Dark: The Origin (Der Ursprung)
June 27, 2020 5:19 PM - Season 3, Episode 4 - Subscribe
Martha and Jonas travel to 2052 and get a glimpse of a grim future. In 1954, two residents of Winden go missing, and Hannah receives surprising news.
*1954 at the cave entrance, young Tronte Neilson is approached by the cleft-palate middle-man. He says he knew Tronte's mother long time ago. When Tronte asks his name he says he was never given one, but that he chose Tronte's. The rest of the trio approach, and the middle man gives Tronte a bracelet of Agnes', and Tronte leaves.
*Hannah and Egon have sex. Afterwards he tells her he loves her, and gives her the Saint Christopher medallion necklace.
*September 24, 1954. Young Ines & Claudia look at a smutty girly mag together, and find it unfair there isn't one of men. Ines asks if she's ever seen a naked boy, and Claudia tells her about seeing Tronte's penis, and Ines wonders where his mother disappeared to. Jana looks on disapprovingly/uncomfortably, and says they should get to school.
*At the police station, Egon finds his wife Doris waiting for him. She found a handkerchief with monogram HT in Agnes' things, and says that since Agnes said her husband was a man of God, and the priest Hanno Tauber went missing 3 months ago same as Agnes, maybe he was Agnes' husband. Egon says the case is being worked on and dismisses her.
*2052 Adam-world - In the power plant, Adam gives Agnes the newspaper clipping about the dead woman (old Claudia) found in the woods, for her to give to Claudia.
*Martha wakes in fright and finds old Magnus watching her. He said he always wanted to ask why she ditched them in 1888, why she helped them create the matter then disappeared, but then says "Who would have thought 33 years later it would be us who gave you the order?"
*November 6 2052 desert-world future. The middle-age woman (future Martha?) shows young Jonas & Martha a bunker with walls covered in writing, with the two worlds' Winden family trees and all the dead people's names struck through. She tells Martha that this is her future, that her world's apocalypse will happen in 2 days.
*Back in 1954 Hannah has a check-up and the doctor tells her she's pregnant.
*At the police station, Egon is visited by Helge Doppler's mom asking for news. Egon says there are no developments in Helge's case and they're stuck unless Helge can tell them something about his disappearance, but Mrs. Doppler says she's not asking about Helge, she's asking about the missing priest Hanno Tauber (Noah). He asks if there were ever any rumors about Tauber and women, and Mrs. Doppler leaves in disgust.
*Doris Tiedemann goes to the church and finds the cleft-palate trio there. Thinking the middle-man is another priest, she tells about her lodger Agnes going missing the same time as Hanno, and leaving her boy behind. Middle-man says she's not actually worried about Tronte, that he knows it's really Agnes she cares about, and points out Egon's likely having an affair.
*Jana sees Tronte at the lake and asks him about the bracelet, but he puts it away and tells her she has a nice smile.
*At the police station, Hannah tells Egon she's pregnant, and he reacts disappointingly, saying he thought she was being careful, and questioning if he's the father. She lashes out about men being the same no matter the time, and he says he'll drive her home.
*Claudia arrives at the Doppler house to tutor Helge and hears Brandt on phone arguing about the power plant permits. (Later, the murder trio threaten a man at gunpoint to sign the building permits.)
*2052 desert-future bunker. The woman tells Jonas that Eva (Old Martha, I guess, since Old Jonas renamed himself Adam) lied to them, that there's no way to save both worlds only one, that they should save Martha's world, since Jonas has already seen what he'll become (Adam) in his world, and that Jonas + Martha aren't impossible in Martha-world like in his world. Martha flees and Jonas follows. She collapses and says it's all crazy. Jonas says he still believes there's a way to save everyone.
*2052 Adam world - They power up the god-particle sphere, and radiation-suited Agnes approaches it.
*1954 Tronte & Jana walk in the forest. He shows her the scars on his arms from being abused in a home. He says he doesn't care if the man from this morning was his father, and that he's glad his mom is gone, and gives Jana the bracelet. Claudia arrives, takes Tronte's by the hand to bring him home for dinner.
*At Hannah's place, Egon asks what they should do now. Hannah says not to worry, she doesn't want to keep the baby. Egon says he's sorry, leaves her money and the contact info for an abortionist, Mrs. Obendorf.
*2052 desert-future - Jonas and Martha return to the cave. In the bunker, the woman puts Jonas & Martha's names on the wall, linked to the infinity symbol joining the two worlds' family trees. Noah joins her and asks if she sent them off. "The beginning is the end. And the end is the beginning. We are all born of him. You gave him life. And he will give us ours. Him. Agnes. Tronte. Jana. Ulrich. Katharina. You. A line without a beginning or an end. An infinite circle."
*1954 Egon returns home with flowers, finds Doris sitting on the stairs. He joins her and apologizes for how he spoke to her the morning in his office. Doris says she knows what he's been doing with that woman, wants a divorce.
*Hannah goes to Mrs. Obendorf's, and a young girl says she has to wait her turn. The girl is Helene Albers. She says that her mother says the aborted babies go to hell, but Hannah says she doesn't believe that. When she introduces herself (as Katharina), Helene says it's a beautiful name. She compliments her Saint Christopher medallion necklace, and says she likes the idea of someone watching over them. Mrs. Obendorf calls Helene in for her abortion, and Hannah removes the necklace and puts it in Helene's bag and leaves.
*Claudia comes home with Tronte and finds Egon getting drunk at the table, with no answer to where Doris is, and Tronte tells Claudia they should leave him alone.
*At the Doppler mansion, Brandt finds the signed power plant building permit on his stoop.
*2052 Adam future - Martha tells Adam she kept her part of the agreement, he needs to keep his. She wants to know the origin and how to destroy it. He's says she will, says it took him 66 years to find out how everything was connected.
*2019 Martha world - Martha & Jonas return home. Martha says that at school, when he came through the door, she felt like she knew him already from her dreams. He says he's sorry for everything. She asks what she was like in his world, if she was different, and they kiss.
*In the Adam & Eve room, the cleft-palate middle man writes in the triquetra notebook "I am left to die alone, and I am my sole judge. Me. The Beginning is the End. And the End is the Beginning."
*Music montage to an Ariadne song - Hannah takes the time-travel device suitcase and leaves her 1954 apartment. Jonas and Martha make love. Egon drinks. Doris embraces the yellow dress Agnes gave her. Tronte, in pajamas, looks his scars, Claudia enters his bedroom and strips off her nightgown. Jana in her bed holds the bracelet.
*2052 Adam future - Adam shows Martha a journal with family tree showing Jonas & Martha as parents of infinity. He puts her hand on her belly, says her son is the origin. In the Adam & Eve room, the cleft-palate man stands by the infinity symbol and looks at the portraits.
*1954 at the cave entrance, young Tronte Neilson is approached by the cleft-palate middle-man. He says he knew Tronte's mother long time ago. When Tronte asks his name he says he was never given one, but that he chose Tronte's. The rest of the trio approach, and the middle man gives Tronte a bracelet of Agnes', and Tronte leaves.
*Hannah and Egon have sex. Afterwards he tells her he loves her, and gives her the Saint Christopher medallion necklace.
*September 24, 1954. Young Ines & Claudia look at a smutty girly mag together, and find it unfair there isn't one of men. Ines asks if she's ever seen a naked boy, and Claudia tells her about seeing Tronte's penis, and Ines wonders where his mother disappeared to. Jana looks on disapprovingly/uncomfortably, and says they should get to school.
*At the police station, Egon finds his wife Doris waiting for him. She found a handkerchief with monogram HT in Agnes' things, and says that since Agnes said her husband was a man of God, and the priest Hanno Tauber went missing 3 months ago same as Agnes, maybe he was Agnes' husband. Egon says the case is being worked on and dismisses her.
*2052 Adam-world - In the power plant, Adam gives Agnes the newspaper clipping about the dead woman (old Claudia) found in the woods, for her to give to Claudia.
*Martha wakes in fright and finds old Magnus watching her. He said he always wanted to ask why she ditched them in 1888, why she helped them create the matter then disappeared, but then says "Who would have thought 33 years later it would be us who gave you the order?"
*November 6 2052 desert-world future. The middle-age woman (future Martha?) shows young Jonas & Martha a bunker with walls covered in writing, with the two worlds' Winden family trees and all the dead people's names struck through. She tells Martha that this is her future, that her world's apocalypse will happen in 2 days.
*Back in 1954 Hannah has a check-up and the doctor tells her she's pregnant.
*At the police station, Egon is visited by Helge Doppler's mom asking for news. Egon says there are no developments in Helge's case and they're stuck unless Helge can tell them something about his disappearance, but Mrs. Doppler says she's not asking about Helge, she's asking about the missing priest Hanno Tauber (Noah). He asks if there were ever any rumors about Tauber and women, and Mrs. Doppler leaves in disgust.
*Doris Tiedemann goes to the church and finds the cleft-palate trio there. Thinking the middle-man is another priest, she tells about her lodger Agnes going missing the same time as Hanno, and leaving her boy behind. Middle-man says she's not actually worried about Tronte, that he knows it's really Agnes she cares about, and points out Egon's likely having an affair.
*Jana sees Tronte at the lake and asks him about the bracelet, but he puts it away and tells her she has a nice smile.
*At the police station, Hannah tells Egon she's pregnant, and he reacts disappointingly, saying he thought she was being careful, and questioning if he's the father. She lashes out about men being the same no matter the time, and he says he'll drive her home.
*Claudia arrives at the Doppler house to tutor Helge and hears Brandt on phone arguing about the power plant permits. (Later, the murder trio threaten a man at gunpoint to sign the building permits.)
*2052 desert-future bunker. The woman tells Jonas that Eva (Old Martha, I guess, since Old Jonas renamed himself Adam) lied to them, that there's no way to save both worlds only one, that they should save Martha's world, since Jonas has already seen what he'll become (Adam) in his world, and that Jonas + Martha aren't impossible in Martha-world like in his world. Martha flees and Jonas follows. She collapses and says it's all crazy. Jonas says he still believes there's a way to save everyone.
*2052 Adam world - They power up the god-particle sphere, and radiation-suited Agnes approaches it.
*1954 Tronte & Jana walk in the forest. He shows her the scars on his arms from being abused in a home. He says he doesn't care if the man from this morning was his father, and that he's glad his mom is gone, and gives Jana the bracelet. Claudia arrives, takes Tronte's by the hand to bring him home for dinner.
*At Hannah's place, Egon asks what they should do now. Hannah says not to worry, she doesn't want to keep the baby. Egon says he's sorry, leaves her money and the contact info for an abortionist, Mrs. Obendorf.
*2052 desert-future - Jonas and Martha return to the cave. In the bunker, the woman puts Jonas & Martha's names on the wall, linked to the infinity symbol joining the two worlds' family trees. Noah joins her and asks if she sent them off. "The beginning is the end. And the end is the beginning. We are all born of him. You gave him life. And he will give us ours. Him. Agnes. Tronte. Jana. Ulrich. Katharina. You. A line without a beginning or an end. An infinite circle."
*1954 Egon returns home with flowers, finds Doris sitting on the stairs. He joins her and apologizes for how he spoke to her the morning in his office. Doris says she knows what he's been doing with that woman, wants a divorce.
*Hannah goes to Mrs. Obendorf's, and a young girl says she has to wait her turn. The girl is Helene Albers. She says that her mother says the aborted babies go to hell, but Hannah says she doesn't believe that. When she introduces herself (as Katharina), Helene says it's a beautiful name. She compliments her Saint Christopher medallion necklace, and says she likes the idea of someone watching over them. Mrs. Obendorf calls Helene in for her abortion, and Hannah removes the necklace and puts it in Helene's bag and leaves.
*Claudia comes home with Tronte and finds Egon getting drunk at the table, with no answer to where Doris is, and Tronte tells Claudia they should leave him alone.
*At the Doppler mansion, Brandt finds the signed power plant building permit on his stoop.
*2052 Adam future - Martha tells Adam she kept her part of the agreement, he needs to keep his. She wants to know the origin and how to destroy it. He's says she will, says it took him 66 years to find out how everything was connected.
*2019 Martha world - Martha & Jonas return home. Martha says that at school, when he came through the door, she felt like she knew him already from her dreams. He says he's sorry for everything. She asks what she was like in his world, if she was different, and they kiss.
*In the Adam & Eve room, the cleft-palate middle man writes in the triquetra notebook "I am left to die alone, and I am my sole judge. Me. The Beginning is the End. And the End is the Beginning."
*Music montage to an Ariadne song - Hannah takes the time-travel device suitcase and leaves her 1954 apartment. Jonas and Martha make love. Egon drinks. Doris embraces the yellow dress Agnes gave her. Tronte, in pajamas, looks his scars, Claudia enters his bedroom and strips off her nightgown. Jana in her bed holds the bracelet.
*2052 Adam future - Adam shows Martha a journal with family tree showing Jonas & Martha as parents of infinity. He puts her hand on her belly, says her son is the origin. In the Adam & Eve room, the cleft-palate man stands by the infinity symbol and looks at the portraits.
So the murder trio are the ones writing the time journal, and the editing at the end there heavily implies they're the son of Jonas and Marta B.
I took the older woman at the bunker to be Marta, Adult B Universe variant. The scar on her cheek is very similar to aged Marta B's scar.
posted by whir at 9:13 PM on June 27, 2020
I took the older woman at the bunker to be Marta, Adult B Universe variant. The scar on her cheek is very similar to aged Marta B's scar.
posted by whir at 9:13 PM on June 27, 2020
I made a guess at the end of the last episode that Adam is not our original Jonas. And now I'm wondering if he's just some random Jonas that is super disillusioned by the hard hand of fate that he's going to all the universes and starting the loop where it didn't already exist, ensuring that all universes are stuck in the knot.
posted by LizBoBiz at 7:25 AM on June 30, 2020
posted by LizBoBiz at 7:25 AM on June 30, 2020
I’d have wagered that the murder trinity was Hannah’s baby, but I think Jonas and Marthe is more likely. At this point, I’m thoroughly confused but still enjoying the ride.
posted by gladly at 7:08 PM on July 3, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by gladly at 7:08 PM on July 3, 2020 [1 favorite]
Geez, that scene at Obendorf's. Helene is so young. You can kinda guess why Katharina's mom was such a hardened adult.
posted by Kitty Stardust at 4:45 PM on August 6, 2020
posted by Kitty Stardust at 4:45 PM on August 6, 2020
Is it just me (I should go back to check and verify) but does the cleft on the unknown 'cleft man' shift sides? i.e. is on the left in one world, right in the other. Also, am surprised more mefites aren't watching (and commenting here).
posted by Ahmad Khani at 10:24 AM on December 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Ahmad Khani at 10:24 AM on December 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
You'll find more commenting in the finale thread - it's difficult to have extensive commenting in the episodes of a show that dropped the whole season at once, since it's hard to respond without unintentional spoilers if you're further ahead in the binge or already finished. (Like, I'm shocked to realize I made these episode posts in June 2020, I could have sworn the season was pre-pandemic, it feels so long ago.)
Is it just me (I should go back to check and verify) but does the cleft on the unknown 'cleft man' shift sides? i.e. is on the left in one world, right in the other.
I don't remember about the cleft specifically, but they definitely were using reverse shots depending on which world they were in, so things like scars, hair parts, which side shirts button on, etc, change depending on which world the scene is in.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:45 PM on December 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
Is it just me (I should go back to check and verify) but does the cleft on the unknown 'cleft man' shift sides? i.e. is on the left in one world, right in the other.
I don't remember about the cleft specifically, but they definitely were using reverse shots depending on which world they were in, so things like scars, hair parts, which side shirts button on, etc, change depending on which world the scene is in.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:45 PM on December 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
i was ok up to this season, but when rousseau showed up in desert future-B and henry/benjamin started killing people, and the shark had the dharma project logo on its fin, and kate and jack just won't take the time to talk to each other, and sawyer's starting to get love handles, well i just threw up my hands and decided that, four seasons from now, they'll all be revealed to have been killed in a power plant meltdown shortly before the first episode of season one and good for them.
seriously though. i am starting to grow a little frustrated trying to keep track of who's who and where's where and when's when. it is still a compelling production, but, friends, i've been hurt before, and was hoping that this time i just wouldn't have to be hurt again. guess i'll keep watching, but my expectations creep ever lower.
that said, have really enjoyed the fine work you all have done here on fanfare, discounting or rebating my sunk costs.
posted by 20 year lurk at 7:45 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
seriously though. i am starting to grow a little frustrated trying to keep track of who's who and where's where and when's when. it is still a compelling production, but, friends, i've been hurt before, and was hoping that this time i just wouldn't have to be hurt again. guess i'll keep watching, but my expectations creep ever lower.
that said, have really enjoyed the fine work you all have done here on fanfare, discounting or rebating my sunk costs.
posted by 20 year lurk at 7:45 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
The power plant meltdown in Universe B must be so much fucking worse than Universe A's if it completely destroyed everything within miles of the caves and turned Germany into a desert.
posted by Saxon Kane at 3:20 PM on August 15, 2022
posted by Saxon Kane at 3:20 PM on August 15, 2022
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So, was the woman in the desert-future bunker a Martha? Once Noah appeared, I wasn't sure anymore after what he said to her.
I found the scene between young Helene & Hannah at Mrs. Obendorf's very affecting. The irony of Katharina's name coming from Hannah.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:28 PM on June 27, 2020