Fringe 4x04 - Subject 9

[grimorie]

So Peter's back.

Why? Other than for Walter's well being I seriously don't see the point of him now. Also, riddle me this, why is a universe without Peter result in Olivia getting friendships and better relationships with other people? Look at alt!Olivia versions 1 and 2 as Exhibit-A, and look out Our!Olivia v. 2! Look at Nina and Olivia, Nina was in her life a lot earlier! Olivia and Astrid are friends! Walter and Olivia have such a gentle sort of caring relationship.

These friendships better not change just because Peter returned. 

--

I've been tracking the differences of this new timeline, so far this is what I got:

Blueverse 2.0

• Olivia killed her stepfather
• Peter died in Reiden Lake
• Olivia ran away from the program but not before setting fire to the room and before Bell and Walter could erase/program Olivia to forget so Olivia knows about the Cortexiphan trials. I'm guessing this is the reason why she is no longer mad but still cautious around Walter. She's had decades to process what happened to her.
• Her powers are still very dormant here, no one tested her yet.
• Olivia knew Nina growing up and was enough of a figure in her life she knew about Olivia's prom date.
• Olivia 2.0 wears white hair ties while Olivia 1.0 only wears black hair ties.
• Walter is far more hostile to Nina.
• Astrid does field work
• Astrid and Olivia are friends.

Redverse 2.0

• Col. Broyles is alive!
• There is no baby Henry.
• Charlie is married! Go Charlie!
• Walternate's Peter died because of Walter.

They revisited a lot of things in this episode, not just taking a new spin on the season 1 events but even revisiting locations. The apartment building, the chocolate milk shake shop where Olivia 1.0 confronted Walter 1.0 about the cortexiphan drug trials come to mind.  

And I am so glad that aside from Nick, cortexi-kids are still angry at Walter.



 But where is Lincoln tho?   I hope they are keeping this timeline and not have Peter pull out shenanigans just to get the old 'verse back.

Comments

[mswyrr]

It does make Peter come across as something of an annoying narrative hog, doesn't it? When he's around, the air leaves the room and Olivia doesn't get to be the... more central and important character that she should be in her own darn story.

Olivia ran away from the program but not before setting fire to the room and before Bell and Walter could erase/program Olivia to forget so Olivia knows about the Cortexiphan trials. I'm guessing this is the reason why she is no longer mad but still cautious around Walter. She's had decades to process what happened to her.

Erasing her memories always seemed like the final violation, so I'm happy to see she's been able to own and process her pain in this story. Like a lot of things in Amberverse, this change increases her agency and sense of power over her own life. Another example of that which I loved was that she got to decide what should happen to Walter without Peter there to pressure her. She freely chose to act in kindness toward the person who had hurt her so much when he was as alone and afraid as little Olive had been so long ago.

When it was Walter+Peter interacting with Olivia, she never got the chance to have that much power and make her choice about who she wants to be in response to and in light of what her life has been. But here... she's a big damn hero, not by default or under pressure, but from her own inner strength and humanity. I just... I loved that. It's a completely different narrative of dealing, as an adult, with the people who abused one as a child. Blueverse was more about being forced into inescapable relationship with an abuser and having to just... deal with some kind of dignity. But here it's not like that.

[monanotlisa]

Fancy meeting you...everywhere, really. *g*

It does make Peter come across as something of an annoying narrative hog, doesn't it? When he's around, the air leaves the room and Olivia doesn't get to be the... more central and important character that she should be in her own darn story.

That's pretty much repeating something I noted to chichuri; I just fear it's not how the writers see it, nor the (way too vocal) male bloggers and reviewers. I do hope the showrunners take a look at our corner of fandom too: at how we love the Amber!verse and Olivia's pivotal role in it.

Like a lot of things in Amberverse, this change increases her agency and sense of power over her own life.

Yes. This.

she's a big damn hero, not by default or under pressure, but from her own inner strength and humanity.

One of the us said that they loved best about Olivia that she was "so kind": badass heroines we have running around, a few of them at least, and I love them. But Olivia's empathy and passion for others has always stood out in her character arc.