01x08 - Who’s There?

[bunniefuu]

Hello, Tyler.

We premiere in three days.

Midsummer.

We've decided on the atrium
for the wagons in case of rain.

Clark seems...

okay with the Symphony being here.

I don't think you ever
saw me this excited.

You saw me as the bad guy.

Shitty German soaps.

Ah, I wish you were here.

[soft piano music]

Hm.

♪ ♪

[sighs]

See you tomorrow.

[somber instrumental music]

♪ ♪

"Station Eleven" was printed

at Zalinski's Print and Copy Stop

in Chicago, Illinois
on November , .

- Only five...
- What's your source on that?

Miranda telling Arthur.

Only five copies were published.

- It is the story...
- Selfpublished?

[gasps, pants]

[birds chirping]

[murmurs] Okay.

[moody music]

♪ ♪

[burps] Ah.

Oh.

[dark music]

♪ ♪

[horse neighs]

Hey, Luli.

- You named your horse Luli?
- Uhk!

[bird caws]

I led her for three days
while you were draped over her.

I didn't know what to call her.

That's my book.

I know.

It's been a while.

What happened?

You k*lled all those bandanas.

But... [sighs]

they got you with that
dirty chemistry, Kolokol- .

People say their poison
makes you see ghosts.

What'd you dream about?

The First Hundred.

[moody music]

♪ ♪

Cody d*ed.

I saw.

I'm sorry.

You guys were together a long time.

There's no before.

Where are the rest of the Undersea?

Close. They'll come
if I light the torch.

Why are you helping me?

"You're going to die,
and I can't stop it."

"Isn't it that everyone?"

I b*rned my copy when I left here.

I remember the words pretty good.

Not everything, but most of it.

Forgot some parts.

Why are you so sure
the people who live here

aren't gonna recognize you?

They don't wanna remember me.

They think I'm dead.

♪ ♪

Is someone coming up
behind me right now?

Yep.

- Do we let him?
- You tell me.

- [g*n cocks]
- Hands up.

Who are you?

We're from the Traveling Symphony.

We're just actors.

I don't think I've ever
said this out loud...

[pastoral flute music]

But I have always felt like a failure.

Every room I've walked
into, I felt hated.

And I know it's wrong
and I know it's not true,

but... I feel it.

I feel it,

and I accept it.

Hello all.

Clark again.

Hm?

- Hi.
- Say hi, kids.

All: Hi, Mr. Thompson

The object from the museum
this week is a karaoke machine.

Now, kids just like
yourselves would get bored

looking for fun on Friday night.

Eh? And, um...

You can pick any song you want

and perform it for your friends.

The Traveling Symphony can do that.

[kids giggle]

No, well, not like this.

- Yes.
- Ms. Colton, is it true

you used to be an actor?

Uh, yes, I was.

- [music stops]
- And guess who else was?

- Mr. Thompson.
- Mm-hmm.

And a very good actor
and also a violinist.

When is the play?

Premiere is midsummer's eve,

and the workshop with the actors
will be the next day.

As long as they clear
quarantine protocol.

We can't let the sick
enter our community.

Huh? We can't risk infection!

If anybody is interested

in the karaoke machine...

It'll be in the museum.

Okay, kids. Miles is on his way

for electrical engineering class.

[indistinct announcement on PA]

- Clark.
- Midsummer's eve.

Why can't you just say June the st?

f*ck's sake, Clark.

Nobody's sick out there anymore.

Why do you have to scare children?

It actually keeps them calm.

[laughing] It doesn't keep them calm.

- [walkie-talkie beeps]
- Walking them in now.

- What's that?
- Nothing.

Miles found a couple of people
in the woods past the fence.

- What?
- They're just more actors,

and we're bringing them
to quarantine right now.

No, you're not. That sounds like a con.

It's also not how we do things.

Clark, it is a different time.

- You heard those kids...
- This is not what we agreed.

I let you get what you want
with this theater troupe,

but I will not allow it
to become a distraction

that puts our people in danger.

Our people want to open the doors.

Give me!

Miles? [static]

- Miles!
- Clark?

Bring them straight to the tower.

I'll interrogate them myself.

[classical music]

- You're a crazy old man.
- Uh-huh.

♪ ♪

Alex, I'm coming down.

I have something I think you might like.

Okay. We're still rehearsing.

We have questions about The Mousetrap.

Severn City Airport
is honored to welcome

the Traveling Symphony for
a summer solstice performance

of "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare.

[classical music playing]

♪ ♪

_

[door opens and closes]

[door opens and closes]

Hello. Come.

Um...

I'm Clark Thompson.

Welcome to the Museum of Civilization.

I'm Kirsten from the Traveling Symphony.

Ah. Kirsten.

- Mm-hmm.
- Welcome.

Welcome, welcome. And now,

let me look at you, my God.

Real, professional actors.

[chuckles]

Kirsten. Now yes,

now I know your story.

Scary stuff.

Got separated at the golf course.

Pingtree, is it? We don't get out much.

And then the bombing.

It was really, really scary, yeah.

- Thank God you found us.
- Yeah.

We're just so glad you're okay.

Your, um... your troupe is doing well.

- Mm.
- A few days into quarantine.

We quarantine here.

It's part of our success,

along with the isolated woods, the, um,

electric fences... Ah.

- And the cameras.
- [chuckles]

I told her these woods were dangerous.

And who are you?

[uneasy music]

♪ ♪

Lonagan.

"What hath you done with
the body, dear Lord?"

[uneasy music continues]

♪ ♪

"Compounded it with
dust, whereto 'tis kin."

[chuckles]

Yeah, everybody knows "Hamlet" though.

Yeah, but it's just so good, you know?

Reading it, it's like being
inside a different world.

I don't know, stupid probably.

I don't think it's stupid.

These identity verifications
are usually so tedious,

but this one is a delight.

Real actors, Miles, huh?

I think they could just do a scene.

Sometimes we have visitors.

They lie to try to get in, so we, uh,

check them out.

- Smart.
- So, one scene.

Whatever you like.

Then we'll know you
are who you say you are.

The old one with the spaceship.

[eerie off-key music]

♪ ♪

What happened?

We made it to orbit.

You were in regenerostasis
for and a half days.

You never sleep that long.

[grunts]

I'm still woozy.

Is that Earth?

Not anymore.

It was.

Did you watch my helmet's video feed?

Yes. From your accident?

I didn't realize
the gyroscope is f*cked.

♪ ♪

- [mug slams]
- Ah!

Ah!

[music intensifies]

♪ ♪

I stood looking over the damage,

trying to remember
the sweetness of life on Earth...

But I couldn't remember.

Do you know what I remember?

You...

As a child.

From before.

We don't even know if
it's like it was before.

There is no before.

No after.

Only now.

I don't buy it.

The past is safe.

Everything else... changes.

[sweeping dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Wow!

Wow.

Wow, bravo, bravo.

Bravo!

[whispering] Clark!

My friend. Ah, it's so good to see you!

- [laughs]
- Hello.

Ahh.

Wh... What?

I mean, you saw the rehearsal, right?

- Yeah.
- How brutal was it?

No, it's fine. It's fine.

Fine. Yeah.

- [chuckles]
- No, I mean, it's...

It's a solid production.

- Ah.
- It's shaping up

to be something incredible.

How... How far out are you again?

Three weeks.

Well, you're in the sh*t then.

Yeah. [laughs]

It means a lot to me for you to come.

You know Tyler is arriving tomorrow?

- [knock on door]
- Oh, really?

Yeah. Come in.

Come in.

Kiki. Come.

Come, come, come.
Say hi to my friend, Clark.

Hello.

I'm Kirsten. Young Goneril.

- Ah, yes.
- Kiki's my understudy.

- Ah.
- Yeah.

She knows the whole play.

Really?

- Good night.
- Good night.

"My eldest born, speak first."

"Sir, I do love you more

than words can wield the matter."

[chuckling] Wow.

Till tomorrow, okay?

- Make magic...
- both: Every time.

Tanya, the kid wrangler,
says that her life is sad.

But you can't tell, right?

No.

Do you remember that bar
out by the Pancake House?

From the night we met Miranda?

Yeah, of course... My birthday.

I gave you a banana. You have it?

- I do.
- Yeah.

Come on, let's go there.

I... I've been sober nine years.

You know that.

[Lisa Loeb's "Stay (I Missed You)"]

Yeah.

You fucker. F...

I called you when I did the steps.

Of course. No, of course, of course.

You forget everything, mate.

♪ You say ♪

♪ I only hear what I want to ♪

♪ You say ♪

♪ I talk so all the time ♪

♪ So ♪

♪ And I thought what I felt was simple ♪

♪ And I thought that I don't belong ♪

♪ And now that I am leaving ♪

♪ Now I know that I
did something wrong ♪

♪ 'Cause I miss you ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, I miss you ♪

S!

- Hi!
- [squealing, laughing]

- Kirsten!
- Oh, my God, no way!

- Oh, my God.
- Hey, she came back!

[swelling classical music]

[laughter and chatter]

Oh, it's so good to see you.

[chatter continues]

♪ ♪

Hey, Vlad!

- I'm good, I'm safe.
- She's back!

- [laughing]
- [growls]

I knew it. I knew it.

I knew it. [sighs]

Where's Sarah?

- Uh...
- What?

Sarah had a heart att*ck.

But, uh, you know, they
say she's gonna recover.

They... They have a facility here.

- She's fine.
- Okay, has anybody seen her?

- No.
- No?

No. They won't let us.

You guys.

Look around. That's...

That's barbed wire, okay?

We're locked up.

It's kind of nice though, you know?

- We're safe.
- Less travel.

Okay. Just someone...

Someone just say the plan.

To get Sarah.

We can't stay.

We... we... You guys, it's not safe.

- Yes, it is.
- No, Alex, it's not.

They're excited for us.

They've never seen a play.

Oh, they've never seen a play?

Never. We have to do the play.

- What did you say?
- I said that we...

Well, you know, we
made a commitment and...

Elizabeth's been directing us.

We direct ourselves.

Why would we leave the nicest
place we've ever been?

Because they're holding Sarah hostage.

No, they saved her. She would've d*ed.

And quarantine it's... it's...
It's just what they do here.

- Okay!
- Elizabeth said

that if we stay here,

then she'll give us houses.

And... And look, we've got bathrooms.

What they said was we
could stay for the winter

until Sarah recovers.

And is that what you want?

I haven't had a sewing machine, ever.

- Elizabeth got me one.
- Right, yeah.

Sorry, who the f*ck is Elizabeth?

Elizabeth Colton.

She was a movie star from before?

Yes, I know who she was.

Hey, wasn't she married
to Arthur Leander?

[cryptic music]

Oh.

Holy f*cking sh*t.

[grunting]

Cut down those reeds and the trees

and, uh, open the doors.

Bring in the light.

I just watched them do a scene.

And? How were they?

Well, they're real.

- How was the man?
- Uh...

he was more summer stock.

Kirsten, she's the star.

Yes, that's what Alexandra said.

Yes. It's been so long

I forgot how powerful it can be.

- Mm.
- Stage doesn't matter.

Costumes. Ha.

It's a problem.

- What is?
- I listened to you.

And I agreed. I wanted
the Traveling Symphony

to come to try something new,

and I'm admitting the museum
isn't doing the job anymore.

But I assumed they'd be
terrible or just lighter.

- It's f*cking "Hamlet," Clark.
- Yes.

And I've been reading it again
for the read-a-long at school.

I never noticed how insolent Hamlet is

to the power structures.

The man insults the king.

Claudius kills his father.

- Yes, but he had his reasons.
- [scoffs]

Nobody ever tells the story
from that point of view.

- Oh!
- But Hamlet,

imagine if our teenagers
felt that anger that clearly?

- Mm.
- And it's...

It's... it's like heroin.

Hm. What are you saying, Clark?

I'm withdrawing my vote.
They can't perform.

You can't do that. Not now.

Obviously, they can't
be allowed to leave.

We'll have to keep them in custody.

They know how to get here.
They could bring back others.

[dramatic organ music]

- Sweep better.
- Ignore him.

Be honest about your anger.

We have work to do.

No, it's simple.

Hello, Sam, you f*ck, did
you slip Bill information

which you f*cking overheard
at the July session

regarding a crisis at
the meeting without telling me?

Well, is the assistant on? Good!

Yeah. Go f*ck yourself!

Uh-huh. All right, now you try it.

I... it's... sorry, it's
confrontation therapy.

I'm a CEO whisperer.

Uh, Mr. Leander told me
you two used to party.

- I got eight balls.
- Eh, oh no, we're good, thanks.

Um...

eh, thank you for the food.

No, no... ex...
excellent, Jack, excellent.

Nobody believes this,

but it's true.

Chicago... best food.

- [chuckles]
- [phone vibrates]

Come on, Arthur. Rome?

Mexico City?

It's Tim. Jeez.

He's almost as optimistic as you are.

Tim? Who's Tim?

Tim, he's...

_

I met him years ago.

We dated on and off, and
then we moved in this year.

He's been good for me.

I'm happy for you.

You should have brought him over then.

Been so long I thought
maybe just us this time.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

I heard you shouting before.

- Is everything okay?
- Yeah, no, it's just work.

I'm a CEO whisperer.

Really a lot of CEOs these days
are kind of the sensitive types

so they have to learn the alpha moves.

[laughs]

You were a violin player
in a punk band when we met.

Yeah, your point?

Who cares about alpha moves?

The only thing you could do
was to show people how you felt.

- I'm aware I've changed...
- And I respect that

so much more, Clark.

More than this whole
chest-bumping macho attitude,

you know, like, why...

What about nice people?

Or quiet people? Or even better,

people who don't even
think like that at all?

People who only make things
for their own private reasons.

[chuckles]

Arthur, you like those people

because you dominate
them from the start.

What does that mean?

They don't push back against you

because you're a movie star.

Oh, come on, you're aware of that, yeah?

What, you think it's
because they love you or...

Or they're scared of
you, but it's actually

because they don't care about you.

- Man!
- Yeah.

You're sounding like
the paranoid old members

of the party that my father
used to hang out with.

- What, f*cking communists?
- Yeah!

No, I'm just saying people
in the business world

are more honest.

- Oh, Clark, no!
- Yes!

- No.
- And I prefer it,

because nobody's pretending
why they're there.

- Aye, no, come on, no.
- What?

What? I'm not saying I respect

or like these
Ruling Elite m*therf*ckers.

And I'm not saying I...

I don't love what we used to do.

Dressing up, telling
stories, making magic.

'Cause that's what matters.

Making things.

Miranda knew that.

Always.

Yeah.

And I don't mean making things

as in an art piece or
music for the elites.

No, I mean, making things.

And in order for that
something to be transcendent,

to hold up, it has to be great.

Hm.

So that's what you think
you're doing with "Lear," huh?

Yeah? Making something great?

- No, I just think...
- Miranda didn't care

if what she was doing was great.

She didn't care if
anyone ever even read it.

She had to do what she was doing.

- You didn't even know Miranda.
- Miranda was my friend too!

And I lost her because
you needed more attention.

f*cking Chicago.

- Clark?
- Sorry.

I liked her.

"I'm at my best when I'm escaping."

She said those exact words
to me by the pool that night

after she realized you
were f*cking your costar.

But I wasn't.

Everyone said. They all assumed.

But in the end? I didn't.

Miranda left me.

And she b*rned down my pool house.

She was tied to a boulder...

and getting pulled to
the bottom of the sea.

And you?

You were sad she didn't
like your heist movie.

Do you know what I really thought

watching you today on stage?

You're great.

You don't deserve to be,
because you haven't earned it,

and you shouldn't be that great but...

you are.

And I'm not jealous.

I don't want to be you.
I don't wanna be great.

I just miss...

friendships.

Yeah, me too.

[ethereal music]

[whispering] Elizabeth.

There's something about him.

I... I felt it when
I caught them out there.

I... I... I can't shake it.

You look like you've seen a ghost.

But Elizabeth, I got
to tell you something.

Clark doesn't know, but I
had him locked up, Lonagan.

- Where is he?
- Mountebanc has him locked up.

- You should go see him.
- Why?

- Just go see him.
- Miles, what?

You don't actually think it's Tyler?

Elizabeth, please.

My son is dead.

I...

I'll... I'll deal with it
after the play.

[sighs] We have a lot going on.

[monitors beeping, oxygen hissing]

["Beautiful Dreamer" played on ukulele]

Probably time to let her people visit.

After the play.

♪ ♪

That scene today was good.

I'm changing my mind on the theater.

Elizabeth said.

- I ran into her.
- Oh.

[plucking "Ave Maria" on ukulele]

♪ ♪

Do people like me anymore?

People love you.

People know you saved them.

On with it.

["Ave Maria" continues]

♪ ♪

You built something great here.

You guided us through
an impossible time.

Then why do I feel so terrible?

Morning.

[door closes]

Morning.

It's afternoon.

Yeah? Is there coffee?

I think you should go, man. Now.

Oh. You're trying to get rid of me

before Tyler gets here.

You know, I thought
it would've been nice

to get to know the boy finally.

But you abandoned me.

I feel f*cking sorry for
Tyler having you as a father.

Eh,

sorry.

It's fine. Come in, Clark.

Come say hi.

I... I didn't realize
you were already here.

We landed at noon.

Tyler,

say hi to your Uncle Clark.

He had what's called
a "bender" last night.

Nice to meet you, Tyler.

He's my uncle?

Well, he and your dad
used to be friends.

No, we're friends.

We still are.

And now it's a different time.

What's different?

[grumbles]

We're old as sh*t.

[end notes of "Ave Maria']"

[unidentified thwapping]

[birds cawing]

[someone snores]

[tense music]

♪ ♪

[rope whirs]

- [Kn*fe unsheathes]
- Ah!

Oh.

I found your friend.

I used to use the jetways to get around.

You can get anywhere in the airport.

I guess there is a Before.

Come on. Your friend's back here.

[dark music]

♪ ♪

You're almost there.

[whispering] Just go that way.

You'll see a light.

- What are you doing?
- Something else.

I'll meet you back at the jetway.

I'll wait. Go.

Sarah! Sarah.

Sarah.

Sarah. Sarah.

[monitors beeping, oxygen hissing]

Sarah, hi.

I'm gonna get you out of here, okay?

I just have to... To find a way around.

[muffled] Why are you in the ceiling?

- Huh?
- Why...

Why are you in the ceiling?

They're holding you to
get the troupe to perform.

This place, it's not safe.

We have to go.

So where would I go?

With us.

times around the lake,

and I thought I was
gonna make it but...

my bones is cold.

But... I mean, you'll heal.

My heart's broken.

Go.

Say goodbye.

You got to get better at that.

And don't... don't...

tell them that I'm dead until after.

[melancholy music]

After what?

The play.

The play's the thing.

[tearfully] Okay.

♪ ♪

Nothing's gone.

Nothing's ever gone.

I saw her.

Thank you.

Okay.

The jetway that takes you back
to the quarantine is that way.

This one leads outside.

Look, I told you,

no one leaves this place alive.

The Before...

It's coming back.

I won't let it.

Goodbye.

[door thudding]

[grunts]

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[grunts]

[soft thud]

Outside of the fence.

Elizabeth...

are you still awake?

[insects chirp]

[bird coos]

[moody music]

♪ ♪

_

- [Zippo flicks]
- Of course he took credit.

Clark used to take over with his lies.

Who are they?

All the people who d*ed out there.

Gitchegumee Air, Flight .

They landed the same day as us.

A few hours later.

They didn't let them off though.

They were sick.

We were inside.

Nice and safe.

But it's time

for Tyler and Elizabeth to go.

So you ran away.

And you let everyone
believe that you d*ed.

And when you were alone...

You thought about "Station Eleven."

What happened to you
in the First Hundred?

I was in Chicago.

I was lucky for a kid.

I had a grownup who cared about me.

Right before the Flu, I was in a play...

With Arthur Leander.

I knew him.

[eerie music]

I loved him, actually.

He was kind to me.

He talked about his son a lot.

We were supposed to
meet at the premiere.

But then, uh,

they were late.

Arthur gave me "Station Eleven."

And when I read it,

it didn't matter that
the world was ending.

Because it was the world.

Tyler...

You didn't come back here for that.

Then why did I come back?

Because they didn't die.

They're all still alive.

You left.

I remember being locked up
for trying to help someone.

I remember that they failed.

I remember damage...

Then escape...

Then adrift...

in a stranger's galaxy
for a long, long time.

But I'm safe now.

I found it again.

There is a Before.

It was just awful.

I release you from the Undersea.

[Bill Callahan's "One Fine Morning"]

♪ ♪

♪ One fine morning ♪

♪ I'm gonna ride out ♪

♪ Yeah, one fine morning ♪

♪ I'm gonna ride out ♪

♪ Just me and the skeleton... ♪

"So I stood looking over the damage."

"I was late.

You were early."

♪ In a country kind of ♪

♪ Silence ♪

♪ ♪

♪ We're gonna ride out ♪

♪ In a country ♪

f*ck. Ah, f*ck.

[pants] f*ck.

♪ Yeah, one fine morning ♪

♪ Yeah, it's all coming
back to me now. ♪

♪ My apocalypse. ♪

♪ My apocalypse. ♪

[eerie offkey notes]

♪ ♪

♪ The curtain rose ♪

♪ And b*rned ♪

♪ In the morning sun ♪

♪ Yeah, the curtain rose ♪

♪ And b*rned ♪

[device beeping]

♪ In the morning sun ♪

- Tyler?
- ♪ And the mountain ♪

♪ And the mountain ♪

♪ Bowed down ♪

♪ In the morning sun ♪

♪ My apocalypse. ♪

Say something.

- What's happening?
- f*ck you!

Clark.

This is all your fault!
You brought it back!

You brought everything back!

Tyler?

Tyler.

Thank God you're alive.

I don't know you or you.

f*ck you.

You could have spared
your mother years of pain!

- Clark, stop talking.
- No.

Why have you come back?
Why do this to her?

I'm not doing this to her.

♪ ♪

[device beeps]

- [expl*si*n booms]
- [gasps]

[explosions continue booming]

No!

No! No!

[a cappella version of
Schubert's "Ave Maria"]

No! The museum!

The museum! No!

[birds caw]

♪ ♪

♪ Ave ♪

♪ Maria... ♪

I'll take care of him.

- He came back.
- He came back.

♪ Maria gratia... ♪

Okay, so what does happen?

The story ends before you find out.

Hold on. What's your argument?

Not what they think. Not
what the author thought.

- What do you think?
- Are you mad at me?

No. You're just not done.

♪ Ave dominus ♪

♪ Dominus tecum ♪