"Secrets"
Release Date: 1 December 2017
The episode opens with a quote from Albert Einstein, emphasizing that our perception of time as past, present, and future is just an enduring illusion. A narrator challenges the linear concept of time, suggesting it's more like a continuous, interconnected circle.
Images of photos linked by strings on a wall create an intricate web, and we transition to June 21, 2019, where Michael Kahnwald, a troubled man, ends his life. He leaves behind a sealed envelope with specific instructions not to open it until November 4 at 10:13 pm. Next to the envelope is a family photo, revealing Michael's wife, Hannah, their son Jonas with red hair, and Ines Kahnwald, Michael's guardian.
Jonas awakens from a nightmare about his father and takes pills to calm down. The episode cuts to the opening credits, featuring the mesmerizing theme song "Goodbye" by Apparat, which sets the mood for the series.
Moving forward to November 4, 2019, Jonas realizes there's a power outage and spoiled milk. Meanwhile, Hannah is in bed with Ulrich Nielsen, who is asking if she'll attend a meeting. They exchange affectionate words, though Ulrich's response is rather cold. Hannah notices that Ines has been removed from the family photo.
Jonas, wearing a bright yellow rain jacket, leaves the house, contrasting with the gloomy town. We glimpse a nuclear power plant nearby and learn that a boy named Erik Obendorf is missing.
Jonas talks with his therapist, Peter Doppler, about his father's appearances in his dreams. They discuss the lack of a suicide note, raising questions about the earlier envelope.
Ines Kahnwald sits with the letter from Michael but refrains from opening it. A radio announcement reveals details about the Winden power plant's history.
Ulrich returns home to his wife, Katharina, and their children: Magnus, Martha, and Mikkel. The family dynamics and teenage struggles become apparent.
Jonas, back at school, encounters Bartosz Tiedemann, who had lied to cover Jonas's absence after his father's death. Their friendship seems strained.
Ulrich, working at the Winden police station, faces the anger of Erik Obendorf's parents. Ulrich appears indifferent to the boy's disappearance.
A mysterious figure emerges from the caves, and Franziska Doppler confronts Magnus about his actions.
At a school assembly, Martha greets Jonas warmly but ultimately sits with Bartosz. Katharina, who is also the school's principal, addresses the students about Erik Obendorf's disappearance.
Ulrich and Charlotte Doppler discuss the case at the police station. Ulrich is convinced Erik ran away, while Charlotte remains skeptical.
Regina Tiedemann, struggling to manage the Winden hotel due to Erik's disappearance, faces unfeeling bill collectors.
Franziska gives a presentation about black holes in school, and Bartosz plans to retrieve Erik's hidden drugs from the caves, revealing his disdain for Franziska.
Ulrich's mother, Jana Nielsen, informs him about a strange man she saw in the forest, reminiscent of Mads' disappearance 33 years ago.
In a nursing home, an elderly man repeatedly utters, "It's going to happen again."
We finally see Erik Obendorf, imprisoned in a bizarre room with a childlike atmosphere. He watches a music video while strapped into a menacing chair.
Jonas, Bartosz, Martha, Magnus, and Mikkel plan to explore the caves. Bartosz's attitude towards Franziska worsens.
As the group approaches the caves, all lights suddenly go out, and a loud noise emerges. Panic ensues, and Jonas loses Mikkel in the chaos.
An ominous vision of Michael Kahnwald covered in blood terrifies Jonas. The group reconvenes, but young Mikkel is missing.
A mysterious man named Helge repeats the phrase, "It's going to happen again."
Parents receive calls from their children at school as the events unfold. Ulrich rushes to the caves, while Ines reads Michael's letter.
The episode ends with a body found in the forest, which isn't Mikkel. Ulrich realizes this as he uncovers the boy's eyes covered in black and finds red sneakers.
The story returns to Erik's captivity, where he's placed in a disturbing chair while a music video plays.
Unresolved questions and tension build among the four interconnected families: the Kahnwalds, Nielsens, Dopplers, and Tiedemanns. Grief, secrets, and tensions simmer beneath the surface, as Winden's mysterious past resurfaces.
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