Year 2043
Dr. Adler informs Jones that there has been no sign of Cole's tracer in more than 24 hours. Jones instructs him to stop looking. Jones is sure that Cole is still alive but won't come back. Adler questions if they are going to abandon Cole in 2015 but Jones explains that it's not Cole who is abandoned but them. Jones believes that Cole is a memory now, as the past was intended to be.
Year 2015, Manhattan New York
Jones meets with her father talking about her new work in an American laboratory. It seems that Jones's father wants her to work in Berlin as a doctor because he misses her. Jones however makes it clear that she is not good with people. Jones hugs her father goodbye, after he warns her that she cannot live on science alone because it's the heart that sustains a human. Before Jones can enter her home, she is confronted by Cassandra on Cole's behalf. Jones makes it clear that she is not the kind of doctor that Cassandra is looking for, so Cassandra pulls out a gun saying that if Jones doesn't help her, Cole will die. So now we know how Jones was so sure that Cole made it to 2015 okay.
Year 2015
Cole lies in bed and he has flash backs to the things he has seen. Aaron wakes him and Cole pulls a gun. Cole explains that he thought that Aaron was a scavenger. Cassandra is with Jones who is still insistent that she cannot help, so Cassandra shows Jones her work. Aaron explains to Cole that the splittering is killing him and that Casssie went to find someone who can help. Cole has a seizure and Aaron stands by, unsure of how to help him. Aaron calls Cassandra and tells her that Cole is not breathing. Cassandra explains that Cole is in cardiac arrest. Cassie starts to instruct Aaron on how to save him and Jones uses Cassie's distraction to make a run for it. Jones grabs a knife out of her kitchen and confronts Cassie, telling her that unlike Cassie's gun, her knife is real. Jones is convinced that what Cassie has shown her is not real. Cassie explains that her friend (read: Cole) is from the future and that Jones sent him here.
At Cassie's, a coughing Cole gets out of bed and questions how long he was asleep. Aaron explains that Cole has been and out for the last couple of days. Cole answers that where he comes from, sleep is dangerous because it's when a person is at their more vulnerable. Aaron wants to talk about preparing to survive the coming epidemic. Cole suggests that maybe they can survive it in a bunker for a year or two and Aaron clarifies that what he means is saving the people they love. Their conversation is interrupted by Cassie, who explains that she went to the address that the Cassie of 2017 gave Cole. Cole asks what she found and Jones enters. Cole realises that Jones always knew him. Cole asks Jones why she never told him and she replies that she is sure she had her reasons. Jones however is still not big on explanations or warm and fuzzy and asks for a blood sample. Jones heads upstairs to find a microscope and Cole questions how Cassie convinced Jones to help. Cassie explains that she used a gun, just like Cole taught her. Cole is concerned that Jones is here because of the risk of the time line but Cassie points out that Cole is dying. Cole however admits that Jones is here because she always came here and that this is fate, Cassie however does not believe in fate. Cole announces that project splitter is over.
Year 2043
Jones is meeting with the scientists saying that they need new leads and to rebuild their investigation. Adler however is not convinced, saying that they lost everything in fire. Jones will not be stopped, even as Adler claims their actions amount to madness. Jones starts issuing orders, demanding that they find all they can on the 12 Monkeys, Markridge and Cassandra.
Year 2015
Markridge CEO is discussing the trouble that the company is in. A video of the CEO having sex appears on the screen and Jennifer bursts in claiming that she is starting a hostile take over. Jennifer accuses the CEO of embezzlement and infidelity and hands him his resignation. Jennifer announces that with the death of her father, she is the majority stake holder. Security enters and takes the CEO away, as Jennifer explains that the charges against her have been dropped. Jennifer takes the head seat and tells the board that she has some ideas.
At Cassie's, Jones announces that Cole is getting worse and is going to die. When Cassie looks away in sadness, Jones realises that Cole is much more to Cassie than a friend and questions how the two met. Cassie explains about the message she left behind and the watch Cole brought with him from the future. Jones questions when Cole was born and suggests that if his current DNA were introduced to him now, it might fix the problem. Cassie realises that what Cole needs is a paradox to save his life and that a blood sample from the original Cole could work. When they hear a door slam, Jones tells Cassie that her friend left.
Cassie runs outside to find Aaron making a call. When Cassie confronts Aaron about leaving, he explains that this isn't his fight and that while Cassie is busy saving Cole and the rest of mankind, someone has to figure out how to save her. Cassie doesn't answer and simply returns inside. Aaron finishes dialing and says that he wants to make a deal.
Aaron meets with the Stunning Woman, informing her that while he doesn't understand her motives, he is a pragmatist and a realist. Aaron says that this isn't just about him but about Cassie as well. Aaron asks how this is all going to work, adding that he isn't willing to just take the Stunning Woman's word. The Stunning Woman calls Aaron a lion protecting his pride and says that he will know in time. The Stunning Woman explains that evolution takes many forms. Aaron asks for a promise that he and Cassie will be safe and The Stunning Woman tells Aaron that it all depends on him.
Jones and Cassie are on a road trip to find Cole. Jones says that she is worried about prison and snarks about asking a stranger for a sample of his son's blood. Jones asks if Cassie brought a real gun this time and realises that Cassie's plan is to kidnap young Cole. Jones asks Cassie to pull over so that she can be sick. It seems that Jones is pregnant and plans on having an abortion. Jones explains that she was married for six days and now wants every part of her ex gone.
Year 2043
Jones has a music box playing, as she looks through her keepsakes of Hannah's things. Jones finds a card for the garage owned by Cole's father.
Year 2015
Cassie and Jones have arrived at the garage. Cassie lies and says that they have reason to believe that Mathew might have been exposed to Ecoli. They are about to leave after being told that Mathew left months ago, when Jones spots young Cole swinging on a swing. Jones, Cassie and young Cole head back into the garage and speak to Matthew, who after seeing his son with the women, now admits his identity. Cassie admits that she is not there about E Coli and is going to tell Matthew the truth.
Moments later, Matthew points a shot gun at Cassie and Jones and tells them that they need to leave. Cassie tells Matthew that she told him the truth about the virus and the army of the 12 monkeys is all true. Matthew asks if Marion (Cole's mother) sent her because the last time he saw her, she told him that he had to protect Cole from a monkey army. Cassie explains that the grown up James Cole needs Matthew. Matthew asks Cassie who she is to James and Cassie asks Matthew to come with them and meet Cole, adding that if he doesn't agree to do so, adult Cole will die.
Cassie wakes a sleeping Cole and tells him that there is someone here to see him. When Cole looks up, he is staring into his father's face.
Year 2043
Jones is in the splitter room working on the splitter machine. On it she finds the foliage and asks Adler to find out how it got there.
Year 2015
Jones talks to young Cole, explaining that he is helping someone who is sick as Matthew looks on. Jones pauses and calls Cassie to take the blood instead. Cole gets out of bed and starts to approach his younger self and grabs his head. Jones rushes over and warns Cole that he has to keep his distance from his younger self because it would be disastrous. Cole heads back to bed and Matthew sits by his side. Matthew explains to his adult son that he wasn't a good man before Cole came along. Cole asks about his mother and is told that Matthew's relationship with Marion was short and that she tracked him down after Cole was born. Marion told Matthew that she couldn't protect Cole. Cole tells his father that he is trying to make up for the things that he has done. When Cole passes out, Matthew stands and heads outside.
Matthew is joined by Cassie who apologizes. Matthew says that he thought that he would always be there for Cole and asks if the plague will get him for sure. Before Cassie can answer, her phone rings. It's Aaron who asks her to come around the corner and meet him in the parking lot. Cassie excuses herself and takes off running. When Cassie meets up with Aaron, he tells her that nothing is going to change and asks her to get into the car. Cassie demands to know what Aaron did and he simply tells her that "they wouldn't wait any longer." Cassie is forced to head butt Aaron to get him to let go. Cassie storms off, as Aaron calls out that they cannot stop this. On her way back to her place, Casie sees the Pallid man drive by. Aaron rushes into the house and Matthew follows quickly locking the door, as adult Cole yells out to Cassie to grab young Cole and run. Adult Cole hands his father a gun and Matthew follows after Cassie and his young son. Jones, Cassie and Mathew rush outside and Matthew shoots at the Pallid Man. Mathew is shot as young Cole watches from the car. The Pallid man then shoots Mathew dead, as Cole, Cassie, and Jones drive away.
The Pallid man is now inside Cassie's home and he meets up with adult Cole. Cole however has the syringe filled with blood from his younger self and injects himself. The paradox lifts Cole off his feet and a bright shining light appears. The resulting explosion blows out the store windows.
Later, Cassie returns and walks through the wreckage and finds a naked Cole lying on the floor. Cassie wraps a blanket around Cole, who asks if his father makes it. Cassie shakes her head no, so Cole asks about his younger self. Cassie explains that young Cole has been left with Jones. Cassie explains that the Pallid Man found them because of Aaron and Cole says that they should go, as in the distance sirens sound.
Cassie has dropped young Cole off with child protective services. Jones explains that she has decided to keep her child and that maybe her father is right. Cole offers to tells Jones about her future, thus giving her a chance to do things differently. Jones rejects Cole's offer, saying that it's just as likely to undo Cole's work, as it is to help hers. Jones says that if it is fate, their paths will cross again, then maybe they will find the answers together. Jones tells Cole that the paradox has destroyed his ability to travel back to his own time and that he lives here now. Jones and Cole hug goodbye for now.
Cassie questions if they should leave young Cole with social services and Cole says that his younger self will be fine and make friends. They watch as young Cole and Ramse meet for the first time.
Year 2043
Adler explains that he analyzed the plant and that it's ordinary Ivy but adds that the plant is not from their time. The alarms go off and Jones rushes to the door. Whitley is holding the head of someone and says, "they're coming." Outside, the bodies of Whitley's men are laid on the ground. It seems that Deacon has returned with a mystery crew.
Okay, this episode didn't actually move the meta along very far but we got to meet Jones of the past and see a little bit more about Cole's past.
Watching the scene of his younger self being rushed outside by Cassie and Mathew must have been terrible. I kept thinking about how hard it is to know that his father is rushing to his death and not have time to warn him. The interaction between Adult Cole and Matthew made this scene really compelling.
Jones and Cassie keep mirroring each other and saying that there's no such thing as fate and yet everything we have seen thus far makes it appear that the plague was always destined to happen. It's the intervention from the future which pretty much assures that it will. The circular plot of time travel makes it difficult to invest in 12 Monkeys.
Whitley made it back alive. I am actually glad to see him and hope that his character gets further built up. This is particularly important given that he is 50% of the cast of colour. We know what Whitley has done for Jones and that his father is dead but beyond that what do we really know about him?
I loved seeing Jennifer in action again. She is easily my favourite character in this series. I loved her taking over control of the company, even though it was at the behest of The Stunning Woman. I think Jennifer could be a strong awesome character and I want to see her come into her own without being manipulated by other characters.
