“It was the first hole, the first breach, the first crack in the pattern of cracks in the places between the worlds, and it’s my fault.” -Walter Bishop
Whoa. That intro sequence was trippy. Anyway, Olivia learned in the last episode something that all of us viewers knew from the Season 1 finale: Peter is from the other side. We did not know the exact reasons or circumstances behind it, however, and that’s what this episode is all about.
Here’s the breakdown.
Characters
This is a flashback episode, as Walter explains to Olivia why Peter is in this universe when he’s from the other side. We also meet Peter’s mom for the first time. Those two make up the main cast for this episode. Others are Walter’s lab assistant, much like the 80′s version of Astrid, and Nina.
Story
So we discover in the beginning of the episode that Peter is dying of a genetic disease for which there is no cure. Walter is using a window to the other side, which is about 30 years ahead of our side in technology (as evidenced by the RAZR phone that Walter shows the Army), to watch the other side in hopes that Walternate (Walter in the other side) will have better luck than he has in finding a cure. Then Peter on this side dies, right in front of Walter. He continues watching, hoping that Walternate will be able to cure alternate Peter so Walter can take comfort that Peter is living on somewhere, if not with himself. Then the Observer causes Walternate to miss the success of his compound, but Walter sees it. By the time Walternate turns back, the compound has failed, causing Walternate to totally disregard the compound that would cure his son. Walter, obsessed with saving Peter, any Peter, figures out the compound and crosses over to the other side – a first and what Walter says weakened the walls between the two worlds. When he crosses over, we find out what happened to Nina’s arm.
This episode answered a lot of questions about Walter and Peter’s past. Seeing how well they are getting along now, it will be sad to see it all destroyed when Peter learns the truth.
