01x02 - The Circuit

[bunniefuu]

[solemn military music playing]

-[Esposito] Let's go! Come on!
-[Rachele] Faster! Come on!

[Diego] Let's go! Speed it up!

[Rachele] Let's do this!

[Diego] Quick! This way! Let's get strong!

-Move!
-[Esposito] Come on, let's go!

MINERVA ACADEMY

[Esposito] Go, go, go! Let's go!

[Rachele] Faster, faster, faster!

-[Esposito] You're almost there!
-[Rachele] Faster! Faster!

Faster!

-[Esposito] Come on!
-[girl] Let's go!

[Diego] Move it!

-[girl] Move it, move it!
-[Diego] Quickly, quickly!

Stop being weak! Go on, push yourself!
Come on! Toughen up!

-[grunts]
-[Esposito] Put your back into it! Faster!

-[girl] Go on! One more!
-You're terrible!

Go, go, go, go!

Whatever's slowing you down now
is personal.

It's in your head,
not out on the training field!

[girl] Come on, princess!

The worst enemy you'll ever have is you!

Let's go, let's go!
We're only getting started! Go!

[trainer] Let's go!

[Esposito] Your muscles
will never be big enough.

Your lungs will fail you!
Your strength will fail you!

Come on, Lucio!
You gotta try harder, choirboy!

[Esposito] 'Cause you will always have
the same limits!

They're right in here!
There's no getting away from that!

[trainer] Come on, let's go!

-Miss Canali.
-[trainer] Come on, faster!

-Commander.
-[Esposito] This isn't a day at the beach!

-The sergeant seems quite inspired.
-You mean to say the marshal, surely.

Power through! b*ll*ts will be flying
over your heads one day.

You wanna drown in that mud!

The kids have pretty low self-confidence.

We do our best
to help them surpass their limits.

Do any of them survive all of this?

[trainer] Go! Too slow!

-[chuckles]
-The best ones do.

[Esposito] You guys are
absolutely hopeless!

-[trainer] Come on, guys! Let's go!
-[Esposito] Move it, move it!

Go, go, go, go, go!

Someone broke a record.



Cipriani.

I've gotta be honest with you,

I don't think I've ever seen
a class filled with as many losers.

Best time goes to Tamburi.

But you still suck.

That's why we're planning
a makeup test for you all.

We want you to finish this circuit
in under five minutes.

Those who mess up can forget about
their Saturday afternoon leave.

It's our first one.

Then you have to train harder.

If you fail,

we'll lock you in here away from everyone.

[sighs]

[Vincenzo] My parents are coming in
from Rome for my first leave.

How can I tell them?

I'm sure they're aware that you suck.

Just say the truth.

Wow, you've got quite the talent.

You always know what to say
and when to say it.

Well, I've got friends from Milan
coming to visit.

And you? Seeing your mommy?

I live in a foster home, actually.

'Cause my mother lost custody of me
when I was 10 years old.

Oh. Well, that's not so bad.

You're fine with no leave.
You've got no one to see. Right?

Forget it.

Hey, Vince,
you've gotta write my paper for Canali.

Keep in mind,
Friday's circuit is gonna come quick.

Ticktock, ticktock.

It's no joke.

If you guys don't step up,
we'll look like fools.

If your time is sh*t,
I'll get another recruit.

We need a miracle, guys.

[Salvo] The circuit.

You've gotta help us through it.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Max] Cipriani.

Get up.

-Come on, up. Let's go.
-What's going on?

[Diego] Get up.

Up!

-Go.
-Hey.

[Vincenzo] Where are we going?

[Diego] Come on.

-[Vincenzo] What's going on?
-[Diego] Shut up.

There you are.

-[keys jingle]
-[door lock clicks]

[Vincenzo] What is this?

If you wanna get through the circuit,
you've gotta grow some ba*ls.

See the buoy there?

You're gonna have to swim to it
and come back.

You all can thank your buddy Fusco,
who asked us to help out.

Let's go! In the water!

[suspenseful music continues]

[gasps, coughs]

[labored breathing]

[unsettling music playing]

[ethereal music playing]

[gasps] Help!

No, Vincenzo!

Help! I can't do it!

-Vincenzo!
-[Vincenzo] Help me!

Help!

-Hey, your freshman won't make it.
-He's gotta toughen up a little.

[tense music playing]

[gasping]

-He's gonna drown.
-It's fine. I got this.

Help! I can't do--

I won't make it! Ah!

Help me!

Help me, please! I can--

[gasping]

I gotcha. Try to calm down.

Vincenzo!

Stop it!

[gasping]

Just calm down. Look at me! Vincenzo!

[Camilla] Come on, relax!

Hey! Calm down.

Breathe. Slowly.

[tense music continues]

[panting]

[music fades]

Looks like someone drank a lot of water.

[coughing]

-He's fine.
-[Salvo] I'll cover him.

-You're fine now.
-[Lucio] Here.

-[Salvo] You had us worried there.
-[Vincenzo] Thanks.

Thank you.

[Lucio] Thank God you were here.

[sighs]

You swim well. Where'd you learn?

We own a yacht.

[Vincenzo laughs]

That was really intense.

[all laugh]

[Rachele] f*ck.

[trumpet blaring]

[door opens]

[boy] Cipriani, what are you doing?
Come on! Out of bed, quick!

You're gonna do 30 push-ups, shave,
and raise the flag.

And I'm gonna file a report.

Move it!

[grunts]

Cipriani. Up, now.

Is the paper I told you to write finished?

When could I have written it?

Hand it over in an hour, or you don't eat.

No, I'm hungry. Come on.

You'd better hurry.

-[Camilla] What were you thinking?
-[Lucio] You shoulda talked to us first.

We have no choice
if we wanna ace the circuit.

I'm not buying it. You just
wanna impress the principal's son.

Or he wants to be class leader.

Do what you gotta do.

Can you just not get us k*lled, please?
Things are hard enough.

I'm just saying it's not like
we had another solution. I asked for help.

Oh, please.
And spare us your orphanage stories, okay?

-Easy there, Cami.
-It's not an excuse to be an as*h*le.

I never said I was in an orphanage.

[Bonaiuto]
A train is moving at full speed.

Suddenly, out of nowhere,
a child runs out onto the tracks.

He's defying his parents.

Come closer.

Your job is to safeguard
the train's cargo. Hmm?

You don't have the option
to stop it though.

All you can do in this situation
is pull a lever

in order to make it switch tracks.

If you do nothing,
the train will hit the child.

But if you pull the lever,

the train will switch tracks

and slam right into three workers
doing track maintenance.

What's your decision?

[suspenseful music playing]

-Mm.
-I'd pull the lever.

Three people would die.

I would never forgive myself
if I let a kid die.

One death's better than three.
It's a lesser evil.

The thing is,
strategy is a branch of the military arts.

But above all,
it focuses on rational action.

Prussian General Von Clausewitz said,

"Military strategy is based on reason,
on logos."

When it comes to strategic decisions,
ethics can't be your guide.

Trust in reason.

Remember what your goal is.

To safeguard the train's cargo.

If the kid's the only one who gets hit,
the train won't derail.

It's the best decision,
strategically speaking.

And in such situations,
that's the only thing that counts.

I want you to write a short essay
on Von Clausewitz's triad.

It's due on Wednesday.

What about the circuit though?
We have to train.

Think of a strategy.

[train whistle blares]

[tense, pressing music playing]

[music fades]

Are you guys just gonna ignore me forever?

[footsteps approaching]

Hello, everyone.

I'm here. Excuse me.

Please. Have a seat.

Oh, thank you.

Of course.

All the "stand up,"
"sit down," "at ease" orders

is still so bizarre to hear.

It feels surreal.

I know it seems strange,
but it does wonders for students.

Provides a reliable routine. Rituals.

It helps foster a sense of security.

My son's pediatrician agrees,
but he's just eight months.

Mm. How wonderful.

Mm. Thanks.

Have any kids?

Yes. Two. A boy and a girl, but older.

No longer children.

Diego's been at this school
since he was a junior.

[Canali] Ah, Diego. Leader of his class.

Being at his dad's school
has gotta be stressful.

Well, we have the students wear uniforms
so they can all feel equal.

I see my son as one of them.

And you don't favor him at all, then?

I see you're doubtful.

Mm.

Here's hoping his mother
treats him more tenderly.

If you'll excuse me.

No, no. As you were.

The commander raised his children
on his own.

Pardon me, I didn't mean to offend him.
I didn't know.

You shouldn't have said anything.

Here's a piece of advice for you.

Try to keep a low profile.

I've always had trouble doing that.

Yeah, it shows.

["UN TRAUMA È PER SEMPRE"
by SARAFINE playing]

-[Rachele] It's nice.
-You think so?

[Rachele] You could wear it on leave.

Assuming you get out.
You have to ace the circuit, and you suck.



How about you talk to Esposito
and get me out of it?

And it's yours.

[music continues]

I want to see you
get through this circuit. Move it.

And you're not getting out of here until
you've climbed the damn tower, you hear?

[Camilla whimpering]

[Rachele] Time to climb.

Move faster.

[music stops]

-Move it!
-I have a fear of heights. I can't.

It's just six meters. Do it.

[grunts, moans]

[grunts]

[gentle uplifting music playing]

Don't look down!

[groans]

[grunts]

[strains, grunts]

[music intensifies]

[music subsides]

You did it.

Stand up now.

[breathing heavily]

No, I can't. No.

All right, come back down.

I'm not feeling well.

Push through.

[suspenseful music playing]

Where are you going?

[Camilla whimpering]

[music fades]

[Salvo grunts]

[Diego] What's up?

You've had it?

Know what the problem is with lowlifes?

They weasel their way out of stuff.

[scoffs]

You've got good posture.
You've fenced before?

No, I just started here.

[sentimental music playing]

Bend your knees. Put your weight
on your heels and stay en garde.

Go for it!

You haven't answered
any of my messages in two weeks.

Sorry, bro.
I was wiped out. They're ruthless.

But I came out first in the circuit,
so I got named class leader.

-Oh!
-Hey! Nicely done! You learn quickly!

No, you're just terrible!

Yeah, my a*s. You, class leader?

[grunting]

You're an idiot!

You think? Go! Hit me!

-Well done!
-Ha! Huh?

[Francesco] Are you even trying?

That's all you got?

[sentimental music continues]

Okay, okay. Not so bad.
Put your weight on your heels.

[music fades]

Did you also have to swim to that buoy?

Mm-hmm.

You swam there and back?

Why are you asking me all this? En garde.

[Esposito] That's the freshman
he's mentoring, Achille.

It's perfectly normal.

[intriguing music playing]

Why do you think Diego chose him?

Fusco's strong.
You'd have chosen him as well.

[music fades]

[Camilla whimpers in distance]

[Salvo grunts]

[Camilla whimpering]

I'm here. I've got you.

Calm down. Calm down.

[sobbing]

Where are you going?

This place is a madhouse.
You're all insane.

-You know what'll happen if you leave.
-I'm leaving anyway.

-Hey, hey. Wait, please.
-[Camilla] Touch me, and I'll sue you.

Where is she going?

♪ Turns out ♪

♪ All of human knowledge at our fingertips
Made us dumb ♪

♪ Lost my connection to reality ♪

What happened to you?

♪ Stepping into a virtual one ♪

♪ Turns out all of human knowledge… ♪

Whoa!

[boy] That's it?
Wait a minute. I'm coming.

Excuse me, got a phone?

Mine was stolen on the subway.
I gotta call my parents to tell them.

Sure. Here you go, dear.

♪ I'm on your screen looking at you ♪

♪ The world out there is such a dark hue ♪

♪ It's so colorful here… ♪

-[phone line rings]
-[Camilla's father] Yes?

It's me, Dad, hello.

I'm in a meeting. What is it?

It's all too much.

Come pick me up.
Please, Daddy, I can't take it.

♪ It's so colorful here ♪

You hear me?

Daddy?

Call Sandro. He's already in Naples.

Why's he in Naples?

I asked him to stay close by.

Wait, what does that mean?
Why would you ask him that?

[sighs] Because I know you well.

I'm sorry, I need to hang up now.

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh… ♪

Here you are. It's on the house.

Come on. Eat up.

Thanks. I don't eat carbs though.

There aren't any carbs in there,
just some tomatoes with prosciutto.

Try it.

[phone chimes]

♪ So how many emotions can you put me in
In under a minute? ♪

♪ Throw out every thought in my head
Till you only hear crickets ♪

♪ Put every face on me
That's under the sun ♪

♪ Until every feeling gets so overused
They go numb ♪

♪ And I can talk in any language ♪

♪ And I can know every answer
That's ever been known ♪

♪ But when everyone's together
Everyone's alone ♪

♪ 'Cause we look so much better
When we're in the phone ♪

♪ Grab my attention by the throat ♪

♪ I'll be laughing on my own ♪

♪ I lost weeks and everyone ♪

♪ But we're all having so much fun ♪

♪ So grab my attention till it chokes ♪

♪ Only two seconds before I go ♪

♪ Detachment is soaring ♪

♪ But real life is so boring ♪

Yes. Exactly.

I know how it should be, but…

Yes. There was… No.

No, it isn't.

Huh? No, uh, sorry.

-[keys jingle]
-[door lock clicks]

[door lock clicks]

[suspenseful music playing]

[door lock clicks]

[door opens]

-[Camilla] What are you doing?
-[door opens]

[footsteps approaching]

-[softly] Let's go.
-[music fades]

You changed your mind already?

Had to, or else my dad wins.

He's the one that decided
to put you in here?

Of course. Just to see me fail.

So he can say, "Told you so."

You want me to see
if there's a spot in my foster home?

Why are you here anyway?
Got caught stealing phones?

Stealing phones gets you in here now?

So why are you in here? What did you do?

You want us all to cry together, ba*ls?

Just so you know, I haven't written
a single word yet for Bonaiuto.

And I'm not afraid to admit I was crying,
but you know what?

I'm calling an officer.
I'm done getting into trouble for you.

-No, wait.
-What is it you want?

Look, I'm sorry, okay?

And whose phone did you steal, Salvo?

I took Diego's. I swiped Diego's.

They treat us
like we're a bunch of sl*ves.

They make us do whatever they want.
We could have drowned.

Well, you asked for it, you know.

There's gotta be some dirt
we can use against them on his phone.

You're being crazy.
You find anything at all?

I haven't been able to unlock it.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Camilla sighs]

[blowing]

[music fades]

[intriguing electronic music playing]

Sorry, later.

[music fades]

"w*r is therefore an act of force
to compel our enemy to do our will."

-[door opens, closes]
-"The fo…"

You opened it?

How'd you do it?

You don't wanna know that.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[suspenseful music playing]

THIS CHAT HAS BEEN DELETED

[sighs]

Yo.

We've got the inspection.
I haven't written a word.

Come on, we gotta go.

Hurry.

[intriguing music playing]

[door opens]

[music fades]

[Camilla] What?
You didn't find a single thing?

Not even a nude?

Nothing.

We tried. That's what matters.

Savino.

I need to speak to you.

What the hell was that about?

Sorry about that. I lost a bet with Adele.

How old are you? You 12?

The rules here need to be followed.

[sighs]

If anyone had seen us,
we could've been suspended.

Guess we're pretty lucky we were alone.

[footsteps retreating]

Hmm.

[mutters]

Hey, what are you doing?

Hello. Um…

Just came to see Bonaiuto

'cause I'm gonna need
an extension on a paper.

Have you lost your mind?
She's gonna freak.

[Vincenzo] Mm.

All right, come.

No. Um, I've gotta train,
and I can't just bail out.

Oh, Vincenzo, come on. Live a little.

[solemn military music playing]

[music stops]

Mm. I was just sh**ting a video
for my old colleagues.

Yeah, why?

What do you mean?

Uh, I'm doing it
because this school's beautiful.

I can't get over
the fact that it's public.

It's a true miracle.

Or an injustice, I guess.

In general, we try to avoid
using cell phones on campus.

Wow, how very old school.

I think that's actually our strength.

This school is 200 years old.

-Hmm.
-[thunder rumbles]

You know what comes to mind?

Have you ever
heard of the Japanese soldier

who stayed hidden in the jungle
for 30 years after the w*r ended?

There is a w*r going on.

Stay informed.

-Sergeant.
-Marshal.

Marshal, of course. Sorry.

-I'm wondering…
-Mm.

You know this place well.
Where can I score a snack?

-[sighs]
-[solemn military music resumes]

Ah.

[music stops]

Coconut yogurt?

Yeah, it's my dad's guilty pleasure.

And trust me, it's the only thing
that he and I agree on.

[thunder rumbling]

-It's really good. Try it.
-No.

-Why? My hands are clean, I swear.
-Why? I just don't want any. No.

[tender music playing]

Please, you're not gonna
fall in love with me now, right?

[chuckles]

Tell me, what are you doing here?

[splutters] Why you asking?

You really aren't like
all the little fascists at this school.

Meh.

My whole family went to this school.

My father was a class leader
for, like, three years.

Hmm. Another military freak?

No. A carabiniere.

Mm.

The students here aren't all degenerates.

I see you here every afternoon. Why?

I pocketed all my tutoring money
last year.

I didn't ever show up once.

But my father caught me, and now,

I have to come study here
every day after class.

Whatever.

Ah. Here we go, some food.

[music fades]

-[rain pattering]
-Oh my God, I have to eat. I'm starving.

Mmm.

Cipriani.

Sorry.

Hi there.

-I'm Laura.
-Paola.

Mmm. All right, gotta go. Later!

All right, see ya.

Who was that?

She's really cool.

[sentimental music playing]

She's my teacher.

[thunder rumbling]

-[Rachele shouting indistinctly]
-[Max] Go, Vincenzo, go!

Go, go, go, go, go!

-Come on!
-Go for it, man!

Push yourself! Let the rain pump you up!

Canali really liked the essay. It's fire.

Good job.

Let's focus on bulking those twiggy arms.

What's wrong, huh?

Whoa. When's the last time you jerked off?

Why would you ask that?

'Cause you've got a problem, man.
You're too tense.

Of course I'm tense. Take a look around.

You gotta calm down, or you'll never
get through the circuit in one piece.

All right, to the mud. Go!

[grunts]

[straining] I can't. It's too much.

-I can't. I'm done.
-No, no, no, no, no.

Look at me. Yo, look at me. Look at me.

Do you know when I got here,
they'd call me Moby d*ck?

I had a huge belly,
and I didn't think I could do anything.

You know why I chose you?

Because I want you to get tough enough
to destroy anyone who messes with you.

You are a tiger!

You hear me?

[grunting]

See those two?

They believe they're the coolest here,
so you gotta crush them.

-Yes.
-Shut it.

You're doing well lately,
but tomorrow, push yourself.

-Be better.
-I will. I will.

Don't answer me
unless I tell you otherwise. Move. Go.

[Diego laughs]

Good job.

[Rachele] Camilla.

[music fades]

Tomorrow, think of the water.

Don't worry about the height.
Don't think about anything.

-Imagine you're swimming.
-[thunder rumbling]

That's my advice.

You can do this.

[stirring music playing]

[Esposito] Cadets!

Attention!

[music intensifies]

[Esposito] Come on! Go, go, go, go!

Move it!

Well done.
Move, move, move, move! Let's go!

-[Rachele] Stronger! Faster! Come on!
-[trainer] Go!

[Rachele] Let's go, let's go!

Hurry! Jump up!

You're too slow! Too slow! Faster!

Now jump down!

-[trainer] That's it!
-[Diego] Go for it!

-[trainer] Speed it up!
-[Max] Never stop!

[trainer] Move faster!
Faster, come on! Hurry!

[Diego] Keep pushing!

[Esposito] Move it! Go!

[Rachele] Use your strength!
Use your mind!

[grunts]

Go, go, come on! You kick a*s,
so show those f*ck!

-Do it!
-[Rachele] Show them how good you are.

Do it again, again, and again!
Use those muscles!

-Come on! Hold on tight!
-[groans]

Keep it up!

Someone's been jerking off
too much now, huh?

[laughs]

-[Rachele] Come on, come on!
-[Esposito] Move it! Faster! Let's go!

[trainer] Strong core!

[Max] Come on! Faster, quick!
You've got this, hurry!

-[trainer] Come on, move it!
-[Rachele] Go, go!

[Esposito] You've got this!
Come on, let's go!

[both grunting]

[Lucio] Good job!

[laughing]

Hey, so how did I do?

You got it done.



Not bad.

Don't let it get to your head.

[music fades]

-[Rachele] You can do this. You know it.
-[exhales deeply]

Do it.

[suspenseful music playing]

[exhales deeply]

[music turns melancholy]

[music fades]

[sighs]

[Adele exhales]



Well done.

You did great.

[Diego exhales]



As for the rest of you,
your leave is denied.

No break tomorrow or ever.

You'll be granted permission

once you've completed the circuit
with good time.

[solemn pensive music playing]

Fusco.

You finished with the best time.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Commander.

Yes.

Keep it up.

Cadets, you're dismissed.

You did really well. You did.

[trainer] Feels good
to get it done, right? You did good.

-[Lucio] Good job.
-[Vincenzo] Hey.

Well done.

Yo, get your hands out of there. Come on.

[Salvo] I'm not gonna lie, it was tough.

Mm…

[chuckles]

[Diego scoffs]

Stay away from my sister, you hear?

Or you'll have to fight me.

[music fades]

[footsteps approaching]

I'm sorry you're stuck in here.

You think I'd mind
not going out to eat sfogliatelle?

They think I'm being dramatic,
but I am terrified of heights.

I'm seriously scared.

I know.

[Camilla sighs]

I once had a panic attack on a cable car
in St. Moritz when I was a little.

The paramedics had to come.

My parents sent me home with the nanny.

They just continued
their vacation… without me.

[tender music playing]

You didn't miss much anyway.

St. Moritz is beyond overrated.

[Camilla chuckles softly]

[footsteps approaching]

I'll see you after dinner.

Just be ready.

[solemn military music playing]

[music fades]

This school was
originally built around this chapel.

So it all started right here.

That's why we're down here now.

All students come to carve their names.

Because students are the school.

As much as this church.

As much as these walls.

[uplifting music playing]

The class leader gets to go first.

Mm.

[Max sighs]

Papa.

[uneasy music playing]

[intriguing music playing]

[Francesco] Sorry, bro.
I was wiped out. They're ruthless.

But I came out first in the circuit,
so they named me class leader.

[echoing grunt]

Who had the best time in your first year?

That as*h*le, Diego.

[music fades]

[indistinct chattering]

[Rachele] Savino!

Hey, why are you here?
What about the leave?

How about until you get out,
I don't get out?

There's no way I'm climbing that tower.

Maybe you will.

You've mastered your fears, right?

Yeah, not of heights.

My dad was a pilot.

It's what I'll do.

I am really afraid of heights, I swear.

Scares the sh*t out of me.

It's a phobia, I swear.

["Come volevi essere" by Lamante playing]

-What a great haircut.
-No one's more handsome than you.

-Not much hair to keep me warm.
-Looks great.

Your curls are gone.

No more curls. All right.
Let's make a toast. Come on. A toast.

-Sure.
-Here's to the curls that are no more.

Gè!

Papa.

-Papa.
-Gè.

Gè!

["Come volevi essere" continues]

[music fades]

PHOTO BOOTH - 4 POSES - 2 EURO

[dark, intriguing music playing]

[Salvo] Excuse me.

Yes?

Have you seen this guy? Has he been here?

Yeah. I haven't seen him in a while.

He used to come with another guy like you.

This one?

No.

That one. Him.

[music fades]

[tender instrumental music playing]

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[intriguing music playing]

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