02x04 - Heart of the TVA

[bunniefuu]

That! That's what's been happening.

Wow. Time slipping.

The Temporal Loom is
the heart of the TVA.

It's where raw time is refined
into physical timeline.

The more those branches grow,

the closer this thing
comes to melting down.

So, how do we get in?

Only the person
who designed it can open it

with a live scan of his temporal aura.

- He Who Remains.
- LOKI: It's him.

He Who Remains.

Because all science is fiction
until it's fact!

(CROWD GASPS)

LOKI: This is gonna sound strange.
I've been pulled through time.

O.B.: You'll stand by to prune yourself
after this turns green.

Green means prune.

(PANTING) There you are!

LOKI: The TVA is in danger.
I was in the future and I saw you.

I need to know why.

We stay here, we're all gonna die.

SYLVIE: They're gonna b*mb every branch.

Set off what you can!

You asked me what I would do
if one of his Variants turned up.

- I'd k*ll him.
- You don't know me.

Get him out of here.

It's power for you, isn't it?

MISS MINUTES: I know
a really big secret.

It's gonna make you real angry.

MISS MINUTES: He wasn't always alone.

There's something you have to see.

RENSLAYER: What is this?

Just watch.

So, it's almost ready.

A utopia at the end of time.

For us.

For All Time.

Always.

HE WHO REMAINS: Ravonna Renslayer,
you are quite a marvel.

I will be proud to lead with you.

You made a difference in this w*r.

Thank you for being on my team.

The TVA awaits our commands.

Shall we go?

I'll catch up.

It's been a long road.

See you soon.

Always.

Hey, boss. Fancy a game of chess?

HE WHO REMAINS: Not today.
Pull up Protocol .

MISS MINUTES: Is it time?

Erase her memories.

Are you sure?

Erase all of their memories.

If you say so.

I'm sorry.

I was here.

MISS MINUTES: Yes.

I helped win?

You didn't just help. It was you
who commanded the army.

So he built this little tower.

And while he sat on his throne...

I continued to do all the work
to keep him there?

Well, something like that.

RENSLAYER: So, what are you proposing?

MISS MINUTES: That we don't need him.
Maybe we never did.

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

(GRUNTS SOFTLY)

The TVA.

- (DISTANT ALARM SOUNDING)
- (INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PA)

WOMAN OVER PA: All engineers
to Temporal Core immediately.

Chronocenters , , offline.

HUNTER B- : Are you...

You're...

Hello.

Just stop!

It's okay. It's all right.

What do... What do you want with me?

Come with us... and we'll show you.

That didn't sound as reassuring
as you hoped it would.

Listen, Professor, I can only imagine

what Renslayer and Miss Minutes have

been saying about us, but it's not true.

Unless they said something good.

Here's the deal. You have to trust us,
and we don't have time.

I'm from Chicago, friend.

The schadeocracy capital of the world.
I don't trust anyone.

Oh, it's a party. Hello.

The more the merrier.
And you all want me.

Ms. Ravonna wants me.

The effervescent clock-lady
monster thing wants me.

I should have some say.

I don't disagree.

(RUMBLING)

WOMAN OVER PA:
Chronocenters , , offline.

Is that... my Loom?

LOKI: Yes. That's your Loom.

And you're the only one
who can help us fix it.

Well, la-di-da.

So, Dox is alive?

Yes, she's in holding with the others.

We can't keep them there forever.

What do you want me to do?

You tell me.

Sit with me.

I know what we would
have done in the past.

Pruned all of them.
It's simple, clean, efficient.

- Is that what we do now?
- I don't know.

But someone told me
that the TVA has to change,

and it has to change now.

So we forgive and forget?

She's a general of the TVA,

and she wants to
protect it at all costs.

That was her mission.

And it can be again,

if you can convince her
that this new version

is worth protecting, too.

I don't think it'll change anything.

Don't be so sure of that.

Your words changed me.

LOKI: Here. This way.

- So, I built all of this?
- Well...

- Or I did?
- Well...

Or I will, and I did?

- Almost. You, but not you.
- This way.

Look, can't we just take a look?

- No.
- Trust me, it's not that great,

and we don't have time. Come on.

Listen. You're here
to solve one of many problems,

then you're free to wander
around all you want.

- (MACHINE WHIRRING)
- The Loom will still overload.

I don't understand.

We've adjusted everything we can adjust.

Victor...

This is Casey and O.B.

O.B.?

- Ouroboros.
- (SQUEALS EXCITEDLY)

- Ouroboros?
- Yeah, that's me.

You wrote the TVA Handbook.

Well... Yes, I did.

But I learned everything I know

from a brilliant th-century inventor

named Victor Timely.
If he'd had the resources,

he would have been bigger than Einstein.

What did you say your name was?

- Victor.
- (GASPS)

So, if your work is based on his work,

and his work is based on your work...

Exactly. Which came first?

It's like a snake eating its own tail.

Mr. Ouroboros, would you
inscribe my handbook?

Only if you inscribe mine.

I was living in
your engineering descriptions.

Me? The way you explained
the electric bypass system...

- The bypass.
- Poetry, just poetry.

Guys, sorry to break up this bromance,

but can we fix now and sign later?

Yeah, let's go.

O.B., how's it going?

Uh, we have a... We have a good plan.

- Okay.
- O.B.: It's a pretty good plan.

- We have a plan. Casey?
- Oh.

Here's a model I mocked up of the Loom.

Forgive the shoddy and slapdash work.

It's not to scale. I only got
one coat of paint on there.

I haven't been able to carve out
figures to represent all of us.

TIMELY: The Loom.

I'm honestly embarrassed
that Victor's here to see it.

MOBIUS: I think you're being a little
hard on yourself. It looks great.

All right. What's the plan?

O.B.: It's simple.

One of us will have to take our
Throughput Multiplier down the gangway.

Load the Throughput Multiplier
into the launcher.

Then, they'll need to hit
the green button...

- CASEY: Green button.
- ... and launch it towards the Loom.

It will dock with the Loom,

where it will scale the Loom's capacity

to manage the backlog of branches

that was created when...

someone k*lled He Who Remains

and released all those branches
and ruined my life.

Hang on. What's the connection between

the Throughput Multiplier and the Loom?

The rings of the Loom
aren't wide enough.

That's correct.

We need to make the rings bigger,

so more branches can fit through.

But there's one gigantic problem.

- Big.
- LOKI: What's that?

There is much, much more
Temporal Radiation through here

than there was when you
went out there, Mobius.

Yeah, so much more.

- More?
- O.B.: Yes.

(EXHALES AND INHALES SHARPLY)

Okay, well, I mean, Loki's really
gonna have to hoof it then, right?

Hang on a second. Why is it
suddenly me having to hoof it?

Well, because it's your turn.

LOKI: Says who? Why?
Why is it suddenly me?

Well, because clearly this isn't me.

- Just because it isn't you, it isn't me.
- O.B.: Listen, guys.

- It's got your shape.
- It's got my shape?

- It's a suit. Could be anybody.
- It's wearing a helmet.

- Doesn't look like anyone.
- Don't think it's me.

Uh... It doesn't matter
who it is. It's doable.

But this person just needs to be...

(IMITATES WHOOSHING) super-fast.

SYLVIE: Okay, great. So, what are
we waiting for? Let's do this.

- CASEY: There's another problem.
- LOKI: What's that?

O.B.: This whole plan
is only theoretical

because our Throughput Multiplier

- does not yet work.
- LOKI: Why?

- SYLVIE: It doesn't work.
- Wait. Let me guess.

The Loom's temporal decay outpaces

your Multiplier's
throughput capabilities.

Every time, yeah. How did you know that?

Because I had the same problem
with my Loom...

until I made this.

- It's a prototype. Still.
- (DEVICE WHIRRING)

O.B., it'll work?

Integrating them, if
that would even work,

would take a long time.

Yeah, a long time.

Mr. Ouroboros, if anyone can,

it's you and me.

MOBIUS: Okay, come on. Let's
give them some space to work.

All right, let's have
a little pie while we wait.

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

- Pie?
- Yeah.

What is the matter with you?

You dragged me back here
begging for help,

so you must have some idea
of what's happening.

Everything is turning to sh*t,

and you want to leave it to them

while we go and have some pie?

- Great idea, Mobius.
- LOKI: Sylvie, wait.

No, I won't wait. Come on. Let's
go and get some pie. Why not?

It's a great idea. Does it matter
that the branches are dying?

Clocks don't tick at the TVA, do they?

You found out you're a Variant,

and you haven't even looked, have you?

It's just another bad day
at the office for you.

Timelines are just lines on a monitor.

Doesn't matter if a few disappear.

Because you've never bothered
to look if one of them was yours.

Who cares if a few just disappear?

Enjoy your pie.

BRAD: So, are you gonna say anything?

No? Okay.

All right, everybody. Listen up.

We don't have any weapons.

We don't really have
the numbers, obviously.

But I think, I think
if we put our heads together

and if we just try to figure this out,
we can get out of this room

and we can get back to our lives. Huh?

I believe it was Galileo,

- or Winston Churchill, or...
- Oh, will you just cut the sh*t?

- I don't wanna die in here!
- DOX: Oh.

Oh, really?

Well, it seemed like you gave up
when you sold out our plan.

Hmm?

- I didn't know you knew that.
- DOX: Oh, yes.

We all know about your escapades
as an actor, Brad.

Okay.

(SCOFFS) Okay.

I earned my life.

I think we all earned our lives.

Huh?

- Don't you think you earned your life?
- No!

No.

(DOOR OPENS)

You have no authority to keep us here.

I don't want any of this.

And I certainly don't wanna be
talking to you.

But I know you care about the TVA,

and I know you wanna protect it.

That's the only reason I'm here.

- What do you want?
- Your help.

You and your Minutemen.

If we have to fight to defend this
place, from Renslayer or worse,

can we trust you?

You're serious.

Help us, we'll talk.

How can I trust you?

We may not see eye
to eye on most things,

but I care about this place,
these people.

So do you. Trust that.

Give them time to mull that over.

What if they don't go for it?

Go and help Mobius keep
an eye on Timely.

(RUMBLING)

SYLVIE: You've got to be kidding me.

I took a wrong turn.

I didn't plan on coming to pie land.

(SIGHS)

- Say it then.
- LOKI: About Mobius...

(RUMBLING)

He's just trying to see in the dark
like the rest of us.

And so we're clear, I asked for
your help and you walked away.

Just so we're clear, no, I didn't.

I'm here, aren't I? Again!

You're only here because
you couldn't k*ll him.

Yeah, I couldn't k*ll him.

Couldn't do it.

Timely just looked so scared.
He Who Remains wasn't scared.

Maybe he was, and I just didn't notice.

Some years ago, my brother
was banished from Asgard

and sent to Earth.

And when he came back, he was different.

Changed somehow.

I thought it was weakness.

I mocked him.

Said he'd gone soft.

Soft gets you k*lled.

Listen, Sylvie, you spared
Timely's life,

and because of that, the TVA
and those timelines will survive.

Those people will survive.
You spared their lives, too.

You're putting a lot of faith
in those three back there.

(RUMBLING)

Don't forget Dox. She's part of the TVA.

All those dead branches,
those dead people,

- that's the TVA's fault.
- What about those branches

that are still living?

That's because of Mobius and B- .

And those guys back there,
O.B. and Casey.

What if you're wrong?

What if you are wrong to believe that
this place can be any better?

What if I was wrong to spare him?

It would just be easier to burn this
place down and start from scratch.

Sure. Burn it down. Easy.

Annihilating is easy. Razing
things to the ground is easy.

Trying to fix what's broken is hard.

Hope is hard.

Okay, so Timely can save the TVA.

Then, we hope that the TVA
turns into something good.

Then, we hope that Timely

doesn't turn into
He Who Remains or someone worse.

That's a lot of hoping, Loki.

I didn't have you down for an optimist.

This is the best option we have.

So, you're gonna bring
him behind the curtain,

show him all of this,

and then just send him home?

Maybe that's a good thing.
We can watch him, protect him.

Interfere for good.
Heard that one before.

You can't give people free will
and then just walk away, Sylvie.

That's not how it works.

Now, for better or for worse,
the timelines are free.

It's up to us to protect them.

It's up to us to do better
than He Who Remains.

Sounds like whatever we do,
we're playing God.

(LOKI SIGHS)

We are gods.

BRAD: They're gonna prune us
the minute they don't need us.

That's what they do.
The TVA prunes traitors.

We need a backup plan.

We need something else.

B- has integrity.

I don't need to agree
with her to know that.

- I don't trust B- . So, I...
- (TIME DOOR WHOOSHES)

Renslayer. Where's B- ?

She's setting in place
her plan to control the TVA.

But if we work together,
we can stop her.

Protect this place.

The only thing you want to protect
is yourself, Ravonna.

And you. This is really
disappointing, I must say.

I know. I'm working on myself.

The Temporal Loom is imploding.

I've been gone mere days,

and this place is hours away from
becoming a crater in the cosmos.

Driven into the ground by two Variants?

Is that what you want?

Well, what's your plan then?

Anyone who joins me right here,
follows me out that door

and helps me restore
stability to the TVA,

will have a life on the timeline
if they want it.

(SIGHS)

I thought you could see
the bigger picture.

(MOTOR REVS)

For the first time, I finally
am seeing the bigger picture.

Please, stop.

You made a rather impressive life
for yourself on the timeline.

- Don't you want it back?
- DOX: X- .

Bradley. Look at me.

Life on the timeline was that good? Huh?

How does it feel knowing that
all of us here would rather die

than follow you out that door? Hmm?

(ALL SCREAMING)

(INHALES AND EXHALES DEEPLY)

- RENSLAYER: Let's go, X- .
- (TIME DOOR OPENS)

- (BOTH GASP)
- Spectacular.

- Yes!
- MOBIUS: How we looking?

- Everything is going according to plan.
- MOBIUS: Good.

What is that?

This? A little Mobius pick-me-up,

courtesy of the hot cocoa machine.

Diagnostics just went down.

- O.B.: What?
- Yeah.

Did you say hot cocoa...

- machine?
- Machine? Yeah.

This TemPad's not working.

Mobius, can I see your TemPad?

You have a machine for that?

Yeah. You're interested in this machine.

Weird. This one's not connecting either.

About this hot cocoa machine...

- Could I take a look?
- Can you sit tight for just a second?

- What do you mean?
- HUNTER D- : I can take him.

Can you? Okay. Professor,
he'll take you.

- (OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)
- (GASPS)

MISS MINUTES: Uh-uh-uh. Access denied.

- (SNAPS FINGERS)
- (CHUCKLES)

(GROANS)

I'm sorry.

Where's the device?

So strange. All your files are
being corrupted in real time.

Did you download
unauthorized games again?

No. I'm not gonna make
that mistake twice.

CASEY: Something's still
messing with this thing.

- Yours wasn't working either.
- MISS MINUTES: Uh-uh-uh.

- Oh.
- What?

It's Miss Minutes.

She's taken control of all the systems.

That's why the TemPads weren't working.

Grab the Multiplier and
let's get Timely.

- What's wrong?
- MOBIUS: Timely's gone.

- (ELEVATOR DINGS)
- And Miss Minutes is back.

Dox and her team are dead.

- LOKI: What?
- Yeah.

- It's gotta be Renslayer.
- (RUMBLING)

Is the Multiplier ready?

Theoretically. I haven't had time
to test it, but without Timely,

it doesn't matter.

Without his Aura, I can't open
the blast doors. We're locked.

MOBIUS: Okay, well, we gotta find out
who took him back to the timeline.

- Where else would they have gone?
- No.

Renslayer doesn't want him.

She wants the TVA. They're still here.

- Listen, friend, I don't know...
- Move it.

... what you're jabbering on about.

Sit. Sit down.

Thank God you're both okay.

- Ms. Ravonna...
- Sit down.

Sitting down.

- I would like...
- I'm done listening to your lies.

You're gonna talk when I
say you can, and only then.

And right now, you're gonna tell us
where to find your device.

And if you don't like
what I have to tell you?

Then X- here is gonna find

a very thorough and
incredibly painful way to k*ll you.

It's a very small box.

(MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY)

TIMELY: Ladies... (CLEARS THROAT)

I think you're going to like
what I have to say.

(BOOMING)

WOMAN ON PA: TVA code .

- (ELEVATOR DINGS)
- All personnel...

- Come on.
- ... report to your nearest

time door evacuation point.

SYLVIE: Come on!

WOMAN ON PA: TVA code .

All personnel, report to your nearest
time door evacuation point.

- MISS MINUTES: Access denied.
- Loki?

- LOKI: Sylvie. You okay?
- Yeah. I just hate that clock.

- She's trying to slow us down.
- Take the stairs.

WOMAN ON PA: Total Loom
failure imminent.

- (RUMBLING)
- (METAL WARPING)

Okay, that sounds like a noise
you wanna hear from farther away.

O.B.: We're running
out of time. Come on.

WOMAN ON PA: All personnel,

report to your nearest
time door evacuation point.

TVA code .

LOKI: There's still time.

All personnel, report to your nearest
time door evacuation point.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

MISS MINUTES: Access denied.
Access denied.

Access denied.

- Pretty tech-savvy.
- (MACHINERY WHIRRING)

- (PANTING)
- (PHONE RINGING)

- (DEVICE BEEPING)
- LOKI: No.

(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

Come on.

(STRAINING)

- (PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
- (SIGHS)

(PANTING) There you are.

(GROANS)

(BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY)

I promise you this will make sense.

- Huh?
- (TELEPHONE RINGING)

(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)

Hello?

About time. What's
taking you guys so long?

O.B.?

(RUMBLING)

- Hurry.
- Miss Minutes is sabotaging everything,

- slowing us down.
- What?

I could take her offline
if I reboot the system.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Reboot the system.

- But we'll lose the entire safety system.
- So what?

What are we gonna lose?

O.B.: The security protocols
will go down.

MOBIUS: Like what?

Like the dampeners that prevent people
from using magic at the TVA.

We would have to turn that off too.

- Turn it off!
- Turn it off!

This is where the Multiplier goes.

- As I said, we haven't much time.
- BRAD: He's stalling.

- I need one of...
- We understand how it works. Now...

Well, that's getting worse.

MISS MINUTES: That's not another
power surge. Let me investigate.

(STUTTERING) Someone's
trying to reboot the system.

I can't access it.

I'm being locked out.

Well, mocking is...
just isn't necessary.

They're up to something.
What's happening to you?

They're taking me offline.
I'm losing my cognitive facilities.

I only have moments left.

Victor, I need to tell
you... tell you...

(WARBLING AND STUTTERING)

You'll never be him.

Hi. I'm Miss Minutes.
(STUTTERING) And the time...

Oh, dear.

- Oh. That's new.
- Go.

LOKI: What do you say, X- ?

Fancy a rematch?

TIMELY: Clearly not.

RENSLAYER: X- , what's going on?

This is cozy. (EXHALES)

Come here for a second.

- Come here. Come here. Come here.
- What is going on?

I didn't think I'd see you
again so soon.

- Victor! Let's go right now. Now!
- What?

LOKI: Let's go. Go, go, go, now.

- Which way, wizard?
- This way. Elevator.

You saved my life.

Time for you to return
the favor. Let's go.

- O.B., he's here.
- Come on. Hurry. Right here.

- Victor, this way. What do we need to do?
- Over here.

The Throughput Multiplier
is waiting in the airlock.

But first, we need
Mr. Timely's Aura scanned

so we can get the blast doors open.

- Okay, let's go.
- Just put your head in the scanner.

Is that safe?

I haven't tested it. Theoretically...

LOKI: It's all right.

You'll be fine.

- Here, let me hold those.
- Sir.

(INHALES SHARPLY)

MALE AUTOMATED VOICE:
Welcome, He Who Remains.

Ah, it worked.

TIMELY: Can I come out?

You did it.

O.B.: It's worse than I thought.

We have to move fast.

Who's it gonna be?

I'll do it. I'll put the suit on.

- MOBIUS: Okay, let's go then.
- HUNTER B- : Come on, let's move.

TIMELY: Wait. It should be me.

LOKI: No, you don't have to do this.

But I do.

Something wrong could happen

and I know how
the Throughput Multiplier works.

- Okay.
- Okay, let's go. Come on.

Okay, okay, no time to argue.
Hurry. Come, follow me.

Listen. Get in, get suited up.

When those doors open, get down
the gangway as fast as you can.

Load the Multiplier, launch
it and get back. Got it?

Got it.

- Okay.
- Okay.

Time to be brave.

Good luck.

Time to be brave.

How long will he have?

- O.B.: Not long.
- He'll make it.

Yeah, I don't know about
these radiation levels.

- It's even worse than when I was out there.
- He'll make it.

(GRUNTS)

- Ready.
- Come on, let's go, let's go.

- HUNTER B- : Come on, let's move.
- Here we go.

(GRUNTS)

(SCREAMS)

What happened?

What... Where is he?

He's gone.

- MOBIUS: What happened?
- It's over.

- MOBIUS: What...
- HUNTER B- : Is he dead?

The Temporal Radiation is just too high.

- HUNTER B- : What did we do wrong?
- CASEY: I don't know.

- MOBIUS: What happened?
- CASEY: I don't know. It wasn't me.

- HUNTER B- : What happened?
- I don't know.

I don't know.

(expl*si*n)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)