Dark Matter Episode 5 Ending Explained: Jason2's Plan & How He'll Execute It

Warning! Contains major spoilers for Dark Matter episode 5.

Summary Jason2 wants to seal The Box to protect his new universe, ensuring no one can disrupt his contentment.

Exploring new worlds helps Jason and Amanda understand the power of controlling The Box and manifesting realities.

Blair chooses to stay in a post-apocalyptic reality, overwhelmed by the dangers of jumping between worlds.

Although Dark Matter episode 5's ending scene reveals what Jason2 plans to do next, it maintains an air of ambiguity surrounding how he will execute it. After disclosing several extreme realities throughout episode 4, Dark Matter's episode 5 finally grounds itself and reveals worlds that seem slightly close to Jason1's original universe. However, despite opening The Box's door to relatively safer worlds, Jason and Amanda still find themselves in situations that either kill or almost trap them in undesired realities.

However, in episode 5, the more they explore new worlds, the more they understand the truth behind controlling the box. While they are at it, Jason2 makes a deal with Leighton and insures his future before planning to close the entrance of The Box from his side of the multiverse. With so many revelations and plot progressions throughout its runtime, Apple TV+'s Dark Matter episode 5 leaves viewers with a lot of questions.

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Why Jason2 Wants To Seal The Box (& How He Might Do It)

Jason2 Wants No One Else To Access His New Universe

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In Dark Matter episode 5's closing moments, Jason2 tells Leighton he wishes to seal The Box's entrance from his current universe. He says this right after he briefly visits his original universe to retrieve more doses of the brain-numbing drugs that allow one to access multiple realities through The Box. As soon as he steps out into his original universe, one of his employees from Velocity Labs runs up to him and informs him that a different version of him came out of the box and then went inside again with Amanda. She also tells him Leighton from their universe followed them in The Box, hoping to find more answers.

...Before Jason1 and Amanda can figure out how The Box works and find their way to Jason1's original universe, Jason2 wishes to shut the box's entrance.

This visit to his original universe helps Jason2 realize that Jason1 and Amanda are already inside The Box, likely figuring out its inner workings. Even Leighton from his universe is trying to track him down. Since Jason2 is content with his new life in Jason1's universe, he wants to ensure no one attempts to disrupt it. Therefore, before Jason1 and Amanda can figure out how The Box works and find their way to Jason1's original universe, Jason2 wishes to shut the box's entrance.

Dark Matter's episode 5 reveals that once the door inside the box is closed, the box ends up in a liminal state where it cannot be affected by the conditions of the worlds that lie outside it. This is why all the water inside the box suddenly disappears when Jason1 closes the door to the flooded alternate world. Since The Box's interior cannot be controlled by external forces, Jason2 will likely seal The Box's entrance from the outside by placing something heavy against it. Or, he could even move the box to a remote location to deceive Amanda and Jason1, preventing them from surviving in his new world.

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How The Alternate Pandemic World Helped Jason & Amanda Understand The Box

The Pandemic World Reveals Using The Box Isn't As Simple As It Seems

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After exploring several dark worlds in Dark Matter episode 4, Jason and Amanda learn that The Box allows them to manifest their realities. Every reality they encounter after opening a door reflects their thoughts. However, despite learning this detail, the two characters struggle to find the right world in episode 5. Jason then attempts to focus on the reality he wants to return to and, to his surprise, opens the door to a world that seems similar to the one he lived in. Strangely, however, when he and Amanda step out, the world they enter seems deserted, with no humans in sight.

Their thoughts must be clear, and as Jason2 keeps telling Leighton, they must be "honest" with themselves to manifest their desired world.

When they visit Jason's home and find a sick version of Daniela, they start realizing how a pandemic has nearly wiped out the entire world. In this new reality, Jason goes through the pain of seeing his wife's final moments, making him wonder how he would even choose such a reality. However, later, when they end up inside The Box again, Amanda deduces that it likely has something to do with him carrying his biggest fear through the door — the fear of losing his family to illness. She then recalls how he lost his mother to cancer and probably wanted a shot at fixing things for his family in times of extreme crisis.

With this, Jason and Amanda realize that they must be extremely aware of what is going through their minds when they step out of the box. Their thoughts must be clear, and as Jason2 keeps telling Leighton, they must be "honest" with themselves to manifest their desired world. Learning this seemingly gets them one step closer to reaching Jason1's original world.

Upcoming Dark Matter Episodes' Release Schedule Ep. Number Ep. Title Release Date 6 F*cking Married People June 5 7 In the Fires of Dead Stars June 12 8 Jupiter June 19 9 Entanglement June 26

Why Didn't Blair Leave The Post-Apocalyptic World With Jason & Amanda

Blair Learns The Truth About Jumping Realities

In one of the many realities Jason and Amanda end up in, they find a version of Blair who originally belonged to Jason2's universe. She informs them that the world they are in was struck by a swarm of giant insects after an alternate version of her opened the door to another dark world. After spending time with her, Jason and Amanda continue their quest and ask Blair to join them. However, she refuses to leave because she understands that jumping from one world to another solves nothing.

She gets so overwhelmed by her experiences inside The Box that she wishes to stay in one reality and solve its issues instead of moving on to another. Before Amanda and Jason leave, she also warns them that, despite her best efforts to control the box, she has not been able to travel to her desired world. This suggests that after exploring many grim realities, she has given up and wishes to live in a world that gives her a semblance of safety.

Related How Does Dark Matter's Interdimensional Travel Work? The Science Behind The Box Explained Apple TV+’s Dark Matter uses real scientific concepts to craft its interdimensional travel, but how does Jason’s “Box” work in the show?

What Crime The Alternate Jason Might Have Committed In His World

The Alternate Jason Likely Murdered Someone

Dark Matter episode 5 also walks through another reality that initially seems similar to Jason1's original world but turns out to be an alternate world that closely resembles his universe. When he visits his family in this reality, the alternate version of his wife gets scared of him and even calls the police. His son attacks him, and while speaking to law enforcement on her phone, Daniela reports that her husband is supposed to be in prison. This confirms that Jason, in this new reality, likely committed a major crime and ended up in jail.

New Dark Matter episodes are released every Wednesday on Apple TV+.

While the show does not reveal what the alternate Jason might have done, and Jason1 seems too scared to find out what he is capable of, it seems likely he killed someone. This would explain why Daniela and Charlie were so afraid of him. Since Jason1 had somewhat of a rivalry with Ryan in his original Dark Matter universe, it is possible his alternate-self killed his universe's Ryan after growing jealous of his achievements and Pavia award win.