The Time Paradox
Alice episode 12 begins with us cutting back in time to the moments at the church with Seok talking to Hyeon-Seok on the phone.
Following his betrayal, he promises his wife will suffer for his betrayal. Professor Seok’s true motive is stopping Jin-Gyeom as he’s the one who can stop time travel forever. After admitting this to Tae-Yi, Hyeon-Seok apologizes and races off in his car.
Professor Seok shows up before Jin-Gyeom and admits that there are infinite worlds with parallel universes and he could easily see his Mother again. Jin-Gyeom refuses to be seduced though, admitting that he only has one mother.
As they keep talking, Seok drops another bombshell as he reveals that Tae-Yi was the one who made time travel possible in the first place. Seok has been wondering just why Tae-Yi has been trying to destroy the very thing she created all this time. However, he’s settled on this very moment between them as the catalyst for that choice.
As Seok holds a gun up to Jin-Gyeom’s face, Hyeon-Seok suddenly arrives and tries to save him. For his efforts, the Professor shoots Hyeon-Seok and kills him in cold blood.
While the Professor slips away, Hyeon-Seok dies in Jin-Gyeom’s arms. Just before he draws his last breath, Jin-Gyeom calls the man his Father.
After mourning his loss at the funeral, Jin-Gyeom phones Director Seok and warns him, telling the man he’s going to kill him with his own hands.
As we jump back in time, we see this parallel universe angle play out – this Seok we know is a very different one to the one from this time period. The Seok captured last time by Hyeon-Seok is very much alive but being held captive – in a deep grave no less.
In the present, Jin-Gyeom tells Tae-Yi to stay out of this conflict. She refuses of course and eventually Jin-Gyeom caves. At the police station, he dives into the situation with Seok, with the investigation spilling over to the strange circumstances surrounding Seok’s car.
Given Seok’s body was found at the grave – dead for five days apparently – Jin-Gyeom starts to realize this may be another version of Seok running around.
At Jin-Gyeom’s house, Tae-Yi finally catches a glimpse of Jin-Gyeom’s wallet and sees the picture inside of his Mother; a striking resemblance to her. Finally she realizes just why he’s been so intent on keeping her safe. Unable to face him, she suddenly reveals that she’s meeting someone and hurries outside.
That someone happens to be Min-Hyuk. He reveals that someone is trying to kill Jin-Gyeom and Alice are currently investigating.
Eventually Min-Hyuk reveals his name to her, which brings back flashes of the past. She realizes that he was the one who murdered his father when she was a child.
After passing out and being brought to the hospital, Tae-Yi awakens and demands to know exactly why Min-Hyuk murdered her Father. However, Jin-Gyeom arrives and interjects, breaking up this awkwardness between them.
It’s here she admits that she’s met Sun-Young (Jin-Gyeom’s real mother) before. There’s clearly more to this story than meets the eye, but for now she wallows in self-pity, realizing that time travel is the reason her father was killed.
At Alice, Min-Hyuk confronts Cheol-Am over the past and the paradox that’s been created thanks to them meddling in this universe. Thanks to Tae-Yi meeting herself, her life has been flipped upside down. “No more” Min-Hyuk says as he storms off.
Meanwhile, Cheol-Am speaks to Si-Young and admits they need to get rid of Min-Hyuk. First, they need to retrieve something from Tae-Yi. Conflicted over what to do, Si-Young eventually makes her choice and deletes the footage Alice have of Cheol-Am entering the hotel.
Tae-Yi starts investigating the case surrounding her Father further, phoning through to find out exactly what happened in the past. Si-Young uses this to gain leverage over her, arriving at the university and convincing Tae-Yi to take a drive. Only, Jin-Gyeom notices them in the car and does a quick 180, following them closely.
When Si-Young notices his car in the wing-mirror, she continues driving but holds a gun up to Tae-Yi’s head. The car consequently crashes, leading Si-Young to lock the door and race off, leaving Tae-Yi to her fate. As flames lick up the side of the car, Jin-Gyeom does his best to save her but the car explodes in a fiery inferno.
Tae-Yi awakens in 2010 with Jin-Gyeom arriving home from school. That time period’s Sun-Young is out shopping while future Tae-Yi hides in her room. As she starts looking through the drawer, she finds pictures of her Mother holding a young child.
That Mother though happens to be Sun-Young. She’s her adoptive aunt but Tae-Yi’s memory loss mistakes her for her actual mother – that’s why her past memories of her are so hazy.
When Sun-Young returns home, she enters her bedroom…and comes face to face with Tae-Yi. Oh no!
As they face off with one another, a faded image of Jin-Gyeom shimmers through that shows blood spattered over his face… is he responsible for killing Sun-Young?
The Episode Review
As we start to gear up toward the finale, Alice delivers an episode of truths and divides. Big issues are consuming Alice right now and it looks like Min-Hyuk may be abandoning this organization in the foreseeable future.
Elsewhere, Tae-Yi starts to learn more about her double in this parallel universe. The confrontation between the two at the end is bound to cause serious ramifications for time itself… unless this has always been destined to play out this way?
I’d imagine this series will end with Jin-Gyeom closing time and reversing everything that’s happened because of it. Then again, that could also mean his own removal from this universe.
While this isn’t as strong as The King: Eternal Monarch earlier in the year, Alice is just starting to turn it around slightly after a rather disappointing second act. Let’s hope this one continues and delivers a fitting finale for this sci-fi drama.
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Episode Rating
(3.5)