Ülisalajane The Boy Must Live (2008–2013) Online

Walter's encounter with "Anomaly XB-6783746" did more than just show Walter where September has been hiding... It bridged two timelines.

But when we first heard the phrase "The Boy Must Live" all the way back in the S2E16 episode "Peter" - We thought all along, this was in reference to Peter. But as with all phrases we hear repeated in Fringe, "There is more than one of everything" - Including meanings for these phrases.

September gives us the future history of The Observers, and he even explains what the "plan to defeat the observers" is-To be blunt, I don't believe it. Or, a better way to put this is, I don't "trust" September, but only in that I think he was omitting something in his overly simplistic explanation of "The Plan" - He's never been 100% transparent, and as a human, he would be even more able to commit misdirection. But he has been rather good at setting out the Hitchcockian Maguffins and getting Fringe Division to chase them. So I'll just extend myself again and say, "I don't think we've been told the whole worm-can" - And with only 90 or so minutes of circular story to tell, we'll see if the bag of snakes "Donald O'Conner" has laid out is straight or not.

And if we put this episode in its place in the timeline, September seems to have known all about this from the first time his shiny-domed head was seen. I've tried to predict in my mind how these four and a half years worth of stories were going, and I've been wrong each time. So I'm expecting to be wrong now, and that has been my whole fascination with this show and this style of storytelling. If the show-runners of Fringe set out to accomplish something, it has been to give us a story that bends back in on itself and can me retold as many ways as there are stars in the sky.

We're told some disturbing, but not wholly unexpected things in this calm before the storm. Olivia early on says that, if the "Plan" succeeds, then time will reset. With four universes worth of time's arrow to choose from, we'll have to see where the roulette-ball will roll.

In this season we've seen Fringe Division take some very wrong turns, but here, even without his "Observer Device" Donald/September seems to be acting according to a predetermined purpose. The only ones who can't see that purpose are Walter and crew, and of course we, who are watching this unfold in "real time"

Walter uses the deprivation tank to explore the vision of September and find where he is. Walter finds that he is in Brooklyn, in New York, and he goes with Peter, Olivia, Astrid and Michael to the place. The meet September that explains that The Observers have removed his implant and trapped him in 2016 since he had interfered in the timeline. He also explains that in 2167, the scientists have sacrificed the emotions to increase the capacity of intelligence in the brain. Later he Observers have created a technique for asexual procreation and Michael was considered an anomaly and would be destroyed. But September hided him in the past since his genes have been used to create Michael. The plan to destroy The Observers is to send Michael to 2167 to demonstrate to the scientists that emotions can exist with increased intelligence. If the plan works, time would be reset from the moment of the invasion. When the group returns to the laboratory, they have to go using monorail since all the area is under siege of Loyalists and Observers. However Michel surprisingly leaves the monorail when the doors are closing and is arrested.

"The Boy Must Live" is one of the most important episodes of this Fifth Season since the plan to defeat The Observers is disclose. Neither the reason why Walter's sacrifice is necessary nor the reason why Michael walked off the monorail are clear. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "The Boy Must Live"

While Walter is working on the amber alone, Peter walks out wondering why Walter is working on the amber late. Then to the credits followed by Walter having an idea where September can be found. Walter then goes into the tank to use his mind to try remember where September could be. The evil observer continues to look for the fringe gang so he goes into the future. Peter seems scared how good Walter feels and how his feelings are effecting him lately. The crew go to an apartment where Walter remembers where he thinks September could be. Then September shows up, he tells the guys of what has happened to him in the 21 years they were amber-ed. September then speaks of Michaerl who was named after Donald O'Conner which is a movie Walter likes. Michael's Brian was different which is why he does not speak like other observers. September took the child away to keep him safe. The observer travels in the future is told no to travel back into the past. The plan was to send Michael into the future but was not possible because he is different. Olivia wants to go through with the plan because it could reset everything and they could get Etta back. The observers figure out September may be helping but when they go to his apartment he and the gang have left. The observer looks through the apartment but can find no clue to where they might be. Once again the observers skips another explosion attack because they saw a light. Walter starts to worry about his fate maybe being a sacrifice. September says bye to the gang and while they try to drive away road blocks are set up making them trapped. They must all go on foot to escape, Olivia and Michael leave first getting onto the train followed closely by Peter and Walter. Just as the train leaves Michael steps off the train and is put in front of the observer making it bad for the final plan. Good episode and the ending has me scratching my head on what the finale will be like. Two episodes left ever is sad but this show has done so much greatness over time.

EPISODE GRADE: C+ (MVP: John Noble)