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"End of the World" is the eighth episode of Season One of The Man in the High Castle, and the eighth episode of the series overall. This episode, along with the rest of the season, was made available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video on November 20th, 2015.
Synopsis[]
Juliana and Frank make plans to escape the Pacific States, only to be dragged back into danger by Joe as he tries to retrieve a new film. Meanwhile, Smith's loyalty is put to the ultimate test when confronted with a startling family discovery.
Plot[]
The episode opens with two characters: Lemuel Washington and Bobby. Lem is teaching Bobby how to fish when someone passes him a coded note which he uncodes to mean 'New Film. San Francisco.'
Juliana tells Arnold and her mother that Trudy was killed by the Kempeitai because she got caught up with the Resistance. Juliana's mother refuses to accept this, arguing that she can feel her.
Ed makes his way to Juliana and Frank's place, where Frank is making a replica of the Native American antique that Robert asked him to make in the previous episode. Ed reports to Frank that the Kempeitai are at the factory and he was ordered to convert a replica because they believe that the gun used to shoot the Crown Prince was made at the factory. Frank reassures him and says that they were planning on running away at the 11 o'clock night bus before asking Ed to pick up the bus tickets. Ed refuses to take Frank's money for the tickets, stating that they need all the money they can get to which Frank tells him that he "can't thank him enough".
When Juliana is about to pay for a meal, Joe steps in and pays instead before reflecting on the way they met the first time. She interrogates him on the films and asks how he found her. Joe asks her for information and help, to which Juliana initially refuses. However, his desperation makes her reconsider.
Frank makes his way to the antique store and Robert compliments him on his work. However, he tells him that he no longer wants to sell a forged antique because it could mean a summary execution for the both of them. Frank threatens him and Robert agrees to try and get the antique sold.
Juliana goes looking for Karen at the flower shop and informs her of the job she acquired at the Nippon Building. Karen replies that she already knows but she assumes that she wasn't able to find anything about the person that murdered her husband and Trudy. Juliana asks about the new film and tells her about the "operative from New York". Karen immediately voices her suspicions and tells her that she cannot help Juliana, or him.
Karen and Lem meet up at a deserted location to find the film when they receive an anonymous call from a nearby phone box. They do not identify themselves but say that they have the film but want 100,000 yen although Karen only has 10,000.
Okamura informs Sergeant Yoshida and Chief Inspector Kido about a new film, produced by the Man in the High Castle, that has surfaced. He asks for 150,000 yen in return for this information, which Kido vehemently shoots down.
Smith and his son are at the hospital, where Doctor Adler tells him the unfortunate news that his son has a tremor. He tells him that he has a serious disease called Landouzy-Dejurine syndrome, which has symptoms such as loss of coordination, weakness in the arms and difficulty hearing. This would lead to paralysis in a matter of months. Smith refuses to accept this and insists that his son is the "picture of health". Doctor Adler tells him that he is certain as Thomas got ten out of ten in the Brandt-Sievers nerve test. Smith asks about treatment, to which the doctor responds that there is no treatment though they could investigate further, which would result in it being classified as an institutional issue. Doctor Adler then slides over a case that contains a syringe and an ampule of morphine scopolamine and prussic acid before stating that it is "Absolutely painless", implying that it would cause death. He offers to show Smith how to locate a vein in the back of the hand.
Juliana shows up for work at the Nippon Building holding a bouquet of flowers which contains the very flowers Tagomi gifted her the previous day. She offers to help Kotomichi with the papers that he has dropped, to which he firmly demands she stop. He tells her that her presence is dangerous and that Tagomi has risked a lot hiring her. Juliana replies that he does not wish to harm him to which Kotomichi responds, "But you will." She is shown into Tagomi's office and Juliana gifts the bouquet to him. He informs her of a survey that he would like her to work on with a general who is due to arrive at the airport tomorrow. This survey was to be about uranium deposits in the Neutral Zone, making use of Juliana's degree. Tagomi then asks if she went to the address that he gave her and apologises for her loss.
Juliana then goes to visit Karen but is confronted by Lem. She says that she can't help them, but they ask her to take them to Joe Blake.
Reinhard Heydrich, a man of great power, visits Smith and they exchange a tense conversation before he says that he wants to take Rudolph Wegener to custody. Smith reminds him that he is his prisoner and Heydrich responds by reminding him of his role and tells him that his "men will be here within the hour."
Juliana leads Lem and Karen to Joe, who ask him for 100,000 yen to pay the Yakuza with. He comments on the high price, to which Karen responds that they took the film from the man who was originally going to give sell the film to them. Joe tells him that he can get the money.
Robert arrives at the Kasouras and tells the worker that he has a piece of art they wish to see. The house worker tells him to use the side entrance and Robert refuses, indignant. He argues that he was a guest before and he is a guest now, and the worker responds that he is simply following instructions. Robert starts to argue when he is interrupted by a Japanese man who asks if there is a problem. He forces a smile and reluctantly heads to the side entrance.
Smith exchanges an informal but terse conversation with Captain Connolly regarding the sudden appearance of Heydrich, and Connolly manages to defuse the conversation smoothly. Smith then leaves his office to meet Rudolph in the interrogation room to tell him about Heydrich's visit. He demands answers, telling Rudolph that he will try to help him because he will not be able to fare much better under Heydrich. Rudolph refuses, saying he is willing to die because he prefers it "to breathing one more breath" under service to the State due to the blood they spilt. Smith affirms this but says that he would do it all over again to protect his family. Rudolph tells him that he cannot stand living in this world, but Smith can do so if he wishes. Smith simply responds, "Goodbye Rudy."
Childan shows the Kasouras the fake antique that Frank replicated, paired with photographic evidence. Mr. Kasoura questions the authenticity of the necklace, stating that, "for some Americans, there's a sense of victory in deceiving the Japanese." Mrs. Kasoura then interrupts their testy conversation stating that she feels the wu, the "intense sorrow" radiating from the necklace.
Karen and Lem tell Juliana that they are willing to risk the Yakuza taking their lives for the film, if needed. Joe tells them that he can get them the money. When Juliana is about to leave, Joe stops her. She tells him that he won't see her again and that "this can't happen" before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Joe tells a hesitating Juliana that "Frank's a lucky guy."
Robert makes his way to Frank's place, giving him 46,000 yen. He asks him if the police standing outside has anything to do with him, worried about getting caught. He brings up the idea of working together for more money which Frank refuses.
At the Smith household, Helen asks John about the appointment at the hospital that morning. John reassures her and lies that it was just a pulled muscle. At that point, Joe phones the landline telling him about the deal that the Yakuza has given them. John reconfirms that he will be able to pull through with this deal once the funds have been given.
Juliana rushes home before quietly whispering to Frank about the policeman standing outside. Frank tells her that he doesn't know and goes over the plan for the night, telling her that he has the money. Juliana then reflects over the "Japanese man at work" who has been really kind to her, but Frank tells him that she can't be worrying about that. He also tells her that she shouldn't say goodbye to her mother because Arnold is there and he works for the Japanese. Juliana hesitates, wary that her mother has just lost a daughter so to lose her would devastate her. Frank concedes, telling her that she can't tell her mother that they're leaving but that they will see them one last time.
At the Smith household, John is in bed flicking through photo albums of him and his brother. Helen says that she was worried about him because it seemed like he had something on his mind, but joins him in the bed. She says that she was very lonely as an only child, so John was very blessed to have Edmond and that his father "must have been devastated", implying that Edmond is dead.
Joe meets Lem and Karen in their van and although they try to leave him out of the plan, he insists that because it is his money, he needs to be the one to action it. They reluctantly agree and tell him that they will be waiting outside.
Tagomi is sitting in his office writing in a notepad when Kotomichi asks if there is anything he needs. Just before he leaves the office, he mentions to Tagomi that Juliana never came back. Tagomi replies in the affirmative and gazes at the flowers that Juliana gifted him, sitting in a vase on his table.
At dinner with Arnold and Anne, Julianna's mother comments on how Julianna hasn't eaten a thing. Julianna apologises, stating that she isn't hungry. Alone at the kitchen, Arnold approaches her and apologises, saying that he didn't mean for this to happen. Arnold then tells her that although he doesn't know how mixed up in this she is, tonight she has to stay away. Juliana immediately catches onto this and asks why, to which Arnold responds that he picked up some phone chatter. The Yakuza are planning on selling the film tonight and the Kempeitai are going to be there too. They are planning on acquiring the film and killing the operatives from the Resistance. Juliana rushes off, telling Frank that she left something at work. Frank tries to hold onto her, saying that the bus leaves in less than an hour, but she rushes off promising that she will be on that bus in time.
Joe walks through the nightclub where he is due to receive the film, Karen and Lem waiting outside. He makes eye contact with a Japanese man dressed smartly in a suit. Joe hands in a ticket to a coat check girl and gets handed a coat where the film is supposed to be. Outside, Chief Inspector Kido and Sergeant Yokida are staking out the location.
Karen and Lem see Juliana entering the building, closely followed by the Kempeitai. Juliana runs up to Joe and warns him about the Kempeitai. They escape through a backdoor but the alleyway is blocked by a black car. White men with guns get out of the car and they are led into it, holding their hands up. Chief Inspector Kido bursts through the backdoor with the Kempeitai just as the car drives off, standing where Juliana and Joe were seconds before.
Cast & Characters[]
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Notes & Trivia[]
- The episode is named after the song of the same name, which is performed by Lini Evans during the episode with Japanese lyrics that she co-wrote.
- Landouzy-Dejerine disease, the disease that was named in this episode, is a hereditary muscles wasting disease that appears during teenage years. This is frequently misidentified as growing pains because symptoms usually appear during teenage years, hence why Thomas was believed to have simply pulled a nerve.