The Man in the High Castle season 4, episode 4 recap: Happy Trails

In The Man in the High Castle, Juliana comes back to her world and sets about getting in touch with Wyatt. Kido follows his instincts to uncover a conspiracy and Smith takes action after troubling news.

Abendsen is coerced by the Nazis to host a Twilight Zone type science fiction series intended to discredit himself and the alternate world films on The Man in the High Castle. In exchange, he gets an hour with his wife and she gets to stay alive. As much as they love each other, she doesn’t think it’s worth him selling out.

Juliana drives to the Lincoln Memorial and travels back to her world where DC is in ruins. She gets caught by a patrol, but escapes and finds shelter with a local woman who has connections in the resistance. She tells her that she’s Juliana Crain and that Wyatt Price will vouch for her. Until then, she is under suspicion and in hiding. Plus, despite her best attempts, one of her fingerprints was found at the scene of her escape, so now Smith knows she’s back.

Before his dinner with the Fuhrer, Smith gets a visit from Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Goertzmann (Marc Rissman). They are friendly enough with each other, but there’s definitely an undercurrent of tension between them and a lot of subtext. Himmler has discussed the possibility of having Goertzmann join the Reich in New York, but Goertzmann has to think it over. The Fuhrer is so mercurial, he says. It takes a long time to gain his favor and no time at all to fall out of it. This has the tone of a warning more than a threat, letting Smith know that Himmler may be looking to replace him.

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Later, Smith learns about his alt-self’s death. He seems amused and intrigued by the news more than anything else. This opens up the possibility of him visiting the alt-world himself and seeing alt-Thomas.

Meanwhile, Helen has an unexpected visitor of her own when Himmler’s wife Margarete stops by. She is super judgemental about Helen and really boastful about her own daily accomplishments. Helen’s behavior and absence have not been what is expected of the Reichmarschall’s wife. Helen assures her that the “sick relative” that kept her away is fully recovered and that she is back now.

During the dinner, Margarete begins setting traps to catch the Smiths in lies. Helen realizes that they are beginning to build a case against them. Goertzmann tells Smith that there are some who disapprove of an American in charge of the Reich but that he still has friends in Berlin. Is Goertzmann an ally or an enemy? Perhaps he’s feeling Smith out as a partner to seize power from the ailing Fuhrer?

The dinner is tense, with Himmler displaying erratic behavior and frequent outbursts. Helen later says to Smith that he’s “one coughing fit away from having you eliminated.”

Later, Smith has a talk with Abendsen about how events in one world affect the events of another. “Action at a distance” in quantum mechanics states that what happens in one universe immediately changes another universe. Smith goes through the tunnel to the alt-World, perhaps considering the feasibility of escape, or perhaps hoping to make changes there that change his situation at home. Perhaps he’s just worried what effect his alt-self’s death will have on his family there.

Kido is assigned to investigate the assassinations at the auction. General Yakima says the attack is the fault of the appeasers and tells Kido to start investigating Admiral Inokuchi. He specifically requests that Captain Iijima handle the surveillance. Kido is no fool, so when Iijima arrives at his apartment later to hand over his surveillance, he entraps Iijima into confessing to Tagomi’s murder at the orders of General Yakima. Kido pretends that he’s in on the conspiracy and now has to decide what to do with this information.

Childan sends a message to the Crown Princess to set up a meeting between her ministers and the BCR for preliminary negotiations. The Crown Princess and Admiral Inokuchi begin to make arrangements to meet the BCR for peace talks.

What did you think of this episode of The Man in the High Castle? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!