Welcome to this week’s installment of the Summer TV Binge of Netflix’s Dark, analyzing season three, episode two, of the twisted German time travel series, released June 27, 2020.
“The Survivors (Die Überlebenden)”
Written by Jantje Friese & Marc O. Seng
Directed by Baran bo Odar
September 22, 1888/1987/2020/2053: Alt Martha introduces herself to the other survivors of the apocalypse who escaped to the 19th century. Tronte Nielsen investigates the disappearance of Claudia Tiedemann, who is now one of the survivors struggling to survive in post-apocalyptic Winden. Katharina searches for Mikkel in ‘87.
1. Apocalypse Now
Three months after the apocalypse, Peter and Elisabeth Doppler are living in what was Bernadette’s caravan, while Claudia and Regina Tiedemann are holed up in the former police station. We overhear a radio report telling us French scientists believe the apocalypse caused the world outside Winden to “stand still for a fraction of a nanosecond,” which has led it to be plagued by abrupt tidal forces, electrical disturbances, loss of power at nuclear plants, and airplane crashes.
Every day, the Dopplers go to the military encampment, to check if the army have recovered Charlotte and Franziska’s bodies, before resuming their search. As always, time is running out, as the military are evacuating the area and walling off the nuclear plant’s ruins in five days. Peter takes hope from the fact they haven’t been found, as it means they may be alive somewhere else. They’re shadowed by the young Noah, whom Peter wants nothing to do with.
Claudia goes between the station and the bunker, where she is trying to repair the damaged time machine: she has begun putting up the family tree on the wall, and recording her audio log. It is odd the dying Regina did not remain in the bunker, but perhaps it’s easier to keep her warm in the station, which still has electricity: Claudia always returns with painkillers she’s salvaged, and food she’s hunted and foraged for.
While Peter is searching upstairs in the Kahnwald home, Noah approaches Elisabeth, and they communicate using sign language and pencil on paper: we learn he’s been sleeping in the cave. Peter gets angry seeing them together, and reminds them he distrusts him. An apologetic Noah leaves, stating he only wants to protect her — and promises he will, after Peter is “killed.” Back at the caravan, Elisabeth grows frustrated at her father, who calms her down by promising her they will find her mother and sister.
Elisabeth will have to wait until 2053, where we see Charlotte gazing at her baby photo in the caves, reckoning with her paradoxical existence. Elisabeth tells her “everything will be okay.” Charlotte touches her forehead against her mother’s, just as young Elisabeth would, displaying that she accepts she’s her own daughter’s daughter.
2. Katharina’s Maiden Name
In 1987, Katharina is squatting in the Kahnwald home, which Ines and Michael have left after the incident with Ulrich during the summer. While handing out missing posters, she learns about the supposed kidnapping from the young Ulrich, Hannah, and herself, and an exasperated officer subsequently informs her that Michael and Ines went into witness protection as a result, while the patient responsible has been returned to the ward he lived in 34 years. On hearing that number, Katharina realizes it must be Ulrich.
When Katharina encounters her younger self, Hannah is heard mentioning her maiden name for the first time: Albers. When she arrives at the ward, we discover the receptionist is her mother, Helene Albers: as was implied in the first season (and confirmed by another young Katharina moment after this), she is a violent, abusive woman — Katharina is still clearly afraid of her, but she summons the courage to convince her to let her see Ulrich, even invoking the spirit of St. Christopher (whose pendant Helene wears around her neck) to do so.
An incredibly touching moment follows: Katharina takes a seat across her withered husband, who is playing chess by himself. She calls his name, and he immediately recognizes her, looking as she did 34 years ago, only slightly worse for wear. She places her hands on his trembling ones, and he bows his head to plea for forgiveness: she vows to get him out.
Continued below3. Tronte: Terrible Husband, Father
Meanwhile in ’87, a memorial service for Mads is held, in the hope it’ll help Jana Nielsen move on. However, she causes a scene at the wake, openly calling out Tronte for being with Claudia the night their son vanished, and accuses him of being more concerned by her disappearance than Mads’s. She empties his bag containing all the research for his investigation, and embarrassed, he leaves for work.
While driving, Tronte spots Regina and Gretchen at a bus stop, and offers them a lift home. They have an awkward conversation (something reinforced by them never sharing a close-up): he notices the poodle resembles the one Claudia had as a child, which Regina believes is why she kept the dog. She then wonders if Mads and Claudia’s disappearances are connected. When asked, she doesn’t recall her mother mentioning him. With the conversation having become too personal, Regina asks to be dropped off ahead of her destination, but Tronte promises to help with anything she asks.
Back home, Tronte tells Jana about how much Regina has grown since he last saw her. Jana mentions “Claudia never said who the father was,” implying she may be his child. Recognizing he must decide between her and his family, Tronte makes his choice clear by clasping his wife’s hand.
In 2020, Tronte reveals to Regina he survived, and apologizes, saying “she” said it’s the only way to save her: weeping, he picks up a pillow and smothers her. It’s truly horrifying and rage-inducing, a cruel moment made worse by remembering Claudia’s hope that she’d be there for her daughter when she passed away. You’ll curse and damn Tronte’s name, fully aware he knows he’s already in Hell. So the question is; who’s “she”?
4. The Unknown Strikes Again
Claudia’s long-suffering secretary Jasmin (who’s now visibly pregnant) returns to the power plant’s offices after they close for the night, and discovers the Unknown searching for records in the director’s desk. She threatens to call security, but the adult version simply responds she won’t: as the others cross their hands, he pulls out his garotte, and recites from The Tempest, “Hell is empty, and all the devils are here” (a line previously displayed at the start of the eighth episode).
Poor Jasmin: you don’t expect a minor, pregnant comic relief character like her to be so brutally dispatched — the more modern setting also means the Unknown evokes a slasher movie villain this time round. It’s not shown if they left her body there, or disposed of it somewhere else so the rest of Winden assumed she’d gone missing: either way, those approached to take over the plant must have started to look at the place with some trepidation.
5. A Better World
Alt Martha awakens from a nightmare in her bedroom in 1888, and finds the adult Jonas glaring at her, while holding the deceptive letter Noah gave him. He takes her to meet Bartosz, Magnus, and Franziska: Magnus hugs her, but Jonas coldly states that she’s not his sister, and she admits as much. She reveals her whole family is dead in her world, and that she’s arrived to prevent that. The others are baffled and skeptical about the existence of another world — Magnus protests, “I’m not dead: I’m here.”
Jonas accuses Martha of lying or working for Adam, and the boys are forced to restrain him after he becomes physically aggressive. Gustav Tannhaus (Axel Werner), the owner of the factory, enters the workshop, asking why the machines haven’t been turned on, which calms the commotion. Jonas walks off, and Bartosz later enters Martha’s room to apologize for his behavior, explaining he’s changed since they arrived, as “it’s not that easy to get nuclear fuel from the future in 1888.”
Martha asks more about Old Tannhaus, wanting to know if he’s aware why they’re here. Bartosz takes Martha to the underground Sic Mundus lair, revealing the secret society is older than previously thought: Gustav is the last living member of the group, which was founded by his father to gather those who wanted to break the laws of time and space. Elsewhere, Old Tannhaus reminds Jonas that he believes he is here to help him create Paradise — a world where time travel can prevent every pain.
Continued belowBartosz shows Martha what will become Adam’s study: he reveals Jonas told them he’s been here before, and that Adam killed Martha. After remembering Jonas accused her of working for Adam, he asks her, “who is this Adam?” She expresses surprise he didn’t tell them, and discloses that Jonas is Adam, leaving Bartosz speechless.
Back in Alt Martha’s World, Eva tells Jonas that everything is inevitable, even if it may not unfold in the same way. She underscores her point by showing him a family tree engraved on the floor of her study, which demonstrates how everything is almost identical in both worlds, proving once and for all Jonas was wrong to believe he could create a better one by preventing his existence. She adds that the apocalypse will unfold in her world in just three days.
Other Observations:
– Eagle-eyed viewers will discover a few spoilers analyzing the family tree on Eva’s floor, but for now we can take away that it reveals the same individual (represented by an infinity symbol) fathered Tronte in both worlds, and that Noah’s birth name is Hanno Tauber.
– The Adam and Eve painting in Eva’s study is by Lucas Cranach the Elder: specifically, it is the version hung in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The use of the double portrait reflects the show’s Adam and Eva eventually parting ways, still living in their own universes.
– This episode marks the final appearance of Young Ulrich (Ludger Bökelmann), Hannah (Ella Lee), Aleksander (Béla Gábor Lenz), and Regina (Lydia Maria Makrides): the last is particularly memorable during her final entrance, looking like she’s just wiped tears of mourning for her missing mother.
– Katharina gives the young Hannah quite a fright before she leaves for class, warning her to stay away from Ulrich and Mikkel: if only there had been a prior hint that Hannah became subconsciously afraid of her (instead of merely resentful) as a result.
– Katharina’s father, Hermann Albers (Thomas Arnold), was the farmer whose sheep died overnight: he’s seen again in this episode during the wake for Mads Nielsen.
– Amusingly, the name of the actress who plays Katharina’s mother is Katharina Spiering.
– Peter sees photos of Benardette (who’s sadly deadnamed), Jurgen, Aleksander, Clausen and Torben’s bodies at the military’s camp in 2020.
– Old Tannhaus is blind, but being a member of Sic Mundus, he informs Martha, “I see more than those among us who can.”
– Martha’s nightmare again involves sex with (young) Jonas, and death.
See you next week, when we continue the story of “Adam und Eva.”
