Season 3, Episode 22

The Day We Died

Aired May 6th, 2011 · Written by Akiva Goldsman, J. H. Wyman, Jeff Pinkner · Directed by Joe Chappelle

SYNOPSIS

This episode follows the aftermath of Peter entering and activating the doomsday device. He finds himself 15 years in the future; though the device has destroyed the parallel universe, his universe is nevertheless gradually disintegrating. Peter comes to realize the background of the doomsday device and wakes up in 2011. After getting the two universes to agree to work together, he inexplicably disappears.

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

THE GLYPHS

This episode's glyphs spell:

N-O-M-O-R-E

Peter disappeared from existence after bridging both universes.

THE OBSERVER

Ten Observers can be seen on Liberty Island after Peter is erased.

43:12

EPISODE CLUES

Previous Episode Clue

The ID number "2026" on the squad car in 'The Last Sam Weiss' foreshadows Peter's experiences in the year 2026 in 'The Day We Died'.

15:59

Next Episode Clue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Walter said the weapon technology is 10-15 years ahead of its time because it actually comes from Walternate/Redverse.
Walternate met Peter at their old lakehouse at Reiden Lake.
Timestamp: 35:37

The Fringe team is the First People. Walter sent the parts of the machine back through time via the wormhole in Central Park. That's why the First People had such a knowledge of Peter and Olivia.
Peter experienced the entire vision in 60 seconds.
Timestamp: 42:12

Peter has disappeared.

VIDEOS

Featurettes

Interviews

Commentary

JJ ABRAMS EASTER EGGS

Timestamp: 05:07

The destroyed Orpheum Theater has an ad for a show called Rocket Poppeteers. Rocket Poppeteers was also a fictional popsicle brand used as part of the marketing for Super 8.

THE FUTURE - 2026

Timestamp: 01:26

The year is 2026.
Timestamp: 01:32

There is a Fringe Division.
Timestamp: 01:52

Ella is a Fringe Division agent.
Timestamp: 04:52

They have suborbital tours.
Timestamp: 35:37

The wormhole in Central Park led to the late Paleozoic era (roughly 250 million years ago).
Timestamp: 07:02

Walter had a stroke that affected the right side of his body.
They have kappa radiation.
Timestamp: 07:18

Walter is in jail for his crimes.
Timestamp: 09:42

There's a vortex on the River Thames.
Timestamp: 10:02

Broyles is a senator.
Olivia and Peter are married.
Timestamp: 14:00

Olivia can control her telekinetic abilities.
The Redverse was destroyed by a wormhole, presumably created by The Machine.
Timestamp: 14:56

Walternate is behind the attacks.
Walternate came to the Blueverse on a mercy mission to try to save his world and got stuck here when the Redverse was destroyed.
Timestamp: 29:38

Walternate killed Olivia.
Timestamp: 33:27

Steak comes in cans.
Timestamp: 05:49

The former Federal Building in Boston is now Fringe HQ.

WALTER'S FOOD

Walter ate a Red Vine.

17:49 Red Vine

NOTABLE QUOTES

Walter:

"It's a paradox. I can't change what happens because it's already happened, but, you can make a different choice within what happened. I simply need to find a way to bring your consciousness forward to now so that you can witness what will happen if you make the same choice. Peter, for all I know it could be happening already. Don't you see? We can fix everything! We can cheat the rules of time!"

Peter:

"I understand now. I understand what the machine does. I know what it's capable of and I know where it came from."

Walter:

"The First People."

Peter:

"Yes, the First People, Walter, but the First People are us. You, most specifically. And maybe Ella and Astrid, I don't know. I don't know who it was that took the machine back through time. But I know something else. I've seen doomsday and it is worse than anything you could possibly imagine. This isn't a war that can be won. Our two worlds are inextricable. If one side dies, we all die. So I've torn holes in both the universes and they lead here, to this room. A bridge so that we can begin to work together to fix-"

December:

"You were right. They don't remember Peter."

The Observer:

"How could they? He never existed. He served his purpose."

EPISODE CONNECTIONS

Callbacks 8

S1E04
S2E08
S2E19
S2E21
S2E22
S3E01
S3E06
S3E21

Setups & payoffs 2

Spoiler: S4E22
Spoiler: S5E04

Callbacks (8 earlier episodes)

S1E04 - The Arrival

S3E22 Timestamp: 43:12

Ten Observers are present on Liberty island in "The Day We Died" from an assumed total of 12. One of the missing two Observers might be John Mosley, a potential former Observer, who was killed in "The Arrival". See the FAQs for more information (note: FAQs contain spoilers through season 5).

S2E08 - August

S3E22 Timestamp: 43:12

Ten Observers are present on Liberty island in "The Day We Died" from an assumed total of 12, given their names. One of the missing two is August, who was killed in "August".

S2E19 - Brown Betty

Ella (in "Brown Betty"):
"We played games kind of badly. Then Uncle Walter told me a story."
Roughly 15 years later Ella was a Fringe agent.
Walter (in "The Day We Died"):
"You used to call me 'Uncle Walter', remember?"
Ella:
"I don't remember much from before it got bad."

S2E21 - Over There (Part 1)

S3E22 Timestamp: 04:49

The End-of-Dayers targeted the Orpheum Theater in "The Day We Died", a soft spot from when Olivia and the other Cortexiphan subjects crossed over to get Peter in "Over There (Part 1)".

S2E22 - Over There (Part 2)

Peter (in "Over There (Part 2)"):
"I don't know what you heard about me, but changing the laws of physics might be slightly above my abilities."
In "The Day We Died" Peter used the Machine to rip holes in both universes and bridge them together.

S3E01 - Olivia

Peter offered to "save" Senator Van Horn's pen with a special trick when it was just about out of ink in "Olivia". Van Horn laughed at him for caring to save a pen and then Van Horn just let it die. This foreshadowed Peter's attitude toward the Redverse in "The Day We Died" where he found a way to save the alternate universe and fix its problems rather than let it continue to decay and ultimately die.

S3E06 - 6955 kHz

Markham (about the radio transmissions in "6955 kHz"):
"First of all, they're as old as dirt. They say when Marconi invented the radio, the first thing he heard was the numbers, like they were floating around in space just waiting for someone to listen."
Peter:
"So you're trying to tell me that Marconi picked up a transmission before humans invented the technology to send one?"
Markham:
"Creepy, right?"
In "The Day We Died" Peter explained that the Fringe team from 2026 sent the pieces of The Machine to the past, explaining how there could be technology broadcasting radio signals before the radio was invented.

S3E21 - The Last Sam Weiss

Walter (in "The Last Sam Weiss"):
"I have known you for a long time, Olivia, and I believe that the drawing was no accident. Whoever did it knew the same as I do: that you don't fail."
In "The Day We Died" Peter revealed that the person responsible for the drawings and The Machine was Walter himself.

Setups & payoffs (2 later episodes)

Spoilers for future episodes below

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S4E22 - Brave New World (Part 2)

S3E22 Timestamp: 29:38

S4E22 Timestamp: 32:33

Walter shot Olivia in the head in "Brave new World (Part 2)" like Walternate did in the possible future in "The Day We Died".

S5E04 - The Bullet that Saved the World

S3E22 Timestamp: 04:16

S5E04 Timestamp: 03:57

The End-of-Dayers used light bombs called Electrilights in "The Day We Died". Loyalists threw a light bomb at Peter in the sewer tunnels in "The Bullet that Saved the World".