Orphan Black: Echoes Finale Recap and Ending, Explained: Is Jules Dead?

AMC’s science fiction series ‘Orphan Black: Echoes’ ends with Lucy’s efforts to save Charlie from the hands of Tom, who abducts Jack’s daughter to lure Jules into his trap. While Lucy tries to safeguard her boyfriend’s child, Kira and Eleanor join hands to unravel the mystery behind Paul Darros’ secret project using the body scans he accessed. Jules makes a life-threatening sacrifice for the sake of Charlie, while the protagonist bids adieu to her loved ones. As ‘We Will Come Again’ concludes, Eleanor makes a personal decision that changes her and Kira’s lives. The show’s first season ends with the tech billionaire stunning Lucy during their first meeting with a startling revelation! SPOILERS AHEAD.

Orphan Black: Echoes Episode 10 Recap

‘We Will Come Again’ begins with Jack confronting Lucy about Charlie’s life after she gets abducted by Tom. The clone meets Paul Darros’ head of corporate security, who informs her that he will gladly trade the young girl for Jules. While Lucy discusses the matter with Jack, Jules overhears the conversation and meets Tom alone. She willingly lets him take her to Darros while Charlie reunites with Jack. The father decides to bid adieu to Lucy to protect his daughter. She gives her hope that she may reunite with them if her life-threatening predicament comes to an end.

While Kira and Eleanor try to figure out the identity of the body scans Darros accessed, Rhona, Lucas’ girlfriend, shows up before them. She asks the former’s help to make the clone of her late father, only for the scientist to let her know that she had disabled the printer to create the same. Rhona then threatens her by playing an audio clip of her boyfriend talking about his mother making a clone of her partner. Despite the threat, Kira remains determined to disable the printer for good. She explains to Xander how to make the equipment unusable.

After Jack and Charlie disappear to save their lives from Lucy’s enemies, the latter sets out to rescue Jules from Darros’ hands. Xander promises to help her and returns to his creator, pretending to be realizing his mistakes. The tech billionaire allows him to stay on the grounds of his property. The younger version of the businessman takes advantage of this leniency to help Lucy get into the estate to save Jules. Eleanor manages to unveil the identity of the scans Darros accessed, but she fails to uncover the mystery behind the twelfth, unreadable scan. Meanwhile, the tech billionaire reveals his secret master plan to the world.

Orphan Black: Echoes Ending: Whose Scans Did Darros Access? What is His Secret Project?

Darros accessed the body scans of twelve of the most brilliant minds of his previous generation. These personalities include a Nobel Prize winner, a world-renowned mathematician, and an influential chemist, to name a few. These personalities changed the world immensely and made human existence considerably better. Their intellectual abilities and prominence in the scientific community are unparalleled. Darros accessed the body scans of these personalities to make the printouts of the same group. He created and observed Jules as an initial test subject before making the clones of these individuals. Through these people’s clones, the tech billionaire is attempting to change the trajectory of humankind’s future.

Similar to how he made Eleanor’s teenage version, Darros created the printouts of the younger selves of these intellectuals and scientists. He then presented these teenagers to the world as the headliners of the Darros Foundation’s new project. The tech billionaire provides these clones with unlimited and state-of-the-art resources to make scientific advancements that can challenge the inventions and creations of their original selves. The businessman does not want the intellectual superiority of these personalities to disappear from the world with their deaths. He wants the same to guide the world forward through their clones under his supervision.

Thus, Darros aspires to become the mentor and guardian angel of a group of teenagers who are expected to improve the world with their potential breakthroughs. The twelfth scan, which was initially unreadable, belongs to none other than Kira. As a scientist who made incomparable advancements in the field of cloning, the scientist is one of the most superior minds of the last five decades. Since she is not ready to associate with the tech billionaire to make unethical advancements in the field, the businessman accessed her scan to make the younger self of the scientist who will listen to him without any rebellion.

Darros’ secret project can be approached in two alternate ways. In addition to his supposed wish to make the world a better place, he can be looking forward to taking advantage of the creations, advancements, and/or inventions of the teenage clones to increase his reputation and business. Since they are learning and working as part of the Darros Foundation, their achievements will be credited to the businessman and his vision. If that’s not the case, he can be expecting the scientists in the group to find a cure for cancer, the disease that killed his sister, Zora. He may make a clone of his sibling if any of the brilliant minds develop a cure to save her from death.

Who is the Second Jules?

After Lucy finds Jules, they try to escape from Darros’ estate, only to encounter the tech billionaire. After exchanging pleasantries, the tech billionaire stuns Lucy by shooting down Jules. Since she is shot at point-blank range, it is highly unlikely that she will survive the same. While Lucy tries to process the unexpected tragedy, the businessman introduces her to another Jules, who appears and talks like the newly deceased. Even though this turn of events is shocking, it is understandable, especially considering how Eleanor was a renowned intellectual when she got together with Kira.

As far as Darros is concerned, the clones he created are useful only if they are unaware that they are mere printouts. The existential crises following such a realization will kill their scientific curiosity, making them useless beings. Thus, Jules ceases to be of value the moment she learns from Lucy that she is a clone. Still, Darros pursues her to collect her body scans to create another printout to serve his interests. Considering what the episode reveals, the second Jules is unaware of the nuances of her existence. Thus, the businessman can easily manipulate her and exploit her mind.

Since Darros has a useful version of Eleanor, he no longer needs the first Jules, which convinces him to kill her. She has done enough damage to his plans by teaming up with Lucy and being a nuisance. The last thing he may want is for her to encounter the second Jules and make her aware of her existence as a clone. By killing her, the tech billionaire ensures the uninformed growth of the second Jules. As long as the latter exists, Jules lives in another body.

Do Kira and Eleanor End Up Together?

When Eleanor realizes that she is a clone created by Kira in the form of her late partner, she breaks up with the latter. She sees the scientist’s actions as lies and betrayal. The neuroscientist can only approach Kira’s efforts to “resurrect” her as selfish and insensitive. However, these views and understandings gradually change, especially when she realizes the value of the relationships she shares with the scientist and their son, Lucas. Even though she is not human, she has been able to cherish a heartwarming relationship with Kira and their child. Her existence as a clone makes the lives of her loved ones better.

After learning about Rhona’s blackmail, Lucas returns home and tells Eleanor about missing his mother. Despite her being a clone, the warmth and depth of their relationship move her immensely. She goes through the artifacts of the original Eleanor and Kira’s togetherness and realizes that a similar depth exists in the latter’s case. These realizations make her a mother and partner, irrespective of the truth behind her existence. Thus, she gets back together with Kira without any ill feelings. Eleanor understands that all her partner did was to save her from a terrible fate that cannot be reversed.

Even though Kira’s way of “saving” Eleanor is unconventional and barely humane, her intentions are not malicious at all. The scientist made the clone the same way she tried to develop a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Since her actions are rooted in genuine love, the neuroscientist finds it easier to end up together with her partner.

Will Darros Kill Lucy?

After killing Jules, Darros holds Lucy at gunpoint, making it clear that her life is hanging by a thread. The tech billionaire can kill her to eliminate a nuisance easily. Her actions have come between his plans several times, which may motivate him to pull the trigger again. Having said that, Darros can afford to be merciful towards her. After killing Jules, there is nothing much Lucy can do to threaten his projects at this point. Since he must have placed the teenagers of his project in unrevealed, secure homes across the country, the businessman does not need to worry about Lucy making them sentient.

The potency of Darros can be an opium that conquers his senses. If that’s the case, he may boast his power by letting Lucy go and challenging her to stop him. The tech billionaire can only cherish his strength when the same is compared to an adversary. He may enjoy having an enemy and defeating her. To enjoy the sweet nectar of victory, he may let Lucy go. Since he already has the youngest version of Eleanor, he no longer needs to be concerned about the younger self. Therefore, Lucy’s death is not a certainty, and she may remain alive as the witness to Darros’ nearly undefeatable potency.