Spoilers ahead!
The end is near! After Jason2 (Joel Edgerton) tricked Ryan (Jimmi Simpson), leaving him in another dimension, people noticed his disappearance, so In the Fires of Dead Stars opens with the Earth 1 version of Detective Jamie Mason (Kate Eastman) interrogating Jason2 and Daniela (Jennifer Connelly). Jamie is getting suspicious when it comes to believing Jason2, he feels it. However, his problems don’t end here — after the Detective leaves their house, Daniela forces Jason2 into a corner, telling him everything she knows about his secret project and demanding answers. Jason2 partially tells her the truth, the most important parts remaining secret, bringing temporary peace to their relationship.
Elsewhere, Amanda (Alice Braga) convinces Jason to enter a different world with her. In this new place, people are more empathetic, they care for each other, and there’s safety and beauty and technological advancements — after visiting so many apocalyptic, dystopian realities, the duo finally enters a utopian society. There are two beautiful moments between Amanda and Jason, one in a bar, and the other in a restaurant. Their friendship, with all its complications and romantic potential, along with how one helped the other survive during the season as a whole, had become an important pillar of the show.
"In the Fires of Dead Stars" — Dark Matter, Pictured: Alice Braga as Amanda, Joel Edgerton as Jason. Photo: Apple TV ©. All Rights Reserved
But now comes the time for a parting of ways to happen: Amanda can’t come back to Earth 2, there are few ampoules left, and once Jason finds his family, what will happen to her? Besides the socioeconomic factors, the version of Amanda who lived in that world is gone, nowhere to be found, and our Amanda knows everything she must do to take her place, her bank account (full of credit), and live a good life. She invites Jason to stay with her, and I think it’s my favorite scene here when they say goodbye and kiss each other fondly — he wants to stay, but at the same time he knows he’ll be forever haunted by leaving his wife and son behind.
Before leaving that reality, Jason secretly puts two ampoules in Amanda’s bag, just in case she needs them. When he enters the box, we can see a glimpse of how that reality looks at night — anyone felt that Amanda could be exactly where Ryan was left in the last episode? Maybe these two ampoules will play an important part in the future, but for now, we say goodbye to Amanda. Joel Edgerton’s acting was superb as always, but Alice Braga had her big moment here in one huge emotional scene — Jason’s journey across the multiverse only makes sense when he has a companion like Amanda with him, so it makes sense that once she’s gone, he’s closer than ever to return home.
After visiting a reality in which his other son survived, Jason finally understands that he doesn’t need to describe the color or length of hair or a tree or a sign — he needs to feel again and describe every emotion that his reality, his home — here personified as Daniela — brings him (life is about the people you share [life] with). After a beautiful scene in which he recalls an important moment with Daniela, Jason returns to his dimension.
"In the Fires of Dead Stars" — Dark Matter, Pictured: Jennifer Connelly as Daniela. Photo: Apple TV ©. All Rights Reserved
But how did he manage to return if the Box was sealed off during the last episode, meaning no one could enter or leave Earth 1? Well, Jason2 is the answer! After receiving another visit from Detective Mason, Jason2 brings another version of Ryan to that reality. I think this is something that happened enough times to form a pattern: Jason2 is a messy guy who messes with everyone’s lives, but there’s a twisted logic in the way he chooses his victims. He always picks the ones unsatisfied with their lives, people who are regretful of past choices and would love some changes.
Bringing this other Ryan solves his problem with the Detective, but causes another one, as the Box once again can be used in Earth 1. In the final scene, we discover that our Jason is not the only one who returned home: apparently, countless versions of him manage to return, all with one desire — to take back their family from Jason2, even if by violent means.
This episode was so great, all the emotional moments made it my favorite so far — but I’m feeling that the next two have great potential to be bigger and better and crazier. After all, many Jasons in a single reality, all fighting for the same thing that only one will get. As I hope to see Amanda again in some capacity, if not the Earth 2 version, another one, I think this episode ended her journey beautifully. And I can’t wait to discover what will happen next, with two episodes left, a lot can (and will) change.
Now let me know your thoughts. What do you think about In the Fires of Dead Stars? Feel free to leave a comment with your impressions and theories, and thanks for reading!
