Quantum Leap Mystery: Who Is Eliza Taylor’s Hannah? Here Are Six Theories
Ben’s three-year time gap isn’t the only mystery keeping us on our toes in Quantum Leap’s second season.
The NBC drama introduced The 100 alum Eliza Taylor as Hannah Carson, a whip-smart waitress from the year 1949, in the UFO-themed third episode of the season, aptly titled “Closure Encounters.” Hannah caught our eye — and Ben’s — during the hour, having studied mathematics and physics and previously held a job during World War II working on the first electromechanical computer.
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After Hannah helped Ben with his alien investigation (which turned out to be a government cover-up), he aided her in following her dreams by referring her to a professor at Princeton who was about to open his new physics program to female candidates.
But as Ben tried to say goodbye, Hannah insisted they leave it as “See you later,” which “leaves an open door” for them to meet again. Since Taylor joined the Quantum Leap cast as a series regular for Season 2, it’s clear that this isn’t the last we’ll see of Hannah. So, how is it possible that she will continue to appear if she’s from 1949?
Co-showrunner Martin Gero has already shut down any talk of her being a time traveler. “I think you get to see a different dimension of [Eliza] than her character on The 100,” he shared with TVLine. “She is phenomenal, but she is not a time traveler.”
So while she may not be a leaper, we’ve got a few other ideas. Scroll on for our theories on Eliza Taylor’s Hannah Carson in Quantum Leap Season 2.
She Returns as A.I.
Given that Hannah is an adult in 1949, we think it’s highly unlikely that she’ll reappear as herself in the present day since that would put her well into her nineties. So, what if her data — her knowledge, cadence and image — was somehow input into a complex algorithm? We could see her potentially coming back as artificial intelligence, helping Ben with his jumps and continuing to build their connection.
And since Ziggy is currently having trouble pinpointing Ben’s location and configuring his leaps, it’s not implausible that Ian might look for unconventional methods, like an A.I. Hannah, to help alleviate the issue.
A Lookalike Granddaughter
What if Taylor isn’t just playing Hannah, but also a granddaughter who looks exactly like her (and maybe followed in her forebear’s science-savvy footsteps)? That would allow the actress to appear in present-day scenes, possibly helping the Quantum Leap team as Ben continues to be stuck leaping from body to body.
She Helps Develop the Quantum Leap Program
Hannah revealing that she worked the first electromechanical computer in “Closure Encounters” feels like an important clue about her future, especially given Ben’s referral to a physics program at Princeton. Perhaps she went on to excel in that field, eventually working alongside Sam Beckett on the original Quantum Leap program. We could see her reappearing in flashbacks, maybe the result of Ian digging through the original files for ways to help fix the Ziggy conundrum.
Ben Can’t Stay Away From Hannah
Ben’s chemistry with Hannah in “Closure Encounter” was off the charts, and it felt like they would have been great romantic partners under different circumstances. Co-showrunner Martin Gero confirmed to TVLine that “yes,” that was the vibe they were going for — but that’s “really all we can say.”
Maybe their instant connection spurs Ben to keep returning to Hannah at various stages of her life? This would set the stage for a heartbreaking love story, with Ben always finding his way back to her but never able to stay.
Hannah Is Ben’s ‘Impossible Girl‘
As TVLine reader BilliamJ posited, what if Hannah is Ben’s version of the “Impossible Girl,” aka Clara Oswald (played by Jenna Coleman) from the timey-wimey Doctor Who?
Clara was introduced as the Eleventh Doctor’s (Matt Smith) companion in Season 7, and is referred to as the “Impossible Girl” because she died and kept reappearing in his life in varying incarnations.
Is Quantum Leap following suit with its own interpretation of that? Having Hannah somehow being reincarnated in people associated with Ben’s leaps? That would be one way to have her appear throughout time without actually making her a leaper, a vocation EP Martin Gero has refuted.
Hannah Is Sam Beckett (!)
We’re digging this out-there idea from TVLine reader Nancy, who theorized that Hannah is Sam Beckett (played in the original Quantum Leap series by Scott Bakula), who leapt into her body and wasn’t able to leave.
This would be a fun way to incorporate Beckett into the series without the involvement of Bakula, who has decided not to appear on the NBC reboot. But given Hannah and Ben’s chemistry in “Closure Encounters,” we’re not so sure this one holds up.
Which Hannah theory do you think is most plausible? Got any of your own? Weigh in below!
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