Vampire Academy (2022) s01e03 Episode Script

- Once, long ago,
we lived in the human world.
The Moroi vampires
who make the rules
- And the Dhampir Guardians
sworn to protect
against our enemy
the Strigoi.
- Undead vampires
who live to kill.
- Now we live in a world
of our own,
one grounded in elemental magic
and seeped in rules no one's
challenged in centuries
until now.
- The spark of revolution
can come from anywhere,
even two unlikely friends
- And one night
that changed everything.
- Ah!
- Ah!
- Ah!
- This is a terrible tragedy,
but don't fool yourselves.
If it happened at St. Jude,
it can happen here
or any
of the other 12 provinces.
None of us are safe.
- I have a question!
- Please!
- More questions?
- Well, we certainly want
to avoid a panic.
- I'm afraid, Your Majesty,
the situation is dire.
Dhampir numbers
were already down.
Now with the massacre
at St. Jude's,
if we don't take action now,
our future's in peril.
As it is, there aren't enough
trained Guardians
to replace the one's we've lost.
- What would you have us do?
- I'll leave the short-term
solutions to the council,
but for the long term,
I implore you
to emphasize to the community
the necessity
of the special relationship
between Moroi and Dhampirs.
Fewer new Dhampirs
means fewer Guardians
to protect us in the future.
- You mean
tell them to fuck more.
- Marina.
Please.
- Well, it is their sacred duty.
- He means tell them
to fuck more.
- The massacre at St. Jude's
was unthinkable.
All were taken too young.
All will be mourned.
As is custom, tomorrow,
we will celebrate
the traditional Death Watch
for the fallen.
We also mourn the loss
of the Dhampir Guardians
slain while doing their duty
protecting our Moroi brothers
and sisters.
The Moroi
and the Dhampir
have a special relationship.
Without Moroi,
no Dhampir child
Can be born.
Without Dhampirs,
no Moroi life can be safe.
No Moroi man must hesitate
to do his sacred duty
for the greater good.
- I have a new rule.
Whenever I look for you,
I go to the place
with the least amount
of other people.
You okay?
- Yeah, just taking a minute.
Somewhere amidst
all the instructions to breed,
I'm pretty sure there was
a moment of respect
for St. Jude's there.
That's my old school.
- Oh.
I'm so sorry.
Did you know anyone who
- No, no one well.
Except for Xavier, my roommate.
I mean, Xavier and I
weren't friends.
He wasn't a nice guy.
My parents always said
he was gonna pay
for his mouth someday,
but still.
No one deserves this.
I can't stop thinking about you.
- Same.
Except about that.
There's something strange
happening
with me and Rose.
This is a little weird, um
So Rose has always had
a good sense
of how I'm feeling.
- Right.
- Only lately,
it's been kind of amped up.
And last night, she saw us
Well, you
Through my eyes
when we were kissing.
- What?
- Kissing?
We have places to be,
and kissing an Ozera outcast
is not something
that can happen ever.
My father's not gonna like this.
- Then don't tell him.
- Of course I'm going
to tell him.
- Mia, come on.
- No.
He's not gonna let you ruin
your shot at being queen.
- How about we pretend this
conversation never happened?
- We can pretend
this never happened.
- Thanks, Mia.
See you in the dorm.
- See you in the dorm.
Do either of you know
how to get access
to the Moroi library?
- What do you want
with a library?
- Fuck off.
I have to study
- things.
- That's funny.
- No way.
- Legend walking.
- Fuck.
What is she doing here?
- The only way to deal
with the massacre at St. Jude's
is to learn from it and prevent
it from ever happening here.
To walk us
through what happened,
I am honored to introduce
our most decorated Guardian,
Janine Hathaway.
- Your mom is such a badass.
- The Strigoi attack
on St. Jude's was unique,
in my experience.
There are exits
here and here.
Tell me what you see.
- The pattern
of the bodies indicate
that they were herding
the victims
and killing them in groups.
- The Strigoi are loners.
They occasionally hunt
in twos or threes,
but they turn on each other
as easily as they do
on their victims.
Your thesis
would contradict centuries
of behavioral analysis.
Do you stand by it, Miss
- Meredith.
You see, that's what's odd.
Historically,
Strigoi don't fight this way.
But to me, it looks like
the attack was coordinated.
- Good.
You're looking at the facts
without bias,
which is the only way to draw
the right conclusion.
Nice work, Meredith.
In the past, the Strigoi's
inability to cooperate
has protected us.
But these Strigoi, at least,
seem to be working together.
- I mean, we get it.
She's a badass.
But it's very performative.
And why is she here anyway?
Is it to see
if I'm okay or scared
after the other school
got attacked?
No, she's here to show us all
how smart she is.
- Okay, let's not let her
get you distracted
from research mode.
We need you out of my head.
- And I need her out of mine.
- My schedule is wall-to-wall
leading up
to the Death Watch tomorrow,
but I talked to Christian,
and he's gonna help us
figure things out.
- I hope you're right
about being able to trust him.
- I am.
I know we only just met,
but I feel like I know him
and he knows me.
Maybe it's the fact
that we both lost our parents.
Maybe it's just chemistry,
but he's smart,
and we don't need you passing
out during practice.
We can trust him.
I know it.
It's like a gut feeling.
- I would argue you on that,
but I can feel it
coming off of you.
- Well, what does it feel like?
- I don't know.
Warm.
Centered.
A little gooey.
You like him.
- I do.
- You know I want you
to be happy,
but Christian is a non-starter
for a lot of people
if you want to be queen.
- Yeah, I know.
I'll be discreet.
Now that I've committed to this,
I definitely don't want
to screw it up.
- Citizens of the Dominion
As we mourn our fallen,
we must also look to the future
to safeguard our Dominion.
With the Strigoi threat
ever present,
our need for Dhampir Guardians
has never been greater.
It is time to set aside
dalliances
with Blood Whores
and focus on preserving
our society.
- Dhampir women
from our communes
will be provided
for those Moroi in need
to complete the holy sacrament
of rebirth.
- Do not stray
from your sacred duty
to surrender to sin.
- Eloise.
Hi.
- Hey.
- Why didn't you let me know
you'd be in town?
- I was just
- Hey, what is it?
- I was chosen.
- You owe me one, Hathaway.
Last time I charmed
library security
into an after-hours favor,
I couldn't shake her
for a month.
I would think of a couple ways
you could thank me.
- Don't worry, I'll find a way.
- I hate to intrude
on the lovebirds,
but I'm next
on your dance card, Rose.
- Romantic enough for you,
Eddie?
- Oh, come on,
it's too early for this.
- Recover first, then strike.
- Watch your blind spot.
- Elbows in, lateral hip twist
and follow through.
- Nice, Mason.
- Point to Mason.
- You have to open up.
Let him come to you,
use his momentum.
You need to calculate
your speed. Again.
- You wanna show me,
just show me.
- Have it your way.
Come at me.
- I'm fine.
- You're overreacting.
- Sonya and I believe it's time
to strengthen the wards, sir.
- We still have two decades
left on the enchantment cycle.
- The Strigoi could find
a way to break through
as the enchantment
gets older and weaker.
Maybe that's what happened
at St. Jude's.
- Is it?
- They're looking
into Dhampir error,
which is code
for they don't know.
We want to take our evidence
to the queen
and the council tonight.
- Who's gonna listen to you?
- Mia.
- I'm sorry, but you're going
to need something more credible
than the word of a Dhampir
and the Bird Lady.
- I'll handle it, Sonya,
I promise.
- Why did you do that
to yourself?
You have one
of the greatest Guardians alive
giving you advice,
and if that's not enough luck,
she's your mother.
- She gave birth to me,
but I wouldn't call her
my mother.
- Some people might be proud
to be her daughter.
- I so don't want to hear this
right now.
- Then hear this.
If you want to be number one,
when someone of her caliber
gives you advice,
take it.
I know how much you want this.
- Rose. Over here.
It's not a request.
- This is insanity.
Ward-strengthening ceremonies
take months to plan.
- And who's gonna perform
this rite?
The handful of monks
who are capable
are halfway around the world,
prepping the next
properly scheduled ceremony.
- That's true,
but many of them were taught
by High Monk Edward Junge.
He's been practicing the rites
all his life.
- You know the Guardians aren't
the only protection we have.
- It's too dangerous.
You remember how badly
it went last time.
- They were still
experimental then.
- And they haven't been tested
since.
- While the monk prepares,
we need to protect ourselves.
Does anyone have a better idea?
- I'm sorry,
I know I'm new here,
but could someone please tell me
what you all are talking about?
- Psi Hounds.
Guard dogs created
to only obey Moroi commands.
They patrol the wards
for signs of Strigoi,
except they don't know
when to quit.
- It was awful.
The last time they let
the Psi Hounds out,
they tore through
an entire farming village
outside the gates
before wrangling them
back into their cages.
- I tried to say something,
but I'm new,
so why would they listen to me?
- You're gonna have to navigate
the council sooner or later,
now that you're head of family.
Is that the mask you're wearing
to the Death Watch?
- Yeah.
Which one do you want?
- Must be nice, Lissa.
Living by your own rules,
oblivious to the real world.
The Death Watch
is for Royals only.
- Wait, what?
Mia
- Don't let her get to you.
Girls like her only exist
to make other people
feel bad about themselves.
- I had no idea the Non-Royals
were excluded.
Non-Royals died
at St. Jude's too.
- Hmm, this Dominion
and its traditions.
- You're Tatiana Vogel, right?
I should know that. I'm sorry.
- No.
I didn't grow up at court.
My mother sent me here
a few months ago
to study religious studies
with my aunt,
High Priestess Irene.
But I was a friend
of your brother, Andre's.
He knew the council
needed to modernize
or the young Moroi
will never engage.
That's why you are what we need.
You have the power
to change things,
even now.
- Not really.
- Even small actions can make
a big difference.
And whether you wear
the crown now or later
you're either a queen
or you're not.
- Lissa!
- Over here!
- Princess Lissa.
- We have a question.
- Princess Valilissa,
are you looking forward
to the Death Watch?
- Not as much as I should be.
Our whole community
has been affected
by the recent attack,
Royals and Non-Royals alike.
Tonight should be for all of us.
And when I'm queen,
that will change.
We are all a part
of this Dominion.
We mourn as one.
We mourn as one.
- No fucking way.
- Upon further reflection,
I have decided to open
tonight's Death Watch
to all Moroi.
The sacraments
of death and rebirth
are intrinsic to our society.
We much all partake of both.
- Hey, Jesse.
- It's Lord Zeklos.
- Oh.
We're fancy now
that we're out in the open.
- What are you doing here?
- What, you think
just because I let
spoiled rich boys bite me,
I don't have a life of my own?
- I didn't know your type
had jobs.
You mean Blood Whores?
Hmm, well.
It's better than being
a breeding factory
for asshole Moroi like you.
- As opposed to this
exalted position?
- A girl's got to eat.
You're looking
a little hungry yourself.
- Hmm.
- Jesse!
We're late.
- My name's Silver, by the way.
- You tired?
- No.
- You tired?
- No.
- Stop.
Don't stop for me.
I can go as long as you can.
- I need you tired enough
to listen.
- You could have just asked
to talk.
- You have a very thick skull,
so listen up.
Dhampir women have two choices,
to be a Guardian,
or to be part
of a Dhampir commune
procreate with a Moroi.
- You're not even gonna mention
the third choice?
- Being a Blood Whore living
by your wits is no choice.
- I've heard the horror stories
about the communes,
but at least the mothers there
actually mother.
- Yes,
they get to parent their kids.
But they also have
to be available
to the Moroi men who show
interest in them.
That's their duty,
to birth more Dhampirs.
- Maybe those women
like that life.
They get to see their kids
instead of facing down Strigoi.
- Maybe some do.
And if there were other options,
and they still chose that,
good for them.
But there are plenty
who don't want to be there.
- Point taken, Janine.
Next time you wanna talk,
maybe we could wrestle.
- Have you ever heard
of an ancient magic
used for mind control?
- Is that why you summoned me?
- Look.
"The apocryphal text outlines
fantastical powers,
"most prominently, compulsion,
"the power to control the minds
of Moroi and Dhampir alike
with a golden-threaded tongue."
I think Lissa can do this.
- Mind control?
- Nothing else explains
what I saw.
Okay, she told Mia
to do something,
and Mia just did it,
like a puppet.
- Yeah, okay, that's weird.
- Listen, in the story,
they then burn the guy
at the stake.
One lady,
they tie to a millstone
and throw her in a pond.
No one says
where this power comes from,
and as far I can tell, there's
only one book that does.
- Where is it?
- High Priestess' archives.
- If anyone knew where that was.
- Someone does.
I think I can sneak us in later,
when everyone's
at the Death Watch,
if you're up for it.
- Break more rules?
Sure, why not?
- I'm glad the queen
changed her mind
about letting you come tonight.
- If you're digging
for a thank-you,
I'm not in the mood.
- No.
Mia, I'm actually just trying
to be a nice person.
These masks weigh,
like, 20 pounds.
- It's tradition.
In death we have one face.
Or whatever.
You want some help?
- Sure. Thank you.
The queen
will put her in her place.
- She overstepped big time.
Let's get there early
so we can watch it all go down.
- Are they talking about me?
- Mm-hmm.
- Did I do something wrong?
- If you did,
the queen will most certainly
let you know about it publicly.
I'm sure everything
will be fine.
Who does she think she is?
- I can't believe Lissa.
- She's gone too far.
- The queen won't stand
for this.
- Thank you, Your Majesty,
for inviting
the Non-Royal Moroi tonight.
I was afraid I'd offended you.
- Not at all, Princess.
Your sentiments do you proud.
Now go and greet your admirers.
- Very generously done,
Your Majesty.
- Hmm. It was.
Victor, I don't care
to have my hand forced.
I am still queen.
No more surprises until I'm not?
- Of course.
Can I invite the Non-Royals
in here with us?
- It is a little stuffy in here.
They'd be happier
in the fresh air.
- Royals only.
- Who's buying the first round?
- Not it.
- Isn't your mother here?
- Better make it a double.
- Early sessions again tomorrow.
- Shit, what, really?
Fuck no.
- Janine.
- Janine.
Janine! Janine! Janine!
- To our fallen brothers
and sisters at St. Jude's.
One in three Guardians
will fall in the line of duty.
Most of us have lost someone.
That's why we gather tonight.
While the Royals mourn
their dead,
we mourn ours.
Let the call out begin.
To Grayson, who saved my life.
- For Yasmine,
who made me laugh.
- For Alexei,
who helped me find
the meaning of honor.
- To Russell, a great fighter.
- To Thomas, loyal to the end.
- You came.
- To Sarah, a true friend.
Come on.
- Hold on tight, Rose.
- You're in a good mood.
- Gotta live life, right?
- Hi.
- Hi.
I hope you dance
half as well as you fight.
- I hate to bother you tonight,
but I just got new info
about St. Jude's.
The wards weren't breached.
They were disarmed.
- It was an inside job?
- And there's more.
You were at the school
for two years
and you haven't spoken
to a single student
since you left?
- I find that highly unusual.
- I'm pretty sure I'm not here
because I'm "unusual,"
so what is this about?
- Are you protecting them?
- Who?
- Your parents.
- My parents are dead.
- This was taken outside
your former dormitory
at St. Jude's.
Any idea why that might be?
When your parents
turned Strigoi,
you were still a student there.
We think they were looking
for you.
- Yeah, hold on one sec.
- That might take a while.
That bartender's
had more than anyone.
- It's one of those nights.
- Nice to meet you.
- Dimitri.
- Dimitri Belikov.
Born in the Russian
St. Polina Province.
A recipient
of six protection medals.
Avid reader
of human biographies,
and a lover of kittens.
I made the last part up.
- Every lie
has some small truth.
- I'm Tatiana.
- Lady Tatiana Vogel.
Of the St. Ndali province.
Distant cousin
of the Royal Vogels
and your aunt,
the High Priestess Irene.
I doubt she'd approve
of her niece
drinking at a Dhampir bar.
- I wanted to show my respect
for the Guardians' sacrifice.
- That, I did not expect.
- Oh, good.
I'd hate to be predictable.
- What took you so long?
- Let's just do this.
- Why'd you bring me if it's
just gonna be a silent mission?
- The worst part for me
about my parents
is that everyone thought they
were awful to grow up with,
but they weren't.
They loved me.
And I loved them.
One day we were a family,
sitting in our cabin
at Mont Blanc,
hanging out, skiing.
Then next,
they chose to become Strigoi.
They chose that over me.
Then, when I thought
they were dead,
I I didn't know how to feel.
I just knew it felt bad.
That was a million times
better than this.
- What happened?
- They're not dead.
They led the massacre
at St. Jude's.
- Oh, Christian
- Your mom thinks
they're looking for me.
- That could put Lissa
in real danger
if she's with you.
- I know.
This is it.
I'll let you know what I find.
Look, I know you two
don't do secrets,
but can my parents
be mine for now?
- I won't tell Lissa.
But Christian
you can't put her in danger.
Who's there?
- Want to know
why I brought you?
So you could fight your way out
if we got caught.
Come on.
- You can't be in here.
Hey!
- Since when does
the Bird Lady hit up parties?
- Since the right person
asked me.
- You look gorgeous.
Sit.
- Pretty color.
- You picked it.
I liked it on you,
so I copied it.
I used to do that
a lot when I was little.
Have fun, Sonya.
You deserve it.
- Well, look.
She can be nice.
- Hi.
- Oh.
Are we friendly now that
there's no one around to see?
- I wasn't being unfriendly
in church.
I was
being the thing that I hate.
I'm sorry.
- You heading inside?
- No.
But not because
I'm snobby and elitist.
I was
just passing by
because I'm going for a walk.
- Want some company?
- You barely just escaped
being expelled.
Have you not been
paying attention?
The Royal Procreation Decree
is splashed
all over the Dominion.
Acting out like this
will get you shipped
straight to the communes
to breed.
- My best friend is literally
about to be queen.
I'll be fine.
- Even the monarch
only has so much power
in this Dominion.
And the queen's
political capital can fade.
You need to protect yourself.
- I've been protecting myself
my whole life,
not that you'd know.
- I may not have tucked you in
at night,
but I know you.
The first Moroi man
who wants something
you don't want to give
is gonna feel your fist,
and then, not even the queen
can help you.
The only way to survive
as a Guardian
is to keep your nose clean
and put duty above all,
which means you either be
Lissa's Guardian
or her friend, not both.
- You know what your problem is?
You think that just because
something's been one way
for a long time,
that it has to stay that way.
But if this is the way
the world is,
then maybe it's the world
that needs to change.
- Maybe you should ask
your friend Dimitri
if I'm right.
- None of your Blood Whores
for this.
If you're gonna fuck
a Dhampir, do it right.
I chose this one myself.
Do your duty.
- Let's get this over with.
- Ugh
Fuck!
Oh, fuck.
Hi.
- I didn't think you'd come.
All these people.
- I had to tell you
what Rose and I found.
Rose and I were researching
a way to get you
out of her head.
The stuff we found
is from 600 years ago.
It talked about a fifth element.
- But that's not
There's four elements.
- That we know of.
I think you're someone
who actually specialized
but just doesn't know it yet.
I think you specialized
in something called Spirit.
- I've never even heard of that.
What you're saying is blasphemy.
- Which is why
you can't tell anybody.
You really are a unicorn,
but unicorns are rare
and need to be protected.
- What do you mean?
- You'll hate me for this.
But you and I can't be together.
I'm sorry.
- The queen has summoned us
immediately.
- Each one of the 12 lines
on the board
represent each
of the 12 Royal families.
Every sphere represents
a member of that family.
This, princess, this is you.
And this is the Dragomir line.
We've only just learned
the attack on St. Jude's
resulted in the death
of two of your second cousins.
- Without them,
you lack a quorum.
Without a quorum,
you cannot vote,
much less sit on the throne.
- I've never heard of this rule.
- Neither had I.
It is an ancient law
that hadn't been enforced
since before my reign.
- Then why start now?
You're the queen. You decide.
- I have decided.
Laws are laws,
and we cannot disregard them
simply because
they're not favorable to us.
The princess's
Lady Dragomir's only task now
is to stay alive
and rebuild her bloodline.
Nothing more.
On the bright side,
your monk is preparing to lead
the ward strengthening ceremony
at sunset tomorrow.
It won't be
our usual extravaganza,
but it should give us
some additional protection.
I'm sorry, Vasilissa.
You would have made
an excellent queen.
- Marina.
If you yourself
had never heard of this law,
who alerted you to it?
Do you know what you've done
with this ancient quorum rule
of yours?
- Mind your tone, Victor.
This is a sacred place.
- You've set us back centuries.
- Or forward.
Because now there's room
for another new, fresh voice,
someone a bit more vibrant.
You?
Let me be clear.
I'd sooner die than see
your family's bloodline
on the throne.
- Perhaps the saints
will grant you your wish.
- Have you seen my mother?
- She left.
She has her next assignment
to get to.
- It figures.
Just scorch the earth,
threaten me with communes,
and then leave.
I'm behind.
So it's none of my business,
but I saw you with a woman
in town and a baby,
and I don't know
I shouldn't even be asking.
- Her name is Eloise.
The little boy is Alexei.
- Alexei?
The cute baby
who taught you about honor?
- Alexei was Eloise's husband
and my best friend.
I was his Guardian.
The baby is their son.
- They were married?
- Alexei was
an influential Royal,
so people looked the other way.
- You were best friends
with a Moroi?
How did he
How did you lose him?
- He was always on at me
to take care of myself
in the small ways
a Guardian can.
Draw clear lines
between my life and the job.
Take the time off in the rare
moments it was offered.
So that's what I did.
And then his convoy
was attacked by a Strigoi
on a trip across the provinces.
And I wasn't there.
- And then Eloise got sent
to the communes to
breed.
I want everything
he wanted for you.
I want to do my sworn duty.
I want honor.
I wanna protect my best friend
from danger.
And I want a life
to call my own.
My mother thinks Guardians
can't have that.
And I'm starting to wonder
if that's true.
- I think Janine
is one of the smartest women
I know.
But
I would never bet against you,
Rose Hathaway.
- Right.
For it to work
I need to be as good as you.
Will you teach me?
- If I were to teach you,
you'd have to take it
as seriously
as every other official class.
- I would.
- And you'd work on my schedule.
- I would.
- And no talking back.
- Mm
That last one.
- I'm here to see Silver.
- Sorry, Lord Zeklos.
You're banned.
- You're joking.
- Take it up with your father,
sir.
- No, no, no.
Y-you don't want me.
- There's been an incident.
- The monk is dead.
The Psi Hounds lost control.
- You mean the Psi Hounds who
only listen to Moroi commands?
- The hounds'll be
decommissioned immediately,
and the ward ceremony
rescheduled.
The damage is done.
The only question is, by who?
- Dad?
Dad!
Daddy, please.
Daddy, please. Please wake up.
Please wake up.
Please, Daddy.