Upamanyu Biswas
The fourth episode of ‘The Way Home’ season 3 takes a closer look into the complex relationship between the Landrys and the Goodwins, as both families find themselves at odds at different periods of history. Kat and Alice attempt to figure out the truth behind the mysterious flyer they uncovered in the previous episode while also trying to understand how the pieces of the puzzle fit in when it comes to young Colton. Episode 4 also pulls off an interesting juxtaposition as two eras of the Lingermore estate unfold concurrently, providing a unique view into proceedings. Meanwhile, Jacob struggles to find his bearing in the present day as visions of his tormentor haunt him both in and out of dreams. Del tries to help her son out but makes a shocking discovery about him that only makes her feel more lost as a parent. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Kat and Alice’s Bonding Session is Interrupted By a Trip to 1974
Episode 4 begins with Jacob waking up from a nightmare about Cyrus Goodwin. Del hears her son’s pained gasps from the adjoining room, feeling helpless about the situation. A few meters away in the neighboring farmhouse, Kat and Elliot wake up next to one another, having finally moved in together as a couple. They visit the Landry household for breakfast, where Jacob gets an unexpected call from Lewis Goodwin for a business proposal, inviting him to the Lingermore estate for further discussions. Kat and Alice discuss going on a school shopping trip for a little mother-daughter bonding. However, Alice suggests going back in time through the pond to find answers about the pond flyer from the previous episode. As they’re both desperate to learn more, they agree to cancel the shopping trip for a quick dip in the pond.
After arriving in 1974, Alice spots Evelyn prancing in the woods. Alice tells her mom that they should split, which goes against their initial plan to find answers together as a group and hopefully have some bonding time together. However, seeing Alice’s desire to talk to Evelyn, Kat lets her go while she travels towards the Landry farm to find more clues from Fern. Evelyn is delighted to see Alice, asking her why she has been gone for so long since Rick’s death. She also notes that Alice has just come out of the pond. When Alice admits the truth, Evelyn says that she knows the pond is special and understands Alice’s desire to jump in. The throwaway comment suggests that Evelyn knows something about the pond’s special time travel property. However, Alice does not push her on the topic any further. The two instead head for the Lingermore estate.
Meanwhile, Kat travels to the Landry farm and runs into Jasper Coyle. Jasper tells Kat that he arrived in town in 1965, which conveniently places him in the perfect chronological spot for some questioning from Kat. She and Jasper begin an investigation into some old council meeting tapes to find out the truth behind an attempted project to fill up the Landry Pond. She hears young Colton and young Evelyn’s voices in the recordings, who were childhood friends even then. She is particularly intrigued by the final message on the tapes. Subsequently, she returns to the present while Alice stays back to enjoy a tour of Lingermore hosted by Evelyn. They both witness young Colton’s attempts to flirt with Del in the swimming pool area of the estate, filling both observers with contrasting emotions.
Del and Colton Fall in Love as Jacob Shows Signs of Unresolved Trauma
After a brief exchange with Del, Colton rushes indoors to tell Evelyn and Alice that he has managed to get a date with Del. Evelyn masks her disappointment by encouraging him. However, she tells Alice that she plans to spy on them as they go out on their date, which Alice agrees to accompany her on. In the meantime, Jacob and Del visit the Lingermore estate back in the present day to hear Lewis Goodwin’s proposal. The scenes from 1974 and 2025 intercut quite creatively, which creates a nice effect in certain scenes. Lewis Goodwin pours some wine for Jacob and Del to taste. Subsequently, he informs Jacob that he is impressed by his farming skills and wants him to oversee his vineyards. Jacob’s mind is distracted when he sees Cyrus Goodwin’s portrait on the study wall.
Throughout the episode, Jacob continues to have numerous visions of Cyrus following him everywhere. His lingering presence in his psyche proves that Jacob is still not quite healed from his traumatic experiences in the past. He and Del leave Lingermore, but back in the 1974 timeline, Alice and Evelyn spy on Colton and Del’s date. It hits a snag when an overconfident Colton takes Del on a boat ride despite her protests. They return from the trip with Del lambasting Colton for not listening to her. Just as it seems that the whole relationship is over, which fuels some hope for Evelyn, Colton puts his musical talents to use and manages to stop Del from leaving. They subsequently kiss, which breaks Evelyn’s heart into a million pieces as she wonders if she is too late to confess her true feelings for Colton.
At the Landry farm, Del accidentally discovers the scars on Jacob’s back after he takes a shower. She is stunned by the discovery and heartbroken at the pain her son has endured. She questions Jacob about it, who comes clean about Cyrus’ villainy, and how he was imprisoned and tortured by the Goodwin patriarch. He tells Del that he is struggling to find his feet in the modern world despite the fact that she has asked him to thrive as an individual. He also states that he feels broken because of past damages. Del reassures him that he is far from broken and that she will always be there to help and support him no matter what, which gives Jacob some solace. She also encourages him to take up the job offer from Lewis. In an earlier scene, Del also reconciles her differences with Kat, as mother and daughter bond over their troubles and their past differences.
Letting Go of the Past and Embracing the Unknown
Before Alice returns to the present day, she runs into young Colton once more. Colton finally reveals that he has heard the stories about the Landry Pond and its perceived ability to allow people to time travel. In the earlier episode, Colton had jumped into the pond because he hoped to go back in time to save Rick. The revelation throws water over any speculation that Colton already knows about the pond and is a time traveler himself. However, the assertion is valid only momentarily. Alice comes back to 2025 and heads out on a date to the Point Cafe with Noah. Meanwhile, Kat and Elliot have a steamy moment, interrupted by her finding Colton’s sweater in his possession. It is the same sweater Elliot found on the pond’s shores the night Alice got pushed into it.
She immediately heads to the Landry farm and questions Del on how it could be possible for Colton’s sweater from 1999 to find its way to the present day without her father being a time traveler as well. Del is angered by the suggestion and walks out of the room. However, deep down, she is frustrated that she does not know the truth either way. Jacob leaves her a letter underneath her bedroom door, courtesy of his childhood “Momma mails.” In it, he shares the desire to leave the past behind and to look for the future, which also applies in the case of Del. He dispels a vision of Cyrus Goodwin by taking a measured breath and opening his eyes. Meanwhile, Alice and Noah’s Point Cafe date is interrupted by the arrival of Max Goodwin, the son of Lewis, who Alice thinks is Casey’s brother.
Alice asks Max about Casey, to which he states that he has no siblings, throwing up even more questions about Casey’s origins and who they are in reality. Thus, burning questions abound everywhere at the end of the episode. It is still up for debate whether Colton knew about the pond’s abilities and was using it to travel into the future. At the same time, it is also likely that Evelyn knew something about it as well, based on her exchanges with Alice. It will be interesting to see how these get resolved in the upcoming episodes.
Read More: The Way Home Season 3 Episode 3 Recap: Live and Let Die
