Fringe Review: The Day We Died ~ Fringe Television - Fan Site for the FOX TV Series Fringe

Fringe Review: The Day We Died

      Email Post       5/07/2011 05:35:00 PM      


“I think this is the better way, so you can learn about loss.”

Alternative realities and what-if flash-forwards create a powerful, visceral reaction. We experience these unreal episodes as a sort of cathartic carnivalesque. Carnivalesque, because they are governed by the topsy-turvy misrule of could-be and might-have-been. Cathartic, because we experience the gleeful terror of watching favorite characters dispatched while knowing that their deaths aren’t happening now and might not ever happen.


The future of our universe is grim, bloody, depressing, and full of lovely moments of hope and faith. The marriage of Peter and Olivia is stable, although the lack of children seems to be something of a sticking point. The way they discussed their possible plans also told us how secure they are together: no shouting or blame. Just a reasonable discussion tinged with chagrin. That Olivia’s death should inspire Peter to re-write the past fifteen years speaks to the lengths his character has come since his early days as a grifting loner with a chip on his shoulder.

Walter’s future mirrors that of the world: trapped, sad, and yet still able to maintain a flicker of hope. He’s been fingered as public enemy number one, thanks to a past public disclosure by Walternate—and, it seems, thanks to Walter’s own willingness to throw himself on the proverbial sword. Prison has been hard on him (stroke), but he’s never lost his sense of the majesty of discovery, inquiry, invention—and love for family. Peter said, “No matter who’s at fault, you’re my dad.” The most reviled man in the universe has the one thing he’s wanted for so long: his son’s unconditional love.

The plot of the week, the End-of-Dayers’ attempt to hasten the apocalypse, turned out be a distraction orchestrated by Walternate to punish Peter’s betrayal by killing the one person he loves most. Whereas Walter’s character has continued to grow into a kind man in the unseen 15 years, Walternate has become even more bitter, vengeful, and vindictive: revenge at any cost is hard to sympathize with, especially when we see our heroes fighting so valiantly to save their world, and when we know that no one meant for this to happen.

All of that, of course, is just a possible future. Walter and Peter discovered a way to change the past unseen 15 years: create a paradox loop in which they send the First People stuff back to long-ago, and use a consciousness shift to help 2011-Peter understand what happens if he makes a choice for Olivia in the machine. I was over the moon when Walter and Peter were revealed to have created the First-People construct: I’ve always been uncomfortable with the idea of pre-dinosaur all-knowing beings. I really cannot imagine a “solution” to the question of the First People that would satisfy me more.

The consciousness shift is fascinating, although its ramifications are less satisfactory and more OMFG. 2011-Peter’s glimpse of the possible future negates the possible future, as it determines his choice: not in favor of here or Over There, but to create a bridge between worlds for trans-reality diplomatic relations to orchestrate what I assume will be a very uneasy peace.

That choice kept everyone in existence (as far as we can know)…except Peter himself. He blooped out of existence as soon as he had completed the task he didn’t know he was fated to complete. Obviously, this raises enormous questions: if Peter didn’t exist, why did Walter cross over in the first place? If Peter didn’t exist, how did the bridge between worlds get built? How did Olivia and Walter pair up? Was Walter crazy? Did Walternate orchestrate Peter’s grief in order to create a causality loop that would lead to the bridge between worlds? Those questions could go on and on, and we won’t know the answers until fall, at least.

The big, big question is: Is Joshua Jackson done with Fringe? We’ve all heard the casting news, and it seems unlikely that the writers would kill someone so integral to the show’s rhythms. On the other hand, I suspect the adorable Mr. Lincoln Lee might be a (temporary?) replacement in Olivia’s heart in this new Peterless world. That is the only guess I have for next season.

I Haven’t the Foggiest:

• Brad Dourif was in Lord of the Rings with John Noble. (Although I cannot recall if they had any scenes together; I don’t think so.)

• Broyles' false eye: between that and Olivia’s burial, is anyone thinking Ragnarok? Anyone besides me? Anyone…

• Olivia has learned to control her telekinesis. (Thanks to the reader who noticed my error.)

• Was Peter giving Walternate a choice between custody (handcuffs) and suicide (gun)?

• Walter: “Theropods!”

• Walter: “I didn’t realize how much I missed swivel chairs. I’ve also missed swiveling.”

• Walter: “I don’t mind saying, it’s something I would have liked to have invented. For peaceful purposes, of course. Mining, maybe.”

• Walter: “For all I know, it could be happening already.” I love time-travel dialogue.

• Peter: “Imagine the repercussions.”

• Walternate: “You shattered my universe. Have you any idea how many deaths you’ve caused?”
Walter: “That was an accident! What you’ve tried to do you’ve done on purpose.”

Fringe, like its characters, has come so very far in the past three years. It has moved from plots-of-the-week to a full-fledged mythology with fascinating characters who have both interesting mythological relevance and interesting interior lives. Above all, Fringe has proved to be a show that is willing to take risks, which makes the viewing experience one of thoughtful questioning interspersed with yelping, jumping up from the couch, and scaring the dickens out of the cats. This episode, because it is set in a future that was negated and provided the cathartic thrills of destruction, raised fascinating questions about what is coming next. Above all, it took our characters to an unknown place: Walter without Peter is inconceivable. Olivia without Peter is troubling. Fringe without Joshua Jackson is just weird. Thank the First People above that we got a fourth season.

Four out of four swiveling chairs.

(Got some spare time this summer? Check out the alternate reality of billiedoux.com and our reviews of Fringe, Vampire Diaries, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Supernatural, and more.

59 Comments:

Dany said...

"Above all, take our characters to a strange place: Peter Walter is not inconceivable. Olivia without Peter is worrying. Fringe Joshua Jackson is no stranger. Thanks to the people first above we have a fourth season."
I could not agree more with you, Fringe is essentially the interaction of its three main characters, besides that there are still many unknowns about the character of Peter and if the option is to resort to character Linconl, I do not agree, Peter is a character with many shades, more fun, more intelligent, more enriching.
How could explain output without Peter Walter of St Claire and recovery, remember that at first no one understood to Walter, only Peter, that regardless of who this character was essential to resolve several cases and in more than one occasion has saved the lives of other characters, sa Broyles when the boy was able to counteract the mind control and not shot in the head, Olivia when he killed the monster in the episode Night of Desirable Objects.
I think Fringe Fringe is not no Peter, and the series without Joshua Jackson lost 90% of its attractiveness and Seth Gabel is not as charismatic and handsome with Josh, and the character dee Lincoln is fine for a guest character, but no neither the strength nor the nuances to be a main character like Peter, and if the pair of Olivia and Peter can revive disappear sa John Scott, for the most interesting Linconl.
Therefore, hopes the fourth time we returned to Peter, because without it noes Fringe Fringe.

cortexifan said...

Peter will be back. Listen to John Noble interviews. He says the principle characters will be there. It was an awesome episode and can't wait for the fall. I know Wyman and Pinkner wouldn't leave the fans hanging like this and Peter is part of Fringe. Don't panic everyone, just trust them.

tvnut014 said...

Thank god Joshua Jackson is coming back. I was so worried that he wasn't. The fact that he WILL be coming back is reassuring and makes me look forward to the next season! Without that news I would have been EXTREMELY SAD! The Peter/Walter moments and the Peter/Olivia moments just MAKE thee show.
I know people say that they didn't develop Peter's character at all, but like the Observers said, Peter had a purpose. And if Peter wasn't such an integral part of the show, how come the show seems as though it wouldn't survive without him?

I bet Josh won't have to film as much next year. His girlfriend will be happy. The lucky____. I won't say what I was going to.

Sourabh said...

I still replay the "You destroyed my universe, son. Now I'm going to destroy yours" part from the episode. It was delivered perfectly. You can hear all of the hate put in the word 'son'.

Anonymous said...

Spoiler-During the live twitter with the produces confirmed that Joshua Jackson-He’s got a job. He’s still under contract,” Wyman confirms. “We can’t yet reveal what exactly we have in store for him, but he’s definitely not going out for other shows.”

Anonymous said...

maybe he's gonna play Projection Peter.... meh!
LINCOLEN Lee (no offence to the actor or to his fans) could never replace Peter, plus there is something off with the actor for me,I don't know what, but even Lee's character is poorly writen,and forced to the storyline somehow, I can't imagine him replacing a character such as peter, no actually if they go there, I don't think I'll keep watching!sorry, I watch it essentially for the dynamics, Father/Son, Peter/Olivia,...... the important element is Peter, he maybe having many haters after what happened earlier this season, but I find the character so strong and perfectly built, they can't just get rid of him like that!

Fringeee

Anonymous said...

" Above all, it took our characters to an unknown place: Walter without Peter is inconceivable. Olivia without Peter is troubling. Fringe without Joshua Jackson is just weird. Thank the First People above that we got a fourth season. "
I agree 100% ! and by the way I'm not a fan girl..lol!

Anonymous said...

I'm so confused and I've been reading reviews after reviews trying to see if anyone posts a theory that calms my headache!

So Walter figured out that he is The First People and he sent the machine 2 billion years back through the wormhole in Central Park, and he has to do it again except this time he is going to program it to make Peter's consciousness jump forward 15 years into the future in order to prevent total destruction. Okay. So when and why did Walter send the machine back the FIRST time? Was it always programmed for Peter or was it programmed for Peter in the timeline/universe we saw in The Day We Died, so that only HE could see the future? That would make sense cause then Walter would know about Olivia's fully developed telekinetic abilities so he would send the machine pieces back with the manuscript (which included a calendar) and drawing instructions for Peter and Olivia. Another thing: why, when and what did Walter build the machine for in the first place, before he ever sent it back in time?

I also think maybe there was a timeline without Peter before, in which Walter crossed over anyway, just out of curiosity, still causing the world to come apart. Then, the Observers told Walter to build the machine and program it for Peter, send it back through the wormhole and start all over again. Except that time around the Observers add Peter to the equation as a course correction variable, which would explain why they removed him in The Day We Died, once his purpose was fulfilled.

God; I sound crazy!

I really don't want Fringe to turn into a Lost-like mindf*ck fest. I hope we get some answers.

Anonymous said...

August once said that Peter from Over There was important and had to survive when September interrupted Walternate from saving Peter. The Observers never said that our own Peter was important, so that means only one Peter is necessary for whatever ends the Observers want. Now, if Peter's purpose was to save both universes, then September should not have rescued Peter from drowning in Reiden Lake as the story would end there. However, September did intervene, so that means part of Peter's purpose WAS to make Walter disrupt the balance between the two worlds (whether to cure Peter or simply because Walter could not let him go). September then warned Walter twice (most recently in "Over There Part 1") that Peter must not return to the other side to activate the machine, or else our side would be destroyed; but, Peter MUST activate the machine someday (on our side where Olivia can "support" him) and have his consciousness travel 15 years to a future that never happened yet did. I do not know if the Observers can travel to a future like that, but I presume they can. Therefore, the rest of Peter's purpose was to create that bridge between worlds and that is also what the Observers wanted to happen. Once Peter fulfilled his purpose, he vanished and all memory of him did as well, for September is trying to cover his own tracks (saving Peter). However, Peter cannot be written out of the timeline because the fact that both Walters and Olivias in the same room cannot happen unless Peter is in existence. So the question is not whether Peter exists, because he definitely does exist, but how he or anyone else can prove it definitively when no one has any memory of him.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one upset about the idea that Peter never existed and/or may not be there next season. I have to believe Noble and Wyman that Josh is returning. Knowing these writers, next time we see Peter, we probably won't know if he's real or some sort of illusion created by the Observers. Maybe Peter will have changed somehow, such as having come from either our universe (wasn't the one that died) or a third universe. Who knows?

Anonymous said...

I was right about the First People part of it, but Peter never existing threw me. Cool!

Anonymous said...

Fringeviewer here: As long as Josh returns as Peter Bishop, not as a vision or a mysterious, new character, this universe will make sense to me (and I wasn't a real 'shipper 'til the end of season 2). Otherwise, I'll return to the other things I was doing before falling under the spell of "Fringe." Did you read this, dear Producers and Show runners?

jb said...

Regarding the machine: for me it's a time old question of "What came first? The chicken of the egg?"

If, in 2026 Walter and Co are the First People who use the wormhole to send the machine parts back in time, so that they would be discovered then used by Peter, in order to link his consciousness of 2011 with 2026, to inspire him to make a different choice when he enters the machine in 2011....

Then, in my mind, Walter and Co must have written and designed the all manuscripts and related items too. They would have given responsibility of everything to the Sam Wiess generations.

BUT, in 2026 they have memories (and obviously must have the actual parts somewhere in 'evidence') of the machine and memories of everything relating to the events we know as Seasons 1 -3 of Fringe. Therefore the machine parts already exist having been 'found' all those years before in 2011. Walter hasn't created them in the time loop we saw in 3x22.

So what came first? The Future of 2026 (AKA the chicken)? Or the machine / machine parts (AKA as the egg)? When did Walter first create the machine, the manuscripts?

In other things - memory, and lack there of, has been a repeated theme, along with a few others througout the Fringe history as we know it.

Olivia, who has a freakishly good memory for EVERYTHING, has no (or little) memory of her time with Walter and William in Jacksonville. Olivia 'forgot' who she was when Over There - facilitated by the memory implanation of Fauxlivia.

Peter has never remembered being ill as a child, even though both Peters experienced illness. He didn't remember his life Over There after some time had passed. Peter interacted with the machine in 3x20 and forgot which Peter he was. Seeing Walter and Olivia drew the memory out.

Walter, due to either his drug use, trumatic lab accident, brain removal and or his breakdown and extended life in an institution resulted in his 'patchy' memory.

Because someone doesn't remember that it happened, doesn't mean it didn't happen. There is evidence of this throughout the series.

If it was Peter's choices, not Walter's or Olivia's or their other alternate selves that could change the future, then Peter must have existed in some context. At some point. And, in my hopefull mind, will again.

Pamala Phillips said...

FRINGE had me hooked since the first episode & Season 3 was simply MIND-BLOWING! I LOVE the creative art the writers display...but most of all I LOVE the Father / Son story-line between Peter & Walter, as much as I LOVE Peter & Olivia's Love Story...it is timeless and fills that gap in my heart we ALL seek to be filled! No doubt, FRINGE will live beyond the 4th Season, well into Syndication so it pays off in spades for everyone concerned:):)

geoffrobinson said...

Since producers have said the Altlivia/Peter storyline isn't done yet, I assume Peter will be back. He needs to be. He grounds the show in some sort of realistic point of view.

I find Olivia, Walter, and Altlivia (with a kid) forgetting all about him to be disturbing. The sooner they bring Peter back the better. I like closed time travel loops. However, without Peter (in any timeline) there wouldn't have been any issues. No breech in any universe would have occurred. So that would make no sense for him to poof out of existence, although I'm willing to suspend disbelief. Why not? We're already dealing with multiple universe.

My big wish for the new season (besides bringing Peter back quickly with people's restored memories of him): bring back the dude from the Plateau.

Anonymous said...

You people make me laugh. You can't really believe your ignorant comments about where the next season will go, can you? You all need to take a 3 month break and be prepared for season 4. Otherwise you are all going to have brain hemorrhages!
They have it all planned out and know where it's going. If you knew, there wouldn't be a reason to even bother watching.
Still laughing at all of you.

Anonymous said...

When is Season 4 starting? I cannot wait... And I hope there will be Season 5, 6 ....

Anonymous said...

This is Fringeviewer writing:

@Anonymous, 5/7/11, however hard I find that I agree with you, I also find that your manners are very poor. Now that you've chosen to display them with pride, it's time for you to go.

I wonder whether Olivia will finally wear her hair down again...

Anonymous said...

This is Fringeviewer again:

I'd like to theorize about Peter (and I like how some people can be fairly good at it), but the truth is that he's still under contract, the producers said that the relationship b/w Peter and Olivia would get deeper, and that he'd learn about his son in the 4th season... so we should get ready for another mind blowing episode in the season premiere.

In the meanwhile, I think I'll go back and rewatch my DVDs... again! In fact, I started last night, picking random episodes just for the heck of it, and looking at details I missed before (like the many times Olivia looks at Peter while Walter talks, or the many faces Astrid makes when speaking to Walter).

BTW, thanks for the very interesting comments already posted above to geoffrobinson, pamela and jb.

Jennifer said...

Please, please, please don't let this go the way of LOST, which got so crazy it couldn't support itself and was completely unsatisfactory at the end. I LOVE Fringe so far and this twist is awesome and I can't wait for Season 4, but producers: please don't let Fringe collapse under its own weight. It's perfect so far: the perfect balance of the bizarre and macabre, the internal relationships that continue to grow, the alternate universe and time travel, the suspense, the mystery: it's incredibly complex and compelling and does not fall into the realm of the ridiculous. I know this must be a hard balance to maintain without going too far...

Thanks, Fringeviewer, for your thoughts and information--very informative and comforting, as well as for your remonstration of a prior poster--I completely agree.

Jennifer said...

Who is Josie Kafka, who wrote the review of this episode? I think it is excellent, and just wondered who she's affiliated with?

Anonymous said...

This final twist doesn't make sense at all. How would all the characters simply forget that Peter existed at that moment? I like Sci-Fi and I love Fringe, but this is a little too off the wall for me. I hope there is a good story come next season that doesn't erase everything that has already been built. Really hoping they are just messing with us again and things are not as they appear to be.

Unknown said...

It seems to me that Walter would have gone through the original timeline and built the machine to correct this, but sent it back in time to before any actual destruction or loss of life occurred. Then it would be activated and used to correct the breakdown of the separate universes, probably not meant to bridge them, but that works too, at least for now until a more permanent solution can be found. If they fail, like they did in 2026, its apparently possible to go back again and get a do-over, since Walter had already sent it back at some future moment. Because he sent it back in a future we haven't seen, and it arrives millions of years ago, they cannot prevent it from occurring, since the machines arrival is way before human existence. Its already happened. Its a paradox, like Walter said, so you could keep looping around like this all you want. If the future didn't occur, then how could he have sent it back? Well, it doesn't matter, because it already had been sent back by the point of humans. That's they key :)

As for Peter poofing, it could have something to do with what the observer said, "you're right, they don't remember him." It has been said in "fringe" (haha) pseudoscience cirlces that existence may be a function of perception. Light and electrons behave differently when they are being observed than when they are not. Therefore, if no one has any memory anywhere of Peter, and there is no evidence of his existence, no perception, then he would not exist.

Its a tough thing to think about, but if matter and reality exists only because we perceive it to be thus, then our perception is able to change it. That's the general idea anyhow.

Which leaves me thinking about this:

If that's true, then if no one is anywhere near a certain space, such as a bedroom, and nothing is observing it in any way, does it still exist? Or is it like a video game where the molecules just kind of 'pop' out of existence (they've done stranger things), only to 'pop' back in as soon as someone (i.e. the 'player') is observing the existence of the things they know exist? (brain chunks into space pakkewwwwww!!!)

Really though, it could be anything. I really hope we get answers to these questions, this last episode was just EPIC on EPIC scales!!!!

Amy said...

Though my brain is still reeling, I just had this crazy thought that the fall episodes are going to play out like "It's a Wonderful Life" with Peter watching what life would be without him and September the observer as his "angel"-guide. Of course, the writers could make that very cool by having the viewers learn all kinds of things about the observers and how they intervene, play by play changing things to their advantage. And imagine the possibilities for a Christmas special! Another musical! Where Peter and Olivia and Walter all come together under the Christmas tree and Ella rings the bell-a and September gets his wings! No, I'm not high, I just think this could be hysterical. :P Peter taking an active role in his return would be preferred over this, but a one episode spoof of IaWL would be funny and warranted.

Briar said...

They have used this idea - of Walter building amachine and distributing its parts all around the place to hide it - before. Introducing Mr Jones - which then introduced the alternative universe plot line which has since dominated. Since this re-uses the notion, perhaps there are clues to how it might be resolved back in the earlier episodes.

E said...

This episode had me going from: wow , omg, no way to WTF. It was one of the most amazing episodes ever,blown my mind completely,Fringe has grown so much in 3 seasons.
"Walter without Peter is inconceivable. Olivia without Peter is troubling. Fringe without Joshua Jackson is just weird." Couldn't agree more.The thought that Peter never existed is depressing i think. I like all the theories above ^. My guess is they forgot about Peter that's why he ceased to exist (now it makes sense why they said a charachter will cease to exist in the finale) so we might be seeing prjection-Peter in next season. But who knows,after this finale,I sort of gave up on trying to guess what will happen,the writers are just too good :).

Anonymous said...

why is the sheet of paper from the machine written in an strange language why its not written in english or something else its written in an uknown language why pls answere

Anonymous said...

"The most reviled man in the universe has the one thing he’s wanted for so long: his son’s unconditional love."

---

It was the fantastic moment in this episode. Very touching!! I wished Peter would have turned around to see the emotion on his dad's face.

John Noble is truly a great actor!

Anonymous said...

Maybe Olivia's partner will be the old one because maybe he didn't die, of course I'm thinking about Charlie.

Anonymous said...

If Peter didn't exist, both Olivias will have a different life, I mean maybe Faux would be married with Franck, and Olivia has a nice guy in her life (because the Olivias nevers swaped lifes). Walter never stayed in St-Claire. Just after episode 312 the producers said, that Olivia will soon learn about Fauxlivia's pregnancy, and then Faux delivered the baby, still nothing. Maybe it means that Fauxlivia will be pregnant in season 4 with Franck's baby. In fact the temporary erasing of Peter, allows Faux to come back to her life, but we can't say the same for Olivia. Olivia without Peter, OMG, it's gonna be strange. I hope this situation allows the writers to maybe restore season 1 and 2 (with Peter) and wipe away the chaos all along seaon 3, it could restore the characters, and put them in the right place. And the fact that all the characters from over there and over here can get to know and respect is a gold pit to build great stories.

Anonymous said...

Fringeviewer again:

As long as the writers don't grab the ultimate loser's trick and present the entire season 3 as a collective dream, I'm willing to give this show another shot. I too find the loss of Peter crippling for the show; what's the point of watching it if it's going to be Olivia feeding information to Walter, who, assisted by Astrid, will deliver crackpot theories that may be correct after all? Without Peter offering a grounding influence and working as counterbalance for Olivia's intensity, "Fringe" would become a caricature of itself.

But then, the producers have said already that the PO relationship was going to continue, and that Peter (who evidently wants children) will learn about Henry. Seems to me that at some point the change that wrote him out will be undone, and Peter Bishop will return to existence and perception and into our lives.

In the meanwhile, let's let the writers earn their keep and not burn our real brains trying to solve fictional problems. I came to terms with this episode (after rewatching the previous two and then some other scenes I like), and now I'm ready to wait until September, when the writers and producers will have to come up with a solution for this quandary. Take care!

Anonymous said...

Now the cool Walter will have a grandson too. Still I feel like all the tension has left the show, a giant sucking sound right into the machine.

Anonymous said...

But if Peter never existed how can Henry exists, it's impossible ! Do you realize that ?

Anonymous said...

for me many slopy moments, but that is mabe because you have to put it al in short time,
example: we saw olivia's fast reaction when box started falling, wh didn't she put gun out of Walternate hand?

Anonymous said...

Both Peters died young, but Observers excange Peter with their creation after he died

Anonymous said...

example: we saw olivia's fast reaction when box started falling, wh didn't she put gun out of Walternate hand?

Because Peter wasn't with her. He was in the lab, when Olivia did that thing with the box. Why do you think Walternate pulled that trick with Peter? If Peter had been there, Walternate would have failed.

Anonymous said...

the writers already said henry doesn't exist cuz peter doesn't exist. so fauxliv is babyless for the moment. her personality is probably back to how it was in the beginning of season 3. since none of her life altering events occurred.

Anonymous said...

so so great final

Anonymous said...

So after pissing off the peter fans with writing him off like he never existed, are you saying that people should be HAPPY that overrated lincoln will take over peter's role? oh who cares about Peter, he can be replaced easily. whatever.

Drew said...

It could be that they are only referring to that specific version of Peter. As an inhabitant of an averted timeline, he can no longer exist. A different version of Peter existing should not be a problem.

Anonymous said...

I think that both Olivias will start remembering Peter gradually over time because there is a place for him in both of their hearts (but of course, more in our olivia). I think Olivia will realize quicker and maybe might see him like she did when she was on the other side when she thought she was Fauxlivia, and Fauxlivia will sort of remember but vaguely but something Olivia could say will trigger a memory.

I also think that the fringe ratings are gonna go down while peter isnt on the show and I doubt the season 4 premiere episode will have many viewers...like me I bet people are still gonna be upset and full of grief because of the fact that just as Peter and olivia were starting to grow as a couple and that they eventually get married, peter had to disappear. crap.

Anonymous said...

The paper associated with the machine is written in the language of genetics: AT-CG — adenosine, thymine, cytosine, guanine — the building blocks of life.

g33k said...

Hm, I wonder if they'll bring two Peter's back? One for each universe. These writers! Anything could happen!

Anonymous said...

Yes two Peters the beloved Peter for Olivia, the copy for Bolivia. I think that only our Olivia can remember Peter as she is linked to him, and she has a few special skills that might help, all these things wigivia doesn't have !

Anonymous said...

You mean telekinesis... There is no sign that 'livia has telepathy.

Anonymous said...

@ANON 7:03 "Yes two Peters the beloved Peter for Olivia, the copy for Bolivia."
loool! I like your thinking!haha!

Fringeee

Anonymous said...

WAITWAITWAITWAIT! Awesome theory incoming.
Okay, Peter's mom killed herself because she couldn't deal with her "son". Since he never existed now, she MIGHT be still alive! And because Walter probably still tested on children (no Peter wouldn't really make a difference) he was still put in St. Clairs', but Olivia could bring him out(pilot) with Elizabeth, Walter's wife, not son. And maybe she could replace Peter temporarily. And Peter will come back somehow, he's listed as a main character still, and is under contract.
~Fringified

playyourpart said...

okay, so my latest theory is that the observers are agents of future walter and peter. they are designed to maintain the timeline between the two universes. I suspect they are engineered somehow to withstand walter's teleporter, which explains their odd physiology. you might think of them as more perfect versions of the shapeshifters. It also explains why they make mistakes. they are not infallible, they are just programmed to maintain a timeline as close to a desired result among the many possible futures. They can also be raised at any given time because being time travelers, they can literally raise themselves (future self comes back to raise present self!) but in reality its probably easier to send the infants to child services until they reach maturity.

the beacons are part of the program to send the machine back from the future, and their appearances on the show so far are meant to alert the present Fringe team of the machine's presence.

In fact, a great deal of the phenomena on Fringe will be explained as the work of the future fringe team trying to ensure a timeline that saves both universes.

I think peter's return will have to do with the fact that even though he never existed, they had to at least reverse engineer his DNA to activate the machine (in attempting to activate the machine on each side, they discover it will only react to a certain set of genes, so they build that genome). At some point, they engineer the entire body and put it in the machine, in which case peter's consciousness will return with some much needed answers for everyone.

The other possibility is that the producers haven't worked it all out yet, and are looking through these forums for a plausible theory to go with, in which case Fringe producers I want a creative credit and 3% off the back end. ;)

Amy said...

as long as Peter's disappearance isn't a ploy to start the whole story over again, as if nothing up to this point matters. (ooh! we can bring in new viewers if we start over! no, you won't and you'll piss off the old fans.) history matters and I want to see memories restored. what good are memories if no one shares them with you? and... can Peter die in the past so that his body can be cloned in the future? think of finding his body, not unlike Lost's Adam & Eve cave, in a "First People" crypt and, voila, Peter is resurrected. thus killing at least two more Biblical metaphors with one stone. bonus points if a younger Walter ends up marrying the lady he recruits to be the birth mother (Elizabeth) and conviction to a Freudian psychiatric ward if Olivia is the birth mother!

Anonymous said...

You mean telekinesis... There is no sign that 'livia has telepathy.

We don't know what Olivia is capable of, and we could be surprised !

Michelle ~ aka Molina le Fey said...

I was stunned to total silence with this fabulous finale ending. Fringe without Peter simply doesn't exist. POOF, just like Peter went. And of course, just as he has his amazing realization, he poofs! Alright, Fringe is beyond amazing, so much fun. The other thing I love is how well this tremendous show gets peoples minds and imaginations just humming. It is so delightful to behold!!! Yay Fringe, yay to everyone who lets those theories rip! Stay juicy til September ; )

Old Darth said...

I think Peter will be hanging out with the Observers a lot in the early going next season.

Food for thought - at the end there were 10 Observers outside the Statue of Liberty. We know August was killed. That leaves 1 unexplained Observer. Could that be Peter?

Could Peter be a Misfit Observer just like his character was in the BlueVerse?

1 more Food For Thought item - if anyone here has read The Dark Tower it sure feels like Fringe is setting the stage for circular story telling where characters repeat events until things are put right.

Anonymous said...

Time travel and time travel paradoxes are absurd, so trying to apply logic to an explanation is pointless. Just enjoy it as entertainment and let's wait until next season to see how the writers get the charcters out of this most recent mess.

BTW, I counted 12 observers on Liberty Island not 10 - 8 in front and 4 behind.

Dennis said...

From all available shots, there appear to be only two behind, and eight up front. When you see September talking, note that he is in the up front group.

Anonymous said...

Dennis - ah, yes, quite right you are. I suppose it makes sense - one died and one is a kid!

Old Darth said...

....or Peter. :D

Old Darth said...

Forgive my bad manners Josie - great review!

Anonymous said...

The observers said that Peter never existed, maybe they forgot to say, that AltPeter never existed in the blue universe, because Walter never crossed over to bring him back, and for example could have cross to give Walternate the necessary informations about the cure. So I think Peter lives in the red verse, and has his life there, and he does'nt know his alt father our beloved Walter, and of course doesn't know our Olivia. Maybe he lives with Fauxlivia, who is pregnant with his baby, but maybe this storyline is too easy to predict, and they created something I can't and nobody can ever imagine. I hope so

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Peter vanishing from existence makes no sense whatsoever. I mean the primary reason behind Walternate's bitter hatred if because of his son that was stolen from him, and a lesser part of it has to do with Walter causing it by stealing his son. So, in the end, Walternate's hatred, and the danger the two worlds face all rest entirely upon events that never took place. It's like building a fire, and then taking away the fuel and expecting the fire to continue. Well, it's more like building a fire with fuel that never existed.

It does sort of make one laugh, and it severely harms my ability to take this show seriously. I certainly hope they come up with something to demonstrate how this scenario was impossible or at least something that will allow me to forget this blatant impossibility was actually passed off as possible. I guess JJ Abrams is relying on the viewer's gullibility that the science of such a thing is so way beyond them that despite it's being impossible, they'll believe that somehow it's actually possible.

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