At the end of Fringe's third season, there was a significant change. Simple question with a not-so-simple answer (spoiler):
If Peter died as a child, who used the Wave Sink device and joined the two universes together? And when?
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1I'd guess you're asking about who, from the perspective of the universes, did it since they don't know who actually did it.– jfrankcarrCommented Nov 16, 2011 at 22:42
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1@jfrankcarr your statement confused me... On the timeline of the seasons 1-3, it was Peter who did it. On the new timeline, Peter died as a child (and the universes were still separated), who (and why and how) did that, since Peter is the only one capable (theoretically), and Bolivia might not have a son...– Sergio MouraCommented Nov 17, 2011 at 11:22
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6My take, as things are right now, things Peter did work even though they shouldn't work. People appear to be blind to this fact to some degree, they don't perceive Peter as the cause when he actually is. For example, Olivia being able to get Walter out of St. Clairs when she couldn't do it by herself in the original timeline.– jfrankcarrCommented Nov 17, 2011 at 12:00
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@jfrankcarr, she couldn't get him out without permission from a family member. With no living family to speak for him, getting Walter out would probably involve more negotiating, hence the evaluation, but actually easier than going to Baghdad.– Tyson of the NorthwestCommented Feb 16, 2012 at 0:24
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2 Answers
Hm, I'd forgotten about this question. It's been a while, but somewhere mid-season, Walter explicitly states that:
The machine did it on its own once they put the pieces together. No one made it connect the universes.
We can guess that the machine has some sort of link between the original timeline and the new timeline - one of the reasons Peter thought he could use it to get home - but it has not been definitively proven.
Also:
I believe it was stated in one of the episodes where Walter and Peter were building an interface to the machine. This would imply that the version of the machine in this timeline doesn't have the Peter-only interface the original timeline did, and may be a hint towards a stable time loop: The machine only responded to Peter in the original timeline because he built it that way in this timeline.
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1That's an interesting info!! Any chance someone knows which episode it was? I don't remember seeing this (and I was puzzled about this since episode ONE). Commented May 18, 2012 at 13:09
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2@SergioMoura I remember it being one of the ones where Walter and Peter are trying to build an interface to the machine (or maybe the one before that). Does that help?– IzkataCommented May 18, 2012 at 13:11
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Guess I'll have some "re-watching" to do! Once I find out which episode it was, I'll post it here on the comments for future reference. Commented May 18, 2012 at 13:13
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@SergioMoura Once you identify the episode(s), just edit the answer to add that information.– user1027Commented May 18, 2012 at 13:56
I think it was Peter. The thing is that that exact event (him activating the machine) was what changed the timeline. But that doesn't change who did activate it.
The main issue regarding this matter, is the fact that we are stuck in a paradox. Much like the creation of the machine itself: it is not certain who created it, but it was sent to the past by Walter, through the wormhole in Central Park Over There (in this transcript of the last episode of season 3, look for "Peter's Residence - Time Paradox"). This means that this loop would repeat itself, thus, the machine would not actually have been created. It was just there. At least I think this makes sense... but do correct me if I'm wrong!
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1The "time-loop" paradox (where one creates a machine, sends it back in time, the creator finds it and never creates it again) it's understandable. What I did not get is: A person changes an event in the future (!) that makes him not exist in the past... It's like the reverse of the "grandfather paradox" (where you go to the past, marry your grandfather/mother, and then you're never born). Does it have a "label" (like the ones I said)? Thanks for the input! Commented May 18, 2012 at 12:54
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The fact that the FUTURE event makes never had existed is due to fact that that event supposedly "corrects" the universes, since both Peters were supposed to have died in childhood. Hence, this sets both universes straight. Or at least I think this is right! This would make the machine simply exist and function, without anyone having to activate it... I guess...– JNat ♦Commented May 18, 2012 at 14:03