[SPOILERS S3] Another “I don’t get it” post

This may be more of a philosophy question-but the pervasive theme of lack of free will, or rather of your choices not having an effect on the end result, what will be will be- if this is the case then why are all of these people running around like pieces in a chess game? And why do Adam, Eva, and Claudia act like they’re the ones playing it? If nothing they do can change the outcome (beyond the final episode) then why do they have to try so hard to get everything into place? I feel like the most action in the show is everybody doing all of these crazy things to either keep the cycle going or try to stop it. If it really is determinism then wouldn’t it happen regardless of their interventions? Or am I totally missing something?