The Dead Lands (2020) s01e02 Episode Script

The dead, they sigh to me.
They tell me to seek a warrior more monster than man.
And only he can help me save my people.
There is a break between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
The spirits of the dead can no longer reach their ancestors and are forced back into the world back into their decaying bodies.
If you heal this breach, who wouldn't welcome you then? You could die with honour and join us in the afterlife.
Your ancestors refuse you an afterlife.
- We will let you return.
- What? You're Waka Nuku Rau.
You can help my tribe if the legends are true about you.
And what do they say? That you're the greatest living fighter that this land has given birth to.
Probably true.
And will do anything for a price.
What is it that I'm to do for your tribe? The dead took my father.
Your spirit is my greatest joy and greatest fear.
Father! Save him, and I'll give you my blood.
Isn't that what you want? Father is dead, Mehe.
You don't know that.
Even more reason to go north.
Our uncle is a powerful shaman, and he'll protect us.
Father.
Father! Mehe Do you think that just because you help this girl that you would be forgiven for your sins? Drink her high-born blood to strengthen you for what will come.
Because you will fight much that is strange and powerful.
Kill the girl.
Take it.
If you train every day you might just put up a fight before you die.
At least you had a father worth loving.
I can't say the same.
Tell the dead I'm coming.
Tell the dead I'm coming.
I offer your life to the gods.
If my death serves our tribe I give it freely.
You make me proud.
We will tell stories of your sacrifice.
We will tell stories of your sacrifice.
Why must the young pay for the sins of the old? It was you who ruined this land.
It was you who allowed the spirits of the dead to return.
And it was you who broke this world.
But we must pay? Why? The gods spoke to me and demanded a life in full bloom.
Did they? - Ah! - You dishonour us, and you ruin my glory! The source of the disruption to the world - is it you, Tane? Tane! Tane! Mother! Go with dignity, at least.
Dignity? I curse you all! And you, Uncle? I will return from this earth and eat your heart.
I will rain down makutu on you.
- I swear it.
- E hoki ki te po! Captions by Able.
Mate Mate ana Shh.
You know, you curse a lot in your sleep.
If I couldsleep.
Stop waking me.
Show yourselves.
Mother.
What do you want, you old hag? I gave you a gift.
And what did you do? Spat it back at me, like the milk from my breast.
I'm doing what you said.
I'm trying to fix what's wrong with the world.
And the girl? What of her? You were meant to kill the girl to honour the gods.
And now the gods are displeased.
I shit on the gods.
I promised the gods the girl's blood.
Ah.
So this is all about you.
As usual.
The gods hate me now.
Don't you care? Yes.
Then do this one thing for me.
Please, my son.
Kill her! Do it, and do it now.
Kill the girl.
Kill her.
Kill the girl! If you want to kill me, at least do it while I'm awake.
At least do it while I'm awake.
So, do you make a habit of murdering your friends in their sleep? - We're not friends.
- Answer my question.
How is a man to find honour in this world - answer me that - when everything conspires against him? I don't know.
You could try one day at a time.
Who do you talk to? You talk when there's no one around.
Are you mad or do you talk to the dead? What if I do? And what if the dead are no better than the living - even more demanding? What do they say? That the world is broken - as if I didn't know that - and I am to fix it.
I can help.
We'll follow your tribe.
I want to meet this shaman that everyone speaks of.
You think my uncle knows what's happened to the world? It's a start.
And then I can get rid of you.
I'm sick of you trailing around after me.
Leave me be! I want to start training.
You promised to teach me.
I need to protect myself in case you try to kill me again.
You think you're very amusing, don't you? The problem is you're weak.
Never fight from anger.
Let your enemy do that.
Understand? Offend them.
Insult their mother - that usually works.
This This is Matua Kore.
It is more than just a weapon.
It is two gods.
Here - Hine-nui-te-po, the goddess of death.
And here - Tumatauenga.
Ha! The god of war.
They see where I cannot - behind me, beside me.
Your weapon is a truer friend than anyone you'll know.
Draw your weapon.
Hold it like I told you.
Hit me.
Mean it! Like you did your father.
What did I say? A fight is like a dance.
There is an art in death.
Life, death and blood.
And I don't think you've got the stomach for it.
It's a pity you weren't a boy.
You'd be leading your tribe instead of your fool brother.
It must annoy you.
True.
Simply because I lack a certain organ between my legs - one more trouble than it's worth, most of the time.
Eh? My father wouldn't teach me.
I pleaded from the time I could walk to be trained like the boys.
Ha! He was a fool! - He did teach me one thing.
- To whine? To think.
Thinking for yourself is the sharpest weapon of all.
Talk's easy.
Fighting's hard.
Your mother didn't do that for you, did she? Teach you to think.
I heard you talking to her in your sleep.
Interesting relationship.
Teach me, and I'll teach you.
I've nothing to learn from you.
Are you so sure? You're frightened of the dead and what they'll make you do.
That's why you want rid of me.
I want rid of you because you're fucking annoying.
What if they can't make you do anything - the dead? If they could, I wouldn't be here, would I? They wanted my life, didn't they? As much as they try, the dead are the dead.
Maybe they need you more than you need them.
Maybe they need you more than you need them.
My uncle's tribe lives there, in the tunnels and caves.
We lived there long ago too.
Together? We were one tribe until my father left.
We'll never make it before dark.
Would another night in the forest hurt? I'm sick of sleeping in the trees.
They're here.
The dead.
Stay close.
Maku to mata e kai.
We'll never make it to the caves.
- Run! - What? And don't think you've got all night.
Here I am! Dead things.
Do you think you can kill me?! I don't think so.
Yah! I hope you ran fast, girl.
Ha! Yah! Kura hei kai maku.
Yah! Ah! Ah! Run! There's nothing here.
Shh! Your father? Engari, kei te pai.
Mehe.
Is it true that my brother has gone from the light of this world? From the light of this world? Good? Not really.
I just want to say- I suppose you're going to stay? Good.
I'll finally be rid of you.
Why do you always have to be a shit? Well it's easier.
- I was going to thank you.
- Don't bother.
I was hoping they'd follow you.
Ka pai.
We need to talk.
- Alone.
- Ignore him.
He's leaving.
Thank the gods.
There's something very wrong here.
- Tell them! - Mahia! You should tell them what you did! - It's all his fault.
- Let's go.
All of this is his fault! They keep Mahia hidden away, say she's mad.
And you don't think she is.
Mahia is the strongest woman I've ever known.
No, something's happened here.
It's part of what's wrong with the land.
I can feel it.
Your uncle is a shaman of great power.
He can change nature, bend it to his will.
I've seen it.
And I know the man.
He's hiding something.
Can we speak? First, tell me about Father.
Was he alive when you found him? You were right.
He was dead.
I told you, Mehe.
Mahia.
Why is she imprisoned? Mad with grief.
Her son was killed by the dead, and now our cousin hunts his own tribe.
And each of them returns to do the same.
Uncle's asked us to live here.
And I've agreed.
- And you'll marry.
- No, I won't.
You'll do what I tell you.
I told him you wouldn't agree to it.
It would unite the tribes again.
Let him join the tribes.
That's all he's good for.
Mahia.
Someone guards her? Yes.
We could put something in his food.
What are you up to, girl? - See you later.
- See you later.
Ooh! Eh! I thought you were leaving.
I thought you were leaving.
Don't do that.
Who's there? Are you mad? That's what they say.
Idiot.
Mehe? Child, are you part of this? Part of what? What's happened, Whaea? Happened? Your uncle murdered our youth.
What? The dead spoke to him, and they demanded blood.
And he chose my son.
But one wasn't enough.
They demanded more.
And was the world healed as he promised? It became worse.
Now we are hunted by our own youth.
I'll come back.
I promise I'll get you out of here, Auntie.
You were wrong.
How? You said that the dead couldn't force the living to do things.
But they made your uncle do this.
You don't know that.
How is it different? They wanted your blood.
It's the same.
For my father, a sacrifice was an obligation to honour the gods and our ancestors.
He told me that my uncle used it to control his people, and that he liked it.
You don't know the dead like I do and how demanding they can be.
No.
But I know the living.
And my people should know what type of man my uncle is before they join him.
Well? Uncle told me.
You knew? Follow me.
This way.
Mehe, it's the way of our people - a sacrifice to the god Tumatauenga so the walls of our fortress will be strong.
Not our tribe, and not so many.
No.
And look how the gods repaid us.
Mehe, I loved Father as much as you.
But he did not have Uncle's strength.
You call it strength? He made powerful magic to heal the world.
And he believes it will work.
- But with patience.
- You're not fit to lead.
Well, that's it, isn't it? I lead.
You never will.
No, it's because you're a fool.
And you're dangerous! Even Father knew it.
What would he think of you, I wonder? Why is he here? You're not wanted here.
She wants me here.
They've spoken to Mahia.
My people should know what you did.
They will.
The whole story will be told.
And it might not be what you think it is.
But for now, say nothing.
I demand it, Mehe, as your ariki.
Trust me.
If I was stupid enough to believe anyone, it wouldn't be him.
Kia rite.
So you decided not to leave.
Pity.
As much as I don't like you, I don't like your brother a lot more.
And he hates me being here.
My uncle wants to see you.
- Why? - Not you.
I have a question.
My father - You saw him? Unfortunately.
And how did he look? He was ready to die.
- He was alive? - Barely.
You should be thanking her.
Mehe? For putting him out of his misery.
I will.
Uncle.
Thank you, Rangi.
I've used all my skills everything I've ever learned from our tipuna, to heal the land.
But I've failed, haven't I? The land has not been made right.
No.
You made it worse, Uncle.
If you won't bend to me, how can you stay here, Mehe? I'll bend to no man, Uncle.
Not any more.
Whakarongo mai ki te tawhito.
Whakarongo mai ki te tupua.
Kia tohi a rangi.
Kia tohi a nuku.
We buried them here.
Each day I came and asked for guidance.
I couldn't believe it was all for nothing.
It must be for something.
And the dead spoke to me.
What did they say? Over here.
I'll show you.
The dark is overtaking the light, and I must stop it.
Whatever it takes.
Even if it is your children.
Children? Uncle, please! Lift me.
Waka! Waka! No! Make it harder, why don't you? E tamariki.
Get away from them! He wants to sacrifice our children.
Tamariki ma, haere mai.
Kia tere.
Haere mai.
Listen to me, Rangi.
He killed Waka, and he tried to kill me.
Rangi, the gods demand payment to restore the world to us.
Tell him no.
I challenge you.
For the leadership of the tribes.
- Mehe- - Shut up! It is my right as your brother's child.
Unless you'll do it.
Give it.
You cannot.
- Let me take your place.
- No.
It would mean war.
This is the only way.
You will be glorious.
Mehe.
Remember where a man is weakest.
Did you know I helped bring you into this world? I was there at your birth.
I dedicated you to the gods so that you would be strong and serve your tribe.
So serve them.
Bend to me now, and I'll forgive you.
This is the only way.
My father said you mated with dogs.
Ah! Ah! You asked for this, child.
A fight is like a dance.
There is an art in death.
Life, death, and blood.
Waka.
You're alive.
You know what my father told me? That you were a fool and he never loved you.
Argh! Take him away.
Release Mahia.
Do as she says.
You should have killed me.
It was glorious.
Near the burial grounds, the earth pulled Waka down.
The earth sinks into the tunnels and caverns beneath that place.
- It's where we bury our dead.
- Take me down there.
That place is tapu.
The dead live there.
Waka is alive.
I know it.
Like you knew Father was alive? Yes.
Waka helped me.
When none of you would, Waka went with me to save Father.
Where is your honour? Is there none in this tribe any more? Have we lost everything that was once important to us, only living safe, terrified lives and leaving the world to fall? I left our lands.
I will not run any more.
It is a good day to die, Father.
Good a day as any.
Kaitoa! Pokotiwha! Ah! Waka! What took you so long? Ah! Argh! Hautoa mai! Pokopokotiwha e te ao! - Kei konei tonu au! - Run! Run! Pokopokotiwha e te ao! Tui! I was right.
It was my uncle all along.
You should fear the living as much as the dead.
Perhaps.
If what you believe in makes you do terrible things, then you need to change the belief.
Your brother's right.
You are dangerous.
Go.
I'll follow.
I can feel your eyes upon me.
Mother? Show yourself! Greetings, Waka Nuku Rau.
This is all your fault.
Mine? You sent me to this.
There's no honour here.
Only in a place like this will someone like you find redemption for your many sins.
What do you want? Should I want something? I've learned that the dead always want something I do want something.
- There is a boy.
- One of your kin, is he? No.
But he suffers greatly.
Held captive by those who serve the dark against the light.
Three sisters.
Powerful witches.
Find this boy.
And what will you give me to make it worth my while? Not me.
The boy.
You see, he knows the name of the one who broke the world.
And the girl.
Mehe? What about her? Protect her, Waka Nuku Rau, for she has a gift that not even she knows she possesses.
Captions by Able.