Summary
The complex storyline is laid out in chronological order. Everything finally makes perfect sense. It’s clever plotting that makes up for all the earlier confusion, but it feels like too little too late. The damage has already been done, and many viewers will have already switched off long before the reveal.
It’s interesting how this show goes from its weakest episode, where things made absolutely no sense, to one of its better episodes, where the creators lay out the entire history in one action-packed installment that perfectly explains every previous plot point. But that is just how it goes with this TV Show. Echoes Season 1 Episode 5, “Gina” delivers on all that build-up, revealing the many secrets the show has to offer.
There is a great premise at the heart of this Netflix thriller, the creators just got a little lost along the way. Hopefully, now the series has opened up, showing its hand, we can now enjoy the story without any further confusion.
Echoes Season 1 Episode 5 Recap
The episode opens with a manic car journey. Gina is swerving all over the road as she races to the hospital. Dylan has been stabbed and is bleeding to death in his truck. With his final words to Gina, he warns her not to trust a woman, to get away from her. But who is this mysterious woman? Part five then works as one long flashback that maps out the entire story up to the present. This instalment is narrated by Gina, working as her confession, as she explains everything to Dylan.
Gina’s tale begins with her dying mother. Mum was the only person who could tell the difference between the twins, but when she died, something changed with Leni. She didn’t cry, although the twins remained close. Their favorite past time was bullying poor sister Claudia. One day they pushed their sister, which explains why she is now wheelchair-bound. Gina took the blame for this injury and as teens they began to properly switch lives more consistently.
The twins shared everything, even boyfriend Jack. Gina always loved him, but Leni seemed to end up with the teen heartthrob. She felt betrayed by this and Gina chased after new boy in town Dylan instead. The two punks fell in love almost instantly and then it was Leni’s turn to be the jealous one. At a Halloween party, Dylan and Gina snuck off and made love in an abandoned church. The church caught fire and Dylan fled. Leni was involved in this tragedy somehow, where one unknown man died. It is later revealed that Leni coerced Dylan into leaving town, on the proviso of protecting Gina.
Leni and Jack married and Gina saw the twins drifting apart. She escaped to LA, yet suffered from a breakdown her sophomore year. Gina began therapy sessions with Charlie, who later became her husband. During her senior year, she wrote a novel about tragic twins called Echoes, which ended up being a hit. Both twins wedded and expected their first child at the same time, but Gina miscarried. Gina moved home and noticed Leni was in the midst of post-partum depression.
Here, Leni suggested the twins start swapping lives once more. Leni never wanted to be a mother, whilst Gina desperately sought motherhood. If they switched, they could enjoy both lives and get what they both wanted. So they began switching again, choosing to swap yearly on their birthday. It became a ritual, where they caught each other up on the previous year’s fun. Yet Leni started to be controlling, wanting to direct both lives. She even spied on Gina.
Gina needed an out. So she planned the perfect getaway, but discovered that Charlie was keeping diaries on her. In these diaries, Charlie admits to uncovering the truth about the twins. He could smell their differences and preferred Leni overall.
The next switch meant Gina would be living Leni’s life at Mount Echo. She found that her one true love, Dylan had returned to town. Desperate to spend some quality time with her ex-lover, she asked Dylan to teach her free diving. The couple began private lessons together and Gina distanced herself from Jack. He took on an illegal foal and explained the money woes to Gina. Dylan and Gina took a trip together and she confessed to him about the switcheroo. They fell madly in love once more and planned their getaway.
Echoes Season 1 Episode 5 Ending
This plot to runaway had to be sped up due to Gina falling pregnant with Dylan’s baby. Then, viewers are finally given access to that mysterious event. Gina raided Jack’s office, freed the horses and left Leni the clothes in the cave. She heard a horse in pain and found Zelda had fallen. Gina then shot her own horse out of pity. Gina walked to Dylan’s cabin, but found Leni there instead. When they were finally reunited, Gina explained how Leni had taken their tickets and passports. Gina planned to say her goodbyes at the party and then the couple could begin their new life together.
Gina headed to the rendezvous point at Georgia’s after the party, but Leni had interfered. Was it her own sister that stabbed Dylan? This is heavily implied. Then we are back to the start of the episode and Gina is driving Dylan to the hospital. He bleeds out and dies before they make it, so Gina decides to set the car on fire.
What do you think of Echoes season 1, episode 5? Comment below.
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