Dark Matter left some aspects of its ending on an ambiguous note, but new details have thankfully emerged to clarify the fate of Joel Edgerton's Jason Dessen.
Apple TV+'s hit sci-fi show recently came to a close, expanding upon the original story conjured by the book of the same name by pushing its multiversal concept into overdrive.
The series' final episode saw Jason's many versions allowing the original Jason to be with Daniela and Charlie, putting their selfish desires aside to allow the family to be at peace.
However, this ending still led fans to question whether the Jason who got his happy ending might not be the one we've been following all season long.
Dark Matter Showrunner Clarifies Jason's Fate
Dark Matter's ending caused a bit of debate. As Episode 8 of the show establishes that multiple versions of Jason Dessen have descended (Dessen-ded?) upon their original world, some fans have theorized that another Jason may have taken the place of the lead protagonist somewhere within the scuffle.
While the possibility existed that the Jason who ended up with Daniela and Charlie could have been a separate version from the one we were introduced to, most viewers suspected that the final Jason was supposed to be the original.
So, which is it?
Speaking on The Playlist's Bingeworthy podcast, showrunner Blake Crouch confirmed that the Jason who leaves with his family is intended to be the one that viewers have been watching since the beginning of the show.
When asked whether the Jason the series ends with is the same as the one from the start, Crouch stated that it was and that the intention wasn't to trick audiences into thinking otherwise:
"I would say... I think it’s an inevitable question considering the idea of infinite worlds, infinite versions of a character, infinities upon infinities. I will say, we weren’t playing a game with the audience where it was like, 'Oh, but is this really the good Jason?' That wasn’t the game or the intention. I think it’d be a really cynical thing to do at the end of this big, emotional ride to be like, 'Maybe, it’s not really him.'
However, he couldn't deny the potential for Jason to have been swapped out either, saying, "It’s a completely valid question just considering the nature of this premise.”
Crouch reaffirmed his position on Jason's ending in an interview with Collider, saying, "Our intention is that this is the guy we started with, and this is the guy we're ending with."
Star Joel Edgerton was also pressed on the possibility in an interview with Collider, while also being asked whether the Charlie and Daniela that Jason returns might not be the same versions of the characters as well.
To that, Edgerton humorously speculated on how cutlery may have been a dealbreaker for an out-of-place Jason:
"The family question is a good one... He could finally go back, and sort of rejoice, and then look in the living room, and go, ‘Hold on a second… that's not our knives and forks. Oh, I'm sorry, darling. I’m going to have to leave.”
Will Dark Matter Season 2 Follow the Same Jason?
Dark Matter Season 2 has yet to receive the official greenlight, but given the roundabout success of the first run of episodes, fans could exist in a universe where a second season is a go.
Although Crouch and co. seem adamant that the ending's Jason is the original, there are plenty of other Jasons out in the multiverse that an additional season could explore.
Perhaps a Season 2 could dive into this concept further. Maybe the Jason who left with his family is the same one, but perhaps there's an alternate, yet similar, universe where Jason was swapped out at the last hour. This could create another vengeful version of the character, paving the way for a new villainous Jason to take the spotlight.
Even if the show doesn't go down this route, there's still a multitude of plot threads that Dark Matter has yet to develop. What is the original universe going to do with hundreds of different Jasons without a family or true home to call their own? Which version of Leighton did fans see at the end of the show and why was his outfit giving Mad Max vibes?
The biggest cliffhanger comes in the form of Jimmi Simpson's Ryan catching up with Alice Braga's Amanda in the hyper-futuristic Chicago, seemingly hoping to ally with some kind. Ryan seems to be clued into the fact that Amanda knows a thing or two about the Box, so perhaps the duo can work together to get the Pavia Prize winner back home.
All episodes of Dark Matter are streaming now on Apple TV+.
