“The Time Traveler’s Wife” Episode 2 is primarily about Henry’s childhood trauma. Henry goes back to the accident that haunts him throughout his life, over and over again. While every individual tries to recover from their tragic past, Henry is cursed to revisit a tragedy, knowing that he could never stop what was written in time no matter what he did. He shares the sorrow of his fate with Clare. The series primarily focuses on the reality in which Henry is 28 and Clare is 20. “The Time Traveler’s Wife” Episode 2 has been able to hold onto the expectation that the series has created with the first episode. The series depicts how the two are trapped in an absurd reality in which they know their future and how, at times, they are left with no other choice but to do what has been written in time forever.
Episode 2: Recap Summary
On a Christmas morning, when Henry was 8, he accompanied his mother to bring her father back from the airport. A joyous morning turned tragic when they were waiting for a signal, and a car rushed behind and hit them. There was a truck carrying a metal sheet before them in the queue, and as a result of the push, the sheet slid into their car and decapitated his mother’s body. This haunting memory stayed vividly etched in his mind, and he traveled back to this particular incident over and over again. The scene ends with Henry, from various stages of his life, standing and witnessing the gruesome death of his mother.
Henry, aged 28, goes on a second date with Clare. Young Henry refused to entirely accept Clare as the love of his life simply because his older self had said that to the two of them, but they still thought of giving it a chance. Clare also expressed how she was not truly interested in this version of Henry since she had only fantasized about his older self. As the two bickered about their strange situation, Clare decided to get off the train at the next station and do something that she was not expected to do. Henry pointed out that what she thought she was doing out of choice was something she was meant to do. This was the spot they were meant to be at, and they were supposed to go to a nearby restaurant. Clare refused to accept it and walked towards a café, believing that was how she could be free from what was written in time.
After entering the café, a man painted green brought her a banana latte. This reminded her of how old Henry had mentioned to her that he would talk about his mother on the day that a green man would bring her banana latte in front of Lake Como. She looked behind and saw Lake Como painted on the wall. She gave up trying, knowing that she was doing exactly what she had been doing in every other reality. She asked Henry about his mother, and he spoke about the accident. He added that whenever he felt stressed thinking about it, he would be taken back to that incident.
‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ Episode 2: Ending Explained – How Did Henry’s Mother Know Clare?
Henry discussed his life and the method of time traveling with Clare, and how difficult it was for him to constantly visit those hurtful moments. We also learn that Henry mostly traveled throughout his life, but at times he went to the past and the future. In the past, he met his mother, Annette DeTamble, who was a popular opera singer. He had also witnessed his parents’ engagement by time traveling. Even though, in his reality, his mother passed away, in the others, she continues to live. Nothing is absolute, is what Henry discussed with his younger self, who was still in school. He taught little Henry to steal, run, and fight, as those were the things he had to learn in every reality.
Henry explained to Clare how, after trying and failing each time, he has realized that he cannot change the events that occur in time. He took Clare to the library he worked at and showed her his little collection of pictures and every newspaper article that mentioned his mother. Along with that, he had a tape recording of his mother’s show. Henry and Clare sat down and listened to the tape; they were mesmerized by her voice. Pausing the tape, he mentioned that his mother always engaged in a little question and answer round with her audience. He had never listened to the tape before because all these memories were bear traps for him that would take him back to the past. But he also believed that this was an opportunity for Clare to meet his mother. Clare was surprised. She replied that listening to the tape could not be compared to meeting that person. Henry insisted she think of a question to ask his mother. Initially puzzled, Clare came up with a question to ask. She wanted to know how couples managed to stay together through time. Henry played the tape, and Annette continued to speak. She said that she was going to answer a question that a woman named Clare had asked. She added that her question was how couples manage to stay together through time, and in response, she said that most couples don’t stay together, they are just together for a while, and that time spent with each other is what they cherish, even if that happens to be for a short span.
Clare was stunned after hearing the tape. She asked Henry how he knew her question. Henry said that the question was asked by his older self, who had traveled to his mother’s past. And as she was entering to perform, he had asked the question to his mother. This was his way of introducing his lover to her. In all her realities, Clare ended up asking the same question. Therefore, Annette answered a question that was asked years after she had passed away. And Clare heard the response to her question recorded on tape years before she was even born. That was the absurdity of time traveling, and Clare had just started learning about it.
“The Time Traveler’s Wife” can make the audience uncomfortable, especially after watching how a grown man visits his lover during her childhood years. His conversations with her impacted her to a great extent, to the point that she waited for years to be his partner. The idea of free will is lost, and knowing the future left Clare with a one-track mindset. She simply waited for Henry all her life. Complicated and strange, the relationship between Henry and Clare is one of a kind.
See More: ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ Episode 3: Recap And Ending, Explained – How Did Clare Seek Revenge?
