The second episode of Constellation kicks off amidst the serene snow-covered woods of Sweden. With a frozen Alice slumped over her shoulders, Jo trudges resolutely towards the house, her determination etched in every stride. Inside, she tenderly warms Alice's chilled body, embracing her tightly as she murmurs that she smells like her daughter again. Placing Alice in a bath of steaming water, Jo rushes to boil more, only to stumble upon an eerie sight - another Alice, still slumbering peacefully in her bed. Both exist, paradoxically, in the same moment.
The sleeping Alice stirs, and from the mirror's reflection, Jo spies the one in the bathtub. But when she rushes into the bathroom, the mirage dissipates, leaving only emptiness behind. A flustered Jo demands the other Alice reveal the whereabouts of her daughter, but the mystery deepens.
Back in the bleak past, stranded on the space station, Jo attempts a futile connection with Houston. Hours have vanished without trace, and the life-support system is ticking down to its final six hours. Meanwhile, in Kazakhstan, Henry and Irene converge, Irene bearing the grim news that the station appears devoid of life. But Jo perseveres, managing to swap out two batteries, leaving only four remaining. Time is running out, and the stakes are higher than ever.
Magnus confers with Frederic from the ESA, who offers a bleak prognosis for Jo's chances of survival. With communication lines severed, even if she manages to escape, she'll have to navigate a perilous entry point alone. Alone and beleaguered, Jo laboriously works on the batteries, recording a message for her loved ones. Suddenly, a disturbing noise interrupts her, and upon replaying the recording, she hears a chilling voice urging her to stop breathing. Panic rises as she suspects it's Paul's voice.
Braving her fears, Jo ventures to Destiny, the section of the ship where Paul was last seen. There, she stumbles upon his amputated arm, and in a fleeting moment, her mind conjures an image of Paul. The emotional toll is compounded by a prerecorded message from Mission Control, confirming their inability to reach her.
On the ground, Henry and Irene confer at the mission control center, their expressions fraught with concern. Henry receives a call from Skagerrak, a name that stirs something deep within Irene. Their personal lives intertwine with the mission's drama as they exchange questions about their respective siblings.
Meanwhile, on a ship docked in California, Henry's twin brother Bud endures an online interview. A retired astronaut, he speaks candidly about the challenges Jo might be facing, his patience tested by the interviewer's insensitive questions about the prospect of retrieving bodies.
Back in space, Jo presses onward, braving the darkness with only a portable oxygen mask for comfort. She manages to fix all the batteries, powering up Soyuz 1. With renewed determination, she initiates the launch process and calculates the deorbit parameters. Following the recorded instructions, she retrieves the CAL days core and returns to the capsule, her heart heavy with the realization that this might be her final journey.
She leaves an emotional message for Magnus and Alice, a testament to her love in case she doesn't survive. The iPad remains perched in the station, a silent witness to her sacrifice. With the capsule sealed and ready for launch, a bolt malfunction shatters the moment of quiet resolution, throwing the mission into yet another uncertain spiral.
As the countdown hit zero at the mission control centre, a pall of despair descended upon everyone, leaving them seemingly bereft of hope. Irene, with a steely resolve, led them in a prayer for the fallen heroes.
Meanwhile, on the space station, something unexpected stirred within the ISS. Suddenly, Jo's bolt issue miraculously resolved, and her capsule blasted off into the vastness of space. Peering through a window, she caught a fleeting glimpse of a shadowy figure lurking within the ISS.
Henry and Irene shared a solemn toast, lifting their glasses to the memory of Jo and Paul. But the mission control centre was soon jolted from their mourning, realizing with a jolt that Soyuz 1 had penetrated the atmosphere. They hastily established contact with Jo, and a frantic search party was quickly assembled to locate her.
The capsule's parachute deployed gracefully, guiding it to a safe landing in the desolate desert. Inside, Jo lay unconscious, seemingly lost to the world. But gradually, she stirred, slowly opening the capsule door to the bright sunlight.
Moments later, a flurry of cars and helicopters converged on the scene. Jo was gently extracted from the capsule and warmly embraced by Alice and Magnus, their relief palpable. Meanwhile, Henry extracted the CAL data core from the capsule, his expression turning to one of stunned amazement as he examined its contents.
Later, as they sat together on a plane, Alice held Jo's hand tightly. Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation, finding herself alone in an empty space, with no one else in sight. Jo experienced the same fleeting isolation, only for a fleeting few seconds, before she was reunited with her companions on the plane.
Back in Sweden, the mystery deepened as Jo inquired about the whereabouts of her alternate self. With a sense of urgency, she urged Alice to get dressed, and together they embarked on a quest to find the missing piece of their puzzle. The CAL data core, a crucial clue to the mystery, rested securely in Jo's backpack, carrying them forward into the next chapter of their adventure.
