ashes-in-a-jar:

So in episode 98 I’m confused about the reason why Sam can’t leave the source with Anna like he did before. He says he astral projected last times so he could go back to where his body was back in the world, and this time it would make them go back to Morrison in the tunnels because that’s the last place they both were physically.

Didn’t he and Ned at some point physically appear in different places than when they started after entering the source? Ned ended up a bunch of years in the future and in the US instead of Europe and Sam ended up buried underground instead of back in Meriwether. So why can’t he just exit wherever physically without coming back to Morrison in the tunnels? This is all so confusing

So, I just finished this episode. And I might be completely wrong, but here’s my understanding of it:

When you go into the Source, you astral project and your body acts as an anchor, you can return to your anchor(body) anytime.* However, if you exit the Source somewhere else (e.g. the doors or through the veil) you essentially hoist your anchor (body) up and take it with you wherever you exit. So, if you want to get to a certain place and/or time you need a different anchor, a connection.

When Sam first went into the Source, looking for Molly, he had his body as an anchor and used his emotions(connection) to find Molly. Then when he leaves the Source, to me it sounded like Molly pushed him out, he ends up buried, taking his anchor(body) with him. He only managed to get back to Meriwether because his patron(?) sent him back.

When Ned first went into the Source, it’s the same as Sam. He was just lucky he landed in, most likely, the same universe. He never goes back to where his body was when he originally went into the source.

When Sam and Ned went in to get Bill and Rob, both their anchors(bodies) were at Jerry’s; so they probably both followed the pull of their anchor(body) but also thought of Jerry and his home for extra anchors(connection) for Bill and Rob.

When Sam goes into the Source for Anna, it’s like this

  1. Sam leaves his anchor(body) at Agate Shore with Kate and the others
  2. He uses the Echo’s connection to Anna to find the moment she would have died
  3. He leaves the Source to collect Anna, bringing his anchor(body) with him
  4. He and Anna go back into the Source, both of their anchors(bodies) are in the tunnels
  5. They find Amy, and Amy pushes Sam out of the Source, into Oslow
  6. Sam’s anchor(body) is now in Oslow, for months, he hops into the Source looking for Anna, always returning to his anchor(body)

So, Sam and Anna are stuck in the Source because Sam no longer has his anchor(body) at Agate Shore with Kate and the others. They technically could leave the Source, but they would have no way of controlling where and/or when they come out.

I’m sorry if someone already answered this or this was more of a rhetorical post.

(*so long as you can reach it.)