Fringe John Noble's noble turn

After weeks off the air Fringe returned last night with one of the best episodes of the series and John Noble (Walter Bishop) was terrific. This episode simply titled "Peter" is where we get answers about not only Dr. Bishop's son Peter, but, perhaps more importantly, about Walter himself. The few glimpses which we have been given of Walter before his brain surgery (Season 2 episode 10 Grey Matters) show us a very arrogate man who seems to place science above all other pursuits. Walter is that man, or rather was that man, but he was also a father and that is at the heart of this episode and consequently the series. Because in this incredible episode we find out how the fractures in our dimensions began.
In our reality Peter was a very sick boy. It is 1985, which if memory serves (gravestone from last season) would make Peter 7 years old. He has some sort of genetic abnormality which is making him waste away. Walter and his wife, Elizabeth or Liz as he calls her, are consumed with fears for Peter's health. Walter is trying to find a cure for Peter and he is using any means necessary including using a window he has created which sees into the alternative universe. Using his window, which he has shown to the military, he watches his alternative self (he calls it Waternate to his assistant Carla) trying to find a cure for his son Peter. Our Walter is called home by Liz saying Peter is asking for him. He returns home to have Peter performing his coin trick for him just before Peter dies. Walter and Elizabeth are devastated. Nina Sharp is at the funeral and she tells Walter that William wishes he could be there. Seems Bell is in Europe. (Aside--I am beginning to dislike William Bell a lot) Walter brushes her aside and leaves the cemetery with Elizabeth. Then Walter wakes Liz and tells her he needs to show her something. He has been to his lab and brought the window back. He places the window in Peter's room and shows Liz the alternative Peter who is still alive. Liz is amazed and wants Walter to leave it on she she can watch Peter. Walter tells her that he has shown her this image so she would know that in another world Peter was alive and that she must think of him like that. He takes the window back to his lab where he continues to watch Walternate. Carla does not understand why. She even questions whether he realizes his Peter is dead. Walter in his best disdainful manner lets her know how foolish that idea is. He is still watching because he hopes Walternate will find the cure which he could not. And Walternate does find the cure only he doesn't realize it. Walternate is interrupted by one of the Watchers, August, who keeps him from realizing what has happened.
There is a scene where the Watchers discuss August's tragic mistake and how to rectify it. The Watchers say Peter is important, so he must be saved. They tell August that he will have a change to undo the damage. (Icy lake comes to mind)
Walter creates the cure for Peter and decides that he must take it to AU Peter. Carla can not believe that he would even consider doing such a thing. She tells him there are lines which must never be crossed. She tells him he isn't God. He seems to disagree. I actually think that he is so consumed by his need to save Peter that he can no longer think rationally. He takes his device, which he had told the military would not work, to Reiden Lake, famous from the last episode of season 1. He sets up the machine on the ice and checks that he has the medicine and is about to activate the device when Carla and Nina show up. They are intend on stopping Walter. Nina says William Bell wants him to stop. Walter laughs at this and tell Nina that Bell has pleaded with Walter to try this very thing not once but twice and no for altruistic reasons either. Nina seems shocked, but she tries to stop Walter. She tackles him after he opens the door but he gets though and closes the door (on her arm--now we know how she really lost her arm). Walter now realizes that in his fall he has broken the bottle of medicine. (Plot point, I do understand why this was done, but really. Broken bottle. I would have put that precious liquid in something a tank couldn't smash) Walter is shaken. He stands looking at the bottle and seeing the death of this universes Peter. Then he realizes what he must do. Walter walks off the ice to toward the cabin where Peter is. He finds Peter who is very sick and prepares to take him to his universe where he can save him. It doesn't seem to occur to him that he could just leave the correct formula for Walternate. Anyway, Elizabeth walks in and Walter has to pretend to he her Walter. He convinces her to stay at the cabin while he takes Peter to his lab for the cure. Elizabeth tells him to bring Peter back to her. Walter promises that he will and I for one believe that he really intends to do that.
Walter and Peter return to the lake where Walter activates the device that returns them to our universe. The ice under them cracks and Walter and Peter are plunged into the icy water. Cue August, the Watcher, just as Walter has told Peter time and again. A man jumps in and saves them from there watery graves. Walter comes to as August is driving them back to Cambridge. He tells Walter that Carla and Nina have left to get medical attention for Nina. He asks Walter if he can drive. He tells Walter that Peter is near death and that he must not let this happen as Peter is very important. Peter must live. I wonder when we will find out what that means? The Watcher gets out of the car and disappears. Walter drives to his lab and starts Peter on the serum. Elizabeth arrives at the lab because Walter did not come home the night before. She sees Peter. Walter explains that he is from the AU and that he must be returned when he is well. Elizabeth gathers Peter into her arms and you just know that isn't going to happen. Back to the present time, Walter asks Agent Dunham what she is going to do know that she knows the truth. She tells him she doesn't know.
I can not wait for the next episode. John Noble rules!