The Firefly
Season 3, Episode 10

The Firefly

Aired January 21st, 2011 · Written by J. H. Wyman, Jeff Pinkner · Directed by Charles Beeson

SYNOPSIS

This episode centers on a chain of events created by Walter's crossing over into the parallel universe in 1985 that has had subtle but significant effects in the present.

Synopsis provided by the Fandom Wiki, Fringepedia, and Wikipedia.

THE GLYPHS

This episode's glyphs spell:

U-N-I-T-E-S

Glyph symbol U Glyph symbol N Glyph symbol I Glyph symbol T Glyph symbol E Glyph symbol S
Glyph symbol U
Glyph symbol N
Glyph symbol I
Glyph symbol T
Glyph symbol E
Glyph symbol S


THE OBSERVER

The Observer is featured in this episode.

Observer 35:31

EPISODE CLUES

Previous Episode Clue

The name of the rail system in 'Marionette' is "Firefly Railway", foreshadowing the title and theme of 'The Firefly'.

Previous episode clue 01:00

Next Episode Clue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

  • Walter called Astrid 'Ashram'.
  • Roscoe Joyce called Astrid 'Kelly'.
  • Christopher Lloyd being featured in an episode with time travel to/from 1985 are strong references to Back to the Future.
  • Walter saving Peter ultimately caused Roscoe Joyce to lose his son.
  • Item of interest: Walter's glasses 12:28
    When Walter explains that his red/blue lensed glasses were created by his friend from Washington, Doctor Jacoby, he's referencing the television show 'Twin Peaks' which also had an eccentric man of science, Doctor Jacoby, who wore red/blue lensed glasses very similar to Walter's.
  • For more information about the band Violet Sedan Chair click here.

VIDEOS

Featurettes
Commentary

FRINGE DIVISION CASE FILE

U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
121 105th Street • Washington, DC 20735
Phone: (202) 555-2100 • Fax: (202) 555-2101
E-mail: washington.fbi@fbi.com

FRINGE DIVISION CASE FILE #310-12111

FRINGE EVENT: N/A

CLASSIFIED CASE CONNECTION(S): Observers

AGENTS ASSIGNED: Dunham

SUPERVISING AGENT: Broyles

FILE ARCHIVED BY: Andrea Bloddy, Ed Dexter

WITNESSES/CONTACTS: Roscoe Joyce, Victoria DiMiri

LOCATION: Parklane Senior Care, Boston, MA; Cambridge, MA

VICTIM(S): Bobby Joyce, Peter Bishop

CASE REPORT SUMMARY:

Dr. Walter Bishop worked with former Violet Sedan Chair keyboardist Roscoe Joyce to access memories of his long-dead son, Bobby Joyce. Using special aura-reading glasses and music, Dr. Bishop helped Joyce recollect a conversation he had had with his son that foretold Bobby meeting with "the man in the suit" who took Peter through time and saved his life.

WALTER'S FOOD

Walter had a pizza delivered at 2 in the morning, asked Astrid to get ingredients for strawberry milkshakes, and made Peter some rosemary chicken soup.
Walter's Food: Rosemary chicken soup 41:17 Rosemary chicken soup

NAMES FOR ASTRID

Walter called Astrid 'Ashram'.

NOTABLE QUOTES

Walter (to Peter):
"Every time The Observer shows up, it has something to do with you. And every time, it's something bad."
The Observer:
"Various possible futures are happening simultaneously. I can tell you all of them, but I cannot tell you which one of them will come to pass."
The Observer (to Walter):
"You and I have interfered with the natural course of events. We have upset the balance in ways I could not have predicted."
The Observer:
"I must admit, I feared my experiment would fail."
December:
"But you were right. He's changed. He was willing to let his son die."
The Observer:
"Yes. And now we know. When the time comes... he will be willing to do it again."

EPISODE CONNECTIONS

S2E10 — 1 connection (callback) S2E22 — 1 connection (callback) S3E20 — 1 connection (setup) S3E21 — 1 connection (setup) S4E04 — 1 connection (setup) S4E10 — 1 connection (setup) S5E11 — 1 connection (setup) ◀ EARLIER · CALLBACKS SETUPS · LATER ▶
Callbacks (2 earlier episodes)

S2E10 - Grey Matters

  • Walter wanted to listen to his favorite band Violet Sedan Chair in "Grey Matters". Roscoe Joyce, their keyboard player, is the subject of "The Firefly".

S2E22 - Over There (Part 2)

  • In a deleted scene from "Over There (Part 2)", Walternate was driving with Peter and said that Violet Sedan Chair's 3rd album was his favorite. Peter said they only had 1 album in the Blueverse. Roscoe Joyce told Walter why the band broke up prematurely in "The Firefly".
Setups & payoffs (5 later episodes)

Spoilers for future episodes below

The connections from here on are to episodes that come after this one. Once you've watched them, these same connections appear unblurred on their own episode pages.

Your choice is remembered in this browser only and unblurs connections to episodes you've already seen — here and on every other episode page. It's the same setting as the gear in the menu bar, so you can change it from anywhere on the site.

S3E20 - 6:02 AM EST

S3E21 - The Last Sam Weiss

S4E04 - Subject 9

S4E10 - Forced Perspective

S5E11 - The Boy Must Live