Moments Easily Missed: The Rewatch Edition – “You know Cole, I’ve known you a long time now…”

Today we’re taking a closer look at 2×10 “Fatherland”, and the moment Agent Gale preserves the timeline by sacrificing the truth.

In this episode, Cassie and Ramse, in a rare show of unity, go rogue in 1961. With no one else to turn to, Cole enlists the help of Special Agent Gale, whom he first met when traveling back to 1944.

During this later meeting, a much older and world-wearied Gale tries to warn Cole about being blind to the danger that Cassie and Ramse pose, telling him that he’s known him a long time and he worries that Cole’s loyalty is going to be responsible for his downfall. A confused Cole corrects him, stating that they have only met the one time, in 1944. For Cole, this single encounter hardly makes them friends.

There’s a brief moment of recognition that passes over Gale’s face, when Cole gives him this response. It’s so quick that Cole doesn’t pick up on it, but which shows that Gale has realized that for Cole, their friendship has not yet developed.

I love the way that Gale recovers his composure so quickly and, for the sake of the integrity of the timeline, does not correct Cole by giving any information away about future/past interactions they will have.