Sunday, November 18, 2012

Fringe, Season Five, Episode Seven: Five-Twenty-Ten

The tech is continuing to change Peter and he is hyper aware of the observers and able to hear them communicate from a distance, as well as capture a glimpse of their future actions.  Already, even his mannerisms have started to match the observers. Peter picks up the phone and calls Anil to say that he is going to need his help.

Peter returns to the lab with laser fuel and Astrid says that she will hook them up after breakfast.  Walter, replies, "chop chop, the world is not going to save itself."  Though Astrid roles her eyes, the fact that the comment is ignored by both Peter and Olivia, is yet continued affirmation of her place as a secondary member of the Fringe team. Olivia is not pleased that Peter went on the scavenging mission without her and is concerned that once again he didn't sleep. Peter says that he couldn't sleep but that he's fine.  Suddenly loyalists pull up outside the lab but they don't enter.

Astrid frees another tape from the amber.  It shows cylinders which have been designed by the observers.  On the tape, Walter holds up a map and informing the viewer of where he or she can find the devices needed. Apparently, they need Bell's hand print to free the cylinders.  Walter wonders if that is why Bell was in the amber.  Astrid remembers that they were working with Bell but then he betrayed them to gain favor with the observers.  Walter then admits that he remembers something about this and a man who had an accent, who kept asking something, but Astrid says that his memory is from a movie. Olivia wonders if Bell was working with the observers to begin with and says that they have no way of knowing if the cylinders are actually in storage.

The Fringe team arrive at the storage area which is covered in ruble. Surprisingly enough, Astrid has actually been brought a long for the ride for a change. Peter uses his new found obsevers senses to locate the doors.  When he realises what he has done, Peter claims that his declaration is from an engineering standpoint.  Olivia notices that there is blood pouring out of Peter's ear. Walter examines Peter's ear and Olivia wonders if the blast of anti matter he fired damaged his ear.  Peter says that he is fine and so Walter promises to look closer when they return to the lab.  As the team thinks about how to get into the wreckage, Peter points out that the heavy machinery they would need to clear everything would cause too much commotion. Peter's phone rings and it's Anil and it seems the glimpse of the future that Peter saw didn't happen.  Peter tells Anil that he will be right there but before he can leave, Walter tells him that they need to go and see Nina Sharp because she can change the molecular structure of the concrete.  Peter tells them to go and find Nina and he says that he is going to find Anil.  When Olivia asks why, Peter avoids answering and says that Anil wouldn't say why.

Nina Sharp is now in a wheelchair and she is approached by an assistant who hands her a letter.  A huge smile crosses Nina's face, as Olivia embraces her. Olivia admits that things have been hard, but they are continuing on with Walter's plan for Etta's sake.  Nina says that when Broyles told her, she wanted to reach out to them, but didn't for fear of jeopardizing the team's safety.  They start to discuss how to speed up the molecules and alter the form of the wreckage.  Nina agrees to meet them on the south side of the building in ten minutes.

When they meet again, Nina admits that she told Etta and Simon how to re-implant the portion of Walter's brain that he had removed. Walter replies that Nina did what was necessary. She asks about changes in his personality and Walter asks if Nina sees the man he was before in him.  Nina again asks if he is worried and Walter says that the man he was before never cared about anyone and was consumed by ambition and hubris.  Walter adds that he is different this time because he has Peter, who won't let him become that man again. Nina takes him to meet Hastings and informs Hastings to give Walter anything he wants.

Peter is talking to Anil and asking about the details with the observer.  When Peter mentions that the observer was distracted by a child playing, Anil is shocked and wonders how Peter could have possibly known about this. Anil says that Royce was not distracted by a child and was talking on his comm. Peter realises that the variable was Royce on the comm.  Peter asks for the briefcase so that he can switch it himself.  Peter then hands Anil an address and tells him to wait outside because at exactly 6:17 Royce and another observer named Muller will walk into a building.  Peter instructs Anil to call him when they do. Peter then gets into a car and hotwires it, but has to pause when he his hands begin to shake and he is overtaken by a blinding light. 

Peter arrives at the restaurant and asks to check his briefcase and is told to be careful by the coat check girl, so he doesn't get read.  Peter sits at the bar, looks at his watch but again feels a moment of pain.

In the car, Astrid asks Olivia how she and Peter are doing. Olivia says that Peter doesn't sleep, leaves the lab at odd hours and when he gets back, he always has an explanation but she believes that there is something he is not saying.  Astrid reminds Olivia that Peter has been through a lot and though she says she is not defending Peter, Astrid says that Peter is not isolating himself the way he did when Etta first went missing during the original invasion. Olivia replies that she is worried that she is losing him again.


At the restaurant, Peter watches as the observer checks his  briefcase and then walks over to the checking area and points to a briefcase and is handed one. This makes the change of the briefcases complete.

Hastings put the device they need into the van and tells Olivia that if it turns blue, that they need to run. Nina tells Walter that she is worried about him because he said that Peter would keep him from becoming the man he used to be. Nina does not feel that this is enough because she knew the man that he was and that he felt the boundless power that comes with omnipotence. Walter tells Nina that he does not need to be reminded and that though she tried to hold onto Bell because she loved him, nothing can compare to that kind of power.  Walter adds that the old Walter never loved her or anyone else but himself. Nina now informs Walter that the Walter she knows would never say anything so cruel.  Walter reminds Nina that he has come a long way, because he loves his son and believes that this love will save him.  Nina replies, "for your sake, I hope that's true." Olivia interrupts to say that they are ready to go.  Nina warns Olivia that the observers analyze any change in the atmosphere, so once they use the device, the observers will respond in minutes. Olivia thanks Nina and says that they will have to be quick.

Anil is waiting at the address as Peter instructed, when an observer pulls up in a cab and enters the building across the street from him.  Anil picks up his phone, as a bomb in the briefcase goes off.

Olivia, Astrid and Walter are putting the device together, when Peter shows up. Before he can talk to them, Anil calls and informs him that the bomb went off and the area is crawling with observers.  When Olivia asks what Anil wanted, Peter lies and says that though he waited for Anil for an hour, he didn't show.  Peter says that the call he just took was from Anil, saying that he had been stopped at a check point. Olivia asks if Anil said why he wanted to meet and Peter says no.  Walter calls Peter over and then starts up the device. They quickly enter the building and use Bell'ss hand to gain access to an inner chamber.  In the chamber, Walter finds his old record collection and is not pleased. Olivia calms him and says that they don't have time.  Peter discovers a safe and Walter says that he remembered when Bell had the safe built.  Walter pauses before the safe trying to remember the combination and Astrid tries to hurry him along.  Peter tells Walter to clear his head and to relax.  Walter then manages to open the safe but it is empty except for a device and a folder containing a picture of a young Nina.  Walter says that he should have known better than to trust Bell and puts the picture in his wallet.  When Peter touches the device, it suddenly activates and the two items they were looking for come through the floor.  When they get back to ground level, Peter tells Olivia that he will take his car because it is logical that they split up.

Walter meets Nina on the bridge where they met earlier.  Walter tells her that they now have the cylinders.  Walter hands her the picture and says that it was in Bell's safe and that Bell did indeed love her but it wasn't enough.  Walter tells her that he is scared because everyday that goes by, he feels him more and more that he is losing himself.  Walter is worried that everyone he cares about will be driven away. Walter tells Nina that he needs the part of his brain removed again because it is the only way to hold onto the man he has become. 

Olivia has returned to Etta's apartment looking for Peter and finds plans he was written out on a mirror. Peter steps into the room and says that what Olivia is looking at are timelines for Windmark's top lieutenants. Peter says that for security reasons, they hardly ever appear in the same place at the same time and believes that with this information, he can manipulate events.  Peter informs Olivia that he now has the tech which gives Observers their advantage over everyone. Olivia is shocked that Peter implanted a device in himself.  Peter says that he has been following the observers and that while they don't know where he is, he knows exactly where they are today, and yesterday and the day before that.  The tech apparently gives him enough information to determine their probable futures. Olivia asks Peter what he has done and Peter admits that he used a flesh eating toxin that Walter had saved against the observers. "Our first Fringe experience was their last," Peter adds. Olivia realises that this is how Peter knew the observers wouldn't be coming for them at the storage site.  Peter says that they are going to avenge Etta and that Windmark is next. As Peter starts more calculations, Olivia slips out of the room.

Walter starts slowly going though his things and puts David Bowie on. Seeing his sadness, Astrid asks if there is anything he needs before she goes to sleep. Walter simply replies, "no thank you dear," and Astrid kisses him on the cheek adding, "we did good work today." Peter continues to work on where Windmark will be and when he touches his head, he realises that his hair is starting to fall out.

Clearly the implant is causing Peter's behaviour to change and not for the better.  With his hair beginning to fall out, soon there may be little to differentiate him from the observers.  The shifting of Walter's personality has been personality juxtaposed to Peter's changes.  It seems that while Walter is fighting to remain the same, Peter is in a hurry embrace all of the changes.  If Peter is well and truly out of it, Walter is in more jeopardy than he realises. 

I think that it was great to see Nina again, though I fear like Broyles that she will not make another appearance on the show. I feel so much more is needed to give her character proper closure.  I am however glad that this episode moved the plot along.  I am slowly starting to feel a building crescendo to this short season.