Even with the announcement of the Carmilla movie, I’ve honestly been dreading writing up this recap. This last dozen couple of episodes were such an emotional trip, and I don’t think anything could have prepared me for what I watched. I’ll save the sappy stuff for later, because, for the last time, I’ve got Carmilla episodes to recap.

“Hey! think that means he’ll let me go to college in the States?” pic.twitter.com/TexrceEVSe

— Laura Hollis (@Laura2theLetter) October 15, 2016

We pick right up after Laura somehow poofed out of existence into the other creepy library. The Dean seems more irritated than angry at this development, while Carmilla looks absolutely lost because she’s so worried about what happened to Laura. The library helps Carmilla out and sends the Dean and her two goons back out of the library. Unfortunately, this won’t stop the Dean, as she decides to put JP as the next sacrifice for the 6th gate because nothing will stop her from her plans.

Carmilla appreciates that the Library saved Laura from getting killed, but, now, all she wants is her girlfriend back. (That desperate edge to her voice gets me every time.) Even though Laura is in some alternate universe, she can hear her vampire’s pleas, but the tiny journalist is still trying to figure out where the hell she is. She thinks she’s in some weird limbo when LaFontaine enters the room and gets a book to the face. Turns out LaF is concerned to see Laura because our tiny hero has not only ended up in an alternate universe but she’s in one that she’s apparently dead.

Before I get too far into this, just note that all the characters in this alternate universe will be indicated by AU! before their names.

Turns out, in this universe, Carmilla was still strongly loyal to the Dean and brought this universe’s Laura to be sacrificed, even after the group captured the vampire. Without Laura, everything turned into the hell we’re seeing now. LaF got expelled since they kept up the broadcasts since they are the unofficial truth speaker for Silas still and is currently hiding out in the library making their own antidepressants for Silas’ students. The weirdest thing in this version of LaF is definitely how dead they seem. Their enthusiasm for the weird is still there, but it’s just unnerving to see how much they’ve given up.

Before long, JP pops back in and reveals that he and the library sent Laura to this universe because, since all the events of last semester/Season Two never happened, Vordenberg is still very much alive, and they have another chance to get the fourth talisman — unfortunately meaning Laura has to kill the Baron … again.

We move right along to Laura trying to wrap her head around her latest moral dilemma, but JP emphasizes that her situation is all temporary, so she’s only got a small window to get the heart. AU!LaF tries to get help via a not-possessed Perry, who apparently works for the Dean. Perry’s denial and refusal to accept the abnormal is strong as ever, and, even after seeing Laura alive, the former floor don refuses to get involved because she’s just so scared of the world of this alternate universe.

In our(?) universe, LaF determines that the library’s magical door and properties aren’t working, and, with Carmilla being angry and hostile, they haven’t really figured out where Laura’s gone or how to get her back. With the vampire trying her best to keep her emotions in check, they continue on with the research.

In the alternate universe, AU!LaF basically lays out that there’s no one left to help them out: Danny’s locked up, Kirsch is evil, the Zetas were taken out by Danny, the Summers were disbanded because of Danny, the Voice of Silas reporters were killed for making a mistake in a profile about the Dean and the Alchemy Club nerds are more zombie-like than helpful army. But, before the duo can brainstorm other ideas, LaF runs off when they hear someone coming. Laura hides behind a couch (a questionable hiding spot for sure), and AU!Carmilla makes an appearance with AU!Mattie is close on her tail, trying to comfort her little sister.

Now as much as I loved seeing this version of Carmilla rocking those Season One bangs and style, this Carmilla made me feel uneasy the most in this alternate universe because she just felt so different than the Carmilla we love. AU!Mattie is here to try to get her vampire sister in line with their mother’s orders, even suggesting possibly enjoying a fun game in hunting terrified college students for sport. This version of Carmilla, for lack of better description, has been wrecked by the knowledge of what happened to the girls that were sacrificed. She’s extremely upset because she did it to Laura, and she hates that she betrayed that trust in a person who actually cared about her.

AU!Carmilla is so broken it’s scary. She freaks out when Laura makes her presence known in this universe after hearing enough of Carmilla’s regrets. No matter the universe, Laura Hollis wants to comfort Carmilla and proves that she’s alive and that she forgives Carmilla for whatever she’s done. AU!Mattie isn’t phased by this appearance and forces Laura to explain what the hell is going on. Although the older vampire entertains the idea of just giving this Laura to the Dean, she’s intrigued that Laura’s presence prompted AU!Carmilla to stand up to her older sister. Laura takes the chance to go into more detail about how she needs Vordenberg’s heart, and Mattie is way too excited at the idea of killing the Baron and ripping out his heart (so yay for no moral dilemma for Laura?).

Back in the regular universe, LaF is doing their best to research while Carmilla just growls angrily because the love of her life has been missing for already half a day. After pointing out that they’d get further if the vampire actually helped with the research, the new duo gets into a research montage. The montage ends after Carmilla points out that the information she’s found is useless. The Bio Major realizes that the information the vampire found wasn’t actually useless — it could be the answer to saving Perry.

In an unnerving alternate universe, JP, LaF and Laura are talking about their plan. The game plan is to get the heart from Mattie, and then the library and JP will return Laura to her proper universe. But time seems to be running out because something is happening to JP that is making him glitch. After an adorable LaHollis hug, LaF leaves Laura alone before AU!Carmilla returns.

AU!Carmilla seems really surprised that, in any universe, she’d defy her mother. She also reveals a story that this universe’s Dean told her as some sort of comfort for her loss of Laura. In this story, we find out the Dean’s real intentions to end the world. This “Sumerian Tale” claims that Inanna/the Dean is willing to go through the seven gates of hell to try to be reunited with her lost love. This does get some sympathy points, but one shouldn’t end the entire world because of their lost love. AU!Carmilla doesn’t see this as a problem when she points out that she’d totally end the world for Laura. Before Laura can comment on this problematic mentality for a version of her favorite vampire, Mattie happily returns with bloody heart in hand.

Things never seem to work out because soon AU!Mattie realizes that a version of her locket is broken by Laura and figures out that she was killed in another universe. In the older vampire’s rage, she destroys the heart and threatens Laura. Our hero pleads with JP to send her back again, but time is up and JP is dying. (Listen to the podcasts; hearing his death being described is too much for me to put into words.) Before Laura ends back up in her proper universe to the surprise of a researching LaF and Carmilla, JP gives one last bit of advice before he dies: their last chance will be when the Dean gives up her immortality. RIP JP Armitage, you were a great hero.

We can’t enjoy the hug and pure relief on Carmilla’s face to have Laura back in her arms. Laura tries to explain that her trip was a failure, but LaF interrupts and suggests that JP can just take the journalist to another universe. The Bio Major tries to find JP — and doesn’t take the fact that JP is dead well whatsoever — before storming off to their part of the library. Darkness and evil rumbling soon start and confirm that the 6th gate has been opened at the expense of JP’s life. Laura tries to give Betty a call, but things don’t look too much better away from Silas. Betty is harnessing her inner General Spielsdorf (nice novella reference there) and is leading any available force in the fight against the darkness that has fallen over the entire world. Time is running out, and things aren’t looking good for our heroes.

Carmilla noticed that her girlfriend has changed since going to the alternate universe. Laura explains how seeing the world and the people she cares about just so hopeless and broken made her certain that her own universe is where she’d rather be. Although Laura was so torn about all the lives she couldn’t save, she’d rather be in a universe where everyone is still willing to fight and not just wait for the end. In an odd parallel to her alternate universe counterpart, Carmilla says in a slightly less creepy way that she’d let the world burn so long as she didn’t lose the love of her life again.

Later, the couple is discussing JP’s last words and the fact that Carmilla discovered that the Blade of Hastur won’t save Perry. Using JP’s information that the Dean would be mortal again, they come to the conclusion that, since the Blade of Hastur is meant to destroy all those who oppose, it is their only solution. And LaF is not happy about this plan. At all.

LaFontaine is pissed because they’re the one who seems to be suffering the most losses. Laura does want to save Perry, but she does realize that they’re seriously running out of time, and, to save the world, killing their friend might be the only option left. LaF can’t give a good suggestion or alternative and demands to be left alone. Even though the scientist is so strongly opposed, Laura and Carmilla go ahead and get Mel up to speed with their new plan: they’re gonna have Laura stab the Dean after she gives up her immortality for the sacrifice, and they need the students to cause an uprising to distract anyone from stopping them. Mel isn’t too happy about the plan but begrudgingly agrees anyway because what else can she do?

The couple initially tries to get distracted by their hormones instead of thinking about the impending danger, but Laura finally wins this round. She doesn’t want to accept that they have to kill Perry and frantically uses the magic glasses to try to find an answer on the walls (which are probably foreshadowing, but, since they were stepped on when a certain vampire was distracted, we don’t really know). Carmilla surprisingly agrees to Laura’s plans to try to save Perry, but here comes Mattie to point out that any of their plans that result in the death of the Dean will kill Carmilla as well.

Getting into the final six episodes is one hell of a ride, so check back for part two of my last recaps for Carmilla!