01x05 - Firefall

[bunniefuu]

[ominous music]

♪

[soft clicking]

[dispenser clicks]

[rain pattering]

♪

[distorted, indistinct voice]

[dramatic choral music]

♪

- Talk to me.

[stirring music]

♪

- [panting]

That again?

- [moans]

[both gasping and moaning]

- The costumes

for the party tonight are

well, what you'd expect.

Helm Watson

does love some sparkle.

Printed yours yet?

Henry.

Have you printed

- That was different.

You were different.

- Oh?

- I'm the Alpha.

I'm supposed to lead.

- Yes, I know.

- So.

- Did you like it?

- I told you, it was strange.

- That's not what I asked.

Did you like it?

- You're not making

any sense today.

- It's all right, you know.

If you did, you could say.

- Lenina.

- Answer the question.

- Give it.

- Sit, and I might.

- You need to act your level.

- I said, sit.

- That's my chair.

This is my office.

- I'm aware.

- So I sit there.

Where you're sitting.

You're seated where I sit.

Oh, you think this is funny.

- It's a simple question.

Did you, Henry, like it?

Do you like not being

in control?

For once?

Just that little moment?

Not knowing what would happen?

What could happen?

I liked it.

Did you like that I liked it?

[contemplative ambient music]

♪

- That's enough.

- No.

- What?

- You're going to wait.

- Lenina

- You're going to wait,

and when I give you this soma,

it'll be the very best soma

you've ever had.

Maybe I won't give it to you.

Maybe you never take this soma.

Maybe we never take another soma

for the rest of our lives.

What would happen?

[gasps]

[breathing heavily]

[dispenser clicks]

- I didn't hurt you, did I?

- No, I'm fine.

There are other ways to be,

Henry.

Other po [gentle piano music]

♪

- We won't do this again.

Do you understand?

Good. It's over now.

[stimulating music]

♪

- Counselor Marx?

- What is this place?

- Come with me, please.

♪

[dispenser clicks]

Do keep up.

- Controller Mond,

thank you so much.

It's an honor to be here, as

- How goes his integration?

- Ah, yes,

it's it's going well, I think.

- It's not.

In fact, it's not going

at all, is it?

- Well, he's learning

the system.

I mean, John's

attending sessions daily.

And, um

Those are every day

- How can the social body

absorb John

if they never meet the man?

- Yes. True. No, ju yeah. No.

I suppose John has shown

some reluctance to engage,

um, but there was that incident

at the feelie theater

a few nights ago.

- I am aware.

- Yes, and-and he's lost

his mother, of course,

and his kind,

they don't process trauma

Very well, at all. Um

And there's also

[sighs] Sorry.

I don't really know how to

say this, but, um

I have reason to believe

that the Director,

former Director, um

May have been John's

- His father?

- Y-yes.

Yes. I mean, that would explain

why the Director

I mean, the shame

must have been unbearable.

And given everything

that we're asking of John

- I think it's best

that he doesn't know.

- No. Of course.

You're right.

I just

There's also the question

of how the social body

will react to John.

- How are your levels?

- Oh. Um, my levels are fine.

Thank you. Um

- Your job is not to protect.

Your job is to assimilate.

Introduce John to New London.

Teach him how to think

and show him how he fits.

Show them.

- And, um

what what if I can't?

- Then Indra will make

a correction.

- Oh. Indra doesn't do that.

- Tell that to the Epsilon.

I believe you have work to do.

There'll be a new Director soon.

- So.

What did you want to talk about?

[calming piano music]

♪

[blocks clatter]

- Hello, John.

I'm told you've been making

lots of progress.

That's excellent.

Do you want to step out

for a bit?

- No, I'm good.

- Come on, children.

♪

- Well, you can't stay

in Conditioning forever, John.

- Why not?

- Well, um

- Food's good.

Kids are pretty cool.

That one's

a sneaky little prick.

Don't give me that look.

You know what you did.

- John, there's

a whole city out there

waiting to meet you.

- We met.

- I understand

why you might be reluctant

after the other night.

- Mm-hmm.

- And

I'm sure that New London

can be

well, a very confusing place

for someone like you.

That's why I'm here.

To help you.

And I really think

- I told you I'm not putting

that sh*t in my eye.

- It's gonna be very tricky

for you to navigate

without it, John.

I'll bridge the gap

- What's to navigate?

- Well, people's levels,

for example.

Without a signifier,

you can't see anyone's level.

♪

- Alpha. Alpha. Beta. Beta.

Gamma. Delta. Beta.

Alpha. Alpha.

And of course, the poor b*stards

cleaning up are Epsilons.

- Excellent.

Although the Epsilons

enjoy their work.

- Right.

- They do!

- You know, I've been watching

you people.

You got the whole thing rigged.

Back home, we had levels too.

- Well, you know, it's good

that you've been observing

our social body

and how it functions.

[people whispering]

You seem to have taken, well,

an awful lot in already.

And I I know it's hard

for you to understand,

coming from a place

where people

Well, where people

are dissatisfied.

But here

- Never seen one

up close before.

[Bernard continues speaking

indistinctly]

[soft ambient music]

[chuckles]

I think he likes you.

- Everyone's happy.

Connected. Everyone fits.

- Bullshit.

- Oh, you don't believe me.

Well, why don't we go out

and ask people?

Hmm? We can go outside

and continue to engage

in conversation?

[tense music]

♪

- [breathing heavily]

[gentle piano music]

- John.

- Mm-kay.

- Sorry?

- Let's go.

- Great. Good.

You're gonna like it here, John.

Everyone has a place.

There's no hunger.

No violence. Pleasures you

couldn't possibly imagine.

- Hey, kid.

Just takes a flick.

♪

- Is everyone on the court?

I'm sorry, I'm late.

- Is it true?

- Yes.

I am truly sorry.

- You know what I mean.

Is it true you know that Savage?

The one who went wild

in the feelie theater?

Why didn't you tell me?

I had to hear it from Vivian,

of all people.

- I have to tell you everything?

- Yes.

- You know, what if

Maybe there's a little part

of me that's

- [sighs] What?

- Mine.

Don't you want that?

Something that's yours?

Something that's

- It's private,

and solipsistic, and

Everyone belongs

to everyone else.

- Don't.

- I

Why are you

You're being very

- What?

- Different.

- Maybe I am a little

- No, you're not.

You're the same as me.

Frannie and Lenina.

We're Beta Pluses.

We like the same things,

we do the same things.

We're the same. Exactly.

The only difference

is that sometimes

interesting things happen to you

for absolutely no reason, and

- Go on.

It's not fair, is it?

I got Henry Foster.

I was monogamous.

I broke the rules.

I got to go to the Savage Lands.

It's not fair.

- No, it isn't.

You're just lucky.

And you're

- Say it.

No, don't take that.

You don't have to.

Listen to me.

It'll pass.

[dispenser clicks]

[tense music]

- Let go.

- It's okay to feel it.

♪

It changes.

It becomes something el ♪

[players yelling]

- [sighs] I'm so sorry.

My levels were

- Don't apologize.

- [laughs]

I love that we can joke around.

I just think you take it too

[slams cabinet]

- [sighs] Let's play.

[all grunting]

- Yes.

- What are you doing?

- Winning.

What are you doing?

- [scoffs] We're trying

to have fun, right?

- Yeah. I'd like that.

- Take an indigo.

You didn't have it

at last break.

Your levels must be

- Vivian.

How about this time,

you try to hit it over the net?

♪

- [grunts]

[chuckles breathlessly]

- Anyone ready to transition

to the post-match festivities?

- Yes, definitely.

- We're not done.

[all grunting]

- [sighs]

- Lenina, are you okay?

- [laughs]

- She's fine.

[panting]

- See you girls inside?

- Mm-hmm.

[dispenser clicks]

♪

- Do you remember when you

could keep up with me?

- Serve.

♪

[both grunting]

- [breathing heavily]

Ha.

[applause]

- Well-played.

- You know, you're right.

We are the same.

Same clothes, same hair,

same everything.

We even have sex

with all the same people.

I suppose the only difference

is the order.

You always seem to come second.

Why do you think that is?

♪

- [yells]

[cries]

[dispenser clicks]

[sighs]

- It's time to introduce you

to New London, John.

Properly, this time.

And if you want to make

the right impression,

there's only one person

who has her finger

on the pulse of the social body,

who knows everyone, who

["Fur Elise" playing]

- What?

- Just be your best self.

- f*ck you.

- [scoffs]

♪

How bad?

- You remember Pleasure b*mb 88?

- [groans]

Um, you better wait here.

- I think I should

come with you.

- Um, no, no, it's okay.

Zoe will look after you.

♪

- Mm-kay.

[music flourishes, ends]

Hi.

[dispensers clicking]

- I said, get out.

- It's me.

[soft piano music playing]

- Bernard,

what are you doing here?

No, go away, don't look.

- Uh-oh.

How many did you take?

- I don't know.

Two? Seven?

What's it matter?

All the greens in the world

don't make a yellow.

But you do, Bernie.

- Yellow is reserved

for acute emotional trauma.

[laughs]

- Yellow. Then be brutal.

Pill first.

- Brutal?

- With your critique.

- Oh, 138. Yes. Um Very good.

Very, um wet.

- Not too wet for you?

- No.

- No, I don't know.

For me, personally,

actually, it's kind of,

just the right amount of wet.

- Bernard, did you see

my feelie?

- [scoffs]

♪

- I will never forgive you.

- I wanted to. I really did.

But there were

♪

[dispenser clicks]

- Orange is the color

of forgiveness.

[dispenser clicks]

- And red.

- Not funny.

No, don't take them togeth

- You're my friend.

♪

- So who's up there?

- Helm Watson.

Wilhelmina Watson?

Director of the Pleasure b*mb.

She's a visionary. Alpha Plus.

- Oh, Alpha Plus.

Big time. Like Bernard.

[people snickering]

So what are you, uh

What are you all doing in here?

- We were banished.

- Banished? For what?

[dispensers clicking]

[dispenser clicks]

- [chuckles]

- Did my water haptics

completely revolutionize

the medium and create

an experience

unlike anything

anyone has ever felt?

Yes, obviously.

But that's not the point, is it?

- Isn't it?

- No.

No, Bernard.

No, it's not.

Because they want it all again.

They're clamoring, now,

and I have to give it to them.

But bigger, better, more.

I don't know more.

What if I can't? What

- Well, you will.

You always do this to yourself.

- And no one helps me.

Surrounded by these people.

These Epsilonic cowards.

They talk about me.

They do. I hear them.

They want me to fail.

Zoe, that pneumatic little Beta,

spying for Marco Hoover.

- Oh, stop it.

- Oh, yes,

and I have to announce

Pleasure b*mb 139 tonight.

I barely have a concept.

All I have is

[gasps]

- You all right?

Don't. Don't talk.

Oh, this is very good soma.

- Soma is soma.

- Don't talk.

Sorry, I thought

I was having an

- Oh, no.

- Never mind. I'll do it later.

- Helm.

- Yes?

- I've brought you something.

[soft piano music]

- So let me get this straight.

So she just says some stuff

and waves her hands,

and you do all the work?

- I just calibrate the haptics.

- Right, but the haptics

are the whole thing.

You just told me.

- The haptics

create the sensations.

Like

The way your skin constricts

when you plunge into water.

- You're doing it again.

You're changing

the subject, Zoe.

- I am?

- Yes, you're being very

- Welcoming.

- [laughs]

- Warm. Stimulating.

- [laughs]

You're Beta, right?

- Of course.

- Do you ever want

to be an Alpha?

[dispensers clicking]

- Everyone wants to be

what they are.

- Can we Get you anything?

- Trying to have a conversation

here. Thanks.

- Soma fizz?

- Sure. Bring us

a couple of those.

- Two soma fizzes.

- You know, it seems like

the Alphas

have it pretty good. I mean

- Betas have it better.

Every night's a party.

- Yeah, but don't you

get tired of that?

- Anything else?

- You know what I would love?

Is for you to get it yourself.

[dispensers clicking]

- [laughs] You want me to

But I'm I'm a Gamma.

- Uh-huh.

- Yeah, but that's the Delta,

that's

- It would make me super happy.

[dispenser clicks]

Where I come from,

everybody wants to be on top.

- Where's the fun in that?

Alphas sit around all day,

worrying about the social body.

If I wasn't a Beta,

I honestly don't know

what I'd do.

- Why do you have

to be anything?

- Stop.

[dispenser clicks]

You can't.

I-I mean, we, we don't talk.

Like this.

- Talk like what?

- Well, like you're talking.

[dispensers click]

- You got a problem

with the way I talk?

- Well. We're not Savages.

- Get up.

[tense music]

Get up, you Beta Minus

m*therf*cker.

Stand up!

♪

Let's go.

- Where are we going?

[clattering]

[glass shatters]

- You. Clear these.

- [laughs]

Relax, I'm just

f*cking with you.

[dispenser clicks]

- What did you do?

- Me?

- Is that what I think it is?

- Helm, this

- I know you.

- You do?

- You upstaged my feelie.

I loved it.

Something unexpected at last.

I've never seen anything

pull focus like that.

- Thanks.

- I rescued him.

- Yeah, you and I,

we're going to

What's that word?

The Savage one?

- f*ck.

- We're going to f*ck.

Oh, I love that.

- What?

- Right now.

Best idea I've had today.

- Uh, Helm, a word?

- What?

- John is still adjusting.

And you have to understand

that sex, for Savages,

it's, um

It's an exertion.

Yeah, no, it takes

an emotional toll.

They need preparation time,

recovery, it's

Well, it's a deficiency.

But John, I'm sure,

would like to come

to your party this evening?

- Yes. You will bring him.

A sensation for my sensation.

- Your what?

- Oh, it's just a party.

- You're adorable.

Go away.

I have to work.

- Ah. John.

["Fur Elise" playing]

♪

- Why are you all

just sitting there?

- You banished us. Remember.

- No.

Now get to work. All of you.

Except you.

♪

You get the f*ck out.

[music flourishes, ends]

- Is she serious?

- Everyone here just does

what feels good, John.

What was that commotion

back there?

Everyone seemed kind of

out of sorts.

- They just fell.

It was funny.

sh*t just falls down sometimes.

- No, it doesn't, John.

This is your home now.

It's really important

that you learn our ways.

Make connections.

- I'm not like you people.

- Linda wanted

this place for you.

She wanted you to become part

of our social body.

[dispenser clicks]

[softly]

John.

You just need

to embrace this place

and let it be wonderful.

[soothing music]

♪

- [breathing heavily]

[tense music]

♪

[grunts]

[sobs]

[grunts]

[dispenser clicks]

♪

[soothing music]

[dispenser clicks]

♪

[dispenser clicks]

[dispenser clicks]

[footsteps approaching]

- John.

John.

What's that?

What are you wearing?

- These are clothes.

- Didn't you print the outfit?

It came with the invitation.

This. Yeah.

You you need to put this on.

- This is more my look.

Gary made it.

He likes me better in this.

- Who's Gary?

- This is Gary.

- John,

Gammas don't have opinions

about this sort of thing.

- Sure they do.

You just never think to ask.

Gary, tell him what you said.

- No, don't put Gary

in this position.

- Gary has a great eye.

Tell him what you said, Gary,

go on.

- John is too long-waisted

for that jacket.

[John claps]

- Gary, could you just give

a moment, please?

- [stammers]

- It's okay. It's okay, Gary.

Just Thanks.

You need to put this on.

I understand that

you're intimidated and unsure,

but there's a way of doing it

- You're intimidated and unsure.

And you look stupid

in that thing.

Mm-hmm.

Look, you told me

to embrace it, right?

- Mm-hmm.

- I'm embracing it.

- Hmm.

- Let's go.

You look great. Come on.

[upbeat electronic music]

[indistinct chatter]

- I imagine you wished you'd

changed your clothes now, huh?

- Nope.

- You know,

if you had your optic in,

you'd be seeing sh**ting stars.

[imitates expl*si*n]

♪

Two greens, please.

[pounding electronic music]

♪

- There you are.

[mellow electronic music]

Down there, it all

seems random, just a party.

You have to come up here

to see the design.

They think I just chose

their costumes.

But when I did,

I chose more than that.

Who they'd meet.

Who they'd touch.

♪

It's fun to play Indra

sometimes.

- What's Indra?

- Indra's everything.

The system. The connection.

Indra made all this.

Except that.

I made that.

If you'd have worn what I sent,

you'd have blended in perfectly

with that pattern just there.

- Well, I hope I didn't ruin it.

- Oh, I like that you keep me

on my toes.

♪

- So you made 139

of these things?

Must be hard to keep coming up

with ideas.

What's this one about?

- Firefall. It's about freedom

from gravity.

You know, the moon,

space, floating.

And there's fire.

- Hmm.

But what happens?

What's what's the story?

- You're on the moon, you float,

you fall into a crater,

and there's fire.

♪

What?

Oh. And there's an orgy

at the end.

- That's That's not a story.

♪

- I'd need three blues

to go it alone with a Savage.

- There's something

unrestrained about him.

Don't you think?

Like he could snap

at any second.

- Yeah, well,

maybe he'll snap you.

♪

His name is John.

And he's here as my guest.

Not as your entertainment.

- He's your Savage?

- Yes. I rescued him

from the Savage Lands.

- Does he eat a lot?

♪

- He does, actually.

[laughter]

He does.

Always eating. Loves it.

Can't get enough of it.

In fact, for someone who eats

as much as he does,

you'd expect him to be

well, larger than he is.

[laughs]

♪

- And the people

who had hurt the boy,

they suffered

for how they'd treated him.

But still he wasn't free,

because the demon had

to be paid.

So she came for his mother.

- What did the boy do?

- Well, they ran.

The demon close on their heels,

they ran until they reached

the very edge of the kingdom.

- They escaped. Good.

What?

What? Speak?

- They were trapped.

'Cause just beyond

that frontier,

there was a river of fire.

That's where she caught them.

She grabbed the boy,

lifted him over her head

♪

And threw him in the fire.

- [gasps] What?

No.

- Yeah.

- He burned? Dead?

- That's what they thought.

But what the demon didn't know,

what none of them could know,

is that the boy

was born in that fire.

He couldn't be hurt by it.

- Not dead.

- Not dead.

Transformed.

♪

- He's a demon too.

- That's actually really good,

I didn't

[panting]

[stirring music]

♪

[distorted overlapping vocals]

♪

- What are we doing?

- Why do they do it?

Why don't we?

- We clean up.

Now.

♪

[both panting]

[both breathing heavily]

♪

[soothing music]

♪

- Jealousy. Bigotry.

Family. Modesty.

Equality. All the destabilizing

ills of their kind.

Some of these are even

celebrated in the Savage Lands.

So as an Alpha Plus,

I have to consider his

Conditioning. Hi, Henry.

- I came to see

what all the fuss was.

Imagine my surprise.

It's you, Marx.

- Bernard.

- John.

- Whew. Good party.

- I you should meet

- Hello, John.

Nice to meet you.

My name's Henry.

I'm the Director

of the Bureau of Stability.

- Okay.

- Everyone wanted it.

Bernard wanted it,

didn't you, Bernard?

And I never said anything

about wanting it,

but perhaps that's why I got it.

Don't you think?

♪

- So he's, like, your boss?

- Apparently.

- What a d*ck.

[pounding electronic music]

♪

Where are you going?

- Home.

- f*ck it.

- Hey, wait, what are you doing?

- You think I'm gonna

let that guy

talk to my friend like that?

It's humiliating.

- Well, he was just

stating facts.

- The fact is, he just

squashed you

like a bug in front

of all those people.

You're just gonna take that?

- What am I supposed to do?

- You're supposed to punch him

in the face.

- [laughs]

We don't do that here.

- You said this place

is all about

doing what feels good, right?

- It is.

- Okay. Well, I'll tell you

something, Bernard.

You pop that smug little twat

in his grill,

you're gonna feel f*cking great.

♪

- Yeah?

Well, what what would I do?

- Make a fist.

- Make a what?

- Make a fist. I'll show you.

Do it.

Thumb on the outside. Kay.

Yeah. Bend your knees. Okay.

- Well, don't I just

- No. You do not.

No. Pay attention.

You're gonna turn your hips

And thrust off your back foot.

Boom! Like that. That's where

the power comes from.

- Whew!

- Whoa!

- Yeah. Whew!

- Whoa!

- Boo!

- Okay.

You don't need to do the sound.

Just whew!

- Shoo!

- Whew!

- [grunts]

- Whew!

- Yes. Okay.

- Kind of. It's close.

- [stammers]

Wait, will I be okay?

- What?

Might hurt your hand a little.

What the f*ck, Bernard?

- Well, how much is a little?

- He just shat all over you.

- All right. Sorry. I know.

- Listen to me.

I know guys like that, okay?

If you let him treat you

like you don't matter,

then you just never will.

♪

That's not like that.

- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

[person hollering]

[pounding electronic music]

♪

- Marx,

what are you doing there?

[grunts]

[crowd gasps]

- [quietly] Ow.

♪

- [groans]

- Ah. Ow.

[crowd clamoring]

♪

[ethereal music]

♪

- Some view.

[chuckles]

- Why'd you do that?

Was it John?

Did he

- No, it was me.

I think.

It's not quite as good

as the real thing, is it?

- No.

- Do you

Do you want to go back in

- [sighs] No.

[both laugh]

- Me, neither.

♪

- If we could just

stay right here

- I know.

- We can't.

- I know.

Maybe just a little longer.

[upbeat electronic music]

♪

- It's ready.

- What are you waiting for?

Do it.

[lively electronic music]

Firefall.

♪

[music fades]

- The stone

that seemed inconsequential

meant everything.

And you missed it.

- You always were a sore loser.

- Sometimes there's nothing

to be done.

The truth is entropy.

Matter changes states.

Systems decay.

Societies fall.

People die.

- Your move.

- What do you think it means?

That you can't beat me anymore.

[contemplative music]

♪

I think it means

there's less of you today.

Ending is better

than [pieces clatter]

[tense music]

- [breathing heavily]

♪