02x05 - Science/Fiction

[bunniefuu]

SYLVIE: No, we broke out
of your little game.

Wrong. Every step you took to get here,

I paved the road.

HUNTER B- : People have lives
on the timeline.

They should have the chance
to live those lives.

BRAD: Jet Skis, Sea-Doos.

One of these calling your name, Mobius?

I don't know about calling,

maybe gently whispering.

- That! That's what's been happening.
- Wow. Time slipping.

The branching is overloading
the Temporal Loom.

Temporal Loom?

O.B.: The Temporal Loom
is the heart of the TVA.

And it's not constructed to weave
together so many new branches.

We need to make the rings bigger.

One of us will have to take

our Throughput Multiplier
down the gangway.

And launch it towards the Loom.

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

Wait. It should be me.

The Temporal Radiation is just too high.

HUNTER B- : What did we do wrong?

(LOKI BREATHING HEAVILY)

FEMALE AUTOMATED VOICE: TVA code .

Fail Safe Mode initiated.

- (WHOOSHING)
- Thank you for your service.

No, no, no.

This is not happening again!

FEMALE AUTOMATED VOICE: TVA code .

Thank you for your service.

Hello?

(GRUNTS)

FEMALE AUTOMATED VOICE: TVA code .

Fail Safe Mode initiated.

- Thank you for your service.
- (PANTING)

Hello?

Hello?

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

- (KEYS RATTLING)
- (DOOR OPENS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER IN DISTANCE)

- CLARENCE: Is this everything?
- This is everything.

- Shh!
- (LOUD HORN BLARES)

Come on.

Come on.

FRANK: Come on, bro. Come on.

(LOKI GRUNTS)

Let's go! Hurry up!

If they catch us, they're
gonna gut us like fish.

LOKI: Casey? Okay.

Casey.

Thank God you're here.

Is everyone here?

Who are you?

Not again.

Who am I? Casey, it's me.

Please tell me you know who I am.

With the boat? You're
in the wrong place.

- You're not supposed to be here.
- JOHN: Is that the boat guy?

- Do you have a boat?
- A boat?

I don't know anything about a boat.

- How'd you get here?
- How did I get where?

- Alcatraz.
- What?

I don't know how I got here.

That's the problem. I don't know
what's happening, Casey.

Frank, why is this guy
calling you Casey?

- I've been calling you Frank the whole time.
- Frank?

- You said your name was Frank.
- It is.

- His name's Casey.
- I don't know this guy.

I don't know you.

Come on.

You gotta find your own
way off this rock.

Sorry, pal.

(LOKI YELLS)

(DOG BARKING)

- (ALARM BLARING)
- Come on.

Okay, so we got a good cast
on here for you.

It's gonna help you heal nicely,

but you'll have to wear
it for six weeks, okay?

Does it still hurt?

That's good,

but do you remember how
bad it hurt when you came in?

That's good too.

But you might forget

how bad it hurt over the next six weeks,

so I'm gonna write a little
reminder on here for you.

Climb... Trees.

That's not gonna stop you, is it?

(CHUCKLES)

I tried.

All right, be good.

- (WHOOSHING)
- (GRUNTS)

(INSTRUMENTAL POP MUSIC PLAYING)

DON: Wind in the hair, little
mist slapping you in the face.

And nothing but open water
in front of you.

Don? Don? Your son's
calling on line three.

DON: Tell him I'll call him back.

So talk to me. What are you thinking?

Sorry. I, uh... was more
interested in a dirt bike.

Well, they say the personal watercraft

is kind of the thinking man's dirt bike.

Come on, you ready for
your Poseidon moment?

Jump up on this bad boy.

I'm good. Sorry.

It's okay.

Call me if you change your mind

or if you want another donut.

Great donuts today, Dale.

DON: ... pay me to put on a helmet

- and ride around in the mud.
- Thank God.

Hello.

- How could he not get up here, Dale?
- Crazy. I don't get it.

- You're here?
- DON: Oh, yes.

Every day of the week except
Sunday, : to : .

The TVA is gone.

I think you mean ATV,
and no, you're in luck.

We got in two of 'em last week.
They're upstairs.

You don't remember me either?

No, no, I do. You were... You were
in just the other day, right?

DALE: Your son's on line three.

I'm sorry, single dad, give me a second.

- Told you I'll call him back.
- Your other son.

- Tell him I'll call him back too.
- (WHOOSHES)

The Zartan Contingent.

I don't think I've ever
seen this one before.

A.D. DOUG: It's really good.
He's one of the greats.

I read everything he does.

Hmm. I'll have to check it out.

I'd hurry. There's only
a few left on the shelf.

Hmm.

It's not reading the barcode.

I can give you cash. I don't
need a receipt or anything.

Yeah, but I have to ring it up or...

Are you buying your own book?

You...

I told you to stop putting your
sci-fi books on our shelves.

Science fiction is a well-respected
and thought-provoking genre.

Well, nobody buys it here.

- (WHOOSHING)
- (SHRIEKS)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

LOKI: What I'm about to tell you...

is going to be hard to believe.

Of course I believe you.
It's a dream come true.

One of my characters has come
to life and needs my help.

This reminds me of what
happens in The Sons of Yoren.

- What's that?
- Just, you know,

my most popular book of all time.

I'm sure I can find you a copy
somewhere around here.

Wait.

You're a writer?

- Yes. Science fiction.
- I'm doomed.

But, and this is kind of embarrassing,

I have to get a PhD to keep my day job

teaching theoretical physics at Caltech.

Wait, you're a scientist
as well. That's great.

Yeah, until I can quit
and write full time.

You have no idea how hard it is
to break... Hey, look at this.

There's a copy. You're one lucky man.

I'm so sorry. Can we just stay on track?

Of course. So, uh, what exactly
are you trying to do?

I need to go back to before
the Temporal Loom melted down.

You can't. It's impossible.

But don't let that stop you.

I don't understand
what you've just said.

Well, you time-traveled

- in a place that has no time, right?
- Right.

- That's not possible.
- I know.

So you're traveling to a place
that doesn't exist anymore.

It's equally impossible,

and therefore it's something
you might be able to do.

Sure, excellent.

Yeah. Makes total sense.

- Doesn't sound like science.
- No, but it does sound like fiction.

You need to learn how to
control your time slipping.

I can't control it. I can't just...

make it happen. It's, it's random.

But it isn't random
because you keep ending up

around exactly the people
you're looking for,

and it's evolving

because you're not just
slipping in time,

you're also moving around in space.

It's like you're a better version
of one of those TemPads.

You make it sound like
it's a good thing.

With science, it's all what and how.

But with fiction, it's why.

- (SIGHS)
- So, why do you need to do this?

Why do I need to do this?

I'll tell you why.

Because if I can't save the TVA
from being destroyed,

there will be nothing

to protect against what's coming.

Well, if that's the real why
that's guiding you,

you should be able to control it.
So, go ahead.

- Now?
- Yeah, yeah, just do it.

(EXHALES) All right.

- Here we go.
- Cool.

Focus in on that why.

- You need to save the TVA.
- All right.

You need to save the TVA.

(GRUNTS)

Anything?

I'm trying.

- (GRUNTS)
- Maybe you need to try harder.

I'm trying as hard as I can.

(GRUNTING)

You must be doing something wrong

because it really feels like
the time slipping is the answer.

- Maybe we focus on the science.
- Okay.

So this equation proposes that... Argh!

- What are you doing?
- Science.

Now we know that electrical pulses
don't initiate time slipping.

- (SCREAMS)
- For God's sake.

Ah. Not fight or flight induced...

Okay, let's forget about
the time slipping, all right?

How does science help us

get to a place that doesn't exist?

- Well, maybe it does exist.
- It doesn't.

I saw it disappear with my own eyes.

But then you said you also time-traveled

in a place at the TVA, right?

The Time Theater, yes.

If that's the case,

then maybe the place and time
you're looking for still exists,

but you just don't know
where to look for it.

Let's try this.

- Hold this.
- Yeah?

We get the band back together.

That doesn't seem very scientific.

You said everyone,
every one of your friends

- has a temporal aura, right?
- Right.

Well, that means a group of people

would have a collective aura
unique to that moment in time.

If we can get everyone
together in one place,

we can read that aura.

It will be like coordinates.

And we can use these coordinates
to get back to that moment in time.

- No.
- Why?

'Cause we don't have one of those
TemPads you talked about.

Well, can you build one?
You can build one.

Maybe, but without any of
the knowledge of how it works,

I would have to invent it
all from scratch.

- It could take a whole lifetime.
- (SIGHS)

What if you had that knowledge?

- What's that?
- You tell me, you wrote it.

- A.D. DOUG: I did?
- You did.

There's one on every desk at the TVA.

- So I am going to write a bestseller.
- (CHUCKLES)

Yeah, sort of. Let's, um,
let's get to work...

Oh, that's a problem.

DON: Okay, guys, we're
gonna have a new rule,

and that is any toy
found outside your room

is gonna be classified
as garbage, all right?

Trash, okay?

'Cause I'm tired of coming home,

having it look like some
lunatic garage sale that...

Is he burnt?

Yeah, he's burnt.

- How did he get burnt?
- (MATCH IGNITING)

Kevin, who gave you the matches?

- I stole 'em.
- No, you...

Give 'em to me. Come on. Hand 'em over.

Don't run. Kevin. Kevin.
Kev... Kevin! Get...

Sean, go get him! Come on, hurry!

And if you keep him from
burning down the house,

I'll get you a puppy.

- Come on.
- And a snake!

That... We'll negotiate
later. Run! Hurry!

Small victories.

LOKI: Hello.

- Hello.
- Hi.

Hey. Oh, you were at the shop earlier.

- That's right.
- Yeah. You live around here,

or did you follow me home?

Oh, no. (CHUCKLES) No, no. I was,

I was actually on my way to the...

and I happened to see you so I just...

I just thought I'd just come and say

that I'm sorry I couldn't
stick around back there.

I was, I was in a bit of a time crunch.

Yeah. You were looking for ATVs.

- The TVA.
- Yeah.

You know, are you still in the market?

'Cause I have something...

I got something I wanna
show you. Come here.

Now, ordinarily, I wouldn't dream

of parting with one of these beauties.

But wife is long gone
and I can't ride two of 'em.

Plus, the boys are probably gonna
need braces and math tutors

and God knows what else.

A beautiful union of form and function.

Oh, that's lovely, yeah.

Yeah, they really are
and it breaks my heart,

but what are you going to do?

Hey, you want a drink?
Can I get you a beer?

No, no, no, no. I'm fine. Thank you.

I'm afraid I'm not here
to buy a jet ski.

- Oh, what are you here for?
- Listen.

I'm going to tell you something
that's hard to understand, Mobius.

- Mobius?
- Mobius, that's your name.

Okay, I...

I think you have me mixed
up with someone else.

No, you see, the thing is, I don't.

Mobius is your real name

and you belong in a
place called the TVA.

Is that right? Huh.

Okay, hold that thought.
I'm gonna go check on...

- It's okay. It's okay.
- I don't want any trouble.

It's all right. I'm a friend.

I know you are. I'm a friend too.

What? How did you build
a TemPad so fast?

I don't know if I'd say months
is fast. Well, months.

I had to take a break and move out

when I lost my job and my wife left me.

- So what now?
- What's happening?

I promise you this will make sense.

Like... How did you...

Reality isn't what you think it is.

And this isn't the life
of the man I know.

I don't know who you know.
I don't understand.

- I know you from a place called...
- No, you don't.

... the Time Variance Authority.

You saved my life when I first arrived.

You saw something in me
that I hadn't seen in myself.

Are you really my friend?

I am.

Who's he?

- Is he my friend?
- He will be.

DON: Why don't I remember that?

It's too complicated
to explain it to you now

but I need your help
to save this place, the TVA.

You once told me it was the only
life you'd ever known.

I sell jet skis, man.

Trust me.

- What about my boys?
- They'll be fine.

I can't leave them.

- What do you mean they'll be fine?
- I understand. Listen.

Look, you can come back anytime.

- Oh, you were at the shop earlier.
- EARLIER LOKI: That's right.

EARLIER DON: Yeah, you live around
here or did you follow me home...

I can bring you back
to any point in time.

It'll be like you never left.

Your boys won't even know you're gone.

Yeah, but I will.

All of existence is in grave danger.

- I don't care.
- And your boys are in danger too.

I can't keep them safe
unless you help me.

You know, are you still in the market?
'Cause I... Come here.

What were you calling me?

Mobius.

It's a pretty cool name.

This is going to sound strange.

- (ALARM BLARING IN DISTANCE)
- (MEN GRUNTING)

(LAUGHING)

How you doing? I'm Don.

I guess Mobius is my space name.

(EXHALES) Are you part of this whole...

saving the... Is this room safe?

- I wonder, for the wormhole or the...
- Yeah.

This whole area is totally abandoned.
No one's around for miles.

So, is this everyone?

No.

There's one more.

(TIME DOOR WARBLES)

This is gonna sound strange.

- I know you don't know who I am.
- Loki.

- Of course I know who you are.
- What?

- You do?
- Why wouldn't I?

'Cause nobody else did.
Their lives were reset...

Yeah. I know. I was there.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

This isn't how I thought
the scene was gonna play out.

- No? What exactly were you expect...
- (GRUNTS)

Okay, get in the car.

- I'm buying you a drink.
- Okay.

BRAD: Zaniac craves blood.

LOKI: However, Mobius's life
at the TVA was taken from him.

So was B- 's, O.B.
Casey was a prisoner.

They don't remember who they are.

Their lives matter. They matter.

SYLVIE: Yeah, and they're finally
back in their real lives.

That's a good thing.

- Eric, can we get a drink?
- But how many,

if they had a choice,
would have chosen to stay?

Mobius always said the TVA
was the only life he'd ever known,

and he liked it.

It gave him purpose.

It was never his choice
to begin with, Loki.

He Who Remains did that.

But Mobius should have a choice now, no?

Shouldn't they all?

To return to the TVA if they want.

No, you would be ripping
people from their lives,

showing them something
that they cannot unsee.

What kind of choice is that?

But they didn't get a choice in this

and I can't give it to them without you.

You don't care?

I guess not.

I guess this all worked out just
the way you wanted it to

and you're fine just walking away.

- It's so selfish.
- Of course I'm selfish.

I want a life.

I want to live.

What's wrong with
wanting something, Loki?

What do you want?

- I want to stop He Who Remains.
- No. Wrong. Try again.

- What is it that you really want? Come on.
- I want to save this.

I want to save everything. All of it.

Is it really that hard?
Come on, keep trying.

- I want to save the TVA.
- Why?

- I want the TVA back.
- And?

- What do you want?
- I want my friends back.

Two bourbons, please.

Excellent choice, Sylvie.

I want my friends back.

I don't wanna be alone.

See? We're both selfish.

Cheers.

I know this is hard.

But your friends are back
where they belong.

But without them...

Where do I belong?

We're all writing our own stories now.

Go write yours.

FRANK: How much longer
are we going to be?

Some of us have
time-sensitive activities going on.

Don't worry. We can get you
right back where we got you.

Yeah?

So, that doodad just takes you
wherever you wanna go?

Within time and space, yeah.

- So like a park?
- Yeah.

- Grand Canyon?
- Yeah.

Bank vault?

DON: Do you get out on the water much?

- DR. WILLIS: Swimming?
- Yeah, or personal watercraft?

No. I live in the city. There's
not much opportunity, you know?

Well, if you live on a river,

it could be an exciting way to commute.

Or, by the way, it's also nice just
to get out on a pond and unplug.

Hit that reset button.

- Well, I'll keep that in mind.
- Yeah.

Some good financing
options available too.

FRANK: Hey, listen, if we're
all gonna have to wait,

I'm gonna borrow this thing for a bit.

Don't bother.

You should all go home.

(R&B MUSIC PLAYING ON STEREO)

- Hey, Lyle.
- Hey. How's my only regular doing?

Oh, yeah, fine. Don't you ever go home?

Well, I like it here more.

Well, I'm glad of the company tonight.

- Rough day?
- Had better.

I got just the thing.

This...

will either cure what's ailing you,
or make it a whole lot worse.

We really need to work on
your sales technique. Thank you.

(ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)

Sylvie!

You showed up and told each of us that

we're the key to saving all of existence.

And now, what? We're not?

I'm sorry.

I got it wrong. All right?

It was more about what I wanted.

You should go back to your sons.

I know, but that's just it.
You said they were in danger.

- So, now they're okay?
- LOKI: You should all just...

go back to your lives.
That's where you belong.

FRANK: But do I need to go back
to exactly where I was?

- What about the TVA?
- LOKI: The TVA.

You're fine without it.

- You're all just fine without it.
- (TIME DOOR WARBLES)

SYLVIE: No, they aren't.

Everything's falling apart.

The branches are dying.

- What does that mean?
- SYLVIE: I don't know.

I don't know what's happening, but
there must be something we can do.

We can go back.

We can stop the Loom from melting down.

O.B., we're all here.

The pens...

We have all the pens.

The mug, the coordinates.

Ah. Okay. First, we need to read
the collective temporal aura

of everyone in this room
on the TemPad...

- Where did it go?
- LOKI: Hey.

I didn't take it.

Listen, you can rob every bank
you like when this is done.

We need that TemPad now.

Great. But I still didn't take it.

What do we do?

It was a fiction problem.

No, no. I have to go back
to see my boys. I...

DR. WILLIS: Is this it?

We... (SHRIEKS)

There's nowhere left to go.

No. No!

A.D. DOUG: It was a fiction problem.

SYLVIE: Everything's falling apart.

DON: No. I have to go
back to see my boys.

SYLVIE: What's wrong
with wanting something?

- MOBIUS: If I could go anywhere...
- HUNTER B- : I looked happy.

- MOBIUS: Wherever it is I'm really from.
- CASEY: The TVA...

SYLVIE: Do you think that
what makes a Loki a Loki

is the fact that we're destined to lose?

(SCREAMS)

SYLVIE: There's nowhere left to go.

No, they aren't.

Everything's falling apart.

The branches are dying.

- What does that mean?
- SYLVIE: I don't know.

I don't know what's happening, but
there must be something we can do.

- I did it.
- SYLVIE: What?

- I did it.
- SYLVIE: Did what?

I controlled it.

A.D. DOUG: You learned
to control your time slipping.

Yes.

It's not about where, when, or why.

It's about who.

I can rewrite the story.

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

BRAD: You d*ed. Insert your coin, loser.