Timeless may have concluded with its own Christmas miracle in the form of its two hour finale “The Miracle of Christmas.” Is this really the end, though? While there was much to love about this episode, there was also a lot that left me rather disappointed. First of all, where were Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan in all of this? Both, of course, have moved on to other shows – SWAT for Ryan and The Boys for Kripke, who has also been busy with the hit movie The House with a Clock in its Walls. The first part of the episode was written by Lauren Greer and the second half by Akira Lisanne Mittman. The episode John F Showalter – a favorite choice of Kripke’s and Ryan’s. There’s no denying that there was a lot for fans to love about this episode – especially that ending! But, wrapping things up so quickly also meant that a lot of logic went out the window – as well as story threads like Jiya’s (Claudia Doumit) visions… But let’s enjoy a closer look at the episodes. Settle in for a good long read…
Wyatt is dealing with the loss of his fictional baby, but realizes Jessica would have been a terrible mother. Lucy checks on him, and the two get to work going through Lucy’s journal. Going through the journal allows Wyatt to apologize for hurting her – he’d only wanted to do the right thing. Then they find a case about the Titanic – I’m sad we missed that – and evidence that Lucy and Flynn did have a relationship.
Jiya has examined the new lifeboat and is excited by all the upgrades. Denise (Sakina Jaffrey) congratulates her – after all, Jiya must have been the one to make the modifications. Connor (Paterson Joseph) jumps in to take credit for some of it. Jiya is eager to go back to their own timeline to save Rufus (Malcolm Barrett), but Connor reminds them of the real, physical impossibility of doing so. But Flynn (Goran Visnjic) says that the visit by Lucy wasn’t the only time she’d travelled to the past where she’d already existed – she brought him the journal on Christmas eve 2014, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Connor lists the physical toll of travelling to your own past – headaches are just the beginning – then nose bleeds, seizures, memory loss – and eventually – though everyone’s tolerance is different (how would he know this?) – insanity. It nicely lays the groundwork for what’s to come.
Jiya is desperate to get going to rescue Rufus, but they still don’t have a plan. Wyatt digs out the present – hidden behind the SpaghettiOs – that Rufus got for Jiya in 1981. It’s a rubic’s cube in original packaging! Wyatt tells her that Rufus said there was no puzzle that she couldn’t solve.
And then the time alarm goes off. January 28, 1848, near Sacremento – which allows them to use their California shooting location. The team is divided on whether to follow, but Denise points out that this is protocol – they always go after Rittenhouse and there’s no point in saving Rufus if they let Rittenhouse decimate history. Jiya points out that future Wyatt and Lucy told them that they needed Rufus to ultimately stop Rittenhouse. In the end, Denise is persuasive and the four take off – but not before we discover that the lifeboat now has autopilot.
They arrive in 1848 just as the gold rush is about to start. They quickly find out that Emma and Jessica have been there. One of the miners correctly guesses that Emma and Jessica are there for the gold, while Lucy and company think they are trying to interfere with history until they find wanted posters for themselves and it looks like that was Emma’s plan. I thought that this scene was nicely plotted with a lot going on – but all the pertinent facts there.
Wyatt promises to tell them where the gold is if they let them borrow the horses a little while longer. Murrieta agrees – for now. Wyatt is mildly put out that Lucy doesn’t tell them that Murrieta is the real-life Zorro until he rides away.
Meanwhile, Jessica gets the gold from their sleeper agent (Anthony Traina). He’s not very happy to be dealing with Emma’s underling and wants to go back to 2018. Jessica tells him that they’ll be back when the time is right – and it’s clear they’re never coming back for him.
In camp, Murrieta admires Flynn’s gun, which he claims is Prussian and not very powerful – LOL! Flynn admires Murrieta’s horses, and the two converse in Spanish. We learn Murrieta’s history as a horse trainer and the Sonorans loss of the gold, which they found first, to the Americans after the war. The story about the dispute over the mule that lead to the rape of his wife and the death of his brother is sadly historically accurate. Flynn, of course, understands Murrieta’s desire for revenge as it all parallels his own history. I thought this was a nice way to humanize Flynn one last time – and remind us again why he became a “bad guy” in the first place.
In the present, Jessica gives the gold to Emma, who is going back to 1950s Korea to buy them a new sleeper. She tells Jessica to use half the money to get them more “sisters-in-arms” – seems she prefers working with women!
Lucy wakes up in the middle of the night. Wyatt is awake – keeping watch? – and Flynn is missing. He’s told Wyatt that he’s riding ahead to scout the Mill – but he’s not. He’s taking the time machine – with its new autopilot – to become a hero and save the others from themselves. Of course, Flynn is going to the future/past (February 12, 2012) to be Jessica’s killer. It’s a bit of a fun twist as we’d speculated before that Flynn might have been the one to kill Jessica. It’s a bit of a thorny timey-wimey knot. Was he always the one to kill her? After all, Rittenhouse couldn’t have been there the first time she was killed, right?
The others arrive at the Mill to find Flynn nowhere in sight. Murrieta is happy they were telling the truth and goes off to prospect for gold. Meanwhile, before they can look for the sleeper, the others are arrested.
We get a nice scene in the bunker with Denise and Connor. She’s determined to decorate for Christmas – and Connor is determined to pull the plug as they have nothing to celebrate until they get Rufus back. Denise is tired of making scarves – just a little reminder for us about her knitting hobby. And she is discouraged that apparently they are still chasing Rittenhouse in five years. But Connor points out that they need to save Rufus to stop Rittenhouse. Denise reminds him that he’s the one who created the time machine. He does feel guilty every day about it. Denise is determined to destroy the mothership and the lifeboat once Rittenhouse is stopped. Connor affirms that it can be done, but he reminds her of Oppenheimer. Nuclear weapons were a terrible idea that Oppenheimer regretted creating – but the technology already existed – like the time machine. It’s inevitable that someone else will come up with it – and they may need their technology to stop them. Another nice little bit of foreshadowing here.
Flynn kills the Rittenhouse sleeper agent. And we get Jessica and Wyatt’s fight. Flynn is almost overcome by the severe headache caused by visiting the past where he already existed. Jessica is calling the Rittenhouse agent – so is clearly already a sleeper – when she notices Flynn. She’s a trained fighter and almost gets away from Flynn, but he manages to shoot her – and I did love the final shot! So, I guess that we can infer that since she was shot – and not strangled as we were originally told that this is still a separate murder. In the timeline in which she lived, the Rittenhouse agent must have taken out the strangler – but shouldn’t the strangler still be there? It seems a bit of a loose thread if not an actual plot hole.
The others are hoping that Flynn will show up to rescue them as they are tied up in warehouse. Jiya also wonders where Murrieta is and we get the end of his story – he’s shot to death by Rangers in 1853. Lucy says that historians dispute the story, but Jiya says she saw Murrieta’s pickled head in a jar in Chinatown in 1888!!! They hear shots, and suddenly the door opens – and it’s Rufus! “Merry Christmas, you filthy animals!” – may be the best line ever in the series! I also loved Rufus’ face – he’s so confused that they are so happy to see him!
Rufus has a completely different timeline from them. He doesn’t remember ever going to Chinatown. Lucy quickly realizes that Flynn is the one who saved Rufus. Wyatt realizes that Jessica is gone – and then jumps to the conclusion that this is why Lucy ends up with Flynn. Lucy tells him that she doesn’t end up with Flynn. Jessica finds a letter in the journal.
Rufus has killed the sleeper and has been working with Murrieta. And finally, we get some pop culture references as he remarks that the real Zorro is much cooler than Antonio Banderas (who played him in the movies…). Lucy tells the others what’s in the note that he wrote. He suggests that his not making it back is for the best because of what he’s done to her and the team in the past.
Emma returns from her trip to the past only to discover that no one knows who Jessica is – and that the gold she brought back as disappeared! Emma quickly realizes that they’ve changed the timeline – and is really angry because that’s her job!
Back at the bunker, we learn that Murrieta doesn’t become Zorro after all, but ends up a successful horse rancher instead. Rufus is upset that Jiya has already opened her Christmas present. Meanwhile, Jiya is thrilled to have Rufus back from the dead – and he’s impressed with future-Jiya’s upgrading the lifeboat to Delauren-status. I loved that they both used the same pop culture reference – that was a nice little detail. Rufus, however, discovers one of Jiya’s scars from Chinatown, and we learn a little more about how hard her life was there. She tells him about Chinatown – and how awful it was to be a woman in that time – and that place. But Jiya doesn’t really tell him anything – clearly not all her scars are visible.
Wyatt and Lucy discover that they’ve been sharing the room that was Wyatt and Jessica’s. Wyatt reflects on the fact that Flynn lied about the name of Jessica’s killer because it was Flynn all along – but Wyatt has also figured out that Flynn was trying to save Wyatt’s life – not destroy it. Lucy tells Wyatt that Flynn told her in his letter that there might be a way to get Amy back, but she can’t figure it out. Wyatt wants to drop everything to save Amy, but Lucy points out that if they don’t stop Rittenhouse, they’ll become those unhappy people from the future. Lucy points out that they can’t unknow what they already know.
The lifeboat team discuss the possible reasons for heading to North Korea at this time. The allies were winning the war until the Chinese Communist Party descended and everyone had to be evacuated from Hungnam. Wyatt describes it as the Dunkirk of the Korean War. It’s clear that this incident was chosen because of the evacuation being so successful that it was called “The Miracle Christmas.” Jiya insists on going too because she refuses to lose him again.
Neither Lucy nor Connor can figure out what Emma’s plan is or target. Denise says that’s what scares her. Emma is brilliant so there has to be a reason. Denise is determined that if the team can’t stop her in the past, they need to stop her in the present. Connor is researching the event and happens upon a picture of the team in the past – all dead. And again, shouldn’t that mean that they’ve been wiped from their minds? Denise didn’t remember Wyatt and Jessica sharing a room after all…
As the team walks toward the port, they run into soldiers apparently killed in a skirmish, but of course, it’s Emma’s sleeper – who’s there to offer them a ride in his helicopter. But we jump over the entire scene as the next thing we see is Lucy waking Wyatt up and telling him that the pilot was sent by Emma to kill them. Wyatt wrestled the controls from him – they crashed but they’re all ok. Except for Jiya who has a huge chunk of glass in her leg. Jumping over the crash, of course, let’s them save huge money for the effects… The team realizes it’s all been a set up to kill them and head for the lifeboat.
Rufus takes a moment with Lucy as they make their way back to the lifeboat. He’s hoping that they’ll get back together – they’re still a couple in his timeline! – because they are like Han and Lei, Arwen and Aragorn, Bella and Edward… I loved that he used the portmanteau Lyatt – that fans use. And of course, Rufus would pick Star Wars and Lord of the Rings – but the capper is choosing Twilight because if Lucy isn’t nerdy enough to know the first two references as a girl, she must know Twilight, right? LOL! He tells her that those couples had obstacles too. It’s also a nice way of making this story an epic by comparison. Lucy explains to Rufus that this isn’t like just getting into a fight – she can’t forget that Wyatt left her and she doesn’t want to be anyone’s second choice. Rufus tells her about Wyatt not giving up when Lucy’s mother had her – and he points out that Wyatt gave up Jessica to get Rufus back – and Rufus is sure that if Wyatt had had to choose between him and Lucy, he’d still be dead! It doesn’t sound like a second choice to Rufus.
Wyatt is pessimistic about their chances, but agrees to stop long enough to get a truck running – Rufus points out it will be faster and warmer than walking. Lucy and Jiya take refuge in the nearby church while they work. There’s a nice little moment where Jiya crosses herself before sitting down that they segues into her telling Lucy about seeking solace in a cathedral in Chinatown. Lucy tells her that she’s happy for them. Jiya, however, has concerns. Rufus doesn’t really know who she is now after what she endured for three years in Chinatown – he remembers her from before. She’s not the same person he fell in love with.
Rufus is prattling on about the new age difference between him and Jiya when Wyatt interrupts him to tell him that Jiya being stuck in Chinatown was all his fault because of Jessica. Wyatt even confesses that Rufus warned him about Jessica and told Wyatt that he’d never forgive him for what happened to Jiya. Rufus is confused about why Wyatt is telling him, but Wyatt refuses to lie to him. Rufus unconditionally forgives him – it’s another nice scene between our favorite characters.
Unfortunately, Young-Hee isn’t on board with the plan. She’s afraid that she’ll never find her son and husband and still thinks it will only be a few days, but Lucy persuades her otherwise. Rufus notices that Jiya has picked up a St Christopher medal at the church and is impressed that after everything, she’s still kept her faith. She tells him – “You came back to me, how could I not?”
In Korea, Young-Hee tells Lucy that she’s a history teacher too, but it’s hard now because the Party wants them to teach propaganda – not the truth. I did like how this episode ties in to current events – the refugee crisis in America with asylum-seekers can only be seen as a mirror to this great victory in the past. The mention of propaganda being taught certainly resonates with the propaganda of political messages – especially things like climate-deniers who disparage science itself. Naturally, Young-Hee goes into labor at the same time the truck dies. They have to walk the last mile. Luckily, Wyatt knows how to deliver a baby.
Rufus and Lucy head to the port to get a doctor. They find Colonel Forney (Alan Pietruszewski) and Dr Hyun Bong Hak (Albert Kong) – the real life heroes of the evacuation. The Colonel wants to get Lucy on a boat and tells her they can’t let any of the doctors go, but Dr Hak steps up to come. As they leave, it looks like a bomb has gone off right where they left Wyatt and Jiya!
When they get there, they find Wyatt with a new baby girl. And suddenly, it looks like Lucy has remembered just how much she loves Wyatt. Once at the port, it looks like Young-Hee may never be reunited with her family because there was no record keeping, when her son suddenly runs out of the crowd. Rufus can’t get them a truck to get back to the lifeboat because they are all rigged to explode, so they set off on foot.
They all get in the mothership, and Lucy and Wyatt take the lifeboat home. Wyatt suggests that they can now get Amy back. But Lucy is adamant. She points out how badly things went wrong when Flynn tried to get his family back and when Wyatt got Jessica back. She’s thankful they saved Rufus but she’s sad they lost Flynn. Where would it end? They’d be no better than Rittenhouse. She’s not ok with it, but everyone loses someone they love and no matter how badly they want them back, they have to find a way to go on. That’s everyone’s history.
The team makes it back in time for Christmas. Rufus is pumped to have flown the mothership – which is now being destroyed. Jiya admits that maybe things haven’t changed that much, but Rufus is already looking to the future. They’re going to have to get new jobs. Jiya points out that Rufus can see his family again – they think he died in the explosion at Mason Industries – and of course Rufus points out that he’s making more comebacks than Elvis! Jiya toys with him but is thrilled to have him come to move in with him.
Lucy checks on Young-Hee and discovers she lived a long and ordinary life. Wyatt and Lucy then make up for some of their lost time.
The team gathers for Christmas, and Denise gives everyone a gigantic, ugly scarf – the ones she’s been knitting while they were away on missions. Lucy proposes a toast to them winning. It’s their last morning together as a “family.” Wyatt is now officially assigned to special projects with Denise. Connor is a bit sad about the disassembly of the mothership, but Denise tells Connor that they’ll be keeping the lifeboat – in case… it will stay in the bunker, under armed guard.
And then we end as we began – with some future time travel! Only this time it’s a simple time jump for viewers to Palo Alto, December 24, 2023. Lucy is back teaching history – something she has first hand knowledge about that she can give to her students – I loved them mentioning some of the famous women we met on the series like Harriet Tubman. I also loved the student who asks why they are studying only women in a general American History course! Because women are underrepresented in history books – and this was one of the things that I will miss the most about this series! Lucy tells the student that they just didn’t have time – maybe next semester they’ll get to the men – or maybe in a new series?
Lucy meets Wyatt who is playing with their twin daughters – Flynn and Amy. She tells him that she got tenure. She’s ready for her final mission.
Rufus and Jiya have gone into business together. Jiya is the front person, and Rufus is the anonymous guy behind the scenes. She wanted to build a better future – but Rufus is all about giving back to the community. They make the perfect balance. They are at a science fair, and Rufus is admiring one of the exhibits.
It’s Sao Paulo, Brazil on December 24, 2014. Rufus and Wyatt take a seat at a table, and Lucy joins Flynn at the bar. She tells him she knows everything and that he was right about everything. She tells him that he will have to sacrifice everything, but she’ll know that he is none of the things the world thinks about him. She tells him that he’ll think he’s lost his humanity – but he won’t, he never will. She also tells him that he’ll never get his family back – but that he’s a hero – maybe the greatest of them all. Lucy starts to feel the effects of travelling to her own time. She gives Flynn the journal and tells him that he’s going to save history. I ADORED the music that plays as she leaves the bar with Rufus and Wyatt because it sounded exactly like a John Carpenter movie soundtrack – Escape from New York… but that segues into a version of “Time After Time” (which was the show name I gave to one of my horses back in the day!). We get a terrific re-cap of the entire series.
But that’s not the final scene. We go to Paulina’s (Marika Dumancas) bedroom. She’s the student who had the flux capacitor at the science fair that Rufus was so impressed by. She’s doing her homework when she’s called for dinner. We zoom in to what she’s working on – and it looks an awful lot like a time machine!
There was a lot to love in this two hour Christmas special. There’s also enough left on the table to give us hope that Timeless could have another miracle and come back for more. I was sad to see Flynn go – but will acknowledge that the majority of fans were thrilled to see Lyatt confirmed as end game. And of course, they had to save Rufus! I understand that a lot had to be sacrificed in the name of time – only two hours to tie up a lot of loose ends – but simply ignoring Jiya’s visions entirely? That was another of the plot holes that were never really addressed. Still, this was a fun send off for the show. I think that it would be absolutely terrific if a channel like History were to pick it up – and give it a bigger budget! I think there is a real need for some of these stories in history to be told, and this show really will be missed for that. What did you think of the ending? Are you satisfied? Did the semi-cliffhanger at the end give you hope or make you crazy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
