Posted by Dark Matter on Apple TV+ has many aspects that need to be explained: in this step-by-step recap, we walk you through its plot.
From the first trailer, you could already recognize what was going to happen: Dark Matter, the new sci-fi series that landed on Apple TV+ in May 2024, has everything in place to become one of the most exciting releases of the year. Starring Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly, the series is based on Blake Crouch’s novel of the same name, and the plot shows all its complexity already in the beginning. Since episode 1, many things need to be explained, viewers were puzzled, and a guide would definitely help: in this full plot recap, we will drive you through the parallel universes of Dark Matter.
The premise
When Dark Matter begins, we follow the life of Professor Jason Dessen’s life: he’s married to Daniela, they have a teenage son, and he teaches physics at the university. His friend Ryan just won a prestigious prize, and one night, while they celebrate together at the pub close to Jason’s home, Ryan offers him a job at the new futuristic company he’s going to found. However, while on his way home, he’s abducted by a mysterious man with a white mask.
This man seems to know Jason very well, even knowing his phone’s passcode. He asks some generic questions about his life, then he steals his wedding ring, injects a psychoactive compound in his body, and tells him that “he’s doing this for both of them.” Jason Dessen goes unconscious: when he wakes up, the world around him is entirely different.
Apparently, “in this world,” Jason Dessen is a single, world-famous scientist who founded a successful company. Conversely, Ryan is pretty unknown, and Daniela is a popular painter with no husband. Nobody recognizes him at the pub, and if he goes home, he finds different furniture and another woman who seems to live with him.
After the initial shock, Jason is sure he didn’t lose his mind: the sign of the wedding ring on his finger proves he had a long life as a married man. Therefore, slowly, he tries to understand how things can be explained, and he finds the solution in Episode 2, which becomes the central milestone in this plot recap, at least regarding the first part of Dark Matter.
Dark Matter explained, the full plot recap: what happened to Jason Dessen?
Following Jason’s explanation in Episode 2, we discover a new dimension based on parallel universes and quantum physics (from this point of view, viewers will probably remember other similar sci-fi productions like Constellation or Coherence). According to this perspective, every time we make a big life decision, two alternative realities are born. Each version of ourselves will keep living in its world. Years before, Jason had to make one of those decisions: he had to decide if he wanted to give up his career in science and build a family with Daniela, who was pregnant, or if he wasn’t ready for it. At that moment, two alternative universes take off in Jason’s life.
In the dimension where Jason leaves Daniela and continues his career, he becomes a famous scientist. However, he is not happy: he will regret that decision for the rest of his life. Therefore, he will focus part of his studies on a new project, discovering a way to jump from his reality to another one. His plan is clear: he wants to switch his life, move to the dimension where he chose Daniela, and live that existence on behalf of the other version of himself.
As the plot unfolds, the mystery of Dark Matter is fully explained. The enigmatic figure who abducted Jason in the beginning is revealed to be a version of himself from another dimension, the one where he chose to part ways with Daniela. This alternate Jason entered the box 14 months before, jumping into the other dimension. Presumably, in those 14 months, he built the box in the other dimension to send the other Jason back and substitute him. After the kidnapping, the original Jason wakes up in a reality where he’s a renowned scientist but devoid of family: he is left to grapple with this shocking turn of events.
Things will get more and more interesting from this point of the plot. The two versions of Jason have different characters, and pretty soon, Daniela starts noticing differences in his behavior. Will the “good” Jason return to his original reality? What will happen to every version of Daniela, and will we see more parallel universes? We will guide you through the following episodes of Dark Matter in this plot recap, and every detail will be explained: stay tuned.
