Fringe Observiews 5.12 Liberty ~ Fringe Television - Fan Site for the FOX TV Series Fringe

Fringe Observiews 5.12 Liberty

      Email Post       2/04/2013 11:56:00 PM      

Welcome to the Observiews for Season 5 of Fringe. I call them Observiews because they are more visual observations than deep thinking reviews, if that makes sense.
Screen caps from this episode are taken from fringefiles.com. Dialog is from fringepedia.net.

All observations are mine and therefore could be totally off the wall and/or wrong. I have not read or looked at any recaps or reviews. I could also have missed a few things, oh well…

4.22 Brave New World Part 2
WALTER: "Due to the intense energy utilization, Cortexiphan levels in the body should be almost negligible. Meaning that she won't be able to run around setting things on fire or doing superhuman things. The treatments did leave a biological signature, so I suppose some abilities could one day emerge."
Oh yeah!
Glyphs spelled: LOVED
As I said last time Fringe is science fiction but it is all about love. Walter loving Peter. The love between Olivia and Peter, Lincoln and Fauxlivia. The love that Lincoln had for our Olivia and it seemed it was the other way around as well. But I'll get back to that. 
It's chaos in the lab, trying to find Michael, locating September and getting a hold of Broyles.
Broyles can't answer his phone because he's afraid he could give the team away. The protocols have been changed because of recent security breaches from within.
BROYLES: "Lieutenant... are you suggesting that I might be The Dove? I'm more of a raven, don't you think?"
The first time we heard of "The Dove" was in 5.04 The Bullet That Saved The World. An Observer came across this name as he was questioning a Loyalist. And although it was never revealed who The Dove is I think we pretty much all can assume that it is Broyles. 
I'm sure it's got nothing to do with it but I came across this as I was re-watching 3.01 Olivia on the Science Channel
Broyles was able to get information on where Michael has been taken to. Detention Camp 17, East Wing, Liberty Island. What have they done? That is just wrong and sad. 
Windmark is trying to communicate with Michael or rather he is trying to get Michael to communicate with him. Windmark wants to know what Michael's purpose is, why September hid him, how he is involved with the plan but Michael just stares at him.
And then Windmark's nose is starting to bleed.
Plus he burst a vessel in his eye.
Bitter, tasting some of your own medicine, is it? This is just payback for what you did to Walter in 5.01 Transcilience Thought Unifier Model-11
Broyles is able to get in touch with the team.
But where Michael is being held is like a fortress with towers manned around the clock, five layers of security and Broyles does not have clearance.
The exact location is the East Wing which is the Neurological Research Unit. As Walter deduces they most likely will experiment on Michael. So what is a way in?
BROYLES: "I could get you a boat."
All I could think of when he said that was 3.07 The Abducted
HENRY HIGGINS: "So if all you're asking for is a ride... you ain't got to steal a boat. My cousin has one."
But a boat won't do. There are sensors located around the perimeter monitoring all movement, multiple redundant alarm systems and if one is tempered with the others automatically lock the place down.
Not even Astrid with her computer hacking skills is going to get in.
The wheels in her brain go round and round, lol.
OLIVIA: "We need an end run. We need to bypass security altogether."
PETER: "How?"
OLIVIA: "The other side?"
PETER: "You mean the alternate universe?"
OLIVIA: "What if the island is accessible from over there? If I can find the right location, then I can cross over, grab Michael from underneath them, and then bring him back with me."
Astrid states that the Cortexiphan burned out of Olivia's system. See the opening dialog from 4.22 Brave New World Part 2

Olivia suggests that maybe there is a way she can get it back. 
WALTER: "Perhaps she can."
I'm surprised Walter didn't say this from 1.13 The Transformation
WALTER: "An experiment... how exhilarating."
Okay lets go to the cold storage and spend some time down there. 
Besides Officer Gillespie from 2.03 Fracture we have Peter's hat.
2.15 Peter
Walter has a stash of Cortexiphan in the fridge. According to Bell it has a shelf life of 127 years.
If Walter would give Olivia a sudden jolt of Cortexiphan the unique network of neural pathways in her brain could be re-activated and it would give her the ability to cross over again, at least temporarily. Walter won't know how long she has until he can determine how massive a dose he can give her safely. 

PETER: "How can a massive dose possibly be safe, Walter? The side effects of Cortexiphan have always been unpredictable. Can you honestly tell me that you know exactly how she'd react?"
PETER: "Could it give her seizures? Could it stop her heart?"
3.08 Entrada
BROYLES: "Apparently she crossed over into your father's lab. Astrid's with her. They're in an ambulance on their way to Boston general. They think she had some kind of seizure."
PETER: "Could it cause her to phase in and out, disappear entirely, burst into flames?"
1.19 The Road Not Taken
BUSY AGENT: "Sorry. Didn't see you."
And luckily this never happened to her. 
It's not just Peter who is worried. Astrid looks kind of scared.
And although this seems to be the only way and Olivia's suggestion, she doesn't look that thrilled either.
WALTER: "Those are the risks, yes. I'll do all I can to mitigate it, but I cannot eliminate them altogether."
PETER: "No, it's too dangerous."
OLIVIA: "Peter. What other choice do we have?"
This is one thing I always admired Olivia for: trusting Walter. From the beginning and no matter how crazy it sounded, Olivia would subject herself to Walter's experiments. 
4.21 Brave New World Part 1
OLIVIA: "You know, not everybody would volunteer to be Walter's guinea pig."
OLIVIA: "We can't let anything happen to him. ‘Etta died so that we could finish the plan. Both feet in. That's what we said."
PETER: And what if I lose you too? What then?
OLIVIA: "I can do this... and without him... we lose everything."
This dialog between Olivia and Peter is almost reverse to the one from 5.05 An Origin Story
PETER: "So then what is it? What, Olivia? Are you worried about me?"
OLIVIA: "Yes. Yes, I am. I'm afraid."
PETER: "Nothing's gonna happen to me. I can do this. We can do this. Our daughter dedicated her life to freeing us. And now, we're gonna dedicate ours to making sure that that means something. When we win, when we beat them, I want everyone to know that 'Etta is responsible for the world being saved."
OLIVIA: "I want that too."
PETER: "Then we have to do this. And we can, Olivia. Together."
So then we have a few more callbacks. 
Top right corner is the pinwheel from 4.08 Back To Where You've Never Been
The picture board by Astrid's head has a shapeshifter from 2.18 The Man From The Other Side 
It has the parasite from 1.07 In Which We Meet Mr. Jones
And the slug from 1.11 Bound
Susan Pratt from 1.19 The Road Not Taken is on there as well. Unfortunately a bit crisp.
And to the left of Peter we have the device again that Walter used to cross over in 2.15 Peter
So now that we have settled that Olivia can cross over Peter is still not sure about this. They have no idea what has happened on the other side. For all they know, the Observers could have invaded there as well.
ASTRID: "The Universe Window. Why don't we just have a look?"
Which of course goes back to 2.15 Peter as well. 
WALTER: "Of course. That's brilliant, Asgard."
I will miss Walter coming up with all these names for Astrid. Some of them that come to mind are (and no, not going to reference the episodes, that would take even longer): Astro, Asprin, Asterix, Astrif, Ashram, "starts with A", Alex, Claire, Afro, Esther, Aspen, Ostrich and a few more.
Back on Liberty Island, Michael is being prepared for diagnostics.
SCIENTIST #1: "The paralytic will render him motionless from the neck down."
Fauxlivia used some of it, to stop Peter from following her. 
FAUXLIVIA DUNHAM: "The effects of the paralysis will wear off in a few hours."
Michael is giving Windmark a nose bleed again. Muahaha!
The Bishops and Astrid drove to Battery Park, NY to check on Liberty Island in the alternate universe. As Olivia and Peter stand watch, Walter and Astrid set up the window.
Astrid is trying warn Walter to plug in the correct cord first but she was too late. He gets zapped.
WALTER: "...Aaah! Fudge sticks." My favorite new expression, lol. 
Anyway, the set up is complete. Time to take a look.
So much has happened on the alternate's Liberty Island that it deserves a look back. 
I wonder if some of this is going through Olivia's mind as she looks on. 
September arrives at the deserted lab.
September has been in the lab before. Shall we call those "important moments" (2.08 August)
1.19 The Road Not Taken
2.15 Peter
3.10 The Firefly
4.14 The End Of All Things
September brought all the items needed to set up the device from the hologram.
Now this was great. Lol. Fringe Science at work. Let's break it down. 
September crushes the red rock from the mine in the woods (5.03 The Recordist)
He then uses the burner to make the red rock even smaller.
Then he pours the red rock in a container and fills it with water.
He then pours the red water through the funnel and out comes yellow?
Only on Fringe! Love it. 
The team arrives at a safe house. Tobin the field surgeon is going to assist with dosing Olivia. WALTER: "I asked for a defibrillator."
TOBIN: "I wasn't able to secure one in time. In case of cardiac arrest, I do have this - Adrenaline."
I'm sure Olivia is thrilled to hear that, lol.
That hurts just thinking about it.
Walter is not too happy about that but it will have to do. Okay no time to lose. The Cortexiphan has to go directly into her brain stem in the back of her neck.
Kudos Anna. How do you prepare for something like this? My neck still hurts. 
Let's see how I can put this up. 
Peter is helping to prep Olivia with concern.
 I love the looks between them. 
Not sure how to do this but some of them reminded me of 1.01 Pilot
Like this one.  PETER: "I hope your guy is worth it."
Here comes the first dose. 
1.01 Pilot
The Cortexiphan is entering her system. The right picture here reminds me of one of the glyphs
OLIVIA: "I'm okay. Let's keep going."
No, she's not okay. Her heart rate is elevated. All our favorite colors at once: blue, green, red and amber/yellow. 
Second dose, ugh. 
Peter is starting to disappear. 
Tobin is interjecting, encouraging or almost begging Walter to stop for fear of Olivia's life.
PETER: "I've got you."
1.01 Pilot
WALTER: "I created Cortexiphan. There is no better authority."
I was thinking back to 2.15 Peter WALTER: "My son is dying, Doctor Warren. I will not allow that to happen again. There's only room for one God in this lab, and it's not yours."
Olivia is starting to struggle more.
Third dose. That's even too much for Peter.Trust me Peter, I feel your pain. 
PETER: "Okay, that's enough. Enough!"
Even Astrid had enough, it seems.
WALTER: "She has to cross over four times. Do you want to leave her stranded on the other side? Trust me."
Earlier I said that Olivia always trusted Walter with his experiments. When Walter asked Peter to trust him I again thought back to 1.01 Pilot when Olivia was in the tank. 
WALTER: "Listen, in case you don't come back, I just wanted to say before we do this...how much I appreciate what you've done. There are so many things you lose in a place like that. You lose being trusted. Strange how important that is when it's gone."
Dose number 4. Although Olivia's always been the strong one, man, that hurt. 
Back on Liberty Island scientists are studying Michael.
They discovered that there is an uncharacteristic development in the emotional center of Michael's brain. Of course to them this is not normal. The limbic system is vestigial and yet this is substantially enlarged. This is integrating emotional and intellectual activity to an extent they previously deemed impossible.
SCIENTIST #1: "I will make the report."
Was this a report for the good? Like convincing the others that there is a different way or for the worst. Kinda still thinking on that one. 
Back at the safe house Olivia is resting with Astrid keeping an eye on her. Walter and Peter are about to have a father-son talk.
WALTER: "Sacrifice is hard, son, but you're no stranger to it."
2.15 Peter - Walter kidnapped Peter from the other side and then they drowned. 
2.18 The Man From The Other Side - Peter found out. 2.21 Over There Part 1 - Walternate came to get him back. 
2.21 Over There Part 1 - meeting his mom and sharing about the suicide of his mother from over here. 
3.15 Subject 13 - being stuck over here 
3.22 The Day We Died being erased from time and by that never meeting his son because he also was erased (4.14 The End Of All Things). 
3.22 The Day We Died and 4.22 Brave New World Part 2 losing Olivia twice - well sort of. 
5.01 Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11 and 5.04 The Bullet That Saved The World - lost his daughter twice. 
PETER: "Neither are you, Dad. You've sacrificed a lot."
2.15 Peter - Walter lost Peter over here. 2.22 Over There Part 2 - seeing the ramification in 2010 after crossing over to get the other Peter in 1985. And in the current timeline Peter over there still died because the Observer wasn't there to save him.
2.15 Peterlab assistant died (probably in 1991) and 1.01 Pilot - Walter was put away for it. We later find out she set the fire herself
2.10 Grey Matters - Walter had his brain removed at some point. 
3.15 Subject 13wife became unstable and 2.18 The Man From The Other Side - committed suicide.
2.17 White Tulip and 3.20 6:02 AM ESTguilt of his actions lay heavy on him.
4.19 Letters Of Transit - had his brain put back in. 5.06 Through The Looking Glass And What Walter Found There - afraid of who he might become.
WALTER: "Peter..."
Walter reminded me of when he was trying to tell Peter that he's from the other side. He just couldn't say it. 
PETER: "What is it?"
WALTER: "You're very strong, Son."

Time to wake up Olivia. As she does she sees flashbacks of Etta. The picnic scene as she remembers it  with Peter wearing a brown shirt.
from 5.02 In Absentia
This is the order in which Olivia sees Etta. 
[OLIVIA: "Peter, I think we're gonna get our daughter back. The plan is gonna reset time."]
Walter determined Olivia has about three hours left before the Cortexiphan wears off. He's given her watch set accordingly.
WALTER: "With every jump, a significant amount of the drug will be burned up in your system. If it burns up too fast, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal - - disorientation, hallucinations, lapses in time. If this occurs, you must cross back immediately. It is of paramount importance that you do this."
OLIVIA: "I understand."
Ha, Walter. You could have saved yourself the time explaining what will happen because we know Olivia too well. She'll probably ignore this and she'll do whatever it takes to get Michael back. The risks taken won't matter much because if the plan works, time will be reset and everything should be good. 
Time to cross over. A location close to Fringe Headquarters on the other side. On the trash container is a heart and the letters 'O" and "P". Oh my P/O shippers heart is reading way too much into this, lol. 
Walter is checking Olivia.
WALTER: "Are you experiencing any dizziness, headache?"
OLIVIA: "From the Cortexiphan, or from the light that you keep shining in my eyes?"
I was thinking back to 1.19 The Road Not Taken. Olivia had visions and Walter is checking her out.
WALTER: "Be careful, Dear."
OLIVIA: "I will, Walter."
Even before seeing the finale I was wondering if this is Walter saying good-bye to Olivia. 

Time for Peter and Olivia. They picked this location because that's where Fringe HQ was on the other side.
Olivia is sure that Fauxlivia will find her. Olivia is trying to...
But Peter is right there helping.
PETER: "You're coming back. You're coming back with the boy... for ‘Etta. I love you."
OLIVIA: "I love you too."
Awww, sniff.
Time to go!
When I saw the poster of the planet I thought of these again.
One final look.
Olivia is crossing over.
 Some of Olivia's earlier experiences from 1.01 Pilot and 1.09 The Dreamscape
As she arrives we see a familiar sight.
2.21 Over There Part 1
3.01 Olivia
Activity is registered at Fringe Division.
Someone is on lunch break at a diner. And just like over here a TV is streaming news. News for that day:
-Chelsea Clinton leads polls in Presidential race
As Fauxlivia is walking by more news scroll:
- American currency reached record high
- Detroit safest city in America
-Warner Brothers announced a remake on Harry Potter
Best way for Olivia to be found is just letting herself be captured.
The building that is being used to represent Fringe Division HQ over there is actually a public library
I bring this up because Fringe Division HQ over here is at a public library as well - my workplace, lol. There are at least 11 of us Fringies. 
Lincoln is ordering lunch.
And Fauxlivia is being informed.
FAUXLIVIA: "Dunham." Or Mrs. Lee
Olivia is waiting in the office, looking at family pictures. 
I for sure thought their son's name would have been Henry or Tyrone (Lincoln's middle name) but it's actually Trevor.
As Olivia looks at them her heart must be aching and longing for her family to be reunited.
 Fauxlivia and Lincoln look surprised. Actually Fauxlivia looks a bit jealously at Lincoln. 
Olivia explains that she was stuck in amber for 21 years and that in fact it is her.
Fauxlivia makes the first move.
I loved their embrace. I was thinking back to the first time they hugged each other - well sort of (2.22 Over There Part 2).
And then finally Lincoln acknowledged her as well. Although he looks kinda scared, lol.
Olivia is filling them in. A few things here. There are two apples on the desk. The pictures reflect on the surface of the desk representing the duality of things again, like the two Olivias' sitting across from each other. 
FAUXLIVIA DUNHAM: "So, once you were Ambered, how did you get out?"
OLIVIA: "Our daughter freed us."
And as soon as she says that Etta appears.
And it seems she's experiencing time slips. Hallucinations, time slips... hello! Remember what Walter said? When those occur you need to get back. 
Kind of like she did in 2.04 Momentum Deferred.
Of course Olivia doesn't listen. She hasn't got much time left.
Fauxlivia informs Olivia that lot's of things have changed.
Back at the lab September is putting the pieces together.
In order for it to work September needs to insert the power source.
The center of this piece, could it be similar to this? 4.01 Neither Here Nor There
The device powers up but doesn't stay on. It's been too long. Some nice green-red action going. 
Time for the commander putting Windmark in his place again.
CAPTAIN WINDMARK: "It has developed an intellect more advanced than our own and a capacity for emotional responsiveness far greater than the native humans. It possesses capabilities our diagnostic instruments cannot measure and that we are... unable to comprehend." Muahahaha!
COMMANDER: "It would be to our evolutionary advantage to continue to study it further."
CAPTAIN WINDMARK: "A more prudent path is to destroy it. There is no greater danger than that which is unknown." Windmark is not happy with the commander.
COMMANDER: "It is irrelevant whether the anomaly lives or dies. What is valuable is understanding what it was. Disassemble it. Preserve the pieces." Loved his terminology. 
While Fauxlivia is checking on the schematics, Lincoln and Olivia get a moment.
AGENT LEE: "He [Walternate] retired from the D.o.D. about twenty years ago, moved back to Boston. He's ninety years old and he still lectures at Harvard. Can you believe that? It's crazy... how life works out."
OLIVIA: "It's okay. I made my choices. You made yours. I don't regret any of them and neither should you. You deserve all the happiness that you got."
Let's go back a bit.
3.17 Stowaway is when we met Lincoln the first time. And the Observers talk about him in 4.01 Neither Here Nor There
JANUARY: "(about Lee and Dunham) He used to know her."

THE OBSERVER: "Yes. Before things changed."
But when Olivia met Lincoln in season 3 she was occupied by Bell. Does she remember him? 
Let's look at a few other that could be considered "regrettable moments".
4.03 Alone In The World
4.05 Novation
4.07 Wallflower
4.08 Back To Where You've Never Been
4.15 A Short Story About Love
4.16 Nothing As It Seems
4.18 The Consultant
4.20 Worlds Apart
Lincoln's decision to stay with Fauxlivia. 
And Olivia's and his final good-bye.
Olivia's choice in 4.15 A Short Story About Love
OLIVIA: "I'm in love with Peter."
Now all this work only to say that Olivia shouldn't remember any of this because her memory is replaced with the old time line Olivia. Except maybe the instances from 4.18 The Consultant and 4.20 Worlds Apart. But of course Lincoln still remembers everything. 

I think this is one of my favorite "non-Walter" lines ever. Lol.
FAUXLIVIA DUNHAM: "You can stop checking out my young ass."
Time is short Olivia.
FAUXLIVIA DUNHAM: "We'll be here when you get back with him. Hey... this will work."
I was thinking back to their last conversation before the bridge was closed in 4.20 Worlds Apart 
FAUXLIVIA: "You know, there's a lot of things about you that I wish I had. There's a lot of things about you that I admire."

OLIVIA: "That's funny. I was about to say the same thing about you. Keep looking up. After it rains. Keep looking up."
Olivia is crossing over to where Michael should be. I love this shot because you can see Olivia double again as she fades away. It fits with the duality of things. 

She arrives on the other side but Michael has been moved.
Time to find him. Michael is being moved to a new location.
Could this be a callback to 1.11 Bound where Olivia was wheeled down a hallway? 
Better hurry Olivia. That does not look good.
As I was looking at the screen shots I noticed the flowers on the nurses dress. I just thought it interesting. 
Olivia is going down the hallway. She doesn't look so good, phasing in and out between worlds. What did Walter say? 
An Observer spotted her and through her blurred vision she kills him. Taking big risks there. But we know she's stubborn. 
Olivia found the monitor room. She's got to take out a Loyalist.
She then finds the location for Michael. I love attention to detail and was thrilled that she actually re-loaded her gun. 
The "doctor" is setting up for "dissecting" Michael. I don't know, looks very cruel. 
He also has this.
We've seen this before. I love how 2.19 Brown Betty keeps coming up. 
Olivia is cutting it close.
She is experiencing more disorientation. On the picture above she's looking down the "blue" hallway. On this one down here you can see the "red" shining through the door. A representation of the two universes?
She is so out of it, she doesn't see the Observer coming, appearing right in front of her knocking her down.
Time for some Dunhamnator action. Olivia is concentrating, blowing a few lights out to buy time.
Displaying her powers just like in 4.14 The End Of All Things
She still has to take out the Observer.
By blowing out the lights she sets off an alarm which is kind of bad but also good. It prevents the doctor from making his first incision on Michael. 
An Observer comes and instructs the doctor to stay with the boy until the issue is taken care of. Or in other words: sorry guys, you're gonna die. 
Olivia makes her way into the OR shooting the doctor but leaving the nurse alive.
Michael smiled at her.
Time to go, go, go...
An Observer followed her.
So question! How come they didn't invade the alternate universe as well? They knew of its existance because they've been over there. We've seen them in every episode. 

Back on Liberty Island in the alternate universe. I noticed something sitting on the outlet but I can't make it out, except it's green. A frog maybe?
Uh oh. 
Just as the Observer wants to grab Michael, Fauxlivia and Lincoln come to the rescue.
Unfortunately there is another Observer right behind them. No problem.
After that is taken care of there is not much time left. Time to go. One last look between Olivia and Lincoln that could say more than: "Be careful." Just saying. 
At Battery Park - the last conversation between them - ever.
OLIVIA: "Thank you. You have a beautiful family."
FAUXLIVIA DUNHAM: "Thank you. Go save yours. Get your daughter back."
Finally back on our side.
OLIVIA: "They know that I crossed over. I don't think that we have much time."
Uh, time to go!!!!!! And I'm going to savor this moment because I can't get enough and I won't see them anymore soon. 
Awwww. Sniff. 
Back at the Observer Precinct, Windmark is doing some invetimagating, lol. Nope, not a typo.
LOYALIST LIEUTENANT: "You asked to see me, sir? Is there a problem?"
The Loyalist is impatient and asks Windmark twice. All I thought when I saw this was: Shut up! You're going to get yourself in more trouble. 
With his reading abilities, Windmark discovers that the Loyalist told Broyles where Michael was. 
Urgh. That's not good. And Windmark didn't like that either according to the look on his face. 

Meanwhile September is visiting December, asking for help. I'll get back to him in 5.13.
DECEMBER: "I never thought I'd see you again."
SEPTEMBER: "Walter Bishop is back. We have the boy. There's something I need you to do. You owe me."
What did December do for September to say that? 

To be continued....





5 Comments:

Zort70 said...

Great recap as always.

I'm glad it wasn't just me that thought the laser scalpel was Walters design :-)

Something I thought slightly odd on the other side was the two Fringe division logos. We had the normal round one, but we also had the shield version which I only remember previously being in the future that Peter saw at the end of season 3.

cortexifan said...

@ Zort70
thanks. I appreciate it. Regarding the logos. Maybe some of what Peter saw could have become reality. After all, fate can be changed :) and what he saw was a possible future. Maybe things bleed into each other.

Fuzz said...

I'm thinking the Oberservers didn't invade the other universe because they are further ahead technology-wise than our universe, and could've put up a better fight. The Observers may have concluded it wasn't worth the hassle.

Lccf said...

Regarding your last question, about what December "owes" September ... well, from their conversation in the following episode, it seems all of the Original Twelve developed emotions, and maybe December "owes" September because, when captured, he didn't tell the invaders that the rest of his team had been "corrupted" by emotions ?

cortexifan said...

@Fuzz
I think you're on to something. I don't think for all their intellect - they're not really that smart :)
@Lccf
that could be. I was trying to keep the obs separate for the last two episodes so maybe something more will come up :)

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