The Glyphs have been shown on the show, on posters, and on the Internet. Each glyph shows a natural element, generally with some unnatural change that is easy to miss at the first look. The symbols are also used, along with the dots, to make a code. The Glyphs appear before every commercial break (or act on the DVD's). The code usually makes a reference to some aspect of the overarching storyline or holds a clue to the next episode.
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Glyphs[]
Apple[]
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"Man is The Seed of Chaos" - Principia Discordia [3:14] The Fringe Apple glyph has human embryos instead of seeds. Apples were given out as clues on the Fringe Scavenger Hunt. The apple is a symbol for Discordia (chaos). So the symbolic approach to this picture is that man is born into chaos. However, it may be a reference to Adam and Eve; the two children, and the apple from which they took the bites. |
The two embryos could hypothetically symbolize the two universes the show has (Original and Alternate), which are both surrounded by chaos. The apple is a symbol of the pentagram/pentacle. Remember, it was also the cipher on the DaVinci Code.
Butterfly[]
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The Fringe Butterfly has phalanges (finger bones) in its wings. In the middle of the butterfly appears to be a symbolism of Jesus Christ on the cross. Classic reflection symbol; as above, so below - left-hand, right hand, etc. Also, the two sides of a molecule, such as left-handed meth and right-handed meth. The left is far more spiritual, whereas the right side of the molecule is more physical. |
Flower[]
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In the Fringe Flower glyph, some of the petals are dragonfly wings. Like any daisy, the center has counter-rotating spirals, based on the Fibonacci sequence, and has left-right symmetry. However, THERE IS NO BEE. Just a Mandelbrot Set. |
Frog[]
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The Fringe Frog glyph has the Greek letter Phi on his back. Psychedelics are a certain tree frogs defense mechanism. Psychedelics in Fringe? This symbol can be seen briefly flashed in the title sequence directly after the seahorse. Also, the Greek letter for Phi, which is known as the first letter in the name of the Greek sculptor Phidias, which is known to symbolize the Golden Ratio. |
Hand[]
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The Fringe Hand glyph has five fingers and one thumb. The Hand appears to have significant importance with the series as a whole as it is used in every single episode in the title clip. It also appears on the wall inside the Observers' building during an assault by Olivia and Peter in the series finale. Additionally, there seems to be a pixelated artifact that has appeared on the hand during the title sequence in at least the last five episodes of season one. The artifact appears in the part of the hand just below the "pinky" finger on the palm and has an arc-like shape. Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches series referred to a race with six fingers. It could be a parent race of ours, in all or part. |
Horn[]
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The Fringe Horn glyph is in the shape of a Fibonacci spiral and has a decimal approximation of the number phi inscribed along the horn. |
Leaf[]
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The Fringe Leaf glyph has a triangle or Delta symbol on it. Leaves were given out as clues on the Fringe Scavenger Hunt. It appeared during the pilot episode when John Scott's body was taken into a Massive Dynamic lab. Also related to Salvia leaf, which Walter uses regularly is a psychedelic drug. The equilateral triangle has been a symbol of deity; the inner being 'the god within'. |
Seahorse[]
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The Fringe Seahorse glyph has the Fibonacci spiral on its side, the spiral itself is contained inside a visual representation of the golden ratio. Its tail is also a Fibonacci spiral. Some images also include stick diagrams for the amino acids L-histidine and L-proline. The seahorse is featured in the season 2 episode "The Bishop Revival" in which it's revealed that Walter Bishop's father was nicknamed Seahorse, he signed his chemical with a seahorse. The number "6" is prominently featured within the center of the seahorse three times.. 666, the mark of the beast or the devil, has been hidden in the seahorse. |
The seahorse can be seen briefly flashed in the title sequence during the molecular zoom portion. In the center of the seahorse, there is the graph of the Golden Ratio which is the Fibonacci Spiral. The Greek letter Phi is used to symbolize the Golden Ratio and is the same Greek letter seen in the Frog Glyph.
The brain region widely believed to be responsible for memory consolidation, behavioral inhibition, and spatial mapping is called the hippocampus, which is Latin for seahorse. Walter Bishop has three regions of his hippocampus surgically removed (Grey Matters) and loses selective memories. Walter's memory difficulties, impulsivity, and other odd behaviors are likely due to these hippocampal lesions.
It is also featured on Peter Bishop's luggage in Reciprocity.
Smoke[]
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The Fringe Smoke glyph forms a woman's face, apparently screaming. The symbol for a phantasm. Travel between dimensions is a Fringe staple. The left side looks like a fetus (It is cut-off in this picture). |
Yellow Dots
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Yellow dots appear in many of the images containing glyphs, and on the various Fringe viral websites. They generally tend to float around, like fireflies and can be associated as they appear in each episode to a specific dot on the Fringe Carousel which also appears to change with each commercial during the live broadcast. They suggest the likeness of Kirlian photographic artifacts, except that they are different in color from the glyph images. Many of the Fringe "Glyphs" or symbols are mirrored images of other Fringe Glyphs, with the exception of the positioning of these yellow dots. |
Cypher[]
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Cyphered words by episode
Season 1[]
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Season 2[]
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Season 3[]
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Season 4[]
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Season 5[]
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Trivia[]
- The glyphs were deciphered by fans of the show without aid from the production team. As such, it took many episodes to develop the alphabet as new glyphs were being constantly introduced during the first season as different letters were used. The letters X and Z were never featured on the show, meaning the cipher was never truly completed until the release of September's Notebook, which featured an official Decoder Key.
