Summary
Episode 8 shows how there can be life after drug abuse — it’s a story that feels bittersweet with the ending but shows courage in a resilient young woman who fought for her freedom.
This recap of Amazon’s We Children from Bahnhof Zoo season 1, episode 8, “Dawn” — the ending explained — contains spoilers.
An extremely depressed Christiane sits in the station, sobbing her eyes out. She remembers bringing Babsi back to the darkness and reducing her back to her old life. She can’t get out of it. In a bathroom cubicle, she takes a lethal dose. Meanwhile, Robert tells Karin that he’s struggling to find their daughter again, but he’s confident she will return. The parents share a rare hug. Christiane is slumped in the cubicle, her life slowly ebbing away — it really feels make or break at this point for the character — the ending of We Children from Bahnhof Zoo gives a defining chapter.
Fortunately, Dijan finds her and tells her to get up and go home. It’s then revealed that Babsi is dead, and it’s the day of her funeral. Christiane tells Babsi’s aunt that this is her fault and she didn’t want this. Afterwards, she returns home, and she gets into bed — she’s exhausted.
Brokering with a client
But while Christiane takes a path to health, Stella is taking a different route in life.
Stella has a client that wants young girls, and she tells him she can provide that for him. She returns home and tells her mother that she’s going to pick up some stuff. Girls now work for Stella — she’s a pimp in the system — she tells her sister Nicole how it works and then shows her the streets. Like mother, like daughter, and soon to be sister — it’s a sad state of affairs.
Returning home and visiting Benno
Robert and Karin return home and see their daughter in bed. Christiane tells her mother that she doesn’t feel anything anymore and wonders if she’s dead. Robert tells her that her boyfriend Benno is in prison. She goes to visit him and tells him she needed him. Benno explains that Michi needed him, but he did write to her. Christiane explains that she is going to school, but not in Berlin. She vows for no more “fixes” this time, and they will get through it. You can tell she means it this time. The death of another friend has awoken her soul.
Going clean, again
We Children from Bahnhof Zoo season 1, episode 8 puts the audience through another “cold turkey” experience.
Christiane heads to her grandparents to recover. Her mother supports her and explains she will get through this. Meanwhile, Miche tries to confess to murder, but the police investigate, and there isn’t one. Meanwhile, in prison, Benno refuses heroin off another inmate; he’s determined to get clean. He receives a letter from Christiane, and she tells him how clean she is.
Günther is charged for his crimes
Christiane is reunited with Stella at the court — Günther is being charged for all of his crimes. Christiane is called up as a witness. They ask about her sexual encounters as a minor with Günther, and she confirms it’s true. After the session, Christiane describes to Stella how she’s getting qualifications, and she’s going to run a farm with Benno. Stella tells her she’s going to pimp eight girls — she says it so casually.
Günther explains to the judges that it was purely business relations when he wanted photos of minors. However, he says the only girl that wasn’t business was Stella, and he asks her to be his wife when she’s old enough in front of the judge — the man has no shame whatsoever. After the second session, Stella sniffs some drugs, and Christiane declines. She gives her a bag just in case.
Meeting Benno in prison
Christiane visits Benno in prison, and they are impressed by how healthy each other look. They celebrate their recent successes with qualifications. Benno tells her he will be getting a mailman job at the post office; he wants to make something of his life — Christiane is disappointed. Benno is sick and tired of fucking up their lives. It feels like they’ve reached the end, and they will go their separate ways, but healthily.
Christiane tells the family what happened to her
Christiane tells her family that Günther was only put on parole and that he is a nice man who looked after them. She describes to the table that Günther gave her heroin and took photos of the girls naked but that he was really decent — she discusses the sexual favours she had to give the man. The family are ashamed as Christiane continues to describe what happened to her. The whole table departs apart from Karin; her mother apologises for everything she went through.
The ending
The dark days are over for Christiane as she rides a horse in the countryside. Journalists visit her to get her side of her story. She’s left her previous life behind, but she wants to tell her story.
We Children from Bahnhof Zoo season 1, episode 8 shows how there can be life after drug abuse — it’s a story that feels bittersweet with the ending but shows courage in a resilient young woman who fought for her freedom.
