I wonder why the timeline has diverged.

Simple: If Henry stops the experiment (that's what he did in last season's finale, right?), then those people don't spontaneously combust, and Stark isn't in danger of spontaneously combusting.

On a more Super-ficial note, I was really glad to see Vincent--Ronald! And selling chili to the mandroid! And of course, Fargo has always been "Too precious for this world."

You are subtle, nerdish, and adorkable all in one. This is why I heart you. (MANDROID!)

Shanks is acting on the show this week so that's fun.

I'll just be over there, flailing. (!!!)

Taped it and watched at 3am. I liked this episode better than last season. And I really did like last season, but I'm loving it now. I guess I really go for the dark over the funny. The funny is still there though; a couple times I laughed out loud. Glad the Jo/Taggert thing isn't happening now; I couldn't buy it. Also glad Allison/Jack isn't happening now, can't see that one either. Scary!Henry is awesome. I bet he's watching that hologram obsessively because he's looking for something he can use to "fix" things. And poor Jack, I couldn't decide if it was sadder to keep the memories or lose them. So now we have a mystery, and a conspiracy, and a potential danger, and a good character slipping into the Dark Side, and it all makes sense! I thought I was going to be disappointed in how they resolved things, but no. This was an excellent set-up for the season! Great job, CFerg! And everyone else, too!

Dark Henry is absolutely fascinating to watch--and dread, a little. Joe Morton is awesome.

yes, he is. with great potential for destruction.

I have a new assessment. It's not that I think that Jack has anything to fear from Henry, in the sense that Henry's going to get revenge, but if Henry feels that Jack is going to compromise his bringing Kim back, he will not hesitate to take steps to neutralize the threat.

whoa, good Eureka. I've got to second, no, third um, fourth erm, second the awesomeness of the way Cferg played the end there, along with the scary awesome that is Henry.

I knew it was the artifact from the way the bodies were burned!

OMG, the rest of the artifact's energy is in Kevin? All the scientists who knew that there was some special connection between Kevin and the artifact are now dead (surely there's notes and computer files and such?). I'm assuming that Kwan taking Kevin to a S5 artifact-specific scientist because either the artifact was helping with Kevin's therapy or because Kevin was helping with the research on the artifact. Hmmm.

Only two complaints. Wow, some of that lighting was either downright murky, or I need a new TV and glasses. I like dark, but some of that was just odd. Also, I'm not sure how I feel about Carter trying to cheer up the guy who's wife died by saying "let's look on the bright side: Gambling!" Or maybe it was Carter being so hopeful about winning Allison again that he didn't want his "second chance" to be dimmed by Henry's permanent (?!) loss. And it really did contrast the final scene with those two oh so nicely. I guess the beginning scene just felt crass and awkward, but not necessarily wrong.

Loved how Carter kept forgetting the timeline: "Ally", "We appreciate it", not minding her seeing him naked, Zoe driving... Just really appreciate the inclusion of that, and how it was played. I think Henry wiped Carter's mind as much as a favor to him as because Henry needed him out of the way. Carter's got more of a chance of courting Allison properly without that weirdness of "wrong" memories or trying to make things fit (didn't he see Groundhog Day?) the way they did before.

Also, love love love the guilt that Stark had been carrying around (I think I'm just all around really appreciative of all the things that were included in this ep, that really *should* have been included, but that other shows have taught me to ignore because of the sweeping-under factor). Poor Nathan caused the death of the wife of his mentor. Yeah, that hurts. Made me sad that he was too out of it to bitch at Carter. I do wish they had actually shown him getting sideswiped by the explosion, but I do appreciate the shot that firmly establishes him in another room, cuz I didn't get that the first couple of times around in OiaL.

So, I guess when Henry had saved Kim, he had in fact saved all those other scientists (and Kevin grew up sans conspiracies), because he had shut down the experiment that caused the artifact to explode. Stopped it completely. No boom. That day, in the alt timeline that our Henry and Carter came from, was supposed to be death-free, eclipse-a-licious, and Allison receptive to a first date. Instead they're all up to their elbows in crispies.

The really twisted part is that since Jack doesn't know the consequences, Henry may be able to get him to help out with bringing Kim back.

I'm assuming that Kwan taking Kevin to a S5 artifact-specific scientist because either the artifact was helping with Kevins therapy or because Kevin was helping with the research on the artifact. Hmmm.

perhaps the artifact is sentient, and was trying to destroy anyone who could compromise it. Or maybe it's mad that Stark was trying to take a piece of it off.

Vortex, I was referring to the "Why an S1 scientist was down visiting an S5 scientist during Kevin's therapy session, possibly with Kevin", not why the artifact blew up, although that is also another good question.

someone pointed out on the skiffy forum that Henry did in fact say that knowing what he "knows now" (that a paradox would be created) he would still do what he did to save Kim. *trembles*

No boom, that day was supposed to be death-free, eclipse-a-licious, and Allison receptive to a first date. Instead they're all up to their elbows in crispies.

The other way around, really. It was supposed to be full of crispies, but Henry's meddling made it death-free.