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Peter's father, Walter (John Noble), had to watch his young son die twice in this timeline, so we can't imagine that the scientist will take too kindly to a stranger appearing from the ether and claiming to be his long-lost child.

"It doesn't even occur to him that this is his son -- why would it? The boy is dead," John Noble pointed out, after coming to set on his day off just to talk with us. "So if someone walked into your life and said, 'Hi there, I'm your son,' you'd say, 'Yeah, okay -- woo!' [Gestures to indicate craziness] So don't expect it to be suddenly [as it was before]. He's never seen Peter as an adult."

In Peter's absence, a new agent has joined Fringe Division -- though Over There, he's been an integral part of the team since Season 2. Our universe's Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel) is bookish and shy, while Alt-Lincoln is confident and commanding, but both seem to carry a torch for their respective Agent Dunhams.

"I think, initially, when Lincoln met Olivia in our universe, obviously the conditions were very intense, in that his partner was just killed," Gabel said. "But they immediately had a very good connection and became partners pretty quickly and found that they really saw eye to eye. I think as we go along, we'll see that relationship open up a little more, and those feelings seem to cross universes."

Still, Gabel was adamant that Lincoln was in no way a replacement for Peter, and that he didn't want fans to worry about one of their favorite characters being usurped on the team.

"I think the role that Lincoln is taking is very different than Peter, and Lincoln's mindset is very different from Peter ... Peter's a voice that the show needs and certainly can't be replaced, and ultimately, I'm sure, the hero that will save the world as he did last season," he insisted. "I think there is definitely room for both of them to exist, and in the one episode I had last season where Josh and I got to work together on our side, I thought there was a really good relationship and chemistry, the way those two characters work together. I really hope to get to do a lot more of that this time."

Meanwhile, Gabel confirmed that, Over There, Alt-Lincoln is still pining for Bolivia, even though she has a hunky doctor boyfriend. "Obviously the timeline is a bit different now and she didn't end up having a baby, so they didn't have that moment where he said, 'I love you' and all that," he explained. "But that love is still there and Alt-Lincoln definitely still has feelings for her, which she just kind of bounces off as, 'Oh yeah, you're great, kid!' and he's like, 'Oh that hurts, it killed my heart.' But that definitely continues."

Before he disappeared, Peter did manage to impart one last morsel of wisdom to both universes, instructing them to work together to fix things, or risk destroying both worlds. So far, both sides have been heeding that warning, but the animosity is still bubbling under the surface, especially between Walter and Walternate.

"We saw what Walter thought [about the other side and Bolivia]," Noble laughed. "He's also probably incredibly jealous of Walternate, with his fancy suits; he's looking good and still stands two inches taller than Walter and he's still got a wife and he's got a lover. Walter's got none of these things ... except his food."

Lance Reddick (who plays Agent Broyles) agreed that the hatchet isn't entirely buried yet. "It's going to start getting more tense, but we're actually going to start working together more, too. There's potentially a third element that will be a danger to both universes that's going to force them to work together."

These issues start converging in Episode 8, which we happened to be on set for, but we were wisely kept away from anything too spoiler-y during filming. Still, we were assured by the cast that the episode is a game-changer. And if any show delivers on that often overused TV phrase, it's 'Fringe.'

"All the things that you're getting little pieces of culminate in this episode," Torv said. "Things like, what's Peter's role going to be? Is there a threat? Can these universes come together? Who's responsible for this? Stuff gets picked up; a lot of the balls that we threw up end up coming down."

With more grudging cooperation between the universes on the horizon, Nicole hinted that one of the characters gets to meet their alter for the first time -- at least in this timeline -- but unfortunately, it won't be Astrid. "I was very excited, but also a little jealous because I think of all the alters meeting each other, [the Astrids] would be a pretty dynamic one because the two versions are so completely different. I think that that would be like a really mind-blowing moment for each of them," she lamented.

Since the Walters and the Olivias have already met, that leaves Broyles and Lincoln. But who will it be?

"The odds of seeing the two Broyles interacting are pretty good, from my understanding, and I'm very excited about it," Reddick said.

But wait ...

"There is a chance of [the two Lincolns meeting]. There is a good chance," Gabel confirmed.

We'll hedge our bets and say both are due for a close encounter, though we're admittedly a little more intrigued by the concept of double Lincoln. (We're shallow.)

"I think that the glasses-wearing Lincoln would be probably intimidated by the other one," Gabel mused. "I think Alt-Lincoln would be at first probably dismissive of Lincoln. But there's obviously a difference in intelligence between the two, and I think Lincoln on our side has a very real intelligence when it comes to book smarts and thinking outside the box. And I think Lincoln in the alt-universe has a lot of experience when it comes to getting things done and being pragmatic and practical and also courageous and bold and self-confident. Both have a lot that they can learn from each other."

While Reddick teased that "a great character from seasons ago comes back" in an upcoming episode, Noble also told us that the genius -- and underutilized -- Nina Sharp (Blair Brown) will finally make an appearance in the other universe.

"I think Nina is one of the great buried treasures of our show. You've got an actress of the caliber of Blair Brown sitting there and waiting," Noble said. "So, you will see some movements. I think she'll start to take a very major role, that's what I've been hinted at."

As for the elusive William Bell, Torv thinks we've seen the last of him, "[at least] in the form of Leonard Nimoy." Time for another body-share, perhaps? We think Torv should start polishing her Nimoy impersonation again, just in case.