Episode 8 of Paper Girls commences the dramatic finale with Jennifer desperately attempting to transmit a distress signal to 1988, warning of the imminent threat posed by the Old Watch. As fate would have it, Naldo, still residing in that bygone era, manages to establish a connection. Excited by the prospect of reclaiming their lives, the children eagerly share the coordinates to the Folding date in 1999. However, Mac's voice cuts through the jubilation, revealing a chilling truth—a vicious time loop where future events inexorably trigger their past counterparts, leaving no room for alteration.
Mac struggles to comprehend the devastating revelation that her fate, including her untimely demise, is preordained. Amidst this turmoil, a peculiar shift occurs, tinting the surroundings in a pink hue that wasn't there before. As KJ catches up with Mac, they confront the Prioress, who offers them a Faustian bargain—a return to their era, but at the cost of erasing their memories. Mac, eager to escape, is allured by this proposal. Yet, KJ interjects with a demand to first secure a cure for Mac's cancer in the future.
The Grandfather echoes the Prioress's plan, but KJ throws a wrench into the gears, insisting on their first trip to the future. However, the Grandfather warns that the STF's repeated recordings are degrading the timeline, threatening to unravel the fabric of the universe, including Mac's inevitable death.
Outside, Tiffany spots a pterosaur soaring overhead, inspiring her to flee. Aware of the imminent erasure of their memories, she leaves a note for her future self, disclosing her role in inventing time travel. Suddenly, she is whisked away, vanishing into the unknown.
Mac and KJ reconsider the mind-erasing offer, but when the Prioress trains a gun on them, Larry steps up, aiming at Tessa—the pterosaur. In a tense standoff, he holds the Grandfather hostage, but his fate is sealed when the dinosaur devours him.
With Larry's demise, the timeline seems irrevocably altered. How will the children navigate their way back to the present without his assistance? We await the unfolding drama.
In a private moment, Mac confides in her friends about her cancer and impending death. This intimate revelation draws them closer, as they strategize and decide to face the future together, united. Confronting the Old Watch, they are teleported to the Cathedral, awaiting their fate.
The Prioress appears, demanding Tiffany's presence. The others refuse to be separated, and thus, they all follow. They are presented with an intriguing proposition—a chance to save Mac's life. Escape pods and a "controlled" Folding are revealed, offering them the ability to traverse different time periods. The Prioress hopes to alter the future using this technology, with Tiffany, as the doctor, as the potential key.
However, Grandfather is enraged by this betrayal and allows the Prioress to perish. As the episode draws to a close, Erin and Tiffany wander through the forest, emerging into a radically different timeline. But where are KJ and Mac? The mystery remains to be unfolded.
