Episode 234

A small note from your translator:

Translating these last two episodes was hard. I first watched these last Friday, so I had a few days to let it all sink in. But having to watch everything over and over again for the translation made me feel rather strange and sad again because now I was able to pinpoint that this is the last time we see this and that is the last time we hear so-and-so.

So, you’ll have to suffer through me saying goodbye throughout the translation. I hope it’s not too bothersome for you. Especially since you will have to do without the funny editorial comments this time as the boss is away.

 

 

Previously on Hand aufs Herz

 

Ronnie: You never intended to let Ben go, did you? But he will get out of this alive, won’t he?

Sophie: Oh God.

 

Bea smoothes out the note.

Bea: Hello!?

 

Kidnapper: I think we’ll get the car and then we’ll sink the trash in the Rhine with a few stones.

 

Bea breaks into the garage.

Bea: Ben. Careful.

Ben: You have to get out of here

Bea: No way. They are going to kill you.

Ben: Go! Now!

Bea: Forget it!

 

Intro

 

 

[The Garage]

 

Ben: Thanks for…for being here.

Bea: They are coming back.

Bea manages to cut him loose.

Bea: Can you walk? Okay?

Ben: I can manage.

Bea: We have to get out of here. We have to get to my car.

 

Escape!!!!

The kidnappers are too stupid to realize that the garage door to their golden goose is partially open and rather talk about motors.Ben and Bea are able to just walk away. It’s rather unspectacular, really. (Of course we didn’t have any more time for anything spectacular, like a rescue by helicopter or something equally soap-opera-like.)

 

 

[Bergmann villa]

 

Stefan and Karin are still waiting together. Bea shows up.

Stefan: Frau Vogel! What are doing here?! I told you I would call as soon as Ben…Ben.

Stefan hugs Ben and Karin hugs Bea.

Stefan: What took so long? I handed over the money hours ago and…

Ben: They never planned to let me go. They wanted to keep on blackmailing you. Bea saved me. (Pock! Ouch. Watch your step. There’s a huge soapy trail here!)

Bea: I got a hint and went immediately.

Stefan: However you managed to do this, Frau Vogel, I…thank you for bringing me back my son. Thank you.

Karin: Ben, thank god.

Karin hugs Ben. (Aw, he looks like he’s hugging his mommy. They would have made a great step-family).

Karin: You look terrible. (Ah, Karin is back to being honest, now.)

Stefan: Maybe you should sit down, I’m going to call the police.

Karin: And I’m going to make something to eat.

Stefan: Yeah. Frau Vogel? I would be pleased if you would…stay.

Bea: That’s very kind but I’ll go home for now.

Stefan: Okay.

Bea: And you…try to get some sleep…and something to eat.

Ben: Nonsense. I’m fine.

Bea: We’ll see each other tomorrow. Okay?

They hug.

Ben: I can’t wait.

Bea: Me neither.

Stefan is watching the whole thingwithout saying anything.

 

 

[Hospital]

 

Luzi: Timo…Hey, I have to know how you are.

A nurse comes in.

Luzi: Why is he still sleeping? Is that normal?

Nurse: It was a very long and very taxing surgery. But keep talking to him, it will surely do him some good.

Luzi: You heard the nurse. I’m supposed to talk to you. And if you start to get bored then…

Luzi starts singing “1000 Tage Regen”

 

 

[Bergmann villa]

 

Stefan: I still can’t believe all this. And that Frau Vogel of all people found you…

Ben: Who else? - When are the police coming by?

Stefan: They should be here any minute.

Ben: I won’t be able to tell them much. The guys wore masks the whole time or…were much too far away.

Stefan: Did you notice anything else maybe? Some distinguishing marks, a tattoo or something?

Ben: I’m not even sure how many guys there were.

Stefan: Who could be interested in my money? (Hello??? Pretty much anyone, me included. Unfortunately, we don’t have a radiator in our garage, so I have no chance).

Ben: Ugh, I’m only interested in the fact that I’m alive. And that you invited Bea to dinner.

Ben falls asleep and Stefan puts a blanket over him. I think that was the most tender moment we’ve ever seen with those two.

 

 

And the last day on Hand aufs Herz dawns.

 

[The Vogel home]

 

Bea: Morning!

Piet: What are you doing here? I thought you wanted to go somewhere.

Lara: Why going somewhere? Today is still a regular school day.

Bea: Little change of plans. I’ll tell you later.

She’s texting.

Lara: I think today even Dad will manage.

Bea: Oh wow. Fancy. Why, is Miriam coming too?

Piet: Yes, Miriam is coming too, today.

Bea: Well, I gotta run.

Piet: But you could join us for breakfast. There’s enough time.

Bea: I want to be in school a little early. See you later.

(Bea being early…is that a first for Miss “Sorry I’m late”?)

 

 

[Bergmann villa]

 

Stefan is making breakfastand is really going all out. Ben can’t believe it.

Stefan: Here. (he gives Ben back his cell phone)I’m glad to be rid of it. It has been ringing and beeping non-stop. You have a very persistent…girlfriend.

Ben: And that’s a good thing, or else I wouldn’t be sitting here.

Stefan: Yes, that’s probably true. – Could you nevertheless give your attention to your also persistent father for just a second?

Ben: Reluctantly.

Stefan: I let you sleep last night but it would be important for you to give your statement right after breakfast. Maybe the police can still find the guys.

Ben: Yes, and you’d get your money back. How much did they want, anyway?

Stefan: Is it important?

Ben: Well, I am curious about how much you would be willing to pay for me.

Stefan: Ben…I would have given my life for you.

And they hug again.(Bye Stefan! Thanks for agreeing to host one Jenny Hartmann for the year. We owe you!)

 

 

[Hospital]

 

Karin comes into the room. Luzi is asleep, half lying on Timo’s bed.

Luzi: Oh, mom.

Karin: I’m sorry, my darling. I didn’t mean to wake you up.

Luzi: I would have preferred you waking up Timo as well.

Karin: Oh Luzi, he’s sleeping peacefully. That’s a good sign.

Luzi: That’s what the nurse said, too. But he’s just lying there and nobody knows how he really is.

Karin: We just have to wait a little right now. Say, don’t you have to go to your performance?

Luzi: And what if Timo wakes up in just that period of time? And I’m not here?

Karin: I could stay here and call you as soon as he wakes up.

Luzi: No. This time I won’t abandon Timo.

(Karin, despite your little white lie (which you did for the good of your stepson-to-be Ben, so that counts for something) you will remain the greatest mother on Hand aufs Herz and holder of the MotY-award. Whenever you want to pop up from behind some restroom wall, we’ll be happy to see you.)

 

 

[Pestalozzi, at the lockers]

 

Ronnie obviously thought it would be a good idea to bring his new riches to school and to count the wads of bills inside his locker. Common sense was obviously out when it was Ronnie’s turn to get some.

Sophie comes down the steps and has a great view of the open locker and its contents.

Sophie: Hey!

Ronnie slams his locker door shutquickly (the smooth devil).

Ronnie: Oh, hey! It’s you.

Sophie: This morning, you left so quickly…

Ronnie: I still had some stuff to take care of.

Sophie: But everything’s fine with you?

Ronnie: Sure, what should be wrong?

Sophie: No idea. You haven’t been telling me very much, recently.

Ronnie: Because nothing happened.

Sophie: And what about Ben? I haven’t seen him in ages.

Ronnie: Will you stop giving me the third degree here. You know very well that it annoys me.

Sophie: Sorry. I…I only thought of it because of the trouble you had with him regarding the missing dope.

Ronnie: Ah, that has been settled.

Sophie: Really?

Ronnie: Really.

Sophie: But if something were the matter, you would tell me, right?

Ronnie: Sure. You’re my girl, aren’t you?

Sophie: Okay, I’m going but we’ll see each other later, right?

Ronnie: Later.

Ronnie leaves and Sophie stares at Ronnie’s locker hard enough that I expect the door to melt down.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, schoolyard]

 

Caro: Luzi always has some excuse. Either it’s because of the career or because of some guy.

Jenny: Gee, Caro! This is about Timo.

Emma: If you were sick, you would want someone to be sitting at your bedside as well.

Caro(to Bodo): So how about your beloved? Can’t she join in?

Bodo: What?

Caro: Ask her!

And with that Cupid…äh…Kira...Caro pushes Bodo into Lara.

Bodo: Hello Lara. That wasn’t m…I mean…

Lara: It’s okay.

Bodo looks to Caro who mouths somethingI can’t interpret but which seems to help Bodo.

Bodo: Lara, I wanted to ask you something. Well, today is the summer festival and I thought…we thought that you maybe…we aren’t enough people and…could you maybe sing with us again?

Lara: Ah…well…it’s not really my thing…

Caro: Now come on. Do something nice for once. (You know, I would have been disappointed if Caro hadn’t had left us with some outrageous line. Caro, there were some dramatic episodes in which you were the only ray of humour. And let’s not forget that this was the woman whose breasts caused Emma’s thoughts to derail for a second once upon a time, back when she was still ‘normal’.)

Lara: But you’ve been rehearsing for so long, I mean, I have no idea what you are going to sing.

Bodo: You’ll easily be able to get back into the swing of things and anyway, you are a natural.

Jenny: Plus, we won’t be singing the stuff we rehearsed.

Bodo: We won’t?

Jenny: Little change of plans. I have a favour to ask of you.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, teachers’ lounge]

 

Bea is saying good-bye to the lounge (at least that’s what it looks like) when her cell phone beeps.

Surprisingly, it’s a text from Ben: I’ll try not to get kidnapped again until then.

 

Flashback!!!! (You probably won’t believe me but that is one thing I won’t miss.Yes, I’m weird that way.)

Ben and Bea’s very first meeting at the Chulos. Their first kiss. Their first sex.

/Flashback

 

[Outside]

 

Ben is sitting in his car.(Where did it come from? The last time we saw it, it had been dumped somewhere in the middle of nowhere with a broken window. Now it looks good as new. But then so does Ben. No cuts, no bruises.)

 

More flashbacks!!!! (Hold me back! It’s hard to curb my enthusiasm…)

Bea: I love you

Ben: I can’t wait.

Bea: Me neither.

End of the very last flashback of Hand aufs Herz!

 

Ben: I think I’ve waited long enough.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, teachers’ lounge]

 

Bea: Today’s going to be a great day.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, at the lockers]

 

Ronnie comes upand acts very suspiciously for someone who is only going to open his own locker.

But open it, he does. And it’s empty! Ha! He checks to see if he has the wrong locker, looks on and under the lockers. Nada. He slams his hand against it.

Ronnie: Argh! (to a fellow student)What are you looking at!?!

 

(Goodbye lockers. We had such great times together. Several kisses, fights, friend moments, relationship moments…

And farewell Ronnie. You are an Arschloch but without your assholey ways we wouldn’t have had so many great Jemma scenes. The trade-off was well worth it.)

 

[Pestalozzi, school toilet]

 

Sophie comes in with Ronnie’s bag. She goes into a cubicle and takes out a brick of dope, cuts it open, pours it in the toilet and flushes it.

 

(We don’t know how Sophie went from the “I need something now” Jenny-drugging junkie to this” getting rid of Ronnie and his drugs” incarnation. But I’m glad for her. She goes out with a good deed and a clear mind.Sure, she drugged Jenny. But Jenny would have forgiven her like she did her parents, because she did a lot of fucked up things herself. Emma on the other hand would have probably been the overprotective terrier girlfriend for some time to come.)

 

 

[Pestalozzi, school yard]

 

Frau Krawcyk: As the first highlight of our festival, I’d like to ask our wonderful STAG to take the stage. Applause!

Jenny: Ähm, our first song I would like to dedicate to my parents. It was their favourite song and…it will always remind me of them.

 

They sing “You got the love”.

 

During the song Sophie crosses the yard, watches a little wistfully as they sing and then leaves, Ronnie’s money in hand. (Bye Sophie. I’m glad you got a dignified exit.)

 

 

[Hospital]

 

Timo wakes up.

Luzi: Timo! – Hey. – Everything will be alright.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, school yard]

 

 

STAG finishes the song. The crowd applauds and calls for an encore. Bea jumps up on the stage and hugs Emma and only Emma. (I’d like to think that’s because Emma is the only one left from the original STAG. She was there with Bea from the beginning.)

Ben sprints onto the schoolyard. He sees Bea standing onstage and she sees him. And because she is standing between Jenny and Emma at the moment she’s caught in the Jemma glow, as our favourite couple is busy gazing lovingly at each other.

With all this love around her she’s unable to hold herself backing any longer.

 

And there’s Helena in a black dress with a golden sash. She always knows when something is going to happen with Bea that she can exploit. It’s a gift.

 

Ben and Bea start walking towards each other. (I’ve been told the song playing in this scene is the same one that was playing when they first met or kissed or something. Another example of the many mirror scenes the writers liked to give us.)

They meet in the middle of the yard and start kissing. Helena smiles triumphantly, Michael doesn’t look too pissed. Hm. And the crowd starts to clap and cheer. (Parents cheering while a teacher kisses a student? Why not?)

 

Then Piet and Miriam start kissing, too.

Then Frau Jäger and Frau Krawcyk…no. No Jäkra kisses, unfortunately. But they are shown together, just the two of them. (They are so a couple!)

The same goes for Stefan und Karin. (Ditto!)

And because it can’t get much more soapy, Bodo grabs Lara’s face and plants a big one on her, too.

Which means all the Vogels are snogging simultaneously.

 

Jenny and Emma are hugging and smiling at each other and touching their foreheads…and they really don’t need to kissto show their feelings. Plus, they already did the whole kissing in front of everyone thing, way back when it was still something special because not everyone was doing it. (And they had to deal with the fall-out. Bean will never have to do that now.)

For me, Jemma not kissingin this situation is just more proof that they are simply in another league. Their relationship was never soapy. The situations and everything around them might have been soap-opera-central but never their relationship. Joining the snog-fest would have been soap pure. And they are so above that.

 

And so we leave Emma and Jenny, Luzi, Timo, Caro, Bodo, Ben, Sophie, Ronnie, the Vogel-Clan, Helena, Frau Jäger, Frau Krawcyk, Michael, Stefan, Karin, Frank, the Pestalozzi with the lockers, big staircase, auditorium, school toilet, couches, the big books, volleyball court, Helena’s office, the attic, boiler room, Raumzeit Records, the Bergmann villa, the Beschenkos’ apartment, the Vogelhaus, the Chulos, Saal 1, the Heisigs’ apartment and whatever else I’ve forgotten just now with a shot of the entire cast waving goodbye to us.

 

Credits

 

 

 

So, if you’ve come to this point you are maybe feeling how I felt a week ago, when I first saw the end: a little shell-shocked, disappointed, angry, sad, unbelieving that this was it…

 

I was in a very strange mood for a few days but slowly managed to get to a point where my gratitude for all that Hand aufs Herz gave us is slowly replacing my disappointment and grief over the loss of my relationship (with Jemma and HaHe in general) of almost half a year.

Still, it’s almost unreal that I will never again be able to see new HaHe scenes and it hasn’t really sunken in yet.

I wrote in the comments at the beginning of the week:
My advice to you this week would be to not nit-pick at the loose ends or abrupt non-explained changes. A lot had to be cut that would have probably explained stuff. Just use the opportunity to enjoy Jenny and Emma's interaction, Caro's remarks, Frau Jäger's general demeanor, Helena's needling of Bea, yet more Bean flashbacks :-P, etc. one last time.
Don't see this last week as a normal part of the storyline. It can't be because 18(?) episodes are missing and it's really showing and so you're gonna be disappointed. Maybe see it as a way for the characters (and the HaHe crew) to say goodbye to you (and for you to say goodbye to them) in the only way they had left after Sat1 gave them the death blow.
They promised a happy ending. So what if most of it doesn't make sense... We leave them happy and Emma and Jenny are both alive and together and in love.

Jenny has inherited a fortune and can finally buy Emma another shirt and better shoes.
So let me quote Frank Cooper (who would have thought) of Otalia fame: "But you know what...in the big picture, the whole scheme of things... things aren't...things really aren't so bad."

I mean look at Timo and Luzi. Now that is leaving stuffhanging completely in the air. Or the poor Pestalozzi. It will be living with a wrecking ball dangling over its roof forever.

 

So we really didn't get much Jemma in the last episodes. That’s disappointing because it was our very last chance. But remember what great stuff we got before that!

And the little we did see in the finale was good, wasn’t it? Did you see Emma looking at Jenny while she was singing? Much more meaningful than a snog, in my opinion. They can say with one look what it would take Ben and Bea two hours in the attic to convey.

 

 

I’d like to thank you all for reading all of this and being part of my group therapy. Not that you had much of a choice.

It was a pleasure and honor to help with translating the last 70 or so episodes, to take an active part in this wonderful fandom and to realize how much you guys appreciated our hard work (even when you had to wait a little for the next translation to be up).

 

And here at the end of all things, I would like to thank Kasia Borek and Lucy Scherer for their extraordinary performances which brought these characters to life and made their every feeling believable.

Thanks to Petra Bodenbach and all the writers for creating this wonderful, realistic relationship in the first place.

Thanks also of course to all the other actors and crew who made Hand aufs Herz what it was.

 

Danke schön!

 

hephylax

Sometimes it seems that the going is just too rough
And things go wrong no matter what I do
Now and then it seems that life is just too much
But you've got the love I need to see me through

Time after time I think "Oh Lord what's the use?"
Time after time I think it's just no good
Sooner or later in life, the things you love you lose
But you got the love I need to see me through