fringe recapping: brave new world, part one

Previously on Fringe: Everything in Its Right Place

We left off last week with a twist so huge I’m surprised it wasn’t the season finale. Part one of the season finale started off with a bang–semi-literally. Multiple people died spontaneously combusting upon movement. This means all the survivors had to stand still for hours while Fringe figures out what happened, and how to save them. Guest star Rebecca Madder (who starred on Abrams’ hit show Lost)  plays one of the temporary survivors, Jessica Holt . She bravely volunteers to let Walter move her to his lab and run tests on her. While synthesizing a cure, Jessica’s body begins combusting. As the cure is not finished, Olivia tries to calm Jessica down, but instead manages to cure her with her cortexiphan powers. (Think that’s strange? Just wait.)

Onto the subplot: Walter is convinced that the device was created by William Bell–yes, that William Bell, who we thought had died in a car crash (in this timeline). Nina tries to dissuade him from this idea, begrudgingly telling him that Bell had Lymphoma, which is why he killed himself Christmas day, 2005. However, Walter is adamant that not only is Bell alive, but that Bell visited him at St. Clair’s on New Year’s Day, 2006–a week after everyone believes he has died. A visit to St. Clair’s proves inconclusive, other than Walter taking a guest logbook. He bakes a page of the logbook in a miniature easy-bake oven lemon cake which has been drugged with cortexiphan, and it shows fingerprints with almond oil on it. Walter declares that Bell’s favorite food used to be Chilean almonds–and he and Astrid are off again to the warehouse which Bell used to buy his almonds from.

While this is happening, Bell meets with Jones, who we learn is merely a pawn in this new, evil Bell’s masterplan. They turn on two satellites, which has narrowed a beam of the sun onto an underground landmine, continuing with their plans to blow up the earth. Olivia and Peter arrive just in time to turn off the satellites, but Peter is attacked by Jones. Watching from atop a nearby building, Olivia is horrified to see that Jones is gaining the upper-hand, so she does what any sane, cortexiphan-laden girlfriend would do: she channels her powers and telekinetically controls Peter’s body, which includes relocating his shoulder for him. (I told you it only got stranger. If it sounds strange, just imagine how it looked on screen.) Jones dies, and comes to the sad realization that he was Bell’s bait–that Bell had planned for his death all along.

The end of the episode shows Walter and Astrid in the warehouse. They hear some suspicious noises and go to investigate and are shot at. Astrid shows some pretty kick-ass moves, but in the end they are trapped, Astrid has been shot in the chest, and Bell comes out of the shadows to talk to Walter.

Welcome back, evil Bell!

Thoughts: 

• Although it makes me a bit sad an embarrassed to admit this,  I didn’t really like this episode. But I’m going to say that’s simply because we’re in an awkward spot right now. As no one was sure if Fringe would get renewed, they had to film two endings to the show. I really think that if Fringe had been renewed a little bit sooner, Episode 19 would have been much different. As it is, it was pretty easy to guess that Bell was back–evil enough for Walter to ruthlessly cut off his hand–and that Astrid will be fine. Maybe Olivia will find some new powers and manage to remove the bullet and heal the wound.
• On that note, either this timeline’s got some crazy stuff floating around in the air, or my favorite writers are going slightly over-the-top with Olivia’s powers. Even if Olivia did have the power to control Peter’s actions, why didn’t she simply control Jones? Plus, what will this mean in the future? It sounds like she’s pretty unbeatable in a fight.
• And what about the other people who had been about to spontaneously combust? Did I miss something, or was did Olivia manage to cure them all–despite not knowing how she cured Jessica?
• All these questions and what I feel might be plot holes make me sad, because usually Fringe episodes are never like this. I’m really, really hoping it’s just a “wow, now that we’re renewed, the first half of this episode won’t really fit” kind of moment. We’ll see.
• I never would have said I’d be sad that Jones dies, but I do have to admit that it was much more heartbreaking than I would have thought; especially when he realizes that he is Bell’s “bishop piece.” Poor Jones. But not really.
• Yay for Leonard Nimoy’s temporary return back to acting! I knew you’d be unable to resist the lure of sci-fi, despite the less-than-stellar episode.
• Fun fact: Doctor Benlow was played by John Noble’s daughter, Samantha Noble! If nothing else, I loved Nimoy’s return and the amazing guest stars this episode.

Quotes: 

Walter: Maybe the deaths are associated with this mobile transaction.

 Astrid: No, Walter, this is just how people pay for things now.

Walter: Huh. What will they think of next?

***

Jessica Holt: What are you?

Walter: What am — I’m human. What are you? Is this some sort of alien invasion?

***

Walter: No. No. My hallucinations were rarely biped and never men.

***

Walter: You brilliant bastard, Belly.

***

Jones: I got it wrong. I was the sacrifice. I was the bishop.

***

Walter:I know this is a ‘wild goose chase’, a fool’s errand, and I’m a fool,but no one is asking you to join me, Alex. It’s my hunch, and I’m quite capable of pursuing it on my own, so peace out.

Walter: I don’t–

Astrid: drive. Alex?

Walter: I was on a roll.

***

Walter: I’m not sure I ever thought I would see you again.

Bell: Hello, old friend.

Emily enjoys all mediums of speculative fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi–especially reading, writing, and watching them. A Fringe fanatic, she is convinced that one day she will meet her parallel self, aptly nicknamed Femily (Fake Emily), and save both worlds from their inevitable destruction.