# Fringe May 6,2011 "The Day We Died" (Season Finale) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047 "2011-05-07T03:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/61 "2011-05-11T17:34:31Z")
Walternate - oh, ok, why didnt you bring him back Walter - I was afraid if I did, both universes would explode, and beside that, the wife said I wouldn’t get anymore if I did, and you know how she is. Walternate claps Walter on back - yes, yes I do! I wish you would have told me sooner! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/62 "2011-05-11T18:15:07Z")
Ah, but then comes the inevitable: Walter: How about we go get a Coke? Walternate: WHAT?! YOU BASTARD!! I’M A PEPSI MAN!!! _War_ ---
**Author:** ![Feyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/63 "2011-05-11T18:27:59Z")
I thought of something the other night… So, our Peter no longer exists. Our Peter was Walternate’s son. Maybe something happened to make it so that our Walter’s son Peter doesn’t die. Maybe Walter finds the cure in time and Walternate doesn’t. So maybe Joshua Jackson’s coming back next season to play Walter’s actual son, Peter. We’ll still have Peter, but he’s not “our” Peter. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/64 "2011-05-11T19:21:51Z")
> [@simster](#): > > All Peter has to do is tell Walter - ‘dont break the bottle’ or prevent whatever action (minor) that caused the bottle to be broke that caused walter to kidnap peter that caused Walternate to be angry that broke the worlds we live in that caused Walter to send Peter to stop walter from breaking the worlds we live in. Well, it was Walter crossing over the first time that broke the other world. Walternate would be less pissed off, but the other universe would still be screwed. And Peter didn’t really time travel, his mind was just pulled forward in time when he activated the machine. > [@DirkGntly](#): > > So much drama in this series could be solved with a fairly simple exchange: > Walternate: You stole MY son! > Walter: He was sick, and you had the cure, but you missed the confirmation! I watched you through my portal. I emulated your formula, but when I came through the vial was broken, and the only means available to me to save Peter was to take him with me! Don’t you see? MY Peter died, and I couldn’t let it happen again! > Walternate: Oh. Okay, that makes sense. Yeah, because if my kid was kidnapped I would be totally cool with if it if I found it was “for the best.” > [@Feyrat](#): > > I thought of something the other night… > > So, our Peter no longer exists. > > Our Peter was Walternate’s son. > > Maybe something happened to make it so that our Walter’s son Peter doesn’t die. Maybe Walter finds the cure in time and Walternate doesn’t. > > So maybe Joshua Jackson’s coming back next season to play Walter’s actual son, Peter. We’ll still have Peter, but he’s not “our” Peter. You know, of all the theories I’ve heard, that makes the most sense. The only problem with that is Walter would still have to cross over for some reason to screw up the other universe. Another good idea I read about how to work Peter back in is basically that Peter in the future was one of the people who went back to the prehistoric era to plant the machine parts in the past. (Peter said he didn’t know who brought it back just before he disappeared). Then, he went into suspended animation (one of the opening “Fringe” words was bio-suspension). So at some point next season they find him and wake him up. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/65 "2011-05-11T19:25:35Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > In 2026, Walter and Peter use the machine to send Peter back when he was a boy, right before Walter kidnapped him. :eek: I’d been fixated on the idea that Futurewalter sent Peter back to 2011 and I was totally baffled. The idea that he could have been sent back earlier is great! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Feyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/66 "2011-05-11T19:48:33Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > You know, of all the theories I’ve heard, that makes the most sense. The only problem with that is Walter would still have to cross over for some reason to screw up the other universe. Well, Walter and Bell were already poking holes between the worlds with their windows. There’s lots of reasons Walter could have crossed over that don’t necessarily have to do with Peter. Hell, maybe he went to steal tech from Walternate. The Walter before he had his brain-bits taken was quite a bit of a bastard. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/67 "2011-05-11T21:33:34Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Well, it was Walter crossing over the first time that broke the other world. Walternate would be less pissed off, but the other universe would still be screwed. And Peter didn’t really time travel, his mind was just pulled forward in time when he activated the machine. Tomato/Tomato - Peter has/had(?) first hand knowledge of the results of his decisions and is able to ‘go back’ and change those decisions, thereby eliminating the problem. They also _directly_ introduced time travel by saying the portal in the park contains a wormhole to the distant past - that walter uses (presumably) to hide the machine that peter uses that allows Walter… ahh, nevermind. We don’t really ‘know’ that Peter was pulled to the future - he was away to ‘normal’ to have been past Peter abruptly dropped into the future - we do know that Future Peter was ‘pushed’ to the past - or atleast some of the knowledge was. What still makes no sense, no matter how you slice it, is how he can have ‘never been there’ to the point the team doesn’t remember him - are they thinking the machne just ‘turned on’ and who was this wierd guy telling us to work together? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/68 "2011-05-12T01:31:09Z")
> [@simster](#): > > We don’t really ‘know’ that Peter was pulled to the future - he was away to ‘normal’ to have been past Peter abruptly dropped into the future - we do know that Future Peter was ‘pushed’ to the past - or atleast some of the knowledge was. Peter steps into the machine and experiences being 15 years in the future. While in the future Walter comes over to his house. He says that he cannot do anything differently than he has already done, but if there was some way to pull Peter’s conciseness from the past, then Peter could make different choices and avert the present (present for them). So in our time Peter wakes up with knowledge of the future, rips a hole in each universe to bring both sides together. And I don’t know why that means he ceases to exist. > [@](#): > > What still makes no sense, no matter how you slice it, is how he can have ‘never been there’ to the point the team doesn’t remember him - are they thinking the machne just ‘turned on’ and who was this wierd guy telling us to work together? No, it sounds like they don’t remember him at all. It’s going to be very interesting to see how the writers handle this. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/69 "2011-05-12T01:46:20Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Peter steps into the machine and experiences being 15 years in the future. > > While in the future Walter comes over to his house. He says that he cannot do anything differently than he has already done, but if there was some way to pull Peter’s conciseness from the past, then Peter could make different choices and avert the present (present for them). > > So in our time Peter wakes up with knowledge of the future, rips a hole in each universe to bring both sides together. And I don’t know why that means he ceases to exist. > > No, it sounds like they don’t remember him at all. It’s going to be very interesting to see how the writers handle this. Peter steps into the machine and WE see 15 years into the future - we see a Future Peter and crew - I would have to re-watch the episode - but I recall Walter saying 'you can’t undo what you’ve done, the past is the past, but I buried this machine thing in the past, so if I could figure out a way to send your stuff back, you could make a different choice" - of course, we could both be right - in that the words chosen could mean either possibility is true - but there is not a way that Peter would have been shifted 15 years into the future and him not be a bit disturbed and questioning of the events around him - other than the obvious just woke up from a major trauma and forget which universe he’s in - he managed to ‘smoothly’ to be married to Olivia, part of Fringe Division, interacting with one eye broyles and knowing exactly where Walter is without having to ask anyone - even knowing where astro was. IOW, ‘pulling’ peter from the past has no impact - there’s no reason to do it - current Peter knows everything that happened then (and afterwards) - Future Peter being pushed to the past - well, there’s value there (except, of course, in the whole being disappeared and forgotten part). ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/70 "2011-05-12T01:59:01Z")
When he steps into the machine his consciousness is instantly is transported into his body 15 years later. After going to the hospital he reverts back to being the Peter of 2026. Later on at his house Walter says he can’t do anything differently, but if could pull Peter’s consciousness from 15 years ago to the “present” (2026) for a while, so he could see what happens, then when his consciousness returns to his 2011 body, Peter can make different choices to avert that particular future. There may be unintended consequences, and even a paradox, but any future would be better than what they’re living in. So, Peter’s consciousness is eventually returned to his 2011 body. Having seen the future Peter realizes what has to be done and brings both sides together. Edit: Instead of the transcript I posted, here’s the [scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6dKSjrc38) ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/71 "2011-05-12T02:39:30Z")
point conceded - but my version makes more sense 😃 we’ll see what they do. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/72 "2011-05-12T03:10:21Z")
Yes we will. After months of waiting :(. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/73 "2011-05-13T13:44:32Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Yes we will. After months of waiting :(. Not unless we build a… MACHINE! ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/74 "2011-05-13T14:08:43Z")
That reminds me. Walter sent the machine back in his universe. Was it Walternate who sent the machine back in his universe? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/75 "2011-05-13T14:23:22Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > That reminds me. Walter sent the machine back in his universe. Was it Walternate who sent the machine back in his universe? I’ve always thought there had to be a “branching-off” point somewhere in the recent past. So, like evolution, both universes share a common universe. Otherwise, the butterfly effect would’ve led to vastly different universes, cultures, and people. I have to believe that the writer’s have figured that in, and wonder if it’ll even be addressed as a plot point? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/76 "2011-05-13T14:34:58Z")
Also, as dangerously cheesy as it might be, I’m sort of hoping we get to see them use the vortex to go back to the Paleozoic era next season. Most times when this show chooses to do something experimental, it pays off in a surprisingly good way. C’mon… let’s see Peter or Astrid fight some proto-dinosaurs in Pangea! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/77 "2011-05-13T16:39:06Z")
I’d watch that. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/78 "2011-05-13T17:58:01Z")
At the end of the first season finale Olivia finds herself on the Other Side for the first time and in William Bell’s office. She glances at a newspaper there that has a headline about construction being completed on the new Capitol. The producers apparently created actual copies of the newspaper that were given out at a press event and they included a lot of other differences between the worlds. One of them was that JFK survived the assassination attempt in Dallas and was still alive, so the divergence point goes back at least that far. Given that they still use zeppelins on the Other Side I would guess that the Hindenburg never crashed there either. I don’t know that they have ever said what the divergence point was or how far back it is. Actually, I think that’s one of those things we just really shouldn’t think too much about. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/79 "2011-05-13T18:18:56Z")
Considering the differences in the [US Map](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YPCf8JFgUdI/S_gPc9AjOFI/AAAAAAAANBA/XquWeHNUDyU/s1600/USAlternateMap.jpg), the divergence point has to go pretty far back. Obviously, the two universes are deeply connected though. I mean, it can’t just be coincidence that both Olivias, despite living completely different lives both end up as Fringe agents. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047/80 "2011-05-13T18:35:08Z")
Potential spoilers, but here is an interview that some may find interesting: [HitFix Interview: Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman discuss the ‘Fringe’ finale and future](http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/the-fien-print/posts/hitfix-interview-jeff-pinkner-and-j-h-wyman-discuss-the-fringe-finale-and-future) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fringe-may-6-2011-the-day-we-died-season-finale/581047.md?page=5)