The Time Team goes west in new photos from the Timeless two-hour finale

Time after time

When Timeless returns for its two-hour finale Dec. 20, the Time Team — including, here, Jiya (Claudia Doumit) and Wyatt (Matt Lanter) — will venture back to the mid-19th century, at the height of the Gold Rush, as part of their first mission. Click ahead for more shots from the series' wrap-up special.

Flynn time

Goran Višnjić's Flynn comes along for the ride to the Wild West in the first hour, and features heavily in a scene opposite Lucy (Abigail Spencer) that co-creator Eric Kripke says he prioritized when putting the finale together. "There was an important Lucy-Flynn scene I wanted," he explains. "It was one of the things I felt strongly about when we were getting into [writing the story]."

A Rittenhouse divided

…or rather, reinvented. Following the deaths of Rittenhouse's former leads (including Lucy's mother, Carol, played by Susanna Thompson), Emma (Annie Wersching) ends up taking the reins of the nefarious history-altering organization. "She's a character who's been yearning to escape [tradition]," co-creator Shawn Ryan says, adding that she'll have Jessica (Tonya Glanz) at her side to help achieve her goals. "Jessica is the faithful knight to Emma's queen."

Mason Industries trio

Though viewers have known these three — from left, Agent Christopher (Sakina Jaffrey), Connor Mason (Paterson Joseph), and Jiya — since the start of the series, they might not be familiar with the version of Jiya who returned from her time trapped in the 1880s. "The Jiya we see now is different from the Jiya before," Doumit teases of her character. "She's much more a survivor, much more adaptable."

The pilot and the soldier

Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) has clearly been #saved — but how? Wyatt probably has something to do with it. Here, the two chat in the cold somehwere… and sometime…

Helping hands

Speaking of saving Rufus, here he is with Lucy and Jiya at a critical moment in the Time Team's adventure.

A Wyatt and his horse

Wyatt looks ready for action here, but Lanter points out that his character faces a major obstacle going into the finale: Jessica, his ex-wife now working with Emma at Rittenhouse. "Jessica has always been his Achilles heel," the actor teases.

One last look at Lucy

She may look happy here, but Lucy faces a difficult decision in the finale. "Lucy makes a really big choice," Spencer hints, "in a way that I didn't think she would make."

Timeless airs its finale Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.