It is 1960. We see Irene being verbally harangued by her husband Mario, who has lost his chance to become ambassador because she tried to speak up about a case of corruption - the event that later led to her attempt to commit suicide, and her recruitment into the Ministry. It turns out to be a daydream, and as she comes back to her senses she summarizes her mission: they must go to 1961 and ensure the Spanish movie Viridiana by Luis Buñuel (whom, we are reminded, got punched out by Alonso) wins the 1961 Cannes Film Festival. It turns out the censorship has decided, unlike in Real Life, to prevent it from being shown. The team (now formed by Irene, Pacino and Alonso) has to try to sell a movie. As the team departs, Salvador and Ernesto talk, and the former tells the latter he has to stop protecting Lola - who is learning martial arts from an Eastern Asian-looking woman (Olivia) who, much to Lola's surprise, is (and speaks perfect) Spanish.
In 1961, it turns out that they are selling a project for a new studio, where they "plan" to film what turns out to be Star Wars - but to ensure the censorship changes its mind, they must speak with the man that led the negative voting. Before they do, though, they have a nasty encounter: Mario. After a discussion between them, Mario leaves, and Alonso and Pacino tell her to work out her current issues. Meeting with the censor, Pitaluga, they tell him there is going to be a second pass of Viridiana, and, during the conversation, Pitaluga mentions that he has to do several jobs just to live: unknown to Alonso and Pacino, he is being paid by the Ángel Exterminador group so he will vote in favor of preventing the film from being shown. Pacino decides to ask Angustias to check out some information, while he takes Alonso to his old childhood neighborhood, finding himself at age twelve.
In 2017, in the same place as Alonso and Pacino, Olivia has taken Lola out for a walk. Lola is surprised at the many people of different races that live in modern Spain, and Olivia tells her she has to get out of the Ministry.
Back in 1961, Irene is meeting her parents and Mario, an encounter that is not going on very well. Irene's mother comments on the fact that she has grown much older in the time since she went missing, claiming it to be divine punishment for being a lesbian, and does not believe her daughter when she says why Mario and her got into that fight. Before Irene leaves, Mario asks to meet with her a few days later so she can sign some papers.
In 2017, Ernesto comes with news of their investigation of the man who killed the Soviet spy, and one name that stands out is that of Luisa, Lola's friend who called Salvador out after older Lola's death of cancer. However, Salvador's good mood vanishes when Angustias comes in and tells them Pere Folch has just died of a heart attack.
Again in 1961, several film-makers are hosting a party, with Irene, Alonso and Pacino present. Buñuel tells Irene about the pain of returning to Spain and of his wish to have Viridiana shown to the public, Pacino crosses paths with 5-year-old Miguel Bosé
and Alonso speaks with director Juan Antonio Bardem, who mentions Viridiana's producer Gustavo Alatriste (prompting Alonso to mention he knows another Alatriste), and then states Buñuel's intention to put in all the censored scenes when the film is shown at Cannes, which will surely get them excommunicated by the Church, making Alonso go furious and tell Pacino he does not want to collaborate with the mission. Buñuel mentions that he recognizes Alonso, but does not remember why.
Angustias calls with the information Pacino requested: the results of the football games that will take place that week, which he gives to Pitaluga, with a proposition: if he bets with them on the football pool and wins the big prize, he will vote in favor of Viridiana's showing.
In 2017, Luisa has finally arrived to the Ministry, and Ernesto and Salvador try to interrogate her about her actions, but she does not say anything, other than calling Salvador out because the Ministry does nothing to help the people that really need help, rather than ensuring the leaders survive to carry out their role. Salvador acknowledges that, and decides he has do pull out the big guns.
Salvador goes to ask Lola to interrogate Lucía. Lola expects it to be something normal, but then Lucía begins to cry when she sees Lola. When the latter asks what's wrong, Lucía gets a photo out of her bag, which she shows Lola: Lucía is Lola's daughter, born in the late 1940s. Naturally, Lola is not happy, and furiously tells Salvador off, more when Salvador and Ernesto tell her what old!Lola had done with her life and how old!Lola had died around the same time Lola was recruited. Lola goes to her training room, where Ernesto finds her, and tells her how one of the maquis from the mission in Hendaye and Montserrat Abbey met with his son in the modern age, and then chose to return to 1940 even though he knew he would be killed by the Francoist government, because it meant being with his son as a child. This, Ernesto explains, is to point out how Salvador ignored all the rules (Lola being the first person in the history of the Ministry to be recruited twice) to save Lola.
In 1961, it is morning, and Alonso tells Irene that Pacino has gone out on a walk before turning on the TV. With a 1960s song on background, we see Buñuel doing the cuts on Viridiana, Pacino watching his younger self and his uncle and aunt, a furious Salvador, crestfallen Lucía, Lola being consoled by Olivia and Irene's father looking at a family photo with himself, his wife and Irene, and ending with Pitaluga finding that, indeed, the results are spot on - so, when Viridiana's second pass is over, he praises it and approves its showing.
While Irene leaves to meet her husband, Pacino talks with Pitaluga, who thanks him for what he has done, and then he receives a call from the Ángel Exterminador's boss, who is naturally angry at the fact that Viridiana was approved. After hanging up, the man makes another call to tell someone else to start plan B, while Pitaluga tells Pacino he does not know who is at the other side, only that they send money as long as he does what they say.
In 2017, Lucía and Salvador speak again, with Salvador pointing out he fulfilled his promise to save Lola. Lucía tells him she has a full copy of the Libro de las Puertas, the book that prompted the creation of the Ministry of Time in 1491, and which, unfortunately, was partially burned years before. Lucía mentions she sold a copy of the copy to the Sons of Padilla, and Salvador drops the bomb: one of the Sons sold yet another copy to the Ángel Exterminador. With the Ministry in inferiority, as they do not have all the information, they need the full copy Lucía has, and she agrees with one condition: she wants to speak with her mother again.
While Buñuel and the other men celebrate the success, Irene meets with Mario to sign all ownership she has over their house to him, but when he makes a strange comment, she realizes there is something wrong and makes a call to Pacino with her phone. Her caution is important: Mario has called to a psychiatric hospital, which has sent several orderlies to take Irene away to "cure" her of her lesbianism, and, as an extra, Mario has pulled some strings so Viridiana will not be able to leave Spain. Pacino has heard all of this, and the bad news grow when Buñuel is told someone has stolen Viridiana's uncensored roll of film. Pacino suggests filming the censored scenes, but Buñuel wants, as in the real film, several beggars to act in those scenes, and tells Alonso to call Angustias so she can find information on how to free Irene, while he does his part.
Going back to his childhood neighborhood, he finds his young self sitting next to his uncle and aunt's selling cart: young Jesús tells Pacino he was suspended for an incident Pacino remembers a bit too late. Feeling bad for his younger self, Pacino gives Jesús some advice on how to deal with his current problems and his life before his uncle and aunt, whom he has something to propose.
In the Ministry, Lola reluctantly meets again with Lucía. After some Timey-Wimey Ball issues - Lucía considers Lola her mother, while Lola is not a mother yet - Lucía tells Lola they have another chance at life.
In 1961, the filming of the scene with the beggers is a success, and the film can be remade with all the scenes, but now the problem is getting it out of Spain. One of Buñuel's friends has a plan: using some of the people in his bullfighting company take it across the border, and Alonso and Pacino decide to go with them. While Pacino takes his uncle and aunt home, Buñuel faces Alonso and tells him he does the scenes the Church dislikes precisely because he is forbidden from offending them, and adds that Alonso reminds him of someone.
In the hospital, Irene is finally freed... by her father, who, no matter what she might be or her inclinations, she is still his daughter. The two hug, happily, with Ernesto arriving right on time to witness the scene.
On the road north, a small miscommunication has led Alonso to put on the bullfighter fatigues for the ride, much to the bullfighters' amusement, as Pacino and Alonso pick some 'torero' nicknames: "El Niño de los Melones" (what his younger self was trying to sell in the previous scene) and "El Tercierito de Flandes".
A few days later, Viridiana is shown in the Cannes Film Festival with total success, although a success that won't be seen in Spain until many years later. Pitaluga and Cinematography General Director José María Muñoz Fontán lose their jobs because of the scandal. Salvador gives everyone a few days of rest. Pacino goes see his younger self going out with the girl he likes. Irene's father puts her photography again in public, much to Irene's mother shock. Lucía is allowed to return to her normal life, while Salvador finally opens the copy of the Libro de las Puertas. Lola continues her physical training.
And, in The Stinger, Buñuel dreams of how Alonso punched him and wakes up, realizing where he saw the man before.
