‘Quantum Leap’ Recap: ‘Nomad’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

QUANTUM LEAP -- "Nomad" Episode 208 -- Pictured: (l-r) Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song, Caitlin Bassett as Addison -- (Photo by: NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 208 of ‘Quantum Leap’. To revisit the previous episode, clickhere.
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It is definitely safe to say that humanity collectively believes in what some could say, are myths regarding love. For instance, we all hold to the idea that love is connected to greater concepts such as destiny and/or fate, and those forces all work together to bring us our one and only, so we understand true happiness. Plus, we truly believe that love provides us with a powerful strength that cannot be explained. As though it ignites something within us that nothing else in this life can and well… there is merit to this line of thinking. Because… we really do meet our person under fascinating circumstances and that connection really is strong when we find it, and our spirits do soar when we utterly fall in love.

But what’s truly amazing, is that we can do little to disprove these concepts as myth, because there is no scientific way to explain how we met ‘the one’ at just the right time. If anything, the wonder of love and how it finds us is top of mind today, simply because the next episode of Quantum Leap on NBC opted to ponder upon what it might look like if those mysterious forces found a way to create a timeless love, if you will. A feat that ‘Nomad’ accomplished by sending Dr. Ben Song to 1961 Egypt. Wherein he came to discover his mission was to save an infamous spy known as Nomad. Who did some serious disruption back in the day and well… while Ben was settling into a plan to expose a traitor in the American Embassy though Nomad, fate, destiny, love… they did something quite amazing.

In that, they allowed for Ben and Hannah to connect once again. Which was… quite the incredible coincidence. Because the odds of these two connecting at three separate times in the timeline were astronomical in nature. But it happened again, and they rekindled the fire that they left behind in the 1950s and well… this truly did become a very romantic and fantastical exploration of the power of love. For Addison was able to ascertain, that it was their connection that kept bringing them together, and that brought forth a romance that informed us… that if given proper license, love could indeed transcend time and space, and this was… quite incredible to see play out. Since it added a new twist to the mythos of the franchise and added a little joy to Ben’s life via something that everyone enjoys, a good love story.

But of course, there was still the matter of saving Nomad, and she was in great trouble in this story. Because sadly, fear and the other negative aspects of the spy business put her in harm’s way quickly, and that forced Ben to spring to action. For failure here meant a life in Egypt that he wouldn’t understand, regardless of the possibility that he would have love and security in the past, and Hannah also agreed… he wouldn’t be completely happy with just settling down in unfamiliar times. So, she stepped in to help and worked with Ben and the CIA to offer up quite the ruse. One that allowed for Nomad to sneak away and find safety in the West, so that Ben could leap to destination unknown, since we didn’t get a sampling of his next leap in this story.

Which is fine, because that adds a little mystery to the story, and lets us reflect on a very bold move for this franchise. Because just like that… we have a love story on our hands, and an epic one at that. Where Hannah can recognize Ben with minimal effort, and well… you just don’t see this kind of love affair in time travel and sci-fi stories akin to this, all that often, and it is a nice change of pace. Since it adds a little more to the story, and mixes things up now and again, and it also leaves us wondering… what the endgame is with Hannah. After all, one does not just introduce a love story this powerful without having something greater in mind, and truly… it will be interesting to see where this, and THAT revelation at the very end of the story, will take us… when Quantum Leap returns from its winter break. Until next time.

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