Os
Season 3, Episode 16

Os

Aired March 11th, 2011 · Written by Josh Singer, Graham Roland · Directed by Brad Anderson

SYNOPSIS

This episode centers on the Fringe team's investigation into a series of robberies of the element osmium which they connect to a scientist who is able to defy the laws of physics in an attempt to allow his paraplegic son to walk again.

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

THE GLYPHS

This episode's glyphs spell:

E-A-R-T-H

Glyph symbol E Glyph symbol A Glyph symbol R Glyph symbol T Glyph symbol H
Glyph symbol E
Glyph symbol A
Glyph symbol R
Glyph symbol T
Glyph symbol H


THE OBSERVER

The Observer can be seen in the crowd outside the Massachusetts Metal Depository.

Observer 09:12

EPISODE CLUES

Previous Episode Clue

The periodic table of elements in the Jacksonville daycare center in 'Subject 13' displays the element Osmium, the element featured in 'Os'.

Previous episode clue 09:46

Next Episode Clue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

  • Jorge Garcia has a cameo as a Massive Dynamic security guard.

VIDEOS

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 #316-31111

FRINGE EVENT: Antigravity molecule

CLASSIFIED CASE CONNECTION(S): N/A

AGENTS ASSIGNED: Dunham

SUPERVISING AGENT: Broyles

FILE ARCHIVED BY: Scott Walker, Devan Nolen

WITNESSES/CONTACTS: Security guard, Bill [redacted], Dr. Krick (suspect), Michael Krick

LOCATION: MA Metal Depository, Doyle St., Museum of Science

VICTIM(S): Koenig (deceased), Bill [redacted], Vince [redacted]

CASE REPORT SUMMARY:

A security guard shot a floating thief at the MA Metal Depository. The guard said he found two men coming down from the roof. The victim's calf muscles were extremely atrophied. In the lab, Dr. Bishop discovered that the thief had a weakened immune system and rapidly depleting buoyancy that made his remains weigh a ton. Dr. Bishop found osmium mixed with lutetium in the thief's body. The elements were traced to Dr. Krick, who worked in aeronautics. He was contracted to develop a new alloy for military aircraft, a metal dense enough to keep pilots safe from ground fire, but still allow for flight. When he combined the two elements, the result was unexpectedly a new molecule lighter than air.
 Dr. Krick enlisted men suffering from muscular dystrophy to ingest his new serum so he could test its efficacy and shelf life. He even used them to steal more of the elements to keep his research going. Dr. Krick's son also had muscular dystrophy, and Dr. Krick's ultimate goal was to treat his own son with the final product. He was arrested, along with one of his subjects, trying to steal lutetium. Dr. Bishop's final determination was that Dr. Krick's serum should never have worked, but the breakdown of their universe was allowing it.

WALTER'S FOOD

Walter had Red Vines, said he created a baconberry-flavored cupcake frosting, asked for some licorice, ate some mints, and ate some more mints.
Walter's Food: Red Vines 01:28 Red Vines
Walter's Food: Mints 23:33 Mints
Walter's Food: Mints 31:13 Mints

NOTABLE QUOTES

Walter:
"There is a man in custody, but Dr. Krick is not the man responsible. I am. Dr. Krick's serum should never have worked. This man wasn't changing the fundamental laws of nature. I think they were changing on their own. I think he took advantage of it. Don't you see, Nina? Our universe is starting to break down because of what I did 25 years ago. What we've seen happening on the other side is starting to happen here!"
Walter:
"A person's consciousness... their soul is energy. And energy cannot be created or destroyed. No matter where Belly's consciousness is, the harmonic vibrations emanating from this bell will draw it forth from whatever vessel he chose before-"
Nina:
"Walter, you're being-"
Walter (ringing a bell):
"...Belly?"
Nina:
"No, Walter. It's still me."
Walter:
"Mm. Of course."
Nina:
"Well, what now?"
Walter:
"If I'm right, wherever Belly is... he will find us."
Olivia (with the cadence of Bell's voice):
"Hello, Peter. It's nice to see you again."

EPISODE CONNECTIONS

S1E20 — 2 connections (callback) S2E04 — 1 connection (callback) S1E21 — 1 connection (callback) S3E02 — 1 connection (callback) S3E11 — 1 connection (callback) S3E12 — 1 connection (callback) S3E14 — 1 connection (callback) S3E21 — 1 connection (setup) S5E13 — 1 connection (setup) ◀ EARLIER · CALLBACKS SETUPS · LATER ▶
Callbacks (7 earlier episodes)

S1E20 - There's More Than One of Everything

  • The only reason the combination of two heavy elements made a new molecule that was lighter than air in "Os" was because the fundamental properties of physics were starting to break down like Nina said they would in "There's More Than One of Everything".
  • Connection: Bell on William Bell's desk S1E20 45:37
    William Bell had a bell on his desk in "There's More Than One of Everything". He rang it after he introduced himself. He did that to prime Olivia to receive his soul should he die in the future. Walter rang that bell in "Os" and Olivia became inhabited by William Bell.

S2E04 - Momentum Deferred

  • Connection: Olivia drinking tea S2E04 25:37
    William Bell (in Olivia's memories in "Momentum Deferred"):
    "How do you like your tea?"
    Olivia:
    "I don't want any tea."

    Suddenly she found herself drinking tea, disoriented from the timeslips.

    Walter (about Bell in "Os"):
    "All he'd need to do was to prepare someone by inserting a microscopic soul magnet inside them. And he proposes using injections, food, or a cup of tea--"

    Bell put his soul magnets into the tea that Olivia drank.

S1E21 - Unearthed

  • Walter (in "Unearthed"):
    "I propose that Rusk's murder and Lisa's rebirth happened simultaneously. In fact, it was his suddenly dispatched energy which jumpstarted the girl's body and brought her back to life."

    This is similar to William Bell's 'Soul Magnets' experiment that was enacted in "Os".

    Walter (about Bell in "Os"):
    "I know he's dead, I know that. But maybe we can bring him back. Look, one of his research projects. He posits here that a person's soul or consciousness continues to live on after death. And all it needs is a vessel or a host to return to."

S3E02 - The Box

  • Connection: Nina's bell S3E02 15:36
    Connection: Ringing the bell S3E16 40:59
    William Bell left Nina a bell in his will in "The Box". Walter rang that bell in "Os" which initiated Bell's soul magnet experiment.

S3E11 - Reciprocity

  • Connection: Shapeshifter discs S3E16 41:47
    In "Os" Peter revealed to Olivia that he was working on the Shapeshifter devices that he collected in "Reciprocity" by killing Shapeshifters.

S3E12 - Concentrate and Ask Again

  • Nina encouraged Peter in his relationship with Olivia in "Os" because she knew his relationship choices would affect the outcome of the war between universes based on what Sam Weiss told her in "Concentrate and Ask Again".

S3E14 - 6B

  • Walter (in "6B"):
    "Belly and I used to argue about this constantly: 'What happens to the body's energy after death?'. William theorized we should be able to capture that energy using what he called Soul Magnets."
    Peter:
    "It's a catchy name."
    Walter:
    "He said if he were right, he would contact me from The Great Beyond. I haven't gotten the call yet."

    In "Os" the team learned that Bell had enacted his Soul Magnet plan before death using Olivia as a host.

Setups & payoffs (2 later episodes)

Spoilers for future episodes below

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S3E21 - The Last Sam Weiss

S5E13 - An Enemy of Fate