Contributor: John Keegan
Written by Graham Roland, Matt Pitts, and Nicole Phillips
Directed by Charles Beeson
Considering the nature of this episode, it’s important to begin with the best news that any “Fringe” fan could have wanted to hear: despite the ratings struggle of the past two seasons, the show has been renewed for a fifth and final season. It will only be 13 episodes, but given that this was a concession between Warner Brothers and Fox over the licensing fees vs. future syndication potential, this was never a sure thing. It’s clear that the producers knew that this was the likely outcome, should renewal take place, so there’s every reason to think that they have been planning to bring the story to a close in that amount of time.
Without the renewal, I think this episode would have been a bit more frustrating. It’s a very tense episode, to be sure, but ultimately, it doesn’t cover a great deal of ground. There are certain key points to the episode, and the writers take their time exploring the various implications along the way through those elements. Still, had the series been reduced to a mere three remaining episodes just before this aired, the anxiety over the lack of resolution would have been palpable.
Speculation as to the effect of the “universe collapse” is partially confirmed. While the “collapse” is more of a reboot than a quantum event, it’s still apart sparking a new universe that results in Mr. Jones and his wacky hybridized followers being the genesis of a new humanity in a world under Jones’ control. There’s a bunch of nonsense about a new Big Bang and what not, but for the concept to make any real sense in terms of Mr. Jones’ survival, it comes down to wiping the slate clean and leaving a new world to repopulate.
It all relies on the various elements of Jones’ activities over the course of the season and established details of the “Fringe” universe. Jones’ plan relies on having trained the now-adult subjects from the cortexiphan trials in both universes to maximize their abilities. By taking position at key points on Earth, then manipulating the resonance frequency of their respective worlds, they can force a universal collapse.
Thus it becomes a race against time, especially since there is practically no way to stop what has been started. Jones, in a canny move that reminds one of a certain classic science fiction tale, has told his cortexiphan terrorists on each side that they are soldiers, acting to destroy the enemy seeking to eliminate their world. It’s an indirect way to tie into the first season’s ZFT concept without having to backtrack and make sense of the convoluted elements from that era.
What makes that interesting is the impossibility of stopping the process. As they learn for themselves, when someone has been whipped into a zealous frenzy, convinced that they are saving the world, there is little chance of convincing them they are wrong. Human psychological studies have demonstrated that belief in this sort of self-validating “truth” is only strengthened when countered. The very act of an authority seeking to correct mistaken belief is viewed, by the believer, as a reinforcement of the rightness of their conviction. (A rather common trait among those who swear to overly elaborate conspiracy theories.)
The only solution is to shut down the bridge between universes, thus effectively ending the easy transit between Fringe Prime and Alt-Fringe. This presents a choice to many characters, but it’s hardest on Walter, who not only feels responsible due to the fact that his “creations” are being used as Jones’ mechanism for destruction, but the solution might take away the son he never had. Even though there is little reason to think, given the revelations from September, that the Machine’s disappearance would result in Peter’s disappearance as well, that doesn’t change Walter’s reactions to the thought.
It all culminates in one of John Noble’s most powerful performances, as Walter and Walternate finally get to speak to one another. It was something that was lacking from “The Consultant”, but this situation feels a lot more appropriate for it. After all, this may be the last time we have any cross-universe action, assuming that Olivia doesn’t need to go back to Alt-Fringe for some reason or another. Since “Letters of Transit” was recognizably the future of the Fringe Prime universe, and there was no mention of cross-universe implications, it’s safe to say that this all but closes the door on what has been a major component of the series for so long. (We may see the Alt-Fringe aspects of the finale, but I’m guessing the series is shifting back to the single-universe focus of the first two seasons.)
Yet, for all that it clarifies Jones’ master scheme and forces a momentous decision that wraps up a huge chunk of the series’ arc, it leaves a lot left open for the finale. There’s still the whole purpose of the Observers and their goals since the fourth season premiere, with respect to Peter, after all. And eliminating the bridge won’t stop Jones from crossing over anytime soon. There’s also everything that “Letters of Transit” revealed about what is still to come in 2012. Now that we can rest easy with the knowledge that there will be a fifth season to wrap things up, it will be very interesting to see how the two-part finale unfolds, given what it might have been.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
