Subject 9

Fringe Subject 9
Season 4, Episode 4

Air date	October 14, 2011
Written by	Jeff Pinkner & J.H. Wyman & Akiva Goldsman
Directed by	Joe Chappelle
← previous Alone in the World	next → Novation
Cast \| Transcript

"Subject 9 " is the fourth episode of the fourth season of Fringe.

Synopsis[]

Olivia uncovers a dangerous force that may be connected to past experiments with Cortexiphan. The investigation forces Walter to leave the lab for the first time in years and travel to Massive Dynamic to examine old case files. Walter struggles with his emotional state as he confronts the demons of his past.

Plot[]

Olivia Dunham experiences a strange disturbance in her home that creates a brief time distortion and attracts metallic objects it before it dissipates. After explaining this to Walter and Astrid, she and Astrid return to her home to examine the area, where the disturbance occurs again. Walter, observing this from his lab, surmises the effects are similar to one of his Cortexiphan children

test subjects who displayed the ability for astral projection. Walter suspects that the children that underwent the Cortexiphan trials are psychically linked, and why Olivia is experiencing them. Walter's memory can only recall the child subject as "Subject 9", but Olivia is able to secure records from Massive Dynamic that name the person as Cameron James. While there, it is revealed that, in the alternate timeline, the Cortexiphan trials were stopped after Olivia ran away from experiments as a

Cameron's profile.

child (a la Subject 13 but without Peter Bishop to bring her back). Olivia also remembers being experimented on, unlike the original timeline, and the Fringe Division has not encountered the former Cortexiphan children before, as Astrid has no memory of them. It is also revealed that Olivia now shares a much closer relationship with Nina Sharp, who knew her growing up. Walter insists on leaving the lab, the first time in

Rootbeer float — Olivia and Walter drink root beer floats.

three years, joining Olivia to see Cameron, having secretly seen a letter sent to her from his doctor recommending he be readmitted to the mental institution.

Arriving at Cameron's apartment, they find he has changed names and will not be back until the next day. Olivia sets Walter up with a hotel room to spend the night, but he suffers from a panic attack fearing the germs and contaminations in the room. He also reveals that his wife, Elizabeth Bishop, killed herself much earlier in this

timeline, just after Peter died. He tells Olivia that he is glad she can't see him like this. Olivia offers to treat Walter to a root beer float, during which Walter reveals his discovery of the letter and that he came to show Olivia that he is still useful. As they talk, the disturbance appears, much larger and more destructive than before. It pursues Olivia and

Fringe-S4x04-subject9-Olivia-meets-Cameron — Cameron.

Walter out of the restaurant, but dissipates after being hit by a car. After resolving the situation with the police, Olivia and Walter return to Cameron's home, catching him before he can evade capture. Cameron explains that he resents what Walter did to him,

his power making it difficult to live a normal life. When the same disturbance appears, Cameron is able to use his power to disperse it, and Walter realizes Cameron is not the cause of the disturbance; should they continue to appear, they will eventually destroy the world. Walter convinces Cameron to help him to destroy the

disturbance the next time it appears. They travel to a nearby power station and wait. When the disturbance does appear, Walter guides Cameron in actions that will stop it, but Olivia, recognizing a human figure within it, fires her gun, distracting Cameron long enough to cause the

Peter returns 2 — Peter returns to Reiden Lake

disturbance to disappear. As they try to figure out what to do next, Olivia receives a call from Broyles, explaining that they have come across a man that had just appeared in Reiden Lake who knows far too many confidential details about Fringe. After dropping off Cameron, Olivia and Walter go to the hospital where the man

is being held, asking for Olivia by name. As Olivia is taken to the man, Walter finds that Olivia has refused to allow Walter to be re-hospitalized, to his relief. Olivia is shown to where the man is being held; he claims he is Peter Bishop and knows her well. Olivia can only ask "who are you?"

Notable Quotes[]

Walter: Claire, will you please man the cameras in my absence?
Astrid: Really? "Claire"? That doesn't even start with an A.

Walter: You have the ability to gather and direct the kind of power we need.
Cameron: How?
Walter: Well, just like in the highway. Once when you were a boy, you-you blew up a toaster oven with your mind because of an irrational hatred of raisin toast.
Cameron: You ever had raisin toast?

Nina: Maybe you can ask Walter if he remembers what group the boy was in. I mean, that may help.
Astrid: Of course. Uh, Walter, did you hear that?
Walter: (on the earpiece) Yes. Her voice goes right into my inner ear and rattles around like razor blades. Of course, I heard her. Tell her to go...
Astrid: He said that he is not sure, but, uh, thank you for the suggestion.
Walter: I-I did not say that.
Nina: Walter has said many things to me over the years, but "thank you" was never one of them.

Notes[]

The Observer can be seen, his back to the camera, as the two fishermen pull Peter Bishop out of Reiden Lake.
Although credited, Seth Gabel (Lincoln Lee) does not appear in this episode.
Olivia Dunham claims she did not meet any other test experiments of Walter when talking to Cameron. Since Peter does not exist in this alternate timeline, it is possible that certain events may or may not have happened. Events centred around Peter have been altered since he was not there, including the letter to St. Claire happening this late in the story.
Walter obviously is not the owner of Massive Dynamic since Peter disappeared.