We begin with that infamous children’s ‘bedroom’ containing the time machine that Noah has constructed, with young Helge inside. Helge has scar tissue and the mortal wound inflicted by Ulrich has healed. Noah again declaims to Helge that he has known him, at all stages of his life (remember the Riddle set by the Sphinx for Oedipus?) and that God has chosen him to be part of His plan (Adam’s plan more like). He places the vial (God particle) into the machine and pulls the lever as he and Helge repeat ‘‘tick-tock’’ together. Young Helge has been groomed through a toxic blend of love and fear. It is loathsome what has been done. Evil.
We briefly see young Claudia interrupt her mum and Noah’s sister engaged in intimate contact, as we return to Helge, whom we witness return home after 7 months. It is now June 23rd, 1954. His mother is obviously shocked, pointedly, touching his scarred face. She believes it to be the work of God. Helge literally has returned from the dead. We then cut to the police discussing Ulrich. The senior officer wonders why nobody is looking for him and comments that Ulrich is like a ‘‘ghost’’. Tiedemann’s mind is on other matters. The lack of intimacy between himself and his wife. The older man consoles him and makes a suggestion. They are interrupted by news of Helge’s, miraculous return, alive.
We see Claudia 2 in 1987 attempting to engage with her daughter who has misplaced her book Ghosts. In Dark when a book is referenced it is of significance. Henrik Ibsen was a Norwegian playwright who wrote Ghosts in 1881. It was published in December in Denmark to an outcry of indignation regarding Ibsen’s attack upon religion, his defense of free love, and even the mention, of incest and syphilis. Unsurprising, as this was at the very nadir of 19th century bourgeois morality and hypocrisy. This obviously resonates within the decaying moral order of Winden.
Furthermore, its inclusion in the narrative has more to do with the title of the play. When Ghosts was first translated into English by William Archer, Ibsen disliked the title. The Norwegian title, Gjengangere, means “a thing that walks again”, rather than the appearance of a soul of a dead person. It has a double meaning of both “ghosts” and “events that repeat themselves”, the English title Ghosts fails to capture this double meaning. Absolutely perfect for Dark.
Claudia suggests they spend the day together, but Regina responds she has an exam (German) today and she has ‘‘no time’’. Claudia stops momentarily and repeats ‘‘time’’. She goes to the bookshelf and retrieves the book A Journey Through Time given to her by Helge 2 in Season 1. It is of course the book she had given H.G. Tannhaus before he had even written it (A bootstrap paradox).
Retired Tiedemann has found the words that Ulrich had purposefully mentioned to him in the asylum. They are from a song that Ulrich listened to when he was a young boy. He had repeated them to Tiedemann in 1953 and 1987. We jump back to see Officer Tiedemann at the Doppler home where he is told that Helge hasn’t spoken and that he is ‘‘odd’’ by his mum. As we zoom in to his face we see him with Claudia 2 in 1987 being asked about the book, where he agitatedly divulges all that Noah has said to him about the battle between light and dark and that ‘‘travellers’’ in time can unravel the knot and if successful erase the past the present and the future. Helge is obviously traumatised from his own experiences and his personal comments about time could be diagnosed as paranoia if we were not aware of his horrendous experiences as a child guinea pig. Helge is literally, possessed by time.
Claudia 3 meets Noah’s sister in the bunker. She calls her brother a ‘’blind fool’’ and gives her a newspaper cutting asking her to do it today. They hug and Claudia mentions that her mother loves her. We cut to Claudia 2 meeting H.G. Tannhaus in his shop and asking him if he wrote the book. He answers that he was wondering when they would meet again but she responds that she has never met him. He cryptically answers ‘the never-ending cycle’’ which brings a look of bewilderment upon her face. But we know exactly what he means.
Retired Tiedemann visits Ulrich and shows him the record containing the words he had spoken to him in 1954. How could he know the lyrics when the record only came out in 1986? Tiedemann mentions the ‘white devil’’ but Ulrich has no idea about that. He questions Tiedemann’s sanity. Finally Tiedemann asks him who he is. Ulrich answers with his full name and adds: ‘‘I am from the future’’. We next see H.G. Tannhaus explaining to Claudia 2 that an artifact or even information without a point of origin is a bootstrap paradox.
Pointing to the book he then generalises to the very nature of time travel itself. Once a time loop has been created it is circular and without point of origin or end. (Remember the Ouroboros) He tells her that she has come to him to learn how the device works yet only last year he did not know. But another traveller arrived (Jonas) who explained it to him. He continues that you (Claudia 3) knew that all this would happen. It all sounds very reminiscent of the speeches made by Noah and Adam.
Helge’s mum has called in Noah as she thinks that the devil may have possessed her son. Little does she know just how possessed by the dark, little Helge, truly is. Helge seeing Noah rushes to him and grasps him around the legs. Even Noah looks surprised. He repeats exactly what older Helge had told Claudia 2 about time. This is not from the bible. It is the Hermetic mantra of this very perverse death cult that Adam is the High Priest of. He makes Helge read a quote from the Bible. His mother is overcome with joy that he can speak. (Another miracle) She asks if Noah will stay. The sexual tension is palpable. Noah holds hands with her and Helge and calls his return a ‘‘miracle’’. A scientific and technological miracle without doubt.
Retired Tiedemann behaving much like the retired detectives in True Detective Season 3, (seemingly chasing ghosts), visits Mikkel’s (now Michael) home and asks if he ever mentioned a parents name such as Ulrich or made mention of the ‘White Devil’?! No is the answer from Michael’s new mum. Michael is asleep and as Tiedemann is leaving he notices sleeping tablets. I am having nightmares is the reason she gives. Tiedemann asks for a photo of Mikkel/Michael and is given one. Those sleeping tablets? Michael asleep in the afternoon? C’mon Tiedemann?! Say something.
Noah enters the church and his sister is waiting. There is no salvation for you he tells her, and the enmity is clear. But why? Noah continues that Adam will not allow her back in. It is too late. Did Claudia send you he asks. His sister responds that she knows where the missing pages are and hands him the paper Claudia gave her. ‘‘You are sacrificing her?’’ asks Noah. I want back in before the next cycle she answers and tells him that he cannot possibly hate her more than Claudia, to which his look seems to acknowledge.
Young Tiedemann is in his office when a visitor arrives. It is Claudia 3. He looks at her. ‘‘One brown eye, one blue eye’’ he tells her, ‘just like my daughter’’. Exactly so. Claudia tells him that she is sorry. Sorry for everything. It is the good ones that get hurt the most she opines to her father. She leaves. Tiedemann senses he knows her but the truth for him is as far away as ever.
However, in the next scene he repeats their meeting by turning up at the power plant. This time he recognises his daughter, but she again has no time for the old man. ‘‘I have cancer’’ he informs her. She hugs him in a rare display of emotion. We now know what the older Claudia was referring to. Next we jump back to see Tiedemann arrive home and be hugged again, but this time by the youngest iteration. Then he sits and tells her about the ‘‘witch’’ he saw today. The daughter asks who the flowers are for. For mum he replies. Claudia the child then says the very words that Claudia 3 had used earlier (or later?). Tiedemann looks like he has just seen and heard a ghost. An Ibsen ghost.
Next we see Tiedemann visiting Ulrich where he divulges that a boy came to Winden last year and shows Ulrich the photo of Mikkel. Ulrich goes crazy. Ironic that. Claudia 3 enters the shop of H.G. Tannhauser in 1954 who is building the time machine for her and gives him the book and tells him they will meet again but after she is dead. ‘How is that possible?’’ he asks. She replies, ‘Time is an illusion.’’ He will understand everything once he has read the book he will then write. Nothing illusory about that. Only a paradox.
We see her next walking in the woods where Noah is waiting for her. ‘‘You took everything from me’’ says Noah as he raises a shotgun towards Claudia 3. Took what? Its all part of the great game she responds. But I am not your pawn anymore he replies. But you are Adam’s pawn now, she mockingly continues. The ‘Paradise’ he promises you is a lie (Remember what Jonas said to Elisabeth) and your freedom to act is an illusion. Strong stuff. A deep enmity exists between them. But why? How? ‘‘Do you have a choice?’’ she asks. Noah momentarily looks away. Then he shoots Claudia at close range. Brutal stuff. Fanatical stuff. Murderous stuff.
Noah finds the missing pages. They seemingly show the timelines of individuals. Noah’s face changes to a look of shock. He wasn’t expecting to see this. ‘‘Charlotte?’’ he declaims. Something is going to happen to Charlotte which Noah has no knowledge of. Adam asks Noah if he retrieved the missing pages. Noah lies. Claudia’s last words were true as the camera shows us the framed picture of a young Claudia and Adam proclaiming ”In the end we will all get what we deserve”. I doubt that Noah agrees now. Time will tell.
Marc Barham
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