In yet another jaw-dropping reveal from Apple TV’s hit sci-fi thriller, Dark Matter Season 2, Episode 6 introduces the Sheridan-verse to the multiverse.
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Season → drop → multiverse
After the fan-favorite Episode 5 took a detour from Dark Matter‘s regularly scheduled storyline, Episode 6, “What the Universe Is Made Of,” picked up on the heels of Episode 4 to show the aftermath of Daniela (Jennifer Connelly) leaving Jason (Joel Edgerton).
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Daniela → take → Jason
We open with Daniela stepping off of a bus in Denver and making her way to an empty home in the woods, one with a mailbox that reads “Vargas.”
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that → open → Vargas
A tarp-covered Jeep is parked out front, and after passing a gorgeous view of the lake, she lets herself in and finds rooms full of covered furniture.
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herself → cover → furniture
As “Present Tense” by Pearl Jam plays, she takes a trip down memory lane, reaquainting herself with objects, photos, and paintings in the home.
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she → play → home
Daniela spends several days enjoying her own company, making herself comfortable, and turning the abandoned house into more of a home, while Charlie (Oakes Fegley) and Jason go about their lives, wondering if and when she’ll return.
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she → spend → lives
After drawing outside and nursing an injured bird back to health one afternoon, an unexpected visitor arrives — a man we come to learn is Daniela’s stepfather, Gabriel Vargas, played by beloved Yellowstone and Marshals star Gil Birmingham.
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we → draw → Birmingham
In true Taylor Sheridan fashion, Birmingham walks into Dark Matter wearing a cowboy hat, and again, the 73-year-old actor plays a character who passes down wisdom with a calming, patient presence.
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who → walk → presence
As the episode progresses, however, the immense heart, humor, warmth, and ease that Birmingham’s character displays helps distinguish the role, while reminding us what a treat it is whenever he appears on screen.
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he → progress → screen
Gabriel beams at the sight of Daniela, greeting her with an excited, “Mija!
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Gabriel → beam → Mija
It’s so good to see you!”
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It → ’ → you
Since she’s from a different universe, Daniela experiences a moment of panic over the uncertainty of it all.
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Daniela → ’ → it
Is her cover blown?
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cover → blow → ?
We’ve seen our fair share of universe hopping gone wrong.
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share → see → hopping
But her worries fade, turning to cathartic tears of joy when her dad hugs her.
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dad → fade → her
As the two catch up inside, Gabriel questions Daniela about her family in San Diego, relates to her about missing a kid in college, and calls her out out for being “a little tight.”
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Gabriel → catch → her
Daniela loosens up when they spend the night laughing, drinking, and reminiscing.
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they → loosen → night
But the next morning, Gabriel confronts her about the obvious emotional weight she’s carrying.
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she → confront → weight
“I still think about the day we met.
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we → think → day
[Mom] made you dress up to meet her new boyfriend.
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you → make → boyfriend
I was not interested in being an evil stepfather to some mocosa,” Gabriel said.
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Gabriel → say → mocosa
“And then you looked up at me with those eyes, and it was crushing.
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it → look → eyes
I mean how can an eight-year-old look at me with the brokenness of an adult?
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old → mean → adult
Same way you’re looking at me now.
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you → look → me
It’s been many, many years since I’ve seen that look…
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I → see → look
Some things in the past, they don’t stay there.
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they → stay → past
They sneak up on us.
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They → sneak → us
Ignoring it will not help.
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Ignoring → ignore → it
It always comes up.
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It → come → ?
If Daniela came to her family’s Denver home in search of herself again, I imagine reuniting with someone safe who knows her and her past so well — a kind, gentle man who helped her get to sleep as a child and gazed up at stars with her — will be a crucial step in her healing journey.
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her → come → journey
Gabriel knows her so well that he pushes her to paint again to process her emotions, and the two silently bond through their shared love of art.
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two → know → art
Unfortunately, the peaceful escape comes to an unexpected end when Daniela goes for a walk and returns to find Gabriel frantically pacing, asking to go to the hospital for fear he’s having a stroke and imagining her.
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he → come → her
Because while our Daniela was out on a walk, his Daniela — the in-universe daughter who lives in San Francisco — called him to check in.
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who → live → him
I know those brush strokes to be my daughter,” he says, utterly perplexed.
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he → know → ?
“But I also know that I just spoke to my daughter in San Francisco.”
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I → know → Francisco
Unsure how to proceed, Daniela chooses honesty, despite the dangers.
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Daniela → proceed → dangers
“You’re okay.
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You → ’re → ?
And she’s here.
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she → ’ → ?
Can we sit?
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we → sit → ?
I’m gonna try and explain,” she says.
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she → go → ?
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
