For weeks now, I’ve been guessing that while Peter is in a different timeline, he is in the same universe that he left with “his” people. And, this week’s Fringe, “Welcome to Westfield” provided more support for that theory.
When Peter returned, he returned to “his” people, but they never knew him and weren’t influence by him over the years. But, now that Peter has returned, they are adjusting and starting to remember him. It felt like Peter was with his Olivia and his Walter throughout this case.
Olivia started to dream about Peter. And, a relationship with him. Then in Westfield, she recalled the case in Edina, but she never worked that case! Old Olivia worked that case with Peter and Walter. That was odd, indeed! What was happening to Olivia? She felt like someone else was in her head.
Walter has started to love Peter and has opened up. He even left the lab to go into the field … on his own. Even Olivia noticed that Walter was responding well to Peter and sent him over to Walter to work together to find a safe place for them to go in Westfield.
While the experience of Westfield was about the two universes colliding and merging into one within the town at the hands of David Robert Jones, could the same be happening between the two timelines? Instead of Peter simply influencing those around him, could the timelines be merging?
How touching was the conversation between Peter and Olivia about his past and relationship with his Olivia. I loved when Peter said, “She gave me a place to call home. A place I’d want to call home. Eventually we even had our own thing.” Did Peter telling Olivia the story about his Olivia spark her memory? How is it happening?
And, then Walter. Poor Walter! He started off not wanting to get to know Peter at all, but now he is sad that Peter wants to work on the machine to get home. That look of disappointment on Walter’s face was priceless. He clearly loves this Peter, is he remembering as well?
How amazing was this simple line, “What do you mean? It’s Friday. I ordered Damiano’s” from Olivia? And the kiss! She kissed him! And, Peter’s reaction, “W-hoa, Olivia?” She doesn’t seem to remember that her and Peter aren’t together. Have Olivia’s memories been merged? Or, is she the new Olivia who just remembers Peter now?
How will this change the timeline? Is David Robert Jones alive or dead? Does Olivia remember meeting Peter as a child or did she still kill her stepfather? What about Nina? So many questions … until next week, I guess.
I don’t usually comment on the glyphs that are shown before each break, but tonight’s spelled out: Olive. Is she back?
Is Peter home? What do you think is happening?
Clacked by Carla Day 
on Feb 10, 2012 @ 22:22 EST5EDT
Nice review, I love this show.
You said the universes merged and wondered if it is the same with the timelines. I think the opposite happened.
The contradicatary memories of the inhabitants could either be from the other universe or timeline. If the universes merged, wouldn’t the other side experience the same thing? Is Westfield on the other side obliterated too? Considering that they suspect Jones, wouldn’t they contact the other universe right away?
Furthermore why has Olivia memories from the other timeline and not from Fauxlivia? Edina and their Friday routine!
This great episode leaves us with many questions.
Ummm I don’t know why you even thought that peter was in a different universe.. we all knew he was in his own universe but everyone just forgot him because he now technically never existed which is what the observers wanted (at least some of them). The only reason Peter thinks he is in a different universe is because thats the only explanation he could come up with. This has been proven in basically every episode. In the finale of last season, it ended with Peter vanishing and his team not even reacting, it was as if their memories were being erased… so basically from then on you should know he was never in a different universe.. and if you missed that somehow, the observers have confirmed it many times by saying things like “he has returned” “they don’t remember him” etc etc etc..
What I’ve been thinking this whole time is “how will he figure out he is in the right place, how will he get them to remember him, how will he make it as though he always existed” and after that episode I think I’ve got my answer.. the two timelines that have now been created in the one universe (aka ‘universe that remembers peter’ and ‘universe that doesn’t remember peter’) are merging over time and there will be a period like in this episode where people will alternate between their two lives but eventually everything will be as it should be.
i had that theory and stuck with it the entire season 4, this is definitely our universe, this is definitely our olivia and walter, they just need to remember, which clearly olivia is in the process of doing. i can’t wait for next week. but we need more live viewers in america!!! stop watching boring dumb reality shows that turn your brain into mush, and start watching amazing shows like fringe that make you think!
Here, here! More live viewers or this will be the final season.
The Fringe team out did themselves this past episode, IMO. Sadly, it took this most recent episode to really get me back to what the observers had said about Peter being forgotten. I have clearly remembered that ending of last season, but Peter being so certain in “getting back home” has been an apparent misdirection that has left me looking at other scenarios other than the obvious.
Nice to find a good discussion on Fringe. Keep up the good work.
I’m not sure if Peter is “home” or if Olivia is just using her usually different abilities to merge all of her “alternate” selves. It kind of throws that theory out when you consider Walter seems to be remembering this Peter, as you suggested.
Not really sure at this point. I think this past episode was one of the best of the season though…really liked all of the special moments between whichever Olivia and Peter we saw.
I am sooooooo confused… I watched this show, the first two seasons, and then planned on watching it off my DVR. Long story short almost all of my episodes have been erased, but I decided to start watching again two weeks ago. I am going to keep with it, and maybe watch the “lost” episodes later.
you should really look them up online or rent them. a LOT has happened