'Fringe's' Joshua Jackson previews the series finale and Peter's 'proper ending'

"Fringe" is saying goodbye with its two-hour series finale, "Liberty/An Enemy of Fate," and on Friday, Jan. 18, we joined a conference call with series star Joshua Jackson to get some final teases.

In the final two hours of "Fringe," the team works to put the plan into play, with the first hour, "Liberty," "almost exclusively" about Olivia (Anna Torv), as Jackson told reporters. "It gives us, in a very "Fringe"-y way, a final insight into where she is or has been over the course of this season." As seen in the promo, Olivia will be going on a journey and running into some very familiar faces. And as for the second hour, "An Enemy of Fate," "as much as Walter [John Noble] may be called on to make a sacrifice and the gang in general is trying to implement Walter and Donald's [Michael Cerveris] plan," Jackson shared, "everybody has their piece of the story." But what about Peter while Olivia has her journey and Walter readies himself for his possible sacrifice? It's "as it has always been," the actor previewed. "To be the dutiful son and the husband and father, [in a way] that plays itself out in a very specific way."

'Fringe' series finale promo'Fringe' series finale promo

Though very much a sci-fi show and very much a show that tackled some pretty big stories, at the heart of the show has always been the theme of family. It was a driving force for Peter and Olivia this season as they first found and then lost their daughter, subsequently having to come to terms with that individually and together, a storyline that Jackson enjoyed. We also saw Peter mirror with Etta (Georgina Haig) the mistakes Walter had made regarding Peter, and Jackson teased "a really emotionally honest and satisfying resolution to the question of family sacrifice" in the series finale. And as for how "Fringe" ends not just for his characters, but for the others as well, Jackson shared,

"I think the proper ending for the Peter that we've known on screen for the last five years actually happens tonight in the finale. I love the ending, it makes really good sense and it wraps up his story in a way that is, of course intertwined with all of the characters around him, really specifically intertwined with Olivia and with Walter and with Etta, and I think it is a proper ending to the person and the story we've been watching for the last five years. And I feel that way truthfully for Olivia, Walter, and Peter. I think Olivia and Peter end in a proper space, Olivia, Peter and Walter end in a proper space, and Peter and Walter get to the place that they need to be. I think for our story, it ends tonight. But the beauty of what [J.H.] Wyman's done is that he allows the space for people to live on with these characters should they desire to."

Just because the show is ending its run on television doesn't mean fans will forget. There are a number of shows out there that are on air that still have a strong fan base (such as "Firefly"), and Jackson sees the afterlife of "Fringe" as "a test case for the new way that television works" and "for how modern cult shows are going to live on after they go off the air." He spoke of how "strong and vibrant" the community is right now and sees it living on in some way.

Finally, it's not uncommon to hear stories of actors taking mementos from set when a show ends, but Jackson admitted, "It didn't even cross my mind while I was there, so the answer sadly is no," when asked if he did.

"Fringe" season 5—and the series—says goodbye at 8 p.m. on FOX. How do you think it will end?

Read more about Fringe.

© Meredith Jacobs 2013

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