01x09 - Darkness

[bunniefuu]

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

In a faith built
on the cycling of Elements,

there is no greater sin

than bringing life back to the dead.

- Where's Sasha?
- I told her to run.

Do you have any idea
what they'll do to you

if they find out that you helped?

I'm not sorry.

Where's Guardian Tanner?

Guardian Tanner d*ed
in a Strigoi att*ck.

Rose and I remembered everything.

Their parents were there.
They m*rder*d my family.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Someone inside the Royal Court

is conspiring with Strigoi
to take Lissa out.

When your family d*ed,

I kept thinking we could preserve

some little part of that life
before the crash, but we can't.

We both need to find our way
without each other.

Rose, what does that mean?

I have to get out of here.

Remember when you offered to go with me?

I was just wondering
if the offer still stands.

Yes, Rose.

♪ ♪

The crown is yours, Victor.

I only wish Sonya was here
to celebrate with us.

We spoke.
She said this was all worth it.

We have shamed the Elements
with the choice of Victor Dashkov

during these Trials.

[SHRIEKING]

[CROWD SCREAMING]

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

You don't understand.

Talk to me, please.

I know you're hurting. So am I.

No!

You don't get to play the
loving husband and father now.

Victor lied about his health.

And what of his Strigoi daughter?

How can we trust him
to rule the Dominion

when he can't even rule his household?

Will he even be around to rule?

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]

People are worried

their province will be
the next St. Jude,

that their brother, wife, or child

will become the next Strigoi victim,

or worse,

become a monster to defend against,

like Sonya Karp.

[HISSES]

[GROWLS]

If anyone knew about Sonya,

there would be no chance for me
to be on the throne.

So you lied about our daughter.

Sonya healed me
because she believe in me.

That's why I have to become the king,

to be the man Sonya
believed in, especially now.

People are scared!

Of course people are scared.

Who can blame them?

Our very future is on the line.

We need to fix this before we cannot.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]

I can fix this, fix everything.

We're getting ready

for our daughter's funeral, Victor.

You can't fix that!

Stop it.

Isn't it enough that
Sonya's locked up in a dungeon

until they k*ll her?

[SOMBER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

That's not Sonya anymore.

♪ ♪

[VOICE BREAKS] Sonya is gone.

No one feels that more than I do.

But the only way to make it worse

is if I abdicate and Tatiana wins.

You really think
the crown is yours after this?

Tatiana is rallying the Moroi
to her side.

By preying on their fear.

Do you really wanna live in a realm

ruled by someone with her values?

Values aren't
about what you say, Victor.

They're about what you do.

Exactly.

My whole life,

I've worked to make this Dominion

a better place for our children.

Don't you see?

Taking the throne is the only way

to honor her sacrifice...

and find some light
in this terrible darkness.

I want to understand, but...

I'm so sorry.

I never asked her to heal me.

And if I had only said no that night...

But how could I know it would
come at such a terrible cost?

We cannot afford
to sit back and do nothing.

We must act when it matters most.

And that time is now.

Call upon me,

and I shall serve.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]

[BOOING]

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

ALL: [CHANTING] Our queen! Our queen!

We're f*cked. Aren't we, Herald?

Indeed we are, Your Majesty.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

[BOTH MOANING]

[SENSUAL MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[BOTH LAUGH]

Um, buy a trampoline.

Okay. Go to a baseball game.

Eat pizza with pineapple on it.

- No, that's gross.
- Yeah.

Well, I've heard it's a thing.

I've heard it's a thing.

- You've heard it's a thing?
- Mm-hmm.

What is it?

It just seems like forever ago

that Lissa and I were planning
the same adventure.

It's okay to worry about her.

Maybe.

She's got Dimitri, right?

And I told my mother
about Christian's parents.

It's in her hands now.

It's bigger than us.

I think you should actually
say goodbye to Lissa.

I will.

'Cause then it's just you and me.

No more trainings. No more schedule.

No more taking orders.

Like you took orders.

[LAUGHS]

You aren't the least bit scared?

[SOFT PIANO MUSIC]

I'm terrified.

♪ ♪

But being terrified and free

beats throwing our bodies on the line

for a bunch of Royals who
couldn't give a sh*t about us.

Right?

Right.

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[DOOR OPENS, SLAMS]

Lissa.

Mia, I'm so sorry.

You have to stop.

The healing, all of it.

I saw you with Dean.

I don't know what you think you saw,

but that's crazy.

- No one can do that.
- You can.

And so could Sonya.

My family thought
that she was the only one,

and then I saw you.

Okay, Mia, if anyone found out...

I haven't told anyone.

But, Lissa, the more Sonya healed,

the worse she got.

She hated seeing anyone in pain.

Even me.

Even though I wasn't always nice.

She deserved better.

And so do you.

But I'm not like you and Christian.

What if this power
is my only way to fight?

It's not worth it.

Mia, look, I know you're upset,

- but you don't...
- Of course I'm upset!

Papa is livid.

Dad lied about Sonya being missing.

I know that my dad did a terrible thing.

And even though I am furious,

I can't stand to see him this way.

I can't.

[SOBBING] I f*cking can't.

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[GRUNTING]

Guardian Belikov.

Commander Croft.

It's an honor.

You are under arrest for treason.

♪ ♪

Your Majesty, it's madness.

- Open brawling in the streets.
- And it's getting worse.

If Your Majesty desires

a Dominion tomorrow to wake up to,

you must take action.

[CROWD SHOUTING]

[SCOFFS] Take action?

To quell the madness
you wrought yourselves?

Everyone knows my days are numbered.

Just what would you have me do?

Officially disavow Victor.

Your support still matters

and can unite the Dominion
behind a worthy successor.

The Council can release a statement

contesting the Trials

and confirming me as queen,

which means, Your Majesty,

you are free to step down.

You may rest easy
with your legacy in my hands.

No.

The Elements did not
choose you, Tatiana.

I may not like it,
but they chose Victor.

He won the Trials.

Per the church, he is king.

[TENSE MUSIC]

Guardian Belikov.

Now in the matter of the
Caroni Village resettlement,

aside from the Strigoi att*ck,

you claim that the mission
was completed without fault.

Is that true?

You also state
that Guardian Sasha Tanner,

with whom you were charged
with remanding,

d*ed in battle.

Is that true?

Guardian Belikov,

the punishment for treason
is very serious.

[UNEASY MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I stand by my statement.

Very well.

I hope you know what you're doing.

Take him away.

♪ ♪

And bring Guardian Tanner in.

It'll be very interesting
to hear what she has to say

now that we've heard
your side of the story.

Put him under house arrest.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Sit.

Hey, kiddo.

Come and have a seat.

I've been thinking.
I know you're blue about Lissa...

I know you've been working
with my parents.

Is that why you've been so nice
to me this whole time?

Honey, you're not making any sense.

Please don't add another lie
to the pile.

Just tell me.

Have you just been using me
to get to Lissa?

You got it all wrong.

Your parents love you.

Why they wanted
the Dragomirs off the throne,

I can't tell you.

But one thing I do know...

they miss you

and just wanna be together again.

You know, the Moroi say

becoming Strigoi is
a fate worse than death.

But if you ask the Strigoi,

they call it the Awakening.

♪ ♪

What do you mean?

It's like you've been
sleepwalking your whole life.

Everything's more intense...

Colors, sounds, touch.

And you never get old.

You want them to turn you.

[CHUCKLES]

All I'm saying is you have options.

You don't have to be alone ever again

if you don't want to be.

I've seen how everyone's
treated you here.

You deserve better.

♪ ♪

I want you to give them a message.

Tell them...

I'm ready to talk.

♪ ♪

[FLAMES CRACKLING]

[KNOCKS AT DOOR]

[LOCK CLICKS]

[BOTH SIGH]

I'm the one that helped Sasha escape.

Sasha chose this. It's not on you.

What did you tell them?

What do you think?

Nothing.

Keep it that way.

[SIGHS]

What's going to happen to her?

It's in the hands of HQ now.

Nothing either of us can do.

- And that?
- The tracker?

It's nothing.

Just due process and proper safeguards.

I'll be fine once all this blows over.

HQ doesn't let things "blow over."

The Dominion needs all
the Guardians it has right now.

I'm not entirely without value.

If that was a brag, you need
to step up your game, comrade.

Hard to brag to the woman
who gave me a black eye.

Sorry about that.

Forget it, Roza.

[SOFT MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Are all of these about...

Humans.

Biographies. My way of seeing the world.

♪ ♪

Having a staring contest
with the air, are we?

♪ ♪

[CHUCKLES]

♪ ♪

I guess I'll see you around then.

Yeah.

See you around.

♪ ♪

Victor lied about his health.

And what of his Strigoi daughter?

How can we trust him
to rule the Dominion

when he can't even rule his household?

[TV CLICKS OFF]

[DOOR OPENS]

[GROANS]

So the rumors are true.

You're not well.

Don't look too kingly now, do I?

I survived campaign season,

won the Trials.

Even the church...

[LAUGHS] is on my side now apparently.

But the irony is,

I can't claim victory
because my body is failing me.

I could have united the Dominion.

But it's over.

Tatiana will be queen.

And I'd hoped to find peace for us all,

but now I can't even find my own

after Sonya.

But you have to know that what happened

wasn't your fault.

You can't b*at yourself up

for something
you couldn't possibly control.

How would you know?

I know it may sound crazy,

but there is a reason
Sonya was the way she was.

[SOFT MUSIC]

I think she have had
a special magic called Spirit.

The Fifth Element.

What did you say?

That's why she never specialized.

But she could do things like heal,

maybe even dream walk or see auras.

But with the good comes...

The Darkness.

That's what she called it.

Those times when she was troubled

and there was nothing
we could do to stop it.

That's what happens when you use Spirit.

It must have just gotten to be too much,

and that's why she...

It may not have even
been a conscious choice.

She may have just wanted
to make the pain stop.

♪ ♪

How could you know this?

[TENSE MUSIC]

Because I'm like Sonya.

I have Spirit too.

♪ ♪

Does that mean you can also heal?

Sonya was healing you?

Mia.

I bought her a bracelet.

I was gonna give it to her
for her birthday,

but they only told me
that it was ready yesterday.

- I just had...
- I'm so sorry.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

- Is there anything I can...
- No, there's nothing.

♪ ♪

We've lost her.

I felt like I was losing you
when I'd only just found you.

When I saw you at the Trials
with all those Royals,

I-I got scared and weird.

And...

[SIGHS] I've never felt like this.

For anyone.

And I know I've probably
just made it worse

by saying something today of all days.

I'm so sorry, Mia.

Don't be.

I just...

My papa is heading out of town

for the treaty re-signing.

As a diplomat, he has to go, even...

[SNIFFLES]

Even with all this, so...

Right, right.

But if you need to talk...

I'll be in the Cistern later.

♪ ♪

And you knew about the Darkness.

You knew using her magic would hurt her,

but you just kept on
letting her heal you.

I asked her to stop, but she wouldn't.

Because she couldn't heal a dying man,

no matter how much of herself she gave.

You should have refused.

She insisted.

After Mikhail, she was afraid
to lose anyone else.

Sonya never had it easy,
but her real trouble started

after those damn treatments
and therapies

when she didn't specialize.

She was never the same after.

As king, I can make sure
people like Sonya and you

don't have to hide anymore.

Imagine what would happen to you

if you were exposed as a Spirit
User under Tatiana's reign.

There'd be nowhere to hide
if anyone ever found out.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

It's okay.

Listen, I just...

I just need to get
through the coronation.

After that, the stress will abate,

and I'll be better, if you help me.

And what happens next time
when you start to fail again?

How can you ask me after Sonya?

If there were any other way...

But it's that or Tatiana wins.

Even if I wanted to,

I'm on meds to suppress my magic.

So it'd take hours to clear my system.

♪ ♪

Then I'll see you in a few hours.

Victor, wha...

Victor, wait!

[LOCK CLICKS]

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

You better get changed.

We've got fight training in...

If you're doing what I think
you're doing, you're insane.

I know I should have told you...

I don't care that you didn't tell me.

I care about my best friend
getting thrown in the dungeons

for going AWOL.

Or worse, getting k*lled
by some rando Strigoi

in the human world.

- We'll be okay.
- "We"?

Anyone with eyes can see
how she feels about Dimitri.

She asked me to go with her.

Rose is with me now.

Then why did I just see her
coming out of his apartment?

Sweet.

You deserve someone who loves you.

The way you feel about Rose,

that is how she feels about Dimitri.

She can't help that
any more than you can.

I'm sorry, but you're gonna
have to face the truth.

Like you're so truthful.

If you think that I'm buying
all this family leave time,

I'm not.

I don't know what you do when you go

or where you go,

but I know it's not hanging out
with your mom at a commune.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

Oh, you think you're the
only one who notices things?

I'm not saying
you're not being truthful.

Just that you can't see what's
right in front of your eyes.

Rose doesn't love you.

♪ ♪

f*ck.

♪ ♪

Guardian Belikov,
it appears you either lied

in your mission report
that Guardian Tanner was dead

or someone else led you
to believe she was.

And with your spotless record

and insistence
that you stand by your story,

I have to ask...

are you lying?

Or are you covering
for another Guardian?

Or both?

[SOFT MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I was the commanding officer.

I was responsible for the veracity

of the information I relayed.

Any gap between my report and the truth

rests solely on me,

as should the punishment
for giving false information.

You haven't answered my question.

I have nothing further to say.

♪ ♪

Though I wonder

at your prioritizing
punishing a Guardian

during a time of civil unrest.

How can we expect any kind of order

if we allow a Guardian to disobey?

Guardian Belikov, you have me no choice.

I declare you guilty of treason.

You'll be taken to the dungeons

until you are sentenced by the Queen.

May the Saints have mercy on you.

[HANDCUFFS CLICKING]

♪ ♪

[SIGHS]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

"Plans changed"?

[PHONE RINGING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Ma'am, we're in the weeds out there.

Five more altercations in the past hour.

[SIGHS]

Reassign ward units three,
five, and six to town square.

Tell wards to move to rotating patrols.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Nobody gets in right now.

Please, just let me talk to her.

Let him through.

- I got another one.
- We're slammed.

- It'll have to wait.
- But it can't.

They wanted Sonya Karp.

Well, that isn't going to happen.

Yeah, but they have something
that we want!

What?

Mia?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

We knew they were starting
to coordinate their att*cks,

but this must be some kind of a prank.

Strigoi don't write notes and bargain.

They aren't this sophisticated.

Well, maybe we've had them all wrong.

I mean, yes, of course
they're violent and even feral,

but they're more than that.

Well, we've just missed
that for centuries, huh?

I don't know.

Maybe they've evolved.

Maybe they've always been more
than what we knew.

- The only ones we meet, we k*ll.
- Before they k*ll us.

Look, even if they could bargain,

I wouldn't trust 'em.

This is not happening.

♪ ♪

When I met my mother,

she spoke and sounded like herself.

Her old self.

Alberta, I think this is real.

I think they don't want Sonya
to be k*lled.

Then that's too bad for them.

I'm not walking into an ambush.

With Mia out there?

What happened to "they come first"?

♪ ♪

[SOFT MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Hello?

James, if you're
still out there, please!

♪ ♪

[SOFT REVERBERATIONS]

[CREAKING]

You know what that means.

I thought you got what you wanted

when I remembered the accident.

Oh, come on.

You're a little happy to see me.

Except it means
the dr*gs are out of my system.

Is that so bad?

If Sonya's any indicator.

Apparently, my magic makes people want

to burn me at the stake
and me want to turn Strigoi.

And makes you able
to sway people and heal them.

It's not all bad.

Except when I do
those things, I hurt Rose.

And I'm trapped in here

with a figment of my imagination

while I wait for Victor to come back

- and do who knows what...
- Wah.

Excuse me?

You know what the secret to power is?

It's making your biggest liability

your greatest strength.

You have a special magic.

You're gonna allow that
to make you weak?

Or strong?

Sorry to have kept you waiting.

I trust you've thought things over.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[SINISTER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[GASPS]

Oh, Lissa.

There's nothing to discuss.

You can't keep me here.

And if there is anything left
of the man I knew,

you'll get out of my way
and let me leave.

I'm sorry. I can't do that.

I said let me go.

Vasilissa, please.
Think of the greater good.

You can't be serious.

- Just this once.
- No.

♪ ♪

James, if you don't get out
of my way, I'm gonna...

You're gonna what?

This!

Rose!

Dang it, Rose!

You could stop this.

You could stop this right now, Lissa.

Fine, fine.

You want my power?

Take it!

Take it all!

No, Lissa!

[GRUNTING]

[GROANS]

Aah!

♪ ♪

Wait, Dimitri.
I heard about the verdict.

Give me five minutes with him,
and I'll wipe out your debt.

I didn't think it was true,
and I'm sorry.

Don't be.

You didn't need to be alone to say that.

I wanted to tell you...

Rose and I are leaving.

That explains it.

Look, where you're going,
it's not gonna be easy.

I know that.

But I thought maybe it'd help
to know that she'll be okay.

It does.

And I wish you the best.

Rose is meant for greater things,

and she deserves to be safe.

And happy.

She does.

Never tell her
what's about to happen to me.

If she knows, she won't leave.

Let's go.

f*ck you, Dimitri.

f*ck you.

[UNEASY MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[SOFT MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[SIGHS]

There she is.

You look pretty cocky

for someone who just gave him
exactly what he wanted.

No.

All I gave him was time.

Once his guilt kicks in...
And it will eventually...

That's no favor.

But are you gonna be...

Wait, Rose.

♪ ♪

The Darkness,

I can see it.

All this time,

I wasn't passing it to you.

I was taking your light
through our bond.

I don't know which version sounds worse,

but how?

Magic doesn't fill me with Darkness.

It depletes my light.

Spirit needs light.

Hey, Rose, maybe if I

could give myself some time
to fully recover,

you know, to build back my own light,

because I won't take yours anymore.

Well, actually,

you won't have to worry about that now.

I'm leaving.

Leaving? Where?

Out into the world.

Like you and I always planned.

But if I can learn to control this,

then you don't have to go.

That's not why I'm going.

For so long, all I thought of
was being your Guardian,

and that was enough.

But now,

after everything,

I need to figure out who I am
outside of all of that...

And outside of you.

And given you just came riding
to my rescue,

it looks like you can
take care of yourself now.

We can't have you corner
the whole hero market.

[BOTH LAUGH]

♪ ♪

Rose.

I know.

So, um, just you?

- Or...
- [CHUCKLES]

I'm going with Mason.

Stop it.

He's a good guy.

[BOTH LAUGH]

He is.

And it's your life, Rose.

Whatever makes you happy.

But don't get too comfortable, okay?

I have big plans for this Dominion.

When I'm done with this place,
you're gonna wanna come back.

Just wait.

[BOTH LAUGH SOFTLY]

♪ ♪

This isn't goodbye.

No.

It's just see you later.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Woodland secure. They won't get through.

No one's been able
to reach either of her fathers?

Nothing.

♪ ♪

Weapons up. [WEAPONS DRAWN]

[LOW RINGING]

Hey. Whoa, whoa.

Where is Mia Karp?

Mia.

What did you do?

She's fine. For now.

[LAUGHS]

You look so shocked.

We have what you asked for.

Let Mia go, and we'll give you Sonya.

Sonya first.

- Or she dies.
- Absolutely not.

We have you outnumbered and outgunned.

Mia first, then Sonya.

- Or we walk.
- [LAUGHS]

♪ ♪

[WHIMPERS]

She's next. [CROSSBOW COCKS]

All right. Everybody, stand down!

Down!

♪ ♪

If you k*ll Mia,

there is nothing stopping us
from torching you all.

We exchange simultaneously.

When we drop the wards.

After Andre and my parents d*ed,

you believed in me, before even I did.

Since then,

this Dominion has been
on a wild ride, Your Majesty,

leaving no candidate untarnished

and our people as divided as ever.

I know I need to get my quorum back,

to marry, and to learn,

and all of that will take time.

But I have a proposal for you

if you're willing to hear it.

[LIGHT MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Once again,

I hereby declare
Princess Vasilissa Dragomir

heir to the throne.

But not for today.

For today, I'm not going anywhere.

[PRESS WHISPERING]
I declare the Trials moot.

It is time we put
this whole ugly business,

this whole ugly era, behind us.

As such, I shall be keeping the crown

until Vasilissa is ready to rule.

Such is my decree.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

You're late.

Where have you been?

Sorry, I just had
some last-minute stuff.

For a second, I thought you
might have changed your mind.

[SOFT MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Never.

What?

You're being weird.

I'm just excited.

You ready for the adventure?

I was born ready.

[LAUGHS]

♪ ♪

Lower the wards.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[ELECTRIC CRACKLING]

[ROARS]

Sonya, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you.

I won't forget you, Sonya! I promise.

- I love you, Sonya.
- [GROWLS]

[SOBBING]

♪ ♪

Wards, back up!

I'm taking this back to the vault.

One wrong move, and you k*ll them.

After all that, you're just gonna leave?

We've done what we came to do.

Everyone told me you guys were monsters.

There wasn't a day that went by
that I didn't defend you.

I even wanted to join you
because I thought...

I thought somewhere inside, you...

You must still love me.

You always were a good boy.

So if you don't care about me,

why do you care about Sonya?

Is it 'cause she's like you?

Is she your family now?

We didn't come here for Sonya.

We came here to feed.

[GRUNTS]

[GROANING]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[POWERING DOWN]

[GROWLING]

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

♪ It's a brand-new day ♪

♪ ♪

♪ It's a brand-new day ♪

- Breach the far wards!
- What?

You were the perfect decoy.

It's sad how stupid Moroi are.

Though it makes them easy prey.

[LAUGHS]

[SCREAMING]

[SHRIEKING]

I'm never gonna let you
hurt anybody ever again!

♪ ♪

No!

[WAILS]

You haven't begun
to know the meaning of hurt!

Lissa is mine!

- ♪ Scratch the surface ♪
- [YELLS]

- ♪ Taste the ♪
- [SHRIEKING]

♪ Fire burning forth ♪

♪ Through demon ♪

[PANTING]

Come on, Marie. This way.

How could they possibly
breach the wards?

It's St. Jude's all over again!

[SCREAMING]

♪ Water drips like blood ♪

[BELL RINGING]

[DISTANT SCREAMS]

♪ It's a brand-new day ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Nothing in my way ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Eyes on the horizon ♪

♪ There's nowhere left to hide ♪

[LAUGHS]

♪ Try and stop my reign ♪

♪ I can take the pain ♪

♪ You will face the silence ♪

♪ If you try to fight it ♪

- ♪ It's a brand-new day ♪
- ♪ It's a brand-new ♪

- ♪ It's a brand-new ♪
- ♪ Brand-new day ♪

- ♪ It's a brand-new ♪
- ♪ Brand-new day ♪

- ♪ It's a brand-new day ♪
- ♪ Brand-new ♪

- ♪ It's a brand-new ♪
- ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

- ♪ It's a brand-new ♪
- ♪ No, no ♪

- ♪ It's a brand-new day ♪
- ♪ No, nothing's in my way ♪

♪ ♪

I tried diplomacy.

I tried preaching
your ridiculous Saints.

I'm done playing nice.

So f*ck the Queen and f*ck your sister.

f*ck it all.

Now we're doing things my way, Andre.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪