Nothing As It Seems
Season 4, Episode 16

Nothing As It Seems

Aired March 30th, 2012 · Written by Jeff Pinkner, Akiva Goldsman · Directed by Frederick E. O. Toye

SYNOPSIS

In this episode, Olivia's neuropsych evaluation threatens to keep her on the sidelines while Lee and Peter investigate the mysterious aftermath of VertusAir 718. This is Peter's second exposure to the case, and his foreknowledge sends the Fringe Task Force chasing after a cult determined to manipulate the evolutionary process and mankind's future.

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

THE GLYPHS

This episode's glyphs spell:

F-U-T-U-R-E

Glyph symbol F Glyph symbol U Glyph symbol T Glyph symbol U Glyph symbol R Glyph symbol E
Glyph symbol F
Glyph symbol U
Glyph symbol T
Glyph symbol U
Glyph symbol R
Glyph symbol E


THE OBSERVER

The Observer walks down the sidewalk behind Peter and Lee after they arrive at Daniel Hicks' house to search for him.

Observer 17:34

EPISODE CLUES

Previous Episode Clue

The porcupine on the calendar in September's apartment in 'A Short Story About Love' foreshadows the return of the Porcupine Man in 'Nothing as it Seems'.

Previous episode clue 16:59

Next Episode Clue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

  • Walter called Astrid 'Aphid'.
  • Jones wants to start a new phase of guided human evolution.
  • The presence of previously-seen creatures suggests that they were part of DRJ's larger plan in season 1 as well, and his death led to the creatures being used elsewhere.
  • Walter said that he was taught some Yiddish by Bell's father. Leonard Nimoy's parents taught him Yiddish.
  • Item of interest: Cuneiform 43:02
    The cuneiform on the boat door says "bí".

VIDEOS

Featurettes
Interviews

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 #416-33012

FRINGE EVENT: Flying human-porcupine hybrid

CLASSIFIED CASE CONNECTION(S): David Robert Jones

AGENTS ASSIGNED: Dunham, Lee

SUPERVISING AGENT: Broyles

FILE ARCHIVED BY: David Bernal

WITNESSES/CONTACTS: TSA agent Mike [redacted], TSA agent Knolls, Marshall Bowman, Daniel Hicks, Edward Markham, Kate Hicks (suspect), Nina Sharp

LOCATION: Boston, MA

VICTIM(S): Marshall Bowman (deceased), Agent Lee (wounded)

CASE REPORT SUMMARY:

VertusAir Flight 718 experienced a passenger disturbance when Marshall Bowman had a severe anxiety attack inside the bathroom. He was escorted off the plane by TSA agents. They inspected his bag and found two syringes and a series of small vials, each filled with a different colored medication. Bowman then transformed into a porcupine-like creature and died. Fringe agents were assigned, and consultant Peter Bishop explained he had encountered Mr. Bowman in his own timeline through a virtually identical case, except the plane had crashed. Agent Dunham remembered Bowman's partner Daniel Hicks, as they had both been infected by a designer virus that was programmed to rewrite DNA.
 Agents tracked Hicks down at his home, where he attacked Agent Lee in monster form and escaped. A cuneiform tattoo meaning "renewal" or "rebirth" led agents to a cult obsessed with the guided evolution of man and an old Massive Dynamic program, "816pt618", led by David Robert Jones.

THE TIMELINE WITHOUT PETER

  • Rachel is still married and has two kids, Ella and Eddie.

WALTER'S FOOD

Walter made peanut butter and bacon sandwiches and made a wheatgrass, penicillin, laxative, and mint smoothie for Lincoln.
Walter's Food: Peanut butter and bacon sandwiches 24:11 Peanut butter and bacon sandwiches
Walter's Food: Smoothie 32:37 Smoothie

NAMES FOR ASTRID

Walter called Astrid 'Aphid'.

EPISODE CONNECTIONS

S1E13 — 2 connections (callback) S1E16 — 1 connection (callback) S2E01 — 1 connection (callback) S2E09 — 1 connection (callback) S3E01 — 1 connection (callback) S4E11 — 1 connection (callback) S5E04 — 1 connection (setup) S5E08 — 1 connection (setup) ◀ EARLIER · CALLBACKS SETUPS · LATER ▶
Callbacks (6 earlier episodes)

S1E13 - The Transformation

  • "Nothing as it Seems" retells the story of "The Transformation" with different details due to the different timeline.
  • Connection: Porcupine creatures S4E16 42:30
    The ship at the end of "Nothing as it Seems" shows creatures like the Porcupine Man from "The Transformation".

S1E16 - Unleashed

  • Connection: Creature S1E16 15:22
    Connection: Creature S4E16 42:44
    The ship at the end of "Nothing as it Seems" shows creatures from "Unleashed" in cages.

S2E01 - A New Day in the Old Town

  • Connection: Fringe cases to Bible verses S2E01 41:55
    Connection: A new Noah's Ark S4E16 41:55
    Agent Jessup was relating season 1 Fringe cases to Bible verses in "A New Day in the Old Town". In "Nothing as it Seems", creatures can be seen on something resembling Noah's Ark.

S2E09 - Snakehead

  • Connection: Snakehead creature S4E16 42:53
    The ship at the end of "Nothing as it Seems" showed the creatures from "Snakehead".

S3E01 - Olivia

  • Connection: Olivia's therapist S3E01 03:53
    Connection: Olivia's therapist S4E16 07:28
    Olivia's therapist in "Nothing as it Seems" is the same one she had when she was trapped on the other side in "Olivia".

S4E11 - Making Angels

  • Olivia (to Fauxlivia about Peter in "Making Angels"):
    "Yeah, I imagine he's just your type."
    Fauxlivia:
    "Actually, no. Turns out I like the nice guys."

    Fauxlivia shows particular interest in Lincoln.

    Peter (to Lincoln in "Nothing as it Seems"):
    "You're a good guy."
    Lincoln:
    "Yeah. I'm a good guy."
Setups & payoffs (2 later episodes)

Spoilers for future episodes below

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S5E04 - The Bullet that Saved the World

S5E08 - The Human Kind