OK, let’s get this out of the way up top: that was easily the best episode of Fringe so far, living up to the hype of last summer, laying down the central conflict of the show, and exploding our minds with mythological overload. I need a cigarette. Oh wait, I don’t smoke.

You knew this episode would be a good one the second you saw Mr. Jones make his triumphant return to the show. The character just oozes awesome. He’s a combination of Hannibal Lecter, Alias’ Rimbaldi, John Doe from the movie Se7en, and MacGyver/Pepsuber. (That jamming device? Freakin’ sweet.) And his mission this week? Recruit Olivia Dunham into the ZFT fold. You might remember ZFT as one of the many sects throughout the world unleashing scientific anomalies into an unsuspecting world for an unknown purpose. Well, that purpose got a little clearer this week.

At this point, I’d like to turn things over to the manifesto for the ZFT group, titled “Zerstorung durch Fortschritte der Technologie” (or “Destruction by Advancement of Technology” in English). In said manuscript, we learned the following belief of this group:

“We think we understand reality, but our universe is only one of many. The unknown truth is that the way to travel between them has already been discovered by beings like us, but whose history is slightly ahead of our own. The negative aspects of such visitations will be irreversible both to our world and to theirs. It will begin with a series of unnatural occurrences, difficult to notice at first, but growing not unlike a cancer until a simple fact becomes undeniable: only one world will survive. And it will be either us…or them.”

So, Jones fashions himself a soldier in the army against a similar yet slightly advanced version of humanity somewhere else in the multiverse, in the midst of a conflict in which only one universe will ultimately survive. Glad we cleared that up. Fringe is apparently Crisis on Infinite Earths with less super heroes and more cows.

Jones’ obsession with Olivia stems from her childhood exposure to a Massive Dynamic drug named (and I hope I’m getting the spelling right here) Cortexiphan, pioneered by one William Bell in the early 1980’s. Bell created this drug, according to Nina Sharp, to stem what he felt were the inhibiting factors that social, moral, and intellectual pursuits placed upon man’s inherently limitless brain capacity. Cortexiphan, in Sharp’s words, was meant to “limit that limitation.”

Apparently, if you’re treated with said drug, your mind’s abilities widen, allowing you to do things like turn off lights with your freakin’ mind. Jones threatened to unleash a massive dose of the Pattern of the Week (think hyperactive scar tissue covering every orifice upon exposure) unless Olivia could disable its release by the power of her Cortexiphan’ed noggin. Upon successful completion, Olivia went from merely examining the Pattern to being a potential key to either stopping it entirely or unleashing it fully. I loved the look of horror on her face as she turned to Peter after diffusing the bomb. She’s no longer sure if she’s a force for good or a walking, ticking time bomb herself.

Just as Olivia’s part in the Pattern achieved greater importance, Walter Bishop’s part likewise ratcheted up as well. It turns out that he himself wrote the ZFT bible, explaining not only Jones’ joy at meeting The ZFT Prophet, but also Walter’s continual fascination with the tome throughout the episode. Walter’s manifesto, coupled with Bell’s creation of Cortexiphan, both deepens and confuses the relationship between these two men during their time together. What drove these two men to these acts?

Well, it is most likely the Observer, a member of the race of “slightly ahead” people mentioned in the ZFT manual. We know Walter and he have a history, and this “slightly ahead” aspect explains how he seems to know things before they actually happen. Now, because the show’s introduced a “multiverse,” we can’t quite call The Observer an alien per se. But if The Observer’s appearance to Bishop and Bell prompted the acts listed above, it’s interesting to note that Bishop’s response was to in fact take up arms against further fringe research, whereas Bell sought even more controversial scientific methods to stop the impending Armageddon.

Further driving home the dual nature of their approaches is Olivia herself. Once a test subject of William Bell, she’s now a partner of Walter Bishop. In Nina Sharp, one can see William Bell’s invisible hand in Nina’s shaky one. I think her somewhat less-than-perfect right hand was meant to echo Jones’ at the episode’s outset, meaning Jones wasn’t the only one exploiting Walter’s “Dis-Re” in the recent past. While the war for the multiverse edges closer to full-scale assault, it’s the battle for Olivia Dunham that will decide that war’s fate.

And you know what? I’m in. I’m completely and totally in. That was one absolutely insane hour of television, explaining various loose threads while pulling the curtain back on a battle that spans frakkin’ universes. Olivia’s new role as Savior of the World could push Olivia hatahs over the edge and onto sanother show. But if it means she doesn’t spend a good chunk of each episode making cutesy faces at Peter so he’ll do what she wants, I’m fine with this change in her character. I’ve longed for her to be more than just the stoic, solid center in the middle of the more interesting Bishop Boys. Now, she has a chance to truly shine. Will she? Only time will tell, but at least she’s got a chance now.

A few more thoughts about this final episode for two months (damnit):

1. Hey, Agent Harassment, so not nice to see you again. I dare not repeat what I said when he essentially referred to Olivia as an exotic dancer, but trust me, it was really mean.
2. There are approximately 300 hospitals in the Boston area. They really could have taken Jones to a real one?
3. Loved the Star Trek reference. Way to plug J.J.’s other gig, Fringe.
4. I’m beyond relieved Jones isn’t dead. Not only am I sick to death of characters slowly dying over the course of an hour, but he’s by far the most intriguing character in the Fringe universe. Walter’s still my favorite, but I am on the edge of my seat, leaning in, every time Jones pops up onscreen. Still, the show should use him sparingly: a little Jones goes a LONG way.
5. Not sure why the “recruit” needs to be “unwilling” for the Lite-Brite Test to work. Hopefully we’ll learn why during the final seven episodes of the season.
6. If Walter’s teleportation device doesn’t kill you, exactly what DOES it do?

And yes, seven more to go, starting in April. I really, really hate how Fringe has ended its two mini-runs this season on such high notes. Makes me super twitchy in the interim. But at least we have a ton to talk about in the meantime, so talk away below!

So, best ep of the season, or am I overreacting? Which was the better reveal: Olivia’s centrality or Walter’s screed? Does Massive Dynamic have ties to ZFT, or did ZFT merely exploit Bell’s clinical trials for their own purposes?