02x06 - The Message Hidden Within the Pattern

[bunniefuu]

[DESOLATE MUSIC PLAYING]

[VIKTOR] I see it now.

[JAYCE] I can't let you leave.

[VOICE ECHOES]

[SALO] I'm sorry you feel that way.

[JAYCE] I'm sorry too.

[DISTORTED GRUNTING]

[SKY SIGHS]

[SKY] Poor Salo.

That isn't Jayce.

But there is another will
at work within him.

I thought I heard something
just before the portal closed.

Ancient, like a...

Like a voice.

This is a sophisticated conjuration.

A singularity,

simultaneously self-replicating
and self-annihilating.

We've never seen complexity like this.

[VIKTOR] Flawless...

exquisite...

chaos.

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ I wake up to the sounds ♪
♪ Of the silence that allows ♪

♪ For my mind to run around ♪
♪ With my ear up to the ground ♪

♪ I'm searching to behold ♪
♪ The stories that are told ♪

♪ When my back is to the world ♪
♪ That was smiling when I turned ♪

♪ Tell you you're the greatest ♪

♪ But once you turn, they hate us ♪

♪ Oh, the misery ♪

♪ Everybody wants to be my enemy ♪

♪ Oh, spare the sympathy ♪

♪ Everybody wants to be my enemy ♪

♪ Pray it away, I swear ♪
♪ I'll never be a saint, no way ♪

♪ My enemy ♪

♪ Pray it away, I swear ♪
♪ I'll never be a saint ♪

♪ Look out for yourself ♪

[FOREBODING MUSIC PLAYING]

[AMBESSA] Noxus prizes strength
above all else,

defining it by three core principles.

Vision.

The top of the triangle.

Charting a course,
and having the wisdom to navigate it.

- [CAITLYN GRUNTS]
- [AMBESSA] This form is your base, child.

Your eyes see what others don't.

Might.

Bending your environment to your will.

Your speed is improving.

But eventually you need force.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[CAITLYN] Too much force
exposes you to risk.

[AMBESSA] Indeed.

The last is guile.

Phantoms.

Tricksters.

Mages.

Absent honor.

Absent accountability.

[CAITLYN YELLS]

[AMBESSA] Remember this, Caitlyn.

Tunnels in your eyes.

Lava in your veins.

Shadows in your heart.

[GRUNTS, THEN GROANS]

This is the truth of combat.

I've discovered a fourth principle.

One that heightens all others.

Sacrifice.

The temper born of suffering.

We understand it as others cannot.

We are kin.

[SINGED] Pardon the interruption.

I've tracked him to Zaun.

Let's hunt a beast.

[GRUNTING, GROWLING]

[COUGHS]

Vi.

I hoped you might return.

You filthy traitor.

Yes.

That was me at my worst.

Simply awful.

But the Herald has freed me
of my past self.

He's given me a chance to make amends.

- [MAN] Excuse me. Some water?
- [HUCK] All are welcome.

But I must ask you
to surrender your weapons.

This is a place of peace.

Ugh.

Hm.

[WARWICK GROWLS]

[SIGHS]

[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]

[MAN] Welcome, you two.

Hello, friend.

Would you like some fruit?

[GASPS]

The Herald's vision.

[CHATTERING]

[SNARLS, THEN ROARS]

[HUCK] Come, he's expecting you.

[BELL TOLLING]

We hear you can heal people.

[GROWLING]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[SNARLS]

[SNARLING]

[GROWLING]

[SKY] Viktor.

You once told me,
all systems have limits.

He is worth the risk.

[VIKTOR] Vander's psyche is
deeply entangled with that of the beast.

How did you know his name?

He told me.

Ask for a miracle healer,

get a metal fortune cookie.

I saw your father.

His dream of your family and
vision of Zaun as it could have been,

it was...

beautiful.

[COUGHS] Cookie.

Can you help him?

[VIKTOR] I will do all in my power.

- [ISHA] Hmm. Hmm?
- [SNIFFING]

However, I have one condition.

Looks like you got a couple. [SNICKERS]

You have much
to offer this commune, Powder.

[GASPS]

Your talents can be used to build,
instead of destroy.

I'll stick with what I know, thanks.

My condition is that
he must be restrained at night.

I've seen the harm
of which he is capable.

[SIGHS]

What do you think?

You actually want my opinion?

[SCOFFS]

I hate fortune cookies.

We're gonna get you
out of there, Vander.

[HAUNTING MUSIC PLAYING]

[WARWICK GRUNTS]

♪ Can you find me? ♪

♪ I'm not hiding ♪

♪ All my memories ♪

♪ Aren't mine now ♪

♪ Not me ♪

♪ Show yourself ♪

♪ Not me ♪

♪ Show yourself ♪

[GROWLING]

♪ We're all creatures ♪

♪ Who am I to you? ♪

♪ Find the mirror ♪

♪ See what I see ♪

[MUSIC SWELLS]

♪ Remember me ♪

♪ Remember me I'm on my own ♪

♪ Remember me I'm too far gone ♪

♪ I couldn't see ♪

♪ Remember me ♪

♪ Remember me... ♪

- [FELICIA] My girls.
- [VANDER] Pow-Pow, come here.

[POWDER LAUGHS]

♪ All my life, I couldn't breathe ♪

♪ Remember me ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Oh ♪

[ALL LAUGH]

[MUSIC FADES]

[VI] Do you remember them?

[SCOFFS]

I remember Mom's smell the most.

- Axle grease.
- Axle grease.

[GENTLE, PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING]

This place.

Do you think it could actually work?

Underground utopia, run by
a skinny tin Machine Herald.

Maybe when Piltover
slides into the sump.

What if we stayed?

Helped them out?

"We"?

[FOREBODING MUSIC PLAYING]

[MEN SHOUT & WHEELS RUMBLE IN DISTANCE]

[MAN] Forward!

Halt.

No weapons.

I'm afraid the Herald insists.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

[SINGED] If I may.

I believe this Herald may
be a former pupil of mine.

A man of science.

Let me speak with him.

Hmm.

Ready our forces for tonight.

I should like to meet this Herald.

[SINGED] You've felt it, haven't you?

Your decline?

[GRUNTS]

[SINGED] Your power is finite,

diminished by every use.

I've been expecting you, doctor.

Viktor.

Incredible.

What I wouldn't give to glimpse
the world through your eyes.

To know what you know.

[SINGED] His quest led him
astray of any trodden path.

His own shadow dissolved to darkness.

Now the only course was forward.

The only warmth, a dream of her waltz.

Knowledge is a paradox.

The more one understands,

the more one realizes the
vastness of his ignorance.

Marvelous specimen, isn't he?

The regenerative qualities of
his blood will stabilize you.

Apex Shimmer combined with you,

the apex form of Hextech.

What you are suggesting
would destroy him.

And for what?

Conquest?

The greed of warmongers?

[SINGED] To complete your work.

To save us from ourselves.

You must survive, Viktor.

Do you believe in fate, doctor?

Our paths carved before us.

Guided by an invisible hand?

Not fate, evolution.

Nature's greatest
force, forever in flux.

No.

Evolution has a destination.

Not to combat nature,

but to supersede it.

The final, glorious evolution.

But he isn't a specimen.

He's a man.

And he needs my help.

I will not sacrifice his
humanity for your cause.

You may leave.

Very well.

But I assume you understand already,

if you perish, this
community is soon to follow.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

On the job, I see.

You can't be here.

Oh. Here, like where I landed

when this rich, unhinged
mongoose just tackled me?

Mongoose?

Your hair.

You look like an angry oil slick.

[SCOFFS] Don't sugarcoat it, cupcake.

[RICTUS IN DISTANCE] The
routes in and out of this canyon

are being monitored.

No one can come in or out
without being questioned.

[VI] Who's out there?

We tracked some sort of
new chemweapon down here.

A bloodthirsty murderous beast.

What are you doing here?

Trying to save... my dad.

[SINGED] Viktor believes he can
save the man inside the beast.

If he succeeds, I'm afraid
the creature's usefulness

will be lost to us.

Then we'll have to force his hand.

I believe I can craft a serum that
will prohibit Viktor's success.

[CURTAIN RUSTLES]

[SOLDIER IN DISTANCE]
Make sure it's secured.

Yes?

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

It's Vi.

[VI GRUNTING]

[VI GROWLS]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

So much for happy reunions.

Well done, Caitlyn.

[GRUNTS]

It's time.

[SOLDIER 2] We have scouts up now, sir.

Six, collectively.

[GRUNTS]

[MUNCHING]

[JINX] Slippery as an eel.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]

I knew you could get it.

Had some time to think lately.

Ever since you dropped into my
life, it's like I put on glasses.

Except I can't tell whether
everything's blurry or clear.

Wanna hear a dumb joke?

A sentimental ex-con, a giant furball,

and two of Piltover's most
wanted walk into a weird cult.

And here comes the punch line.

Vi.

You've been quite a curiosity.

One who captured Caitlyn's heart.

I owe you thanks.

Your absence provided a
vacuum I was able to fill.

In other circumstances,
I might have offered you

a position in my organization.

Your resilience is undeniable.

Of course, that won't be possible.

You cause too many complications.

Caitlyn must not be distracted.

Don't worry, she's not distracted.

You know, my father
taught me about trust.

He told me if I wanted it, there
were three things I needed to do:

Be honest, even if it means
telling a self-righteous windbag

that her breath smells like a cesspool.

Be patient.

Mm, still haven't cracked that
one, but being tied up sure helps.

And the third?

Just shut the f*ck up.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

The fissures are
blocked by guard towers.

Patrols circle the
commune at even intervals.

Her personal guard are
posted here, here and here.

They aren't expecting trouble at home.

With flawless timing and luck and...

A big distraction.

[GROANS, THEN GASPS]

[CAITLYN] Whatever you do,

don't underestimate Ambessa.

[VI] Vander's in trouble.

I have a plan.

You're not gonna like it.

[GRUNTING]

[SINGED GASPING]

Hope I was worth your time.

[GROANS]

[JAYCE IN ECHOING VOICE] I won't...

I won't fail.

[VOICE ECHOING]

[DISSONANT MUSIC PLAYING]

[GROANING]

[GENTLE, ETHEREAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUSIC TURNS HAUNTING]

[CAITLYN] Vi sent me.

I'm going to get you out of here.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

Ambessa believed in you.

Your death will be a deep cut.

[SNICKERS]

[DRAMATIC TECHNO MUSIC PLAYING]

[YELLS]

[WARWICK GROWLS]

[WARWICK GROWLS]

Don't touch my daughter.

[EMOTIONAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[COUGHING]

You.

[JAYCE] I won't fail.

[YELLS]

I swear it.

[YELLS]

[GASPS, THEN SCREAMS]

[PEOPLE SCREAMING]

[SCREAMING CONTINUES]

[SCREAMING CONTINUES]

[WARWICK ROARING IN DISTANCE]

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

[ROARING]

[GROANING]

Vander.

[ROARS]

[ROARING]

[SCREAMS]

[GASPS]

- [YELLING]
- [SOLDIERS YELLING]

[YELLING FADES]

[VIKTOR] I understand now.

The message hidden within the pattern.

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

The reason for our
failures in the commune.

The doctor was right.

It's inescapable.

Humanity.

Our very essence.

Our emotions...

Rage.

Compassion.

Hate.

Two sides of the same coin.

Inextricably bound.

[SCREAMS]

Vander, wait.

[MUSIC SWELLS]

[ISHA] Pew!

Boo!

No!

Pew!

Isha!

[VIKTOR] That which inspires
us to our greatest good...

is also the cause of our greatest evil.

[HAUNTING MUSIC PLAYING]