Before Episode 6 recap: What does Noah's birthmark mean? Explored

The mysterious bond between Dr. Eli Adler and Noah deepens in the Apple TV+ series Before, as the latest episode dropped another crucial piece of information about the young lad's birthmark. But before we look at what happened in the sixth episode, here's a brief on the previous events that led to the psychiatrist facing repercussions for his actions.

In episode five, Eli believed that Noah had caused mass psychosis in other children. The kids were all under the supervision of doctors, and no logical reason could define their abruptly unusual behavior. Eli then noticed Noah's reaction to the mention of Benjamin Walker, the ex-boyfriend of Eli's deceased wife, Lynn.

After discovering some videotapes and Walker mentioning worms under his skin, Dr. Eli Adler theorized that Noah also has worms in his skin. This leads him to make an unexpected move in the fifth episode, as he cuts open Noah's forehead hoping to remove the worm.

However, episode six revealed that there was no worm inside Noah's brain, and instead of helping his patient, Eli ended up hurting Noah. As the episode progressed, it also revealed that Noah had the same scar that Walker had on his chest.

Read more to delve deep into the episode.

Noah’s paralysis is cured in Before episode 6: Eli faced accusations in the boardroom

Eli and Noah in episode five (Image Source: Apple TV+)

The sixth episode of Apple TV+'s psychological thriller Before kicked off, right after Eli tried to remove a worm inside Noah's brain with a scalpel. He discovered that his theory about the worms was wrong. However, one good thing that happened after the surgery was Noah recovered from the paralysis.

In addition, Eli thought Noah was the cause of the hysterical symptoms that other kids had recovered from. Since Dr. Eli Adler admitted that he imagined a worm inside Noah's skin, he had to present himself in the boardroom.

As seen in the sixth episode of Before, the boardroom had Denise, Gail, Jane, officials, and other doctors as Eli was about to accept his delusion. Eli accepted that he had imagined the worm but wanted to cure Noah.

While Jane supported Eli, explaining that Eli's action brought normalcy to other children, Denise accused him of worsening Noah's condition. The young boy's and other children's strange behaviors are believed to be psychological rather than physical.

Eli remembered his past connection to Benjamin Walker in Before episode 6

Eli comforted Lynn when Benjamin Walker was critical (Image Source: Apple TV+)

As Eli went deep into finding out his and Lynn's connection to Benjamin Walker, he remembered meeting Walker for the first time. Not as Lynn's boyfriend but as his patient when Walker was rushed into the ER in the past.

The episode also revealed Benjamin Walker's mental health struggles, addiction problems, and hallucinations of worms under his skin. That was also the time when Eli met Lynn for the first time and comforted her when she suffered anxiety due to Walker's serious condition.

The episode then revealed how Eli thought of performing CPR on Walker, and despite performing chest compressions and efforts, he couldn't save Benjamin Walker. These memories were triggered after Eli visited Walker's brother in the present and also remembered how the chest compression resulted in a bruise on Walker's chest just like Noah's.

After recalling the memories in Before episode 6, Eli doubted if his late wife Lynn truly loved him, but his thoughts were erased when Barbara reassured him. Now that Eli learned about the past connection, the eerie detail raises the question of whether reincarnation is at play.

What does Noah's birthmark mean in Before: Is Noah the reincarnation of Benjamin?

A still from episode six (Image Source: Apple TV+)

Eli recalled breaking Benjamin Walker's ribs during the CPR and causing a bruise on his chest that is similar to the wine-stain birthmark on Noah’s chest. Though Before episode 6 didn't confirm the connection between Noah and Walker's birthmark, the young lad could be a reincarnation of Benjamin Walker, tied to his unresolved trauma.

The episode ended without explaining the meaning behind Noah's birthmark, hinting at a supernatural connection between him and Dr. Eli Adler. Viewers have to wait for the next episode to learn how the birthmark plays a big role in the series.

Before episode 7 will arrive on November 29, 2024, on Apple TV+.