of FOX Broadcasting, the latest promotional trailers for the next episode “Anomaly XB-6783746”. Written by talented David Fury, we are about to learn the Fringe story arc’s final foundation, setting up the final three episodes that will air in January of 2013.
Black Blotter:
The episode opens with Astrid waking to the sound of Donald’s radio emanating signals for the first time since the Fringe Team of 2036 had been monitoring his radio.
Accentuated in “The Recordist”, The Fringe Team is searching for answers to locate the missing pieces of the puzzle required to put an end to the slavish conditions perpetrated on humanity by the evil that has become manifest on Earth in the form of The Observers of that future era.
In the underground Harvard facility of the year 2036, Walter’s laboratory appears to be a fantasy landscape of surreal proportions. The genius of the “Black Blotter” episode is that the viewer must ascertain if what we “observe” is real, or if the scenes we witness exist only in Walter’s mind?
One of the opening sequences great lines is when Walter says Astrid’s hair is so “beautiful”. Packing a pistol, Astrid knows something is up since she had just been sleeping on her hair! Based on the dreamlike visage on Walter’s face we suspect far more than a few puffs of “Brown Betty” are at work in Walter’s mind!
This discovery becomes a challenge as Olivia and Peter awake only to find that Walter has taken an LSD “trip” with “Black Blotter”. In order to expand his mind, we find out Walter’s purpose is clear; He needs to unlock the secrets in his mind for victory over The Observers to restore humanities timeline to what it needs to, should be, or what it will become after The Observers, invaders of Earth, are vanquished.
Before the LSD that Walter has taken is definitely confirmed, we segue to Peter and Olivia intimately chatting in the bedroom. Peter shares with Olivia that he still has headaches after the removal of The Observers “tech” from his brain.
Although Peter is returning to normal, as evidenced by his once again growing intimate relationship with Olivia, Astrid interrupts their moment together to alert them that Walter is up to something. Of course he is!
More humor is injected in the opening scenes as Peter asks Walter if he is “tripping?” The two word response from Walter “most definitely”, with a near “sh_t eating grin on his face” accompanied by two visions tells the tale! The first being a “Tinkerbell” like PIxie juxtaposed with the return of key series characters.
One key character is none other that Dr. Carla Warren (Jenni Blong), part of Walter’s LSD hallucination visions down memory lane. Fringe admirers will recall this character from two past episodes; “Jacksonville” (2010) and “Peter” (2012). “Black Blotter” represents the third episode where the Dr. Warren character, killed in the lab fire, will play a pivotal role, at least in Walter’s mind.
Without delving into the past story arc too deeply, recall that it was Dr. Warren who played opposite Nina Sharp (Blair Brown) during the early days of the Cortexiphan trials warning Walter what he has planned would likely damage the space-time continuum.
Among other things, including trying to stop Walter from crossing into the other reality via the wormhole Portal he had constructed to “save” Peter for himself and Elizabeth in “our” reality, we learn at episodes end, this seesaw battle for Walter’s inner conscience will become paramount to what has to be done to save us all from the evil that has become The Observers.
As “Tinkerbell” lands on Walter’s finger, Astrid tries to ask if Walter knows what the radio signal mean’s? A bit entranced by the vision on his finger, Walter is not quite oblivious, but almost.
Floating in and out of lucidity, Walter shares with Peter, (as Astrid and Olivia look on) that 2036 Nina had promised to removed the portions of his brain that made him like Walternate after his LSD “trip” to recall what he cannot otherwise remember.
In the meantime, a clue is offered; Walter continues to “see” “Tinkerbell” and Dr. Warren which he observes flying around Peter’s head. Dr. Warren tells Walter that the other “he” knows things. We can observe by the look on Walter’s face he is afraid of the “other him”, Walternate!
During this sequence Walter sees a dimensional aperture (a wormhole gate or portal) frozen in time wherein “Tinkerbell” splits into two version of herself, one Blue (a bit green really except for the wings), and one Red as the Red “Tinkerbell” flies through what appears to be a portal between realities.
Clearly this is an homage to the “Blue Verse” (good) and “Red Verse” (evil) which dominated the Fringe story arc in previous seasons.
The conundrum within “Black Blotter” is that Walter knows he has a “dark side” in what appears to be his dual personality often alluded to in the past or other timeline realities via the Walternate characterization.
One must contemplate; is this where the knowledge and memory of Sam Weiss also resides? Walter realizes the knowledge to defeat The Observers that the Fringe Team needs is in the “Walternate” side of his personality. Walter is rightfully terrified of the “other Walter” submerged within his tormented soul.
As Walter has long feared in the 2036 timeline, and why he desires Nina Sharp to remove portions of his brain when the mission to eliminate The Observers is complete, is that the “Walternate” in him will potentially take away his son Peter and what he, Walter desires to be, a non aggressive personage of good intentions and spirit.
Without much delay Olivia and Peter go off to find the source of the radio signal using technology provided by Anil (Shaun Smyth).
Among several dead bodies including The Observers and Loyalists, what they discover are the bones of the Sam Weiss” behind the wheel of a large utility van.
Using the resistance radio triangulation technology from Anil, Peter and Olivia travel to Willington, Connecticut to the source of what appears to be the signal. Calling Astrid back in the Harvard laboratory, the discovery of skeletal Sam Weiss produces no recollection of him in the 2036 timeline for Astrid or Walter, at least not yet. Peter and Olivia discover the utility van is not the source of the signal, only a relay station.
Sharing a tender kiss in the woods, it is here they confirm the find. The weathered bones of Sam Weiss in the utility van are verified from the discovery of a driver’s license. Dead from a firefight some ten to fifteen years previous, the bones of Sam Weiss lead, via a cable, to a solar powered radio relay repeater.
After examining the surroundings, Peter and Olivia determine the signal is located elsewhere. A quick segue finds Walter chatting with Dr. Warren where he seemingly discovers a notebook journal beneath the floorboards.
Thanks to the hallucinations from LSD, Walter’s memory envisions a younger Nina Sharp. She and “Tinkerbell” caution Walter to not consult the documents in the notebook journal.
As Walter heads out for to join Olivia and Peter in a taxi, Dr. Warren is mentally in tow. In his mind Walter had apparently escaped from Astrid in the taxi outside The Observers Headquarters in New York City. Not really!
In “reality”, Astrid has taken Walter to link up with Peter and Olivia, but not before thumbing the notebook to find a number of his inventions as well as two words; “Black Umbrella”, which become important a bit later in the episode.
Despite being “high as a kite”, Walter is concerned he is following the path of what the “Walternate” personality really wants him to do, once again find a young Observer Child who may hold the answers the Fringe Team needs to set thing right.
With a segue to the next sequence, Walter and Astrid link up with Peter and Olivia. This reviewer very much enjoyed seeing all four of the team back together in action!
After an exciting Fringe Team firefight dockside, eliminating some of The Observers minions, the four heroes head to an island where the radio signal is emanating from.
But not before Walter “sees” “The Emerald City”, another homage to “The Wizard of Oz” which our Fringe Team Leader Lori has postulated previously in her analysis of the genius of the Fringe series that utilized familiar works of entertainment to “ground” the audience within the story arc.
The island, sans the Emerald City observed in Walter’s mind, is the originating source of the radio signals. Once on the island our heroes are suddenly confronted by veteran character actor Tom Butler portraying Richard.
Richard is accompanied by his his wife Carolyn (Maria Marlow) and a surprise with Michael (Rowan Longworth), appearing as “The Child Observer” reprising his role as we have seen previously in Fringe (more on this subject later).
Michael “The Child Observer” has not aged a day in the twenty years since he was secreted away for his own protection until retrieved by Walter after first being previously secreted in the “Pocket Universe”, but only if Walter can remember the password to do so.
In a sequence that is really homage to Monty Python, a delightful animation scene is used to illustrate the inner workings of Walter’s mind. Accentuated by “Black Blotter” LSD, a visual of the “Black Umbrella” and a key unlocking a tree appears in Walter’s mind. Heck, we even get to see Walter ride “Gene The Cow” just like he is the “The Wizard of Oz”. Well, he darn well is, isn’t he?!
Walter leaves the LSD hallucination vision, quickly snapping back to reality uttering the “Black Umbrella” password. We observe “Tinkerbell” the Pixie who claps, while Walter smiles wryly (literally painted on his face).
Recall that we heard the password earlier in the taxi cab when Walter was “with” Dr. Carla Warren.
A suspicious Richard and Carolyn, who have been protecting an “item”, are now prepared to turn over the young Observer Child named Michael subsequent to when the “Black Umbrella” password is provided by smiling Walter.
In several touching sequences, Richard and Carolyn surrender Michael to the 2036 Fringe Team noting his purpose is for something “really important”.
Admirers of full circle story arcs, and Fringe fans alike, will recall Michael is more than familiar. Michael, The Child Observer, is the same child from season one episode fifteen “Inner Child” and the same person whom had been stored in Walter’s “Pocket Universe” from season five episode six “Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There”.
In the closing sequences after leaving the island, Olivia makes hot chocolate for Michael, “The Observer Child” while Peter watches closely. Michael remembers Olivia from the previous timeline.
Peter is curious how such is possible, wondering how can this be? Olivia knows Michael must be special recalling that The Observers internalize time is a different fashion than human beings.
In the final moments, we find Walter “coming down” off his “Black Blotter” LSD “trip”. Walter is back in the underground laboratory at Harvard. Visions of his wife Elizabeth are superimposed on the wall to reflect his thoughts.
Walter recalls several memories of arguments from his past that led to this timeline becoming manifest. One is with his wife warning him about going to get Peter from the alternate universe reality stating “some things are only for God”.
Dr Warren also appears using Robert Oppenheimer’s prophetic words to warn Walter that he will become “The Destroyer of Worlds” and “There Has to be a Line” not to be crossed. The memory flashbacks include Walter crossing through the wormhole on his mission to get alternate Peter, completing the full circle arc within “Black Blotter’.
Finally, after Dr. Warren states “the journal doesn’t matter” after Walter apparently decides to incinerate the notebook which contained recollections of all of his various inventions and devices.
This includes the scenes of the inter-dimensional Wormhole Portal that set everything in motion from the original Fringe timeline where it all began not so very long ago.
As we watch Walter pour lighter fluid and apparently set the journal notebook aflame in a Pyrex laboratory container, a younger Nina Sharp and Dr. Warren’s final words of opposing debate are foreboding visualizations from Walter’s memories; “it’s too late, now that you remember all the things you are capable of…” with young Nina Sharp retorting “Walter you got the boy back, you have to continue, you have to keep fighting…”
We are suddenly confronted with a shocking reality. As the camera pans back, we “Observe” the Pyrex container is empty, containing only the burning lighter fluid as the words of Dr. Warren echo in our minds; ‘You’ve Been Him Longer Than You Have Been You!” an echo of a metaphor rippling across the timelines.
Throughout the course of “Black Blotter” viewers were led to believe Walter’s journal notebook was “real”. Not so. The notebook, just like the “Tinkerbell’s”, Elizabeth Bishop and Dr. Warren, and all the rest were not in the “real” world.
Each was a visualization of Walter’s memories that he had been experiencing the entire episode courtesy of the mind liberating tendencies of “Black Blotter”. Walter IS the notebook journal!
All are, and have been, his memories of what he needs to remember in order to accomplish the mission in 2036. Each of these memories, across several timelines, have been freed in Walter’s mind. Viewers and Walter himself stare dumbfounded at his other self… It’s Walternate!
Interrogative Theorem:
We will “Observe” an entirely restored Walter soon? Will such a day be one to rejoice, or a day to chill our Fringie souls? Further, across five seasons, have we ever really witnessed just who the “real” Walter truly is, Walter or Walternate?
Is he not both? Time has proven he is, and always will be, Walter and Walternate! Was all well until the diverging timelines took place when September (Michael Cerveris) observed Peter and the Fringe Team’s activities in 36 episodes over the past five seasons?
Did this earlier Fringe event cause the dual personalities to generate the spilt creating the two distinct characters that were always there to begin within one soul in one reality?
Will Fringe admirers continue to connect with, and admire Walter amid the dire current circumstances and realization that he is, and always was Walternate? How will Walter and all of these factors manifest themselves in the final four episodes of season five?
Will the separate realities that were also part of a larger homage in “Black Blotter” to the entire series play a role in the final episode to bring closure to the viewership? Or will the series creators eliminate not only The Observers, but put the multiple timelines to rest with a return to an “original reality” before it all began?
In the epic science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, “The End of Eternity”, this was the path chosen for the stories protagonists Noys Lambent (Olivia in Fringe), and Harlan (Peter in Fringe). They were the only ones to recall everything, but with no way to alter it when “The End of Eternity” became manifest after those in “The Hidden Centuries” prevailed over the evil and perversion of those who had altered reality to favor their matrix of existence to the detriment of humankind and all other life forms.
As Noys and Harlan began a new life free of “The Eternals” (equivalent to The Observers in Fringe), Laban Twissell (analog to Walter in Fringe), had to be destroyed because he too had an evil dark side like Walternate once he was revealed as the creator of the “Time Kettles” (like Walter’s wormholes in Fringe), which had originally empowered The Eternals to become evil and corrupt from power over all others lives.
A reality reset to its original shape was the only viable option to Asimov’s “The End of Eternity”, a single novel that needed to have a neatly wrapped conclusion in a world prior to the establishment of the multi-verse as hypothecated in modern scientific theories.
This reviewer’s theorem is that the brilliant creators of Fringe need not end the franchise at this time with a neatly wrapped “package” tying up loose ends. Much remains to be explored in a world with “Endless Possibilities”.
Specifically; what caused the radicalism from the seemingly benevolent nature of The Observers on Earth (like September) to the ruthlessness of Captain Windmark? How was September and those of his ilk overthrown? Did a reality change threaten The Observers existence, leading to the radical and tyrannical world of 2036?
Or must we accept that these intriguing potential stories were abandoned (passed over and pulled into a shortened fifth season) when the series ratings added overwhelming financial complexity to the contemplated sixth, and alternate fifth seasons?
This reviewer cannot speculate on this final hypothesis opined in the previous paragraph at this time. However, sometimes in business, financial considerations force compromises that “pull in” a future “reality” well before its time.
What this reviewer can say at this time is this:
Much more can be, and remains to be explored if another network (e.g. The Science Channel) picks up the Fringe franchise. Or perhaps Bad Robot and Warner Brothers will elect to pursue a direct to DVD or big screen strategy?
How would this be accomplished? By leaving season five with a huge cliff hanger! This could “plow the field” with new “seed corn” for more of the enjoyable alternate realities that are what Fringe is all about!
And here is where we must leave our analysis for now. The next four episodes will tell the tale, wherein only time will tell what reality will ultimately become manifest.
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We have returned from the hiatus to a fantastic Fringe episode with lots of confrontation, between POlivia, most importantly. The episode deals with the things that make us what we are, like faith.
Either having faith in an unseen God or in us and our own potential, it is one very important thing that moves people, which motivates people to doing whatever is needed to be done. We cannot think of faith without thinking of hope and it all leads us to how we face things in life, how emotionally we react to things because that is all we do, it is all we are.
The promotional sneak peeks for next episode “Black Blotter” look great! Walter is about to take the team off to another LSD adventure again, this time in 2036!
The Human Kind:
The episode deals with how the Human Kind deals with difficult situations. Some of us lose faith quickly and get to live negatively; others are able to see the light in the darkest places. Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) and Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) have lost their daughter twice, they have dealt with it their own way but it is in this episode that they are brought together.
Peter had a piece of tech that makes The Observers what they are in his head and Olivia builds walls around her heart, both of them unintentionally getting themselves apart little by little despite Walter Bishop (John Noble) and Astrid Farnsworth’s (Jasika Nicole) help.
What is more effective? Keep going with the plan that nobody understands and has been futile ever since or fighting equal by equal with the Observers by implanting their tech? After everything Peter has been through, at first I would pick the second too, however what change would killing Windmark (Michael Kopsa) bring to the whole picture?
On the other hand, with the plan, we have a chance of getting rid of all of them. The problem is that in the midst of the sorrow and grief for Etta Bishop’s (Georgina Haig) death, Peter got himself blinded. I gotta point out here that Josh as an Observer is simply flawless!
In the first scenes, we see Olivia in her car looking at a man cleaning the walls off her daughter’s RESIST posters. That’s when Anil (Shaun Smyth) arrived to deliver to her the same piece of technology Peter had implanted in his head.
She knows what Peter did and is on her way to stop him, but what I really hoped for was that she would implant herself too and be one hell of a couple fighting like bosses against the baldies. They would have had no chance if that had happened. LOL
By the time Olivia arrives in the lab, Walter has already recovered one more tape from Amber. Walter’s discovery ultimately leads the team to learn they must travel to Fitchburg where they have to acquire an industrial-sized magnet and she tells them about the piece of Observer-tech she got from Anil.
Walter can learn how to get Peter back by running tests on the porcupine brain to learn how it works. It was one of the funniest little moments in the episode when Astrid asks him whose brain he intends on using to test that tech! In the mean time, Olivia left to Fitchburg to retrieve the magnet.
When Olivia arrives in Fitchburg, she sees a little girl and it made me instantly think of ZFT and its chapter about ethics which stated that kids were to be protected as Walter reads in season one’s The Road Not Taken: “Our children are our greatest resource. We must nurture them and protect them. We must prepare them, so they can one day protect us.”
Which is what Etta did for her parents, she fought for them when they were gone, she made POlivia very proud of her and she gave up her life fighting to save them, to save the world. I think that Darby did not mean anything in that sense at that moment, however it is a nice touch to have Olivia interact with Darby (Eliza Faria), is not it?
There in Fitchburg, Olivia meets Simone, played by Jill Scott. Ms. Scott is beyond a doubt the Jazz Diva as Lori referred to her in her latest review about the previous episode. I knew who Jill Scott was when I read she was cast for this episode, but as a musician only. I was impressed by her acting given the shortness of her part…
She rendered an outstanding performance that made me cry, made me believe they actually have a chance against the Observers. Really, it is more than how I am describing here, far more. I saw such a huge big hope in her eyes it was brilliantly done.
The moment Carlos (Claude Duhamel) tells Simone that a woman is looking for a magnet, the surprised look on Simone’s face was amazing, even better as they talked about how everyone else had lost faith when she was still holding on to the hope someone would come to the magnet that would help the grayish man save the world.
Simone started guessing things about Olivia’s life and it was done with so much brilliancy, so naturally. It was funny because Olivia has moved things with her mind, she has lit things on fire and she found it hard to believe the woman was able to foresee things.
Back in the lab, Walter and Astrid were running test in the porcupine brain with the Observers’ tech and learned that the device increases the neural activities to achieve the full potential of the brain with super high level thinking.
As the tests continued, Astrid realizes it would create new ridges in the brain overriding the areas responsible for emotions. The scene was cut back to the Fitchburg field and one little talking between Simone and Carlos got me intrigued because she did not have a good expression on her face, maybe she was just worried about the fuel or she had something to do with the ambush on Olivia.
Right after that, she offers Olivia a glass of water a few moments before Darby mentions that everybody is talking about the fact that Olivia is on reward wire and the bounty on her.
Of course it gets Olivia scared and on the defensive against Simone. She asks her what is in the water, like sedative. Hurt, Simone drinks the water and comes to the conclusion Olivia has no faith and says she lost someone. Olivia disbelieving her is knocked down, so to speak, as the woman starts giving details no one would know about who she had lost. “But you lost your daughter… Twice”
Peter is thinking he has conned Windmark. But he was caught up by Windmark as he is far more experienced with the reading of futures. He made adjustments of his own to whatever Peter was planning so this way he found Peter.
The scene when they fight was excellent; Peter killed one observer (Charles Zuckermann) and kicked Windmark’s buttocks despite the dirty way he played Peter forcing his daughter last thoughts in his head as a way to ensure his weakness. At the end, I bet Windmark thought like “well, he is not that weak”.
Olivia said that people assign meaning to things without meaning to Simone and it is exactly what that other observer told Peter some episodes ago.
Remember An Origin Story? He said that Peter took the decisions he took based on the observation of a fly and Olivia has this same feeling now. It is not just numbers, Olivia…
I really wish I could hug the Fringe writers right now as well as Anna and Jill for their scenes, they were done so perfectly!!!
Peter says there is no reason to be afraid of what he has been through, suppressing the emotional memory is no big deal, right? It means he would forget how it is to be married to Olivia Dunham, how on earth can he say such thing?
It is a big deal, it is Olivia Dunham we are talking about, and forgetting what it feels like to wake up next to her every morning is just… unbearable!!! And this change would be permanent… I wonder if avenging Etta would be that important if it means losing everyone else.
More unfortunate surprises crosses Olivia’s way, she cannot get a break, can she? On her way to Anil’s place to hide the huge magnet, Olivia found what looked like a car accident. If it was me, I would have accelerated and run over that scene.
I found it suspicious the moment I saw that! But Olivia has a golden heart and she stopped to check it out. It was a trap and she fell into it. Two guys ambushed her in order to assault her, she tried defending herself, but she was punched in the face, it was so horrible, I cannot even… The men were planning to deliver her to Windmark.
If anyone thinks they would let Olivia go easily, were wrong, so wrong… She did something with some material in the room she was locked I still do not fully understand.
She managed to shoot Briggs (Kett Turton) in the head and well as Stratton (Nathan Dashwood), I think that after dying twice, she has learned her lesson to be more prepared, such a MacGyver like spirit!
It is time for a talk face to face between POlivia. Olivia tried to put some sense into Peter’s Observer-head, which was difficult, but not impossible. It was very similar to a season four episode, I do not remember the name, I think it was a Short Story About Love when Olivia remembered Peter and everything they lived together in the previous timeline.
Now it is Peter who needs remembering and as they talked, he started recalling the memories and the love they share. It was enough for him to decide for her, for the love of his life. He chose Olivia instead of avenging Etta’s death through that wrong way which I so much loved.
Peter could as Olivia herself said, think ahead of everybody but the fact that she paid him this visit, had nothing to do with that except the love she had for him, and he needed to face the facts, looking at her. If he had not removed that thing from this head, it would mean good bye to anything he had ever felt for her or anybody.
Peter would become like Windmark, he would see things, memories like those from Etta Bishop’s (Georgina Haig) and it would mean nothing, he would not be able to understand it. It does not matter how good it feels to be able to manage numbers well and manipulate time, if you do not have the most important thing in life, the memories of how you feel about your daughter.
Watching this week’s episode, recalled me another episode from season three. On the 14TH episode from season three, called 6B, we were presented with the Merchant’s love story.
Alice (Phyllis Somerville) and Derek Merchant (Ken Pogue) had been married for 40 years. After his death, Alice was heartbroken, so heartbroken she could not get up from bed and that’s when she started seeing her dead husband’s ghost. At the same time really strange events started happening in the building leading everyone else to believe it was haunted.
They have no Physics’ knowledge so they assigned meaning to what they could not explain. Hello Simone, should have rang bells right here!!! The thing, she was not seeing a ghost. It was in fact her husband’s doppelganger from over there and the explanation is that they were emotionally quantum entangled and if she had not let go of him.
Besides unintentionally having caused the death of 6 people who had fallen through the balcony, a vortex would have been opened which would have swallowed up half of Brooklyn.
I found it would be worth mentioning, because of what Peter told Alice to help her understand she had to let Derek go which did not help at all. Peter told her to look around and see that she had memories all around her and she should do anything to keep that, the memories given the fact that it was not his husband she was talking to.
Even though she she refused to listen. She only let him go when a huge difference between them came to light, this Derek she was talking about had had daughters, but Alice never gave birth. To sum up, Alice ended up talking to Olivia; she said that if the impossible is possible, who is to say they will not see each other again?
Here is my point bring up the story from 6B, Peter had a major role in helping Olivia get her stuff together and breaking free from the damage the Altlivia’s (Anna Torv) vagenda had caused her life and mostly to her relationship with Peter. She had told him that she was terrified that she would not be able to fix this thing and she was stopping them from being together, which was true and he helped her through it, despite being the problem on the question in her mind. Is not it what she did for him in this episode?
At the end, she was there and got him out of that dark place. It was really awesome to see that now Peter is in Alice’s place, refusing to let go… I love, I freaking love this show and its full circle story arcs!
My thanks to Kenn for video embedding and Lori for final proof of my review. As always, we appreciate you visiting the WormholeRiders News Agency!
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The most heartbreaking point of the story told here so far, the death of Etta Bishop (Georgina Haig) and how the Bishop family dealt with it. This tragic circumstance has motivated the Fringe Team to fight even harder to defeat the invaders of Earth, The Observers.
The battle continues in this weeks episode with a long title “Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There”.
An Origin Story:
In the fifth episode titled “An Origin Story” and right in the first scene the pain was there right before our eyes as Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) found Etta’s secret storage of C-4 explosives, weapons and other things while Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) was asleep.
One nice thing that we noticed when he found his daughters stuff was the recognition of himself through his daughter smartness for having such a cute safe in her house, yes, I said cute because any weapon against Observes deserves such a description; those cold hearted motherless sons of very good nice parents that have never ever had anything to do with dirty prostitution.
As Peter was going through Etta’s stuff, Olivia woke up to an adorable and heartbreaking moment with her husband.
You know I am quite sick of the word heartbreaking because of what they have faced this season is far worse that heartbreaking! It is a whole new level of heart-wrenching which was shred to pieces over and over again in a way that cannot ever be healed.
This is how POlivia is at the moment and I guess pretty much everyone feels exactly the same. I happily have no idea what it is like to lose a child and as far as we have seen on the show, Walter destroyed one universe to save his son which ended badly.
A war had started and it caused Peter to erase him from the timeline unaware of that. Right now, Peter lost his child and what he will do to avenge her death is a question I am most curious to know about.
All of these things made that Greek sentence he learned from his mother sound very loudly in my head, has he not understood one word of that sentence?
When we got to see Olivia, I had to look somewhere else, I could not look at her, it was so painful There was pain all over her face despite the fact that there were no words said. I have said to some friends that I refuse to believe POlivia is going through all that and somehow they will get Etta back later on, they have to. It does not matter what anyone says, I will hold on to the so called blind hope until the end.
The Observers came from the future to do the business we have seen they do. It was very cool to see them get their things from the future through those black windows (wormholes) to accomplish their goals, then those white huge boxes came out of that window floating.
I was like NO WAY? The effect it had when the boxes fell on the ground was also super cool; the curiosity is killing me about what the heck was on the other side of that wormhole.
At first, when I watched he promo I thought It was Over There and the hopes of seeing Altlivia, the absolutely sexy hot, red head Anna Torv and Agent Lee (Seth Gabel) but now as we know it was the future… WHAT THE HECK?! Seriously awesome!
The window they opened reminded me of season one’s window opened by David Robert Jones (Jared Harris) who was on the hunt for William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) and to do it he had shot Nina Shark, sorry, Sharp (Blair Brown) to get a power cell from her mechanical arm.
The huge difference was that we could actually see things over there, as if we were looking through a window and in this one the Observers have opened. All we could see was black probably because back in season one, the opened wormhole was both at the same time, here and over. They are different from what happened in this episode which was a connection between present and future.
The scene of Walter Bishop (John Noble) asking POlivia to keep Etta’s perfume which helps him cope with the loss remembering her as a little kid was rather simple and awesome at the same time. Right after that, Peter got a call from Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole) that led to some Walter/Astrid greatness involving a propane tank plus an ethanol gallon in Amber very close to the tapes they need which unfortunately made it impossible to retrieve more video tapes for now, all due to Walter’s cooking habits.
Olivia got a phone call too, but from Anil (Shaun Smyth) to tell them about the Observer’s dirty work. The thing is, the baldies have brought these white huge boxes from the future to build their pollution machine to make the air breathable to them.
Of course the resistance wanted to attack the next one, even though it will not be possible unless they can read that weird language the Observers write on their note pads. They also showed who they got as hostage, a baldie!
As far as I am concerned, they have worked hard and they have gone nowhere, but lost Etta.
So I agree with Peter. It is not the time to be all careful and afraid; they have to do something big like shoving an anti-matter thingy up inside a place you would not like to know. An idea that sounded possible and more effective, they would try to turn those wormholes into black holes which would cause massive destruction on the other side.
Walter explained it well, though I did not buy his idea I do not know why, it sounded like he wanted Peter do something he knew would not work or it was something else entirely. I just know that it looked weird.
As Olivia herself pointed out that there was one problem. How would they get close enough to throw the anti-matter bomb inside the wormhole? This was a problem given the fact that it was full of Observers and Loyalists around. Olivia was really worried about the whole plan, but it was not all.
She was really afraid of losing Peter, too, given the danger of the plan. It was difficult to put the plan into action, because the cube the resistance got from the Observers was deactivated and he needed the captured Observer (John Prosky) help to activate it.
This scene was absurdly interesting and just WOW, Peter was reading him this time, the talented gambler was back and he managed to build the cube without a word from the Observer.
Everything seemed to be working perfectly well despite the interference from an Observer, Peter threw the bomb at the hole and it exploded which made all white boxes come back to the hell where they had come from; however it did not work at all.
While they were escaping believing the plan had worked, Anil, Peter and Olivia spotted another portal with those white boxes coming out of it. FAILURE, again. There was one sentence Olivia said about the gun she used to shot the Observer while he tried to stop them from exploding the wormhole, she said “Yes, it is that type of gun” and this gun was created by Bell, remember Brave New World parts one and two?
Bell surely had some knowledge about the Observers’ technology at that time. It is all interesting because for the whole time, he knew stuff but to what length did he know things? The questions are endless.
The participation of John Prosky as the captured Observer was absolutely crazy awesome. His speech about the ant colony and how Peter feels about he Observers was amazing.
Peter was oblivious to his limitation refusing to acknowledge the Observers superiority in power, and it led me to think about the perception of things that we have had on season five so far. There has been some anomalies this season, I do not know how, it is so hard, to put them to words.
What if the whole thing is some sort of shared consciousness of the characters with September (Michael Cerveris)? It would mean that none of this has already happened but yet, it will happen. We know for sure that September is a friend to them and it is undeniable that these Observers would smash humanity in a blink of an eye, though WHY have not they done it? WHY is the resistance so active?
The Observers do have the power, the means, anything necessary to wipe mankind off the planet and they have not done it. Maybe what is happening here is what happened in Lysergic Acid Diethylamide back in season three, but longer. My point is, September knew they had no chance against the baldies and maybe helping them see what he must have experienced so they would have a chance. It sounds too absurd to say that, but I do not know what to think anymore.
The “poker” game between Peter and the captured Observer was simply magnificent, but the fact that it was the game of one player due to the fact that even arrested, tied and unable to do anything, the damned observer was still in control of himself and in part, of the situation. Was he being read by Peter and as said, afraid?
Or was he just pretending, manipulating Peter because you know, we are always looking for a pattern everywhere even if there is no pattern at all, looking for a meaning where there is none?
It made me feel like we have no way out of this, and it is all lost. Frakking Observer! Based on the observation of a fly, Peter took the decisions he took regarding building the cube up solely from his intuition and knowledge about engineering which came from the future, a very distant future, by the way. Too much in my head.
Remember the conversation between Peter and Olivia about the fact that she was afraid she might lose him? Walter listened to it and as the biggest POlivia shipper of all time, he found a way to help them out with a tape from one of Etta’s birthdays before the frakking invasion which Olivia refused to watch at first.
The conversation he had with Olivia was the most important thing that has happened so far in season five. Olivia had dealt with her pain building walls around her heart once and Walter himself broken the whole universe because he could not cope with losing a son.
He also mentioned vengeance from his evil doppelganger Walternate. They have to deal with it together otherwise what Olivia fears the most is gonna happen, they will lose each other and it just cannot happen. I cannot understand what the Awards people must think what good TV is.
Maybe their minds are full of stupidity and their way to judge what is good and bad is just craptastic. I am not sorry if I offend anyone, I am sorry I do not feel sorry.
This TV show and its cast have been slapped in the face throughout the years and I just do not get it. The scene between Olivia and Walter was just super awesome, why cannot they see the talent here?
At this point, I am not sure of anything else; one thing did scare me. Peter told the Observer if he had that tech inside him, he would be ten times what the bald one is. SCARY!
By the look in the Observer’s face, what did he read there? Have I understood what I…? No! Not possible that Peter is actually thinking about it. However as it turns out, he did it. Peter took the tech out of the Observer’s head and inserted into him to my absolute shock, I mean, has he lost his mind completely?
If I could, I would have screamed at him DO NOT FRAKKING DO THIS FRAK FOR FRAK’S SAKE, but unfortunately, Olivia’s call came a bit late as she said she needed him to come home in one of the saddest scenes ever as she was crying her heart out as she watched her daughter’s birthday party video tape.
He already had the thingy inside him and Gene in heaven protects Peter from what I think will happen now. Did you see the look in his eyes?
Has Peter gone completely powered up Observer mode angry-mad bad-ass? Smokes come out of my head.
Maybe it is all happening, and Peter will become a rough, cold hearted Observer, but it does not mean it is all lost. The Observers are emotion free, right? The do not have hearts.
If it is all caused by tech that takes all emotion from them, it does not happen smoothly. I’d like to believe that there is a crack in all things for obvious reasons.
You just need to find a crack in the darkness so the light will get in and this whole thing was not mentioned one, but throughout the whole series.
We are led to think about it in minimal pieces of dialogue or in major ones like in the ditto episode or like in the fourth season, episode One Night In October that even with having his mind completely erased by his counterpart, Professor McClennan (John Pyper-Ferguson) still had in his heart the thinking about darkness and light taught by Margery (Julie Schnekenburger).
Do you remember when Broyles (Lance Reddick) told Olivia about the indelible mark, an imprint people leave on our souls so big it cannot be erased and it changes us forever, if it is all happening for real, then this is how Peter will be saved if what I think happens to be true, which I hope is not the case at all.
I also hope that no one helps The Observers like seen in the Reward Wire videos by FOX Broadcasting!
My thanks to Kenn for video embedding and Lori for final proof of my review. As always, we appreciate you visiting the WormholeRiders News Agency!
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Well Fringe fans, this past episode rendered me shocked and speechless.
My tissue box is minus a dozen or so tissues and my heart is broken. For everyone that has seen this episode you clearly know the reasons why.
Fringe has pulled out all the stops and then some, as I stated in a previous review, they are definitely going to go out with a bang and not a whimper.
This episode proves it in spades. I know that the remaining episodes will be a tour de force for everyone involved including the gifted and gorgeous Georgina Haig in her role in Fringe below.
Before I start my review, let me comment on that intense promo for next week’s episode. It is clear that Peter has only one thing on his mind and when he gets it set there is no changing it.
An Origin Story will also give us a chance to see our beloved Polivia reconnect over the loss of their most precious soul. I for one cannot wait, it will be epic!
The Bullet That Saved the World:
Now, on to the episode, I like how it starts with Peter (Joshua Jackson) siphoning gas from a car and then heading into a pawn shop. The items that are shown are definite reminds of my youth and of the bygone era that I am sure Peter longs to get back to. If Walter had entered that pawn shop, well, the phrase kid in a candy store would be an understatement.
The shop clerk (H.A. Hunter) is trying to get him to buy other things than what he came in for, typical. Peter has his mind set on one thing and one thing only, he just wants to get that thing and get out. The Observer reads him, but Peter tries his hardest to fill his mind with random thoughts so that the Observer won’t know his true intention.
Joshua Jackson is great in this scene because you can see his body language change the second the Observer hands him the necklace. His demeanor becomes somewhat confident but with a definite undertone of nerves. This Observer does not seem as vicious as the others, he seems almost passive, which leads me to believe that not ALL the Observers are as bad as we think, September (Michael Cerveris) being the prime example.
Peter’s nerves are clearly starting to surface and that is never more evident than when he leaves the shop and has to literally fight his way out of the situation. He desperately wants to get back to his family. It is always fun to watch Josh be bad ass, it harkens back to his past and all the times I am sure he had to fight his way out of sticky situations.
The clever boy that he is, Peter escapes down a sewer drain, but not without the situation getting dire after a bomb conveniently follows him down there!
Thankfully Peter makes it out alive, a little worse for the wear but alive. I am sure Peter is used to it by now, but it is still great to see him alive and breathing.
Meanwhile back at the lab…another great scene where Walter (John Noble) infuses his humor in the situation. John or Walter I should say always has a way of making even the most drastic situations a bit lighter because if his comments. This episode is no exception as we see in this scene and in some to follow.
The scene in the lab with Peter, Olivia (Anna Torv) and Etta (Georgina Haig) is a wonderful Bishop family moment. The concern that Olivia has for him is evident, even though there is some strain between them at the moment, the deep love they have for each other out weighs that.
I love that Peter again calls Etta kiddo and that he tells her the bumps and bruises are worth it. Any parent would say the same thing; they would gladly manifest their child’s pain if they could. I love that Etta is the one that ends up schooling her parents on how they will learn to deceive the Observers when being read. It shows how the combination of both Peter and Olivia is ever present in their daughter.
Georgina does excellent work in this episode as we will see as it progresses. The doubt and fear that Peter has about the Observers being two steps ahead and not knowing how to beat them, it trumped by Etta and her unwavering hope that they will defeat them…one by one.
Hope seems to be a recurrent theme in these episodes so far and I do not suspect it will be going away anytime soon. It is the one thing that they can hold on to. Sometimes that it all that you need to give you the strength to carry on. Hope is a very powerful thing, it is what saves people’s lives and gives them guts to face their fear head on.
I feel that in this season everyone is at the top of their game; they are the best they can be. Maybe it is because the actor’s finally know the fate of their characters and know how the series will end. The writing has always been brilliant, but again, this season is at its peak, with the loose ends from all the past seasons finally falling into place.
I have a few wild theories that I will pose to you the reader a bit later in my review. I may be way off on them, but in Fringe world, anything is possible.
It was so great to see Broyles (Lance Reddick) again! It wouldn’t be Fringe without him. I just hope we also get to see Blair Brown in the next few episodes, I miss Nina Sharp. The scene with Windmark (Michael Kopsa) in the pawn shop is great. It is a little weird seeing Broyles taking orders from someone else, when we are so used to seeing him giving the orders.
You can see the awkward way that Broyles is around Windmark, Lance pulls this off beautifully. He has a somewhat defeated disposition about him when it comes to taking orders from Windmark. Broyles, however, still has that toughness to him; he always has that authoritative air about him, but also knows compassion and loyalty as we will see later in the episode.
It’s sad to hear Windmark being so technical about the necklace and asking why would Peter come and risk his freedom for something so unexceptional. It makes you wonder just what happened to make the Observers so strict and inhuman. What caused this lack of emotion so much that they have become robotic? We may never find out…but then again maybe we will it’s Fringe after all. It is also sad because it makes me think about how such a small thing like a necklace can mean so much to the person who wears it. How that small gesture speaks volumes about the intention behind it.
The scene at the lab with the team as they are watching yet another one of Walter’s tapes, he mentions a story about how his mother took him on these Manhattan Mystery Tours which makes Olivia hang her head in her hands at the ridiculousness of the story. Hilarious! But Walter being Walter it all comes to a point about where the plans are hidden.
What comes next is very cool and unexpected, leave it to Walter to always be thinking, albeit not always clearly or rationally, ahead. His reference to the detective comics that Walter had as a child makes me think of the “Brown Betty” episode (which as you all know is my most favorite episode ever). Fringe…a full circle show. His mention of Pinkos and the mosquito comment later in the scene are classic Walter answers…brilliance at its finest.
The discovery of the past Fringe cases is so fraking cool! I love how the show always manages to take you back to the past cases, that everything in Fringe is connected. Maybe Walter did know something about what the future held, but again his memories are scattered at best. I love that he mentions that they should make a few Fringe events of their own. The one they chose was from the first season, the episode was call “Ability“. It was a horrific way to die, suffocating to death, no thanks!
Walter and food…I need not go into an explanation on this one, except to say that as usual, his stomach has won the battle and has not ceased to amaze me.
The disgusting but hilarious way that Walter tastes the jelly from the twenty plus year old doughnut hole, well, thankfully I wasn’t eating at the time. Again, I love how Walter or rather John Noble in this case can take such joy in the antics of our most beloved crazy scientist.
The scene with the Loyalist in the room with the Observer was scary, but in a way it was necessary, because it revealed a new aspect to the story. The code word Dove was mentioned, there has been speculation as who the dove actually is.
Some say its Broyles others think it was Etta or just maybe it could be someone else entirely different. The dove has always been a symbol of peace, harmony and hope…there is that word again. It comes as no surprise that Fringe has used this to give weight to the fight that they are currently in.
When the Observer asks Broyles about the relationship that he had with the Fringe team, a red flag went off. It seems that Windmark knows a lot about things that are past and that may be used against Broyles or other team members in the future. It is scary that Windmark has that ace up his sleeve. He is the true definition of diabolical. You can tell that the Observer is trying to read Broyles thoughts, but he was taught well and is able to deflect them.
One of my favorite scenes this episode is watching Walter and Peter play with a homemade projectile gun and he says “Pull!” and launches something in Astrid’s (Jasika Nicole) direction. The giddy look on both Bishop Boys faces is priceless. It is nice to see those wonderful father/son moments that have been rare but always profound. It also shows the hope that they have and the way that they can somehow imbue humor into their grim situation.
The next scene with the two fantastic actresses is wondrous. Those mother/daughter moments are what make it so wonderful to watch. Georgina Haig and Anna Torv have and incredible chemistry, one would think that they could be actual mother and daughter.
It is so beautiful to see Etta explain how she came about the bullet that she wears. I love that Etta says that she wore it to feel closer to her. She clearly had been thinking about her parents and finding them longer than we expected. “I figured it had to be important or you wouldn’t have kept it,” Etta says to her mother.
Oh kiddo if you only knew. Your very existence is due to that bullet and the symbolism of it. It’s even more poignant to hear what Peter called the bullet, a fact that we do know from “Brave New World Part 2“.
Again we see the sheer brilliance of Anna Torv and her aptitude to convey subtly, she has perfected it. You can also see the sadness in her eyes for the past that she remembers and longs for again. The memory of it forever etched in her photographic memory.
After that poignant scene things start to get volatile. The team’s sense of urgency is heightened when they know they have been compromised, thanks to Olivia’s idea of re-ambering the lab, it buys them some much needed time to escape. It also sets them back since now they have to work twice as hard to extract everything that they had to re-amber again. It seems their work is never ending.
When Windmark makes the statement that Etta had hid her thoughts from them and that others may have the ability as well, it is not a good sign. Windmark is onto something he just needs confirmation and he intends to get it anyway he can. He has no qualms about the way he does it, his way or no way.
The Walter electrocution line again, funny, but what follows it is what makes the last 15 minutes of this episode harrowing, heartbreaking, breathtaking and gut wrenching. It is writing like this that always put Fringe in the top notch of exceptional shows.
When Peter and Walter enter the train station and finally find their way underground the x that marked the spot is an age old symbol that was used in the 1940’s “Kilroy was here”…indeed he was. It is lucky for Walter that he used such an iconic symbol to mark where the schematics are.
Peter and Walter are interrupted by an Observer that seems, after being shot by Peter, to be able to teleport preternaturally. Finally escaping to find the other team members our heroes breathe a sigh of relief, if only temporary.
I love that Broyles pulls out a picture of Peter and Olivia from their days in Fringe Division. They were a part of his family as much as they were his team members and colleagues. The schematics look veryfamiliar to Fringe fans.
They look suspiciously like the etchings that were made on the table in Walter’s cell in St. Clair’s, only problem is he cannot remember them. I have a feeling I know why. I will be posting my theories at the end of this review.
The scene with the Broyles and team reunion is so great. It is such a beautiful exchange between Olivia and Broyles, whom she calls “Philip” which I don’t think he she has ever done.
It is so great to hear about how Broyles met Etta and that he had a hunch who she was before she told him. The affection that Broyles had always had for Olivia is definitely shown in his interaction with her. I love also that as soon as he found out who Etta was that he knew he’d join the resistance.
I love that Broyles mentions that Etta taught him instead of the other way around. Like mother like daughter. Some tissues were definitely used during this scene, well worth it though.
The irony of Windmark using the word barbaric to show his disgust for what the Fringe team did is very interesting. He is just as barbaric if not worse when it comes to what he has done to get the information that is needed from Walter or anyone he crosses paths with. Plus what happens in the last few scenes is the very definition and he shows that he is the epitome of the word and then some.
The hardware that Broyles brings to the Fringe team is frightening, but unfortunately a necessity in the war they fight, a fight that ends in the worst way possible. The last scenes are definitely edge of your seat when the team is chased into the warehouse. It was in these scenes that the heartbreak began and ended with the most poignant, gut wrenching, beautiful and utterly devastating loss in Fringe history to date.
Tissues and swear words were used by this reviewer profusely throughout these last scenes, both being strewn in all directions. The gun fight is reminiscent of past Fringe episodes and it always makes for great television. When Windmark asks Etta, while he is chocking her why Peter bought her the necklace, she for the first time lets him see in her mind. A memory of before the Observers invaded, her childhood, the one time in her life when she was happy.
It is a gorgeous scene and Georgina is a masterpiece. She is so at peace in this moment that it is almost surreal. She knows her fate, she knows what has to be done and she is the willing sacrifice. Love, her motivation since she found the bullet, she needed to find her parents, needed their love and to love them.
Something Windmark knows nothing about and will never know about. “You never know when to give up” Windmark says to her…she is a Dunham & a Bishop they never give up. It was in her DNA the second she was conceived and runs through her veins like her blood.
When Etta was shot, it was truly the shot heard around the world. I can honestly say that I never expected it and worldwide gasp and scream were heard from Fringe fans everywhere. When Olivia utters Etta, it is heartbreaking, she feels it, and she knows in her gut that something is wrong. A mother knows and has an instinct that will always be connected to her child.
The fact that Etta is holding onto the necklace is truly heartbreaking, I am teary eyed just re-watching and thinking about what it symbolizes. It truly is the bullet that saved the world, ironically because it is the catalyst that will drive her parents to continue the fight and avenge her death.
When Olivia, Peter and Walter find her, the flood gates of emotion open for me and I am sure every Fringe fan out there. There are not many shows that can make me cry, but this one managed to do it, this scene in particular. I suspect the finale episode I will be a puddle of snot and tears on my bed, but that is yet to come.
This is probably the most beautiful scene ever filmed in Fringe…so far. The way that Etta has come to terms with her fate, that she is calm and knows that she is leaving her parents after just finding them. She also knows what it’s like to be loved by her parents, to be a family again and to fight side by side with them as she always wanted to.
This scene reminds me of two things, What Edwin Massey (Paul McGillion) said in “The Recordist” episode about cowardice “You are not a coward if you are afraid, you are a coward and you know what needs to be done and you don’t do it”. Etta is her mother’s daughter, she is always putting others above herself, and she sacrifices herself for the good of the resistance.
She knows what needs to be done and without hesitation she does it. She becomes the hero, the martyr, the dove if you will a true testament of her genes and her love for her family. The other is my theory from a past episode regarding the chess game.
Both Anna and Josh astound in this scene. The frantic way they are trying to stop the bleeding and telling her they can get her help is calmed by Etta saying to leave her. The look in Olivia’s eyes is heartbreaking, Anna once again is astonishing, and she is a force of nature.
When Olivia tells Etta “I love you so much” it is profound, she doesn’t say that often and when she does she means it with her entire being. Etta’s response is perfect, “I know”-she always did, but to hear it from her mother, she can die in peace.
Josh is so amazing in this scene, he shows how distraught he is, he reacts the same way he did when Olivia was shot by Walter in season three finale. His world is shattered; again, he has lost her again, his perfect little soul.
No parent should go through that, but he now knows how Walter felt when he lost Peter twice. Walter is also mourning the loss of his only granddaughter, John again and always brilliant.
When the team is not been found, Windmark assumes that because of love they would go back and get Etta, once they investigate and find out they were wrong, they discover two things, they necklace is gone and the anti-matter bomb that she has, with seconds left on it. How Windmark gets out of there is beyond me. From a distance, her family watches and mourns the loss of one of their own, their daughter Etta who is now with her partner Simon Foster (Henry Ian Cusick)…partners forever.
The last scene of Olivia holding onto Etta’s necklace made my cry again. It will truly be the symbol of her undying drive to make sure that Etta didn’t die in vain. The look on Peter’s face as the episode ends is heartbreaking, his world ended the second her last breathe was taken. He will make it his mission for the rest of his life to exact revenge on the people who did this.
The hashtag for this episode was #TurningPoint and indeed it was for the whole team. A lot of fans were hoping that this would be Josh’s episode to shine, but I think the next week’s episode “An Origin Story” will be the one where we really see what Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) is made of.
I just hope that he uses that brain of his and knows that revenge is never the answer; as good as it may feel. It will definitely be an episode that will be talked about and no doubt will be one of Josh’s best.
I have a feeling that we will definitely see William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) again. I think he has something to do with either the Observers invading or as Walter said to help complete his plan. Bell has been involved with Fringe either directly or indirectly from the beginning. He is definitely a cog in the wheel somehow.
When Bell talked about the Chess game in Brave New World Part 1, he had mentioned that “The most valuable piece is the Bishop and for the game to be won the Bishop must be sacrificed”. I had assumed that the Bishop was Olivia, now I think it was Etta. Bell knew the game, he saw the future, and he had already been there. “The art of chess, the art is knowing when a piece is most valuable (Etta) and then in that very moment, being willing to sacrifice it.
For in the vacuum created by the loss of one that is most precious (Etta’s death) opportunity abounds. Influence maximized and desire becomes destiny (Peter and Olivia’s wanting to avenge Etta’s death). It is a clever way for the writers to throw us off track and then truly reveal what was meant by Bishop being the most valued piece.
I think the parts of Walter’s brain that were extracted are the very parts that contain the information to the schematics found and I do believe that September dictated them to him. The Observers have the ability to cross time and September has always been part of the Fringe team’s life.
He knows their future but cannot tell them, so he told Walter the plan and then slightly changed it so that the events of the future would come back to that plan. There were also theories on Facebook about maybe doing another reset to before the Observers invaded so our team can defeat them before they invade.
Okay, those are my theories, I may be way off or right on the money, only time will tell. Thanks for reading this long review, I would love to hear your comments on it.. I hope you dried your eyes and put your heart back together, until next week…RIP Etta Bishop, you will be missed.
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Hello my fellow Comic-Con fans and most importantly my beloved Fringe fans!
This is the post I am sure you have all been waiting for. As this was my first Comic-Con experience, it was also my first (and last) Fringe panel.
To say that it is bittersweet is an understatement, it was something that I will never forget and will always cherish. I will review the parts I find the best of this panel, not the panel on a whole. For me, some parts hit home more than others and those are the more important ones to me.
I have NEVER in my life camped out for anything; not concert tickets, not movie lines, not even to get a glimpse of a rare meteor shower, let alone camping out for a panel at a major entertainment convention.
The Fringe panel remains the ONLY thing that I did end up camping out for.
I along with thousands (literally) of Fringe fans braved the elements to camp out for the infamous Hall H at the San Diego Convention Center, the mother of all Halls! For those who many not know, San Diego Comic-Con 2012 is nicknamed often “SDCC” either for for the initials of the event or the San Diego Convention Center.
Fond Memories of SDCC Fringe:
As I contemplated my fate, I was quite anxious, even worried that I would not make it inside the great hall at the San Diego Convention Center for what has been billed as the very last Comic-Con Fringe panel ever!
Why? The line for admittance to the Fringe panel was already to the water, thousands deep winding towards San Diego bay when I placed myself in my space at 5:00am Sunday July 15, 2012!
Luckily I was able to make it in…and so follows my wonderful yet heartbreaking experience on that faithful day.
I am one of the lucky ones that was handed a Fringe Fedora, similar to the one September (Michael Cerveris) wears on the show.
I took my place and waited, with my heart pounding, my camera poised and a smile on my face recalling fond moments of John Noble in the vendors room and around the convention including my exclusive interview with Mr. Noble about Dark Matters!
Some images courtesy Warner Brothers
When the lights dimmed, every Fringe fan was treated to a teaser trailer for the upcoming season…and boy what a teaser it is. It contained ‘extra’ footage that was not originally seen in the first teaser (see full panel video below).
When asked about it, Joel Wyman had said that he had asked the actors to do a little extra for this last convention appearance and all said they were happy to oblige!
When the cast came out (sans Blair Brown who was sick) every Fringe fan (I hope) held up their white tulips that we had all carried with us that day. It stunned the cast and made Joel Wyman and Joshua Jackson both take pictures with their phones!
It humbled Joel; he said that those white tulips mean more than we will ever know. That makes me very happy and sad at the same time.
It will be hard to not feel both emotions as I recall that day in July. I was not lucky to see the Fringe panel in previous years, so I this is my ONLY memory of a Fringe event at SDCC.
Damian Holbrook from TV Guide was the moderator of the panel and he did a great job. I liked his questions and he kept things going. The roar from the crowd was deafening, the love for our beloved Fringe cast and each member evident.
The final Fringe panel started with Joel asking the crowd to shout “We Miss You Blair!” and he was going to tweet it to her. As any good fandom would, we did it with lots of love and conviction.
John Noble “the eternal optimist” as Anna Torv dubbed him had faith that Fringe would see a Season 5. The trailer was, as Joel mentioned, a tool to try and sell the powers that be on a fifth and final season…all the hard work paid off.
This year is the only year that the cast actually knows their fate. I do not know how I would feel about that, as an actor knowing how my character would end up, especially at the beginning of the season. All the actors had been relived to finally know and had no problem with making the most of it.
Joel is very sincere in all his heart-felt thanks to the fans and the media. I am sure the cast echoes his sentiment as they will be finally be able to bring closure to their characters and pen that love letter to us fans as Joel said.
When the cast started speaking about their relationships to each other and the fondness or friendship that they have, that is when it hit home for me.
The absolute love and admiration that each of them have for their fellow cast mate is clear and perfect. Jasika Nicole talks about how her real life friendship with John Noble translates to the screen seamlessly is wonderful.
It is so great to know that this cast DOES get along and does have a great time together and do have a deep connection that will NEVER be broken.
Image courtesy Warner Brothers
Lance Reddick was asked the hilarious question about is he surprised when fans meet him and find out that he is NOT like Broyles at all?
He made a great point about how when you are on a show, week after year and year after year people expect you to be that character. He is right, when you as a fan invest in a show as Fringe fans have you do want to see Phillip Broyles, but we are just as happy to see Lance Reddick!
Josh Jackson was asked about what he has learned about himself playing Peter Bishop over the course of the show. His answer is typical Josh! He wanted to aspire to the nobility that Peter has developed over the years. Peter’s sacrifices are on an epic scale as Josh states, not thinking he can do it himself. I think he is short changing himself, Josh has become leading man material and he has grown as an actor and a man. Take it with pride Josh, you deserve it.
Image courtesy Warner Brothers
When Damian says to John “and I think we will miss you most of all Scarecrow” he is speaking the truth…awards do mean nothing. This man has and always will be a force of nature in the acting world, his grace, humor, humility and gargantuan talent will live on in wherever else John’s work take him.
The crowd agreed with a roar of acknowledgement when Damian stressed that awards mean nothing. For him and Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson and the rest it has been an Emmy-less run and to the Emmy voters, I, and all of Fringe fandom say shame on you!
John Noble mentioned how the cast is a family and he the father figure. He looks after the younger cast members as if they were his own children and that is another reason why he is such a brilliant human being. He had said that this cast will ‘watch each others back’ and that is a real sign of solidarity.
John also mentioned that as a family they do not always see eye to eye, but that connection is there. “What holds Fringe together is the power of love” as John had said at the panel and it is the truth, plain and simply.
Now comes the part that made not only me cry, but I am sure a whole lot of fans and some panel members as well. Damian asked the panel their favorite scene but not one they are in.
Gorgeous Jasika talks about the scene when Walter can’t remember Peter’s number to call him. That was a great scene, but the one that made her cry was a scene Anna did. At first when Jasika read the scene she just skimmed over it, but when she watched it she cried…as did I.
The scene in the Marionette episode when Anna takes all her clothes and just starts purging them from her life. It was one of those scenes that you have to watch over and over, because of how astonishing Anna was and you can hear Josh agree with Jasika as to Anna’s talent.
How Anna conveyed the utter heartbreak, pain, anger, rage and every other emotion that was coursing through her. That scene alone should have garnered Anna an Emmy nod, but again…no nod, Emmy’s loss is what I say!
The reactions of the other cast members to the floodgates that Jasika and Anna opened are wonderful, powerful and special to everyone involved. Watching the answers again, I am reliving the emotions and the laughter from that particular part of the panel. To see Lance tear up is priceless.
The mention of Seth Gabel and his incarnations of Lincoln Lee was great by Josh. It showed that even though he wasn’t there with them and that his character will not be seen again, he is still very much a part of the lexicon that is Fringe.
Joel Wyman was so great all the times he thanked FOX and rightfully so. Without it and Warner Brothers, Fringe would not be having a fifth season. So thanks to everyone that has stuck by the little show that could.
Image courtesy Warner Brothers
Toward the end of the panel the floor was opened to questions from the fans…some were great, but the answers were even better…one in particular. Joel was vague (as he should be) when a fan asked if Henry Ian Cusick will be seen again. He did say it was the end so he did not want to reveal too much, we would have to wait and see. The same with when he was asked about female observers being a part of the show.
A mention of a potential (let’s all pray for this!) Fringe movie was maybe in the future, made the fans scream louder! Then comes the moment that makes Josh lose it, laughing giddy like school boy…when Anna says that the lesson Olivia still needs to learn is to come…well, that’s all I am gonna say.
It wrapped up beautifully with the cast taking bow a walking off into the sunset. I can honestly say that when the time comes to say goodbye for real to our beloved show, and yes I have used that word many times, it will be gut wrenching. Fortunately, I will always have my Fedora barring a cat “Fringe hat” event!
Seriously, when you have lived and loved a show like this for five years of your life and invested in the characters as if they were part of your life, it will be the hardest thing to do.
I know that it will be a profound moment in my life, as it was at the series finale of the Sopranos, that I will never forget where I was when Fringe ended.
For your enjoyment, Included below is the entire panel, including promotional trailers, courtesy of the great folks over at Warner Brothers.
Thanks WB!
I want to personally say thanks to Kenn for giving me the wonderful opportunity to experience Comic-Con as a press representative, to be a part of history, and since I had trouble getting good pictures, for image selection and audio video staging in my report.
Who knows maybe in ten years we can all look forward to a Fringe reunion? Until then, remember “you belong with me”!
Please feel free to leave a comment here or If you prefer, you may also click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit me on Twitter by clicking the links or images avatars in this news story. See You on The Other Side“!
It has been a wild ride that has almost come to an end. In this episode, part one of the two part season finale (sounds better than series finale, does not it?), we get some questions answered and even more questions asked. I am very happy about the renewal even though it is not a full season, thirteen episodes is better than none.
Before we delve into the brave new world, let us take a moment to talk about the epic promo for part two of the finale. Bell (Leonard Nimoy) is back, Olivia (Anna Torv) is activated and someone loses their life…or do they? To say this week will be the longest in Fringe history is an understatement!
Included below courtesy of FOX Broadcasting are the promo trailer. Thanks FOX!
Before I start with my review,. I want to say thank you to The Powers That Be (TPTB) who renewed our beloved show. The mixed response to the decision of giving us thirteen final episodes and not the full twenty two is interesting to me. Some fans are very happy about the thirteen episodes others are pissed off that we do not get a full season.
My response to the fans that are not happy about it is this…be thankful, it pushes us closer to syndication, which is a huge deal for all parties involved. It also gives us a chance for closure, a chance to finally give us the ending it deserves. That is the one thing that everyone is in agreement on, the fact that we will have an ending. Whether the ending is one that we all love or hate or are indifferent to, I do think that whatever the ending be it will definitely no doubt be extraordinary, memorable, heartbreaking and fitting.
Yes it will be sad to see it end. I will be mourning Fringe as I have been mourning The Sopranos every since it ended. It will be one of the shows that leaves an indelible mark in television history. Shows like both Fringe and the Sopranos do not come along often, but when they do their impact is felt throughout your life and in television history.
This something that should be celebrated it is a benchmark, it’s a notch on a timeline, it is something that should (and will) be talked about for years to come. The love that the fans worldwide have for Fringe will always be there, it has changed lives, brought people together and has forever bonded them together. Fringe is a once in a lifetime show and I for one am glad to be a part of it up until the very end.
Brave New World Part One:
Now…on to the Brave New World, I am extremely happy that this is a season finale and again not a series finale. The only problem with watching Fringe on the night it airs is that I am on twitter and I miss so much, so watching again is a treat. It was as Ari Margolis said jaw dropping and wonderful and amazing and my Polivia heart was soaring.
I loved the usage of the musak version of Billy Idol’s ‘Eyes Without a Face’ it cracked me up!
What started out as a seemingly normal commute day for the citizens of Boston, ended in the most bizarre way.
We begin observing the Fringe activity with Neal (Reese Alexander) getting his usual morning beverage and heading out for his work day when something unusual happens. The other people are horrified by what they see and soon discover that they are afflicted with the same problem. Yikes…my advice, do not drink the coffee it can kill you.
I commend the actors in that scene, it is very difficult to not move in that scene, to become almost statuesque. That is an exercise that is fundamental in acting class and they all pulled it off brilliantly.
The next scene is one that has put a permanent smile on my face. We get to see our beloved Polivia again. I have always loved when we get to see Olivia (Anna Torv) and Peter (Joshua Jackson) being domestic and ‘normal’. It makes their love story that much more real for me and much more epic.
I had assumed that when Olivia had said nursery in response to the number of bedrooms in their future house that she was already pregnant with Etta (Georgina Haig), but apparently I was wrong.
It was a clever way for the writers to give us that little hope and nod to the future, but it still is not quite within their reach yet. Regardless, it is a wonderful scene and as always Josh and Anna play it perfectly. It never seems to fail that their phones always interrupt them, call of duty is never far behind.
Walter (John Noble) and Astrid (Jasika Nicole) at the Fringe event is hilarious. The way that Walter is inadvertently guiding the hasmet guys to where they should be is brilliant. His use of the word “Ninny” is priceless.
I also love the growing relationship between the two colleagues and friends. it is a testament to how incredibly well they both work together and how each of them thinks of the other as family.
The comment about house hunting and a nursery was wonderful because Olivia is pregnant following the time-line of the alternate universe, only slightly offset in our reality!
To digress for a moment…the fact that I found out that Robin Williams is a huge Fringe fan and would love to be in an episode is EPIC with a capital E. How amazing would that be to see him and Walter go head to head as crazy scientists or maybe as a reformed mental patient? I for one would be glued to my television that night. I know that the producers did hear about it and agreed that it would be unbelievable, let us hope we do get to see that before the end of the series.
Now to the next scene which features the wonderfully talented Rebecca Mader! So great to see another LOST alum gracing the screen again. I love how we do get to see some of the other actors from other Abrams shows, the respect is evident.
Rebecca’s character Jessica Holt is great in her scene with Walter, his alien comment again cracked me up. John Noble can deliver lines like no one else on the planet, it is still amazing to me that he has been snubbed time and time again for an Emmy. When Walter asks to take a blood sample and Jessica’s response of the phrase that men always say is great. It gives us a small glimpse into what w find out later on about Jessica’s home situation.
Walter’s care in handling her is nice. He is gentle and sympathetic, I also like the fact that she is willing to do anything to help them find a cure. The scene with Walter and the vial of blood is very cool. It reminds me of a Shakespearean soliloquy, the way he is handling it and examining it. She will be the willing guinea pig for the mad scientist and his wild theories. The fact that she is a registered nurse and understands the importance of the situation makes her willingness much nobler.
The scene in the lab with the team trying to find a cure for the problem Jessica is having is a great Anna Torv scene. She once again does what she does best, she crosses that boundary between good and brilliant.
This scene reminds me of the X-Men, Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) as Jessica’s body temperature begins to rise dangerously high, they are racing against time to stop it. With precious seconds left Olivia grabs her hand and manifests Jessica’s aliment, she takes her pain away. This is why it reminds me of Rogue; she had the ability to temporarily posses the abilities of anyone she touched. Olivia’s ability to do this is as much of a mystery to her as it is to everyone else.
It is great to see Olivia’s abilities surface again, to see her somewhat embrace her ability to a certain extent even though she is afraid of it. It also, though, gives me a sense of foreboding, because as great as it is to see her using her abilities it could be the very thing that could be her downfall. Just like Jean Grey, her abilities could be what ultimately kills her, it could be the one thing that she cannot control, and in fact it would end up controlling her.
Here is essentially a woman (Olivia) who was programmed, if you will, to be a soldier, the one, the strongest out of all the Cortexiphan kids. She was the one that was the leader, it goes back to season two when Bell had pulled her to the alternate universe and told her what her destiny is.
The ability that Olivia has is remarkable, but deadly the same way that Jean Grey was ultimate in her ability, but what happened to her when that power consumed her was drastic. Who Jean was disappeared, who she was became died away, she becomes a weapon and the only way to save her was to end her life…to set her free.
The irony or bittersweet of it all was that the one person who could reach her, the one person that could help her was also the man that loved her, much like Peter with Olivia. Logan made the sacrifice, it nearly killed him in the process but he needed to save her from herself and give her the peace she desired. I have a fear that Peter may have to do the same with Olivia, that the only way to save her is to kill her, set her free. Remember what September said to her…what her fate is…
It is of no surprise to anyone that Jones is once again involved with the nanites and the problems it caused. I think that he did this deliberately, did it to draw Olivia out. I think that it has been the plan all along, get rid of the alternate universe, the distractions.
The scene with Walter and his discovery of the way the antibodies were formed is crucial. Especially since if you look at them they seem to have a little X stamped on them somehow…which goes back to the mystery Mr. X who is the one that is supposedly the one that ends Olivia’s life.
The look on Walter’s face when he finally realizes that it was not Jones, all along, but his long lost partner William Bell, who is the mastermind of this whole scheme. The way that Bell comes back into the picture is great. Aboard that crazy ship of creatures is the man who wants to play god. That laugh that Nimoy has is a dead giveaway and it was so great to hear it first before you get to see him.
I must give kudos to the producers for keeping that secret. It was a brilliant move and I for one loved it. What better way to end the season then to have Bell be the man behind the curtain the whole time.
The scene between Harris and Nimoy about the chess game and the defeat that they suffered if only temporary was brilliant. His explanation of the winning move and the winning game to Jones is diabolical, but perfect, the way he tells him that the Bishop is the most important piece is metaphorical, because it means not only Peter and Walter, but Olivia. She is a ‘Bishop’ if by pure association, she is the one that needs to be sacrificed. Bell talks about patience and how it has been twenty years since his last move, he wanted to make sure that the time was perfect.
“The art of chess, the art is knowing when a piece is most valuable (Olivia) and then in that very moment, being willing to sacrifice it. For in the vacuum created (the machine) by the loss of one that is most precious (Olivia’s death and Peter resetting the timeline), opportunity abounds. Influence maximized and desire becomes destiny (Peter and Olivia’s immense love for one another brought him back).” This speech is a culmination of all that has been happening up until now. How Bell has had this as his plan the whole time, he was just waiting for the right time to strike. The way that the writers have built this awesome bridge to the gap is another one of a million reasons why I love this show.
“The most valuable piece is the Bishop and for the game to be won the Bishop must be sacrificed”-meaning Olivia. She is the one that has to ultimately be sacrificed, the one that will give Bell his power (which were the glyphs for this episode). It also makes me think of episode 419 ‘Letters of Transit” at the end when Walter reveals that something did happen to Olivia at the hands of Bell.
I feel bad for Walter trying to explain that Bell is alive to everyone and no one believing him is so frustrating and John Noble plays it perfectly. It is almost as if he is back at St. Claire’s and that is a feeling he never wishes to have. His refusal to let it go is perfect, he is right, he knows in his gut that he is right, nothing and no one can tell him otherwise and to prove it he goes back to the one place that is his worst nightmare.
The scenes at St. Claire’s are brilliant, John Noble at his finest. The way his demeanor is sitting at his table tracing his hand over his etchings and then when he exits the room is real. You can feel the tension and unease of him. The most brilliant part, though, is when the janitor asks him if he is just visiting or coming back, and Walter’s reaction is visceral his body reverts back to itself when he was at St. Claire’s. That is the stuff Emmy’s are given for…that whole scene from beginning to end is the reason he should get an Emmy.
It is a pleasure to see Samantha Noble as Doctor Benlow in this episode. It is nice to know that the Noble talent has a second generation. John in this scene is hilarious, the way he is snarky towards her and the way he smells and licks the pages of the log book.
It must have been a treat to watch her dad at work, I know it is always a treat for me to watch John work. His end comment of her being prettier than her predecessor is great.
I do have one complaint in the scene with Olivia cutting vegetables; she is sitting down, which is NOT correct. I have never seen any chef that I know (and I know a lot) sit and cut vegetables, it just does not happen.
Anyway, that is the one thing I have a problem with. Her cut finger and the way Peter takes care of her is sweet. His love for he is profound and shows in his actions that have always spoken volumes.
When she explains how she was talking about Jessica and the normal life that she longed for. Of course normal does not exist in Fringe world, but they make do with what they have. Her fear of what she is becoming is palpable, she has this thing inside her that is a mystery to her, but it is the one thing that can possible save her.
She has no idea just how powerful she is, again it reminds me of Jean Grey and the power she possessed was so great that it had to be prevented from surfacing or the fate of the world would be dead. I feel that Olivia has that same power and it will take Peter to stop her from using it, just as Logan did for Jean.
The means to the end was tragic, but necessary, the fate of the world is in danger. Again it reminds me of S2E4 ‘Momentum Deferred’ when Bell tells Olivia that she was the strongest of the Cortexiphan kids, when she needs to keep Peter by her side. Momentum can be deferred but it always must always be paid back and it seems to be doing that now.
The speech that Peter gives to Olivia about all they have been through and he would not lose her again is beautiful. The love he has is absolute and deep, I fear though that something may happen to take her away from him again. This scene is great between Josh and Anna, they have a perfect chemistry on screen. I love how his fingers linger or brush her chin when he takes his hand away, it is very affectionate and makes my point. Epic love stories are always complicated that is what makes them epic, timeless and historical. Boring is never remembered but that kind of love is.
The sun light that destroys the building is cool. I like how it is almost like a beam of light from god coming down and punishing the sinners. Broyles (Lance Reddick) always has the best expressions on his face.
The disco ball comment is priceless, again, another brilliant reason that John’s flawless performance of Walter Bishop is something to behold. He always seems to be just on the surface of crazy, but never quite getting there.
I like the lemon cake scene because it harkens back to my favorite Fringe episode ever. The fact that the cortexiphan is regenerative is exactly what happened in Brown Betty when Olivia was cut by September with that laser and then as Astrid was patching her up, she began to heal…like the wound never happened. That gives us hope that if something does happen to Olivia she will be okay. I mean the only way to really kill her is a bullet to the brain as we saw in the previous timeline.
The peace out and the speech that Walter utters is one of the best that I have seen in a long time. He is so determined to find Bell that he is willing to go it alone. He again proves why John is so freaking brilliant. The fact that he calls Astid, Alex is wonderful and her reaction is perfect. Peace Out Emmy is all that needs to be said.
When Olivia and Peter find the satellites and Peter tells her to turn of the amplifier is sweet. She claims to not know what he is talking about and the smile on Peter’s face is a sign that he loves her very much. Jones and Peter fighting is a great scene, how Olivia connects with Peter and becomes the puppeteer in the fight.
This once again demonstrates Olivia’s abilities and the connection she has with Peter. Her abilities are triggered in the face of fear and love, it is when she is most vulnerable and when she is at her finest. When Jones falls into the satellite and is starting to disintegrate he says that he was the Bishop when I think he is wrong, he was the pawn, the Bishop is still in play.
The ending scene with Walter and Astrid is great, but there is a caution about it. You can feel the creepiness of it. The spaciousness of the warehouse reminds me of mob movies and the place they always take their snitches to beat the information out of them. Meeting the captain and Astrid knowing in her gut that something is wrong is tense; they need to get the heck out of there.
I love that Jasika Nicole gets to be a real FBI for a bit, that she gets to run, fight and shoot. She kicked butt and did it well. She and Walter running through the warehouse and shooting at the bad guys is thrilling…until she gets shot.
I audibly gasped when that happened! Of all the people to get hurt, Astrid is the least expected, and when Walter is holding her and Bell shows up…that is the best. He was right; the whole time when everyone doubted him he was right.
Well, it has been one hell of a season finale, at least part one has. Fandom is anxiously awaiting the second half the season finale and the wait will be excruciating. The final battle begins and a brave new world will indeed be revealed….stay tuned!
Thanks to Kenn for helping with the details and thank you for reading…don’t forget to leave a review. Peace Out!
Thanks to you for visiting and reading my review of “A Better Human Being” while visiting WormholeRiders News Agency.
Please feel free to leave a comment here or If you prefer, you may also click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit the WHR on Facebook or me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story and or we will See You on The Other Side“!
Thanks to Kenn for video and image embedding for my feature article and many thanks to you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency. Join us as we prepare for the excitement in the new year when I visit the Turner Classic Movie Film Festival 2025 in April and in July when Kenn and I visit San Diego Comic-Con 2025!
