{"id":1144,"date":"2012-05-13T11:33:44","date_gmt":"2012-05-13T18:33:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/?p=1144"},"modified":"2012-05-13T11:33:44","modified_gmt":"2012-05-13T18:33:44","slug":"mark-watches-fringe-s04e22-brave-new-world-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/2012\/05\/mark-watches-fringe-s04e22-brave-new-world-part-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Watches ‘Fringe’: S04E22 – Brave New World, Part II"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the finale of season four of Fringe<\/em>, the Fringe team race to save both universes from William Bell’s new world. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Fringe<\/em>.<\/p>\n

You know, there’s a gorgeous emotional continuity to this finale that’ll allow me to both excuse and accept how neat the end of season four feels. Part of that is because I understand that the showrunners had<\/em> to write the finale with the very real possibility that this was going to be the very last episode of Fringe<\/em> ever. Emotionally, then, it was nice to get closure on some plots, but I was mostly impressed with the themes brought up with the return of William Bell.<\/p>\n

If you think about it, Fringe<\/em>‘s mythology has always been tied to the idea of playing God, and the introduction of the parallel universe plot by the end of season one wouldn’t exist without Walter Bishop. As awesome as it was to get Leonard Nimoy back on the show (!!!!!! HELP ME HE WAS SO AMAZING AS A VILLAIN !!!!!!), I found that all of the scenes on the freighter existed more to build Walter’s characterization. It was deliberate that so much of season four referenced events and characters from the first season. We’re meant to look back on Walter’s affect on the world, both through his Cortexiphan studies and his deliberate crossing into a parallel world to save Peter. In both cases, Walter was<\/em> playing God, believing that science could help him break from the accepted way of the world. He could<\/em> find a way to improve human existence. He could<\/em> find a way to save his son from a fatal disease. And he didn’t stop to think whether he should<\/em> do any of those things. It was an arrogant choice of his and William Bell’s. That’s not to say it hasn’t produced a lot of good! Walter and his rigorous dedication to science have saved the team numerous times.<\/p>\n

What we see here is the logical extension of where Walter was headed. Only William Bell STOLE IT<\/em>. Oh my god, WHAT A SATISFYING ANSWER TO WHAT WAS IN THAT PIECE OF BRAIN FROM WALTER’S HEAD. It’s the actualization of where all their work was headed. Why not<\/em> become literal gods of their own creation, using science to produce a new Big Bang, and creating a whole new world? Ugh, and Bell wasn’t even planning on having humans be a part of it<\/em>. Like, there’s something that’s simultaneous terrifying and spectacular about that revelation. He was serious<\/em> about creating a new world from scratch, and that meant he thought it through enough to make sure it would survive by eliminating all humans. <\/em>Well, except for him and Walter. Wait, what were they going to do while they were in that new world? Did Bell build a cabin for them? Wouldn’t they die in a few hours after one of their creations ate them or something? Also, where did Lieutenant Gaeta go? I WANT MORE OF HIS CHARACTER.<\/p>\n

I think it’s also fitting that throughout all of this, both David Robert Jones and William Bell both wanted to manipulate Olivia. To them, she was nothing but a means to an end, and that fits their own detached sense of self-righteous brilliance. All of these bizarre “tests” have been a way to activate the Cortexiphan in Olivia, allowing her to be the power source that Bell needed. It’s why David Robert Jones was the bishop that was to be sacrificed, not Peter or Walter. God, the more I think about that reveal in Part I, the more I just adore how William Bell was written in this finale. He’s such a joy to see on the show, and then you have to realize he’s extremely fucked up<\/em>. Like, I kind of want to see more of him in season five, but that means good god what the fuck else would he do?<\/em><\/p>\n

Good villainry. GOOD VILLAINRY.<\/p>\n

I think that season four has been a real treat to watch, and this season finale is no exception. HERE ARE REASONS WHY:<\/p>\n