Summary
Dark season 3, episode 3, “Adam and Eva” deepens the unbreakable theory between Jonas and Martha as we begin to learn the intentions of Eva.
This recap and breakdown of Netflix series Dark season 3, episode 3, “Adam and Eva” contains significant spoilers.
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Please note, for reference and the purpose of recapping Dark, descriptors like Child, Teen, Adult, Elderly, or a specific year will be used to determine the character in the plot at the beginning of paragraphs. For example:
- Jonas (teen)
- The Stranger (adult)
- Adam (elderly)
or
- Young Helge (child – 1953)
How does Dark season 3, episode 3, “Adam and Eva” open?
Episode 3 opens up with a man in a carriage talking to the child version of the blind man Tannhaus. The man opens up a watch pocket that says “For Charlotte”. In the present day, the man from the start of the series that burned down the room for the secret society enters the carriage. He tells Tannhaus to send a telegram to the town — Tannhaus realises that his father was not insane, that future travellers do exist. The man gets out his usual weapon, suggesting he’s going to kill Tannhaus. In 2019 in the other world, Martha (elderly — counterpart) tells Jonas that they are Adam and Eve, a glitch in the matrix and they are here to save both worlds. Episode 3 brings the biblical notion that Martha and Jonas are beginning of everything but a flawed version of God’s creation.
2019 — the other world — another body
Meanwhile, in the other world Ulrich (adult — counterpart) is reporting to the team that they have found an unidentified deceased boy who looks like he is from the 80s. An emotional Ulrich tells Charlotte (adult — counterpart) that he believes it is all connected to Erik and Mads. He also tells Charlotte that he can no longer have an affair, bringing the same patterns of the original timeline.
1888 — the original world — he is Adam
Bartosz (teen) angrily confronts Jonas (adult) and demands the truth — “How did Martha really die that day?”. The pair end up fighting outside and the group break them up. Bartosz reveals that Jonas is the problem and that he is also Adam.
2019 the other world — what you must do
At this point, we’ve established that Martha (elderly — counterpart) is now called Eva. She tells Jonas (teen) that he and Martha cannot be together, despite being tied together by an eternal bond that Adam tried to sever, which is impossible — “Bound in eternity by deja-vu”. Eva tells Jonas, “If you want to save your Martha, you have to choose the side of light. And you must make me what you see I’ve become.” Jonas is frustrated and tired of all the obligations. Dark season 3, episode 3, “Adam and Eva” suggests how Eva’s approach is different from Adam’s in the early phases.
2019 — the other world — what happened in the bunker?
Ulrich (adult — counterpart) meets his daughter Martha (teen — counterpart — 2019). He asks her the truth to what happened in the bunker and what she saw. Martha explains that there was light and then a dead body fell out. Magnus (teen-counterpart) tells Ulrich to leave. When Ulrich leaves, Martha asks Magnus if he saw anything else in the woods and starts doubting what she saw — Magnus states they saw what they saw.
2019 the other world — she will follow you
Eva tells Jonas (teen) that the same events happen, over and over again and that Jonas will choose Martha every time — “You must show her how all this is intertwined. She will follow you”. At this point, everything feels manipulated, much like when Jonas was talking extensively to Adam.
1888 — the original world — trust me
Jonas (adult) asks Martha (teen — counterpart — 1888) why he doesn’t remember being in her world. Martha says she doesn’t know and asks what Sic Mundus Creatus Est is. He explains the history but Martha doesn’t want to give up on everyone who has died in her world — she wants Jonas to trust her. She shows him a time-travelling device that still works. Dark season 3, episode 3, “Adam and Eva” always gives the sense that Martha is in control of the narrative, as it is clear later on in the chapter that she is playing Jonas.
2019 — the other world — Martha must perish
The unknown man, elderly man and child confront Eva and say, “You could have told him which path you would send him down. How it’ll end”. Eva explains that they must preserve the cycle and that Martha must perish — “The beginning and the end” — as Eva says this she looks inside a book and it says “Winden Nuclear Power Plant Volume Control System”.
Meanwhile, Hannah (adult — counterpart) meets Aleksander (adult — counterpart) and offers her sympathies regarding Regina. She offers Aleksander a deal — “I have something that was yours. I want to return it.” She lays out some paper and Aleksander looks worried, asking what she wants. Hannah tells him she wants Charlotte destroyed and to lose everything. Episode 3 shows how Hannah is a similar character but at the opposite side, frustrated by the actions of Charlotte and Ulrich.
2019 — the other world — Helge’s confession
Charlotte (adult — counterpart) meets Peter (adult — counterpart) at the church. She asks him where Helge was the night before and if his father still lived in the cabin in 1987. Peter states he went to a nursing home that year so Charlotte asks about 86′. She shows Peter the necklace and tells him it is Helge’s and she found it in the bunker. Suddenly, the police call — Helge is at the station, confessing. Helge (elderly — counterpart) is telling the station that he killed the child. Charlotte asks him about Mads Nielsen in 1986. Ulrich (adult — counterpart) starts manhandling him, the emotions of the investigation getting to him.
2019 — the other world — I’ve always known you
Jonas (teen) confronts Martha (teen — counterpart) in the woods and tells her that he has always known her; he starts listing events that are identical in his world. He offers to show Martha how all this is bound. Dark season 3, episode 3, “Adam and Eva” proves that Jonas and Martha are eternally linked in this scene; Jonas is able to explain to Martha how they are connected and you can tell she feels it, regardless of the fact that she has not experienced the same timeline.
1888 — the original world — a diversion
Jonas (adult) gets the time-traveling machine running after Martha (teen — counterpart — 1888) gave him what he needed but it doesn’t work. Suddenly, Martha is missing. She’s in her room using her time-traveling device. As Jonas and the others reach her room, she’s gone. Meanwhile, in 2019 in the other world, Jonas (teen) shows Martha (teen — counterpart — 2019) the door deep inside the cave. They go through it.
September 23, 2052 — original world
Martha (teen — counterpart — 1888) has arrived at this point in time. She meets Adam who asks, “Did you give it to him?”. Adam says he was always too gullible and that she did the right thing.
How does Dark season 3, episode 3, “Adam and Eva” end?
Meanwhile, Jonas (teen) and Martha (teen — counterpart — 2019) reach the other side of the cave to a barren land — there are no woods and it looks like a desert. Jonas explains that he had to bring her here so she understood. A woman approaches them and says, “Welcome to the future”. Dark season 3, episode 3, “Adam and Eva” deepens the unbreakable theory between Jonas and Martha as we begin to learn the intentions of Eva.
Additional points
- In 2019 in the other world, Martha (teen — counterpart — 2019) meets Kilian (teen — counterpart) at the trailer park and asks why he isn’t at the dorm. Kilian becomes frustrated and accuses Martha of not caring about him.
