Swamp Thing (2019) s01e07 Episode Script

1 LUCILIA: Previously on Swamp Thing Hello, Abby.
God, I am so relieved that you are okay.
- Don't.
- Oh, Abby, if this is about Maria attacking you like that You should be dead! AVERY: I honestly don't know what got into her.
- I'm just sorry I wasn't there - Stop.
LUCILIA: I took a man's life to protect you.
Dubois, he fuckin' saw you.
You took out Holland's boat.
What are you taking about? You know me! And I know Avery Sunderland.
Holland must've been in his way, which means he needed him gone.
So he found somebody he could trust, somebody he knew would keep their damn mouth shut.
JASON: Daniel Cassidy regained consciousness.
AVERY: And this happened because you spun a magic potion from the sample Abby took out of the swamp.
I'm giving you a discovery that could change the world.
SWAMP THING: A stranger came to me in the swamp.
He wants me to look more deeply into this green that surrounds me.
- ABBY: What's that? - SWAMP THING: I'm not sure.
Alec.
Abby? ABBY: Hi.
Hi.
[INHALES SHARPLY.]
[EXHALES DEEPLY.]
[CHUCKLES.]
I just [STUTTERS.]
I don't understand.
How is any of this possible? I think the spore you inhaled had some hallucinogenic property or something.
- You're not actually - No, no, I'm still Sorry.
[STAMMERS.]
It's suddenly so weird to just be staring in the eyes of The charming man I used to be.
Yeah.
And how long will this hallucination last? A minute, a year.
I have no clue.
I mean, it's not like I'm doing this consciously.
It's like this new world.
This green all around us.
It's like it reacts to my thoughts and my feelings and I think it sensed how much I wanted you to see me as myself again.
You know, how much I, uh, longed for that connection.
- Uh - So, uh - Can I get you something? - [CHUCKLES.]
Um You know, now that you mention it, I haven't actually eaten anything since yesterday morning, so I Oh, no, no, no, no, that won't do.
Um There may be some crackers over here.
- Alec? - Hmm? All right.
Well, looks like we got some guava, plums, - mango maybe.
- Uh, plum.
Plum.
What's the verdict? It's so good! Okay, so you can just make this happen out of thin air? I was just concerned about you being hungry, and the green Well, tell the green thank you very much.
This is, this is It's delicious.
[CHUCKLES.]
[INDISTINCT WHISPERING.]
You hear that? Everything is starting to wake up.
Duckweed, sawgrass, phlox flower.
And all those kudzu, noisy bastards.
Jeez.
- You can hear the plants waking up? - [CHUCKLES.]
Plants are much more sensitive than animals.
Their voices are just a little quieter.
ABBY: Hmm.
[PLANTS WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY.]
And they're trying to tell me something.
About the "darkness"? God, there's so much unimaginable beauty out there, Abby.
So much death.
I've seen things, places where the rot and decay have taken over and destroyed all life, consuming everything in its path.
Show me.
Whatever's gotten a hold of you, it was born in the swamp.
I need to understand this darkness, this, this "rot", if I'm ever gonna cure you.
No, Abby! Abby! Abby, wait up.
Damn it! Just wait a minute.
Wait.
Stop.
Listen.
Entering this area, where the rot has taken over, is very dangerous.
Okay, and dangerous plants can sometimes produce - the most effective medicine.
- I understand that.
And believe me, no one wants that medicine more than I do, trust me, but not at the risk of losing your life.
I am a CDC doctor.
This is what I do.
We're going.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
Swamp Thing 1x07 Brilliant Disguise [COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO.]
- [DOOR BELL DINGS.]
- [SIGHS.]
LIZ: Sherriff's department run out of Folgers? Just felt like a change of scenery.
LIZ: Transfer request.
That's more than moving from the bar to a booth.
You're out of sugar.
All right.
None of my business.
[SIGHS.]
So, the police scanner placed you and a couple of detectives deep in the swamp last night, looking for the bad boy who attacked those hunters.
Any luck? Maybe you should ask Abby.
I would, except I haven't seen her this morning.
Don't suppose you happen to know where she's at? You don't have to keep hiding it, Liz.
I'm sure Abby already told you.
Told me - About Alec Holland.
- What about him? Look, I've seen him, Liz.
I know everything.
You've seen him? And Abby? Are they all right? Don't worry.
Last time I saw them, they were fine.
But Abby's protecting him.
She still thinks she can I don't know, bring him back.
Matt, how long have I known you? Third grade, Mr.
Perkin's class.
Long enough to know this pensive thing isn't you.
What is it you're not telling me? I'm scared.
Abby keeps talking about this darkness in Marais, like there's this poison coming off the swamp, you know? And you're thinking she sounds crazy.
Worse.
I'm thinking she's right.
[MUSIC PLAYING SOFTLY ON RADIO.]
I don't understand it.
I told Woodrue to go easy on the numbers.
Well, you hired Dr.
Woodrue because he's the best.
Doesn't mean he's easy to understand.
Yeah.
No, honey, you didn't have to do all this.
I would have been happy bringing in a caterer.
A man like Mr.
Ellery is used to catered meals.
What he probably doesn't have much of is home cooking.
Well, that could be.
Hey, that medication he prescribed, it really seems to be lifting your spirits.
It's true.
I feel so relaxed.
- Huh - MARIA: Hmm.
So, what do you know about this Mr.
Nathan Ellery anyway? Very little, which seems to be the way he likes it.
I just know that he's senior advisor for the Conclave Group.
Conclave Group.
Sounds like something out of a spy novel.
[CHUCKLES.]
All I know is they've given hundreds of millions to all kinds of start-ups.
Healthcare, pharmaceuticals, weapons development, aerospace.
Well, I asked Nadine to whip up a pitcher of Sazerac, which will pair nicely with the canapes, and then, we'll move on to trout amandine, pan fried farro and mustard greens.
[CHUCKLES.]
Look at you! - Playing the Southern belle.
- Mmm-hmm.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
[DOORBELL RINGS.]
Oh, that must be Floyd with the orchids.
Mr.
Sunderland, the Sheriff would like a word.
- MARIA: Oh.
- Mrs.
Sunderland.
Sheriff Cable.
What a surprise.
I'm sorry to interrupt y'all, but I need to borrow you for a minute, Avery.
- Police business.
- Oh.
You go on.
I've got a few things to sort out.
AVERY: Well I've told you a hundred times never to come here without calling.
You son of a bitch! You wanted him dead, but you didn't have the guts to do it yourself so you blackmailed Matt? You dragged my son into a fucking murder.
I should have known that mama's boy couldn't keep his mouth shut.
I always knew that a part of you was like a goddamn snake, Avery.
I never, ever thought that snake was coming after me.
But the truth is, everything you touch goes to hell, this town, me, Matt.
And the worst part about it is for 30 years, I just stood by and let it all happen.
Yeah, well, I don't recall you complaining when all my dirty business was lining your pockets.
Fuck you, Avery.
I'll tell you what, when you come off your high horse, why don't you come over here and make yourself a drink then show yourself out.
I got a meeting to prepare for.
The hell you do.
This isn't finished.
[EXHALES, SNIFFLES.]
What are you talking about? Alec Holland is alive.
Bullshit! No way he survived.
Matt saw him.
He says he's been deformed by some offshoot of that plant disease, but it's Holland all right.
And I'll tell you, if he gets to town and starts talking, all three of us are going down for murder and conspiracy.
I'll handle it.
Oh, no.
You will not vomit out your dirty work on this one.
Mmm-mmm.
We're gonna do this, you and me, right now.
- You're out of your mind.
- No, I'm protecting my son.
And this is not a negotiation.
This is me telling you how it's gonna do down.
Holland.
Alive Shit! - Everything okay? - Yeah, I'm sorry.
Something's come up, and I gotta go out for a bit.
Lucilia needs me to smooth things over with a certain judge Uh, our guests shouldn't be until 7:00, so I'll be back in plenty of time.
Well, all right.
Nadine and I will make sure that everything's ready.
Okay.
I'll get him back home to you as soon as I can, Mrs.
Sunderland.
All right.
Okay.
I've spent my entire childhood in Marais, hours in this swamp, and I don't think I've seen it this lush before.
Plums appear, flowers bloom.
How is any of this happening? It's, uh It's a little hard to explain.
Only that it's not connected to a world that has anything to do with logic.
Or Science.
Well, Science is real, it's profound, but now I know that there's other parts of this world that are just as profound, just as natural.
Like the green.
It's more than that.
There are these unseen forces that play all around us.
Forces of life and death.
In the best of times, they work against each other in a, kind of, harmony.
Keeping a balance.
And then, there are times and places where the darker elements, the death and the rot.
It takes over, drowns out the green.
[WOOD CREAKING.]
What was that? It's trees.
They're in pain.
[TREES CREAKING, GROANING.]
Oh, my God.
Chainsaws, toxins, the accelerant someone's been dumping.
It's lashing out in anger.
What are you doing? I need to get a sample to take back to the lab.
No.
ABBY: If this is the source of the biological anomalies affecting Marais, then we need to understand it.
You're not listening to me.
We're not going any further.
It's too dangerous.
There could be a wealth of knowledge in there - Abby.
- that could lead us towards a cure.
I'm not going back without a specimen.
Abby.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
- Mrs.
Sunderland.
- Doctor.
We have to talk.
Well, if this is about tonight's dress code, Caroline assures me that I'll be in proper attire.
Actually, I was hoping we could talk about your work.
I've been going over your report, and I like to keep the conversation moving at the dinner table.
And I was having a little trouble understanding your conclusions.
Uh, I don't write for a lay audience, Mrs.
Sunderland.
If your husband wants complex biochemistry distilled down into something more digestible, - then perhaps I could, uh - I'm sorry.
I should have been more clear.
It wasn't the science that I was confused by, it was the part where you deemed your testing an unmitigated success.
The man you revived from a coma left here strapped to a gurney, writhing in pain.
Side effects are always part of the process, Mrs.
Sunderland.
Perhaps if I had had a wider patient pool to select from, then we wouldn't be having this conversation.
You don't have to be defensive with me, Doctor.
I just wanna know.
If time and money weren't an issue, are you confident you could achieve what you're promising here? Why are we even having this conversation? Hmm? Where's Avery? Avery isn't here right now.
Until he returns, you'll be answering to me.
Yes or no? Are you confident you can deliver what you're promising here? No doubt in my mind.
Dinner's at 7:00.
Don't be late.
Some heavy duty ammo for a renegade scientist.
Holland walked away from a shotgun and dynamite the last time.
I'm not taking any chances.
Jesus, Avery, why did you have to go kill him? That son of a bitch made one mistake.
What was that? Holland knew what he was doing.
If he just stuck to his job, you know? Run his test, filed his reports.
But he overstepped.
Stuck his nose where it didn't belong.
Well, imagine if he knew about all the years that you were dumping and over-logging, and dynamiting new channels, imagine that.
The swamp still owes me a lot for my father.
You know that.
Holland was about to destroy everything that I spent my entire life trying to achieve, all the prosperity I've been working my ass off to bring to this town, to Marais.
You mean all the prosperity you've been putting in your back pocket? - Mmm-hmm.
- And all that fucking money to all those people who thought you were nothing.
Jesus, Avery, I've heard this speech before.
You've got to get new material.
All I'm saying is he didn't leave me much choice.
So, you're just another victim.
Well, if your conscience is bothering you so much, you better let me handle this boy.
You've still got your service weapon.
That's pretty good for killing people, too, judging by the late Remy Dubois.
If you insist.
Lead on.
ALEC: It's getting even worse.
The rot's expanding faster.
It's like this with everything it touches? All life.
And this is what it leaves behind.
[WOOD CRACKING.]
[FLIES BUZZING.]
ABBY: It's all dead.
We can't stay here.
I just need to get a sample.
Abby We gotta go right now.
The darkness, it knows we're here.
[SCREAMING.]
- Let me look.
Let me - There.
Go, go, go.
Go, go, go! Here.
Let me do that.
You realize Sunderland should be running this dog and pony show, not you.
I wish that you would reconsider and go back to the school with me.
The cure for your Alzheimer's rests in the cells that I saw under that microscope.
I know it.
You have a long row to hoe before your discovery can be tailored - to a condition like mine.
- No.
We've got time.
I won't accept anything else.
AVERY: It's getting late.
I gotta go back.
LUCILIA: No, no, no, no.
Just a couple of more minutes.
This is the area where Matt spotted him.
I'm guessing that he wouldn't have wandered off far.
We gotta get this done, Avery.
AVERY: If Holland's really out here, we could come back in the morning.
[WHISPERING.]
Wait.
Did you see that? You see, there's something moving right there.
- Avery.
- How stupid do you think I am? Don't! What are you waiting for? What are you waiting for, Luce? You're waiting for your partner to show up, or maybe just looking for a good place to dump my body? No.
Put the gun down.
You think I really believe that bullshit about Holland still being alive? - It's true.
- Even if it were, it wouldn't make any difference 'cause I know you.
You don't forget.
You don't forgive.
So, is that it? You're just [CHUCKLES.]
You're just gonna shoot me? You give me one good reason why I shouldn't do that.
Because I'm the only person left on earth who knows you.
Because I'm the only person left on earth who sees you.
After everything we've been through.
- I thought - What did you think? I thought that you loved me.
- I do love you.
- [GUN COCKS.]
Please, Avery.
[BOTH GRUNT.]
For a second, I thought you'd changed your mind.
GPS crapped out.
- Let's finish this.
- No, no, no, no, not here.
Out on the water.
I don't wanna take any chance and leave any blood evidence behind or anybody finding the body, okay? So, you give me this.
Mr.
Ellery, Maria Sunderland.
It's so nice to meet you.
Please.
My husband, Avery, and I are so honored that you came all the way down here to see us.
- How was your trip? - Long.
Your little town here is pretty far off the beaten path.
Quaint, though, if you like that sort of thing.
Well, it's Louisiana's best kept secret.
Avery had to run an errand, but I know he's so excited to share his results with you.
Dinner isn't quite ready yet, but why don't you join me for a cocktail and some crab maison.
[EXHALES HEAVILY.]
Vodka martini.
Up with a twist.
Mmm.
ALEC: It's okay.
We'll just get over here.
ABBY: Alec? Let me see it.
- Take this off.
Come on.
- [GROANING.]
Stay right here.
Just relax right now, okay? What was that thing that bit me? Some kind of tendril coming from the rot.
What? It's a wound.
It's, uh It's a necrotizing fasciitis.
It is a flesh-eating bacteria.
Something like that, yeah.
[ABBY GROANS.]
The darkness.
[SCREAMS.]
Abby.
Abby, we need to go to a hospital right now.
I won't make it to the hospital.
There are plants, Chinese lantern, it's a powerful antiseptic.
They don't grow around here.
Listen to me.
But they grow somewhere.
They grow somewhere.
You can bring them.
[ABBY GROANS, PANTS.]
[PLANTS WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY.]
[GASPS.]
Stay right here.
Stay right here.
Swallow these.
Swallow.
Swallow.
Look at me.
Look at me.
Yes? What's happening? [ABBY BREATHING HEAVILY.]
It's not working.
It's not working.
Rot's fighting back.
Okay.
- Rot's fighting back.
- [SCREAMING.]
- [THUNDER RUMBLING.]
- [BOAT ENGINE THRUMMING.]
[GROANS, BREATHING SOFTLY.]
He's moving.
[AVERY GRUNTS.]
[AVERY LAUGHS.]
Well, I didn't think you had the guts, boy.
Shut up.
This is as good a place as any.
What the hell's going on here? Second fucking thoughts? Oh, no, this is gonna happen.
You turned my Matty into a murderer.
You crossed the line, Avery.
[COCKS GUN.]
You sure you can live with this, boy? MATT: Live with what? Getting rid of a monster like you before you drag me down like the rest of this town? AVERY: No, I'm just wondering if you could live with killing your own father.
- What the hell is he talking about? - That's right.
What did you think? That I was gonna take your word for it? That he was someone else's child? I had a feeling the minute I saw him.
Paid off some doctors.
They had Matt's samples.
- Is this true? - Son of a bitch.
He's my son, too! - All these years, you already knew.
- Give me the shotgun.
No, you fucking knew? I wanna know the truth! - Give me the shotgun! - I wanna know the truth! MATT: Forget about the fucking gun right now! [MATT SCREAMS.]
AVERY: God dammit! [AVERY GROANS.]
Is he dead? Is he dead? Is he dead? [GRUNTS.]
Keep some pressure on this, okay? We'll go get help.
[BOAT ENGINE SPUTTERING, THRUMMING.]
[GASPS.]
Abby.
I know, I know.
- What's happening to me? - It's okay.
Just relax.
[ABBY GROANS.]
It's a war inside of you - between the rot and the green.
- [GASPING.]
Hold on, hold on.
There's 200 species of flora inside your body.
If I could coax them all to grow and to heal [SCREAMING.]
[GASPING.]
[SCREAMING.]
Abby.
Abby.
Again, I'm so sorry that Avery's been delayed.
But, in the meantime, you should have a slice of my pecan pie.
The nuts are harvested from trees right here on the property.
To be frank, I didn't come for the cuisine.
I was promised data regarding a major breakthrough.
Your husband called in every favor he had to get this meeting, and now, he can't be bothered to show? I truly appreciate the value of your time.
And after reviewing the work of the Conclave Group, and especially your involvement in the Mod Four project.
How do you know about Mod Four? Well, I may be a small-town girl, but I still have a few friends in high places.
- Thank you.
- Mmm-hmm.
Since Avery is indisposed, um, Nadine, perhaps Dr.
Woodrue would walk us through the prospectus.
Yes.
Um, of course.
Uh If you go to page three, you'll see that we began with a naturally occurring bio-organic compound that's heavily comprised of lignin and chlorophyll.
The patient, our first test subject, suffered a severe brain injury, and was diagnosed level 7 comatose.
But after less than 12 hours of dosing with Dr.
Woodrue's formula, he regained complete consciousness two days after his injury.
Interesting.
The material we're working with is a living tissue developed right here in our laboratory, and has the ability to mutate thousands of times faster than anything else known to man or nature.
ELLERY: Mmm-hmm.
You made this yourself? Local pecans, that's the secret.
Now, if you would please turn to page seven.
[THUNDER RUMBLES.]
Abby.
Hey.
- Feeling better? - Yeah.
Thank you.
Of course.
What? What is it? Nothing.
Just the spores.
They're wearing off.
Yeah.
Well it was fun to be Alec for a day.
Come here.
We don't know what's going to happen.
All we have is right here, right now.
You just saved my life.
Yeah.
You should get some rest.
[SIGHS.]
Well, we did it.
Full funding.
Proper lab equipment, support staff.
[EXHALES.]
It's all finally happening.
And you'll be the first to benefit.
Did you enjoy dinner? It was delicious.
I only ask because, uh you seemed so quiet.
I was having a lovely time.
But who was that other couple at the table? Um, that man was named Nathan Ellery.
Oh.
And his wife? Maria.
Her name was Maria.
They seem very nice.
I'm very tired.
Of course.
Goodnight, sweetheart.
- [MATT PANTING.]
- LUCILIA: Hang in there, Matty.
God damn it, Mom.
You lied to me all these years.
I made a mistake, Matty.
- Why couldn't you just tell me, huh? - I was ashamed.
I couldn't bear the idea of Avery being in your life, of you looking up to that horrible man as your father.
You did it all for me, huh? [GROANS.]
Over here.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
[MATT SHUDDERING.]
- What the hell? - We need to come in.
Jesus Christ, you can't be here.
Maria, Matt is bleeding out.
- Let us in.
- Who the hell is this? That's Doctor Fred.
I called him from the boat.
Look, you think I wanna be here? I can't exactly bring Matt to the hospital with a knife wound.
- Please.
- [MATT GROANING HEAVILY.]
All right, bring him into the kitchen.
- [MATT GRUNTING.]
- It's okay.
[MATT GRUNTING.]
Drink it, Matty.
This was not part of the plan.
Sorry for the inconvenience, but I didn't expect the bastard to stab my son.
Did you get them to sign the paperwork? Yes.
Woodrue did his part, and the pecan pie sealed the deal.
Avery.
He's dead.
Cheer up, buttercup.
It worked.
The company is yours.
Forgive me if I don't gloat over the death of my husband.
All the lies and manipulation.
[MATT GRUNTING.]
It's been a while.
Yeah, well, remember to go by the station and file a missing person's report.
I should send someone out.
I don't wanna see you again.
We had a common goal, Lucilia, and now that it's done, I want you out of my life.
You always did think you were better than me.
Make sure you clean up all this blood before you go.
I want my kitchen spotless in the morning.
You should go.
I'll come back tomorrow.
I don't think that's a good idea.
I've been thinking, maybe there's a reason I've become what I am, you know? Like Like I'm the part of some larger plan.
What, um What kind of plan are we talking about? I don't know, but it's It's bigger than you and me.
That fight we saw in your arm, it's all around us.
Here, in this swamp.
And it's a fight to the death.
Maybe I've been turned into this thing to be a warrior in that battle.
Okay, but where does all that leave Alec Holland? Alec couldn't have saved your life.
Only this thing that I've become could do that.
You've done what you can, Abby.
Thank you.
But it's not your destiny, it's mine.
And you have a life to live, and you need to go live it.
If there is a battle to fight, I wanna fight it with you.
No.
Alec.
It's too dangerous for you out here.
This is my place.
I want you to go, and don't come back here again.
[BOAT ENGINE THRUMMING.]
[SIGHS.]
Abby, where you been? I've been saying goodbye to a friend.
You mean Alec? Yeah.
He's losing hope, Liz.
I, um I pulled a sample from the swamp that I think might help, but I'm gonna need the full resources of the CDC to investigate.
Meaning? I'm going back to Atlanta.
- Tonight.
- Atlanta? Are you sure? Well, I'm not sure about anything anymore, but I have to help him.
I know it.
I have to find a way.
[AVERY GRUNTING.]
[STRAINING.]
[GROANS.]
[GROANING, PANTING.]
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]