Summary
You’ll be hard-pressed to find another series that can elicit such surprising finales with every installment. If the creators can justify these twists and tie this complex plot, then it could be a true masterpiece.
We recap the Netflix series 1899 season 1, episode 3, “The Fog,” which contains spoilers.
The scarab beetle, which seems to be an integral part of 1899’s own mythology, represented renewal and rebirth in Ancient Egypt, yet its arrival on the Kerberos has only brought about death so far, and Ada’s family mourn her passing in “The Fog.” The third installment sees the Kerberos engulfed by an ominous smog that brings the ship to a crushing halt. In this downtime, the guests partake in many sinful pleasures while Eyk (Andreas Pietschmann) and Maura (Emily Beecham) investigate more of the Prometheus’ hidden secrets.
1899 season 1, episode 3 recap
As is the show’s tradition, every episode starts with a nightmare, one which is loosely based on reality. This time around it is Ling Yi who gets the preferential treatment. Her dream focuses on the elusive female being drowned to death in a mysterious box. She wakes from this dream utterly traumatized and panting. She looks across at her kimono dress and of course that symbol happens to be on the clothing as well. Ling dresses and heads to breakfast in her geisha disguise. Mrs. Wilson greets her, ordering Ling to meet with her later. Once Mrs. Wilson has departed, the servant, who is actually Ling’s mother, says that this was all a mistake.
Dr. Murray inspects Ada’s corpse, concluding that she died of natural causes, either a heart attack or stroke. Maura disagrees, saying that she looked healthy only days ago. It would seem rather odd that a girl of her age would die of such a fate, but Murray thinks it’s natural selection. Franz wants to inform the family of the girl’s passing, but Eyk would prefer it kept a secret for now. Meanwhile, the Danish family continues to search for Ada and Eyk’s subordinates grow tired of their captain’s unpopular decisions. Franz believes that Eyk has lost his mind and is in no fit state to run this ship. He’s not far off, I feel a rebellion is mounting.
The truth is that Eyk is losing his mind or someone or something is testing him to breaking point. He shows Maura the ribbon he found on the Prometheus and explains that this belonged to his daughter. She’s been dead for around two years now, but he has seen and heard her on the ship. Maura responds with her scientific knowledge of the brain, hinting at the mind playing tricks. Eyk then shows her the hidden shaft and the hidden door with the symbol upon it. He believes the company is hiding something and he wishes to journey back to the Prometheus to find their captain’s logbook for further clues. Maura is adamant she is coming with him.
Ling opened the episode, and her character is given further screen time in “The Fog”. Mrs. Wilson proposes a rather sinister appointment for Ling with Lucien. She orders Ling to undress and then inspects her employee. Here, it is revealed that Ling is a prostitute and Mrs. Wilson is her boss. Although, Mrs. Wilson soon discovers that Ling is in fact a virgin still and she has been deceived. Ling actually replaced another girl, taking her spot on the ship.
Franz lowers a rowing boat into the murky waters for Eyk and Maura’s expedition. He speaks with the first mate afterward about his own frustrations, but the first mate is sticking with his captain’s orders. When Franz has left the room, the first mate uncovers a hidden compartment containing futuristic technology. He enters the triangular codes, that were telegraphed to him, into this strange device, which is then activated. Is he communicating with someone in a different location or maybe a different time period altogether?
Ling and her mother argue about the awful situation they find themselves in. It would appear her mother sacrificed herself and slept with many men, to keep Ling pure. The argument ends with Ling fleeing, and she takes to the foggy deck in all her geisha gear. She hides in a box and has a vision, quite similar to Eyk’s. In this vision she witnesses herself killing a person and the mother disposing of the body. Ling imagines herself as the dead individual in the box and wakes in another panic. Olek rescues her. They try to communicate with one another, but are from different continents, and speaking different languages. The same can be said for Angel and Krester, who still manages to spark a relationship of sorts, even though they are completely lost in translation.
While the captain is away, Franz returns the girl’s body to her family, happily defying the captain’s orders. They are all broken by this revelation and Krester shows his anger via a violent outburst. Witnessing this family’s grief, Franz makes a final decision, mutiny is now unavoidable. More bodies start to pile up and Franz rallies the troops from the lower decks, handing out weaponry to the poverty-stricken guests. Even the pregnant Dane Tove takes a gun for herself. These guests are angry and want answers.
1899 season 1, episode 3 – why is Ling Yi on the Kerberos?
Eyk and Maura search for answers of their own with a second journey to the Prometheus. The captain doesn’t find the logbook but uncovers another hidden shaft. Eyk informs Maura that a British investor, called Henry Singleton (is this Maura’s brother or is this just a coincidence?), purchased three German ships a few months ago. He quickly refurbished them, installing a new communication system and a new machine that was supposed to measure steam pressure. The device never worked on the Kerberos though. Maura ponders if the bodies were burned and they search through the ashy remains for any skeletons. Eyk finds the passenger list instead and hides it for himself. Later, he spies Maura’s name on this suspicious list and I think I caught his own name there too, down as the captain.
Ling and Olek hide out with the lifeboats, where she has another supernatural vision. In this flashback, it is revealed that she has poisoned a friend named Mei Mei. This is the person whose place she takes on the boat. Feeling regret, Ling returns to her mother in the present and accepts Mrs. Wilson’s proposition. She dances for Lucien and starts to strip, but he doesn’t want to sleep with her and remains faithful to his wife. The French man has been sent a letter just like Eyk and Maura. He has his own host of secrets too, a possible drug problem and a vicious case of epilepsy that presents itself in Ling’s bedroom.
Angel tells Ramiro about the rebellion taking place. They discuss Angel’s impulsive behavior and carefree attitude, with Ramiro admitting that he killed a priest, which explains why they are on the run. Ramiro rushes to warn Eyk of the ever-looming mutiny, but he is too late. The angry mob descends upon the Captain’s cabin. They have the first mate hostage, while Olek and Jerome are kept as prisoners as well. The mutineers demand that the ship be turned around.
While all this madness has been building, Daniel and the boy have been up to their own suspicious activities. Daniel pulls out a futuristic device and keys in some information. The device brings another machine to life, the one Eyk believed was to measure steam pressure. This machine glows and whirs, then the Kerberos seemingly teleports, disappearing from its watery surface and taking the fog with it, leaving the Prometheus alone in the open sea. Another unbelievable ending that will polarize viewers.
What did you think of 1899 season 1, episode 3? Comment below.
