Dark Matter Season 1 Ending Explained: The 2024 series Dark Matter was a fascinating but morbid sci-fi story about a man trying to find his family after being left to fend for himself inside a mysterious box. Rather than being action-heavy, the finale was emotional, embracing its multiverse premise to ask a deeply human question – what makes someone “you”?
By the end of the runtime, there are multiple Jason Dessens, multiple realities, impossible choices and a family wanting peace. Despite being a bit bleak, the finale leaves viewers with hope, acknowledging that every decision creates new possibilities.
Who is in the Dark Matter Apple TV Cast?
Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, Oakes Fegley
Who is the Dark Matter Series Showrunner?
Blake Crouch
The first season has 9 episodes, with a runtime of 50 minutes each, and is based on Blake Crouch’s 2019 novel of the same name.
Dark Matter Season 1 Ending Explained
The Multiverse Finally Catches Up With Jason
Throughout the season, we see two different timelines occurring at the same time. While Jason (from the Chicago family timeline) struggles to find a way back to Daniela and Charlie after being kidnapped, Jason2 tries to find his footing in a home that he travelled through timelines to find. In his own timeline, Jason2 had prioritised work over building a family with Daniela. Thus, when reality catches up to him, he uses the Box, a machine capable of allowing travel between alternate realities, to find and abduct the one place where Jason chose Daniela and abducts him to take his place.
However, one thing that Jason2 didn’t realise was that throwing Jason out into the multiverse would result in a devastating consequence. As Jason goes through multiple realities to come back home, he creates multiple branches in time where another Jason, shaped by other experiences, is created. Thus, in the end, his selfish decisions come back to haunt Jason2 as all the others also arrive in Chicago to be with Daniela.
Why There Are So Many Versions of Jason
Every decision that Jason takes inside the box, every reality he steps into and every emotion that he faces, including several life-or-death situations, creates a different branch that creates a different Jason shaped by these experiences. As a result, every version of Jason is authentic in some way and thus has the same goal – to find Daniela, as she seems to be the one thing all of these different versions of the same person seem to be sure about.
It’s important to note that none of these Jasons is fake. They are all real people who started off as the original Jason but then deviated into different personalities because of their experiences. Thus, in the end, the one thing that remains true is that originality is only a concept – we are all made by the decisions and the experiences that we face along life’s journey.
Daniela’s Choice Is Based on Trust, Not Perfection
Daniela is faced with an impossible choice towards the end of Dark Matter Season 1 as multiple Jasons arrive in front of her and she has to decide whom to trust. However, her decision reinforces their love for one another that was built through intangible things like actions and shared values, and not just by the memories of their lives together.
In the end, thus, she chooses the original Jason from her timeline, who constantly prioritises his family in the face of impossible odds instead of thinking about himself or what he wants.
What Happens to Jason2?
Jason2, in the end, realises that he has lost this race to end up with Daniela, as he cannot force her love. Despite doing everything right and trying to fit into a role that was previously not his, Daniela picks up on the subtle differences in his personality and behaviour. It highlights that while his plan was factually correct, it didn’t account for the emotions that build a family and home. In the finale, thus, he lets go of the idea of being together with Daniela and lets her leave with Jason, realising that he must live with his choices rather than trying to rewrite his fate.
Amanda Finds a New Beginning
Amanda had been a constant companion to Jason throughout the runtime as he searched for his home. As they faced impossible odds together, she started to have a soft corner for him. Unfortunately, she gradually realises that Jason’s heart will always belong to Daniela and running after an idea won’t end well for her. Thus, she chooses to stay back in a different reality, hopeful for a better future. While painful and scary, she hopes to create a fulfilling life on her own terms instead of running after someone else’s dream.
Why Jason, Daniela, and Charlie Leave Their Own Universe
While everything seems nice on the surface, Jason and his family realise that there are several other Jasons from other realities who are there in Chicago with one singular aim. Although a lot of them agree not to bother them, they decide to search for an alternate universe where no one will know them and start afresh instead of leaving anything to chance. They, thus, go inside the Box together, hoping to face an uncertain future together. The ending highlights that whatever happens, the family will be safe and happy if they remain together instead of trying to force their hand in their reality. While it’s not perfect, it’s realistic and hints at something more hopeful for the family.
How the Ending Sets Up Dark Matter Season 2
Dark Matter Season 2 is coming to Apple TV+ on August 28, and the season will once again focus on Jason and Daniela as they struggle to find a way to live a peaceful life in their new world. Although things are stable, they are still struggling with the ramifications of everything that happened to them in the past – as Jason continues to obsess over the Box, Daniela’s paranoia grows with each passing second, threatening to tear them apart.
Meanwhile, Amanda and Ryan team up to find their way back home, having been left in different realities at the end of season 1. And lastly, Leighton continues a desperate and destructive search for the perfect world while Blair tries to stop him before it’s too late.
What are your expectations for Dark Matter’s upcoming season? Let us know in the comments below!
