12 Monkeys: 3 Questions We Are Not Even Asking

Olivier Peters. Image credit: IMDb

12 Monkeys: the only TV show where the series premiere takes place after the series finale.

Although 12 Monkeys TV show is arguably one of the best time traveling stories ever created, partly due to its temporal mechanics, causality depictions and the way events are connected throughout time in the series, the show has many questions that people are not even asking.

While these questions exist they do not in any way point to plot holes in the story. These questions are merely from an inquisitive mind in need of some off-screen details to put more flesh in the story. And the answers to these questions may even be the key in understanding certain events occurring throughout the series.

WHY DID ETHAN NOT SEE OLIVIER'S DEATH?

Ethan Cole. Image credit: Fandom

Ethan Cole could arguably be the most powerful primary in the series. Primaries, by the show's definition, are a select group of people that are connected and communicate to each other through time. They see past, present and future simultaneously and they are the very cogs of time itself. But Ethan's abilities were beyond those of others. He could see the final moments of everyone he saw. All except for the love of his life. And judging by the future that haunted him and his subsequent demise it's clear he couldn't see his final moments because if he did he could have deduced that he wasn't "the Demon destined to be alone at the very edge of time". But how come he couldn't see Olivier's final moments? Was this because Olivier's death came well after his own? Doctor Strange's Ancient One couldn't see past her point of death, is Ethan's case the same?

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE OUR HEROES FAILED TO RESET TIME?

Time machine.    Copyright: Syfy

In the finale, Olivier's top half is splintered to the past to become the source of the centuries-old virus, while James Cole erases himself from time as intended by the primaries. But when the series started Markridge had already procured the centuries-old carcass of Olivier that contained the virus. It's already clear here that earlier heroes who defeated her FAILED to reset time. Why did they fail? Did James Cole die before they took Titan? Was the machine destroyed before they could run the code? Or did they fail to assemble and compile the code on Titan in the first place? Exactly how many times have earlier heroes tried and failed? This question will forever go unanswered.

WHO WAS THE FIRST INITIAL TRAVELLER TO SAVE JAMES COLE ON TITAN IN 2163?

James Cole and Cassandra Railly. Copyright: Syfy

Future James Cole saving Past Jennifer raises no eyebrows the way Future Cole saving Past Cole on Titan does. I say this because it makes no sense to go back to the past to save your past self the way your future self did with you. How would you live long enough to the future to be able to travel back through time to save your past self WHEN THIS VERSION OF YOU NEEDS RESCUE RIGHT NOW? 

This is clear point of divergence in the timeline. It does not make sense, unless you consider the fact it wasn't you, or in this case Cole, who was initially meant to save you. The very reason you would need to save your past self is when the person initially meant to save past you in the future DIES BEFORE HE TRAVELS BACK IN TIME TO DO SO. Then the only way to save your past self would be to make sure someone, even you, does it. Maybe in the beginning of the great gynn Cole was saved by someone else, whose past self ended up dead before he could live long enough to save Past Cole. When Future Cole saves Past Cole we see no nosebleeds or any paradoxical effects as a result and this simply means this Future Cole is not the first one save his past self. 

So the question stands: who was the first initial traveler? Ethan? He's the most likely candidate since the time vest was his. Maybe his suit originally didn't fail him when he returned to Titan to save his family. It's possible he initially lived through the fight and was the one who went back to save Past Cole and Past Jennifer. But the suit's untimely failure and his death could have forced a version of James Cole to do what he was meant to do. This version of James Cole could have been the one to get the nosebleeds when he revealed himself to his past self, but his past self would grow up thinking he is meant to save himself the way his future self did, not knowing the change in the timeline. Anyway this is my pathetic attempt to answer my own question. So if it wasn't Ethan, then who?

Do let us know in the comments below what you think. And maybe you too have your own unanswered questions. Do write to us.

Till the next one, Cheers.