02x16 - Hollow Mind

[bunniefuu]

[Luz groans]

[gasps]

What is this place?

[Hunter] You know
exactly where we are, human.

You got us trapped
in the Emperor's mind!

Huh?

We're in
the Emperor's mind?

That's bananas.

I don't know what those are,
and I don't care to.

Remember what happened
at the Night Market?

[salesman]
Teeth! Get your teeth!

We got all varieties
and qualities!

I even do trades.

Oh, I mean,
why would I trade teeth?

That's illegal and unsanitary.

But, I mean,
if you're interested...

[Hunter]
I heard whispers of an attempt

to inv*de the Emperor's mind
with wild magic.

I decided to take
the villains out myself.

[flute plays]

But just as I was
about to stop them...

Halt! For crimes against the Emperor,
you are under arrest.

Oh, wait! I remember now.

[Hunter] Hey!

[Luz] Eda took me and King

to the Night Market
to repair my witch's wool cape,

but we ran into some trouble.

Hello? Prim?

Did you get
into the Night Juice again?

[singsongy] Hello?

[static on walkie-talkie]

- [beeps]
- [King] Is this thing on?

Demon King to Luzura.
You copy?

Sure do.

Use the walkie.

Oh, uh, right.
[beeps]

- , Demon King.

Luzura here
with Echo, Delta, Alfa.

What's your ? Over.

Uh, oh. Uh...
[beep]

[in Spanish] _

Aw, you remembered your lesson.

But that wasn't Spanish, buddy.

I read you loud and clear. Over.

Hey, Prim!

Ah, there you are.

I need more witch's wool.

I got a kid with cold shoulders
and a knack for gettin' into trouble.

[Prim] The shop is closed, Eda.

I've decided to
finally join a coven.

Emperor Belos says wild witches
celebrate destruction and pain.

I mean, I know I can
be abrasive, but...

He also says that the Titan
punishes those who aid wild witches.

I can't have you here.

Well,
what does he know?

Belos is a liar.
He just wants power!

And I'd bet dollars to doughnuts
that he can't speak to the Titan!

[both gasping]

Do you think
she's right?

Don't let the Titan
hear you say that.

Belos says
he can read minds.

What even is a doughnut?

Hey, I'll be fine.
You're the one who needs to be careful.

But people should know
who Belos really is!

And who is he really?

Listen, Belos has been Emperor
for years.

Everyone is used to this.

No one's gonna risk change unless you
have proof that he's up to something.

Ah, come on.
We'll figure something out.

First, let's see if there are any
respectable criminals left in this city.

[murmuring]

I hate seeing people
look at Eda that way.

But how can I prove
he's actually evil?

It feels so obvious,
but no one believes me.

No one answers my letters!
[groans]

I don't know what to do.

No one wants to think they've wasted
their life following the wrong person.

You just gotta find something big
to change their minds.

King's right.
How can I find that something?

[gasps]

Perfect timing.

[Hunter] Halt!

For crimes against the Emperor,
you are all under arrest.

Hunter!
[grunts]

Hey! Can I bug you
with a few questions?

Human?

[flute playing]

No, no! Stop!

I forbid you to flee!
[groans]

Human, do you know
what you've just done?

Uh, what's that?

[both screaming]

[twitters]

[laughing]

You want to prove
that my uncle is evil?

And you thought I would help?
[laughs]

Well, now that I'm in
his mind, I can learn the truth for myself.

Weird though. I've been in Willow's
mind once, and it had more, uh, trees.

Eh. Makes sense.

Mindscapes reflect
the individual.

I've read a lot about
this subject.

[gasps]
Whoa, look at this memory!

You know, unfettered wild magic
wiped out our family.

Everyone knew too much
and got themselves hurt.

That's why Belos took in the survivors and
dedicated his life to making the Coven System!

It's why
he's so well liked!

Our sigils protect us
from ourselves, and make the Titan happy.

[gasps]

Oh! This is when
I inherited my staff!

You know, I'm the youngest
scout to become Golden Guard.

I never found out what
happened to the previous one.

Huh, why does Darius
look so sad here?

[child sobbing]

[sobbing continues]

[gasps]

Belos?

Huh?

[Hunter] Emperor, you're here!

We beg for your assistance to return
to the physical world

so that I may
capture your enemies!

And so she can ruin
someone else's day.

[whimpering]

[gasps]

[shrieks]

Hunter!

Watch out!

[grunts]

[both scream]

[both grunting]

Huh?

[both grunt]

[winces]
Where are we now?

We must be in
the Emperor's real mind.

What do you mean the Emperor's real mind?
That gallery...

Was made of
all the lies he tells.

He's not who
you think he is.

We're probably being punished because
you provoked his inner self.

Well, his inner self
had a thousand glowing eyeballs.

Oh, no, eyeballs!

[scoffs]
You're so easy to scare.

[Eda on walkie-talkie] Boo!
[screams]

Luz, where are you?

Oh, wait.

Hey, blondie, your friend wants
to talk to you.

Uh...
[bird chirping]

Flapjack!

Are you okay?
Have they hurt you?

[Luz] Give me that!

[walkie-talkie beeps]
So, Eda.

We may kinda sorta
be trapped in, uh...

the Emperor's mind.

[Eda gasps] How in the world did you...
No, we don't have time for that.

Has the Inner Belos
spotted you yet?

Yes, but we were able
to get away... with help.

Can there be
two inner selves?

No.

But I have heard of
strong emotions materializing.

Just stay safe. If you're
devoured in his mindscape...

[Hunter] We'll be trapped!

Dragged down into
his subconscious forever.

I told you
I read about this stuff.

Well, we're gonna get you out! We'll
make a return spell as fast as we can.

Just don't lose the walkie-talkie.
It's our only connection to you.

- You got it, Owl Lady. Over and out...
- [Hunter] Wait!

I'll be home soon, Flapjack.
Stay safe.

[bird chirping]
[whispering] I love you. Over and out.

- [Eda, King] Aw!
- [beeps]

Huh?
Huh?

It's you! Kid Belos!

What?

Thank you
for helping us before.

You don't seem as scary
as your inner self.

[Belos shrieking]

If strong emotions can take form,
maybe he's the Emperor's...

I don't know,
sense of guilt?

[chuckling] What?

Belos has never done
anything worthy of feeling guilt.

It's obviously his, uh,
sense of innocence.

His pure intentions!

Well, whichever it is,
I think he can help us stay safe.

And maybe you can show us
who Belos really is.

What was that?
[Belos shrieking]

[gasps]
No time! Let's go, go, go!

Wait! You're just
gonna inv*de his memories?

That's sacrilege!
[shrieking continues]

It's a way to survive!

Hooty, I need you
to lock down the house.

Windows shut, curtains drawn,
absolutely zero distractions.

King, go grab all
the textbooks you can find.

[groans]
This is gonna be tough without magic.

- Hooty! Chop-chop!
- Ma'am!

Oh, hey,
your buddy's trapped too, right?

That angry blond kid?

Eda's smart, but without magic,
I'm afraid she can't do much.

[both scream, grunt]

[laughing]

He says he can talk
to the Titan.

The Titan is dead.

How is that
possible?

[all gasp]

[Belos] Fellow citizens.

We are born into chaos.
Our lives anger the Titan.

My own family has been hurt
by the darkness of wild magic.

I have been shown
the healing light.

It shines in nine hues!

[gasping]
Oh!

See? He's always
been helping people.

[all gasp]

[Belos] The wild witches!

They have found me. Run!

[grunts, screams]

You incompetent fool!

You nearly took my head off
with that blast.

I'm sorry, Lord Belos!

I'm off to the next town.

What about
the rest of these?

Put on a bigger show.

[clinking]

Belos was lying!

Wild witches
weren't attacking him.

How could you help
someone like that?

That was probably a special technique
to get people to listen to his message.

It's...
It's for the greater good.

[screams]
He found us!

[laughing]

[laughing continues]

What's the kid doing?

Shh!

[Belos] Look at what wild magic
has done to your city.

Now imagine what
it's doing to you.

A city can rise from
the ashes. But a soul...

[gasps]
What does that mean?

[all murmuring]

Wait, what?

I can make your magic pure again,
as the Titan intended.

Welcome to your new covens!

[groans]

Ah!
[screams]

They're still alive.

Then we still have
some work to do.

Gather the Palismen.

[breathing heavily]

[wind whistling]

[laughing]

You can't deny it now.
Belos is trying to hurt people!

He was just
perfecting sigil magic.

Besides, maybe he's
remembering things wrong.

Who knows how mindscapes work?

[laughing]

I thought you did!

Well, maybe I'm an idiot.

You, get back here!

[Belos shrieking]

Huh?

- [shrieks]
- [both screaming]

[growls]

[gasps]
Hunter!

[both grunting]

[growling]

[both sigh]

[grunts, pants]

[Luz gasps]
He's got the portal!

Did you know about this?

Of course.
I helped rebuild it.

[Belos] I can hear you.

[laughing]

You caught me.

To you who stray
so far from home.

To me who's trapped
beneath these bones.

We'll play forever,
me and you,

when you paint the land
in nine bright hues!

[shrieks]

[laughing]

What can I do
for you, Collector?

I'm bored!

Is the Draining Spell ready yet?

I wanna play and
see everything go all...

[screams]

You'll have your fun
on the Day of Unity.

Betrayed, beguiled,
alone, deceived!

We'll have our revenge on...

Ugh, "unity" is
so hard to rhyme.

[shrugs]

[screams, shudders]

I-I know you didn't want me
going to Eclipse Lake,

but if I hadn't,
I wouldn't have found this.

[gasps]

Some of the Titan blood
did spill,

but if you let me explain...

Leave. Now.

[footsteps departing]
[door closes]

Ooh, you were mad.

I thought you
were gonna go all...

[screams]

...on that kid.

Not as long as he stays
in the right path.

I say, "The Titan
has big plans for you,"

and he does what he's told.

Unlike the previous attempts.

I'm starting to think you make those things
just to destroy them.

You have fun with it.
Admit it! [laughs]

[Belos]
Of course I don't, Collector.

It hurts every time
he chooses to betray me.

Sounds like he wants to wipe out all life
in the demon realm.

And the sigils help him do that.
[laughing]

Hunter, um, listen.

You don't need to return
to the castle.

You can stay at the Owl House
if you want.

I'm sure Eda would be cool
with it once we tell her what we heard.

[mask cracking]
[gasps]

Hey! Stop that.

[grunts]

Why would he do that?

[screams]

Get away from him.
Danger! Danger! Run!

Are those Palismen?

We weren't running
from the Inner Belos.

He was with us
the whole time.

[crying]

[laughing]

[grunting]

[shrieks]

[growls]

Hello, Hunter.
Hello, Luz.

[sighs]
I was finally able to catch it.

This thing's been a thorn
in my side for years.

All these weepy Palismen souls.
[shrieks]

Their voices
constantly nagging me.

[bird shrieks]
Vile.

But without them,
I wouldn't be able to do this.

[bird screams]

[sighs]
I'm feeling better already.

Thank you
for distracting it.

What did you do
to the other guards?

To our family? It wasn't
wild magic, was it?

What a shame!

[sighs] Out of all the Grimwalkers,
you looked the most like him.

What?

[rumbling]
[gasps]

[shouts] Hunter!

[grunts]

[grunting]

No, no, no.
You're gonna be okay.

You're gonna be okay.
Just hang on!

Just...

[grunts] I was really expecting him
to last longer than the others.

I'm gonna tell everyone
about the Day of Unity,

that you've been lying
about the Titan for years!

Yes, this has gone on longer
than I'd have liked.

But no one ever said
being a witch hunter was easy.

Witch hunter?

So, all this time people have been
mindlessly helping a witch hunter?

How could they
be tricked so easily?

I wouldn't be so judgmental,
if I were you.

His pretty little words
should make pretty good kindling.

[Luz] That doesn't belong to you.

No, no, no, no.

Astounding!

- [groans]
- It's okay. We can help.

I know you wanna get home,
but nothing is worth hurting people.

[Philip] I just need to live long enough
to see this through.

No, no, no. You're Belos!

You're just Belos!

Please, do me a kindness
and call me by my real name.

I... can't.

You're Philip Wittebane,
aren't you?

I can't believe
I taught Philip something new!

I'll go talk to Philip.

Philip, why did
you bring us here?

[bubbling]

Bones, dirt and muck!
I don't have time to fail!

[knocking]

Inopportune interruption, eh?

I'll handle this.

Eda.

Tell me it's gonna be okay.

[Hooty] Eda!

Special delivery
from a secret admirer!

Hooty, that thing could be booby-trapped.
Get it outta here.

[gasps]

[gasps] It's the teleportation
potion into the mindscape!

But who would...

[owl hooting]

Figure it out later.
Now we can save Luz.

Hold up!

It says it still
needs a power source.

And a big one.
[panting]

[grunts]

Use this!

But that's the last
of Luz's Titan Blood.

She needs it to get back home!

She'll never get back home
if she doesn't get back here!

- [walkie-talkie beeps]
- [Eda] Kid, you there?

We're getting
you two out.

It does feel good to hear
another human say that name.

I had to change it when Philip
was run out of too many towns.

[grunting]

I told you once before,
"Luzura."

Perhaps we were
destined to meet.

And what about Hunter?

What's a Grimwalker?

He's a better version
of an old friend.

But thanks to you
I'll have to make another one.

[Eda] She's not answering.
Luz! Luz!

But why?
Why go through all this?

I'll do anything
to save humanity from evil.

No.

Luz, we're gonna start
the countdown. Are you ready?

You're evil.

Can't reason with crazy.

[screams]

Luz!

[Eda] Five...

[grunts]
...four,

three...

- [grunts]
- ...two,

one.

Eda! Now, please, now!

[grunts]

Don't crowd them!

Are you two okay?

[chirping]

[gasps] He knows.

He knows we were in there.

I can't... I can't go back.

[breathes heavily]
Kid, breathe.

[panting]

[grunts]

[grunts, pants]

Hunter!
[chirping]

What the heck
happened in there?

Luz, what did you see?