outlast fandom: have you already watched or considered watching fringe?
fringe fandom: have you already experienced or contemplated experiencing outlast?
would you like to know why you should
because then you'd understand how epic those 2 works can be when they're smashed together
of course yeah if you haven't done the outlast thing there's MULTIPLE trigger warnings for abuse, assault, rape mentions, gore, body horror, & just copious amounts of viscera
& if you're not into heavy amounts of sci-fi & scientific theory then maybe you might get a bit lost when it comes to the fringe lore
BUT LIKE I NEED MORE PEOPLE TO TALK TO ABOUT MY 2 FAVORITE THINGS WHICH ARE SO COMPATIBLE
DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW MILES UPSHUR & OLIVIA DUNHAM WOULD BE THE BEST TEAM THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN
What would you think a FRINGE/Whistleblower crossover would be like (if you havent made a post already)
I CAN FINALLY ANSWER THIS AFTER HELLA HOURS. & I LOST IT IN MY DRAFTS BUT IT’S COOL NOW.
But it’s funny you ask, because I’ve sorta already been making one [points to my Outfringe tag.] & I’ll TL/DR all of that - because it’s some of the more extensive stuff I’ve ever done.
The Murkoff Corporation & Massive Dynamic are quite similar… ethically & how they operate. I mean of course most corporations follow the same patterns #lolcapitalism… but I go into that shit in depth. They fuck over… A LOT of people… “for science”… but mostly for profit [whether that’s for actual money or for one man’s hubris.] A crossover at that level is QUITE compatible. If the two companies were to merge into Murkoff Dynamic… I would shit myself… & it would probably work.
if you want a TL/DR you're not getting one because it's super fucking long
In Season 4… Alt!Nina gets away with dosing Olivia - who’s supposed to be… IDK like an FBI Agent with maybe top security measures where she lives? But Alt!Nina bypasses everything???? & Massive Dynamic’s probably doing some covert hey we’re dosing this entire city but we’re not telling them let’s just quietly observe from afar bullshit. So hey… what if we start developing nanites for military use. What if we start manufacturing them for… massive dosages - & it doesn’t have to be for American usage. In fact, it’s most DEFINITELY not for Americans.
Of course in Fringe… some doctor always tries to go rogue. Maybe it’s Trager trying to make “what was written come to pass” by selling the dream that’s meant to sell itself. Trager got a little too deep on the research, & “exposed himself” to the research. [But what really went down is that… Trager tried to get out & Blaire, the loving man that he is, decided to expose HIM to the Engine]. Trager makes off with tons of the samples, & a lot of Morphogenic Engine footage. Initially he’s targeting people who’ve done him wrong - like you see in the Asylum. But then… he wants to broaden - he wants to spread the dream. All of these minds need to be freed from the system, broken from the hive. He will expose them to the truth, just as he was. Let me sell you the dream.
Enter Waylon Park & Miles Upshur. Miles Upshur the reporter, who’s been on Murkoff’s case since the beginning, is now having a field day covering this MASSIVE MERGE. & for some damn reason… Miles is by himself covering this thing. & his job is coming more & more under fire because… people just aren’t believing the stuff he’s turning up. &… he’s being tracked by what he assumes are agents. But he’s in too deep he can’t stop exposing now.
& Waylon Park, initially hired just for some software work - some repairs & patches to the Engine. But his job keeps getting more & more… suspicious. He’s having to erase the steps that he takes. He’s having to erase… a lot of information - especially all of this “Trager” information [we have to keep the company name clear~ & clean~ after all.] Keep everything on the down low.
But soon Waylon can’t live with the guilt. Murkoff Dynamic is getting regular reports about Trager’s… progress. & what makes him more sick is that… co-CEO Blaire… isn’t even phased. They’ve already gotten offers from three governments & now… he can give them proof that it works. Trager’s doing their field work for him. He sounds off to Miles, random forums, fucking everything - anyone who’ll listen. He turns himself into the FBI, trying to seek sanctuary - in exchange for information.
Of course Our!Nina wouldn’t be about this entire situation. But the alternate Nina - oh yes. If this takes place in Season 4… Alt!Nina is the one running the show. & seeing this universe rampaged by some swarm of nanites… that works to her advantage too. & if the activation of the Cortexichildren doesn’t work out… perhaps they’ll have another weapon at their disposal - perhaps one even more effective. & she quite likes this Blaire man. If this all pans out well for them… she might try to sway him to Belly’s cause.
Broyles sees “Massive Dynamic” & swoops in on the “case.” He tries to call any other agents off. He knows that… this is deeper than it appears & if this Mr. Park is telling the truth… they have a hell of a lot more to worry about besides David Robert Jones.
Miles follows Waylon’s trail & finds himself at the same place - with the Fringe Team. Miles feels like the Odd Man Out the “reporter” in the room of… huge IQs. Waylon’s actually off in a corner writing massive lines of code, all from memory, for Peter & Astrid to decipher. He gets along quite well with them. Astrid even reminds him a little bit like Lisa… & that puts him at ease… & also on edge. He knows that Broyles has put his family under the highest security… but he can’t help but feel responsible… &… that it isn’t enough. He KNOWS the resources Murkoff Dynamic has - he WAS a resource himself. & now… the world is going to hell. Astrid tries to assure him that he’s doing the right thing, gets him some coffee, pats him on the back, maybe even gives him a hug. Waylon is not in an enviable situation.
Miles finds himself… gravitating a lot toward Olivia - this amazing agent that can remember seemingly everything. He’s comparing his notes with hers. Olivia is impressed at how thorough Miles’ records are, although she isn’t as shocked as other people are at how far the rabbit hole goes. & she assures him that… she had a lot of the same misgivings about the company. & she assures him that SHE believes him - & so do the rest of the team. Being here on this team… is the best place for him to be. This is a team where they can find answers & solve problems &… save the world. It’s everything that Miles wants to do… right?
Miles suggests that they try to tackle Dr. Wernicke - a name that sparks Walter’s interest [much to Miles & Waylon & Peter’s disgust.] Walter suggests that it would be best that HE tries to intercept Wernicke - a superior mind to another superior mind. Peter thinks this is an absolutely ridiculous plan [because it is] but… there are doubts as to how Wernicke would respond to any of the rest of the team.
Of course Olivia & Lincoln & a task force are trailing Walter. He’s wired & he’s doing magnificently [which is surprising since… before this… Walter hasn’t been bothered to leave the lab. & Peter’s not entirely sure if it’s all Wernicke’s doing.] The two of them sit down for coffee. Walter tries to weasel in his own research with Cortexiphan. Wernicke admits how similar it is to his own project - Project Walrider. [Because THERE ARE THERE ARE THERE ARE]. He shares with Walter [in full hubris] his involvement with the Murkoff Corporation & his new place in the merged company. & yet… now it’s become a project only for profit - only to weaponize. & truthfully… Wernicke is scared of what he’s created. Because the Swarm CAN manifest into… an ‘entity.’ & that entity… is something that they have yet to control. & what’s worse… those higher up don’t understand [or those like Alt!Nina, who are smart enough to understand & to know… that this host would work to her advantage much like a Cortexiphan host]. They think it’s just a mindless swarm; that it’s all sophisticated drone warfare. But NO. It’s meant to be inside a person - to work WITH a person - to create a GOD. Much like the Cortexichildren… who can change the world to fit their reality, how one’s view of the world determines their world… the possibilities are ENDLESS. & this is terrifying.
They take Wernicke into questioning. Olivia takes her turn grilling him, as does Peter. They don’t get much more out of him. Wernicke commits suicide after being transferred to another location. Lincoln assumes that it was from the guilt he’s carried after making such a creation [Walter looks uneasily at the window & clutches his chest… he knows that feeling… a deep pang in his chest]. Miles snarls, "Good riddance." Walter winces.
What follows is a lot of cat-&-mouse - chase the events as they happen. Trager is exposing more & more people but… they’re not taking to the “treatment” like he did. They’re not retaining their sanity. They’re turning into what can only be called “Variants,” after Waylon & Astrid recover a lot of Wernicke’s buried journals & files. & soon they’re running wild in the streets - because they ARE wild, practically. They’re… terrifying - deformed & mangled beyond repair. The team spends a lot of time… killing them. Miles has to kill his first person, but Peter has to give him a harsh truth - that they’re no longer human at this stage. & that… it’s actually what’s best - putting them out of their misery. Miles throws up on Peter’s shoes, much to his dismay. But Peter understands; this isn’t a job for a journalist. He can sympathize… only having been hired as an “analyst” or a “special consultant” or whatever the fuck it was. & now it’s turned into… all this. & he’s still not even sure if this is the this he’s supposed to be in. Everything is the same & yet… so very different.
Escalation escalation escalation. More & more & more people. Over the course of lol the “season” most of Season 4 is developing - Olivia is continuing to be dosed & is getting flashes of the blue!verse. Peter is becoming more & more sure that… maybe this is where he’s supposed to be. They’re consulting with the Other Side on smaller matters but… they’re keeping most of this to their side.. for now. The last damn thing they need is for these nanites & Variants to be crossing between the universes. & plus… the last thing that Waylon & Miles need to know is that there’s another universe right through a door. The last thing the two of them need to see are two Olivias or two Lincolns in the same place at the same time. They’ve got enough on their plate already.
With all of this happening, Trager starts to target Miles - this slippery little journalist who could be the ULTIMATE act of revenge. Here’s a man uncovering the truth & yet… not getting caught… like he did. Much like how teams have been able to ambush & kidnap & operate on Olivia… the same is done to Miles. He’s walking to the Lab, humming with some pastries for Walter [who he’s slowly becoming fond for] & coffee for the rest of the group. But… a van comes. & he’s transported into a lab. & he’s flashed all of these different symbols - & he doesn’t know what they all mean. There’s an aching pain behind his eyes & soon… he sees the images even when the screen has been turned off. There’s only static - static. He can feel the static inside him.
There’s a large struggle between him & Trager. Miles feels more powerful & yet… more desperate. He doesn’t want to turn out like the decaying bodies all around him. & he sees some man submerged in some tank, tubes all in his body. Miles can’t help but vomit at the site some more. & he tries all the buttons… to shut it off. No questions asked he has to destroy everything here. He’s not sure who’ll find this place first - the Fringe team or the opposition. & he can’t take any chances. He just can’t. It’s fight or flight mode…
But… there’s a body… a black mass coming out of… a dead body. & it surges into him. It’s excruciating. He can only seem blurs of color. & then only silence. Silence & static.
He wakes up back in Walter’s lab & it’s what they’ve feared the most… Miles… Miles is the host. Waylon’s starting to back away in horror. He’s done he’s out he can’t be exposed to Miles - no offense - but he’s got a family & he wants to see them NOW. He can’t. He knows he’s turning his back on all of them but he fucking CAN’T - not after all he’s seen working for those monsters. He’ll give them as much information as they want but… away from Miles.
This makes Miles feel even more like a monster. Apart from… the black cloud that seems to permanently surround him.
But Olivia… Olivia sees in him… a kindred spirit. She… she’s never fit in with anyone. &… given all of these flashes… & all of the things she can hear… & everything she’s been able to do in the past… she can’t help but be drawn to Miles. She holds his hand. & successfully calms him down - & the buzzing swarm around him. It retracts itself into his body. Miles smiles gratefully at Olivia. Everyone is in shock… except Walter.
Walter, in order to redeem himself for his past wrongs, decides to spend all of his time studying Miles. Peter objects to the term “study,” & yet… that’s what he has to do. There never was a successful host, according to Wernicke’s notes & yet… here he is.
Now over the course of the season, Peter gets his visit from September - this IS your Olivia. Olivia finally remembers why she’s drawn to Miles - she’s Olivia Dunham. She’s the Olivia Dunham who can jump between worlds. She’s “the one.” &… & so is Miles.
Peter & her bond & have themselves a night~ & then Olivia takes Miles out… for a bit of “normal” time. & as long as Miles is in Olivia’s presence… the Swarm doesn’t stir as much as it usually does. The pain starts to go away. Of course he respects the relationship that’s happening with her & Peter but… he likes their dynamic. The two of them stop at a gas station. Olivia leaves to pee. Miles is about to fill up the gas. They’re taken.
Alt!Nina has Olivia in her grasp but… what’s this? Is this… the Walrider host too??? A successful one? She’s overjoyed - she has TWO gifts to bestow DRJ & William Bell. But Olivia isn’t activating the way Nina wants her to. Perhaps torturing Miles might make her a bit more… cooperative - & might make the Swarm reveal itself again [where did it go??? What kind of a host is he if it’s not manifesting???]. The Morphogenic Engine starts to contort Miles more & more. The human flesh starts to fade away - the blackness comes back. Olivia responds to his screams of anger by doing her ZAP ELECTRICITY! powers but… that’s not the end of it.
Miles is lost - a raging black figure destroying everything in sight. Olivia is begging Miles to remember who he is - a journalist intent on SAVING the world, not destroying it. Miles you are better than this. She gets closer & closer to Miles, but he’s scared of himself - & scared that he’ll hurt her. That he’s a monster now, beyond repair. That he’s fucked up beyond anyone’s help. After he destroys this place, he’ll do his best to remove himself out of the equation - to save everyone, he must die.
But that isn’t true. Olivia knows what it’s like to be experimented on - some vision for the world “gone bad.” She knows what it’s like to have your life - a normal life - taken away from you. She knows the emotional damage that comes with it. Miles you are not alone here - you have me. You have Peter. You have Lincoln & Astrid & Waylon. You have Walter - who is intent on helping you. She reaches out to touch a floating Miles, nanites slicing the air all around them. Miles comes back to earth [literally] & collapses.
It takes a while for all parties to recover. So in the meantime… Waylon goes back to his family. &… they’re not safe - but it’s not because of the party he thought it was. Because there’s a man in a suit. & Lisa’s… Lisa’s in a dress. The dress is bloody & stained. There are… “people” sitting down… because they’re going to be married~ but who is this? Of course when the pastor says “speak now or forever hold your peace” there’s a time to speak, but NOT TODAY.
I see Eddie being a sort of “Marionette” like figure - a deranged sort of love & yet… Eddie is a lot more of a killer than that man would ever be. But like that “case of the week” Eddie has taken liberty with a lot of the bodies - all of the men & women sitting in the seats… are mutilated to his liking. & Lisa… the blood has to be coming from somewhere… right? Waylon’s blood runs cold, but before he can act, he notices that the marks on Eddie’s face… they remind him of what he’s seen from the Variants but… this man couldn’t have been a part of it… right? This can’t be happening this just can’t be fucking happening.
Waylon was never on the teams taking care of the Variants. He had always stayed at the Lab with Astrid, with Walter, with any other agent who decided to go in. & now… he’s faced with this fucking MONSTER - & where are his kids???? Where did Eddie put his kids???? But the struggle doesn’t go well because Eddie’s got a full foot on Waylon & he’s being beaten & bloodied to damn bits. & all the while Eddie is screaming all these insults at Lisa & at Waylon, referring to them both as whores & vulgar sluts & damaged goods. Every single word makes Lisa recoil. & Eddie's grin gets larger & larger as more blood is spilled.
But there’s a black shadow that comes up behind Eddie… & Eddie’s body just explodes. Unfortunately… it explodes all onto Waylon, who’s looking up at Miles in horror. He’s fortunate that the nightmare is over but… Miles just fucking exploded a man with his damn mind & now this killer’s blood is all over him & now Lisa’s crying into his chest & Lisa’s blood is on him too & all of this is his fault all of this is his fault all of this is his fault.
Ugh I want to sleep & I’ve written enough but just know that… Olivia & Miles help each heal… in that in-between state between human & God, but more importantly… that in-between state between human & anomaly, human & freak, human & monster. The rest of Season 4 happens as follows - Olivia as an energy source escalates & instead of Miles having to give his life for the ultimate… Olivia does. But much to his delight… she can rejuvenate.
