(Spoiler): The new promo for the April 1st episode of Fringe, 2.15 “Peter” is doing the rounds. If the title wasn’t enough of a hint, the promo makes it clear where and when this episode is going, and I must say, it does a nice job at whetting the appetite.
If you want to remain totally spoiler-free (and why wouldn’t you), I would recommend not clicking the blue “click to continue” link below, as the promo does tread that line of giving too much away *shakes fist*. Otherwise, grab your goggles and your best running shoes and head past the jump. I’ll explain why later.
UPDATE: High Def video added:
[via]
The voice over interpretation is interesting: “How far would a father go, to CURE his son”. In other words, would you sacrifice the entire world (possibly two worlds) for the life of your child? A nice easy question to start the day with, thanks Fringe!
As for the episode, I would like to (at least) see these overarching elements brought together:
- Walter supposedly reaching back in time to grab Dr. Alfred Gross in a bid to cure Peter (did this happen or was it a cover story?)
- September ‘saving’ Walter and Peter, and how this relates to Peter still ending up dead (they could give this a sinister turn, but we’ll see)
- How Walter got to the alternate universe – his own ‘genius’, or a helping hand?
- If Walter owes September a debt, what are the terms of the debt?
Anyway, if the promo is anything to go by then the look of this episode should be a real treat for the eyes (remember those goggles I asked you to bring?) – JJ. wasn’t kidding about the retro style of the episode.
It’s been great to de-fringe (if such a thing is possible on this blog) but it’s hard not to get excited for the return of the show in just under 4 weeks time. Maybe if we run really fast we can make it come along sooner (hence the running shoes)?
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{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Woooowwww! September: “the boy is important…he has to live”.
This episode will be really epic!!
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Is that Peter flipping out at 0:23?!
Something I’ve been waiting to see for a while!
Ye Gods, I hate these breaks.
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Ugh, did someone video-tape that off a TV set with a camcorder? Probably the most irritating trend on YouTube these days.
Can’t wait for this episode though. Wonder why Peter is “important” and how this ties to him being grabbed from the parallel universe.
And on the very plus side, since this is a major flash to the past, we are going to see MORE of the “sane scary Walter” we saw in Grey Matters. I think John Noble is going to give the performance of the season in this episode.
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Maybe they taped it with a Betamax! Hey, it would be in keeping with the mid-eighties setting.
All jokes aside, though, the link to the piece doesn’t appear above on my screen (damn dialup) so if anyone has a direct link to the video they can post, that would be great. It’ll still take me about 2 hours to load, but it’s worth it for my Fringe fix.
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OK, I got it to work! Yay!
One other thing, though: did anyone catch Walter’s last words (after “I can’t…”?) It sounded kind of like “…look him in the eye” but I don’t think that’s it. Anyone?
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It sounds like “I can’t lose him again”, but i’m not sure…
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Wow. Thanks for this, Roco. I hope you know how much I (we) appreciate your ongoing doses of Fringe-y goodness! Looks like “Peter” will be an outstanding episode. (And I am so relieved there is an outside agency–i.e., September–insisting that Walter act as he does. If Walter can communicate that to Peter–before Peter does something stupid–it should help him accept what happened to him as a child.)
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Thanks for the kind words Catachresis! I agree, the next episode looks to be a winner. Fingers crossed!
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That promo looks incredibly promising. Like game changing promising.
(And I am so relieved there is an outside agency–i.e., September–insisting that Walter act as he does. If Walter can communicate that to Peter–before Peter does something stupid–it should help him accept what happened to him as a child.)
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That would be ideal, and I imagine Walter will attempt some way to explain his actions to Peter, but I don’t imagine Peter is going to be willing to accept any explaination Walter gives, especially since he’s spent the past year waiting for the very answers about the Observers, why they saved the two of them when Peter was a child. Answers Walter has had all along. I don’t doubt it’s going to be explosive with poor Olivia and Astrid to a lessor degree smack dab in the middle of the emotional radius blast.
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could april 1st come any slower…
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Save the past?
End the futur?
*confuse*
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It’s about time we get a new promo for Fringe! I was so excited when I saw it last night! I had been in the middle of saying something last night when the promo came on the TV and as soon as I realized it was a Fringe promo I stopped in the middle of my sentence in order to watch everything that was happening. It was great. And I can’t wait for April!
“And I am so relieved there is an outside agency–i.e., September–insisting that Walter act as he does.”
See, I’m actually hoping they don’t go that route. It just seems to me that they have made it quite clear that Walter went to the other side to replace Peter out of very selfish reasons — because there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for family and because he couldn’t bear to live without his son. It’s even emphasized in the promo when Walter says things like how he won’t allow Peter to die and he can’t lose him — those are the words of a parent who can’t accept the reality of the situation. If Walter did it under the direction of the Observers, why would he have felt the need to keep it a secret for so long, and why would he be so worried about Peter finding out the truth? Sure, there would still be repercussions to Peter knowing the truth, but with Walter only being indirectly responsible for it and with there being logical reasons behind his actions, I don’t imagine it would be as big as if Walter was solely responsible. I just feel like it wouldn’t make sense with what has been portrayed so far to have them reveal that the whole thing was really initiated and led by the Observers. I can understand that September would emphasize to Walter how important it was to not let Peter 2 die, but I would find it hard to accept that September and the others played a key role in bringing Peter over from the other side.
That said, of course it all depends on how it plays out. I definitely wouldn’t rule it out that the episode could make that scenario work. Promos only give little glimpses of an episode, and without context and with the scenes all being played out of order, it’s hard to make sense of what exactly is being shown. We’ll just have to wait and see… but I have no doubt that it will be amazing!
As for your question of the day, Roco, it is an interesting question: “Would you sacrifice the entire world (possibly two worlds) for the life of your child?” I think it’s pretty safe to say that there isn’t anything a parent wouldn’t do for their child. I’m going to get a little off topic here, but I promise it is related. So, the other night I was randomly watching a rerun of an old Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. In this particular episode, the main characters had been conducting a rescue mission on an alien ship, and they find a human among the survivors. Turns out the human had been a small child when these aliens had attacked his home planet. The child was the only survivor, so the aliens took him, and their captain raised the boy as his own son. Now, of course the crew of the Enterprise understandably believe that they have the right to take this boy — now a teenager — back where he belongs, to his real home where he has relatives still alive. But when the alien captain — the boy’s adopted father — finds out they refuse to return him, he won’t accept it and makes preparations to go to war. Although the two groups have been at peace for many years, the alien captain is willing to risk it all and start a war…all because of his son, who technically isn’t even his son. As the Enterprise watches the aliens receive additional back up and they prepare to start fighting, one of the characters asks, “Is it worth it to go to war over a child?” and one of the other characters responds by saying, “You might not ask that if it were your child.”
My purpose in summarizing that whole episode is that I think it answers your question of what a parent is willing to sacrifice for their child. I realized while watching that episode that it was very similar to the situation our Fringe characters find themselves in. We don’t know all the details surrounding why Walter took alternate Peter nor do we know if that is the sole reason the other side wants to destroy our side, but it all boils down to the fact that there is nothing that a parent wouldn’t do for their child. And, as it turns out, Walter was able to do quite a bit more than most parents would be able to do. Most parents who lose a child would be willing to do anything to bring that child back, but they can’t. But in Walter’s case, death wasn’t the end and he could do something more to change the situation and get his son back. And he did. The problem is, we’ve presumably got two parents (Walter and Alter-Walter) who both feel the same way towards the one child. Just like with my Star Trek example, both sides have an equally strong claim on why the child is theirs. And they are both willing to do whatever it takes for their child. Obviously, only one of them can win.
I think that, rather than the question of “would you sacrifice the entire world for your child,” the bigger question is “How far should you go for your child?” or “Is it appropriate to go to extreme measures for your child.” Just because you can do it, should you? Leaving the possible involvement of the Observers out of the situation for the time being, look at Walter’s situation. He had a son who got sick and died. Based on what I’ve already said, as a parent, he was willing to do whatever was necessary to bring his son back. And, unlike most parents, he was actually able to find a way to do that. He was willing to do whatever was necessary, and he did. But in this instance, was that really acceptable? Should he have been allowed to do what he did for his child? Personally, I think the answer is no. What he did — again, assuming the Observers didn’t assist him or encourage him — was essentially equivalent to a parent who loses a child, going to some other family and kidnapping their child in order to raise him as his own. Only in this case, the child looked exactly like his own child. And that’s just not right no matter how you look at it; no matter how much you love your child. If he had just let it go and mourned his child like any other grieving parent, he would likely be past that by now. Imagine how different things would be. But instead, what he found was essentially a temporary solution and all those consequences for his actions are coming back to face him — and he has to be willing to accept them, whatever they are… even if it includes losing Peter again.
Okay… wow. I’m really rambling now, so I’m just going to stop. Sorry about that. (But, for the record, I blame Roco for bringing up the question in the first place!)
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mlj – I like the example that you used, and I agree – there’s very little that most parents wouldn’t sacrifice for their child. As you mentioned, Walter’s situation is different because he had the ability to grab another son and find a solution to his pain. That amount of power deserves an equal amount of responsibility. I guess we can say that Walter was terribly irresponsible – both to the two worlds in the show, and perhaps more daming-ly, to his original son, who he ‘simply’ replaced like a pair of socks.
As you said, “should” Walter have gone that far? It’s a difficult question to answer because who knows what we would do in a similar situation. But distance allows us some perspective, and I have to agree that what Walter did was wrong, and I find it hard to get away from the idea that he did his original son a disservice by replacing him like that. As you mentioned, perhaps in time he may have eventually found a way to deal with his loss? But the long-term consequences of his actions will live with him, and others, for ever. And who knows, in the spirit-world (yeah, I said it
) his original son may not be too happy (with Walter’s actions) either. Although, who knows, perhaps he would want for his dad to have something to hold on to even if it isn’t real?
I really hope the producers/writers are brave enough to explore these questions, including the issue of whether or not Walter’s love for replacement Peter can ever be as real as it was for the son he lost? It’s a sensitive issue, but it ties right into the “Perception” theme that they are so keen on.
(Always a pleasure to read and consider your thoughts mlj, no matter how long or short. Cheers!
)
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Roco — I really liked everything you said in this last comment. I think you addressed the various ideas and concepts really well, and I agree with what you said. I also hope that the writers/producers will touch on some of those topics as the show progresses, as I find them all to be quite fascinating. And, as you pointed out, they really do fit in quite well with the whole theme of perception, as well as other themes such as choice and accountability, the things you’ll do for love, etc.
I’m glad you don’t mind my comments. I keep telling myself that I need to cut back on how often I comment and how long my comments are, but then you or someone else will bring something up and I find myself putting together yet another long response. But as long as no one minds, I imagine I will continue to share my two cents (or, in my case, it might be more like five cents worth…).
As a rather off topic comment, I recently noticed your newest site for all serial shows. I looked through it and it’s really nice. Honestly, I don’t know how you manage to keep up with running all these different sites! I would think that all the work you do for Fringebloggers alone would be a full-time job, not to mention several other sites. So I just wanted to say that I think you’re doing a great job with it all, and thank you for continuing to maintain Fringebloggers and share all your insights — it really adds to my enjoyment of the show.
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mlj – I hear you! That’s the great thing about the Fringe community – there are so many different viewpoints which spark conversation into motion. Your comments are definitely part of that, so thanks for contributing!
Cool, thanks for checking it out. It’s still a baby at the moment, but I see it as a long term project. It’s tempting to post all of my Fringe stuff over there instead, but I’m gonna try to keep most of it for FB.
You’re not wrong, it does seem like a FT job at times! Thankfully I’ve developed a knack of getting things done, even when doing ‘real work’, and without killing myself in the process!
(Plus the mods really do help me out with the forums). Thanks for the kind comments btw!
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See, I’m actually hoping they don’t go that route. It just seems to me that they have made it quite clear that Walter went to the other side to replace Peter out of very selfish reasons — because there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for family and because he couldn’t bear to live without his son. It’s even emphasized in the promo when Walter says things like how he won’t allow Peter to die and he can’t lose him — those are the words of a parent who can’t accept the reality of the situation. If Walter did it under the direction of the Observers, why would he have felt the need to keep it a secret for so long, and why would he be so worried about Peter finding out the truth?
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I can certainly appreciate that outlook, but what if Walter acted of his own agency for the selfish, unable to accept the reality of the situation, determined scientist and grieved father motives as we can suspect he does, and the Observers entanglement happens primarily because of what Walter does? An involvment that would have never come about had Walter not opened a door to the other side?
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My take on it has always been that Walter acted of his own accord, after which the Observer(s) stepped in to “correct” the situation in some way–possibly cutting a deal with Walter that allows him to keep Peter Mark II in this world for a certain length of time, after which Peter must return to his own world for good.
I too don’t really like the idea that the Observer instigated the whle thing from the beginning; this takes away much of the culpability on Walter’s part and weakens the situation from a dramatic standpoint. IMO.
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We’ve had lots of evidence that Walter was responsible for bringing alter-Peter over to replace Peter Mark I; that wasn’t in question. But Peter’s resentment when he discovers that he was kidnapped only to salve Walter’s grief could very likely be toxic. Learning that there was some greater purpose behind it (and some greater power?) might help him accept this unpleasant news–and more importantly keep him part of the team. For me, anyway, the attraction of Fringe is the dysfunctional family of Walter, Peter, and Olivia. Break that up, and my interest would quickly fade.
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“We’ve had lots of evidence that Walter was responsible for bringing alter-Peter over to replace Peter Mark I; that wasn’t in question…Learning that there was some greater purpose behind it (and some greater power?) might help [Peter] accept this unpleasant news”
But what you just said sounds like a contradiction. Either Walter was fully responsible, meaning he acted out of his grief and his selfishness when he brought Peter over (which seems to be what everyone agrees on), or else the Observers intervened and told him that, for the greater good, he needed to go get Alter-Peter, and they made it possible for him to do that. I don’t see how you can have both ways. If there was a greater purpose behind his actions, as you suggest, then that would instantly take away a lot of the responsibility and selfishness from his actions. I agree that it would make it easier for Peter to accept if he knew that Walter did it with the bigger picture in mind, but everything seems to indicate that Walter did it while completely ignoring the bigger picture. He didn’t care if his actions destroyed the other side or our side… he just wanted his son. If the Observers got involved after Walter brought Peter over, as Elaine suggests, I don’t see how their involvement could suddenly make Walter’s actions less selfish, so again, the situation and the consequences would be the same. Can you give me an example of the kind scenario you have in mind? It could be that I’m just misunderstanding what you’re saying.
I agree that a huge part of what I love about Fringe is the family bond that exists between the main characters — particularly Walter and Peter. However, they’ve been building up to this reveal for quite sometime, and if Peter doesn’t have a huge, negative reaction after finding out about it, I think it would be out of character for Peter and, as Liz said, I think it would weaken the impact of the whole situation. I think it’s pretty safe to say that there’s going to be some huge consequences and that it will largely affect the family dynamic in the show. But I also think it’s safe to say that it’s not going to be permanent. The relationships in this show — particularly the relationships between the three main characters — are what the whole show is founded on and the writers/producers know they can’t just destroy that by breaking them up. They may do it for a time, but I just can’t see them splitting the three of them up for good. I expect there will be something that would bring them back together again and, as is the case with any sort of conflict that you overcome, it will only serve to strengthen the relationships between them.
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“But what you just said sounds like a contradiction. Either Walter was fully responsible, meaning he acted out of his grief and his selfishness when he brought Peter over (which seems to be what everyone agrees on), or else the Observers intervened and told him that, for the greater good, he needed to go get Alter-Peter, and they made it possible for him to do that.”
Not necessarily a contradiction, but then I wasn’t clear in my previous posts, sorry. Walter’s kidnapping of Peter simply to assuage his grief would be appallingly selfish and something that I think Peter would have difficulty coming to terms with (who wouldn’t?). But if his abduction were “sanctioned” (perhaps, enabled?) by a greater power because of his importance, while it wouldn’t exactly legitimize Walter’s actions, it would add layers of complexity that Peter couldn’t so easily condemn.
I completely agree that Peter will (and should) have a ferocious reaction no matter who was responsible for his being taken (and I’m looking forward to it!). But I am also hoping it doesn’t take all of Season Three for him to resolve his issues and return to the fold. Personally, as much as I’ve enjoyed Peter the Protector and Surrogate Parent, I also liked the Reluctant (and often Cranky) Guardian of Season One. Here’s hoping we get a chewy blend of both while Peter figures out his place in this world.
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Thanks for taking the time to explain yourself again — I think I understand a little better what you’ve been saying. I like how you pointed out that the Observers involvement would “add layers of complexity” to the situation — very true! I still think that whatever role the Observers play in the whole thing should be relatively small and removed, which ultimately wouldn’t do much to clear Walter from his guilt. If he took Peter based on his own grief, that would mean that Walter’s actions were selfish and almost inexcusable, no matter what role the Observers played.
I’m very interested to find out why Peter is so important. I understand that he is crucial to what is going on, but we have yet to really understand why that is the case. It must be something big if it was enough to cause the Observers to get involved.
I’m really looking forward to the next episode since I believe it will give a lot of insight into certain events and it should fill in some holes and answer some questions. Elaine mentioned the deal between the Observers and Walter. Up until August, I had just figured that “deal” was that the Observer saved Walter and Peter and, in exchange, Walter helped protect the beacon. But August makes it sounds like it’s more complicated than that. I’ve been trying to figure out what that deal might be, but I haven’t been able to come up with any ideas. The best I’ve been able to come up with is that the Observers agreed that as long as Peter didn’t know he was from the other side, he could stay over here, but once he finds out, he has to return. But I don’t see why that would matter or why they would insist he return just because he knows the truth. So I’m stumped and I am looking forward to (hopefully) having that cleared up in the next episode.
I am also hoping that they don’t have Peter mad at Walter and the others for an incredibly large amount of time. I had actually been hoping that they would have Peter learn the truth before the Season 2 finale, but it’s looking more and more like that’s not going to happen. However, I trust that it will happen when it should happen and, when it does, it will be huge!
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“Save the past
End the future”
What about the cheerleader?
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I keep going back to the exchange between August and September in ‘August’ when August is trying to explain his actions in saving Christine Hollis, and September says that they corrected a mistake of their own making when August defends himself by saying that they’ve gotten involved before (to September mainly). There’s likely an element we’re not considering, and can’t know until we watch the episode…but it’s possible Walter’s actions and Septembers involvement are the results of a perfect storm scenario that places far greater importance (and danger) on Peter’s abduction. Meaning, what if September had a choice to make about something vitally, yet unrelated to Walter’s actions (initially) but he chose saving/helping Walter and Peter instead which only hastened a perilous situation? If that makes any sense. I’m not making sense.
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Yay! And just as news comes that Fringe has been renewed for another season! Yay!
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there is something going on with Nina Sharp. It was the funding of the infant massive dynamics that brought peter to our side
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i did see that lil half second of peter throwing the big shelf over maybe he found out that hes from the other side and was angry at walter? maybe that shelf was walters lab
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This promo really reminds me a great deal of Heavy Rain’s questions, especially with a ‘How far will a father go to save (or in this instance, cure) his son’ except without the dangerous trials, I imagine (and the not-so-twisting plot twist, or for me, anyway). :/ Haha, I’m obsessed with that game, however, I may be reading too much or seeing what I want to see.
Hum, Another idea from it (the promo) may be a deal between Walter and September, but maybe that’s a character bias speaking/Can’t hear the promo all that well, so just going by the text and what I see from the promo, too. :< I'll hunt around on youtube for a possibly better version soon-ish, though, and reply to this with my thoughts.
I'm really happy that there'll be more on the Observers and mythos that Fringe has created.
And that it's renewed, and there could be more back story and interwoven interactions with the characters. :3 Just really, really glad and happy camper, for true. <3
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I saw a new promo for ‘Peter’ during ‘House’ the other night that showed a few more scenes from the episode. Really looked good.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Avcp3tIQfE
New different promo. Great clarity.
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