In the episode (Season 2, Episode 20), the usual high-stakes sci-fi of Fringe transforms into a drug-induced noir musical told through the eyes of a grieving Walter Bishop. The Tale of the Glass Heart
The story is more than just a whimsical fantasy; it is a confession of Walter's deep-seated guilt. Fringe subtitles English S02E20
: Walter is a master inventor who claims to have created the world’s "good things"—bubblegum, hugs, and rainbows. However, he is physically dying, kept alive only by a chest full of batteries. In the episode (Season 2, Episode 20), the
: In the noir world, they are "The Watchers," ominous figures with rayguns that "burn through flesh". However, he is physically dying, kept alive only
: Walter's version of the story ends tragically, with Peter leaving him forever—mirroring Walter's fear that the real Peter will never forgive him for his past actions.
(known as Esther in the story) and Olivia also join in the musical numbers.