Summary
- A Fringe reboot could address lingering questions, like if Peter knew what happened to Walter after he entered a wormhole in the finale.
- The existence and exploration of other universes beyond the main and parallel ones could be a compelling plot for a potential reboot.
- The fate of the Cortexiphan kids, as well as the ulterior motives behind the trials, are topics that a reboot could delve into.
Fringe ended ten years ago in 2013, but some fans are still waiting for the day that Fox reboots the science fiction television series. The show, which earned a cult following during its release, premiered in 2008 and ran for five seasons before airing its series finale in January 2013. Fringe starred Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham, Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop, John Noble as Walter Bishop, Jasika Nicole as Astrid Farnsworth, Lance Reddick as Phillip Broyles, and Blair Brown as Nina Sharp. The series revolved around a mad scientist (Walter), his relationship with his son (Peter), and their work with an FBI agent (Olivia) to solve strange mysteries.
Although the various storylines introduced throughout the show's five seasons were complex and sometimes confusing if viewers didn't give each episode their full attention, by the time the series finale rolled around, most mysteries were solved, and nearly all questions were answered. However, a handful of puzzles remained unsolved. So if series co-creator J.J. Abrams and executive producer J.H. Wyman ever decided to reboot Fringe, they could address these questions that some are dying to know the answers to.
10 Did Peter Bishop Learn What Happened To Walter After Fringe Ended?
As Fringe fans recall, Walter Bishop and Michael entered a wormhole to 2167 in the Fringe series finale, which resulted in Walter being erased from the timeline in 2015. During the show's last scene, Peter and Olivia enjoyed a day with their daughter, Etta, and when they returned home, Peter opened up an envelope addressed to him from his father. Inside was a piece of paper that had a white tulip drawn on it, the same one from the iconic season 2 episode. Peter never gave his entire reaction to the picture, so his awareness of the white tulip's true meaning and what happened to Walter was up for interpretation.
9 Are There Other Universes & What Are They Like?
Given the canon in the science fiction series, it stands to reason that multiple universes outside the main one and the primary parallel universe (where Peter is originally from) exist in Fringe. If the show ever gets a reboot, it would be interesting if the producers explored other universes aside from the two that Fringe focused on. An infinite amount of different worlds undoubtedly exist, and a possible revival or reboot could shine a light on ones that the original series never addressed and how they are different from Olivia and Walter's universe.
8 What Happened To Fringe's Other Cortexiphan Kids?
Fringe viewers know Olivia's fate by the end of the series. But it's unclear what happened to the other children that Walter and William Bell forced to participate in the Cortexiphan trials in the early 1980s. Of course, the show caught up with many of them as adults (Susan Pratt, Nick Lane, James Heath, Miranda Green, and so on), and when season 4 introduced the alternate timeline, some of the deceased Cortexiphan subjects were resurrected and recruited by David Robert Jones. But most of their whereabouts are unknown following Walter's sacrifice in Fringe season 5. A reboot could update viewers on the Cortexiphan kids or even revolve a new series around them.
7 Did Walter & Bell Have An Ulterior Motive At The Beginning Of The Cortexiphan Trials?
It's believed that Walter and Bell began the Cortexiphan trials in Fringe for scientific purposes. But one has to wonder if either man had an ulterior motive for wanting to inject the experimental drug into children. Fans know that in the mid-1980s, Walter continued the trials to cross between universes and save Alternate Peter's life, and Bell later wanted to use the children to collapse both universes. But it would be interesting to learn if the Cortexiphan trials had a more complex catalyst.
6 What Happened To Agent Jessup?
Agent Amy Jessup was introduced in the Fringe season 2 premiere before mysteriously dropping off of the face of the Earth one episode later, never to be heard from again. Meghan Markle played the character in the science fiction series, and Agent Jessup temporarily ed the Fringe division while Olivia recuperated from the car crash at the hospital. Sadly, Markle's intriguing character never had a chance to develop in the show. Of course, Markle likely wouldn't be able to reprise her role as Agent Jessup in a Fringe reboot. But a recast would work fine for this role, especially because Markle only appeared in two episodes of the original series.
5 What Was Massive Dynamic's Big Secret?
Massive Dynamic was William Bell's company in Fringe that was the source of a lot of intrigue in the television series. Many questions about the multi-billion-dollar corporation were answered throughout the series, but with a company that big, it is bound to have many unsolved mysteries. Perhaps Massive Dynamic's big secret centered around its suspected involvement with the Pattern. But unless a reboot addresses these questions, fans might never know.
4 Why Did Fringe Season 5 Take Place in 2036 & Not 2026?
Fringe season 5 began with Peter, Walter, and Astrid waking up from their amber-induced comas in 2036. Olivia and Peter's daughter, Etta, got them out of the amber, which Walter had previously put them into in 2015 to prepare for the war with the Observers. However, it was unclear why the final season didn't use 2026 as a reference point instead of 2036 since 2026 is the year Peter's consciousness flashed forward to in the season 3 finale. It would have been exciting if the two storylines connected during Fringe season 5, but perhaps they needed Etta to be a certain age to help her family.
3 What Happened To The Alternate Universe After Season 4?
After closing the bridge between the two universes in Fringe season 4, episode 20, it's unclear what came of the alternate universe. A reboot could either include an offhand comment about the state of the alternate universe, or it could fully explore what happened to it following Walter's sacrifice in the series finale. But perhaps double-decker cars will be too hard to come by for a new series.
2 What Was Broyles and Nina's Romantic Past?
Fringe seemingly teased a romance between Nina Sharp and Phillip Broyles in season 2 but quickly dropped it as soon as the writers introduced it. If Fox ever rebooted the series, one mystery they could solve would be the romantic history between Nina and Phillip. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, one kiss between them doesn't matter too much, but it resulted in one mystery that was never solved.
1 Why Was September Different From The Other Observers?
September was the most prominent of the Observers, the central antagonist group in Fringe, but he (and August) were unlike the others since they held empathy for humans. September was not devoid of emotion, and somehow feelings were able to break through when he saved Peter and Walter from drowning in a frozen lake. He later helped Walter, Peter, and Olivia in their fight against the Observers, but it's still not completely evident why he chose to do so. A Fringe reboot would be wise to address this significant mystery.
