Fringe Episode 508
“The Human Kind”
Written By: Alison Schapker
Directed By: Dennis Smith
Original Airdate: 7 December 2012
In This Episode...
Walter and Astrid have dug out tape eight, which says they need to retrieve an industrial magnet from Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Peter is not there, but he does call. He is in New York, predicting Windmark’s timeline to ultimately kill him. He called to warn them not to go back to Etta’s apartment - the Observers tracked him there (or he led them there) and it is no longer safe. Walter is very worried, because at this point, he is more Observer than man, and Walter is terrified of losing his son. Olivia is fearful of losing Peter again, so she throws herself into work and volunteers to go get the industrial magnet.
While Olivia is doing that, Walter and Astrid experiment with the Observers tech that she brought back. It will only interact with organic material - luckily Walter is the kind of guy who has preserved brains just hanging around. They run some tests on the tech. It implants itself in the brain, but once it realizes the brain is not living, it shuts down. Astrid still gets enough data to run some simulations. They figure out that the tech is creating an insane amount of brain folds, which force back the emotional center in order to make room for higher thinking and more advanced logic. Eventually, the process will become permanent.
Peter is running Windmark’s timeline, and thinks he has it figured out. But Windmark figures this out too, and eventually catches up with Peter. They have an awesome fight, with both of them slipping in and out of the fabric of space and time. Windmark forces Peter to see Etta’s last thoughts, which were that sunny day in the park before the Observers took over. Peter knifes an Observer henchman who shows up, then blinks away. Windmark realizes he has met a worth opponent.
Olivia has found the wreckage yard that holds the industrial magnet. When she asks a young man named Carlos about bartering for it, his eyes grow wide and he rushes in to tell Simone. As Simone explains to Olivia, many years ago, shortly after the invaders came, an older man (obviously Walter) came to see her mother, told her to put aside one of the giant industrial magnets, plus a truck to tow it with. He told her that one day it would save the world. Many people thought this was hooey, but Simone’s mother believed it was true, and she passed that faith on to her daughter. So Simone was overjoyed, thinking that Olivia will be their savior. Simone is a touch psychic, which has no bearing on what happens tonight, but they spent a lot of time on it, so I imagine she will be back in a later episode. Anyway, Olivia just has to wait for some diesel for the truck. She gets more and more edgy as she waits. When a little girl comes up and tells her that there is a reward for turning her in, Olivia immediately goes on the defensive. She pulls a gun on Simone when she is offered water. Simone is a bit frightened, but merely sips the water to show it is not drugged. The diesel arrives and Olivia relaxes. She takes her magnet with thanks, and calls Anil for a place to hide it.
As she is driving, Olivia sees a car wreck and some bodies in the road. She gets out to check on them and discovers the bodies were dummies. This was a set up, and she is held at gunpoint by a couple robbers. They do a face scan on her and discover there is a high reward for turning her in. Olivia fights, but they fight back, knocking her unconscious and taking her back to their warehouse. She overhears them plotting to turn her in for a huge reward. Luckily she is in some huge workshop or warehouse. She finds a giant drill machine, cuts through her binds on it, and sets up a small fire to attract her abductors’ attention, then uses the bullet that Etta gave her in a makeshift air gun. Bandit #1 responds to the smoke signal, and gets a bullet right through the head. She then takes his gun and kills Bandit #2. She stops for Etta’s bullet on the way out.
Peter has returned to the lab. After his fight with Windmark, he needs Walter to suture his shoulder. Walter is happy to do so, but is scared that he might never get Peter back. Peter’s mind is about 75% of the way to Observer-ville, so this has little effect on him. He is fully consumed with setting Windmark on a path that would put him back on the proper timeline, allowing him to be killed the following day at precisely 5:13. And he is gone.
Olivia checks in with Walter, who fills her in on Peter. She goes to Peter, who is observing (pun intended) Windmark from a balcony. She begs him to remember that Etta is always with them, that if he goes full baldy he will lose his memories and love for her, yadda yadda yadda. It doesn’t seem to be getting through to Peter. Olivia keeps talking, telling him how much she loves him, how she won’t lose him again, more yadda yadda yadda. Peter takes out his knife, and for a moment it hovers between them, as if he can’t decide on his next move. But he makes the right one and cuts the tech out of his neck.
Dig It or Bury It?
Another middle episode. It was enjoyable because Fringe is a high-quality project, but this episode just didn’t stand out in any way. Peter and Windmark’s fight scene was pretty badass. I like the effect they use to make them slip in and out of the space-time continuum.
Prophecies?
Walter drops acid, has a conversation with a green fairy, and takes Peter on a trip to the land of Oz.