Marvel's Cloak and Dagger (2018) s01e09 Episode Script
Back Breaker
1 [pages rustling.]
Previously on Cloak and Dagger You're lying and you know it! One of them shot Billy, I saw it.
We've got no evidence of that.
Enough already, Ma.
You're afraid if I don't do everything just right, you're gonna lose me.
Find rich kids, slip a little somethin' into their drinks, and jack them of their rich-kid stuff.
LIAM: I got pinched.
Tandy, I put all my money into your new life.
I need your help.
All this anger inside of me.
What if I could find the person who caused it? DELGADO: It's not anger in the bottle.
It's poison.
Can I get a fifth of the O'Harren's, please? - I like making girlfriend pancakes.
- I'm your girlfriend? This was the kid, right? Hopped that yellow banister and then disappeared.
CONNORS: I killed you and buried you.
O'REILLY: Detective Connors, you're under arrest for the murder of Billy Johnson.
- PETER: Peter Scarborough.
-TANDY: I'll take the money.
Fuchs! I want celebration pancakes! [gasps.]
Come this way That's what I hear him say From somewhere beneath He takes a hold of me Gonna open the doorway To the in-between Comin' and goin' as I please When I'm all turned upside down Wrong way on a broken street Boogeyman, won't you come for me? When I'm all turned upside down And I got that achin' need Boogeyman, yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Oh, oh, come for me When I'm all turned upside down And I got that achin' need Boogeyman, yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Oh, oh, come for me Okay, let's talk about what makes a hero.
Now, as we've been discussing for the last few weeks, the best heroes, the ones we love and cherish, they follow an arc.
Odysseus, Dorothy, Rick and Morty - [laughter.]
- they've all walked the same path.
They've answered the call, met the mentor and battled the threshold guardians.
They've come out of it stronger than they've ever been.
But towards the end of that arc, when the rubber meets the road - [claps.]
- the tire blows.
Something knocks him down, hard.
And that hero regresses.
They lose everything.
Become less than they were when we met them.
Because, well, if a hero is going to be an actual hero he has to be born again, from nothing.
Trigger me I'll trigger you Only got ourselves to lose Fire me up the way you do Trigger me I'll trigger you Under my skin I can't get you outta my head Keepin' you in Can't slow down it's beatin' my chest Ooh Yeah, you know you can't help me Ooh Yeah, you know you can't help me Trigger me I'll trigger you Only got ourselves to lose Ooh Yeah, you know you can't help me Ooh Yeah, you know you can't help me Trigger, trigger me Trigger, trigger you Trigger, trigger me Yeah, you fire me up now Trigger, trigger me - Get her out of here.
- Only got ourselves to lose Fire me up the way you do Trigger me I'll trigger you There's a confession? Detective O'Reilly submitted a recording of Detective Connors discussing the death of your son, William.
We're looking into the statements made on the tape.
- Connors.
That's his name? - Yes, ma'am.
We've opened a file to look into Tyrone's version of events.
OTIS: What happens next? The detective is suspended, pending further investigation.
OTIS: And after that? It depends on our findings.
We've heard that song before.
There are eyes on these situations that weren't there before.
So you can count on the fact that a thorough examination of the evidence will be completed.
I counted on that fact eight years ago.
And here we are.
I promise, I'll keep you apprised of every development.
Thank you.
Wait.
That That's it, that's all you're gonna say? Yes, Tyrone.
We're leaving.
Are you really just walking back to the car like nothing happened? I was right! All these years I was right! Billy was exactly who I said he was.
My brother was a hero.
I don't need you to tell me who Billy was.
- Don't you dare.
- Mom Just get in the car.
I'm sure you got some schoolwork Schoolwork? Who the hell cares about schoolwork? - Watch your mouth! - Get in the car.
We will talk about this later.
[door opens.]
[door closes.]
You know what you would tell me if I was out all night.
Without your phone, any way to reach you, like, come on, I gotta get to school, and you got me worried about What were you doing? There is nothing in all the worlds that will destroy us like we will.
Oh my G How long have you been awake? How long we all gonna sleep? - Auntie - Don't Auntie me.
- Oh - Another crisis is coming.
Whether we want it to or not, it is coming.
And it is close.
And goddamn it, if we aren't doin' our best to bring it closer.
You're not makin' any sense.
What ROXXON is doin', Evita.
Diggin' up all that makes this place special.
They've set the gears in motion.
Happy to announce they are months ahead of destroying the city.
We can't stop it.
Then who can? They can.
The Divine Pairing.
- [sighs.]
- Every time.
At this point, the one has met the other.
What if he hasn't? Ask him.
Your boy, Tyrone.
I need you to get some rest, okay? He trusts you.
If there's anybody he'd tell, it'd be you.
- Ask him, please.
- Okay.
Okay, I'll ask him, okay? Just Just get some rest, please.
[sighs.]
My baby is a freak like me And she knows just what I like She carries all the keys to the places that no one dares to find She won't tell nobody I don't know what you gave me, but I am flying.
How about you? I'm getting there.
What can I do to get you here with me? You're gonna think it's lame.
I promise you, I will not.
I want to know your greatest hopes.
My greatest hopes? I recently learned that I can see into people's hopes.
- That sounds unreal.
- Mm, it very much is.
But it's also amazing.
And when I touch someone, the right someone, in the right place, I can step inside and see where their hopes are pointed.
Yours, it seems, run on one track.
But the real trick the one I've just recently been working out is that I can do more than just see hopes.
Oh, concubine, what are you made of? I can steal them, and feel them, and have them all for myself.
[sighs.]
Ironic how you let me raise hell Let it go, surrender control [phone buzzing.]
A hero's regression often begins with a trauma.
One that is in some manner a result of their actions, an unintended consequence of their newfound abilities.
The death of a loved one, an uncovered truth, or a dream that, once realized, reveals itself as a nightmare.
That trauma shocks our hero, and ushers in those same fears and insecurities that held them back before the journey began.
But these fears and insecurities that haunt them, they are now amplified.
And our hero, now more powerful, can use that power to turn their own life apart.
When everything is taken away what's left? I just feign despite the pain Strike the match, despite the rain, and light the flame A couple loose screws need tightenin' Before I strike like thunder and lightnin' I told you, I'm out of my head Devil on my shoulder, at the edge of the bed Wish I could've saved him, but it's better to instead 'Cause I got two devils and they're my best friends Friends with my demons I can mess around and let 'em out You better watch what you say what you say to me Don't need a reason I can barely keep control I got demons, and they don't do as they're told - Whoa - Demons, they visit in the night Cut the light, stabbed in the back with a knife Appetite for destruction, stuck in a maze They say just wait 'cause it's probably a phase Tear you down and break your soul with 'em Drain your dreams and eat you whole with 'em Take the prayer miracle I got a voice inside that I can't control Feel a bit of enemy energy in my veins Giving it my all, but still goin' insane Sick about the pain and I've lost control Don't think I can go it alone Hello? - Anybody home? - Tandy! Hey! Sorry, I was just, uh Are you all right? You look sick.
Just a little too much whiskey last night.
And that, my dear, is why I stick to edibles.
[bell dings.]
- Wait, are those? - Sadly, no.
They're for my dad.
He keeps asking for them, so You're taking cookies to your dad later? Oh, no.
He's joining us for brunch.
Is that cool? Yeah.
Of course.
Dad, Tandy's here.
Hey, Tandy.
Sorry about, uh I'm still tryin' to get used to my body not responding the way I want it to.
He can't move home until he can walk.
But he's making good progress.
And he's here, with us, that's all that matters.
Happy to see you two together again.
[church bell ringing.]
Why are you here? 'Cause I clocked Benny.
The question is, why isn't he here? I'm not talkin' about the fight you got in.
That's not the real reason.
So I'll ask again: Why are you here? Am I supposed to know what you're talking about? Okay.
[mutters.]
War of 1812, how did it end? Are you kidding me? I'm in your history class.
Put your arms out.
Palms up.
How did it end? Treaty of Ghent, signed in 1814.
Yes.
That was the legal end of the war, but it wasn't the end of the fighting.
The Battle of New Orleans rolled into January, yes, I know.
People continued to die in that war because no one knew it was okay to stop fighting.
And what? You think I'm fightin' a war that's over? Aren't you? Since the night Billy died, you've been fighting.
To keep your anger in check, to control your pain.
The war is over, but the battle still rages.
Who's gonna die in that one? IVAN [distant.]
: Caffeine expands the capillaries in the brain, allowing increased blood flow.
MINA [distant.]
: Which is my dad's way of saying that it helps with a headache.
IVAN: Isn't that what I said? Tandy, you okay? Fine.
- All right.
You want some tea? - Yes.
- The usual? - Yes.
- I'll put the kettle on.
- Thank you.
Have you decided what you wanna do? About ROXXON? No, I don't know.
I can't believe it's been eight years.
I mean, I know it's objectively true.
- [distantly.]
: It's just some cruel trick.
- [rumbling.]
My daughter's eight years older.
My best friend is dead.
I know I've said all this before, it's just Your father was a good man, Tandy, the best.
- I miss him every day - Excuse me.
- Hey, Tandy, are you - Fine.
Hey hey, I'm sorry about my dad, he's just he's still wrappin' his head around everything.
It's fine.
I have a confession.
I had an ulterior motive for inviting you to brunch.
I wanna offer you a job at ROXXON.
I'm sorry? Look, our department's expanding.
I know you're smart, capable.
And to be honest, any daughter of Nathan Bowen is as good as hired in my book.
[distantly.]
: You'd be working with me as we continue the work our fathers started.
What do you say? Are you in? [water boiling.]
[birds singing.]
[both gasp.]
Now you know how it feels.
[buzzing.]
It's important to know that regression is a trick, just like most aspects of story.
Our heroes can never actually regress.
They can't be who they used to be.
That person is gone.
That person is dead forever, and they're never coming back.
And our heroes, they just can't hit the reset button.
They cannot undo the most traumatic events of their life.
And there's mad luck and bad luck And what-I-could-have-had luck And it's governed by blackguards in the hills far away And there's robbers and ruses And a thousand excuses For the hard life of Ivan The hard life of Ivan MacRae PROFESSOR: But many heroes find themselves trying to do exactly that.
And they dive back into the very life they tried so desperately to escape.
Whatever it takes to stop the pain.
Whatever they can do to quell the regret.
This is a desperate play to make everything how it used to be.
Hey.
It's so good to see you, Liam.
You all right? Yeah.
Yeah, no, I just I missed you.
Really? 'Cause after I got popped, I never heard a word.
I figured you must've skipped town on me.
Then I heard that you hadn't left, so I figured you had - What? - Moved on.
No.
No Liam.
If it was possible, I'd have moved backwards.
I just it took me a while you know, to get the cash to bail you out.
But I got the cash I got you out.
I'm here.
Come on.
I have something I want you to see.
You ready to talk yet? I guess that's a no.
You do realize how close you are to expulsion, don't you? Is that what you want? So this is it, this is where you live? It is.
- It's bigger than I thought.
- It's colder, too.
Especially alone.
Things can get better, Tyrone.
Can they? They would if you let them.
Really? Because I'm pretty sure that even though I've got what I wanted, nothing is better.
That's because you've defined yourself by the worst thing that's ever happened to you.
That doesn't have to be true, Tyrone.
But first, you have to choose to end the war.
And what? Lock myself away, like you? With a bible and a bunch of pretty speeches that don't mean anything? Is that what you think my life is? I think you have no one.
I think you live in a sacred box alone, - protected.
- [church bell rings.]
Pretending that you feel this presence of God.
But in fact you really put yourself here so you don't have to feel anything.
Do you know why I live here, Liam? I thought because it was free.
But the way that you're askin' that question I always wanted to get married here.
Married? You? Yeah.
What's going on with you? What do you mean? Saying nice things, you're talking about marriage? - Yeah, so? - So since when is that you? It's so, uh, hopeful.
You know the dreams I dread the most before I go to sleep? The good ones.
The happy ones.
The hopeful ones.
Because then you wake up, and you're back to your own life, and I realized something when I was without you.
It's my own fault.
I'm the reason I dread those dreams because I'm not doing anything to make my life any better.
That's gonna stop.
I wanna build a life.
A happy one.
Finally.
The church isn't somewhere I came to hide.
It's where I found answers.
[books thud.]
- Tyrone - Do you think you or whatever you think this God is has answers for me? You have no idea what I've been through.
You don't know me.
And neither does your God because he doesn't exist.
You were a good dream, Liam.
I just had to wake up to realize it.
- Tyrone - Move.
If you walk out that door without permission - and there's nothing that I can do to - I said move! No, not until you [church bell ringing.]
[church bell ringing.]
[church bell ringing.]
[rumbling.]
[rumbling.]
TYRONE: Tandy? What the hell are you doing? [panting.]
Are you okay? Just go.
- I'm sorry.
- Now.
Now as the audience, naturally we wanna see our heroes at their best.
We root for them to save us all.
To pull themselves out of their downward spiral.
But sometimes the allure of the downward spiral is too strong.
Sometimes our heroes are too weak.
When that goes down, one of two things can happen: We either witness the death of our hero, or we realize we've been front row to the origin of something else.
The birth of a villain.
I tried to convince him to take the sergeant's exam.
He had the record for it, right? But Fuchs wouldn't give up that beat.
I rode with him a few days when we were on tactical alert.
Everyone in that damn neighborhood knew who he was.
Fuchs had won 'em over somehow.
- He was a good man.
- Yeah.
CONNORS: Anyone have a drink for me? Thank you.
To Fuchs.
ALL: Fuchs.
A great guy, a solid cop.
It's a damn tragedy that he got involved with the wrong people.
[grunts.]
[grunts.]
- If you were mine - [grunts.]
- There'd be no crime -[grunting.]
How's your little quest for justice feelin' now, New York? You really think your inadmissible YouTube videos would keep me behind bars? [grunts.]
Don't stay down too long.
You and me ain't finished yet.
Whiskey, nice and cold.
[sighs.]
We need to talk.
- Now? - It's important.
Look, I know you're goin' through a lot.
Do you? Whatever it is I can help, okay? - No, you can't.
- Yes.
Really.
I can.
But you gotta talk to me.
I was at the police station this morning.
You were? Why? - Because the cop that - TANDY: Tyrone? - Tandy, what are you? - Stay out of my head.
You really think I wanna be in there? - Obviously you do.
- Hey strangely aggressive tiny girl.
Ty's havin' a pretty awful day, so maybe you can yell at him another time.
Can you just stay outta this? Oh, no, I don't think so.
You ought to get the hell out of here [monitors beeping.]
No! Oh, my God.
How did you? It's you.
Wait, Evita.
What the hell was that? What are you doing? I didn't hurt her.
Were you doing to her what you were doing to that guy in the church? Tandy, you weren't just looking at hopes.
What do you care? I care because you did it to Evita.
What was it? Tell me.
No, I don't have to tell you anything.
What do you think, you and I are some sort of partnership? Well, we're not.
Okay? I owe you nothing.
- You came here.
- To tell you to stay out of my head, Ty.
Why the hell would I wanna be in your head? I don't need your drama in my life.
- I got enough shit in my own.
- [laughs.]
Spare me.
I'd pay money to have your problems.
Your cop confessed.
You win.
You wanna know what I won? Nothing.
Okay? Nothing's changed.
Maybe it's worse.
My dad is shut down, my mom won't even look at me.
I What, did you think you were just gonna fix your family? Jesus, Ty.
You know, let me give you a little tip from the real world, Prep School.
Nothing changes.
It just is, again and again.
Look, I know you think things are rough Rough? You saw what my dad did to my mom, right? That's me, too.
And that's what I was doing to Liam in the church, taking out all my own shit on him.
- Why? - 'Cause I'm a screwed up bitch, Tyrone.
Have you even talked to your mom about this? No.
But you know what? We're both on the same page.
If you don't hurt, you get hurt.
- That's not how I see it.
- You will if you ever grow up.
And learn there is nothing you can do to bring your big bro back.
Excuse me if I don't take wellness advice from the Bowen family.
Screw you, Tyrone.
I'll see you in your dreams.
By now, you may be wondering, what is the point of regression? Why watch our hero go through any of this? Because the story isn't about them.
It's about us.
Don't let them win your head keep your cool instead PROFESSOR: Heroes make mistakes because we do.
They do things they regret because we do.
And like most any story told, myth is a mirror.
One we hold up to see ourselves more clearly.
But that is the catch-22 of the human condition.
The inability to see ourselves for who we are.
We can often only do it through someone else's eyes.
And when we do, we may not like what they see.
So as we watch the rise and fall of our heroes, the question we ask should not be, will they be greater? Can they ascend? No.
When that rubber hits the road, and that tire blows, the question we should ask is, will we be greater? Can we ascend? Liam? Liam, are you here? I think I owe you an apology.
Liam? [phone buzzing.]
Yes, Mr.
Scarborough? I'm here now, I'll fix it.
I don't know.
The heat just started spiking.
Okay, I said I'll fix it.
Great.
Dan.
Hey, you guys.
It's probably safest if you step [gasps.]
Hey, you guys okay? - MINA: What the? - Come on! [screams.]
[police radio chattering.]
MALE DISPATCHER: Attention all units, including tactical.
Suspect in the homicide of Officer Fuchs has been identified.
Respond to 1344 Solomon Place.
This is a level four city-wide call.
Tyrone.
Sit down.
Please.
Go ahead and ask whatever you wanna ask.
Why didn't you do anything? For all those years, you never listened to me.
Never even tried.
Is that what you think happened? It is what happened.
If you were telling the truth, then that meant a cop murdered a teenage boy and covered up the crime.
And the only way to do that, means that he had help doing it.
A lot of help.
And that cop gets nervous and he decides he needs to tie up loose ends.
What happens to that little boy who's the only living witness to what he did? I wasn't afraid of them.
Well, that's a luxury that you had.
But your father and I couldn't afford that luxury.
We had to be afraid.
Because you alive or you dead, it meant nothing to them.
It still doesn't.
- And what you did - I had backup.
We got him on tape.
You had a white cop on tape confessing to killing a black kid.
Have you been paying attention, Tyrone? Because in the world that we live in, that means absolutely nothing.
So I should just, what? Throw my hands up and give up, is that what you're saying? You put yourself in their crosshairs again.
Someone has to.
Otherwise nothing will change.
I've already lost one son, Tyrone.
And if I don't stand up, it will be for nothing.
Watch your mouth.
Pull your pants up.
Take your hoodie down.
When does it end? We got all sorts of rules, but you said it best.
Even if I do everything perfect, they still could come after me.
So why be perfect? Why not stand up for the world the way it should be? What about my kids, Ma? Your grandkids.
Everyone who loves you what would happen to them if something happened to you? I watched him die.
I couldn't walk away.
No matter what it cost, I couldn't.
You are here.
Okay? Billy is dead, so you have to let it go.
Stop all of it.
The guilt.
The regret.
The fear.
I'm not sure who I am without it.
I know who you are.
I see it every day.
I see your bravery, and your intelligence, and your will power.
You're more like your brother than you'll ever know.
It inspires me, almost as much as it scares the shit out of me.
[laughs.]
[tires screeching outside.]
POLICE OFFICER: Tyrone Johnson! You are under arrest for the murder of Officer Fuchs! - Tyrone, go! - Mom, what's happening? - Go! Run! Go! Go! - Come out with your hands up! [glass shattering.]
Mom, I know you're here.
The door was unlocked, and I wanna talk about everything.
About Dad about me I don't know, I just I need to - [gunfire.]
- [screams.]
[whimpering.]
Come out, Tandy.
Who are you? WOMAN: Mr.
Scarborough sends his regards.
I'm gonna kill Mommy in three seconds unless you come out.
You know I'm not one to bluff.
Three.
PROFESSOR: When the rubber hits the road, and that tire blows Two.
we will ask ourselves the question at the center of all myth One.
PROFESSOR: Who are we? If you were mine There'd be no crime My dream's come true If I could only get a chance with you I saw you with another man Yeah, you were walking hand in hand Coming through with no more fears Now I'm drowning in my tears It's a crying shame
Previously on Cloak and Dagger You're lying and you know it! One of them shot Billy, I saw it.
We've got no evidence of that.
Enough already, Ma.
You're afraid if I don't do everything just right, you're gonna lose me.
Find rich kids, slip a little somethin' into their drinks, and jack them of their rich-kid stuff.
LIAM: I got pinched.
Tandy, I put all my money into your new life.
I need your help.
All this anger inside of me.
What if I could find the person who caused it? DELGADO: It's not anger in the bottle.
It's poison.
Can I get a fifth of the O'Harren's, please? - I like making girlfriend pancakes.
- I'm your girlfriend? This was the kid, right? Hopped that yellow banister and then disappeared.
CONNORS: I killed you and buried you.
O'REILLY: Detective Connors, you're under arrest for the murder of Billy Johnson.
- PETER: Peter Scarborough.
-TANDY: I'll take the money.
Fuchs! I want celebration pancakes! [gasps.]
Come this way That's what I hear him say From somewhere beneath He takes a hold of me Gonna open the doorway To the in-between Comin' and goin' as I please When I'm all turned upside down Wrong way on a broken street Boogeyman, won't you come for me? When I'm all turned upside down And I got that achin' need Boogeyman, yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Oh, oh, come for me When I'm all turned upside down And I got that achin' need Boogeyman, yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Yeah, he'll come for me Oh, oh, come for me Okay, let's talk about what makes a hero.
Now, as we've been discussing for the last few weeks, the best heroes, the ones we love and cherish, they follow an arc.
Odysseus, Dorothy, Rick and Morty - [laughter.]
- they've all walked the same path.
They've answered the call, met the mentor and battled the threshold guardians.
They've come out of it stronger than they've ever been.
But towards the end of that arc, when the rubber meets the road - [claps.]
- the tire blows.
Something knocks him down, hard.
And that hero regresses.
They lose everything.
Become less than they were when we met them.
Because, well, if a hero is going to be an actual hero he has to be born again, from nothing.
Trigger me I'll trigger you Only got ourselves to lose Fire me up the way you do Trigger me I'll trigger you Under my skin I can't get you outta my head Keepin' you in Can't slow down it's beatin' my chest Ooh Yeah, you know you can't help me Ooh Yeah, you know you can't help me Trigger me I'll trigger you Only got ourselves to lose Ooh Yeah, you know you can't help me Ooh Yeah, you know you can't help me Trigger, trigger me Trigger, trigger you Trigger, trigger me Yeah, you fire me up now Trigger, trigger me - Get her out of here.
- Only got ourselves to lose Fire me up the way you do Trigger me I'll trigger you There's a confession? Detective O'Reilly submitted a recording of Detective Connors discussing the death of your son, William.
We're looking into the statements made on the tape.
- Connors.
That's his name? - Yes, ma'am.
We've opened a file to look into Tyrone's version of events.
OTIS: What happens next? The detective is suspended, pending further investigation.
OTIS: And after that? It depends on our findings.
We've heard that song before.
There are eyes on these situations that weren't there before.
So you can count on the fact that a thorough examination of the evidence will be completed.
I counted on that fact eight years ago.
And here we are.
I promise, I'll keep you apprised of every development.
Thank you.
Wait.
That That's it, that's all you're gonna say? Yes, Tyrone.
We're leaving.
Are you really just walking back to the car like nothing happened? I was right! All these years I was right! Billy was exactly who I said he was.
My brother was a hero.
I don't need you to tell me who Billy was.
- Don't you dare.
- Mom Just get in the car.
I'm sure you got some schoolwork Schoolwork? Who the hell cares about schoolwork? - Watch your mouth! - Get in the car.
We will talk about this later.
[door opens.]
[door closes.]
You know what you would tell me if I was out all night.
Without your phone, any way to reach you, like, come on, I gotta get to school, and you got me worried about What were you doing? There is nothing in all the worlds that will destroy us like we will.
Oh my G How long have you been awake? How long we all gonna sleep? - Auntie - Don't Auntie me.
- Oh - Another crisis is coming.
Whether we want it to or not, it is coming.
And it is close.
And goddamn it, if we aren't doin' our best to bring it closer.
You're not makin' any sense.
What ROXXON is doin', Evita.
Diggin' up all that makes this place special.
They've set the gears in motion.
Happy to announce they are months ahead of destroying the city.
We can't stop it.
Then who can? They can.
The Divine Pairing.
- [sighs.]
- Every time.
At this point, the one has met the other.
What if he hasn't? Ask him.
Your boy, Tyrone.
I need you to get some rest, okay? He trusts you.
If there's anybody he'd tell, it'd be you.
- Ask him, please.
- Okay.
Okay, I'll ask him, okay? Just Just get some rest, please.
[sighs.]
My baby is a freak like me And she knows just what I like She carries all the keys to the places that no one dares to find She won't tell nobody I don't know what you gave me, but I am flying.
How about you? I'm getting there.
What can I do to get you here with me? You're gonna think it's lame.
I promise you, I will not.
I want to know your greatest hopes.
My greatest hopes? I recently learned that I can see into people's hopes.
- That sounds unreal.
- Mm, it very much is.
But it's also amazing.
And when I touch someone, the right someone, in the right place, I can step inside and see where their hopes are pointed.
Yours, it seems, run on one track.
But the real trick the one I've just recently been working out is that I can do more than just see hopes.
Oh, concubine, what are you made of? I can steal them, and feel them, and have them all for myself.
[sighs.]
Ironic how you let me raise hell Let it go, surrender control [phone buzzing.]
A hero's regression often begins with a trauma.
One that is in some manner a result of their actions, an unintended consequence of their newfound abilities.
The death of a loved one, an uncovered truth, or a dream that, once realized, reveals itself as a nightmare.
That trauma shocks our hero, and ushers in those same fears and insecurities that held them back before the journey began.
But these fears and insecurities that haunt them, they are now amplified.
And our hero, now more powerful, can use that power to turn their own life apart.
When everything is taken away what's left? I just feign despite the pain Strike the match, despite the rain, and light the flame A couple loose screws need tightenin' Before I strike like thunder and lightnin' I told you, I'm out of my head Devil on my shoulder, at the edge of the bed Wish I could've saved him, but it's better to instead 'Cause I got two devils and they're my best friends Friends with my demons I can mess around and let 'em out You better watch what you say what you say to me Don't need a reason I can barely keep control I got demons, and they don't do as they're told - Whoa - Demons, they visit in the night Cut the light, stabbed in the back with a knife Appetite for destruction, stuck in a maze They say just wait 'cause it's probably a phase Tear you down and break your soul with 'em Drain your dreams and eat you whole with 'em Take the prayer miracle I got a voice inside that I can't control Feel a bit of enemy energy in my veins Giving it my all, but still goin' insane Sick about the pain and I've lost control Don't think I can go it alone Hello? - Anybody home? - Tandy! Hey! Sorry, I was just, uh Are you all right? You look sick.
Just a little too much whiskey last night.
And that, my dear, is why I stick to edibles.
[bell dings.]
- Wait, are those? - Sadly, no.
They're for my dad.
He keeps asking for them, so You're taking cookies to your dad later? Oh, no.
He's joining us for brunch.
Is that cool? Yeah.
Of course.
Dad, Tandy's here.
Hey, Tandy.
Sorry about, uh I'm still tryin' to get used to my body not responding the way I want it to.
He can't move home until he can walk.
But he's making good progress.
And he's here, with us, that's all that matters.
Happy to see you two together again.
[church bell ringing.]
Why are you here? 'Cause I clocked Benny.
The question is, why isn't he here? I'm not talkin' about the fight you got in.
That's not the real reason.
So I'll ask again: Why are you here? Am I supposed to know what you're talking about? Okay.
[mutters.]
War of 1812, how did it end? Are you kidding me? I'm in your history class.
Put your arms out.
Palms up.
How did it end? Treaty of Ghent, signed in 1814.
Yes.
That was the legal end of the war, but it wasn't the end of the fighting.
The Battle of New Orleans rolled into January, yes, I know.
People continued to die in that war because no one knew it was okay to stop fighting.
And what? You think I'm fightin' a war that's over? Aren't you? Since the night Billy died, you've been fighting.
To keep your anger in check, to control your pain.
The war is over, but the battle still rages.
Who's gonna die in that one? IVAN [distant.]
: Caffeine expands the capillaries in the brain, allowing increased blood flow.
MINA [distant.]
: Which is my dad's way of saying that it helps with a headache.
IVAN: Isn't that what I said? Tandy, you okay? Fine.
- All right.
You want some tea? - Yes.
- The usual? - Yes.
- I'll put the kettle on.
- Thank you.
Have you decided what you wanna do? About ROXXON? No, I don't know.
I can't believe it's been eight years.
I mean, I know it's objectively true.
- [distantly.]
: It's just some cruel trick.
- [rumbling.]
My daughter's eight years older.
My best friend is dead.
I know I've said all this before, it's just Your father was a good man, Tandy, the best.
- I miss him every day - Excuse me.
- Hey, Tandy, are you - Fine.
Hey hey, I'm sorry about my dad, he's just he's still wrappin' his head around everything.
It's fine.
I have a confession.
I had an ulterior motive for inviting you to brunch.
I wanna offer you a job at ROXXON.
I'm sorry? Look, our department's expanding.
I know you're smart, capable.
And to be honest, any daughter of Nathan Bowen is as good as hired in my book.
[distantly.]
: You'd be working with me as we continue the work our fathers started.
What do you say? Are you in? [water boiling.]
[birds singing.]
[both gasp.]
Now you know how it feels.
[buzzing.]
It's important to know that regression is a trick, just like most aspects of story.
Our heroes can never actually regress.
They can't be who they used to be.
That person is gone.
That person is dead forever, and they're never coming back.
And our heroes, they just can't hit the reset button.
They cannot undo the most traumatic events of their life.
And there's mad luck and bad luck And what-I-could-have-had luck And it's governed by blackguards in the hills far away And there's robbers and ruses And a thousand excuses For the hard life of Ivan The hard life of Ivan MacRae PROFESSOR: But many heroes find themselves trying to do exactly that.
And they dive back into the very life they tried so desperately to escape.
Whatever it takes to stop the pain.
Whatever they can do to quell the regret.
This is a desperate play to make everything how it used to be.
Hey.
It's so good to see you, Liam.
You all right? Yeah.
Yeah, no, I just I missed you.
Really? 'Cause after I got popped, I never heard a word.
I figured you must've skipped town on me.
Then I heard that you hadn't left, so I figured you had - What? - Moved on.
No.
No Liam.
If it was possible, I'd have moved backwards.
I just it took me a while you know, to get the cash to bail you out.
But I got the cash I got you out.
I'm here.
Come on.
I have something I want you to see.
You ready to talk yet? I guess that's a no.
You do realize how close you are to expulsion, don't you? Is that what you want? So this is it, this is where you live? It is.
- It's bigger than I thought.
- It's colder, too.
Especially alone.
Things can get better, Tyrone.
Can they? They would if you let them.
Really? Because I'm pretty sure that even though I've got what I wanted, nothing is better.
That's because you've defined yourself by the worst thing that's ever happened to you.
That doesn't have to be true, Tyrone.
But first, you have to choose to end the war.
And what? Lock myself away, like you? With a bible and a bunch of pretty speeches that don't mean anything? Is that what you think my life is? I think you have no one.
I think you live in a sacred box alone, - protected.
- [church bell rings.]
Pretending that you feel this presence of God.
But in fact you really put yourself here so you don't have to feel anything.
Do you know why I live here, Liam? I thought because it was free.
But the way that you're askin' that question I always wanted to get married here.
Married? You? Yeah.
What's going on with you? What do you mean? Saying nice things, you're talking about marriage? - Yeah, so? - So since when is that you? It's so, uh, hopeful.
You know the dreams I dread the most before I go to sleep? The good ones.
The happy ones.
The hopeful ones.
Because then you wake up, and you're back to your own life, and I realized something when I was without you.
It's my own fault.
I'm the reason I dread those dreams because I'm not doing anything to make my life any better.
That's gonna stop.
I wanna build a life.
A happy one.
Finally.
The church isn't somewhere I came to hide.
It's where I found answers.
[books thud.]
- Tyrone - Do you think you or whatever you think this God is has answers for me? You have no idea what I've been through.
You don't know me.
And neither does your God because he doesn't exist.
You were a good dream, Liam.
I just had to wake up to realize it.
- Tyrone - Move.
If you walk out that door without permission - and there's nothing that I can do to - I said move! No, not until you [church bell ringing.]
[church bell ringing.]
[church bell ringing.]
[rumbling.]
[rumbling.]
TYRONE: Tandy? What the hell are you doing? [panting.]
Are you okay? Just go.
- I'm sorry.
- Now.
Now as the audience, naturally we wanna see our heroes at their best.
We root for them to save us all.
To pull themselves out of their downward spiral.
But sometimes the allure of the downward spiral is too strong.
Sometimes our heroes are too weak.
When that goes down, one of two things can happen: We either witness the death of our hero, or we realize we've been front row to the origin of something else.
The birth of a villain.
I tried to convince him to take the sergeant's exam.
He had the record for it, right? But Fuchs wouldn't give up that beat.
I rode with him a few days when we were on tactical alert.
Everyone in that damn neighborhood knew who he was.
Fuchs had won 'em over somehow.
- He was a good man.
- Yeah.
CONNORS: Anyone have a drink for me? Thank you.
To Fuchs.
ALL: Fuchs.
A great guy, a solid cop.
It's a damn tragedy that he got involved with the wrong people.
[grunts.]
[grunts.]
- If you were mine - [grunts.]
- There'd be no crime -[grunting.]
How's your little quest for justice feelin' now, New York? You really think your inadmissible YouTube videos would keep me behind bars? [grunts.]
Don't stay down too long.
You and me ain't finished yet.
Whiskey, nice and cold.
[sighs.]
We need to talk.
- Now? - It's important.
Look, I know you're goin' through a lot.
Do you? Whatever it is I can help, okay? - No, you can't.
- Yes.
Really.
I can.
But you gotta talk to me.
I was at the police station this morning.
You were? Why? - Because the cop that - TANDY: Tyrone? - Tandy, what are you? - Stay out of my head.
You really think I wanna be in there? - Obviously you do.
- Hey strangely aggressive tiny girl.
Ty's havin' a pretty awful day, so maybe you can yell at him another time.
Can you just stay outta this? Oh, no, I don't think so.
You ought to get the hell out of here [monitors beeping.]
No! Oh, my God.
How did you? It's you.
Wait, Evita.
What the hell was that? What are you doing? I didn't hurt her.
Were you doing to her what you were doing to that guy in the church? Tandy, you weren't just looking at hopes.
What do you care? I care because you did it to Evita.
What was it? Tell me.
No, I don't have to tell you anything.
What do you think, you and I are some sort of partnership? Well, we're not.
Okay? I owe you nothing.
- You came here.
- To tell you to stay out of my head, Ty.
Why the hell would I wanna be in your head? I don't need your drama in my life.
- I got enough shit in my own.
- [laughs.]
Spare me.
I'd pay money to have your problems.
Your cop confessed.
You win.
You wanna know what I won? Nothing.
Okay? Nothing's changed.
Maybe it's worse.
My dad is shut down, my mom won't even look at me.
I What, did you think you were just gonna fix your family? Jesus, Ty.
You know, let me give you a little tip from the real world, Prep School.
Nothing changes.
It just is, again and again.
Look, I know you think things are rough Rough? You saw what my dad did to my mom, right? That's me, too.
And that's what I was doing to Liam in the church, taking out all my own shit on him.
- Why? - 'Cause I'm a screwed up bitch, Tyrone.
Have you even talked to your mom about this? No.
But you know what? We're both on the same page.
If you don't hurt, you get hurt.
- That's not how I see it.
- You will if you ever grow up.
And learn there is nothing you can do to bring your big bro back.
Excuse me if I don't take wellness advice from the Bowen family.
Screw you, Tyrone.
I'll see you in your dreams.
By now, you may be wondering, what is the point of regression? Why watch our hero go through any of this? Because the story isn't about them.
It's about us.
Don't let them win your head keep your cool instead PROFESSOR: Heroes make mistakes because we do.
They do things they regret because we do.
And like most any story told, myth is a mirror.
One we hold up to see ourselves more clearly.
But that is the catch-22 of the human condition.
The inability to see ourselves for who we are.
We can often only do it through someone else's eyes.
And when we do, we may not like what they see.
So as we watch the rise and fall of our heroes, the question we ask should not be, will they be greater? Can they ascend? No.
When that rubber hits the road, and that tire blows, the question we should ask is, will we be greater? Can we ascend? Liam? Liam, are you here? I think I owe you an apology.
Liam? [phone buzzing.]
Yes, Mr.
Scarborough? I'm here now, I'll fix it.
I don't know.
The heat just started spiking.
Okay, I said I'll fix it.
Great.
Dan.
Hey, you guys.
It's probably safest if you step [gasps.]
Hey, you guys okay? - MINA: What the? - Come on! [screams.]
[police radio chattering.]
MALE DISPATCHER: Attention all units, including tactical.
Suspect in the homicide of Officer Fuchs has been identified.
Respond to 1344 Solomon Place.
This is a level four city-wide call.
Tyrone.
Sit down.
Please.
Go ahead and ask whatever you wanna ask.
Why didn't you do anything? For all those years, you never listened to me.
Never even tried.
Is that what you think happened? It is what happened.
If you were telling the truth, then that meant a cop murdered a teenage boy and covered up the crime.
And the only way to do that, means that he had help doing it.
A lot of help.
And that cop gets nervous and he decides he needs to tie up loose ends.
What happens to that little boy who's the only living witness to what he did? I wasn't afraid of them.
Well, that's a luxury that you had.
But your father and I couldn't afford that luxury.
We had to be afraid.
Because you alive or you dead, it meant nothing to them.
It still doesn't.
- And what you did - I had backup.
We got him on tape.
You had a white cop on tape confessing to killing a black kid.
Have you been paying attention, Tyrone? Because in the world that we live in, that means absolutely nothing.
So I should just, what? Throw my hands up and give up, is that what you're saying? You put yourself in their crosshairs again.
Someone has to.
Otherwise nothing will change.
I've already lost one son, Tyrone.
And if I don't stand up, it will be for nothing.
Watch your mouth.
Pull your pants up.
Take your hoodie down.
When does it end? We got all sorts of rules, but you said it best.
Even if I do everything perfect, they still could come after me.
So why be perfect? Why not stand up for the world the way it should be? What about my kids, Ma? Your grandkids.
Everyone who loves you what would happen to them if something happened to you? I watched him die.
I couldn't walk away.
No matter what it cost, I couldn't.
You are here.
Okay? Billy is dead, so you have to let it go.
Stop all of it.
The guilt.
The regret.
The fear.
I'm not sure who I am without it.
I know who you are.
I see it every day.
I see your bravery, and your intelligence, and your will power.
You're more like your brother than you'll ever know.
It inspires me, almost as much as it scares the shit out of me.
[laughs.]
[tires screeching outside.]
POLICE OFFICER: Tyrone Johnson! You are under arrest for the murder of Officer Fuchs! - Tyrone, go! - Mom, what's happening? - Go! Run! Go! Go! - Come out with your hands up! [glass shattering.]
Mom, I know you're here.
The door was unlocked, and I wanna talk about everything.
About Dad about me I don't know, I just I need to - [gunfire.]
- [screams.]
[whimpering.]
Come out, Tandy.
Who are you? WOMAN: Mr.
Scarborough sends his regards.
I'm gonna kill Mommy in three seconds unless you come out.
You know I'm not one to bluff.
Three.
PROFESSOR: When the rubber hits the road, and that tire blows Two.
we will ask ourselves the question at the center of all myth One.
PROFESSOR: Who are we? If you were mine There'd be no crime My dream's come true If I could only get a chance with you I saw you with another man Yeah, you were walking hand in hand Coming through with no more fears Now I'm drowning in my tears It's a crying shame