Welcome to the latest edition of the Fringe Round Table!

Below, staff writers Sean McKenna, Carla Day, Carissa Pavlica - along with Fringe super fan Nick Shere - gather to break down "Five-Twenty-Ten," discussing Peter's transition into the enemy and the return of Nina Sharp...

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What's you're favorite or least favorite part about the Peter as Observer storyline?
Sean: I'm really enjoying Peter as an observer. It brings such a different aspect to his character, and it's kind of fun watching him act with his monotone voice.

Nick: My favorite part is that we're seeing in detail how he's using his Observerly abilities to mess with causality/predict and manipulate events. It would be easy to focus entirely on powers that we can see in exciting action sequences, or observercam POV, but this is much more interesting, and more fitting both to the Observers and to Peter. (The brutal, efficient approach is reminiscent of him hunting the shapeshifters when he was "weaponized.")

Carla: I agree with Nick. I love that Peter's transition is comprehensive and isn't focusing on only one aspect of their abilities. I'm looking forward to seeing how far the transition goes and what all he will be able to do. It provides a unique look into who the Observers are and how tight their strangle hold on humans actually is.

Carissa: Now that I've finally realized the juxtaposition from last year to this, I'm enjoying it more. He fought so hard to come back and now he's disappearing. I find that choice fascinating. 

What did you think about Nina's return?
Sean: It was okay, but I wasn't jumping up and down with excitement. Her return does make me wonder if William Bell will find his way back in this final season as well.

Nick: It felt truncated. Her relationship to several of our main characters is really important -- and with Olivia, much more so in the last couple of seasons than previously in the series. I liked everything they did in the episode, but it really should have been over the course of the season so far.

Carla: I hope that we see her again. Her connections and history should be pertinent to the team's goals of bettering the Observers. I do wish we got to see a little more of her personal connection to Olivia, but we did get to at least see her have the heart-to-heart with Walter. Perhaps, Olivia will go to Nina for help saving Peter....

Carissa: I agree with Nick that it felt truncated, as have the visits we've had so far. I'd like to see Broyles and Nina more present. Olivia could benefit from Nina's experiences with William. Whether she'll get the chance is another story.

Do you think Walter will learn to live with himself or take out the pieces of his brain again?
Sean: I think he will learn to live with himself. He has to. If he doesn't than it would be a huge step back for his character. He has to be able to grow, especially with this being the final season.

Nick: I don't know. Because it's TV, I suspect he'll try to take out the pieces, and be interrupted or have to stop at the last minute and deploy the Full Walter. What would be interesting is if he tries to science up some kind of system to monitor or mitigate the transition.

Carla: While he clearly wants to take the piece of his brain out again, I don't think it will happen. This season, I hope, will be about gaining personal closure and acceptance. I want Walter to grow to accept who he is and be able to incorporate that part of him with the person he desires to be.

Carissa: Walter is about to realize just how special his brain is when he has to figure out how to save his son, so I think he'll learn to live with it. Especially since he'll be removing something of Peter's. He'll be completely distracted.

What will be Oliva's reaction now that she knows about Peter?
Sean: Nervous and afraid? She's going to want to save him and hopefully she finds a way to do so without destroying him and their relationship in the process.

Nick: Total freakout? I imagine she'll be pretty pissed that he's been lying to her. But maybe (given her history) she'll be able to relate to what's happening to him.

Carla: Shock and horror, initially. Then, I expect that she will understand why Peter did it and work with him to use his Observer abilities to help their fight against the occupiers.

Carissa: She'll be hurt that he kept it from her, and want to keep him safe. She'll want to undo what he did and worry about the long term effects. 

What will Walter do when he finds out?
Sean: I'm not sure. You can never tell with him. Maybe he'll be intrigued? Maybe angry? Either way, he's going to want to figure out a way to bring his son back to his human side. He can't let Peter turn into the thing that they are all fighting.

Nick: Lots and lots and lots of science.

Carla: He will want to know every itty-bitty detail about Peter's abilities. At least initially, he'll look at it from a scientific point of view, rather than considering that he could lose his son.

Carissa: With what he's been feeling about losing himself, I think he'll see similarities between his "other" self and the new Peter and freak out. He's going to want to keep Peter from turning into anything even close to what he once became.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/11/fringe-round-table-five-twenty-ten/