Making Angels
Season 4, Episode 11

Making Angels

Aired February 3rd, 2012 · Written by Akiva Goldsman, J. H. Wyman, Jeff Pinkner · Directed by Charles Beeson

SYNOPSIS

In this episode, the alternate Agent Farnsworth grants herself permission to cross over to the prime universe in order to visit Astrid and learn about her past after her father's death. In the investigation, a former MIT professor uses his talents, along with borrowed technology, to intercede in the lives of those destined for a life of suffering. Meanwhile, the Observers monitor the entire affair and learn of the failed intervention of one of their own.

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

THE GLYPHS

This episode's glyphs spell:

E-M-P-A-T-H

Alt Astrid had a troubled relationship with her late father and wondered if their relationship would've been stronger if she was better able to express and understand emotions.

Glyph symbol E Glyph symbol M Glyph symbol P Glyph symbol A Glyph symbol T Glyph symbol H
Glyph symbol E
Glyph symbol M
Glyph symbol P
Glyph symbol A
Glyph symbol T
Glyph symbol H


THE OBSERVER

Observers are featured in this episode. One can also be seen watching the incident in the parking garage.

Observer 21:57

EPISODE CLUES

Previous Episode Clue

The Mallum family in 'Forced Perspective' lives next to a thrift store named Anges de la Pitié, French for 'angels of pity', foreshadowing Neil's perception of himself as a savior to those who would soon experience suffering in 'Making Angels'.

Previous episode clue 30:02

Next Episode Clue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

  • Walter called Alt Astrid 'Astro'.
  • Walter starts to like Fauxlivia.
  • This is the first episode where the Observer is identified by his name, September.

VIDEOS

Featurettes
Interviews

JJ ABRAMS EASTER EGGS

  • The killer had TSA badge 0047. 47
47
J.J. Abrams projects tend to feature the number 47 in some way.

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 #411-2312

FRINGE EVENT: Toxic chemical poison that accelerates fated death

CLASSIFIED CASE CONNECTION(S): Tears of Ra potion

AGENTS ASSIGNED: Dunham, Farnsworth, Farnsworth (OT)

SUPERVISING AGENT: Broyles

FILE ARCHIVED BY: Maiara Calixto, Nick Spagnuolo

WITNESSES/CONTACTS: Neil Chung (suspect; deceased), Dr. Brody

LOCATION: Logan International Airport, Boston, MA; Back Bay, Boston, MA; Boston Medical Center, MA; Reiden Lake, NY

VICTIM(S): Chet Williams, Carrie Watson, Jarid Colin, Anne Chung (mother), John Doe

CASE REPORT SUMMARY:

Three separate victims were each killed by a poison composed of a complex interaction of chemical compounds. Chet Williams was diagnosed with stage 1 melanoma, a treatable cancer, but six hours later he was dead with blood coming from his eyes. A John Doe and Carrie Watson were also found dead, bleeding from the eyes and hemorrhaging from the nasal passage. Jared Colin was attacked by a man with an atomizer, but he escaped into the path of a car, which severed his spinal cord right below T1. Colin said his attacker had wanted to "put him out of his misery."
 Dr. Bishop assessed that the compounds shouldn't interact, but they did in an unpredictable way. He compared it to a legendary alchemical mixture called the "Tears of Ra," which Egyptians used to euthanize pets. Agents connected the victims through their air travel screening by TSA Security Agent Neil Chung. A former professor at MIT, Chung was brilliant and believed that math was the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe. He became obsessed with high-level differential equations that he believed, if solved, could flatten space and time on a level plane. He left MIT and moved to Reiden Lake and then began assisting God's plan with a blue cylinder and his toxin. Agents confronted Chung at his home, where he was shot dead.

THE REDVERSE

  • They don't have Logan International Airport in Boston.
  • They don't have TSA.

WALTER'S FOOD

Walter had a dream about eggs, asked Alt Astrid if she wanted to share some scrambled eggs with him, asked if both Astrid and Alt Astrid would like to eat eggs with chives with him, asked for some vanilla ice cream, ate Red Vines, and had a bobbin.
Walter's Food: Red Vines 11:45 Red Vines
Walter's Food: Bobbin 38:30 Bobbin

NAMES FOR ASTRID

Walter called Astrid 'Astro', 'Asterix', and 'Aspirin'.

NOTABLE QUOTES

Fauxlivia:
"Oh. Isn't this a party? Hey, girls."
Walter:
"Mata Hari. Deceived and betrayed anyone yet today? It is almost lunchtime, after all."
Walter:
"You may possess positive qualities that I previously overlooked."
Fauxlivia:
"Are you flirting with me?"
Walter:
"In your dreams."

EPISODE CONNECTIONS

S2E15 — 1 connection (callback) S4E05 — 1 connection (callback) S4E16 — 1 connection (setup) S5E12 — 1 connection (setup) ◀ EARLIER · CALLBACKS SETUPS · LATER ▶
Callbacks (2 earlier episodes)

S2E15 - Peter

  • December (about the time-viewing device in "Making Angels"):
    "You're right. It's September's."
    March:
    "He must have lost it in 1985 the night he didn't save the boy."

    In the season 4 timeline, Walter tried to save/kidnap Peter just like he did in "Peter", but September never saved them from the icy lake.

S4E05 - Novation

  • December (in "Making Angels"):
    "You're right. It's September's."
    March:
    "He must have lost it in 1985 the night he didn't save the boy."

    In "Novation" Peter realized that the Observer's lack of action that night is what changed everything.

    Walter (in "Novation"):
    "That lake where we crossed over was frozen. The ice broke. We fell through. I tried to hold on to him... but he drowned."
    Peter:
    "The Observer didn't pull us out of the lake that night? Well, that must be it, Walter. It all makes sense now. That has to be what happened. I was supposed to die that night in both universes, but when I didn't, I became a paradox, and now, for the two worlds to heal, I had to be deleted."
Setups & payoffs (2 later episodes)

Spoilers for future episodes below

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S4E16 - Nothing As It Seems

S5E12 - Liberty