Lanterns 1x5

1. Fuck.

2. Fuck!

3. Can I get some coffee?

4. Cash up front.

5. Better make that two.

6. My treat.

7. My advice? Don't run.

8. Nice trick you pulled with the plates.

9. Past Appalachia, Gotham tags stick out like a sore thumb.

10. But if you'd really wanted to lose us, you would have changed cars.

11. I'm not a thief.

12. It's in the genes.

13. It's a shame about your old man.

14. He could have been somebody

15. if he kept his mouth shut and did his time.

16. Yeah, well...

17. he never really had much potential as a father,

18. so imagine how I feel.

19. If it's any consolation,

20. these kinds of jobs bring me no joy.

21. You did what you had to do.

22. You killed him and I didn't shed a single fucking tear.

23. Tell your boss I'm not a threat.

24. I don't make the rules.

25. Your father was a snitch.

26. That makes you a snitch by association.

27. So, I'm gonna let you finish your coffee,

28. and then you're gonna walk outside with us to the car.

29. And if you try and make a scene or call for help,

30. he'll ice every redneck in here.

31. Do we understand each other?

32. Jesus, fuck!

33. Hi.

34. - Hi. - What's your name?

35. - Kerry. - I'm Zoe.

36. Nice to meet you, Kerry.

37. You looked like you could use a hand.

38. Uh, this is none of your fucking business.

39. Feel that?

40. That's your clavicle bending dangerously close to a break.

41. You interrupt me again, and it will separate.

42. They're here to kill you, am I correct?

43. - Yeah, but I didn't do anything. - It doesn't matter.

44. Now, you seem like a nice girl, and I'd like to save you,

45. but you and I both know if I kill this guy,

46. that's not gonna solve your problems.

47. No. His boss will send more.

48. What were your orders?

49. I was supposed to kill her, bury her,

50. and take her pinky back as proof.

51. Okay. So we need your pinky.

52. - Where's your knife? - Right jacket pocket.

53. Do you want me to do it for you?

54. No.

55. It's better if I do it.

56. Do we need to go over the story again?

57. - No, I got it. - Good.

58. 'Cause if your employer doesn't buy it,

59. I'm not just gonna kill you,

60. I'm gonna kill your whole family.

61. You've seen what I'm capable of.

62. Make it stick.

63. - What do you want me to do with him? - Uh, call Bitsy.

64. Tell her we need a table for one.

65. I helped you tonight because I've been in your shoes.

66. Been lost, afraid,

67. running from something I can't outrun.

68. But someone once gave me a chance

69. when I needed it the most.

70. And now, I'm offering the same chance to you.

71. What kind of a chance?

72. A life.

73. Simple, safe, secure, no running, no hiding.

74. All I ask for in return is a promise.

75. A promise that when the time comes,

76. you'll protect me like I protected you.

77. From who?

78. One day...

79. some people are gonna come looking for me.

80. A whole lot more dangerous than the ones who came looking for you.

81. And when that day arrives,

82. I'm gonna need someone

83. who knows what it's like to be backed into a corner.

84. Someone who knows how to fight their way out.

85. Someone...

86. willing to give up a piece of themselves.

87. Can I count on you?

88. Yes.

89. Good.

90. Let's grow you a new pinky.

91. Sorry about that, Junior. You move around all right?

92. - Easy, you're gonna break some— - Fuck you!

93. Get me the fuck out this car.

94. Sorry, I can't do that. Not yet.

95. I'm gonna have to move you off the game board.

96. But I'm sure you understand my position,

97. considering how you've been working

98. with the bosses to replace me.

99. You think they're gonna let you keep the ring?

100. Take the credit for killing Zoe?

101. Kill? Jesus Christ, Junior.

102. For someone so desperate for the ring,

103. you clearly missed the fine print.

104. We don't kill.

105. Of course, I can't speak for the Guardians,

106. once I hand her over.

107. Why'd you make me call Antaan?

108. You know, when his alien team get here,

109. they're gonna nuke this whole fucking town.

110. Well, I'm guessing the militia's gonna be

111. gearing up to protect Zoe.

112. And Antaan's gonna provide cover.

113. You inviting him to the cafe, that just makes it easier

114. for him to be used as a smokescreen.

115. I'll let Macon and Antaan have it out

116. while I go after Zoe.

117. And when he catches on, I'm gonna be on the planet Oa.

118. Those big blue bastards are gonna be lining up

119. to kiss my ring.

120. You are never gonna replace me, Junior.

121. Here endeth your training.

122. Fuck you!

123. Hey! Piece of shit!

124. Residents of Rushville,

125. this is not a drill.

126. I repeat, this is not a drill.

127. Mobilize and initiate protective measures.

128. Residents of Rushville, this is not a drill.

129. I repeat, this is not a drill.

130. Mobilize and initiate protective measures.

131. - I'm coming with you. I don't care. Yes! - No.

132. - Billy, come on. - You can't...

133. I don't care.

134. You can't expect me to just sit in there and do nothing.

135. - Your place is here! - I should be out there with everyone else.

136. - Out of the way. - No, I can... I can...

137. What'd I tell you about spying?

138. - See without being seen. - And what did you see?

139. Why is Dad so angry?

140. Today's a big day. He just wants to be useful.

141. But the most useful thing he can do right now

142. is to protect you.

143. Something bad's gonna happen, isn't it?

144. Yeah.

145. A lot of people are gonna die today.

146. People you know.

147. Some you love.

148. Are you gonna die?

149. We'll see.

150. But no matter what happens,

151. don't forget everything I've told you.

152. You promise?

153. I promise.

154. Yeah.

155. The town's mobilizing.

156. Jordan's MIA.

157. But satellite images show that Stewart's been located.

158. Where?

159. Hey!

160. Hey!

161. Help!

162. Help! Hey! Help!

163. Activate sentry protocol.

164. Beginning to feel like you'd forgotten about me.

165. I need a targeted sweep. Hostile ET, highest priority.

166. What's it look like?

167. Damn. We drew that?

168. The trainee.

169. John. I met him the other day.

170. I like him.

171. Where is he?

172. In the car.

173. Shouldn't he be helping us?

174. Just forget about John.

175. Just find this and we're golden.

176. What the fuck are you doing?

177. You and I need to talk.

178. Why'd you just draw your—

179. The fuck are you doing?

180. Jesus Christ, you're gonna reload?

181. Zoe can't hear us, but she can see us.

182. If I don't do this, I'm dead.

183. And right about now, anyone with a phone

184. in this town is gonna receive your kill order.

185. - Knock it off! - There's nothing to talk about!

186. How about Hector Hammond? You sent us to a fucking decoy!

187. I sent you where she wanted you to go.

188. So now you're just some proxy puppet

189. with a badge, is that it?

190. I keep this town safe.

191. Oh, safe from her?

192. You really don't get it.

193. Well, I get that you're afraid.

194. - You think this is just fear? - What else would it be?

195. I fucking owe her!

196. You can never understand what she gave me.

197. What did she give you?

198. A miracle.

199. You wanna be more specific?

200. Please, just let it go.

201. We had peace before you showed up.

202. We can have it again if you leave.

203. Listen to yourself! She's not even a she!

204. It's not even human!

205. You're protecting a war criminal.

206. Why don't you think about your son?

207. I am thinking about my son!

208. Let me get you and Noah out of here, somewhere safe.

209. Are you fucking listening?

210. This is my home. I'm not leaving.

211. The best thing you can do for all of us is just go.

212. I'm not going anywhere until she's stopped.

213. If you stay here,

214. if you try to bring her in, she'll be ruthless.

215. She'll fire on the town just to draw you out.

216. Do you understand that?

217. If you want to save lives, leave.

218. I can't do that.

219. Then everything that happens next is on you.

220. Are you willing to accept those consequences when they come?

221. I can't feel anything.

222. That's the morphine.

223. And most of your nerve endings are dead.

224. You let me burn.

225. Fucking inhuman.

226. So you know what I am.

227. Manhunter.

228. Why didn't you tell the Guardians that I'm here in Rushville?

229. Because I don't trust them.

230. Why don't you trust them, John?

231. Because...

232. they didn't tell him he was going to be replaced.

233. They just expected me to take the ring.

234. Is that the only reason?

235. The one called Antaan.

236. He told me not to tell Jordan because...

237. the Manhunter was...

238. under the protection of the Guardians.

239. Clearly, I am not.

240. Why do you think that is?

241. Because they created you.

242. Indeed, they did.

243. We were created to enforce justice.

244. When they thought we were too brutal,

245. they flipped a switch. I don't know why,

246. but everyone but me was exterminated.

247. Now it's my turn to be honest...

248. Hal Jordan dies today.

249. I'm gonna make him use his ring until it's dead,

250. and then I will make him dead.

251. But you...

252. You don't have to die today, John.

253. I can heal you. I can protect you.

254. My protection has a price.

255. Just tell the Guardians that Jordan died bravely,

256. saving Rushville from Antaan's team

257. of misguided, avenging angels.

258. His...

259. sacrifice...

260. will restore peace.

261. And you...

262. get the ring. That is rightfully yours.

263. Do you want me to save you, John?

264. I've already been shot at once today, fellas.

265. Any second now, everybody in this town's about to receive

266. a kill order with my name on it.

267. So what say with the little time that we have left,

268. we strike a deal.

269. Where's John Stewart?

270. Compromised.

271. By the Manhunter?

272. Played him like a fiddle.

273. Lucky for you, I know who the Manhunter is

274. and where you can find him so you can blow him the fuck up.

275. I learned a long time ago not to trust your kind.

276. My kind?

277. You serve the Guardians.

278. The Guardians want to replace me with the guy

279. you trusted to deliver the Manhunter.

280. Why should I believe a single word coming out of your mouth?

281. 'Cause we're on the same side.

282. How's that?

283. You just want to get the Manhunter.

284. You don't want to blow up half this town, right?

285. That's right.

286. I have the same goals.

287. I have the intel, you have the muscle,

288. and he knows me.

289. So he'll smell me coming a mile away.

290. So, it's taken a male form?

291. William Macon.

292. Big-time, uh, cattle baron.

293. Um, king of the tinfoil hats.

294. Beef is his business, but this is all a front

295. so he can bankroll his defenses against unwanted visitors

296. like you and me, particularly your kind.

297. And how were you able to identify this Macon?

298. We were sent to his decoy, and he spilled his guts.

299. Figuratively, mostly.

300. And where do we find him?

301. Ranch right up the road. Heavily guarded.

302. These... poor bastards were his opening act.

303. And where will you be?

304. I'll be sitting here sipping a cup of coffee.

305. Well, before we seal this alliance,

306. I have just one final question.

307. If John Stewart was the...

308. fiddle, as you say...

309. then he had coitus with Macon.

310. - Coitus? - Intercourse.

311. Sexual congress.

312. It's one of the Manhunter's most effective weapons.

313. They seduce the strongest in a given community,

314. the alpha, bending them to their will.

315. I take it Stewart was compromised by Macon's advances?

316. John had a little coitus, but candidly?

317. Well, I was Macon's main target.

318. We were, uh...

319. We were very, uh...

320. coitius.

321. Fascinating.

322. You've always presented as heterosexual.

323. Yeah. You know, when you experience

324. the pleasures of the galaxy as much as we have,

325. it's less about preference, more about opportunity.

326. Ah! Yes, of course.

327. That would be my cue.

328. Well, for now...

329. the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

330. But if you're lying to us,

331. innocent people are going to die.

332. I know it hurts, but the machine won't work well

333. if there's still morphine in your system.

334. Strips off the existing skin, replaces it with new tissue.

335. If I come out White, deal's off.

336. And if you come out darker?

337. My brothers would never let me hear the end of it.

338. To them, life gave me a better shake.

339. - Are they right? - Yes and no.

340. What about you? What about your skin?

341. Which one?

342. I've had so many.

343. The one you're wearing, why'd you choose it?

344. Power.

345. How do you conquer a community, culture, planet?

346. You come to it as an outsider.

347. The fastest way to understanding a civilization

348. is if you start from a disadvantage.

349. See, in your world, in this world,

350. adversity is seen as some insurmountable barrier.

351. But I need that barrier

352. in order to achieve a higher vantage point, uh,

353. a deeper purpose,

354. adversity makes you stronger

355. in ways comfort never could.

356. Prejudice, injustice, fear?

357. Those aren't obstacles.

358. They're the crucible that forges your greatest self.

359. Open your eyes.

360. Don't. Wait.

361. You don't want Jordan to die.

362. His death will bring peace.

363. Your father and I think five

364. is old enough to know about your destiny.

365. You'll be the Green Lantern when you grow up, son.

366. They want us to make sure that you're fearless.

367. - Are you afraid? - No, sir!

368. The machine needed a sample to harvest and replicate new tissue.

369. You killed Abin Sur.

370. He brought you here to spare you.

371. What makes you say that?

372. You said it yourself. You can't ignore your true nature.

373. He was the only one in the galaxy who knew you were still alive.

374. Risking that he'd have a change of heart,

375. tell the Guardians that he'd spared your life...

376. The only smart move was to take his.

377. Yeah.

378. I killed Abin Sur.

379. I had to.

380. I couldn't help it.

381. I know.

382. This is why I'm so drawn to you, John.

383. You really see me.

384. - Are they here? - Check your feed.

385. This is it.

386. Yes, it is.

387. Thank you for...

388. everything.

389. Thank you for the extra time.

390. I loved every minute of it.

391. Step out of the vehicle, put your hands on your head.

392. Nice and slow.

393. - I just need directions. - Search him.

394. Hey, get your hands up!

395. Oh, sh—

396. Oh, yes.

397. If you are who you claim to be, you would have destroyed me by now.

398. If I try to kill you, you'll just detonate.

399. You think I'd be so blinded by revenge

400. that I would blow us both up without making sure it's really you?

401. After all the pain I've caused.

402. I wouldn't blame you.

403. You've mastered my tongue, my memories, my past.

404. Yet one thing betrays you.

405. You would never welcome death.

406. Human.

407. This is for you. I'm right fucking here, come and get me.

408. What the fuck?

409. Fuckin' Manhunter.

410. Hey, do you mind moving that fan?

411. Breeze feels like needles.

412. John, give me some good news, son.

413. Dad, listen to me. I don't have much time.

414. I need you to patch me through to Lianna ASAP.

415. Does that mean what I think it means?

416. If you think it means I need you to fire up the dish

417. and connect me to Lianna, then yes.

418. John, did you take the ring?

419. I didn't take the ring.

420. Can you please just patch me through to Lianna? Thank you.

421. What's the holdup, John? - Come on. Was I on speaker?

422. Your father and I have been waiting by our phones

423. for almost 24 hours.

424. - We deserve an update. - Hold on a second, Mom.

425. You want an update?

426. Since we last spoke, I was ambushed by Hal Jordan,

427. who totaled my rental

428. and almost burned me alive in it.

429. I'm pretty sure he didn't want that to happen,

430. but I'm not entirely sure, which is the point.

431. By rights, I should be dead, but thanks to alien technology,

432. I'm as good as new, even though I feel like

433. I tumbled butt naked down a hill of broken glass.

434. As you can imagine, Mama, I'm mad as all hell,

435. and I plan on doing something about it. But first...

436. I'm gonna take that ring clean off that motherfucker's finger.

437. Help!

438. Ring charge, five percent.

439. I need help! I need help!

440. I got you. C'mon. It's all right. I got you.

441. Catch you at a bad time?

442. What do you got?

443. Eyes on the woman in your sketch.

444. Her chopper just touched down by the water tower.

445. She's flanked by multiple hostiles.

446. Looks like she's carrying some kind of tablet.

447. Be right there!

448. Give me the cuffs.

449. - What? - Give me the cuffs.

450. Drop your guns or she's dead.

451. Dead or alive. Back the fuck up!

452. Blow the tower!

453. Fuckin' Manhunter.

454. Fuck!

455. Son of a bitch!

456. Ring nearing depletion.

457. No shit!

458. In brightest day, in black—

459. The fuck you doing?

460. You don't deserve this fucking ring.

461. I don't deserve it. It fucking chose me.

462. Fuck!

463. You'll never fucking replace me.

464. Where's your trainee?

465. He promoted himself.

466. Technically, I promoted him. Traded his life for yours.

467. What's so funny?

468. If there's one thing I know about that kid...

469. he ain't no coward.

470. If he wanted me dead...

471. he'd do it himself.

472. Then why would he leave you in the rubble for me to find you?

473. My gut...?

474. Bait.

475. I see you, Zoe.

476. I'm sorry.

477. Was it worth it. Huh?

478. Hey.

479. They replaced me.

480. They'll replace you!

481. Dammit.

482. Stand down!

483. It's over. Let him through.

484. Where's Hal?

485. He's at the motel.

486. I believe the appropriate term

487. to describe today's events would be...

488. shitstorm.

489. Do I have the word right?

490. Yeah.

491. You should have called earlier.

492. Hmm. It looks good on you.

493. What happened to your shoes?

494. - Hal Jordan, is he... - He's alive.

495. What's in the bag?

496. Your sins and consequences.

497. Even we make mistakes.

498. All we can do is correct them.

499. You know,

500. I spent a lot of my life imagining

501. what it would feel like to wear this.

502. Pride, gratitude, power?

503. But then when I put it on...

504. I just felt empty.

505. John.

506. Hal betrayed everything to keep this ring.

507. His code, the oath, even himself, and it broke him.

508. Probably doesn't even remember why he wanted the damn thing.

509. And neither do I.