Dark Matter Episode 7 ending explained: Is there a new Jason in town?

After six episodes of inter-reality madness, Dark Matter Episode 7, titled “In the Fires of the Dead Stars,” finally brought relief to the audience by bringing Jason 1 home. However, the latest installment ended with another confusing cliffhanger, baffling the viewers.

For Jason 1, the road was not easy and involved events that were truly tormenting for not only him but Amanda too. Still, they had to push through each obstacle, but their destination in one reality never seemed to be in the cards. Although Jason 1 has accomplished his goal, there are still several hurdles that he has to cross through before making it to his family.

As the series is nearing its end with just two episodes left to conclude the sci-fi thriller, the anticipation, and hype among viewers are reaching a fever pitch. Follow along with the article to learn more about how Jason 1 found his way back home, what happened to Amanda, and every major highlight from Dark Matter Episode 7.

(Note: As the series revolves around the same characters from different worlds, each individual will be referred to with a number at the end of their name, which is given based on their chronological appearance on the show.)

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for Dark Matter Episode 7. Reader’s discretion is advised.

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Dark Matter Episode 7 sees the debut of Jason 3

Jasons 1 on the left and Jason 3 on the right side, as seen in Dark Matter Episode 7 (Image via Apple TV+)

The final moments of Dark Matter Episode 7 saw Jason 1 finally making it to his reality, which seemed impossible given the second Jason sealed it with concrete, earlier as seen in Episode 6. However, after facing some unanticipated circumstances he decided to break it enough so one could easily get in and out.

After reaching his home, Jason 1 saw his own family from a distance to check if the other Jason was around and his intuitions proved to be true. Jason 1 knew that the encounter with his own version might end up putting him in a tight spot again, so he decided to arm himself with weapons that could come in handy while confronting his counterpart.

As seen in Dark Matter Episode 7, Jason 1 rushed to a gun shop to purchase a handgun that could give him an edge during his confrontation. Jason 1 never owned a handgun in his life or had any knowledge regarding using it, but given the situation could go sideways, it was a necessary decision he had to make.

Detective Mason from Jason 1's reality, as seen in Dark Matter Episode 7 (Image via Apple TV+)

The saleswoman suggested the Glock 23, a compact and substantial 40-caliber pistol comprising 13 rounds. Unfortunately, for one to own a gun legally, a FOID (Firearm Owner’s Identification) card is required, which Jason 1 didn’t have. He eventually resorted to buying something non-lethal and was offered to purchase pepper spray and a knife.

Moments after he walked out, he returned once again to buy a gun, but this was not Jason 1. The confusion behind the second person who entered the gun store to be the same Jason arose from the fact that this individual donned the same attire, had the same backpack, and exhibited a similar frantic demeanor.

Most viewers might have presumed this Jason, who entered the second time in gun store to be the one who replaced himself with Jason 1. However, Jason 1 received his black suit from Amanda who purchased it for him in another reality, so there would be no way that this person could be Jason 2.

In this reality, Jason 2 was pretty much caught up with cleaning up his own mess and dealing with Detective Mason regarding the Ryan going missing situation. So there was no way he would need to purchase a gun or any weapon. The first Jason who entered the gun store had no injuries to his hand, except a small cut on his nose.

Jason 1 and Amanda's lat reality in which they were together, as seen in Dark Matter Episode 7 (Image via Apple TV+)

The second Jason also had the same mark above his nose, but his left hand’s pinky finger was wrapped in a bandage. Although this confirms that the series has just introduced the third Jason to the whole inter-reality madness, it would be hard to decipher, who in either of them is the first Jason, and what is Jason 3’s objective.

The arrival of Jason 3 in Jason 1’s reality in Dark Matter Episode 7 strongly suggests that it could be the consequence of their quantum states becoming entangled. In the quantum entanglement theory, particles are correlated in such a way that one particle can influence the state of another despite the distance.

In Dark Matter, Jason 1 and Jason 3’s quantum states have likely been entangled due to certain events, their actions, and movements that they have synchronized across different realities. So it can be presumed that Jason 2 now has to deal with not just one, but two of his counterparts. If following the theory, it is also possible that there is a Jason 4, akin to Jason 2.

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Dark Matter Episode 7: How did Jason find his way back home?

Daniella from Jason 1's recollections, as seen in Dark Matter Episode 7 (Image via Apple TV+)

Given most of the realities he encountered were similar to his to some extent, Jason 1 had to double-check everything before heading to his home. The first thing that Jason 1 decided to ensure he was home was to go to his usual bar, the Village Tap, where he met Mat, the bar owner, who affirmed that he knew him.

Throughout the series, in Jason 1’s quest to return home, the Village Tap bar plays a huge role, serving as a constant anchor in his shifting realities. Jason 1 was utterly overwhelmed and relieved as his challenging journey had come to an end. The reason how Jason found his way back is due to understanding the observer’s effect and learning through all the failures.

Amanda also played a major role in sticking together with Jason 1 throughout his journey and running brainstorming sessions with him, where they theorized, experimented, and did countless other things that resulted in being fruitful to both of them.

Although for Jason 1 the ultimate key for returning back home was his emotions and what was running back and forth in his mind it wasn’t that easy for him to just reunite with Daniella and Charlie.

Jason could have done this eventually when he and Amanda figured out how the Box worked, as seen in Episode 4, where they encountered unstable realities due to their negative emotional state.

It took the duo much time to practice and they spent a lot of ampules in exploring many realities. In sum, it was a case of practice that made it perfect. After bidding farewell to Amanda, Jason 1 was left with only five ampules, two of which he left to Amanda without her knowing given she was reluctant regarding not needing those anymore.

Amanda and Jason 1 embracing before parting, as seen in Dark Matter Episode 7 (Image via Apple TV+)

Jason 1 still encountered the realities that were not his: One where Chicago was in rubbles; in the second, where he encountered Max, his second son and the twin-brother of Charlie, who didn’t make it due to still birth in his reality; and the third where it was too obvious for him.

As seen in Dark Matter Episode 7 final moments, Jason 1 was left with just one ampule, which could either become his golden ticket or the end of his story. This was surely not a situation or the moment for him to rush things.

He took a deep breath and jotted down his first encounter with Daniella like a beautiful poem that became the ultimate key to his reality. Here’s what Jason wrote in his notepad to describe how he felt after seeing Daniella for the first time, as witnessed in Dark Matter Episode 7:

"The first time i see you is at the garden party, and when your eyes meet mine it feels like some piece of machinery has just seized inside of my chest like world’s colliding. I’ve always known not in purely on an intellectual level that human seperatedness is an illusion. We’re all made of same thing, blown out pieces of matter, formed in fires of dead stars."

He further wrote:

"I’ve just never felt that knowledge in my bones until this moment here with you. I only remember pieces of what was said, how you laughed, how the wine stinged your lips, and then you say to me: I have a friend whose gallery opening is tonight, do you wanna come? And i thought, i’ll come anywhere with you."

Jason 1 mentions Max:

"I’m leaving a world today where our boy made it, where Max is alive. I almost took that Jason’s life the same way mine was taken. But i realized something, i need my life, my family, and no one else’s. I used to think that life was about reaching some perfect destination because i thought hadn’t reached it yet. It was all ill at ease. But i had seen that perfection, i had reached it."

He ends with:

"And i’m starting to suspect that it is the imperfections of life that amount to a different kind of perfection. I just wanna be home, back on the journey, with this trace of you."

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Dark Matter Episode 7: Why did Amanda decide to stay behind?

Amanda heartbroken due to the separation, as seen in Dark Matter Episode 7 (Image via Apple TV+)

Unlike Jason 1, Amanda didn’t really have an end goal, including reuniting with her Jason, given he became an evil person and apparently had no real bond with her. Even if Amanda wanted, she couldn’t go back to her own reality, as she would be targeted by Velocity, the company that helped Jason 2 make the Box.

Before embarking on an unprecedented journey, Amanda likely made up her mind not to return, and further in the storyline she even affirmed to Jason 1 that she had nothing to go back to. Being with Jason 1 for even such a short period, she found comfort in him and gradually developed feelings towards him, even though she was well aware that his heart belonged to Daniella.

Amanda wanted to help Jason 1 till he reunited with his actual family, but in his reality, there was nothing for her. It would have eventually broken her heart even if she had decided to go with him. The best thing she deemed fit was to find another reality, a perfect one, where she could start again and live with his memories.

Amanda and Jason 1 eventually found a utopian reality, where the former discovered that her version there went missing and had no family. She eventually revealed her plans to Jason 1 while having lunch, which saddened him, given they had been through a lot. Going separate ways all of a sudden came as a shocker for Jason 1, but they both agreed that it was a necessary and hard choice.

The parted after hugging and an affectionate kiss that proclaimed that they had romantic feelings for each other. Amanda tried her best to maintain her composure, but she eventually broke down in tears while she was alone in the elevator and this became one of the emotional scenes in Dark Matter Episode 7.

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Dark Matter Episode 7: Why Jason 2 bring Ryan back to his reality

Ryan from a different reality who is a mechanic, as seen in Dark Matter Episode 7 (Image via Apple TV+)

Detective Mason was digging too deep into Ryan’s case after his girlfriend reported his sudden disappearance. Jason 2 was the last person he was seen with and given Jason 2 was well aware of Mason in his universe, things could have turned ugly for him. Although he asserted many times to run away during his therapy sessions with Amanda of Jason 1’s universe, he couldn’t really leave.

In Dark Matter Episode 7, Jason managed to convince his wife to believe that he wasn’t doing anything shady and that Ryan was helping him make that compound. He lied to by saying that Ryan didn’t tell anything to her about the compound given he signed an NDA with him.

While the situation with Daniella was pretty much handled, he still had to make things up to her and Charlie, for everything that happened so far. However, Detective Mason getting on Ryan’s case was the matter to be immediately resolved. He went to another timeline and found a Ryan who was the complete opposite of all the realities shown so far.

In that reality, Ryan was a mechanic and he gave up on his dream. Being the perfect scapegoat, he brought him to Jason 1’s reality to fill the void left by Ryan 1.

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Stay tuned for more news and updates on Apple TV’s Dark Matter and all your favorite TV shows and movies as 2024 progresses.