FRINGE: “Worlds Apart” Recap

The red and blue Fringe teams converge for a meeting, and a nervous Walter leads off by sharing with the group what he believes is Jones intentions. He plans to collapse the two universes and create a new one under his control. The group appears skeptical when Walter reveals the idea came to him in a dream, but Walternate agrees they have to consider all possibilities. Fauxlivia wonders how anyone could collapse two universes and still be standing to see it, but Peter points out that Jones pulled off a mini version of this theory in Westfield. The meeting ends early when news start coming in that earthquakes are being reported in both universes.

It seems Jones plan is being implemented all over the two worlds, and he’s using the cortexiphan kids to get it rolling. They are setting off earthquakes at various predetermined locations. Their involvement is brought to the Fringe teams attention when alt-universe Nick Lane visits Lincoln and tells him about visions he had of being in the earthquake, but it was the quake in the other universe…and he wasn’t there.

Back at Harvard Lab, Peter is contemplating why each location was chosen. Walter has a list of items recovered at one of the sites. He reminds them of his previous discovery that the two universes operate at different frequencies. These items work on a third frequency, Jones is trying to tune the two universes to operate on the same one. When Lincoln calls Olivia with the news about Nick Lane and his unusual experience, she recognizes his name. She also recognizes a woman in video footage from the Sydney earthquake as another cortexiphan kid, Sally Clark.

Walter thinks the plan is genius, as horrible and deranged as it may be. He’s using the cortexikids to psychically link with their alternates and draw on their frequency to change the vibratory nature of the area they are located. Peter wonders if the bridge is facilitating this link, and suggests they close the bridge to cut it off. Walter thinks it would work, but if they do they may never have a link to the alternate universe again. The alternate universe wouldn’t get any better, but wouldn’t get any worse. Olivia suggests they instead try to find Jones and stop the next attack.

Fauxlivia and her crew bring Alt-Nick Lane to Walter’s lab. Olivia explains to him the connection she shared with the other Nick when they were kids, and they hope to use him to find Jones. Fauxlivia expresses her appreciation to Olivia that they are trying to avoid severing the connection, since her world is repairing itself. She loves coming to their universe, especially after it rains. They don’t have rainbows on the other side because of the damage that was done. Once Nick and Olivia’s brains are connected, and Walter has introduced Nick to LSD, Olivia is able to see the other Nick’s surroundings and what he’s doing at that moment. She sees a sign that tells her he is on a college campus. Peter and Lincoln close in and apprehend him just as his timer counts down…but it doesn’t stop the earthquake from happening in multiple other locations.

The newly apprehended Nick Lane isn’t nearly as cooperative as his alternate had been. Broyles questions, if Jones plan is to collapse the universes how long will it take him at the rate he is progressing? Walter is surprised it hasn’t happened already. Olivia tries to reason with Nick, since they knew each other as kids. Nick refuses to tell her about Jones, and tells her she doesn’t have to worry about Jones, they are all on the same side. This is what they were being prepared for as kids, the war, and Jones is on their side protecting them. Walter and the other crew members watch from outside the interrogation room. Jones has convinced the cortexikids that they are in a war, and the earthquakes are collateral damage, not creating much damage on their side but much worse on the other side. Olivia tells him there is no war, and what Jones wants is to destroy both sides.

Peter studies the intricate workings of the timing device Nick had been wearing. It isn’t from this universe, so Jones must have given it to him. He finds a transistor that is labeled and might be traceable. He and Lincoln talk about the consequences of closing the bridge, never seeing the people from the other side again, yet knowing they are so close. Lincoln mentions that Peter is from the other universe, and he knows Peter will be staying where he is. Peter says he has come to the conclusion that home is where the heart is. Lincoln contemplates those words, but the discussion is cut short when the timer unexpectedly starts counting down again.

Olivia tries to gain Nick’s assistance again, telling him everyone he loves will be lost if he doesn’t help them. He tells her about his life after Jacksonville. He had bad thoughts, believed he was going crazy, and had to make it stop. But even then he was a coward. He had a sister, Kendra, and the night he was going to cut his wrists his parents called to tell him she was dead. She slit her wrists in the tub. Jones told him his emotions were contagious, and it was Walter and Bell who did this to him. Jones located him a couple of years ago and told him the war was coming and he needed warriors. He taught him to channel the energy to help protect his world. Olivia continues trying to convince Nick that Jones fed him a pack of lies. She has been to the other side, and they are not their enemies. She stresses to him that innocent people could die, and he’s the only one who can help them.

Nick finally helps the team. Or so it would seem. He tells them Jones usually came to him, met him in public places, but once he had him meet at a warehouse that was filled with machines and equipment. Nick takes them to the place, but while they are inside searching, Nick plays his emotions game with the guard they left in the car with him. They find nothing in the building, but get a call from the guard informing them there’s a problem. They rush back to the vehicle to find the wounded guard alone. He tells them he felt so sad, he just wanted it to end. Nick is nowhere to be found. Olivia realizes Nick’s whole story about the warehouse was a lie.

The Fringe team reconvenes, and Broyles informs them Washington has agreed to let them decide how to proceed. There is less than an hour left on the countdown, and Walternate says that unless anyone has an alternative it seems them must close the bridge.

On the bridge, with 36 minutes to go, Peter tests the machine. It still responds to him. Walternate says they will wait for the power to surge, then they will shut the machine down. He and Walter talk about Peter, about the man he has become. Walter can’t listen any longer, he excuses himself, but Walternate follows. The two sit together on the floor of the outside passageway. Walternate says he knows what Walter is afraid of, that if the machine stops working Peter will disappear. Walter believes it brought him there, there is no reason it can’t take him away. Walternate reminds him that 25 years ago he couldn’t have made this decision, he didn’t, and Walter tells him he’s come to realize this Peter is not theirs. The two bond for a moment, and Walternate leaves Walter to his thoughts. Back on the bridge, Peter says it’s time.

Lincoln has been thinking about Peter’s earlier words, and if home is where the heart is, his is with Fauxlivia. He’s staying in the alternate universe. Peter shakes his hand, and tells him it’s been a pleasure working with him. Olivia and Fauxlivia have a nice moment of mutual admiration, then Lincoln let’s Fauxlivia know he’s staying. She smiles at him. The time has come, and Walternate begins shutting things down. Everything shakes and rattles, and when the motion stops, the original Fringe team of Walternate, Peter, Olivia, Broyles and Astrid are alone. Walter sadly states that he will miss them more than he imagined.

Fringe airs Fridays at 9/8c on Fox.