The Time Team scrambles to recover from Rittenhouse’s attack on Mason Industries. The journey takes us back to World War I and we start to understand the next phase of Rittenhouse’s plan. Full recap of the Timeless Season 2 premiere “The War to End All Wars”.
“The War to End All Wars” opens in 1918 St. Mihiel, France, in the midst of World War I. A soldier is looking for Captain Albright who has been hurt in the battle. In the melee, Captain Albright loses his pouch, but he finds it after shifting one of the dead bodies. What’s so important that’s in the pouch? Albright unravels it to reveal a modern 2018 cell phone. WHAT?!
We return to where Season 1 leaves off–Rufus and Wyatt are readying the Lifeboat to head back in time and shift the timeline to recover Lucy’s sister Amy. As they wait for Lucy, Wyatt becomes increasingly worried when she doesn’t answer multiple phone calls. Something is wrong… and then Mason Industries goes boom. Meanwhile, at Lucy’s Mom’s house, we see there has been a struggle and Lucy is gone.
Six weeks later, we see that Wyatt has survived the blast. Rufus, Jiya, Agent Christopher, and Connor Mason have survived too. Thank goodness! They’re hiding out in a government-owned bunker trying to plan their next steps, which center on Rufus fixing the Lifeboat. As soon as we see Wyatt, we know he isn’t in a good place. We’re talking punching the wall in the bathroom as he’s getting ready, his surly attitude toward Jiya and Rufus, and then his rage at Agent Christopher for locking them in the bunker. For Wyatt, the priority is finding Lucy, and he doesn’t take kindly to the others suggesting that she might be dead. Rittenhouse has her! Agent Christopher says that her agents are looking for Lucy, but Wyatt wants to be part of the search. But what about Rittenhouse? If they find out that Wyatt survived the blast, won’t they just come back to finish the job? Wyatt is not at all happy about this situation.
Rufus isn’t particularly thrilled at being a pseudo-prisoner, but he’s optimistic about the Lifeboat being close to operational. Unfortunately, the initial test doesn’t go well. “Ah, firggen Clockblocker!” But in addition to the Lifeboat, Rufus is worried about Jiya and the complications from her trip to the 1950s with the Time Team. He takes out some of those frustrations on Connor Mason in the midst of trying to fix the Lifeboat.
Meanwhile, we see Wyatt’s faith is well placed. Lucy is very much alive and has been with her mother and Rittenhouse. They’re dressed in period clothing and preparing to take a trip in the Mothership. Lucy, Carol (AKA Rittenmom), and Emma make a trip to 1918 St. Mihiel. What are they looking for in World War I France? The three make themselves home in a house nearby and wait for someone named Nicholas Keens. Lucy grows frustrated with Carol and Emma keeping information from her. Why is Emma here anyway?! As for Emma, you can tell she very much resents Lucy, a spoiled, Rittenhouse princess. Carol interrupts their bickering and reminds Lucy that this is her chance to prove her loyalty to Rittenhouse. Interesting.
While they’re talking, we hear yelling from outside. An American soldier is carrying his injured comrade and yelling for help. As they approach the house, we realize the injured man is Nicholas Keens. Apparently, they’ve traveled in time to save his life. Carol and Lucy work on Nicholas, who isn’t at all lucid. Lucy is asked to distract Nicholas’s friend, but when Emma pulls out a defibrillator, he gets anxious. Are these women trying to kill Nicholas?! Emma shoots him in the leg, seizes his rifle, and then hands it to Lucy. This will be part of Lucy’s test whether she’s really with Rittenhouse. Lucy takes the rifle and shoots . It’s at this point we realize that Lucy believes she has nothing to lose. Lucy is not OK, but she has the wherewithal to suggest where they can get an x-ray machine for Nicholas.
Back in the present, Jiya has figured out how to bring the flight systems back online. She ascertains that the Mothership has been in 1918 France for two days. Wyatt knows that this a major battle takes place, the first one in World War I where the Americans forces led. Wyatt calls for Rufus to start the Lifeboat; they’re bringing Lucy home!
It turns out that there were portable x-ray machines in 1918, “petite Curies”, named for after their inventor, Marie Curie. Lucy, Carol, and Mac (a Rittenhouse operative) make their way to a field hospital nearby. They speak with a local nurse, who turns out to be Irene Curie, Madame Curie’s daughter. Lucy tells her about a soldier injured with shrapnel and needing assistance. Irene agrees to come and bring her mother plus the petite Curie. Lucy is against the idea of involving the Curies–there could have a massive impact on history, especially given all of Marie Curie’s contributions to science and innovation. In fact, when Lucy meets Madame Curie (after giving a little curtsy, LOL) tries to discourage her from coming. But Carol intervenes. Saving Nicholas’ life is just that important, despite the potential ramifications.
Lucy is floundering… before leaving with Madame Curie to get the x-ray, she takes a break, claiming she needs water. Instead Lucy goes to the ammunition tent to get a grenade. UHOH… but someone else is in the tent too… it’s Wyatt and Rufus! Lucy is totally overwhelmed to see her friends! But she tells them that they can’t stick around. Lucy shares that her mother is part of Rittenhouse. She has to get back and kill the man her mother is trying to save (Nicholas) and then blow up the Mothership with the grenade. Lucy realizes that Wyatt and Rufus can destroy the Mothership and gives them instructions to where it’s located. But Rufus does a double-take… was Lucy going to sacrifice herself to destroy with Mothership… with a grenade… killing herself and/or being trapped in 1918? YES, Lucy was, because if Wyatt and Rufus were dead, she was the only one left to stop Rittenhouse and she would do so by any means necessary. And this moment is so incredible–the joy of reunion, as well as fully understanding the depth of Lucy’s heartbreak. Without Wyatt and Rufus, her friends, her FAMILY, Lucy doesn’t have much else to lose. It’s equally interesting to witness Wyatt’s and Rufus’ shock when they realize this about Lucy, too.
At the house, Irene and Madame Curie use the x-ray to scan Nicholas, but the results are blurry. Madame Curie says that something is wrong and asks Irene to check the machine’s battery. Lucy joins her. It has to be an interesting experience for Lucy to consider her relationship with Carol in juxtaposition to the Curies. Lucy and Irene have similar experiences of having trailblazing mothers and trying to live up to exacting standards and big shoes to fill.
Even after checking the battery, the x-ray images are still blurry. Madame Curie suggests that there might be some sort of interference. THE MOTHERSHIP! Carol, Emma, and Lucy thank the Curies and tell them to go back to the field hospital. Carol and Emma are able to stabilize Nicholas, and when they leave to talk about next steps, Lucy makes her move. She grabs a pillow and goes to smother Nicholas, but Carol comes back into the room. It was all a test and Lucy failed to prove herself. Carol apologizes again for the explosion at Mason Industries and Lucy losing her friends, but there are people higher-up that Carol must report too. Furthermore, Carol just wants Lucy to embrace the chance to get close again. Carol says that she loves Lucy, but if Lucy doesn’t stop acting out, she won’t be able to protect her.
That night, Wyatt and Rufus try to steal a truck to go to the Mothership, but they’re waylaid by a Captain Albright group of soldiers, accusing them of desertion. Wyatt and Rufus are led to a tent and try to explain that they aren’t deserting. But sitting inside the tent is Mac, the Rittenhouse operative. Once he sees Wyatt and Rufus, he attacks. Wyatt and Rufus are able to take about the group of soldiers, plus Mac. And in doing so, they uncover Albright’s cell phone.
Wyatt and Rufus take the truck and drive and Rufus isn’t happy that, in dealing with Rittenhouse, he can’t take care of the people he cares about (his mom, brother, Jiya is still having those episodes). Surely, Wyatt should understand. He just spent the last six weeks thinking the woman he loves was dead. That brings Wyatt up short. He doesn’t love Lucy… right? “You idiot. You’re in love with Lucy! Just admit it.”
Wyatt changes the subject to Captain Albright and his cell phone. How does a Rittenhouse agent work his way through the ranks to become a captain in World War I. This isn’t something that can happen over a few days. Hmmm… In the phone, Wyatt finds scans of plans written in 1910 about how Rittenhouse could use the time machine to change history to put them on top.
Carol and Emma decide that they’re bringing Nicholas back to 2018. Lucy is confused. What makes this man so important? As they all approach the Mothership, they find the Curies already there. Irene and Madame Curie were trying to investigate what was causing interference with the x-ray. Emma immediately pulls out a gun. The Curies have seen the Mothership, so they must die. Madame Curie asks that Irene be spared, while Lucy begs for Carol to intercede. Lucy jumps in front of the Curies and Carol tells Emma to stand down. But Emma has found the grenade in Lucy’s bag and knows her plans to destroy the Mothership: “Someone that’s willing to die fighting against us will never fight for us. You can’t protect her anymore.”
Carol is silent… but then Wyatt and Rufus arrive! Wyatt threatens to kill Nicholas unless Emma lets Lucy go. They make the exchange and the Curies escape in the chaos. Lucy begs Carol to come with her, but Carol won’t. Before they part ways, Emma reveals that she has made some changes to history to ensure that Amy (Lucy’s sister) will never come back. And Carol ordered it. Lucy is enraged, but Emma, Carol, and Nicholas leave in the Mothership. Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus get to the Lifeboat and return to 2018, too.
Back at the bunker, Lucy is stoic. She confesses to Wyatt that she killed an innocent man. He tries to reassure Lucy, but she isn’t having it. “I would have done anything Wyatt. I would’ve stayed in 1918 forever. I would’ve blown up the Mothership with my mother and me in it to stop all this forever.”
Lucy is glad that Wyatt and Rufus are alive, but she still feels that she’s lost everything, her mother, her sister. Wyatt responds: “You haven’t lost me.” Lucy and Wyatt embrace one another, they get closer and closer, and then Jiya interrupts to share news.
Connor was able to figure out that, over the last six weeks, the Mothership visited ten different destinations in history. What was Rittenhouse doing? Rufus shares that he’s been reading the plans on Albright’s cell phone. They mention pressure points in history, key moments that would change the present. And Wyatt puts it together… Rittenhouse is planting sleeper cells in history, secret agents living their lives and biding their time until they’re activated. And then these agents will strike to alter history. When Lucy asks whether the plans mention Nicholas Keens (the soldier that Carol and Emma save), Wyatt and Rufus are taken aback. Keens is the one who wrote this manifesto. The team realizes they’ll need help deciphering Keen’s plans and Agent Christopher knows exactly who to get–Garcia Flynn! But he’ll only talk to Lucy.
Meanwhile, Carol sits with Nicholas Keens as he awakens in 2018. Carol assures him that he’s with Rittenhouse and that they have the time machine to put his manifesto into practice. When Nicholas asks Carol who she is, she says that she’s his granddaughter. Meaning, Nicholas is Lucy’s great-grandfather. WHATTTTTTTTTTT?! So, from all sides, Lucy is descended from crazy megalomaniacs!
SMH. This season of Timeless is going to be good!
Timeless airs Sundays at 10p/9c in NBC.
