02x04 - Nok Aaut

Episode transcripts for the 2016 TV show "Underground". Aired March 2016 - May 2017.*
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"Underground" zeroes in on the getaway plans of Noah and a group of slaves planning a 600-mile escape from a Georgia plantation.
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02x04 - Nok Aaut

Post by bunniefuu »

Previously on Underground (grunts)

NOAH: The longer we stand out here fightin', the less chance we got of gettin' Rosalee back.

Who knows what they doin' to her?

CATO: Ain't nobody care about that house girl.

We have to disrupt their happy little lives.

Anyone tries to follow me, your massa gets it.

(man laughing)

CATO: He's not the massa.

I am.

- Bo.

You can't be up here.

- I got another one.

Now's not a good time.

Massa'll be out any second.

I think it important.

Come on.

What it say?

Come on, now, what it say?

It says Kansas is bleeding and all the massas is worried about somebody named John Brown coming across the river and stealing slaves.

I heard Massa talking to the mistress about sending all the field slaves down south.

Gonna hire 'em off to a sugar plantation.

Massa Trenton sellin' his slaves straightaway, too.

"We strongly advise you to take similar action.

" What does that mean?

It means Massa Fellow might move or sell me and mine soon.

Daniel, I been thinkin' on it.

I want you to teach me how to read, too.

You don't know what you askin'.

- I know the risks I get caught.

- Ain't about the risk.

Reading.

It's a curse.

All the words, they gave voice to feelings I never told nobody.

Not even my Bette.

And I'm crushin' under the weight of the knowledge.

It opens up the world to you and shows you how small the one they got us chained to is.

I roll up with 20 dons, every one of them are getting in On my guest list, straight to the VIP section Presidential is the way that we stepped in I'm not a side man, but I'm come through the side exit I capped 'cause of the amount that I'm spending My g*ng fly guy, looking expensive Gonna need them bottles on ice in a red drip Cool, all of my dons at the dance with VIP treatment Calm, looking to lock off the dance and leave with a diva Shut down everything and roll out, shut down everything And roll out, shut down everything and roll out Calm Shut down everything, watching them watching me As I stepped in, I'm looking at her chest, not her necklace Stroll up straight like I won't be effectin' Everybody's acting ratchet and reckless Cool, all of my dons at the dance with VIP treatment Calm, looking to lock off the dance and leave with a diva Ah What do you see when you look at this sculpture?

Timelessness.

Hmm.

At one time, in his time, he was just like us.

Now, cast in a different form, he's hardened.

Immortal.

He's been afforded some greater purpose.

A second life.

Who do you suppose he was before?

There's such strength in his stance.

The way his eyes look beyond everything.

It's like they've never known defeat.

Perhaps a warrior?

Or a leader of men.

You see something else?

What he's carved from.

We can't see him without looking at a shadow of ourselves.

Maybe that's his purpose.

A standard, demanding better of us.

If only we, too, were carved of stone.

But what's the fun in that?

(chuckles softly)

At least we can be grateful to the donor, Mr.

Powell, for sponsoring such a rare and daring work.

(clears throat)

Pardon me.

Your carriage is waiting, Mr.

Powell.

Ah A reporter from the Ripley Bee has confirmed their appearance.

That paper has a wide circulation on both sides of the river.

It's just the kind of exposure we need to influence the vote.

We should open with our best arguments against the reform.

Or draw him in by tugging on his heartstrings first.

The recitation of the Frances Harper poem should do that.

What's the current speaking order?

Elizabeth has the list.

Elizabeth?

The list?

Yes, uh um, I have it here.

S-Somewhere.

Um Why don't we get this outside?

- It'll dry quicker.

- Okay.

Great.

If this is too much or if it's too fast after John, - we do not have to - No, it's Here it is.

I was surprised not to see your name on it.

I'm a better organizer than an orator.

That's not true.

The passion you evoke in everyday conversation when speaking about the cause, it inspires me to action.

I'm sure others would feel the same.

Isn't that what this rally is for?

Perhaps.

But someone needs to be on hand to watch over those boys from Lawrence.

They'll do anything to keep a pro-sl*very legislator from taking that seat.

The way you all speak about them, I mean, how rough a crowd should I be expecting?

Honestly?

Mr.

Brown's followers are always up to something.

We all want the same outcome when it comes to abolition, but we believe in very different methods.

I read about the raids his men carried out a few months back.

Slaughtering sleeping families with swords.

It seems unbelievable.

I thought it was just Southern propaganda.

Some of it is, but (tapping)

Do you hear that?

I do.

It's coming from the tunnel.

(tapping continues)

Rosalee?

Rosalee.

(water splashing softly)

(breathing deeply)

FRANCIS: Plant your feet and watch my shoulder.

My eyes can lie, but my shoulder drops in.

Keep your hands up.

Block.

There.

I've seen many a fighter go down at the hands of his opponent.

But many more knock themselves out.

(grunting)

(groans)

CATO: That's enough for today.

(sighs)

(sniffs, clears throat)

What the hell am I doin' here?

You're welcome.

For the bed.

For the suit.

For not turning you back over to the marshals to hang.

I ain't thankin' you for none of that.

You haven't been to Philadelphia before, have you?

(chuckles)

No, of course you haven't.

How 'bout we stretch our legs then?

Dépasse tes limites, dépasse tes limites Sois ambitieux, courageux Déterminé, va chercher le titre Dépasse tes limites, dépasse tes limites Lève-toi, bats-toi, fais partie (gasps)

Watch it, you bloody wog.

- (chuckles)

- Come again, friend?

Cato, don't.

Let's just have another drink, okay?

All right.

One more drink.

Cato, no!

- (grunts)

- (gasping)

(murmuring)

Next round's on me.

DEVI: You're crazy.

CATO: Devi, I wasn't looking for a fight, - but he insulted you.

- Words.

He used words against me.

Petty and terrible, but nothing worse than a child's tantrum.

- Congratulations on obliging him in that.

- I was protecting you.

You were no more protecting me than I was in actual danger.

You think your money means you can do whatever you want.

I can.

Then why aren't you?

Because everywhere you take me, there's no reflections of us.

It's just rich and white, it's like you're trying to prove you belong there.

This is the first time I'm hearing you complain about the life my money affords you.

Stop.

Devi, stop No, don't touch me!

I don't want your money or your things.

Then what do you want?

I want to know you.

There is much in your past you keep hidden.

I was hoping, in time, you'd trust me enough to tell me.

It's not about trust, I trust you.

Then tell me.

Why?

You couldn't understand anyway.

What exactly would I fail to understand?

I'm British Indian at a time when one occupies the other.

Looked at as different and dangerous.

I've been called every slur in the book.

And I've been called - every slur without the word ever being said.

- Devi, just Being treated less-than is not an American invention.

You, and you alone, do not own the pain and humiliation of it.

What I've seen, what I've done if I tell you, you wouldn't be able to look at me.

You wouldn't see a man, you would see a monster!

I'm not going anywhere.

Two drops of the laudanum, three times a day.

And that will keep her under.

When her body has time to heal, we'll start to wean her off it.

Will it affect the baby?

It shouldn't.

But you're not sure?

Without knowing the extent of what she endured, there's, there's just no knowing.

(exhales)

I must get back to the hospital.

Thank you for coming on such short notice.

Anything for the cause.

I'll keep her in my prayers.

Look at her.

They b*at a woman carrying a child to within an inch of her life.

She's a fighter.

She'll pull through it.

She shouldn't have to.

Sorry.

It's just, how do you reason with people capable of this level of v*olence?

EMILY: Georgia?

The Lawrence boys are here.

I can't lose you, too.

(piano playing)

Has the gentleman had a chance to read the menu?

We'll both have the lapin à la bourguignonne.

So, you got all the way up to Ohio from Georgia.

At least, I'm assuming you made it across the bridge.

I couldn't quite make it out from my vantage point.

So that's what this is all about.

'Cause I left you behind You left me for dead.

And this is about having an honest conversation.

Like gentlemen.

But I get it.

You don't want to talk, 'cause you think you got a plan.

First step in your plan right now is to take me down with that Kn*fe you got hidden under the table.

Next, you think you gone run right past Erroll and Roderick, and be out the restaurant before they have a chance to do sh*t.

But then what?

Those two guys?

By the door?

Mine.

The men outside?

The police?

You know, the one good thing about America is that money can buy a lot of strong, powerful, armed friends.

(laughs)

I kind of want to see you try.

(chuckles)

But then I think, when was the last time you slept?

Does Noah got the strength in him for another failed escape?

Can he stare out through them bars again?

How long can his beard grow this time?

A lot of questions come to mind.

But I wonder, for the life of me, do they ever enter yours?

Truth be told, I don't think you ever think about what happens after your brilliant plans.

So I did the thinking this time, for you.

What happens after this here plan?

You die.

And you leave that house girl all alone to mourn you.

(chuckles softly)

(cheering)

I have my brother to thank for my introduction to boxing.

He trained for years as a musti-yuddha fighter.

CROWD: Oh!

Now who among you's feeling bricky tonight?

'Cause I've got a hundred quid for any of you lot who think you can survive three rounds with me!

This man here.

(cheering)

CROWD: Come on!

(bell dings)

Get over here.

The v*olence.

Stop swallowing it.

It's a part of you.

It's in there.

Put it in here.

Let yourself be angry.

You deserve to be.

Take it out on them.

And enjoy it.

Fight, for the loss you suffered.

For revenge, on those that scarred you and took your family.

For every slight, big or small, you suffered for daring to exist in their world.

Let them know you do not forget.

Anything else?

Yes.

(bell dings)

Of course I believe that we can influence the vote.

I have faith in people to do the right thing.

Faith is meaningless when not supported by action.

EMILY: Well, not everyone is corrupt.

LUCAS: There are enough who are.

And the system's corrupt.

ELLIOT: The 1855 vote.

It's a perfect example.

Thousands of Southern Yankees crossed into Kansas and voted for a legislature that was pro-sl*very.

It was a fraud, and that can happen here too, and we'll lose that seat.

GEORGIA: To be sure, but fraud is hardly worthy of the free-stater's response.

How so?

- The m*rder of five innocent settlers?

- Mm-hmm.

Those who uphold the institution of sl*very deal in brutality.

Action is all that they understand.

GEORGIA: We live in a peaceful society.

LUCAS: And they do not.

I don't speak to a Scottish man in French.

I speak to him in a language that he understands.

Vous ne parlez pas de lui en Français parce que vous ne savez pas Français.

Excuse me?

She said, "You don't speak to him in French, because you do not know French.

" (laughter)

That's true.

But I do know - sl*very needs to end.

- On that we agree.

I've also seen enough to know the captain's way is the only way.

w*r is the only way.

It's women and children who are affected most when men wage w*r.

By condoning it, we're condemning husbands and sons to the slaughter.

I'm sorry, I haven't had the pleasure.

Elizabeth.

Elizabeth.

You mean the white ones.

Husbands and sons?

The black ones are already condemned.

And who do you think will be affected most by your w*r?

Those yet in bondage, who cannot protect themselves that will suffer retaliation, Or perhaps they'll be inspired to join our ranks.

Together we'll strike a blow to the heart of sl*very once and for all.

GEORGIA: Hmm, well, since you boys will be in attendance at the rally, I shall recruit you in helping erect the grandstand.

I'm sure Thad ad Elliot will avail themselves to you.

I have some business to attend to.

What business?

Just a quick ride, but if you're worried about me, perhaps Elizabeth will join.

As chaperone.

To ensure I stay out of this trouble you accuse me of.

CATO: What do you supposed should happen to you now?

Is it a long and prosperous life with Rosalee?

Should you actually get your freedom dream?

- Why not?

- Why not?

Why you?

What makes you so special?

Why do you get to be here?

Hell everybody got a freedom dream.

Welcome to mine.

No.

You the one who ain't supposed to be here.

I ain't leave you behind to die.

I threw you something to defend yourself with, 'cause I felt sorry for you.

- You felt sorry - I ain't through yet.

You can sit there in your pristine clothes speaking with the proper white man's tongue.

And you can fool everyone outside there in the civilized world.

You can feel everyone up in here, but you can't fool me.

You're still the snake of a sl*ve driver you was when you left Macon.

I seen you.

You ain't good enough for this here life.

I ain't talking about the money or even the freedom.

You ain't enough of a man to earn drawing breath.

And the thing is, you know it.

Everyone around you knows it.

Everyone who's ever known you.

You give me all Of you I recognize my heart As black and blue You accept all I do But I don't know If that Is wise You offer all of you And I don't know If I am Worth it I don't know If I am Worth it I don't know If I am Worth it I don't know If I am Worth it.

I thought you wanted an honest conversation.

That's what you wanted, right?

You wanted to talk, let's talk.

Let's talk about why I'm sitting here and why you ain't out there looking for your wife and your lost little girl.

I don't see 'em up in that big, pretty house.

What you know about family?

You got none to worry about.

Noah only cares about Noah!

But you wouldn't have made it off that plantation without me.

Or Moses or Henry.

Yeah.

They deaths on me.

And I would do anything to change it all if I could.

Good.

'Cause now you gon' have your chance to prove it.

Show your true colors.

Today we're gonna exercise our right.

This town we're in is destitute.

And desperate.

Tomorrow the people are gonna vote overwhelmingly to put another rich planter in that seat.

And he isn't gonna do anything for 'em.

The people in this town who are angry with no way to express it are gonna vote with their hate.

And I'm gonna do something to counter that.

'Cause you know what the alternative is?

Doing nothing.

That's not the captain's way.

Dear heart, don't stop fighting We're gonna ride the lightning It's not hell or heaven Just like riot rhythm Oh-oh, oh oh oh oh.

(laughs)

Should discourage them tomorrow, don't you think?

If there had been voters here would you have turned back?

Nope.

What happened to make you willing to go to such extremes?

I grew up on the Missouri border.

Walked to school every morning past this tobacco plantation.

Same black faces, working the same crops.

I didn't think anything of it.

I was just a boy.


And then, when I was about nine, on that same path, I heard this sound.

It stopped me in my tracks.

Never heard anything like it, and I haven't since.

I walked to the edge of the field and there's a man, he'd been beaten bloody and locked in the stocks as punishment.

That sound was his son.

To say that he was crying doesn't do it justice.

Every day I walked to and from school, that man and his son were there.

He watched his father waste away in those stocks.

The overseer gave him just enough water to stay alive, nothing more.

My mother would give me a piece of bread and some cheese.

Sometimes an apple, too, for lunch.

And every day I promised myself that day I would walk right up to that man and I would give it to him.

Damn the consequences.

And you never did.

One afternoon, on my way home, the man was gone.

The boy was still there, and I walked over to him.

Do you know what he said to me?

What?

Nothing.

Because he doesn't exist.

Why do you assume that I need some deep personal reason to fight this w*r?

sl*very is wrong.

I know that.

You know that.

Your late husband knew it.

He was sh*t in cold blood because of it.

Now, ain't that enough reason to take up arms to end it?

What's your name?

Joseph, sir.

Nice biblical name.

Like Ezekiel.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure you were gonna open up about this.

But I was moved by what you said earlier.

About the part of sacrificing yourself.

And I believed you.

I want to believe you.

So here's the deal.

You agree to go with this slaver here, and submit yourself willingly back into bondage and I'll buy these men and women their freedom.

It-it felt like, to me, you were fairly certain of what you were gonna do if you had a chance to do it all again.

Well, here it is.

Be the hero.

You just got to go south and these people go free.

No.

No.

- (cheering, indistinct chatter)

- All my life I've been a savage I don't fit in with the average Now they treat me like I'm damaged So I'm about to do some damage I'm about to do some About to do some Come on.

Come on!

(yells)

(laughs)

(yells)

(laughs)

One!

Two!

(echoing): Three!

Four!

Five!

FRANCIS (echoing): Get on your feet!

Come on!

- Get on your feet!

- Get up!

Cato, get up!

Get up!

Get up!

So I'm about to Do some damage (cheering)

About to do some damage, damage About to do some damage.

- "All of us, in the eyes of this country" - "Ye may not know how desolate "Are bosoms rudely forced to part, "And how a dull and heavy weight "Will press the life-drops "from the heart.

"The sale began young girls were there, Defenseless in their wretchedness" "All of us, in the eyes of this country, are one important thread of our fabric.

" Georgia, is that?

A speech?

Yes.

What made you change your mind?

You did.

And if I must admit, Lucas, as well.

His talk of action it doesn't necessarily have to mean v*olence.

Words have power, too.

"bartered them for gold.

" (applause)

(applause, murmuring)

(clears her throat)

(applause, boos and murmuring)

(applause, boos and shouting continue)

(booing)

Georgia (quiet murmuring)

"I stand before you today "and ask that you consider two simple truths.

"The first comes from our founders: "'All men are created equal.

' "All of us, in the eyes of this country, are "one important thread of our fabric.

"The second comes from the Lord himself: "'Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

' "I ask that you listen to your reason "and intuition, so together, we can put an end to this abomination of sl*very.

" (applause and booing)

"I have committed myself fully "in striving to eradicate this plague on our nation, and I ask that you join me.

" (applause, booing and shouting)

As it stands, the rules governing our society are failing this country.

(booing and applause)

What kind of nation creates laws that both abolish and uphold such a cruel and inhumane institution?

Federal law versus states' rights?

It's impossible, irrational.

And if it's continued, it will make murderers of us all.

If it makes you feel any better - All my life - (grunting)

- I've been a savage - No.

ELIZABETH: Every day it is becoming clearer that there is no such thing as a middle ground!

- (booing)

- Inaction is nothing but a slow death, poison running through us, building up.

Every citizen must make a choice.

Are you for the cause?

- (booing)

- Or are you against us?

sl*very is v*olence.

Full stop.

- (groaning)

- And those who hold fast to its aggression are refusing peace and testing - the limits of the peaceful.

- (booing)

Those who make peace impossible - make v*olence inevitable!

- (booing, whistling)

So I'm about to do some damage (grunting)

- (crowd clamoring)

- I'm about to do some About to do some damage, damage (grunting)

- (grunts)

- (gasps)

About to do some damage (grunting)

(Kn*fe clinking, groaning)

- About to do some damage.

- (panting)

Always the man with the plan, but what?

You can't finish a fair fight?

Ain't nothin' fair about this.

Ain't nothing fair about any of what you put me through.

I helped folks, I saved folks, I set folks free.

When is it my turn?

What you plan to do about it?

Hmm?

They already killin' enough of us.

(panting)

And I ain't about to help 'em.

That's where we different.

(scoffs)

Get him out of here.

You!

(loud thunderclap)

(rolling thunder)

So this is all I get?

The deed to your flat?

You asked me to marry you, and now you treat me like a whore.

Why?

Is that where I failed?

You need someone to hurt you?

To remind you that you're nothing?

That you're just worthless property?

(crying)

I thought you wanted better.

I do.

(crying)

(loud, piercing, droning tone, muffled shouting)

- GEORGIA: Elizabeth!

- (gasps)

No.

We have got to get out of here now.

Come on.

Come on.

(loud, overlapping shouting continues)

(grunting)

(blows landing, shouting)

(crickets chirping, horse snorts)

(coach's door creaks shut)

(door creaks open)

Seven sad souls?

Already on a boat to Canada, free papers and all.

Miss Rosalee told me all about the Macon Seven and how you led them, and I have to say, it is one of the more heroic stories I have heard in all my years.

No.

No.

I lied.

I cheated.

I k*lled.

Every bad thing I done was about protectin' me and mine.

FRANCIS: You didn't keep your hands up, you didn't block.

You can't block if you're punching.

Couldn't you see he wasn't getting tired?

A man's got to decide what kind of fighter he's gonna be.

You can run from blows, or you can throw 'em.

NOAH: Now, if everyone would have made it, I-I'd have been happy, so happy.

But they didn't.

They ain't free.

They ain't never gonna be.

And now, what I fear most is knowing what I'd do for my freedom.

CATO: The difference between me and Noah, between me and the rest of the world, is that everyone else hides what they really are.

Everybody's selfish.

Looking for whatever bit of power they can find and calling it freedom.

Henry's dead 'cause of me.

But I'm here, and I wouldn't change a thing.

I want to be here.

I ain't know enough words, Mr.

Still, to explain that feeling that I got up under my skin that to-to explain who I am.

But I know heroic ain't it.

You gave those men and women something they never had.

When you asked them to run with you, you gave them a choice.

CATO: I chose to come back 'cause now I see what this country needs.

It needs to be torn down to nothing.

It needs a forest fire, a biblical flood, an earthquake that rips it in half.

It needs me.

You can't stop me!

- You - Don't got the power - Can't - Shut me down - Stop - That's not an option You can't stop me!
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