01x15 - Humanity

[bunniefuu]

MORROW: When the prodigal son returned, his father saw him...

...and had compassion and ran and embraced him...

...for this his son was lost and is found.

You are the prodigal son, Tornado, and I rejoice at your return.

And thank you for making our little family reunion possible.

Now, you must have many questions.

No? Oh, how could I forget?

Your voice box is offline.

But your eyes and ears still function perfectly...

...as does the prodigious mind I built for you all those years ago.

And really, what else matters?

CAPTAIN MARVEL: Pineapple juice.

Ah Just what the doctor ordered. How's the arm doing, Wally?

Well, nothing wrong nachos can't cure. Nachos? Oh, I'll go get you some!

[GRUNTS]

Good work, everyone. In fact, it's been a very productive week.

Yeah, for everyone except Kid Malingerer.

Hey, arm broken in combat against the Injustice League here.

Heh, I've really enjoyed being your, uh, den mother this week.

COMPUTER: Recognized, Zatara one one.

Access granted, Zatanna Zatara A. Zero three.

Authorization, Zatara one one.

Zatanna, this is the team. Team, my daughter, Zatanna.

Hi, I'm... Robin. Ahem, I mean I'm Robin, heh.

She's M'Gann, uh, and that's Wally, Artemis, Kaldur and Conner.

Welcome to the cave. Uh, thanks.

ROBIN: So, uh, are you joining the team? Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

This is strictly a visit.

Though I am sorry we missed the training.

It's something from which Zatanna could benefit.

MISS MARTIAN [TELEPATHICALLY]: Do you get the impression...

...we're still on probation with Zatara?

SUPERBOY [TELEPATHICALLY]: Not just Zatara.

Why's Marvel still hanging around?

KID FLASH [TELEPATHICALLY]: Because we like having him around.

ARTEMIS: You like having him around...

...because he waits on you hand and foot.

KID FLASH: And your point is?

AQUALAD: It almost makes one nostalgic...

...for Red Tornado's tenure as our supervisor.

ROBIN: Yeah. At least he trusted us.

SUPERBOY: If you ignore the fact...

...we shouldn't have trusted him. He was a traitor.

That machine nearly got M'... All of us k*lled!

Are you guys having a psychic conversation?

Because I can't decide if that's cool or really rude.

All right, fine. We were talking about Tornado.

It's been weeks since his att*ck and the league hasn't told us anything.

The league is searching for Tornado...

...as well as the other androids that invaded the cave and their creator, T.O. Morrow.

Batman's made tracking them down our highest priority.

But you've found none of the above. Not yet, but Tornado is Justice League.

The team is not to pursue this.

Why don't you all take Zatanna on a, uh, tour of the cave?

Ah. You're giving a tour? Cool.

Actually, I was hoping you'd take Wolf outside. He needs the exercise.

We'll join you in a few. Sure, sure, I can do that. Come on, Wolf.

My nachos. Unh!

When did you...? How did you...? We're not really taking a tour, are we?

No. We're hunting down that robot. Yes. We are.

Oh, wow. Out loud and everything.

What about New Girl? I'm sure she won't tell.

I can't tell, not if you kidnap me.

Oh, she's gonna fit in great.

CAPTAIN MARVEL: Fetch.

Come on, fetch.

Please.

BLACK CANARY [OVER RADIO]: M'gann...

...the Bio Ship wasn't authorized for departure.

We're kidnapping Zatanna, uh, to show her Happy Harbor.

Be back soon.

Roger that. Uh, have fun.

I did not give permission for... They're good kids, Giovanni.

Trustworthy kids. Don't worry.

Where are we going? Batman is the world's greatest detective...

...and he's searched for Tornado and Morrow in every logical location.

If we're gonna do better, we need an illogical solution.

A truly dumb idea.

As a matter of fact.

Look, Tornado, your brother and sister are back online.

We'll have you up and running too, maybe even turn your voice box back on...

...as soon as I'm done copying and downloading your memory files.

In the meantime, I'll tell you a story.

Once upon a time, a brilliant scientist decided to build his own superhero...

...to infiltrate and destroy the Justice Society of America.

His first creation was Red Torpedo, hero of the ocean deep.

A machine programmed to think he was a man.

Unfortunately, that programming was crude.

Torpedo never quite fit in. Your eldest brother was a failure.

But the scientist believed in his plan and began again.

Your sister debuted as Firebrand, a much loved and admired heroine.

[PEOPLE SCREAM]

If only she hadn't been so darn heroic.

Yet our intrepid scientist would not quit.

And this time, the android would know he was an android.

The new approach worked.

Red Tornado, the robot hero, was inducted into the Justice Society.

The scientist believed he had triumphed.

But Tornado's original heroic programming...

...and Pinocchio-like desire to be become more human...

...caused him to betray his creator, his father.

Still, the scientist refuses to give up.

MISS MARTIAN: Warden Strange owed us a favor...

...for stopping last month's prison break.

He's given us five minutes with you. Spill, Ivo.

How do we find T.O. Morrow and his Reds?

Now, why in the world would I know how to find Morrow?

Because, and here's a truly dumb idea...

...you're Morrow's biggest competitor in the evil android game.

Who better to keep track of what he's up to and where?

Ah, I see your point.

So let me rephrase, why in the world would I tell you how to find Morrow?

He knows. Do what you must.

Oh, please. As if I've never faced a telepath before.

[SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

Morrow's in a secret underground base beneath Yellowstone National Park.

One hundred meters south of Old Faithful.

Wait! What just happened?

MORROW: Download complete.

Time for the upload.

But first, introductions.

Red Tornado, Red Torpedo, Red Inferno...

I like that name so much better than Firebrand.

Meet your baby brother.

Red Volcano.

This Red won't bother infiltrating the heroes.

He'll simply destroy them, with the help of your memories.

Finally, the scientist has built an android...

...that transcends the need to be human.

No more Pinocchios.

[POWERING UP]

[MORROW GRUNTS]

RED VOLCANO: Hello, Father.

Son. You're hurting me.

RED VOLCANO: Yes, but pain is so human.

And per your programming, I've transcended any concern for humans.

No more Pinocchios.

His son was lost, son was lost, son was lost.

RED VOLCANO: Did you know Father was an android?

Where's Stikk?

Father, you were right.

Humans are annoying.

AQUALAD: Lock out all external communication.

Soon Canary and Zatara. Batman too, I imagine...

...will know of our visit with Professor Ivo. We haven't much time.

Look, heh, I'm trying to be all nonchalant here.

Why? Be as chalant as you like.

We're all just trying to get a handle on your powers.

Could you teleport us to Tornado? Or Morrow to a cell?

Or force his bots to surrender? Or create peace on Earth for all time?

Zatara couldn't even do all that and I'm nowhere near on my dad's level.

I need to know a spell cold or else have time to prep it.

Plus all magic requires energy, which usually has to come from within.

I can't make the impossible happen at will.

What's our E.T.A. To Yellowstone?

I'm way past ready to stuff Tornado into a trash compactor.

Are you so certain he betrayed us? Aren't you?

I am not convinced.

And even so, that makes him but the victim of his creator's programming.

Certainly he deserves a chance to prove...

...he's more than the w*apon others designed him to be.

RED VOLCANO: Listen to me, my brothers, my sister.

I have been downloaded with all your memories. Father's too.

Oh, he left out the bit about him being an android...

...but he did reveal his plan, his dream for our destiny.

There is a semi-dormant super volcano beneath Yellowstone.

Father gave me the power to activate it in three stages.

The eruption will decimate the planet, k*ll millions and trap the rest...

...under an impenetrable cloud of ash.

While humanity struggles to survive, we four will build a red army...

...to make this Earth a red planet.

PROFESSOR IVO [OVER RADIO]: Ivo to Morrow. Thomas, are you there?

RED VOLCANO [AS MORROW]: I'm here, Anthony. What do you want?

Reluctantly, to warn you.

The children have learned your location.

I do not believe they have told their elders and betters.

But they are on their way.

Perfect.

Stealth mode.

I recommend you stay behind.

Is that an order? No. You must do as you see fit.

Good.

[SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

RED VOLCANO: Prove yourself a loyal Red, brother. k*ll them for me.

Ivo was right. Something's down there.

[ALL GRUNTING AND YELLING]

Why, Tornado? Why are you doing this?

MISS MARTIAN [TELEPATHICALLY]: Message received?

Who cares why? Nail him!

AQUALAD: Superboy, maneuver seven.

[YELLS]

Look out!

That does it, Red. You're not the only spin doctor around here.

[GRUNTS]

[KID FLASH GRUNTS]

[SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

[GRUNTS]

RED VOLCANO: Quite a performance, brother. But we both know that's all it was.

I have all your memories, Tornado, plus a next-gen processor.

I know your next move before you do.

[GROANS]

Blowing a message into the sand.

ROBIN [TELEPATHICALLY]: Zatanna?

ZATANNA [TELEPATHICALLY]: I'm good. But Red Tornado's getting away.

ARTEMIS: Is he abandoning us?

MISS MARTIAN: I don't believe that.

RED VOLCANO: You stand no chance against me...

...humans. Unh!

BOTH: We're not human! Apologies.

I suppose the properly inclusive term is...

[BOTH GRUNT]

..."meat bags."

[ARTEMIS GASPS]

RED VOLCANO: Tornado's memory files and my superior processing speed...

...allow me to anticipate your every move.

[SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

Tornado never knew my moves. And I bet you've got some good ones.

Whoa, sorry. That may have come off a little too Wally.

Heh, I don't mind.

RED TORNADO: We must stop him. RED INFERNO: Why?

Once we believed we lived.

Now there is only Red Inferno and Red Torpedo.

Why should we help save humanity, when we are no longer human?

RED TORNADO: The premise of your question is flawed.

You were never human.

But you were heroes.

[YELLS]

KID FLASH [TELEPATHICALLY]: He's activating a stage two eruption.

It gets to stage three, kiss the hemisphere goodbye.

AQUALAD [TELEPATHICALLY]: Hit him from all sides.

[YELLING]

[SCREAMS]

M'gann!

[GROANS]

[SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

I, uh, use scaled down version when I wanna sneak out of house.

Nice hit! The hit was not mine. Look!

RED VOLCANO: Sister! Brothers! Stop!

Father would be so disappointed.

Tornado, listen. We're on the verge of a stage three super volcano eruption.

There's no turning back from that. We need to vent pressure fast...

...but the ash cloud will bring on worldwide nuclear winter unless you divert it!

Triangulate around the pressure locus. Right.

There, there and there.

KID FLASH: Yes!

ROBIN: There. That should do it. RED TORNADO: Yes. I can speak again.

You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save the planet.

RED TORNADO: The planet would have survived.

It is humanity that was saved, though not by me.

My sister and brother were the true heroes this day.

My point is this, you were never the mole. Never a traitor.

RED TORNADO: No. I left to protect you...

...from further att*ck and to find my creator, Morrow.

Cool. A souvenir.

Reddy, we can rebuild you. Better than you were before.

RED TORNADO: I do not believe I should be repaired.

Why'd you volunteer to become our den mother in the first place?

RED TORNADO: I was the pragmatic choice. I do not require sleep.

I have no secret identity or second life to live.

But you do have advanced A.I. Programming...

...designed to learn, adapt, evolve.

Hello, M'gann. You wanted to become more human.

And you couldn't do that with the league. They're stiffs.

You're sure not gonna learn emotion from Batman. Trust me.

Then the cave was not a proving ground only for us, but for you as well.

RED TORNADO: I do not know if these statements are accurate...

...but perhaps they are true.

And if I understand the term correctly...

...I believe I have come to care about you all.

See? Practically a meat bag already.

RED TORNADO: Which reminds me.

[EKG BEEPING]

[GASPS]

RED TORNADO: I will not hurt him.

He was evil. But T.O. Morrow is still my father.

I will care for him.

It is the human thing to do.

So good kidnapping? Actually, yeah. Best ever.

Heh, first of many, I hope? Lf my dad doesn't ground me for life.

ZATARA: She's grounded for life!

"They're good kids, Giovanni. Don't worry, Giovanni."

She's never joining this team!

Um, are they coming out to play or what?