“The Road Not Taken” is episode nineteen of season one of Fringe.
In the previous episode, “Midnight”, Nicholas Boone revealed that Massive Dynamic’s founder, William Bell, was linked to ZFT. Broyles is briefing people on this connection and the various terrorist acts and that their job is to find actionable evidence to link Bell and ZFT. Charlie and Olivia will be coordinating the investigation. Meanwhile, in New York, a woman runs out of a building and tries to get a taxi, then gets on a bus. She checks that it’s going near the hospital and denies that she’s sick. She’s sitting when she notices the window next to her has steamed up. Then a newspaper on a seat starts to catch fire. She demands the bus be stopped and leaves. She’s asking for help and someone asks if she’s okay. The woman bursts into flames and then fire explodes from her. That would be no.
Walter is reading the ZFT manifesto and Peter asks if he’s found anything new. Walter has something to show Peter. As Astrid enters, Walter gets a typewriter and starts typing, showing how the ‘y’ on the typewriter is identical to the ‘y’ on the ZFT manifesto. The typewriter was William Bell’s; Walter remembers when he bought it. As to Bell not merely funding ZFT but being responsible for it. Walter says Bell, despite his flaws, couldn’t be behind such horrendous things. There are references to a chapter on ethics, but there is no chapter on ethics. Walter believes someone removed it to use suit their own evil purposes. He wants another copy of the manifesto to check. Peter tells him there is no other copy. As Astrid goes to answer the phone, Walter thinks that a copy could be in the lab as Bell wrote it there.
At the scene in New York, there are two heavily carbonised bodies on the ground. Walter suggests spontaneous human combustion. Olivia says she will have the bodies prepped for transport. Walter asks if there’s another body. And one of the two Olivia is seeing disappears.
Nina Sharp heads to see Broyles. She understands he’s opened an investigation into Massive Dynamic. Broyles says that Bell may be involved in a number of biological attacks over the last year. She says Bell isn’t a terrorist. Broyles would like Bell to tell him that himself. Not possible; he’s travelling. Bell is not the enemy.
In the lab, Walter is telling Astrid that the human body has the energy of five very large hydrogen bombs in it. Peter says that in theory Walter is right. It’s just not easy releasing it. Walter wants the electron microscope. It seems that Peter dismantled it for a project.
Olivia enters Broyles’ office; she says he’s changed it, moved the desk. Broyles gives her a blank look. Olivia says they have a sketch of the victim from the bus driver and where she got on. Broyles asks about the other victim; did the bus driver see her too? Did they get on together? Olivia says there was only one victim. Broyles shows her a photo of two, just as she saw at the scene. Then the room shimmers and returns to the configuration it was in before as Broyles enters the door. That was a bit weird. Then Harris enters and tells them to drop the investigation into Bell. After he leaves, Olivia asks Broyles if they are going to drop it. No.
Walter has removed the victim’s jaw for Astrid so she can scan the teeth. Walter thinks there may be a copy of the manifesto in his filing system. Astrid points out his filing system includes stashing things in walls, cars and multiple safe deposit boxes. Walter wants his Geiger counter – the ticking is relaxing – but Peter has dismantled that too. Astrid has got a match for the victim. Susan Pratt.
Olivia and Charlie are let into Susan’s apartment. Her book collection is interesting. Charlie wonders if Susan was normal; his description of her behaviour sounds rather like a description of Olivia. She finds a $30K cheque from an Isaac Winters. Charlie has found a bathroom bearing marks of extensive fire and some empty fire extinguishers. Clearly, there was another incident.
When Walter is told this, he rules out SHC. By definition, it only happens once. Instead, he suggests pyrokinesis. Peter says that’s a word invented by Stephen King. Walter says yes, but pyrokinesis has been around for longer. It’s a form of telekinesis. Walter thinks Susan had a choice; blow someone else up or herself.
Charlie calls Olivia; Winters has a law firm with an office in Charlestown. When they gain entry, the place has been cleared out in a hurry. There are messages on the answerphone, from Susan Pratt. She apparently took a test. When Olivia heads outside, an ambulance passes. The city is run down, destroyed and on fire in places. Then it returns to normal.
Walter checks to see that she hasn’t taken drugs, then reassures her she’s not going mad. Instead, he proposes an alternate universe. Just like the one in the ZFT manifesto. Olivia seems to be getting glimpses of it, and it doesn’t look like a nice place. Things are… heating up.