Mikkel and Michael are, in fact, the same individual, whose existence spans different identities and time periods due to the complex nature of time travel. This unique temporal loop allows for the "simultaneous" presence of a younger Mikkel and an older Michael, who is the future version of Mikkel himself.
The Intertwined Identities
The core of their simultaneous existence lies in a pivotal time travel event. Mikkel Nielsen, an 11-year-old boy, goes missing in 2019. Instead of simply vanishing, Mikkel is transported through time and ends up stuck in the year 1986. Unable to return to his own time, he is eventually adopted by Ines Kahnwald and takes on a new identity: Michael Kahnwald.
As Michael Kahnwald, he grows up, lives a full life, and becomes an integral part of the Winden community in the "past." This means that while a young Mikkel Nielsen exists in 2019 (before his disappearance), an adult Michael Kahnwald (who is the future version of that very same Mikkel) is concurrently living in the years leading up to 2019. Their apparent co-existence is a consequence of one person traversing different points in time and adopting a new identity.
A Loop of Time and Identity
This paradoxical situation is central to the intricate timeline. The individual who was once Mikkel Nielsen eventually fathers Jonas Kahnwald, creating a self-fulfilling loop where Mikkel is, in essence, his own father's ancestor. This is not a case of two separate individuals existing independently, but rather a single individual whose timeline has folded back on itself, manifesting as two distinct identities at different points in chronological history.
To illustrate the progression:
| Identity | Time Period | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| Mikkel Nielsen | 2019 (child) | Disappears from his original timeline. |
| Mikkel Nielsen | 1986 (child) | Appears in the past, stuck in a new era. |
| Michael Kahnwald | 1986 - 2019 (adult) | Adopted, grows up, lives, and eventually dies. |
Understanding the Paradox
The concept of Mikkel and Michael existing "at the same time" is best understood not as two distinct people sharing a moment, but as different manifestations of the same person across a non-linear timeline.
- Temporal Displacement: Mikkel is physically moved from one time period (2019) to another (1986).
- Identity Change: Due to being stuck in the past, he adapts and assumes a new name, Michael Kahnwald, becoming a historical figure within that earlier time.
- Recursive Existence: The adult Michael Kahnwald is the very child who disappeared. This creates a closed loop where Mikkel's disappearance is necessary for Michael's existence, and Michael's existence ensures Mikkel's future disappearance.
Essentially, by 2019, the adult Michael Kahnwald has already lived his entire life and died in that earlier timeline, while the child Mikkel Nielsen is still alive before he time-travels. This forms a complex web where the "past" version of Mikkel (as Michael) impacts the events that lead to his younger self's original time travel.
