I really loved the fact that in the end, Jason1 didn’t really blame Jason2 for messing up his life. Instead, he blamed himself. When he said sorry to Daniela, he really took responsibility for everything that happened because it was in his nature to have second thoughts, and Jason2 was no different. Now you see, the entire conflict in Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter stems from regret. Each of us entertains the possibility of “What If?” What if I had the courage to propose to the love of my life? What if I had been able to give more time to my children? What if? Yet, not many of us embark on a journey like Jason2. I mean, we can’t even if we want to, because, to be honest, we don’t have the expertise to build The Box. But, what really separates Jason2 from Jason1 is that the former’s regret was much bigger than the latter’s. Jason2 chose his research over Daniela, and at the end of it all, he wasn’t content. He wasn’t able to make peace with the choices he had made in life, and that’s where the trouble started. Here’s a book spoiler for those who haven’t read the book: the series brings a drastic change in Jason2’s character arc in the end episode, which I really loved, so without any further ado, let’s dive straight into the explanation of Dark Matter’s ending.
Spoiler Alert
Jason2 Blames Himself For Amanda’s Death
I guess there was a reason why the final episode of Dark Matter started with a “Jason” thrashing Jason2. He needed to understand the mess he had created in everyone’s life just because his narcissistic self got greedy. Later, the same violent Jason told Jason2 about Daniela’s death in his world. But what was more heartbreaking for Jason2 was the fact that “his” Amanda died in a different world while trying to fix the chaos he had set in motion. The news of Amanda’s death possibly brought a change in Jason2’s heart. He repented for leaving her behind. In his world, Jason2 had been cold and distant with Amanda because he always thought about Daniela. But after losing her, he realized how much he loved her. You see, that’s the thing with Jason2. He only values the things he has lost in life (or maybe it is the same for most of us).
At this juncture, Jason2 finally realized why Jason1 deserved to live with Daniela and Charlie. He could now relate to the fact that a man, who was given all the riches and titles in the world, sacrificed it all and traversed the multiverse just to get back the love of his life. In short, Jason2 could finally understand what love really is and therefore decided to help Jason1 out. Jason2 located the family with the help of the tracker on Blair’s car and handed over a bag of ampoules that he had previously stolen from Velocity Lab.
In the end, Jason2’s message to Jason1 was loud and clear. He regretted stealing Jason1’s life and family, but no amount of regret could fix the world(s) he had ruined. The entire thing taught him a lesson: it wasn’t him who had pushed Daniela and Amanda away. Instead, Jason2 was too afraid to give anyone else the much-needed space in his life. He was a prisoner of his own mind who didn’t want to risk anything for love, which is why no one stayed. And now that Amanda is gone, he has finally understood his flaws, and maybe he could work on it. Nevertheless, Jason2 wanted Jason1 to find a suitable world for himself and rebuild his life with his family. He had even brought the remains of Max so that the Dessen family wouldn’t leave anything behind. Other Jasons, on the other hand, made peace with the fact that they should respect Daniela and Charlie’s choice and let Jason1 go with them without creating more trouble for the family.
Why Did Jason1 Still Have The Thread On His Finger?
I feel Jason1 is the kind of person who cherishes the small moments in life. And that thread on his ring finger was a reminder of how he was separated from his family and the things he went through to return to them. It served as a beacon of hope in that dark corridor when Jason1 was losing his grasp on what’s real and what’s not. He tied it to his finger because it reminded him that his version of Daniela existed. In short, that thread became a part of his journey that he couldn’t just throw away. Perhaps that was the reason why he wore both the thread and his wedding ring, as it not only made him a better Jason but also separated him from the rest of the Jasons in the multiverse.
Where Will The Family End Up?
In Blake Crouch’s book, Charlie loved the ambiance around the vacation house the family had broken into, and he really wanted to live somewhere like that. I guess the thought of a similar place had been running on his mind from that point onwards, which might be the reason why the family smelled the scent of wet earth and unknown flowers the moment Charlie opened the door inside The Box. I mean that’s what the book says, as we only get a glimpse of the new world the Dessen family steps into.
So, according to the ending in the literary version of Dark Matter, the Dessen family probably arrived on Green Earth, where they would settle down somewhere quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. And I guess you already know the reason why Jason1 let his son open the door, right? The Apple TV+ show, from time to time, established the fact that all the versions of the Jasons think alike, but they would never be able to guess the universe Charlie had chosen for the family. It would probably keep the family safe until one of the curious Jasons comes up with a solution to crack their location. Additionally, the world the family ended up in would have their own versions of Jason, Daniela, and maybe Charlie. So, it is quite possible that Jason1 and his family might have to stay away from every version of Chicago (or America) to avoid any conflict.
What Will Happen To Other Jasons?
This is a tricky one. So, as we already know, Jason1 used his last ampoule to return to his world. But the same couldn’t be said for other versions of Jason1, right? There is a possibility that the ones who still have a few ampoules left will travel into the multiverse to find a comfortable home for themselves. And the remainder would probably enter into an agreement to never cross paths with each other so as not to freak out the regular human beings of Jason1’s world.
Coming back to our Jason2, I think he had kept a few ampoules for himself, but I don’t think he would return to his original reality. Instead, he would use the multiverse corridor to find a world where Amanda is still alive and, yes, single. Now that he is a changed man, maybe he will try to give his relationship with Amanda a second chance so that he can have a beautiful and messy life like Jason1. Well, that’s just a thought.
Now, this might be the most bizarre theory I can come up with, but I think there could be a reason why Jason1 discussed the possibility of one’s consciousness getting more fluid, especially in the last episode. Because, you see, if one can think it, then the other can make it. And if any of the Jasons crack this possibility, then they might be able to reach out and interact with other realities without The Box. And you already know what their motive would be and what kind of a mess they would create. It seems like a nice conflict for Dark Matter season 2, but I don’t know if Blake Crouch agrees with me or not. Also, the writer’s room for season 2 is already open, so hopefully we will get some good news sooner.
Will There Be A Season 2?
Dark Matter’s ending had a very intriguing montage sequence that could be interpreted in hundreds of ways. We saw a version of Ryan Holder creating his magical ampoules in a lab that didn’t seem like the Velocity Lab. I mean you should notice the logo on the glass tubes. He could be the Ryan1 from Jason1’s world who was left in a completely different reality by Jason2 after he started asking the wrong questions. So this Ryan1 might create something that can make someone’s “consciousness more fluid,” and you know the rest. Or it might be the regular ampoule that Ryan1 would use to travel through the multiverse so that he could return to his world, thereby starting another chain of events. Additionally, we saw a version of Blair from Jason2’s world who finally gathered enough courage to leave her current reality and step into The Box once again. So, another multiverse journey for her, too. No speculations here. Anything is possible.
We also saw Leighton Vance from Jason1’s world enjoying his time in the multiverse and tripping through different worlds for his own joy. Now, he might be running out of ampoules, too, so his curiosity might lead to another conflict in the world of Dark Matter. And last but not least, we saw a version of Amanda, who I guess is Amanda2 (the one from Jason2’s world), who crossed paths with Ryan in her new world. The closing sequence of the series implies that they might get romantically involved. Also, Amanda2, too, has a few ampoules left by Jason1 which she can use if she wants to. Additionally, it is possible that the version of Ryan we saw in the end sequence is Ryan1, who might embark on a multiverse journey with a version of Amanda just like Jason1. Or maybe they are completely different versions of Ryan and Amanda who met by chance.
I guess Blake Crouch might conclude Jason1’s journey here and explore the stories of other characters in the second season of Dark Matter. Just for your knowledge, the book ends satisfactorily without hinting at the fate of other characters. It was written as a standalone novel, but because of the economic pressure, Blake Crouch might have to come up with a story for season 2, which makes me believe it can be centered around other characters in the Dark Matter universe. He can also bring in a new version of Jason or continue the story of Jason2, who still yearns for closure. So let’s see what happens next.
