Warning: Spoiler Alert
Luke and Malina sit in a traffic jam with the Frady siblings in the back while the radio speculates on the ‘event’ that they were not warned about. One of the details discussed is the information released by Hero Truther (Micah) that vindicates the Evos and implicates Renautas. This is also the first example of the public at large being warned of the two solar flares destined for earth that will wipe a massive chunk of people.
Despite the video that has surfaced, Tommy seems committed to Erica’s plan as a lesser of evils. Tommy takes his seat in the ‘magnifier’ seat. Tommy’s first group are teleported successfully.
Ren arrives at Gateway like a fugitive looking at a police roadblock when the security guards surround him. Regardless of his immediate fears, his name is on ‘the list’. He passes the first checkpoint.
Luke and Malina pull up to, ironically, a police roadblock. It’s very clear they are looking for someone. That’s when Phoebe suggests they are looking for Malina. Public Enemy #1. Instead of running, Luke decides that perhaps, the easiest way to find Tommy is to make their location known so that he can find them. How? By making the news.
With Taylor in tow, Parkman barges in to confront Erica and her betrayal regarding the safety of his family. Before Erica can adequately respond, he extends his gun to Taylor and using his power, compels her to point the gun at her own temple. Eventually Erica does what she does and attempts to rationalize her actions putting the blame of Parkman’s situation on Parkman. That’s when Parkman turns the tables on her. Forcing her to grant Parkman’s request.
Parkman: It would be such a shame for you to lose your daughter…and your grandchild. Oops. Taylor didn’t mention that did she?
Tommy decides to take a break from the exhausting work of transporting people to the future when he overhears that the plan is to transport 12,000 selected people and not as many as possible as he was promised. He doesn’t wait for an explanation, he teleports himself out of there.
Taylor seems to take some level of joy in throwing the truth of the father of her unborn child in Erica’s face. Insinuating that this is a notion and a feeling that should be completely foreign to Erica. Which is not exactly the case. Cue the flashback sequence. When Erica Kravid was about Taylor’s age her father was very close to death. The doctor working the house call admitted there was nothing more medically he could do. Then by killing a fly and bringing it back to life suggests that he could save her father with other means, but she would have to keep it a secret. She agrees, then the doctor assumes something more as his hand moves up her leg. He advances despite his advances being clearly unwanted.
With the new information that Tommy has disappeared, Erica decides to ‘table’ the grandchild discussion. This is unacceptable to Taylor. As Erica makes her way past and to the door, Taylor emotes enough to channel a power she didn’t know she had, exploding a set of glassware behind her. Taylor seems pleased that she’s an evo. Erica maintains that it could not be her as she’s been tested. The power must come from someone else. The camera pans down to catch Taylor stroking her belly. Taylor demands to see Francis.
Luke walks the siblings into the forest behind Primatech. Quentin becomes skeptical that they are actually headed for Primatech. Phoebe then tries pushing Luke’s buttons suggesting that if he had the wherewithal to kill them he would have done it. He raises his gun and Quentin bumps him just enough to jar the gun loose as Phoebe runs for the hills. She breaks free from her restraints and removing the nasal device that prevents her from using her powers. She sets her power towards Luke (which doesn’t really make a ton of sense to me at that moment considering its night and his power is dependent on the sun) as Quentin runs up on him. Quentin has Luke’s gun pointed at Luke. After a short pause, long enough for Phoebe to get out of sight, Quentin turns the gun over presenting it to Luke.
Luke: If you do this, you’re with us ’til the end. No going back to your sister.
Quentin: That’s not my sister.
Ren is greeted inside the Gateway facility by a Renautas associate. Ironically, everyone in Odessa Texas apparently have become linguistic experts and all of them can accurately pronounce Ren’s last name, Shimosawa. He is still confused but goes along. He takes a seat next to Emily who looks like she’s carrying the weight of the world. She’s concerned for Tommy’s intentions. Ren begins to tell her that he’s looking for the master of time and space. Getting their wires crossed slightly, she replies that she’s dating the master of time and space.
Tommy finds his mother as she is being escorted away by some of Erica’s guards. Before they can notice his presence, Tommy freezes time, then unfreezes Anne. While admitting that he is no longer helping Erica due to her lies, he does need to show Anne the one thing she didn’t lie about. He then teleports them both to the future Gateway. Tommy is still stuck on the idea that he can save everyone and that’s where his focus should be. He doesn’t know if he can prevent it and that fear seems to be governing his decisions. Anne makes her point about trusting himself and he teleports them back to the rendezvous point for he and Malina.
Taylor continues to jab Erica and Erica resorts to a popular guilt trip tactic. “Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you”. Which of course Taylor isn’t buying. Cue another flashback sequence. Pregnant young Erica hunched over a toilet and her now healthy father inquiring as to how she feels. There is almost an admission that the father of the child might have taken advantage then she walks that back. Her father then makes it very clear that he will support any ‘decision’ she makes regarding her pregnancy.
Taylor demands to see Francis again and Erica lets her believe that’s where Erica is taking her only to lead her into a group of security guards. Gun pointed at Erica, Taylor wants desperately to know what she did to cause her mother to hate her so much. Cue flashback sequence. This one, has Erica and child Taylor. Taylor is sick coughing up blood and there is only one person she can think to call. He claims he can help, with a look in his eyes that says, “for a favor”. After he heals her, he makes the observation that Taylor looks a lot like him. Even suggests that her ‘powers could manifest’ at any time. The doctor decides the best course for young Taylor is to have her live with him, adding that Erica didn’t have a choice. A pair of large scissors to the back of the doctor’s head would beg to differ.
Back to the present, Erica orders her guards to leave as she walks her face right into the barrel of Taylor’s gun. Then she admits that Taylor is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to her. Taylor lowers her gun. They both decide to start over with the new world. Erica needs Taylor to make the decision to go to the future, even if that means sacrificing billions of people in the process. Then Taylor says something that brings Erica to an emotional low we have not seen to this point.
Taylor (with tears in her eyes): Thank you mother. As usual, you’re be very generous. But I’d rather die than live in an empty world with you.
Luke, Malina and Quentin walk through Claire Bennett’s high school. Malina even stops to glance at a picture of her mother. Luke suggests they get moving, as he put it, “I owe your brother an apology”. They walk to center court of the school’s gymnasium. He asks her to remove her hood. He tells her that they want her to be noticed. Specifically, by the news crew in the gym. She stands in front of the school’s seal, giving Tommy a reference point if and when he sees the broadcast. Spinning trash out of a trash can and igniting it on fire, she’s effectively grabbed everyone’s attention. News crew included.
Farah and Micah walk into an abandoned convenient store where Farah instantly recognized Malina on the television. She is making a direct appeal to Tommy to find her at the school in question. Farah knows Tommy must see this message. Something Micah should be able to help with. Tommy teleports back to Anne’s location frustrated and certain he has to go back in time to find Malina. Just then Anne receives a transition on her cell phone. Micah has successfully uploaded the video to anything that can receive the signal.
Erica’s new weapon, Joanne has been sent to secure Malina. Tommy arrives just after Joanne does. Otomo was also sent as insurance. He finds Tommy first and pixelates him. Joanne takes a shot and the gym clears out. Sunlight abruptly penetrates the gym restoring Luke’s power as he begs Joanne not to do what she’s about to do. He makes an appeal that this action will not avenge their son and she stands firm that this is all she has. Malina stands up thinking she can stop the bullets. She is not successful as she was the target. Instinctively, Luke fires back…incinerating his former wife and mother of his late son.
Carlos, Farah and Micah had also made it to the gym. Farah tells the others to stay back as she is going in. She disappears and at least this viewer temporarily lost track of that detail. When Quentin goes to roll Malina over, Farah reveals herself. She took the bullet to save Malina. Carlos picks Farah up and takes her to the hospital while Luke and Malina move on.
Ren believes the Renautas building is level 10 from Evernow, or at least the inspiration for the design. He also believes that Otomo designed this place and the elevators can lead them to the core. Inside the elevator, there is no power. But there is a button with an imprint. The imprint of the Helix or Godsend symbol. Matching the necklace that Ren has been wearing.
Parkman tries to reach Janice as he drives towards her with the Gateway watches in the passenger seat. It appears he’s speaking to voicemail when there is an electric surge overhead. Then a moment later, he loses all control of his vehicle tumbling end over end until it reaches a stop at the edge of a creek. He looks over to find the two watches intended for his wife and daughter floating down the creek. With everyone in full evacuation mode, it is not likely that anyone will easily find Matt Parkman in time.
Otomo stands before Erica wanting her (as with Parkman) to honor her end of their deal. He pauses and comments about the terrible things he’s done to keep his daughter safe. Erica follows it up by suggesting they should never be ashamed of the things they’ve done for their children. Cue the final flashback sequence. Young Erica tries to take in what she’s done the doctor when there is a knock at the door. It’s a young(er) Casper there to clean up her ‘mess’. Erica has no interest in forgetting anything. She does however, have some interest in helping young Taylor forget.
Inside the ‘core’ Ren and Emily witness Otomo’s final act. With the master of time and space imprisoned, they are ready to put him online. Just as Emily asks Ren what he means, Erica’s engineer stabs Otomo in the neck with a syringe. When Otomo pixelated Tommy it apparently was to imprison him-the new master of time and space. The construct seems to be just as vast as it was when it house Hiro Nakamura, but now it looks incomplete. As if someone splashed acid on it. A blue, eroding acid eating at portions of the construct.
If the promo for next week’s season finale, you are definitely not going to want to miss next week’s episode. And by some related extension, NJATVS coverage of the finale.
