The eighth episode of Dark , "As You Sow, So You Shall Reap," bridges the 1953 and 1986 timelines to show how the cycles of trauma began. In 1953, Ulrich attempts to prevent future kidnappings by attacking young Helge Doppler, but his actions actually fulfill the dark destiny of the town. Simultaneously, in 1986, the Stranger tasks clockmaker H.G. Tannhaus with repairing a complex device, explaining the Bootstrap Paradox. The episode highlights that time is a circle, as seen when young Helge and Jonas touch through a temporal rift in the bunker.