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Reset (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 110 min · English
Directed by
Alban Teurlai, Thierry Demaizière

This documentary follows choreographer Benjamin Millepied as he undertakes a challenging mission to refresh the Paris Opera Ballet. Through stunning visuals, the film offers an intimate look at his artistic process and the complexities of leading a prestigious institution. Composer Nico Muhly, dancer Aurélie Dupont, and designer Iris van Herpen offer insightful perspectives on this period of significant change and creative renewal within the ballet world.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (13)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like Reset
  5. 5 Every angle

13 events in order · contains spoilers

Reset Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Reset (2017) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Nexus wormhole project launches

    Xia Tian leads a Nexus Corporation team to develop wormhole travel to parallel universes. Early tests reveal dangerous side effects: test animals become aggressive and their cellular structures deteriorate. The Director oversees the project, setting a volatile course for the research.

    When
    early stage of the project
    Where
    Nexus Lab
  2. IPT Lab hires Tsui Hu to steal the research

    IPT Lab hires Tsui Hu to steal Nexus's wormhole research, kicking off a ruthless corporate espionage race. The plan pits rivals against each other and puts Xia Tian's work in immediate danger. The theft promises significant consequences for everyone involved.

    When
    before the theft
    Where
    IPT Lab
  3. Dou Dou is kidnapped; Xia Tian given one hour

    Tsui Hu kidnaps Dou Dou and gives Xia Tian one hour to deliver all Nexus research. The clock ticks as the theft unfolds, forcing a collision between family, science, and espionage.

    When
    1 hour deadline
    Where
    Nexus Building
  4. Xia Tian retrieves data but Dou Dou is killed

    Xia Tian obtains the research but arrives too late to Tsui Hu’s hideout. Tsui Hu kills Dou Dou before she can intervene, driving Xia Tian to despair and resolve.

    When
    within the hour deadline
    Where
    Tsui Hu's location
  5. Time travel to a parallel universe

    Overcome by grief, Xia Tian activates the particle accelerator and travels to a parallel universe, arriving 1 hour 50 minutes earlier. The time jump reshapes the sequence of events and provides a chance to change the outcome.

    When
    1 hour 50 minutes earlier
    Where
    Nexus Lab
  6. Second universe: doppelgänger replaces Xia Tian

    In the second universe, Xia Tian's doppelgänger steps into her place and acts swiftly to recover Dou Dou. She presents the research to Tsui Hu but feeds him fake data, delaying him and endangering Dou Dou. Tsui Hu pursues them, and Dou Dou is killed.

    When
    second universe timeline
    Where
    Second universe
  7. Arrival in the third universe: three Xia Tians

    Arriving in the third universe, three versions of Xia Tian converge: the aggressive original (#1), the cunning copy (#2), and the untouched future version (#3). The trio teams up to dodge Tsui Hu and his henchmen, and Dou Dou is moved to a hospital.

    When
    upon arrival
    Where
    Third universe
  8. Director's betrayal revealed

    Xia Tian learns the Director, angry at being fired and sidelined, has been colluding with Tsui Hu to punish Xia Tian and force proof of the technology. The revelation heightens the stakes as loyalties unravel and the fight expands beyond personal grievances.

    When
    third universe timeline
    Where
    Nexus Lab
  9. Tsui Hu kills the Director; warns of chaos

    In a confrontation over the data, Tsui Hu kills the Director, then is shot by Xia Tian #1. As he dies, he warns that IPT Lab's test subjects will turn on each other, hinting at a grim future for all the women.

    When
    third universe
    Where
    Nexus Lab
  10. Final standoff and a hopeful split

    The three Xia Tians stage a final standoff in the Nexus Lab. Xia Tian #1 tries to claim Dou Dou as the sole survivor, but Xia Tian #2 kills her, accepting that she will die from cell deterioration. Xia Tian #3, unchanged, is allowed to leave for the hospital with Dou Dou.

    When
    final moment
    Where
    Nexus Lab
  11. Accelerator activation and ambiguous fate

    As the lab begins to explode, Xia Tian #2 triggers the particle accelerator, leaving her fate ambiguous—whether she travels to another universe or perishes in the blast.

    When
    final moment
    Where
    Nexus Lab
  12. Xia Tian #3 reaches hospital with Dou Dou

    Xia Tian #3, untouched by the temporal chaos, makes it to the hospital and is reunited with Dou Dou.

    When
    immediately after the escape
    Where
    Hospital
  13. One year later: a quiet life with Dou Dou

    One year later, the surviving Xia Tian is unemployed but living a simple, content life with Dou Dou. The turmoil of the multiverse remains behind, replaced by a fragile, peaceful routine.

    When
    one year later
    Where
    Home

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:15

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Timeline questions answered

Reset Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Reset (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Tsui Hu kidnap Xia Tian's son?

Tsui Hu kidnaps Dou Dou to force Xia Tian to hand over Nexus's wormhole research. However, his true motive is revealed later: he was also a test subject in IPT Lab's experiments and hopes to use the technology to travel to a parallel universe where he can save his own wife and child.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Tsui Hu's desperation and personal stakes beyond corporate espionage.

  • tsui hu
  • dou dou
  • kidnapping
  • wormhole research
  • ipt lab
Q2

How does Xia Tian travel back in time?

Xia Tian uses Nexus's particle accelerator to create a wormhole that transports her to a parallel universe. Crucially, she arrives 1 hour and 50 minutes earlier in that universe, giving her a second chance to save her son.

Foreshadowing: The earlier test failures with aggressive animals hint at the dangerous side effects of the unstable technology.

  • particle accelerator
  • wormhole
  • time travel
  • parallel universe
  • nexus lab
Q3

Why does the Director betray Xia Tian?

The Director was fired from the Nexus project and sidelined from his position. Enraged by this dismissal, he colluded with Tsui Hu to punish Xia Tian and force the project to prove its technology worked. He orchestrated Dou Dou's kidnapping to create maximum psychological pressure on Xia Tian.

Foreshadowing: The Director's watchful eye over the project from the beginning hints at his lingering presence and potential for resentment.

  • director
  • betrayal
  • fired
  • collaboration
  • tsui hu
Q4

Why are there three versions of Xia Tian in the third universe?

Each time Xia Tian uses the wormhole to travel to a parallel universe, she arrives as a copy of herself in that universe. The first Xia Tian (#1) becomes increasingly aggressive from the cellular deterioration caused by repeated travel. The second (#2) learns from past mistakes. The third (#3) is the original version who has never traveled through universes.

Foreshadowing: The early experiments showing test animals becoming aggressive foreshadow the human cost of repeated wormhole travel.

  • doppelganger
  • parallel universe
  • three xia tians
  • cellular deterioration
Q5

What happens to Dou Dou at the end of the movie?

In the final outcome, Xia Tian #3 - the version who never traveled through universes - escapes with Dou Dou and reaches the hospital to be reunited with him. One year later, they live a simple, peaceful life together, though this comes at the cost of two other versions of Xia Tian dying.

Foreshadowing: The tense standoff in the lab centers on which version will be allowed to leave with Dou Dou.

  • dou dou
  • ending
  • hospital
  • reunion
  • survival
Q6

Why does Xia Tian #2 kill Xia Tian #1?

Xia Tian #1 has become dangerously aggressive due to the cellular deterioration from multiple wormhole travels. She insists on being the sole survivor to keep Dou Dou for herself, willing to sacrifice the other versions. Xia Tian #2 kills her to end this threat and allows Xia Tian #3 to escape with Dou Dou, accepting that she will die from her own cellular damage.

Foreshadowing: Xia Tian #1's aggressive behavior throughout the third universe hints at her deteriorating mental state.

  • xia tian 1
  • xia tian 2
  • confrontation
  • sacrifice
  • cellular deterioration
Q7

What happens to Xia Tian #2 at the end?

As the Nexus Lab explodes, Xia Tian #2 activates the particle accelerator one last time. Her fate remains ambiguous - she may have successfully traveled to another parallel universe, or she may have perished in the catastrophic explosion.

Foreshadowing: The lab was already unstable from the previous experiments and confrontations.

  • xia tian 2
  • accelerator
  • explosion
  • ambiguous fate
  • parallel universe
Q8

Why does Tsui Hu kill the Director?

During a heated confrontation over the research data, Tsui Hu kills the Director. This happens when Tsui Hu discovers the Director has been manipulating the situation and possibly double-crossing him. Afterward, Tsui Hu is shot by Xia Tian #1, but not before warning that the wormhole test subjects will turn on each other.

Foreshadowing: The tension between Tsui Hu and the Director builds as their conflicting interests collide.

  • tsui hu
  • director
  • murder
  • confrontation
  • data
Q9

What is the one-hour deadline that Xia Tian must meet?

Tsui Hu gives Xia Tian exactly one hour to deliver all of Nexus's wormhole research in exchange for her son's life. This countdown creates the movie's intense urgency, forcing Xia Tian to race against time while grappling with the unstable nature of her own technology.

Foreshadowing: The early scenes establish the one-hour window as the central tension driving the entire plot.

  • one hour deadline
  • countdown
  • kidnapping
  • research
  • urgent
Q10

Why do the wormhole test subjects become aggressive?

The wormhole technology has dangerous side effects. Test animals become uncontrollably aggressive, and their cellular structures deteriorate. This same deterioration affects the human travelers - Xia Tian #1 becomes increasingly violent and unstable after multiple trips through the wormhole, ultimately leading to her death.

Foreshadowing: The animal test results serve as a warning of what happens to humans who use the technology repeatedly.

  • test subjects
  • aggression
  • cellular deterioration
  • side effects
  • wormhole technology

Movie threads

More Movies Like Reset, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Reset tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Documentaries about artistic pressure like Reset

Intimate documentaries revealing the high-stakes drama of running a prestigious art institution. If you were fascinated by Reset's look at the Paris Opera Ballet, explore more movies like it. This collection features documentaries that delve into the high-stakes world of prestigious artistic institutions, showcasing the challenges of leadership and creative renewal.

  • tense
  • insightful
  • dramatic
  • high-stakes
  • artistic
  • behind-the-scenes
  • Tone: tense, insightful
  • Pacing: steady, observational
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a new leader or a period of significant transition within a hallowed institution. It documents the clash between tradition and innovation, the immense pressure of upholding a legacy, and the personal toll on those driving change, often building towards a pivotal performance or reveal.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the intense, real-world drama of managing artistic excellence. They share a fly-on-the-wall perspective, a tense tone from high expectations, and a thematic exploration of the cost and reward of creative ambition within established systems.

Movies about creative renewal like Reset

Stories of ambitious artists and leaders confronting tradition to forge a new path. For viewers who enjoyed Reset's theme of artistic reinvention, this list highlights similar stories. Discover films about visionary figures confronting tradition to enact change, capturing the bittersweet journey of reshaping a legacy for a new era.

  • ambitious
  • conflict
  • visionary
  • bittersweet
  • tradition vs innovation
  • revolutionary
  • Tone: tense, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, complex
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The journey centers on a protagonist bringing a bold new vision to an establishment resistant to change. The plot revolves around their battles with traditionalists, their moments of doubt and breakthrough, and the ultimate bittersweet outcome—achieving some form of renewal, but often at a significant personal cost or with compromises.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their core theme of creative renewal against odds. They share a focus on a visionary protagonist, a tense tone from conflict with tradition, a complex look at the change process, and a bittersweet emotional weight regarding the outcome.

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Movies Like Reset

Similar movies to Reset: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Reset (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Reset in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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