The conclusion of Archive 81’s captivating first (and only) season has left many viewers scratching their heads. The inclusion of time travel inevitably results in some unresolved plot threads and loose narrative ends. And let me tell you, time travel was a major element of the story!
What transpired at the conclusion of Archive 81?
Dan invested significant effort into restoring videotapes that chronicled the life of Melody Pendras during her time at The Visser apartment building. The revelations he discovered on those tapes were indeed astonishing. In a climactic showdown during the season finale, Dan confronted Virgil Davenport to extract crucial information, and Virgil had plenty to share.
Virgil revealed that Dan’s father had once owned the tapes and that their mysterious appearance in a storage unit prior to the show’s first season was merely a diversion. It turns out Dan wasn’t the only one searching for those tapes; a nefarious group of demon summoners was also on the hunt, as annihilating the tapes would pave the way for their dark deity, Kaelego, to invade our dimension.
Moreover, Virgil disclosed that this cult was behind the tragic fire that destroyed Dan’s childhood home and took his family’s lives. Dan’s survival was never part of their plan—it was an unexpected complication. In a twist of fate, Virgil aimed to finish the job that the cult couldn’t but was ultimately rendered unconscious by Mark. Kudos to Mark! Together, Mark and Dan ventured into the compound’s basement, which bore a striking resemblance to the satanic ritual site found at both the mansion and The Visser, complete with a Kaelego effigy.
Just as they were about to interfere with the ritual, the groundskeeper Bobbi appeared with Davenport’s firearm and revealed an unexpected truth: she is a Baldung witch and Melody’s mother! Agreeing to assist Dan in the ritual to rescue Melody from The Otherworld, Dan took the plunge into the enigmatic dimension where he confronted Kaelego. Defying the sinister entity’s temptations, Dan located Melody, prepared to bring her back to reality, but she was seized by Samuel instead. While Melody reunited with her mother in the present, Dan awoke in a hospital setting in the 1990s. Can you believe it?
Wait … so what exactly occurred?
It seems that the mechanics of time travel in Archive 81 are quite unique. Traversing the Otherworld is not just a spatial journey but also a venture beyond the confines of time. Instead of traveling through time, Dan was moving outside of it and returning. Upon his return from the Otherworld, he landed in the correct location but at an incorrect time. His journey propelled him into the past; much like a famous time-traveling duo with their DeLorean, Dan would likely have faced endeavors in season 2 to return to his own time. Regrettably, Netflix canceled the series before we could uncover more details.
We’re left with quite the cliffhanger!
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