Ark: The Animated Series (2024) s01e05 Episode Script

1
When I was a boy
I often would ask
my blessed mother
to tell me the histories
of the gods
of their great loves
and their burning hatreds.
And she told me stories
of paradise,
Elysium.
And of their places of judgment,
the underworld.
This, Hades.
For daring simply to stand
and claim what was mine,
the Fates took everything
from me.
But would I bend my knee
in submission? No.
I chose to rise again,
and continue to fight
with every ounce of my strength
to change destiny.
But now,
all that I have bled for
is at risk.
Do you remember, Rockwell
when I spared your life?
You swore never to fail me.
So, tell me, then,
how that poisonous,
thieving little whelp
still eludes my grasp?
She who stole my Artifact,
who unleashed a horde
upon my soldiers,
who was smuggled
into my garrison by you.
My Lord. General Nerva
And now the Beast Queen herself
has come out of hiding,
emboldened enough
to destroy one of my most
productive quarries
in an act of open rebellion.
Another failure
that can only be attributed
to your mismanagement
of our supply lines.
She is but one, My Lord.
And even with allies,
they are rabble.
Children at best,
vermin at worst,
they cannot threaten you.
Even with the most humble
of opponents,
defiance can grow into a threat!
Do you not realize
what can happen
when a man defies the gods?
Once the bonds of fate
are broken
anything is possible.
Perhaps I should not expect
strength from a weak man.
You know nothing of war.
My scars have taught me,
every action has a consequence.
But you?
You have no scars.
I twist your arm,
and one little bone breaks.
What happens then?
Blood rushes to the wound.
Pressure builds.
More bones twist and break
beneath the strain.
Rot creeps in.
And soon, the whole limb
must be hacked away,
down to the root.
- Please.
- My Lord Nerva!
A messenger has arrived
from the lost mining camp.
Send him in.
General,
I have encountered the escapee
you've been searching for.
She was there, My Lord,
at the attack on the mine.
Hm.
You will not be the weak link
in the chain I have placed
around the throat
of this island, Rockwell.
I will recover
the three Artifacts,
they will open the Door,
and we will pass through it,
crushing all
who stand in the way.
I will not let anything,
anything
stand between me
and returning to my
to Rome.
No, Helena. Like this.
What's on your mind, child?
Meiyin!
Can't you stop this once?
These people were just freed
from that awful place.
This isn't what they need
right now.
And you would know
what they need?
You would do for them
what is necessary?
You bandaged these too tightly.
Lawrence, you cut off the blood
from the limb.
Go see Chava
to have it done properly.
What good is an army to you
if its soldiers
can't even stand?
This is the clay
I must sculpt with.
It requires heat and firm hands.
Enough!
Look around.
What do you see?
These people owe you
their lives.
And they would follow you
into hell
which is exactly why you should
not lead them there.
You've done something great
by giving these people
their lives back.
They deserve to rest
and recover their strength.
And what do you know of this?
Of soldiers? Or warfare?
Do not presume to lecture me
when you lacked the courage
to do what needed to be done.
Courage?
To shoot an unarmed man?
An enemy,
who would just as soon have
sheathed his blade
in your heart.
John!
Any sign of the guard
who escaped the mining camp?
No. The trail has run cold.
And with so many new refugees
now under our protection,
the council must convene
to decide the path forward.
Huh.
How dare you?
Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait.
Uh, I thought this was a meeting
to go over how we're going
to get Kor on our side?
Show him the fancy new weapon,
prove we can beat Nerva
this time?
I set this whole thing up.
It took, like, all day.
Look here.
If we take a small group north,
the rest of us
can protect the village
and scout out Nerva's camps.
What do you think? Maybe?
Hm, that is actually
rather a good idea, Alasie.
But it seems
Henry has other things
he would prefer to discuss.
Regardless of who we once were,
in this place, we are judged
by our actions here.
But, Meiyin,
your obsession
with destroying Nerva
is clouding your thinking
and your actions.
In the last alliance,
you led us into a slaughter.
If we attempt
an alliance again, if,
then I propose that Meiyin
no longer lead our people
in battle.
What about what she did
at the mining camp?
We would have been dead meat
without her!
Your skills as a fighter
are unequaled, Meiyin.
I'm the last person ever
to deny that.
But fighting
isn't the same as leading.
We
We cannot suffer
such a massacre again.
Will I never be done
being betrayed?
There can be no removal
of a commander of our forces
without the vote of the council.
- Dad!
- However
such a decision
should not be made in haste.
An open debate must be held.
Then let the debate begin.
And that debate should not
start on an empty stomach.
That's right. Dinner!
I definitely did not forget
about dinner
for the whole council.
Not at all.
In five days' time, then.
Prepare and consider
your positions with wisdom.
Meiyin.
They can't seriously remove
Meiyin's command.
Can they?
The council's decisions
are sovereign.
It is our way.
I have bought you a few days.
I suggest
that you choose your argument
judiciously.
Meiyin, I'm sorry.
Hey. She'll be all right.
She always is.
I wish
there was something we could do.
Some delicious food
will make everyone feel better.
What you drawing?
What? Hey!
Ah, you're fine, you big baby!
You just wanted
some of Alasie's famous chowder,
didn't you?
Dig in!
Not to brag or anything,
my cooking is so good,
all kinds of critters
line up for a taste.
Aw!
That's definitely
a health code violation.
Hm.
Me too.
I found a friend of yours.
Meiyin! I'm glad you're here.
Oh! Can you grab
that pot for me?
Are you all right?
I'm fine.
Have you been to see Chava
since we returned?
Your injuries are
- I said
- Not another word.
Meiyin, it's okay,
you know, to
to ask for help.
Weakness is death.
That's a hard way
to go through life.
It is the way of the warrior.
A path that few can walk.
- Will you teach me?
- Hm?
You must not hesitate.
Hit me. If you can.
Hesitation. Easy to read.
You must be
like the flash of lightning
over the face of water.
Again.
You must breathe.
- In.
- Out.
In.
Out.
I'm here
You're
Alasie! You and I agreed that
if we took this creature in,
you would take care of it.
I have been!
Then why did I just clean
its droppings out of my bed?
Daughter
I know, I know.
I need to be more responsible
taking care of my pets. Got it.
Hm.
What? What is it?
What you said at the council.
You have a mind for strategy.
I am proud of you.
You're healing.
Thank you, Helena.
Was that gratitude?
Once is all you get.
- Oh! Put that down.
- Put what down?
Oh, this?
- Yes.
- Whoo!
We may sculpt you
into a warrior yet.
If we go to war with Nerva
Provided I have
not been stripped of my command.
Don't worry, we'll find a way
to persuade the council.
But if
When we face him
You want to know what it's like.
If you are capable of it.
To kill another
is to take away their past,
their present and their future.
You must see things as they are,
without delusion.
You must have the right intent,
only for a great
and justified cause.
When the time comes,
you must do your duty
without hesitation. And then
How did you survive that?
I
I did not.
We are under attack!
Prepare yourself.
Our scouts canvassed the area.
What the guard said about
the location of their village
proved accurate.
See to it that he is promoted.
You see, Rockwell,
competence is rewarded
after all.
For the glory
I will restore to Rome!
For her glory.
Give them fire enough
to make another hell!
We need to gather our forces!
We should fall back and regroup!
Dad!
Take cover!
Alasie!
John. The battle is upon us.
Do what you must, Meiyin.
Alasie, come with me.
Henry, organize a retreat
of those who cannot fight.
Chava.
Tell me where they are.
Uh There!
What magic is this?
There!
Concentrate all fire
on that point!
Alasie. Find Henry.
Help him lead the refugees
through the swamp,
and get to the Crystal Cave
beyond the waterfall.
But you told me
never to go near the swamp.
It must be done.
Take this with you.
You're coming with me,
Dad, right?
I have to do what I can here.
Chava?
Chava!
Chava, come on!
Henry!
Alasie!
My dad said
to head through the swamp.
Well, then, let's get going.
Mount up, we're heading out!
Meiyin! We must regroup!
Go. Find the Artifact.
I will finish
what should have ended long ago.
Beast Queen!
No!
Helena!
I have waited
for this day for an eternity.
- Face me, barbarian!
- As you wish.
- Get it off!
- Stay calm.
Get it off!
You are as fine a warrior
as I remember.
Fate made us enemies.
But in another life,
we would have made
formidable allies.
Give me a thousand lives,
and I would give you
a thousand deaths.
What did you do?
I thought
Did you find the Artifact?
Did you find anything of use,
at all?
No, there was nothing.
I apologize, My Lord.
She is more use to us alive,
then, surely
We will get her back, Helena.
Not here, not like this.
Do you hear that?
Hm.
It's okay, Scary.
They're gonna be okay.