“Olivia” is episode one of season three of Fringe.
In the season two finale, “Over There: Part 2”, Olivia was left on the other side as AltLiv had taken her place. She’s now speaking to a doctor who is trying to make out that she is AltLiv, that her mother is alive, she works with Lee and AltCharlie and that alternative universes are a fantasy. That all this happened because of a head injury she suffered along with what she normally deals with as a Fringe Division agent. Olivia is having none of it.
Walternate is watching and he says the treatment isn’t working. AltBrandon says they always knew that transferring memories was a longshot at best. Walternate wants him to try again. AltBrandon wants another dose could kill Olivia. Walternate tells AltBrandon that they both know something that many lives and more dollars have been spent to keep secret. They are at war with another universe and the creatures that live there damaged the fabric of reality. They came here somehow and they need Olivia’s help to move between the universes (how did the others get back with AltLiv not Olivia?). If they can, they can win the war. If not, there will be nothing left to protect. Try again.
Olivia is taken from her cell by a guard. She carefully watches the keypad he uses for the lift. AltBrandon starts giving Olivia another dose and she starts to seize. He and the technician unstrap her and she attacks them, as she was faking it. She takes down the guard and gets his gun, heads to the lift and gets outside. She discovers she’s on Liberty Island and jumps into the water.
In Manhattan, a wet Olivia gets into a taxi and tells the cabbie to drive. He needs her Show Me. She points her gun at him instead.
AltBroyles is telling Walternate that Shore Patrol said it was impossible for Olivia to make it across. Walternate asks what AltBroyles thinks. AltBroyles thinks she made it.
The cabbie, Henry, asks Olivia why she’s in a hospital gown. Because she was held against her will and is being pursued by the federal government. They conducted experiments on her to convince her she’s someone she isn’t. The last thing Henry needs is any kind of trouble. Olivia reassures him he’s in no trouble as long as he does what she says. She wants him to park and hand over his ID. She tells Henry to go and buy her clothes. She now knows where he and his family live.
In a DoD hospital, Lee is still undergoing therapy for the burns he got in “Over There: Part 1”. Despite his condition, he’s a lot better than he was. AltCharlie arrives and they talk about Olivia. Though they think she’s AltLiv, and that Olivia escaped to the other side with the others, and that their Olivia suffered a psychotic break. Then Broyles arrives and tells them Olivia has escaped.
In the cab, Olivia is getting changed when Henry comments on the tattoo on her neck. It’s AltLiv’s tattoo. Olivia says she isn’t insane. She wants the cabbie to take her somewhere.
Broyles is telling the other two that Olivia being on the loose and delusional is a problem. Lee, despite not being healed, is coming with.
In Brooklyn, at the opera house, there is a demonstration demanding the Ambered be released. Olivia tells Henry if she’s not back in 15 minutes, he can leave. Henry asks if the opera house is where her home is. No, but it’s how she got here. Henry asks what’s to stop him leaving now. She recites all his personal details. On the way in, a cop tries to stop Olivia, then recognises her as AltLiv. He asks questions, but knows the answers are classified. He won’t let her enter though as the protocol is already in effect. And the entire opera house gets Ambered.
Olivia’s first way home is blocked. She thinks to try Massive Dynamic, not knowing there isn’t one in this world; Bell and Walter discussed this elsewhere. She still needs to get home, but AltLiv’s memories and abilities are starting to take hold.