"Peter and the Machine" (Chapter 3) (Beyond the Fringe Chapter #3A)

This comic apparently concludes this arc, to the best of my knowledge, which I find odd because there are supposed to be seven different comics and fourteen different releases since each comic has an A and a B storyline, so I am left to wonder what the remainder of the A story lines are going to be. This is definitely, in many ways, a really interesting comic, but it is so confusing on so many levels. What does September show Peter? Does he show him that if he chooses to return to Olivia and Olivia, his mother will die, that Peter is ultimately the cause of his mother's death? Even in the alternate orange timeline, Elizabeth died, even though Peter died as a boy, so how would that be different? Obviously, it is not different. I also don't understand how he sees a future in which Red Olivia and Red Lincoln are together raising Henry as a child. My understanding is that they died when the Redverse was destroyed, so I just don't understand. We do get a very gratifying answer regarding the Machine, though, one that actually does make some sense to me; I just hope that that answer is integrated into the actual TV series, though, too, because as nice as it is to have exclusive insight that those that are not taking the time to read the comics don't have, I don't want strict viewers to become frustrated with a lack of knowledge and give up on the show; we have had too many people give up as it is.

 

Older Peter has the opportunity to talk to himself in the past, to talk to a younger version of himself, and he reminds him that he hasn't always been a good person, reminding him, for example, of Ahmed. He tells him that the Machine amplifies your desires, turning them into reality. Therefore, it would seem to me as if Peter used the Machine to think himself out of existence. Now, why he doesn't realize this or remember meeting himself from the future is beyond me, and that part of it doesn't make a lot of sense to me either because at one point during "The Day We Died" (3.22), Walter tells Peter that he will bring Peter's consciousness forward from 2011, and if that's the case, how does 2011 Peter become 2026 Peter? How does he have memories from the past fifteen years? It's all so confusing, and the writers definitely have a major mess to clean up. These comics have helped a little bit but not nearly enough, because as usual, the questions that they answer only lead to more questions, and I fear that the TV series will not answer these questions. I really appreciate the Violet Sedan Chair lyrics that Walter is singing at the institution, as well as the reference to Alice in Wonderland, something that FRINGE likes to refer to on a regular basis.

 

Really, my only other issue with this comic is September, and I tend to think that, in a way, he is wildly out of character. Peter tells September that he doesn't want to be spoken to in riddles anymore, and September rhetorically asks, "Why are you Bishops always so stubborn?" Again, I think that this is wildly out of character, far too human. The closest that we see the Observers to being human is when August develops feelings for the young woman Christine. They are not smart-mouthed like September is here, and I don't even believe that he actually said that for that very reason. The events of this series lead to the final scene of "The Day We Died" (3.22), the season 3 finale, which is nice, but its conclusiveness is incredibly limited, as there are still many questions that need to be answered, and again, my fear is that the series is not going to answer these questions, especially not if we don't get a fifth season, which I unfortunately fear that we will not. Too many people, at this point, have given up on the series and are not watching live anymore, and the numbers are dreadful. I try hard not to dwell on such misfortunes, but it's hard not to when FRINGE is not only your favorite show but a passion (as should be evident due to this website); I do not want this show to end prematurely. If you feel the same way, please make time for the show on Friday nights, and be sure to tune in for "Back to Where You've Never Been" (4.08) on January 13th.