An Observer , " August " ( Peter Woodward ) abducts Christine Hollis ( Jennifer Missoni ) , a 27-year-old art student in Boston . Olivia Dunham ( Anna Torv ) and Peter Bishop ( Joshua Jackson ) learn of the events and realize the assailant matches the description of the Observer . However , after viewing video footage they find that it is not " September " ( Michael Cerveris ) , the Observer known for observing Pattern-related cases and who previously saved Peter and his father Walter ( John Noble ) in 1985 , indicating there is more than one Observer . Olivia is confused as to August 's motives , as Observers are known to only observe events and not interfere with them . After questioning Christine 's roommate , Olivia learns she was to take a flight to Rome , Italy . Peter finds a picture of Christine from her childhood before her parents were killed in the 1989 San Francisco earthquake , and sees August in the background , indicating he has been observing her entire life . The plane to Rome would later crash , killing everyone on board . Because of this , the team realize August in fact saved her life
1989 San Francisco earthquake
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
August (Fringe)