Still reeling from the death of Etta in the episode “The Bullet that Saved the World” the Fringe Team must set out to stop the Observers from opening a wormhole to bring supplies from the future to alter our world. To do so Peter interrogates a captured Observer. When Etta first disappeared as a child, Olivia buries herself in work, and Peter refuses to let her go. Now we see a role reversal. Peter loses himself in the battle against the invaders, and Olivia refuses to give up on her daughter’s memory. I can’t help but wonder if the title is an allusion to comic books. This episode had all the hallmarks of a superhero origin. The tragic death of a loved one. A protagonist driven to extremes. The advent of above human powers. Plenty of brooding. We’ll see how it plays out.
Overall this was a good episode of Fringe. The sorrow the team feels for the loss of Etta is genuine and moving. The action is fast paced and gripping, and like so many of the other episodes this season the cliff hanger leaves the audience wanting what’s next. Fringe has settled into its new setting. As much as I have complained about the Observer ruled future, the new element of the show has become interesting. The bald headed invaders have regained much of their alien nature which adds a bit more continuity. This episode showed it particularly well when the Observer-Prisoner talks about watching a fly.
I’ve decided that the overall theme of Fringe is that bad things happen when Bishop men loose their children. Walter broke the universe, and now Peter seems to be losing himself. When he interrogates the captured Observer we see a darker side of Peter then we have seen previously. He taunts and torments the Observer playing psychological games with him. He eventually resorts to physical violence, and other extreme measures. (Spoilers) Peter even goes as far as to install one of the Observer’s Biomechanical enhancements into himself. I’m reminded of the episode a few seasons back when Peter was hunting down shapeshifters. Here we see him tapping into his same dark side. He is oddly detached from his grieving wife. I worry that Olivia and Peter will grow apart over the course of the series remainder. Their love has been such an integral part of Fringe’s mythos I would hate for them to end the series with them separating. How will Peter’s Observer implants affect his emotions and their relationship.
On a Scale of 1 to Epic (Epic = 10): 
