Episode 1 of Orphan Black: Echoes commences in the futuristic year of 2050, with Lucy awakening in a pristine living room, her gaze locking onto a stern female doctor. The doctor performs a series of tests, revealing that Lucy's long-term memory is fragmented and her mind is in a state of confusion. A photograph of a baby is shown to her, but Lucy's face remains blank, unable to recall the child's identity. Panic grips her, and the doctor, unfazed, administers a sedative and exits, leaving Lucy alone.
When she awakens, Lucy relies solely on her instincts to escape the confines of the room. She discovers she is within the labyrinthine Additive Foundation lab, where eerie printed body parts are strewn about. Among them, she stumbles upon a half-completed body, partially dyed in a pink hue. Just as she begins to piece together the puzzle, the female doctor appears, attempting to explain that Lucy is a 4-D printed being, modeled after a specific specimen. However, her words fall on deaf ears as Lucy, terrified, flees before the security personnel can apprehend her.
Two years later, the scene shifts to Lucy residing in the serene countryside, her days spent working on a bustling farm and her nights in a rented trailer. Her life is a quiet existence, until a secret affair blossoms with her landlord, Jack, a retired army medic with a kind heart and a mute daughter, Charlie. Despite Charlie's penchant for sneaking into Lucy's trailer and rummaging through her possessions, including her gun and research diary, Lucy finds her charming. She desires Charlie to know of their relationship, for she holds Jack dearly in her heart. Yet, Jack remains cautious, mindful of Charlie's devastating heartbreak after her mother's departure, and struggles to learn more about Lucy's enigmatic past.
Meanwhile, Lucy's nights are punctuated by disturbing dreams, featuring a younger version of herself clutching a bloodied knife with pools of red liquid staining the floor. These visions leave her disoriented, even at work, where she collides with a car and is rushed to the hospital. The doctors' examinations reveal no abnormalities, much to Lucy's relief. However, Jack, worried about her safety, begs her to move in with him and Charlie, a prospect that fills Lucy with immense joy.
But just as her life seems to be settling into a new routine, a shadow looms over her horizon. Lucy's tests catch the attention of a doctor on Additive's payroll, and the female doctor is alerted. That fateful night, as Lucy prepares to move in with Jack and Charlie, a bounty hunter finds her, having tracked her down through the hospital records. He shines a UV light on her arm, revealing an Additive imprint, a stark reminder of her past. Lucy struggles valiantly, eventually escaping into the vast farm, with Charlie watching, fascinated, from the window.
As the bounty hunter draws his weapon, Charlie appears, armed with Lucy's gun, and fires a shot, bringing him down. The scene shifts to a horrified Jack and a shaken Charlie being ushered into a secure abode, while Lucy vows to bring an end to Additive's reign of terror. She arrives at a rehabilitation center managed by Craig, the man who had rescued her from Additive's clutches when she had fled in a drugged stupor. Armed with the bounty hunter's sim card, she tracks down his last known location, hoping to confront them and demand they leave her alone.
Meanwhile, Additive's security apparatus is headed by Tom, who believes that Lucy is responsible for the bounty hunter's death. He views her as flawed, dangerous, and a threat to their operations. His intention is to eliminate her, but the female doctor, who doubles as Additive's director, intervenes. Later, she is seen tearing up as she calls a woman, only to reach her voicemail.
Back at the scene, Lucy prowls around the building where the bounty hunter was last sighted. Her gaze falls upon a young girl who is a spitting image of her younger self. Startled, Lucy bumps into the girl and notices that she is listening to Lucy's favorite song, "Janine" by Bowie. Both of them share an identical suture mark on their wrists. Lucy spies a bodyguard and seizes the opportunity to take the girl hostage.
The girl remains oblivious to the gravity of the situation, while Lucy tries to glean information from the bodyguard, wondering if the girl is also a clone of the same genetic blueprint. Facing the bodyguard's obstinacy, Lucy flees with the girl in her arms.
At the climax of Orphan Black: Echoes Episode 1, the female doctor dials "Aunt Cosima" in a worried tone, fearing that she might have crossed a line. The scene pans to her desk, adorned with photos of familiar faces from the Orphan Black universe: Cosima, Siobhan, Felix, Sara, and baby Kira. This revelation suggests that the female doctor is, in fact, the grown-up Kira, Sara's cherished daughter.
