Naomi (2022) s01e01 Episode Script
Pilot
[NAOMI.]
We all look at the world through our own lens.
But looking isn't the same thing as seeing.
What if everything you believed about the world turned out to be wrong? If we truly opened up our eyes, what would we see? Every superhero has an origin story, and this is mine.
["SHOOK" BY TKAY MAIDZA PLAYING.]
- [MAN.]
Hey, Naomi! - [WOMAN 1.]
Hey! [WOMAN 2.]
Naomi! Hey, Naomi, thanks for the AP Lit notes.
Girl, you saved my life.
- Anytime, lady.
Dostoevsky is no joke.
- Right.
[TREVOR.]
Oh! Damn, Naomi.
Nice reflexes.
You want to join the team? Will we finally win a game? [LAUGHS.]
- [TREVOR LAUGHS.]
- Yo, cameo time.
You guys, check this out.
Naomi runs the number three Superman fan site in the world.
Not for long.
Brazil site is number one, and the Philippines is number two, but I'm coming for them.
For someone so fly, you sure are into some nerdy stuff.
Mmm-hmm.
I'm just saying.
Superman? The guy wears a cape and spandex.
One or the other, acceptable.
Both together? I mean, come on.
- Not the coolest.
- Incorrect.
The very coolest.
Who can shoot laser beams from his frickin' eyes? His eyes, man.
But the best part? He's adopted, which means he's extra-special, 'cause adopted kids are chosen, just like me.
- But also, he's not real.
Mmm-hmm.
- Mmm! So? Einstein said, "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a persistent one".
It was in our AP reading.
Do you actually take the class, Nathan, or you just sit there and look pretty? You think I'm pretty? - Annabelle.
- OMG.
Babe, you're like, four hours late.
Where have you been? You know my parents and their firm stance on family dinner.
- I thought this was ginger ale.
- I'm on it, hon.
- [NAOMI LAUGHS.]
- Nathan sure knows how to throw a party, and look damn, damn good while doing it.
Damn good.
I hadn't noticed.
Right, because you broke up with that fine specimen of a man after five dates? I don't know what you're talking about.
This is my jam.
["SHIMMY" BY LIL WAYNE PLAYING.]
[MAN.]
Yeah, Naomi! [GREG.]
ready for the delegation, but we're only one stop on their tour and he's making us crazy.
Hey.
Morning, pumpkin.
- Morning.
- Honestly, it's only two lines.
Hello.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
How hard is that? - I am a linguist, not a miracle worker.
- Bonjour.
[SPEAKING IN FRENCH.]
[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE.]
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN.]
Hello.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
That That's my girl.
Up top.
Dad.
What? Now high fives are out? [LAUGHS.]
Yes, like ten years ago.
- I like that better anyway.
- [NAOMI LAUGHS.]
I didn't hear you come in last night.
What time did you get home? I don't know.
Midnight.
[GREG.]
Hmm, midnight.
Yeah, I haven't stayed out that late since 2009.
We drove to Portland, we saw Coldplay.
- Remember, Jen? - Gosh.
I sure do.
- We got our groove on.
- [NAOMI GIGGLES.]
Yeah.
Yeah, we did.
You still got your groove on.
Oh, you know I do.
It's a little early for all of that, folks.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Better hurry.
Bell rings in 15.
If you let me get a car, you wouldn't have to worry about me being late.
Nice try.
No driving until graduation.
Then these are the only wheels I've got.
["ICON" BY JADEN SMITH PLAYING.]
[NAOMI.]
Anthony? Hey.
Missed you last night.
I thought you were coming to the party.
Your boy gave me the wrong address.
That's not how you treat people.
I'm sure it was a mistake.
Come on.
Why would Nathan give you the wrong address? Military brats like him, they hate townies like me.
It's - They always have.
- It's a two-way street.
Most townies aren't so welcoming to new kids.
[SCHOOL BELL RINGS.]
Also, I'm a military brat and I don't hate you.
Yeah, but you're you.
- So - I'll see you in debate club after school.
Okay, so here's how this is going to work.
Commander's giving us 15 minutes That's not enough time for a real debate.
Well, it's not a real debate.
Our club has been chosen to represent the school by presenting to the visiting military delegation.
Now, are we ready to begin? [CELL PHONE BUZZING.]
[CELL PHONE DINGS.]
[CELL PHONES BUZZING AND DINGING.]
What's going on? [NAOMI.]
Annabelle says there's a stunt happening in the square.
[CELL PHONE BUZZING AND DINGING.]
Something to do with Superman.
[CELL PHONE BUZZING AND DINGING.]
I need this for my site.
Bathroom break.
Ten minutes.
I'll be right back.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING.]
[CRASHING.]
[CREATURE ROARING.]
[BUZZING.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
[BUZZING CONTINUES.]
[SIRENS BLARING.]
[NAOMI.]
What happened? Where did he go? It was like a scene out of a movie.
[WOMAN.]
Sixty-five years on this Earth, I've never seen anything like it.
I dropped my phone.
The Superman dude was right there and I dropped my phone, - Annabelle! - Naomi! Can you believe it? Did you know about this? Because if you knew about this and you didn't tell me, - I'm going to be so mad.
- I missed it.
What do you mean, you missed it? All I heard was the buzzing.
I didn't hear anything like that.
Can you just tell me what you saw? Okay, so I was walking down the street on my way home from school, and all of a sudden, I look up and there's this light in the sky.
So I run out of my store to see where this light was coming from.
- I look up and I see - Superman.
This guy was legit.
He had a cape and everything.
He was fighting someone from, like, the movies.
The bad guy? He was blue.
Like, literally, blue.
Blue guy throws Superman onto a car, wham! And then they just keep fighting until, pow, pow.
Superman knocks him out cold.
So Superman grabs him and then flies off.
And then it's over.
People are doing the most these days for likes and clicks.
True, true.
But best stunt ever.
Best stunt ever.
Best stunt ever.
[CELL PHONE BEEPS.]
[NAOMI.]
Was it a projection? Was it wires? Lourdes, I have nothing to post about what happened in my own town.
[LOURDES.]
I'm sorry.
I wish I could help, but I have no idea who did this.
You're the only other person in town who hardcore knows the comics world.
No way something like this happens without you knowing about it.
I'm flattered, but I was going to say the same thing to you.
What do you mean? You always know what's going on, especially if it's about Superman.
I figured you had something to do with it or knew who did.
Kind of a sore subject.
[CELL PHONE RINGING.]
[LAUGHS.]
I got to go.
Text me if you hear anything? Yeah.
Or even if you don't.
Oh.
[THERMOMETER BEEPING.]
You're sure it wasn't the military? Like an exercise or a flight experiment or something? No, I'm positive.
But with the dignitaries arriving tomorrow, and the presentation the day after that, it's all hands on deck to prepare.
No one at the base planned this.
Temp's normal.
No fever.
Sure you're okay, kid? You've never been one to just faint.
I'm fine.
It was just so weird.
[GREG.]
Dinner is served, ladies.
[CELL PHONE RINGING.]
Hey, you know the rules.
Time to put it away.
Lourdes keeps texting me about the Superman thing.
Wait, Lourdes? Wait.
Which one is she again? Purple hair.
She has a crush on Naomi.
Mom.
Does that mean no more Nathan? [JENNIFER.]
They broke up last month.
I thought you were dating Anthony.
Can we please not talk about this? You're dating multiple people now.
They're all my friends.
I like them for different reasons.
You know, eventually, you're gonna have to choose.
I'm 16.
You really want me to settle down? [LAUGHS.]
I'm your father.
I want you to live in that bedroom with your stuffed animals until you're 80.
[JENNIFER LAUGHS.]
It's not about who you're dating.
It's about making a choice.
Is this turning into a talk? Feels like this is turning into a talk.
No, no, we want you to be happy.
[GREG CHUCKLES.]
[CELL PHONE RINGING.]
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING.]
[CELL PHONE SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[RUSTLING.]
What the hell? The camera's broken.
[CRASHING.]
[DOG BARKING.]
Hello? They broke my camera, right there.
[NAOMI.]
What's up, fellow Superman Stans? Naomi McDuffie here on the streets of Port Oswego.
Short post today because I'm in deep investigation mode.
Getting answers to your questions about the Superman stunt that went down yesterday.
I've read your comments, I see all your questions, and I've read what people on other sites are saying.
Just know, those are all assumptions.
Guesses.
And I don't guess, I deal with the facts.
I do the work, and you know me.
I always find the answers.
I've already uncovered some information about the blatant tampering and the cut wires on Main Street.
[SCOFFS.]
I never thought I'd be writing that.
I mean, this is a Superman fan site.
We usually share a love of comics.
But I'm on the case to find out exactly who pulled this stunt, why they did it, and how they did it.
This is my town, and I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and figure everything out.
I promise.
Babe, I say this with all the love of my heart.
You gotta get a grip.
- I've never seen you like this.
- I need those videos, Anna.
This Superman thing is getting weirder by the day.
The security cameras on Main Street are all disabled.
Like cut wires, blatant tampering.
There's something bigger going on here.
Like what? That's what I want to find out.
[ANNABELLE.]
Babe, I know you care about your site.
[NAOMI.]
That's not what this is about.
What do you mean? I remember when my dad bought me my first comic.
We were living in Japan.
I was having trouble making friends.
Those comics have always made me happy and free.
But ever since the stunt in the Square, I feel off.
Off how? This whole thing, it has me feeling I don't know Strange.
Not bad, just different.
I don't even recognize the feeling.
I have to figure out what's happening.
It's almost ready.
Yeah, the sound just needs a minute to sync.
Thanks for this.
I have all these pieces of video, but none of them makes sense on their own.
Anything for you.
Even though you, uh, dumped me.
[BOTH CHUCKLE.]
It doesn't change the way I feel about you.
And how do you feel about me? I feel a lot of things.
But mostly I feel like you're a good person, with a beautiful heart, which makes the whole thing with Anthony and the party invite gone wrong really weird to me.
[NATHAN LAUGHS.]
I - It totally was an accident.
- He's a townie.
You don't like him.
No, I don't.
Maybe because you do.
[COMPUTER BEEPING.]
- Is it ready? - [INHALES.]
Ready.
[CRASHING.]
[PEOPLE SHOUTING.]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING.]
[CRASHING.]
[WOMAN.]
Oh, my God! Wow.
I knew it was cool, but seeing it like that? It looks so real.
How'd they do it? Who's they and how did they do what? We don't even know what we're looking at.
Well, let's look again.
Slower this time.
[MOUSE CLICKS.]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING.]
Hang on.
Pause it.
Is that Dee from the tattoo shop? - What the hell? - [NAOMI GASPS.]
[NAOMI.]
It looks like they know each other.
[MOUSE CLICKS.]
It feels weird that Dee would be involved in this.
Sometimes people aren't who you think they are.
Come on.
Not a Zumbado fan? He's a bad person.
You've seen what happens when businesses like that pop up around military bases.
They take advantage of folks who are just trying to do their best.
You do have to be a special kind of awful to rip off service members.
[FEMALE REPORTER.]
don't know how or what was happening.
- Naomi.
- Dee, uh, hi.
Hey, you wear glasses.
Um, yeah.
I like your designs.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
Art has been a valuable tool on my journey to live a more centered and, uh, intentional life.
Right.
So, um Dee, you and I haven't talked much or ever, and you're probably wondering why I'm here.
Uh, I'm guessing it's not for a tattoo.
Maybe when I turn 18.
Okay, deal.
March 14th, right? That's the day I was adopted.
- How do you know that? - Social media.
What can I do for you, Naomi? We're trying to find out who's behind the whole Superman thing.
In the video we saw, it looked like you knew the guy who was playing him.
I don't.
[NAOMI SCOFFS.]
You didn't seem very surprised.
I was.
I was very surprised.
No disrespect, but it feels like you're leaving something out.
Oh, I'm I'm not lying.
Naomi, I think maybe we should go.
Yeah, I think you should.
I'm sorry.
[SPUTTERS.]
This is just not good for my anxiety.
Please, can you just give us some answers? I can't give you answers when you're not asking the right questions.
What does that mean? Um it was me, okay? I did it.
I planned the fight on Main Street.
You planned it? Why? For publicity.
Business has been slow, and I thought it would help.
So I hired an actor with a jet pack.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I really should be getting back to work.
[NAOMI.]
What's up, guys? I've been reading your comments, and it's true.
Dee confessed to the whole Superman stunt.
[LAUGHS.]
He said that it was for publicity, and that he hired a guy with a jet pack.
I didn't see that coming.
I know it's not the answer we were expecting.
No one had "guy from the tattoo shop" on their list of suspects.
I guess, sometimes, people aren't who you think they are.
[JENNIFER.]
Being chosen to debate in front of the dignitaries is a big deal.
So we got you something to celebrate.
[BOTH.]
Surprise.
I don't get it.
- [GREG.]
That's your set.
- You're letting me drive? Naomi, you are a great student, a great kid.
We're really proud of you.
[GREG CHUCKLES.]
[GREG LAUGHS.]
I got to say, we thought there'd be a lot more screaming and jumping and general excitement.
I am excited, really.
It's just Do you guys know Dee? The guy who owns the tattoo parlor? Are you guys friends with him? 'Cause he acted like he knew me.
He knew my adoption day.
No one knows that.
And he seemed surprised that I wore glasses.
And why do I wear glasses? Sometimes it seems like they make my vision worse.
Honey, just take a deep breath.
[GREG.]
You know why you wear glasses.
You have a condition called Leber optic neuropathy.
It's degenerative.
The glasses help slow the damage to your eyes.
Okay, but what about Dee? Do you guys think he knew my birth parents, and that's how he knows when I was adopted or something? Pumpkin, they died in that crash far, far away from here.
You know that.
I don't see how Dee could have known them.
This is a small town.
People talk.
Okay, yeah.
[LAUGHS.]
Sorry.
Never be sorry for needing to talk things through.
- Okay? We're here.
- Always.
Now, how would you like to have your first practice session and drive your folks to the base? - You ready? - The question is, "Are you ready?" 'Cause you've never seen driving like this before.
[JENNIFER.]
How about just regular driving? [NAOMI.]
We should discuss my soundtrack.
[MR.
VILLAREAL.]
"Is our behavior controlled only by our genes?" Miss Brooks, the floor is yours.
Thank you, Mr.
Villarreal.
We all know that both nature and nurture play a factor in our development, but which matters more? Many philosophers, including Plato himself, argued that genetics play a much bigger role.
That is what I intend to demonstrate today.
[AUDIENCE CLAPPING.]
[MR.
VILLAREAL.]
Miss McDuffie? The floor is yours.
There's a reason why people have been debating about this for such a long time.
It's because there's no easy answer, which is a hard thing to accept.
If genetics are everything, yes, that does give us an answer.
But maybe it keeps us from having to do the hardest thing of all decide who it is we want to be, and understand that what made you feel happy and free in one point of your life may change, and that's okay.
We have to be willing to keep striving, keep searching and asking questions, even when it's hard, even when we're afraid of the answers.
Even when the answers don't make sense.
In the end, all we can control is our choices, and it's our choices that determine our destiny.
[AUDIENCE CLAPPING.]
[MR.
VILLAREAL.]
Many argue that all of our behaviors and characteristics are a result of evolution.
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING.]
What would you say to those people? First of all, I would say that [BUZZING.]
First of all, I would say to those people [BUZZING CONTINUES.]
Um, I would tell them that What I would tell them is Shall I repeat the question? No, I I heard you.
I can't I need a moment, please.
[NAOMI GASPS.]
[GIRL.]
Naomi! [JENNIFER.]
Dr.
Riley said he can't be sure without running tests, - but he thinks it was a panic attack.
- [ANNABELLE.]
Oh, okay.
[ANNABELLE.]
That is way better than what the Internet said.
By the way, very bad idea to check symptoms online.
We have an appointment tomorrow.
But what if it's something else? [JENNIFER.]
Like what? I don't know.
This all started the day of the Superman thing.
Maybe it's somehow connected, like the same trick or device.
Yeah, but pumpkin, why would it happen again here, on the base? [CELL PHONE BEEPING.]
[JENNIFER.]
Greg, it's the doctor.
Good.
They're gone.
Now we can talk about what's really important.
You drive now? [LAUGHS.]
Can you believe that? I literally cannot.
I thought Jen and Greg would never cave.
- I know.
- [ANNABELLE.]
I mean, now we just have to get a car.
Obviously, you can't buy it because you don't have a job, and obviously, I can't buy it because I also don't have a job.
But let's face it, I don't want to drive.
I want to be driven.
I was thinking that [DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING.]
[NAOMI.]
I can see that.
"Superman landing, Red River Forest".
[NAOMI GASPING.]
[CELL PHONE SHUTTER CLICKS.]
[CELL PHONE SHUTTER CLICKS.]
What - [CELL PHONE RINGS.]
- [NAOMI SIGHS.]
Okay, before you say anything, I know I said I was coming to your house, but I'm in the woods.
[ANNABELLE.]
Naomi, what are you Woods? - Annabelle? - Naomi - [STATIC BUZZING ON CELL PHONE.]
- Anna, I can't hear you.
- Anna, are you there? - Naomi - Hello? - [MAN.]
Not that much service out here, is there? [NAOMI GASPS.]
Zumbado.
What are you doing here? It's a beautiful day.
I'm hiking.
What are you doing out here? - [STAMMERS.]
I was, um - You were taking pictures.
I'm guessing for that Superman website of yours? How do you know about my site? You know what I find interesting, Naomi? Out of all the comic book characters in the world, you chose Superman.
Why is that? I mean, clearly you feel some type of connection to that character.
We're both adopted.
[SCOFFS.]
You're either clueless, full of yourself, or you're just not ready to face the truth.
Probably all three.
I'm gonna need that disk.
- What? - Don't play dumb, Naomi.
I know you've been looking for it.
First on Main Street, and now here.
I don't even know what it is.
Wait.
How did you know that I was on Main Street? You You were following me.
Did you disable the cameras too? The disk.
Stay back! Can be hard once you realize you're not like everyone else.
It was for me.
People start to look at you differently.
But the trick is learning to control your powers.
I used to be ashamed of who I was.
Thought something was wrong with me, but there's not.
World's full of sheep.
I was meant for more.
I finally realized Why be a sheep when you can be a wolf? Stay back! [NAOMI GRUNTS.]
What was that? What did you do? [SCOFFS.]
You think that I did that? Don't believe everything that you think, Naomi.
It's dangerous.
Okay, okay.
So instead of coming over to my house, you went into the woods, alone, by the way, which we are definitely going to be talking about later.
And then, in the woods, you had what sounds like a truly terrifying encounter, which included the trees coming alive in a real horror movie kind of way, which makes you think that Zumbado is the one behind the stunt and all this weirdness and not Dee, even though Dee confessed.
Did I miss anything? - No.
- Okay.
Okay? - You believe me? - Of course I believe you.
I know how crazy it all sounds.
You're not crazy, babe.
Look, when you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
I've been bingeing Sherlock.
Look, I don't understand how Zumbado is involved in all this.
I mean, the guy sells crappy cars.
I don't know, but he really wanted that disk.
[NAOMI SIGHS.]
It must be valuable.
Okay, well, what are we going to do? It's not like we can walk into Zumbado's shop and just look for it.
Oh, no.
That's your plan, isn't it? We'll be in and out.
He'll never know that we were there.
Naomi, breaking and entering, that's, like, serious stuff.
Not breaking and entering.
More like inviting-ourselves- in-through-the-window- while-Zumbado's-not-there and entering.
We won't break anything.
Fine, but we're gonna need help.
[SIGHS.]
[JACOB.]
I feel like we're in a movie.
Can we have code names? I call Elrond.
From Lord of the Rings.
Sorry I'm late.
What's he doing here? - Awkward.
- Did you bring them? Ponies.
- Cute.
- [NATHAN.]
Ha-ha.
It's my sister's.
It's all I could find.
Okay, here's the plan.
Two people will stay outside and be lookouts.
Elrond to Aragorn, we're good to go for the Precious.
Dude, no one knows that means.
Philistines.
[NAOMI.]
The rest of us will jump the fence then sneak inside.
- [WALKIE TALKIE BEEPS.]
- Annabelle? - How does it look? - All clear.
I think.
I've never actually done this before.
What the hell? [NAOMI.]
March 14th, 2004.
Is that Dee? He looks exactly the same.
The mysterious [ANTHONY.]
Naomi, I think we found something.
Maybe he keeps cash in there? [NAOMI.]
What I need is in that safe.
We have to open it.
Zumbado's coming.
You need to get out of there now.
[LOURDES.]
Let's go, come on.
- [NATHAN.]
Come on.
- [NAOMI.]
Let's split up.
[ANTHONY.]
Yeah.
You told me I wasn't asking the right questions.
What did you mean by that? I shouldn't have said that.
The Superman thing wasn't you, was it? No.
Why did you lie? [DEE.]
You were upset.
I'm I'm not comfortable with confrontation.
Then how about a conversation? Please talk to me.
I need answers.
I'm not the guy who's got them.
I'm nobody.
But I'll try.
This happened here before, on the day I was adopted.
You were there.
Yes, I was there.
Something happened to me during the Superman thing, and then again at the military base.
I heard all this buzzing.
And then I went to the woods and found some kind of disk, - with all this weird writing on it - Wait.
Go back to the buzzing.
I've never heard or felt anything like it.
It made me dizzy and weak.
No one else seemed to be affected.
Do you know what it was? No.
But it may have something to do with people like us.
People like us.
What are you talking about? You know, it wasn't supposed to happen like this.
It wasn't time yet.
But I guess things have changed.
Time for what? The truth.
[SPUTTERS.]
Who are you? Still the wrong question.
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
Dee, what's happening? [LIGHT BULBS EXPLODE.]
What is the question? What is the question, Naomi? The question is Who am I?
We all look at the world through our own lens.
But looking isn't the same thing as seeing.
What if everything you believed about the world turned out to be wrong? If we truly opened up our eyes, what would we see? Every superhero has an origin story, and this is mine.
["SHOOK" BY TKAY MAIDZA PLAYING.]
- [MAN.]
Hey, Naomi! - [WOMAN 1.]
Hey! [WOMAN 2.]
Naomi! Hey, Naomi, thanks for the AP Lit notes.
Girl, you saved my life.
- Anytime, lady.
Dostoevsky is no joke.
- Right.
[TREVOR.]
Oh! Damn, Naomi.
Nice reflexes.
You want to join the team? Will we finally win a game? [LAUGHS.]
- [TREVOR LAUGHS.]
- Yo, cameo time.
You guys, check this out.
Naomi runs the number three Superman fan site in the world.
Not for long.
Brazil site is number one, and the Philippines is number two, but I'm coming for them.
For someone so fly, you sure are into some nerdy stuff.
Mmm-hmm.
I'm just saying.
Superman? The guy wears a cape and spandex.
One or the other, acceptable.
Both together? I mean, come on.
- Not the coolest.
- Incorrect.
The very coolest.
Who can shoot laser beams from his frickin' eyes? His eyes, man.
But the best part? He's adopted, which means he's extra-special, 'cause adopted kids are chosen, just like me.
- But also, he's not real.
Mmm-hmm.
- Mmm! So? Einstein said, "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a persistent one".
It was in our AP reading.
Do you actually take the class, Nathan, or you just sit there and look pretty? You think I'm pretty? - Annabelle.
- OMG.
Babe, you're like, four hours late.
Where have you been? You know my parents and their firm stance on family dinner.
- I thought this was ginger ale.
- I'm on it, hon.
- [NAOMI LAUGHS.]
- Nathan sure knows how to throw a party, and look damn, damn good while doing it.
Damn good.
I hadn't noticed.
Right, because you broke up with that fine specimen of a man after five dates? I don't know what you're talking about.
This is my jam.
["SHIMMY" BY LIL WAYNE PLAYING.]
[MAN.]
Yeah, Naomi! [GREG.]
ready for the delegation, but we're only one stop on their tour and he's making us crazy.
Hey.
Morning, pumpkin.
- Morning.
- Honestly, it's only two lines.
Hello.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
How hard is that? - I am a linguist, not a miracle worker.
- Bonjour.
[SPEAKING IN FRENCH.]
[SPEAKING IN JAPANESE.]
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN.]
Hello.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
That That's my girl.
Up top.
Dad.
What? Now high fives are out? [LAUGHS.]
Yes, like ten years ago.
- I like that better anyway.
- [NAOMI LAUGHS.]
I didn't hear you come in last night.
What time did you get home? I don't know.
Midnight.
[GREG.]
Hmm, midnight.
Yeah, I haven't stayed out that late since 2009.
We drove to Portland, we saw Coldplay.
- Remember, Jen? - Gosh.
I sure do.
- We got our groove on.
- [NAOMI GIGGLES.]
Yeah.
Yeah, we did.
You still got your groove on.
Oh, you know I do.
It's a little early for all of that, folks.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Better hurry.
Bell rings in 15.
If you let me get a car, you wouldn't have to worry about me being late.
Nice try.
No driving until graduation.
Then these are the only wheels I've got.
["ICON" BY JADEN SMITH PLAYING.]
[NAOMI.]
Anthony? Hey.
Missed you last night.
I thought you were coming to the party.
Your boy gave me the wrong address.
That's not how you treat people.
I'm sure it was a mistake.
Come on.
Why would Nathan give you the wrong address? Military brats like him, they hate townies like me.
It's - They always have.
- It's a two-way street.
Most townies aren't so welcoming to new kids.
[SCHOOL BELL RINGS.]
Also, I'm a military brat and I don't hate you.
Yeah, but you're you.
- So - I'll see you in debate club after school.
Okay, so here's how this is going to work.
Commander's giving us 15 minutes That's not enough time for a real debate.
Well, it's not a real debate.
Our club has been chosen to represent the school by presenting to the visiting military delegation.
Now, are we ready to begin? [CELL PHONE BUZZING.]
[CELL PHONE DINGS.]
[CELL PHONES BUZZING AND DINGING.]
What's going on? [NAOMI.]
Annabelle says there's a stunt happening in the square.
[CELL PHONE BUZZING AND DINGING.]
Something to do with Superman.
[CELL PHONE BUZZING AND DINGING.]
I need this for my site.
Bathroom break.
Ten minutes.
I'll be right back.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING.]
[CRASHING.]
[CREATURE ROARING.]
[BUZZING.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
[BUZZING CONTINUES.]
[SIRENS BLARING.]
[NAOMI.]
What happened? Where did he go? It was like a scene out of a movie.
[WOMAN.]
Sixty-five years on this Earth, I've never seen anything like it.
I dropped my phone.
The Superman dude was right there and I dropped my phone, - Annabelle! - Naomi! Can you believe it? Did you know about this? Because if you knew about this and you didn't tell me, - I'm going to be so mad.
- I missed it.
What do you mean, you missed it? All I heard was the buzzing.
I didn't hear anything like that.
Can you just tell me what you saw? Okay, so I was walking down the street on my way home from school, and all of a sudden, I look up and there's this light in the sky.
So I run out of my store to see where this light was coming from.
- I look up and I see - Superman.
This guy was legit.
He had a cape and everything.
He was fighting someone from, like, the movies.
The bad guy? He was blue.
Like, literally, blue.
Blue guy throws Superman onto a car, wham! And then they just keep fighting until, pow, pow.
Superman knocks him out cold.
So Superman grabs him and then flies off.
And then it's over.
People are doing the most these days for likes and clicks.
True, true.
But best stunt ever.
Best stunt ever.
Best stunt ever.
[CELL PHONE BEEPS.]
[NAOMI.]
Was it a projection? Was it wires? Lourdes, I have nothing to post about what happened in my own town.
[LOURDES.]
I'm sorry.
I wish I could help, but I have no idea who did this.
You're the only other person in town who hardcore knows the comics world.
No way something like this happens without you knowing about it.
I'm flattered, but I was going to say the same thing to you.
What do you mean? You always know what's going on, especially if it's about Superman.
I figured you had something to do with it or knew who did.
Kind of a sore subject.
[CELL PHONE RINGING.]
[LAUGHS.]
I got to go.
Text me if you hear anything? Yeah.
Or even if you don't.
Oh.
[THERMOMETER BEEPING.]
You're sure it wasn't the military? Like an exercise or a flight experiment or something? No, I'm positive.
But with the dignitaries arriving tomorrow, and the presentation the day after that, it's all hands on deck to prepare.
No one at the base planned this.
Temp's normal.
No fever.
Sure you're okay, kid? You've never been one to just faint.
I'm fine.
It was just so weird.
[GREG.]
Dinner is served, ladies.
[CELL PHONE RINGING.]
Hey, you know the rules.
Time to put it away.
Lourdes keeps texting me about the Superman thing.
Wait, Lourdes? Wait.
Which one is she again? Purple hair.
She has a crush on Naomi.
Mom.
Does that mean no more Nathan? [JENNIFER.]
They broke up last month.
I thought you were dating Anthony.
Can we please not talk about this? You're dating multiple people now.
They're all my friends.
I like them for different reasons.
You know, eventually, you're gonna have to choose.
I'm 16.
You really want me to settle down? [LAUGHS.]
I'm your father.
I want you to live in that bedroom with your stuffed animals until you're 80.
[JENNIFER LAUGHS.]
It's not about who you're dating.
It's about making a choice.
Is this turning into a talk? Feels like this is turning into a talk.
No, no, we want you to be happy.
[GREG CHUCKLES.]
[CELL PHONE RINGING.]
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING.]
[CELL PHONE SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[RUSTLING.]
What the hell? The camera's broken.
[CRASHING.]
[DOG BARKING.]
Hello? They broke my camera, right there.
[NAOMI.]
What's up, fellow Superman Stans? Naomi McDuffie here on the streets of Port Oswego.
Short post today because I'm in deep investigation mode.
Getting answers to your questions about the Superman stunt that went down yesterday.
I've read your comments, I see all your questions, and I've read what people on other sites are saying.
Just know, those are all assumptions.
Guesses.
And I don't guess, I deal with the facts.
I do the work, and you know me.
I always find the answers.
I've already uncovered some information about the blatant tampering and the cut wires on Main Street.
[SCOFFS.]
I never thought I'd be writing that.
I mean, this is a Superman fan site.
We usually share a love of comics.
But I'm on the case to find out exactly who pulled this stunt, why they did it, and how they did it.
This is my town, and I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and figure everything out.
I promise.
Babe, I say this with all the love of my heart.
You gotta get a grip.
- I've never seen you like this.
- I need those videos, Anna.
This Superman thing is getting weirder by the day.
The security cameras on Main Street are all disabled.
Like cut wires, blatant tampering.
There's something bigger going on here.
Like what? That's what I want to find out.
[ANNABELLE.]
Babe, I know you care about your site.
[NAOMI.]
That's not what this is about.
What do you mean? I remember when my dad bought me my first comic.
We were living in Japan.
I was having trouble making friends.
Those comics have always made me happy and free.
But ever since the stunt in the Square, I feel off.
Off how? This whole thing, it has me feeling I don't know Strange.
Not bad, just different.
I don't even recognize the feeling.
I have to figure out what's happening.
It's almost ready.
Yeah, the sound just needs a minute to sync.
Thanks for this.
I have all these pieces of video, but none of them makes sense on their own.
Anything for you.
Even though you, uh, dumped me.
[BOTH CHUCKLE.]
It doesn't change the way I feel about you.
And how do you feel about me? I feel a lot of things.
But mostly I feel like you're a good person, with a beautiful heart, which makes the whole thing with Anthony and the party invite gone wrong really weird to me.
[NATHAN LAUGHS.]
I - It totally was an accident.
- He's a townie.
You don't like him.
No, I don't.
Maybe because you do.
[COMPUTER BEEPING.]
- Is it ready? - [INHALES.]
Ready.
[CRASHING.]
[PEOPLE SHOUTING.]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING.]
[CRASHING.]
[WOMAN.]
Oh, my God! Wow.
I knew it was cool, but seeing it like that? It looks so real.
How'd they do it? Who's they and how did they do what? We don't even know what we're looking at.
Well, let's look again.
Slower this time.
[MOUSE CLICKS.]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING.]
Hang on.
Pause it.
Is that Dee from the tattoo shop? - What the hell? - [NAOMI GASPS.]
[NAOMI.]
It looks like they know each other.
[MOUSE CLICKS.]
It feels weird that Dee would be involved in this.
Sometimes people aren't who you think they are.
Come on.
Not a Zumbado fan? He's a bad person.
You've seen what happens when businesses like that pop up around military bases.
They take advantage of folks who are just trying to do their best.
You do have to be a special kind of awful to rip off service members.
[FEMALE REPORTER.]
don't know how or what was happening.
- Naomi.
- Dee, uh, hi.
Hey, you wear glasses.
Um, yeah.
I like your designs.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
Art has been a valuable tool on my journey to live a more centered and, uh, intentional life.
Right.
So, um Dee, you and I haven't talked much or ever, and you're probably wondering why I'm here.
Uh, I'm guessing it's not for a tattoo.
Maybe when I turn 18.
Okay, deal.
March 14th, right? That's the day I was adopted.
- How do you know that? - Social media.
What can I do for you, Naomi? We're trying to find out who's behind the whole Superman thing.
In the video we saw, it looked like you knew the guy who was playing him.
I don't.
[NAOMI SCOFFS.]
You didn't seem very surprised.
I was.
I was very surprised.
No disrespect, but it feels like you're leaving something out.
Oh, I'm I'm not lying.
Naomi, I think maybe we should go.
Yeah, I think you should.
I'm sorry.
[SPUTTERS.]
This is just not good for my anxiety.
Please, can you just give us some answers? I can't give you answers when you're not asking the right questions.
What does that mean? Um it was me, okay? I did it.
I planned the fight on Main Street.
You planned it? Why? For publicity.
Business has been slow, and I thought it would help.
So I hired an actor with a jet pack.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I really should be getting back to work.
[NAOMI.]
What's up, guys? I've been reading your comments, and it's true.
Dee confessed to the whole Superman stunt.
[LAUGHS.]
He said that it was for publicity, and that he hired a guy with a jet pack.
I didn't see that coming.
I know it's not the answer we were expecting.
No one had "guy from the tattoo shop" on their list of suspects.
I guess, sometimes, people aren't who you think they are.
[JENNIFER.]
Being chosen to debate in front of the dignitaries is a big deal.
So we got you something to celebrate.
[BOTH.]
Surprise.
I don't get it.
- [GREG.]
That's your set.
- You're letting me drive? Naomi, you are a great student, a great kid.
We're really proud of you.
[GREG CHUCKLES.]
[GREG LAUGHS.]
I got to say, we thought there'd be a lot more screaming and jumping and general excitement.
I am excited, really.
It's just Do you guys know Dee? The guy who owns the tattoo parlor? Are you guys friends with him? 'Cause he acted like he knew me.
He knew my adoption day.
No one knows that.
And he seemed surprised that I wore glasses.
And why do I wear glasses? Sometimes it seems like they make my vision worse.
Honey, just take a deep breath.
[GREG.]
You know why you wear glasses.
You have a condition called Leber optic neuropathy.
It's degenerative.
The glasses help slow the damage to your eyes.
Okay, but what about Dee? Do you guys think he knew my birth parents, and that's how he knows when I was adopted or something? Pumpkin, they died in that crash far, far away from here.
You know that.
I don't see how Dee could have known them.
This is a small town.
People talk.
Okay, yeah.
[LAUGHS.]
Sorry.
Never be sorry for needing to talk things through.
- Okay? We're here.
- Always.
Now, how would you like to have your first practice session and drive your folks to the base? - You ready? - The question is, "Are you ready?" 'Cause you've never seen driving like this before.
[JENNIFER.]
How about just regular driving? [NAOMI.]
We should discuss my soundtrack.
[MR.
VILLAREAL.]
"Is our behavior controlled only by our genes?" Miss Brooks, the floor is yours.
Thank you, Mr.
Villarreal.
We all know that both nature and nurture play a factor in our development, but which matters more? Many philosophers, including Plato himself, argued that genetics play a much bigger role.
That is what I intend to demonstrate today.
[AUDIENCE CLAPPING.]
[MR.
VILLAREAL.]
Miss McDuffie? The floor is yours.
There's a reason why people have been debating about this for such a long time.
It's because there's no easy answer, which is a hard thing to accept.
If genetics are everything, yes, that does give us an answer.
But maybe it keeps us from having to do the hardest thing of all decide who it is we want to be, and understand that what made you feel happy and free in one point of your life may change, and that's okay.
We have to be willing to keep striving, keep searching and asking questions, even when it's hard, even when we're afraid of the answers.
Even when the answers don't make sense.
In the end, all we can control is our choices, and it's our choices that determine our destiny.
[AUDIENCE CLAPPING.]
[MR.
VILLAREAL.]
Many argue that all of our behaviors and characteristics are a result of evolution.
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING.]
What would you say to those people? First of all, I would say that [BUZZING.]
First of all, I would say to those people [BUZZING CONTINUES.]
Um, I would tell them that What I would tell them is Shall I repeat the question? No, I I heard you.
I can't I need a moment, please.
[NAOMI GASPS.]
[GIRL.]
Naomi! [JENNIFER.]
Dr.
Riley said he can't be sure without running tests, - but he thinks it was a panic attack.
- [ANNABELLE.]
Oh, okay.
[ANNABELLE.]
That is way better than what the Internet said.
By the way, very bad idea to check symptoms online.
We have an appointment tomorrow.
But what if it's something else? [JENNIFER.]
Like what? I don't know.
This all started the day of the Superman thing.
Maybe it's somehow connected, like the same trick or device.
Yeah, but pumpkin, why would it happen again here, on the base? [CELL PHONE BEEPING.]
[JENNIFER.]
Greg, it's the doctor.
Good.
They're gone.
Now we can talk about what's really important.
You drive now? [LAUGHS.]
Can you believe that? I literally cannot.
I thought Jen and Greg would never cave.
- I know.
- [ANNABELLE.]
I mean, now we just have to get a car.
Obviously, you can't buy it because you don't have a job, and obviously, I can't buy it because I also don't have a job.
But let's face it, I don't want to drive.
I want to be driven.
I was thinking that [DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING.]
[NAOMI.]
I can see that.
"Superman landing, Red River Forest".
[NAOMI GASPING.]
[CELL PHONE SHUTTER CLICKS.]
[CELL PHONE SHUTTER CLICKS.]
What - [CELL PHONE RINGS.]
- [NAOMI SIGHS.]
Okay, before you say anything, I know I said I was coming to your house, but I'm in the woods.
[ANNABELLE.]
Naomi, what are you Woods? - Annabelle? - Naomi - [STATIC BUZZING ON CELL PHONE.]
- Anna, I can't hear you.
- Anna, are you there? - Naomi - Hello? - [MAN.]
Not that much service out here, is there? [NAOMI GASPS.]
Zumbado.
What are you doing here? It's a beautiful day.
I'm hiking.
What are you doing out here? - [STAMMERS.]
I was, um - You were taking pictures.
I'm guessing for that Superman website of yours? How do you know about my site? You know what I find interesting, Naomi? Out of all the comic book characters in the world, you chose Superman.
Why is that? I mean, clearly you feel some type of connection to that character.
We're both adopted.
[SCOFFS.]
You're either clueless, full of yourself, or you're just not ready to face the truth.
Probably all three.
I'm gonna need that disk.
- What? - Don't play dumb, Naomi.
I know you've been looking for it.
First on Main Street, and now here.
I don't even know what it is.
Wait.
How did you know that I was on Main Street? You You were following me.
Did you disable the cameras too? The disk.
Stay back! Can be hard once you realize you're not like everyone else.
It was for me.
People start to look at you differently.
But the trick is learning to control your powers.
I used to be ashamed of who I was.
Thought something was wrong with me, but there's not.
World's full of sheep.
I was meant for more.
I finally realized Why be a sheep when you can be a wolf? Stay back! [NAOMI GRUNTS.]
What was that? What did you do? [SCOFFS.]
You think that I did that? Don't believe everything that you think, Naomi.
It's dangerous.
Okay, okay.
So instead of coming over to my house, you went into the woods, alone, by the way, which we are definitely going to be talking about later.
And then, in the woods, you had what sounds like a truly terrifying encounter, which included the trees coming alive in a real horror movie kind of way, which makes you think that Zumbado is the one behind the stunt and all this weirdness and not Dee, even though Dee confessed.
Did I miss anything? - No.
- Okay.
Okay? - You believe me? - Of course I believe you.
I know how crazy it all sounds.
You're not crazy, babe.
Look, when you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
I've been bingeing Sherlock.
Look, I don't understand how Zumbado is involved in all this.
I mean, the guy sells crappy cars.
I don't know, but he really wanted that disk.
[NAOMI SIGHS.]
It must be valuable.
Okay, well, what are we going to do? It's not like we can walk into Zumbado's shop and just look for it.
Oh, no.
That's your plan, isn't it? We'll be in and out.
He'll never know that we were there.
Naomi, breaking and entering, that's, like, serious stuff.
Not breaking and entering.
More like inviting-ourselves- in-through-the-window- while-Zumbado's-not-there and entering.
We won't break anything.
Fine, but we're gonna need help.
[SIGHS.]
[JACOB.]
I feel like we're in a movie.
Can we have code names? I call Elrond.
From Lord of the Rings.
Sorry I'm late.
What's he doing here? - Awkward.
- Did you bring them? Ponies.
- Cute.
- [NATHAN.]
Ha-ha.
It's my sister's.
It's all I could find.
Okay, here's the plan.
Two people will stay outside and be lookouts.
Elrond to Aragorn, we're good to go for the Precious.
Dude, no one knows that means.
Philistines.
[NAOMI.]
The rest of us will jump the fence then sneak inside.
- [WALKIE TALKIE BEEPS.]
- Annabelle? - How does it look? - All clear.
I think.
I've never actually done this before.
What the hell? [NAOMI.]
March 14th, 2004.
Is that Dee? He looks exactly the same.
The mysterious [ANTHONY.]
Naomi, I think we found something.
Maybe he keeps cash in there? [NAOMI.]
What I need is in that safe.
We have to open it.
Zumbado's coming.
You need to get out of there now.
[LOURDES.]
Let's go, come on.
- [NATHAN.]
Come on.
- [NAOMI.]
Let's split up.
[ANTHONY.]
Yeah.
You told me I wasn't asking the right questions.
What did you mean by that? I shouldn't have said that.
The Superman thing wasn't you, was it? No.
Why did you lie? [DEE.]
You were upset.
I'm I'm not comfortable with confrontation.
Then how about a conversation? Please talk to me.
I need answers.
I'm not the guy who's got them.
I'm nobody.
But I'll try.
This happened here before, on the day I was adopted.
You were there.
Yes, I was there.
Something happened to me during the Superman thing, and then again at the military base.
I heard all this buzzing.
And then I went to the woods and found some kind of disk, - with all this weird writing on it - Wait.
Go back to the buzzing.
I've never heard or felt anything like it.
It made me dizzy and weak.
No one else seemed to be affected.
Do you know what it was? No.
But it may have something to do with people like us.
People like us.
What are you talking about? You know, it wasn't supposed to happen like this.
It wasn't time yet.
But I guess things have changed.
Time for what? The truth.
[SPUTTERS.]
Who are you? Still the wrong question.
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
Dee, what's happening? [LIGHT BULBS EXPLODE.]
What is the question? What is the question, Naomi? The question is Who am I?