Monday, November 7, 2016

Timeless: Nazi Germany, 1944

Last time on “Timeless:” Jiya was able to track the Giant Eye to Las Vegas in 1962. Our heroes traveled in the Baby Eye, afraid Flynn might try to assassinate Kennedy a year earlier.

Instead, Flynn kidnapped Kennedy’s lover, Judith Campbell. Lucy explained that she was an important player in Camelot, serving as a go-between for the president and the head of the mob family he was working with to take down Fidel Castro. She, Wyatt and Rufus rescued her from Flynn, who was blackmailing Judith, but she escaped when serving as bait for the team so they could capture Flynn.

Wyatt tried to send a telegram to be delivered to his wife, hoping to keep her alive, having a heart-to-heart with Lucy. Rufus discovered his friend Anthony isn’t Flynn’s prisoner but he still doesn’t think he’s a willing participant. Anthony gave him the clue as to why Flynn was in Las Vegas—the atomic bombs being tested miles outside of town.

Indeed, Judith paid a visit to a general and stole his keys to a bunker on the test site. Flynn and Anthony stole the radioactive core of the atom bomb, heading back to the Giant Eye. The heroes pursued them and it resulted in a shootout. Judith ran to safety with Lucy while Rufus tried to reason with Anthony. When he gave him the briefcase, Wyatt stopped firing, allowing Flynn and Anthony to get away. However, Rufus discovered he had been tricked and that the bad guys still had the core of the atom bomb.

Back in the present, Wyatt’s wife was still dead and Lucy decided to leave her really understanding fiancé.

And, of course, they all wondered what Flynn wanted with a nuclear weapon.

We open in Germany in 1944. People gather at a party in a castle as a Nazi talks about Hitler, winning the war, the Third Reich…you know, what you’d expect Nazis to talk about. He motions for everyone to look out a window and they watch as a rocket soars into the sky. They applaud and continue partying.


Jiya uses the same technique she used to find where Flynn took the Giant Eye in 1962 to track him in the present. She pinpoints him right to the warehouse he’s hiding out in and Wyatt leads a military charge against it. Flynn, though, finds out as Anthony places the nuclear core in a canister. However they manage to escape right as the soldiers burst in. Wyatt calls Agent Christopher to report and she tells him to get back so they can figure out where Flynn went this time.

They track the Giant Eye to Germany in 1944 but Lucy can’t figure out any particular reason why Flynn would go there. She knows there’s a castle there and that there was also a pub that might’ve been a meeting point for the Resistance but she says the accounts are too sketchy to be very trustworthy. Their only assumption is that Flynn is going to give the nuclear bomb to the Nazis a full year before America gets ours, ending the war—and maybe America.

Lucy asks if anyone can speak German, to which Wyatt replies he can. She’s surprised and he reveals he can speak four languages, reminding her that the army goes all over the world. Lucy recovers, asking about lederhosen. Mason has that covered.

He now has a warehouse filled with all the clothing they could ever need, sorted into countries and time periods. So they all head to Germany, 1940s and pick out clothing to wear. They wonder if it’s overkill and costumers across the country are drooling.

Rufus sits in the Baby Eye, all changed and listening to his recorder. It’s clear he’s conflicted about spying on Wyatt and Lucy as they approach. He shoves the recorder in his pocket as they climb in. Wyatt asks how they let the pub know they are Allies and Lucy says they have to order a specific drink. He asks if that’s according to the spotty accounts that probably aren’t very trustworthy and she replies yes, but they’re all they have.

We then get to see the inside of the Eye as they travel through time. There’s a lot of shaking and our heroes look ready to hurl. Lucy and Wyatt are thrown forward before everything slows down to almost a freeze frame.

A Nazi soldier stops to relieve himself when he hears something odd. A strong gust of wind blows past him and he spots the Baby Eye sitting before him. The door opens to reveal our heroes and Wyatt shoots him before Nazi can fire at them. Wyatt says he can’t be alone and they grow cautious as they get out of the Baby Eye.

Our heroes come across another Nazi. Wyatt takes him out, but Lucy pleads with him not to kill any more people unless he absolutely has to. She doesn’t want him to inadvertently change history and he’s once again annoyed about that. They hear cars coming and take cover, watching as a giant bomb is driven past them. It reminds them that Flynn could’ve given the Nazis nuclear weaponry and they move on.

They find the supposed Allied-meeting spot. Wyatt and Lucy decide to go in and Rufus says he’ll stay out there. But Wyatt asks him to hot wire a car just in case they have to make a quick getaway. Though he’s scared out of his mind, Rufus agrees.

Wyatt and Lucy enter the pub and everyone goes silent, studying the newcomers. The camera pans over a gathering of Nazi officers, including Sean Maguire! He studies them so intently, I get turned on. Seriously.

Anyway, Wyatt and Lucy approach the bar. Lucy looks so nervous, I’m sure they can all tell. Wyatt offers the specific drink Lucy told him but the bartender insists they don’t have it. So he asks for two whiskeys. They both realize the spotty accounts were unreliable and need to figure out a way to extract themselves. Sean appears at that point, addressing them in German. Wyatt tells him they are just passing through but he’s not buying it. Sean orders them to go out the backdoor and leaves no room for argument. They obey.

Rufus manages to hotwire one of the cars and spots Wyatt and Lucy being forced out of the building by Sean. Concerned, he decides to follow them.

Once the door to shed is closed, Wyatt and Sean both pull guns. Sean starts speaking in English, telling him to put the gun away before he gets them all killed. Wyatt and Lucy stare at him and he confirms that he’s not German but British. He says that Americans couldn’t be more inconspicuous if they tried…and then Rufus shows up.





Wyatt gives up giving them fake names and instead uses their real ones, lying that they are OSS. (Forerunners to the CIA). Sean relaxes and introduces himself as MI-6. He says he has a safe house nearby and Rufus says he has a car, so they agree to go there to talk more. Sean introduces himself as “Fleming, Ian Fleming” before leaving. Wyatt totally fanboys out as he realizes who their new friend is.

Ian takes them back to a lovely house Wyatt and Rufus fanboy over the fact that they are there with Ian Fleming. Lucy says she knew he had been a spy during World War II which means that he’s the OG James Bond. Rufus loves the movies while Wyatt loves the books and movies.

They stop whispering as Ian comes in with a bottle and asks them more about the atomic weapon. He says it’s only hypothetical but Wyatt assures him it’s real and that Flynn has stole a working prototype. Ian asks if they think it will be sold to the Nazis to be used and they tell him they saw a rocket being driven past them.

Ian pulls some papers from his pocket and says that explains the intel he’s been gathering. He pulls out a map and says the Nazis are building a launch pad by a nearby castle to demonstrate their new rockets. There’s a party there that night to do so, with the target being a town held by allied forces and the civilians in it. He asks how powerful the atomic weapon is and Rufus replies that it will obliterate everything in a 3 mile radius. Ian is horrified as he realizes it will be worse than the Blitz. He asks if Rufus can disarm it if he can get them access to the rocket and he’s not so confident in his reply that he believes he can.

Ian promises to get them there…but first, he pours them a drink. Rufus asks if it’s appropriate and he says that with everything they’re about to go through, he can’t think of a better time. They salute and the men drain their glasses. Ian notes that Lucy hasn’t drank hers and tells her it’s bad luck, flirting with her. Wyatt looks on with jealousy but I don’t know if he’s jealous of Lucy or Ian.

Meanwhile, I was silently fangirling over how similar it was to an early Outlaw Queen scene. Like did the writers know or was it just a huge coincidence?

They walk to the site where the bomb is. Rufus pulls ahead to fall in step with Ian, who says that the purpose of being a spy is to blend in. Rufus says he’s just the pilot—from Tuskegee—and he got them there. He then asks Ian about how he handles being a spy. Ian says it’s just like playing a part. Rufus says the people who trust him wouldn’t think that and Ian says there are allies, contacts and women—never trust. He says just to focus on the mission.

Ian approaches two Nazi guards and notes that they were drinking on the job. They insist it was just to stay warm but he orders them to report to their commanding officer. He then waves Rufus, Wyatt and Lucy in and they approach the rocket. Rufus goes over it with a Geiger machine but it’s not picking up any radioactivity. They wonder if they are ahead of Flynn but Rufus notes it wouldn’t be ready for launch that night if it weren’t already loaded on the rocket.

Cars approach and everyone ducks for cover. A bunch of Nazis get out with Flynn and another man. They admire the rocket and subtitles help us learn that Flynn made a sizeable donation to the Nazis so they could enrich their weapons. It still doesn’t seem he’s giving them nuclear weapons though.
Wyatt readies his gun to take out Flynn. But someone else gets in the way so Lucy stops him. She explains that it’s Werner von Braun and Wyatt can’t kill him. Rufus agrees and Wyatt loses the shot at Flynn.

They all return to the house and Wyatt isn’t the only one upset that Lucy stopped him from taking the shot. Ian is too but for another reason. He points out that Werner von Braun designed the rockets the Germans used to bomb London during the Blitz. Wyatt reminds Lucy that they need to take out Flynn.

Rufus and Lucy explain that von Braun eventually is taken by the Allies and is given amnesty in America, where he goes on to the be the father of our space program. They tell him that von Braun is instrumental in winning the Space Race and ultimately the Cold War. Wyatt points out that he gets away with his war crimes and everyone overlooks the fact he was a Nazi because of this. They acknowledge it’s not fair but he needs to be kept safe.

Lucy explains to Ian that there are orders for Werner to be taken and handed over to the Allies. He doesn’t look happy about it but he agrees to follow orders. He also comes up with a way to get them closer to the rocket. He’s to go to the party that night and he can sneak Lucy in as his secretary. Rufus and Wyatt will have to be on their own since he can’t get them in as well. Wyatt isn’t happy to let Lucy go alone but he agrees.

In a bedroom, Lucy changes into a Nazi uniform and is shaking. She looks about two seconds away from a breakdown, which Wyatt has also noticed. It’s why he’s in the room with her—especially since she didn’t hear him knocking. He tells her that he’s seen what she’s going through in soldiers that are about to hit their breaking point. She asks what happens next. He says they either get over the hump or go home.

Lucy says she shouldn’t even be there. She explains that when she was in college, she decided to stop studying history and join a band. When she was driving to tell her mother, she skidded off the road and ended up in lake. The car began to sink and she was unable to get out. Just as she thought she was going to drown, someone rescued her. It changed her life and made her more cautious.

Wyatt talks about how he was born to a poor family in Texas and his dad wasn’t around, so he was raised by his grandparents. Especially his grandfather, who is in Europe fighting the Nazis now. He talks about having to find something to fight for and tells Lucy she needs to do that. Once she does, he knows she’ll get over the hump.

Ian and Lucy go into the party. She’s clearly nervous being surrounded by so many Nazis. He’s more relaxed, being an accepted officer and trained to look like he belongs. Outside, Wyatt and Rufus watch through binoculars.

Lucy asks Ian how he got involved in spying. He replies that it was the Blitz. He says his brother visited him in London and so Ian dragged him to the pub. Once they got there, he realized he left his wallet in the car so he went back to get it. The next thing he knew, it was morning and people were pulling him from underneath rubble. The pub was gone as was most of London, he explained. He signed up to fight the Nazis after that. They have a moment and he covers Lucy’s hand.

Outside, Rufus has the binoculars and says that James Bond is hitting on Lucy. And that she’s into it. Wyatt grabs them and it’s clear he’s jealous as he looks at the two being cozy.

Inside, Nazis command starts to spill in as Lucy notices a symbol in a window. She says it’s familiar but she can’t remember why. Ian, though, is focused on Werner. He tells her to go one way and convince Werner to join her in a private room. Ian will go another way and meet them there so they can take Werner to the Allies.

Lucy tries to keep her cool as she approaches Werner. However, Flynn catches her. He says that Wyatt paid him a visit and it was very rude. Then he asks where Wyatt was. She doesn’t answer, instead asking him why he’s helping Nazis. Flynn says it disgusts him but he’s trying to stop Rittenhouse. So he’s going to turn Werner over to the Russians and let them win the Space Race and the Cold War.

Ian presses his gun to Flynn’s back and orders him to let Lucy go. Flynn does so but they are soon surrounded by Nazis, who now know that Ian is a British spy. Flynn apologizes and says he loves Ian’s movies, which confuses him. He tells the Nazis that he will shoot Flynn but one takes Lucy and says he’ll shoot her. Ian surrenders.

Outside, Wyatt spots that Lucy is in trouble and that Flynn has Werner. He says they need to get in and Rufus has an idea, saying they aren’t going to disable the bomb after all.

Flynn walks with Werner, who thanks him for the money to help him continue his work. Flynn’s like “Don’t thank me yet.” He then makes it clear he’s kidnapping Werner and taking him to the Russians. But that’s when the rocket detonates by the castle and everything grows chaotic. As people run away, Flynn loses Werner.

Wyatt and Rufus find him and drag him with them as they try to find Lucy and Ian.

The Nazis lock up Ian and Lucy in a small room, leaving a couple guards with them as they go to investigate what’s going on. Lucy is panicked but Ian slides a little gun out of his uniform sleeve, shooting both guards. She stares at him but he says not to look so impressed as the gun only had two bullets. He still doesn’t know how they’ll get out and more Nazis are approaching.

Wyatt and Rufus storm the room with Werner in tow. Ian lunges for the bomb maker and Lucy tries to stop him. He wants to destroy the man who created the bombs that destroyed most of London. After standing in a bombed out church myself and staring at a skyline that still looks wrong without two identical buildings, I can relate. Wyatt says that he understands that it’s not fair that Werner won’t be punished but he trusts Lucy and says to do what she says. Ian reluctantly agrees.

However, they are still surrounded by Nazis and Ian has been outed as a spy. Getting out looks almost impossible…until Lucy spots the fish symbol she noticed before. She remembers why it’s important right before the Nazis storm the room…and find it empty.

Our heroes, including Ian and Werner, emerge outside and survey the damage caused by the rocket. Lucy explains that after Catholicism was banned in Germany, many built secret hiding places so they could still attend Mass in secret. They were also able to quickly get priests out should the authorities come to investigate. Wyatt adds that they were called “priest holes” and at everyone’s inquisitive looks, he explains that it was in Skyfall.

Back at Ian’s safe house, he meets up with one of his contacts and hands over Werner. He’s also being moved since he can serve no purpose there as he’s been outed as a British spy. Before they leave, Rufus heads over to Werner and says he has a question. Werner naturally doesn’t give Rufus any consideration until he takes the notebook Werner is writing in and completes his equation. It gets Werner’s attention and Rufus asks if he ever feels guilty about the people his rockets have killed. Werner doesn’t because it gets him closer to his goal—the moon. Rufus lays into him and says he helped create something greater than Werner ever could’ve imagined but he worries about the consequences. It seems to give Werner something to think about.

Ian is ready to move on and says goodbye to his new friends. He says that he might find himself stateside after the war and asks Lucy if he’ll see her there. They get very close to kissing before she shuts him down. He takes it in stride, heading back to the car. He turns around and says “Never say never” to which Wyatt adds: “Again!” Ian is confused and as he gets in the car, we hear a sample of the Bond theme.

They return to the present, where Mason informs them that they just described beat by beat the Bond movie “Weapon of Choice.” Wyatt says that it’s not a real movie since he knows all of them. Mason hands over his tablet to show them the details, saying it’s one of Sean Connery’s best. Wyatt reads the description, noting that Ian included them by name in the book and movie. Rufus jokes that Lucy probably got with Bond in the movie.

However, they still don’t know what Flynn wanted the nuclear core for. It’s revealed in a quick scene—Anthony used it to make a battery that would power the Mother Eye for 3000 years. No more need to plug the Mother Eye in, so they can’t be tracked as easily.

Lucy tracks down Agent Christopher and says she has some conditions if she continues to help them. She says she needs to take a leave from her work so she needs some paperwork backing why she disappears at all hours of the day. Agent Christopher agrees. Lucy continues that after they capture Flynn, Lucy wants their help to restore history and get her sister back. She says that is what she’s fighting for and Agent Christopher agrees.

Meanwhile, Rufus throws down his latest recording and says he’s out. He says he can’t keep recording Lucy and Wyatt without their knowledge anymore. Mason says that it’s out of his hands and that Rittenhouse can make his life miserable if it wants to. That Rufus was saved from the streets and able to attend MIT because of it. But he still walks.

Rufus drives home, singing along to his radio when his car suddenly dies. He gets out, inspecting it as another car pulls up. A man in a suit gets out and says that he’s going to keep recording his missions. Or else something might happen to his mother or brother. And wouldn’t that be a shame? Rufus agrees and his car starts up again. The man smiles and leaves a shaken Rufus behind.

Maybe Rittenhouse are the bad guys, y’all.

Next time: Remember the Alamo! 

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