Gizmo

He didn't have any metal in him when he went back to the car crash (you can see it when he lifts up his arm in the car, nothing there). I assume this is because in that timeline he had not put metal in his body (obviously), while when he went back 12 or so hours (to the train) he already had metal in his body (just not all of it to make the bigger 10 month jump). Just like if he got shot in the 'present day', if he were to back in time a day, he wouldn't have the shot since it didn't occur yet. Get it?

Jay G.

Then I imagine the field where everything died fell under the category of "weird, but not weird enough" for Fringe Division.

Speaking of, anyone else think that the flame in the hot air balloon should've gone out when he appeared? That's a huge source of energy, and was apparently within vertical distance to be affected.

shadowhawk2020

You would have to assume that the Weller in the future "replaces" the Weller in the past, since Weller died in the past and there wasn't another one right there saying "what do you mean I'm dead."

Gizmo

UFO landing? Probably something for Mulder and Scully, not Fringe.

Jay G.

Even sooner than that, there would've been a dead Weller in the field when the future Weller arrived.

The actual mechanics of the time travel in this episode isn't really spelled out. It seems that Weller travels back in time along his own personal timeline, which means he likely originally was riding the commuter train before he started jumping back to it. It's also possible that only his consciousness is travelling backwards in time.

runner001

that's a very interesting possibility that would explain the body having or not having metal in it.

the idea of consciousness versus body traveling in time was also debated for Sam Beckett in Quantum Leap. The people he encountered always looked at him at the subject's eye level and never at Sam's eye level (whether or not he was taller or shorter than the subject). Same thing goes for any physical contact.

The episode where he fathered his daughter during his travel kind of settled that but not fully.

Raul3

I kinda got confused with this episode. It didn't help that it got cut in the middle in my DVR, so I started watching in my DVR, then went to Hulu, and then came back to the DVR (for the bigger screen/sound).

But yeah, the preview for next week was really really annoying. I mean we know that has to happen, but don't show it to us!

auto

Hahaha, I miss Quantum Leap.

Cardiff Giant11

OCP would probably have it covered anyway.

0073735963

I agree it's pretty much a great episode and after writing this post saying I didn't understand the time travel stuff, I went back and watched the initial scene with Walter and Robocop. I didn't pick up that Robocop said that he spent the whole day in the field in the past. So, my guess is when he jumps, his current self completely takes over his past self, explaining why he was wearing the same clothes and why he had the letter with him from when he jumped (which was then given to the MIT lady after he died to hold onto for almost a year until the original jumping time). I don't think we saw enough of his body to know whether or not he had any Borg parts on him, my theory would say that he did. Which would lead back to why wasn't Fringe Division notified? Thoughts?

Jay G.

Interesting point: since he brought at least the letter back with him (his clothes/trenchcoat are the same, but that could be because he wore that the day in the past), it would seem to indicate it's a whole-body replacement, not just a consciousness.

One theory: Fringe division did look into it, but since the investigation took place in the past, we don't see it. By the time Walter gets the note, the case has been already filed away in the "unexplained" folder. I think the accident took place before Weller sent the theories to his colleague, so all they would know is that a man with a Farraday cage embedded in his body died in a car crash with his fiance, with no evidence that the altered body caused the crash in any way.

Groucho

I'm way behind on this show. I'm shocked that nobody in this thread has mentioned the "Faraday Mesh". No Lost fans watching this show?

Shannon Nutt

Saw both Weller's character's fate and the tulip coming down Main St., but still think this was the show's finest hour yet. Weller's a heck of a good actor...why he's not a bigger star, I'll never know (maybe just because he doesn't have "movie star" looks?).

Jay G.

I'm a LOST fan, but that wasn't a LOST reference. That's a reference to a real type of technology (Faraday Cage) named after a real scientist, Michael Faraday.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage

Groucho

That episode is about 50% less cool now.

Snowmaker

The wife and I gave up 1/2 way through this episode. It was too boring.

Tscott

You and your wife are about 50% less cool now.