#but i was gonna make it about how--if it's his drive to be king/spread freedom/protect the ones he loves that pushes him into that role
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Emmyyy that winged Ace artđ it made me think of an icarus/apollo au, cause thereâs a reimagining of the myth with icarus and apollo as lovers and icarus built wings to reach apollo, and iâm just imagining a sorta tragic au where luffy becomes nika, losing his humanity and becoming the sun, and Ace builds wings to fly up to himđ anyways, i upset myself and wanted to share haha
Merry.... how could you do this to me, personally,,,, (lmao)
whatever you do don't imagine luffy watching what's happening, knowing that there's no way he can help as he is now, anymore... he sees ace falling into the water, right in the middle of a reflection of the sun--and ace says "it's okay, luffy" because, at least like this, he can "touch" luffy one last time as he breaks the surface
gosh i'm having to restrain every instinct in my body to let the AU stay tragic... you have to understand i have Trained myself to make things fluffy. this is me working against years of stubborn fix-it headcanons and happy, everyone-lives AUs đ but I'll do it for the symbolism... the poetry...
#but perhaps. we can imagine ace becoming a constellation in the sky can't we#he made the wings he showed his devotion#just bc he didn't want luffy to feel alone in the sky....... he knew luffy hated loneliness more than anything....#man i was just thinking about the 'luffy losing his humanity to godhood' thing the other day#but i was gonna make it about how--if it's his drive to be king/spread freedom/protect the ones he loves that pushes him into that role#it would take being reminded that there's a life after winning that's worth 'staying' for#the whole reason to do any of those things in the first place#and what better symmetry is there than having ace play that part#the one who was there before and the one who was there after... or something#anyway [handshake meme] very fun wreaking havoc together#acelu#op#headcanons#mythology au
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Killian Jones as Chaotic
Note 1: this post doesnât aim in trashing Killianâs character, but I will mention his evil deeds in as impartial a way as possible. Itâs merely an effort for character analysis and study. Note 2: Iâm planning to write a second part with the focus on Rumpelstiltskin, and a final third part which will point out the parallels and anti-parallels between both characters. Itâs just that this one turned out to be huge so I decided to post it as is.
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Character alignment started with character creation in role-playing games, but it has spread everywhere and with a certain stretch, it can apply to every single fictional character. The stretch is that rarely will you find characters that are of only one alignment, so in here I will talk about how Killian fits most criteria for one alignment, but also has important features of other alignments.
In a few words, just to make things clear, Law is when characters respect authorities and duty, while Chaos is when characters cherish their freedom and follow their conscience. Notice that none necessarily means Good or Evil, because as you can see, there are Lawfuls and Chaotics of all kinds. But I will talk about those in detail below.
Letâs talk about chaos. From easydamus:
Chaotic Good, "Rebel"
Chaotic good characters act as their conscience directs them with little regard for what others expect of them. They make their own way, but theyâre kind and benevolent. They believe in goodness and right but have little use for laws and regulations. They hate it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. They follow their own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society.
Chaotic Neutral, "Free Spirit"
Chaotic neutral characters follow their whims. They are individualists first and last. They value their own liberty but don't strive to protect others' freedom. They avoid authority, resent restrictions, and challenge traditions. Chaotic neutral characters do not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, they would have to be motivated either by good (and a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire to make those different from themselves suffer). Chaotic neutral characters may be unpredictable, but their behavior is not totally random. They are not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it.
Chaotic Evil, "Destroyerâ
Chaotic evil characters do whatever their greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive them to do. They are hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent, and unpredictable. If they are simply out for whatever they can get, they are ruthless and brutal. If they are committed to the spread of evil and chaos, they are even worse. Thankfully, their plans are haphazard, and any groups they join or form are poorly organized. Typically, chaotic evil people can be made to work together only by force, and their leader lasts only as long as he can thwart attempts to topple or assassinate him.
Key words/phrases: âmake their own wayâ, âvalue their libertyâ, âunpredictableâ. All good by now? Good. Letâs go to Killian.
As a kid, Killian adored and idolized his father. Perhaps he didnât know any better. But in one way or another, the father figure is a form of authority, and he had that shattered at a very young age.
We know for sure that he grew up close to his brother, but in the horrible situation Brennan, Killianâs first authoritative figure, put them in. So he grows up to become impulsive, passionate, and defiant. He tries to attack Captain Silver when the latter bullies him, he doesnât want to join the Navy, he drowns his sorrows in booze, but wishes he could be the brother he thinks Liam deserves.
When it comes to Liam, he wants to meet someoneâs expectations, a trait of Lawful characters. A-ha.
They enlist in the Navy.
Please welcome Killian Jones, aspiring Lawful Good version.
In true nature, Killian is Chaotic; he values his freedom and doesnât trust authority easily. Bad trait for a soldier, but he was trying for his brotherâs sake/approval. So when Peter âthere are no kings in Neverlandâ Pan plants a seed of doubt in Killianâs mind, that their benevolent king is not as benevolent as he may have thought, that sets Killian off immediately. Before Liam died for good, they were talking about âreporting [their king?] to the Admiraltyâ. When Liam dies, Killian goes full rogue, confiscates the ship and turns pirate. Taking matters into his own hands, not trusting into the law to solve things.
His reasons are Good; opposing a king who had sent them off to get poison. But in his speech, he says âWeâll sail under the crimson flag and weâll give our enemies no quarter. Weâll take what we please.â His means are definitely Chaotic, since theyâre opposing a king, but not exactly Good.
The code of Chaotic characters goes like this, according to easydamus:
Killian becomes Captain, something his crew seems to agree on, all to avenge his brotherâs death. So his alignment as of now is mostly Chaotic Neutral, with sprinkles of Chaotic Good and Evil here and there.
And here is the first gap. Next time we see him is when he meets Rumpelstiltskin, and a lot seems to have changed till then. We donât know what, but what we know is that he definitely turned himself into a bad guy.
He is Evil at that point. Selfish, cunning, nasty, bully. We all know. The thing is, he has a long way to go until he goes full vengeful Captain Hook and Ultra Evil Dark Hook. So Iâm gonna place him somewhere between Neutral and Evil for that point. If anything, he doesnât yet fit the âDestroyerâ role. He had the potential for it but he probably didnât care much pre-Milahâs death.
I would like to comment here on his first meeting with Milah. He may be cruel and violent, but sometimes even he has manners. When he notices that Milah is being harassed, he steps in and punches the guy out. Then he offers Milah a drink, kisses her hand, and eventually accepts her rejection when she mentions her husband. Make of that what you will.
Even pirates have a code, so when Rumpelstiltskin challenges him to a duel Killian knows heâs going to lose, he accepts anyway.
Milah dies and he dedicates himself to revenge.
Please welcome Killian Jones, Chaotic Evil version.
Heâs literally going up alone against someone way more powerful than him and not giving a damn about that. He only helps Pan out of necessity, a means to reach his goal. He harms innocents who didnât provoke him (Ursula) even ones he could invest emotionally in (Baelfire) or his own family (Liam II). Somewhere deep is the want to help others but heâs too far in. He lies and betrays and doesnât give a damn about authority, and even takes other peopleâs freedom as well (Aurora). In other words, Chaotic as all hell.
The only tidbit I find is that in Season 2 he allowed himself to be another villainâs lackey. Cora, Regina, Greg and Tamara, in all cases he agreed to help them and do as he was told without being threatened. That is what I think is his 180 turn for the ones he loves; he turns Lawful, but he does so voluntarily. Again, Killianâs goal is still Chaotic; he doesnât want to bring the bad guy to justice (Lawful) he just wants to avenge Milahâs death for her and himself.
Even so, he mostly acts alone (Chaotic - freedom) and changes sides all the time. He leaves Cora to join the Princesses, he hurries off to kill Rumpelstiltskin before Cora tells him itâs dangerous, he attacks Belle alone, he goes to New York alone, etc. The villains are there to get his help, not the other way around, and he doesnât expect to be helped.
When faced with certain death, he offers his knowledge to the good guys only to betray them again and change his mind and come back. At the end of Season 2 he offers his help to find Henry and decidedly hits pause on his quest for revenge.
Heâs got way to go, however, until heâs reached Neutral territory. In Neverland he made some progress, but he let it all go after everyone returned to the Enchanted Forest. Again, stealing, killing, betraying innocents (Ariel), though now without a cause. And then the second curse is cast.
*Knock knock*
Please welcome Killian Jones, Chaotic Neutral version.
Again, not truly Neutral, since his goal is Good; to bring Emma back and help save the others. Partially, however, he also wanted to be part of Emmaâs life. And not fully Chaotic, heâs not against being told what to do anymore and is upset with keeping the secret of his cursed lips. But he still acts alone (trying to send Henry to New York without telling anyone), doesnât disclose the truth about the missing year and Ariel, and doesnât really ask for help with his cursed lips. All that are just part of his character and perfectly following the patterns of his previous behaviours.
Slowly he starts adopting Good traits: helping the needy - Storybrooke, honoring those who promote goodness - Charmings and co., not betraying others even when his life was in danger - cursed lips storyline.
Something that really interests me in his scene with Emma outside of Grannyâs in the finale is this interaction: Emma thanks him for bringing her back, and he replies with âIt was the right thing to do.â Itâs fantastic because it can be read as Lawful (it was his duty to do so) but that doesnât mean that he didnât want to do it (Chaotic - he just damn well wanted to do it so he did it).Â
Off to Season 4, his Evil tendencies are tingling, and he blackmails Gold into helping them. Gold helps them significantly. Then Killian blackmails Gold a second time, extracting the deal - Bad Form. He also lies/keeps it all a secret from Emma, and then his freedom is taken away.
Personal freedom is of the essence for a Chaotic character. Â For a Chaotic Good character, personal freedom for others is essential too. Here Hook has lost the former and then has to take the fairiesâ freedom too, and since heâs becoming Good, that upsets him even more. His continued defiance to Gold during those episodes could stem from this important trait of his character; even if his agency was taken away, he doesnât stop trying to find ways to show himself that he does have a little left. It doesnât hurt that it pisses Gold off, but the most important thing for Hook was to have that reassurance (see below for the Hades stuff).
One way I personally like to describe Chaotic characters in my mind is âoverreacting and impulsiveâ.
In this case, Ursula is innocent - the worst thing sheâs done is condone to kidnapping a child Hook didnât even know, and sheâs also a past victim of his - but to him, that doesnât matter. And Ursula is pretty Chaotic herself - wanting to get away from her father, not caring whether he is a god or not - so itâs just Hook being overreacting and impulsive here. Good thing Ursula could defend herself.
However, the Chaotic Good trait âYou shall honor those who promote freedom and goodnessâ comes into play when Emma gets angry with her parents for the Lily fiasco. He supports them and tries to help her forgive them, based on the fact that now theyâre good and that they tried to fix their mistake. Which had nothing to do with them being her parents (authority) or actual royalty.
Then comes Cowardly Deckhand Hook.
This version of Hook doesnât simply respect authority - he cowers to it. However, when his true self seems to come forward thanks to Emma, he actually stands up to Evil Snowâs guards and even threatens the same Queen herself.
Camelot and 5a, oh boy.
Again, acting on his own and impulsively - trying to free Zelena (and to take her heart, no less) and opposing Regina. And Good traits again - caring for Emmaâs agency (to the extreme and almost at Robinâs expense) and goodness. Not caring about the apparently important tradition of a ball and focusing at the task at hand - however, now that I think of that, I think the first time we see him bow and actually mean it was to Emma right before he started dancing with her in said ball. Lawful for those he loves, hmm.
He looks sarcastic at Davidâs knighting and I find that interesting, however we never see his reaction to Arthur (royalty) until much later. He steps first into the breaking in in the dungeons and punches a couple of guards unconscious, helping the release of Merida and Lancelot. He gets angry with Merlin for telling them to break into the castle again without knowing all the dangers. Eventually he joins the second break-in, escapes from his bondage and attacks Arthur himself. He is angry with Regina forcing Emma to talk, and then the juicy and painful part comes.
Emma ignores his dying wish and turns him into the Dark One against his will.
As said before, a Chaotic character values their personal freedom above almost everything else. For a character like Killian, who grew up in servitude and had no say in his own life until he escaped it, it is safe to believe that he can be even more shaken by having his agency taken away. Sadly for him, itâs not only one instance then. Emma lies to him about Excalibur, and when he pushes her to reveal she has it, he takes a step back disgusted and asks if sheâd used it on him. Heâs still holding onto some Good/Neutral traits - not wanting to kill Emma in order to cast the Dark Curse, but the last straw is when Emma summons him against his will, and then heâs gone.
Please welcome Killian Jones, Ultra Chaotic Evil version.
After that point, heâs at his total worst. He lies, he betrays Emma, he kills Merlin with glee and casts the Dark Curse. Destroyer in every sense of the word.
After forgetting all of those stuff, he seems to automatically change back to his pre-Camelot persona. You could argue that pushing Emma away while they were in Storybrooke could be his transition to Lawful for her. That he wanted to be with her (Chaotic) but he had the duty to stay away for both of their sakes (Lawful). However, he brings the others with him (working with others - Lawful) in order to break into her house (breaking the law - Chaotic), but thatâs only this once, because next thing we know, heâs trying to summon Emma alone, he jumps off a building to get her attention, and frees Zelena in an effort to get free and the answers he wants.
I also want to point out something on the murders he talks about. Barnaby mocked him for his disability, and Edgar was drinking from his wine. Pretty minor reasons to kill them, but those murders had nothing to do with Killian advancing himself and promoting order, so Chaotic.
He remembers heâs the Dark One and Chaotic Evil rises again.
And in the end, I want to note that his death was Lawful; he wanted to be remembered as someone good, he specifically says so.
And then the Underworld. Oh boy. If him being injured, bloody and almost unable to stand yet still opposing a very god himself doesnât scream Chaotic, I donât know what does. From his very first lines to Hades, he threatens to kill him (or do whateverâs worse to him), he sassies him and refuses to do what he asks. He doesnât care about Hadesâ position or power. Of course, all of that does have to do with Hades being the one who caused him pain and all, but it fits his character and it makes sense for him to threaten a freaking god instead of simply wanting to escape the torture.Â
He does that while heâs a complete prisoner of Hades and has absolutely zero control or ability to stop him from hurting him. I think that once again his ceaseless defiance in every scene between them stemmed from Hookâs need to feel like he does have a little agency left. If he canât stop Hades from hurting him, he can at least insult and boast at him. Same way he did with Captain Silver and Rumpelstiltskin.
He adds one more point to his hate for Rumpelstiltskin after finding out about his scheme because he feels like everything he did was so that Rumpelstiltskin could gain power, and that stings a lot for a Chaotic character; for someone to use their actions to advance themselves in strength and power.
And then he meets Liam again, Liam the ever Lawful. Remember how Killian wanted to be an upright Lawful officer because of his brotherâs influence? Here you can see the same - with Liam agreeing to it, Killian prefers to allow the powers that be judge his fate than fight for a better outcome himself. Until he finds out that Liam wasnât as Lawful Good as Killian thought he was - he had willingly allowed some innocent sailors to die (gaining power by killing, Lawful Evil) and he had lied to Killian about it (Chaotic). Killianâs image for his brother/father figure, one of the few authorities heâd allowed himself to respect, shatters, but not his love for him.
So next thing we know, he agrees to Emmaâs plan to take matters into his own hands and go back with them. He proposes he kill Zelena (Evil), whom he still finds dangerous and suspicious. We donât know who suggests he change the name on the tombstones, but he does cooperate with David on it and helps Cora escape at Reginaâs request - breaking the law in pursuit of what he and the others think of as good. The fact that those seem to upset Hades a bit doesnât hurt either.
He seems to be the only one who doesnât trust Hades at any given moment. When he approaches them with a fair and seemingly clear deal, Hook warns Emma to not trust him. When the heart thing doesnât work, he immediately accuses him. When Hades tells them to go alone after the ambrosia, he subtly voices his suspicions. His suspicions turn out to be legit in the end, but I think that most of it stemmed from his Chaotic nature and his complete unwillingness to trust in any authority.
In Season 6, Belle asks for a refuge and he lets her stay on the ship, without caring about the fact that sheâs actually leaving her husband. Itâs kind of a sensitive matter here, but from Hookâs perspective, I think he believed he was doing something good even if that meant he was going against traditions. Of course, this could be interpreted differently, I just think it fits the pattern.
Emma asks him to dispose of the shears, and he lies about doing that, while trying to solve things on his own (Chaotic), however, in the end he admits to his wrong.
Conclusion and personal thoughts
Look, I love Hook very much. But Iâm not one to excuse his actions and glorify him by ignoring his past, and even his present. He still has violent tendencies, and the show didnât bother to spend one second to show that he felt bad for accidentally killing Jekyll. What Iâm trying to say is, even if his endgame is Good (protecting Emma and her family), heâs still somewhere between Neutral and Good. Besides, I donât think heâll ever actually stop wanting to kill Rumpelstiltskin, I just think heâs at peace with the idea that killing him isnât worth it. But somewhere deep there is the want, and the Code of a Chaotic Good or Neutral character is âYou shall not murderâ, with no specifics. So if murder is at someoneâs mind, they have Evil tendencies even if theyâre actively trying and wanting to act Good. And of course thereâs the matter of his past. Iâm not trying to vilify him, but for the sake of this meta, I have to be honest.
Finally, Killianâs character alignment could be summed up to this; mostly Chaotic, he values his freedom and is triggered by the loss of it, he acts Lawful for those he loves, or in memory of them, but when theyâre in danger his knee-jerk reaction is to act alone. Good goals, Good/Neutral actions, occasional Evil tendencies.
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âDevoteeâ (âCloserâ by Nine Inch Nails, combined with the vocals of â#1 Crushâ by Garbage, a mash-up that creates a dialogue between cult leader and cult follower) Amal sits at a desk across from the first suicide bomber, âHow devoted are you?â The first bomber walks through a crowd at the charity ball, opens his jacket, and blows himself up. Amal speaks to a group of followers, âSociety is falling apart. Kings have brutalized and oppressed the people they rule for too long, and now their reckoning is coming. That reckoning is not a handsome farm boy who fancies himself a leader. He wants to be king. I want to undo kings.â Amal builds bombs in a workshop. Amal speaks to a female recruit in person, whispering to her with his face an inch away from hers, âHow devoted are you?â Follower, âTo the death.â Amal gently places a hand on her cheek, âProve it.â The second bomber blows herself up outside of the palace of Aram. The third bomber walks towards the crowd running from the second bomb, but is confronted and shot by David. Amal speaks to his followers, âSociety has failed all of you. Endless war, the violent oppression of peaceful protest. Even those who claim to want peace and freedom create more war. It ends with us.â Amal straps bombs onto a line of six followers and whispers into the last oneâs ear, âYou have chosen to be here. You are the true chosen ones.â (âI will burn for you, feel pain for you.â) A female recruit stands in the middle of a crowd at Fistopia, a euphoric smile on her face. She raises her arms and blows up. A ways off, another, similarly smiling recruit blows himself up. Chaos spreads around them. David runs down the cliff path. Shay sees him, the driverâs seat door open behind her, âWeâre getting out of here!â David barrels past her and into the car, âWe have to help!â Shay, âDavid, no!â David turns the car on, and Shay dives into the back seat. David speeds toward the area where people are running from. Shay, âDavid, turn around!â David pulls to a stop in front of the fleeing attendees. He goes to the nearest wounded person, âIâm here to help! Where are you hurt?â He helps a woman to her feet as she clutches a bloody stomach. He begins to lead her away, but then, the sound of gunshots. The woman David is helping is riddled with bullets, and David dives to the ground. A pickup truck loaded with gleeful, laughing Amalekites firing off guns into the crowd speeds past. A third devotee blows up. Other trucks follow behind them, their occupants also whooping and firing off guns. David gets up to his feet, and goes toward the body of the woman. Shay runs up behind him and grabs him, âWeâre fucking getting out of here!â She struggles to pull David away, but a fourth Amalekite blows up, knocking them to the ground. David crawls around, trying not to be trampled in the chaos, but people still trip and fall painfully over him. Back on the cliff, Amal watches the scene with a satisfied little smile on his face. David manages to get to his feet. Another truck full of Amalekites drives past, and David is shot in the thigh. He screams and falls over. Shay crawls over to him. She grabs the gun from her waistband and shoots at the Amalekites in the truck, hitting them before they have a chance to hit her. She stands up and shoots the driver of the truck, which careens into the panic. She grabs David and pulls him up, âCome on!â David: âWe have to help!â Shay begins to run towards their car: âNo! Weâre not doing that!â David struggles against Shay, but with his wound, he canât, âIâm the fucking general! You have to do what I say!â Shay opens a back door of the car and throws David into it. David sits up and screams, âWe have to help! As your general, I order you to go back!â Shay gets into the driverâs seat, âYou can court martial me later, but right now Iâm saving your ass!â Â She turns the car on and speeds off. David: âTurn back!â David flings his head against the seat and screams.
At a location away from the chaos, Shay pulls Davidâs pants off to look at his wound. She wraps his belt around his thigh and makes a tourniquet. David moans loudly. Shay: âDoesnât look like any major blood vessels were hit, and the boneâs not broken, so youâre not gonna die, but we gotta get you back to the base.â She goes over to the front passengerâs seat and pushes the seat all the way down. She goes back to David, and props his wounded leg up on the seat, âKeep this elevated.â She gets in the driverâs seat and speeds away. She gets onto a road. David puts a hand to his head, âWe have to go BACK!â Shay, sadly, âIâm sorry, David.â David looks up from his prone position, and sees through the window black power lines against a blue sky. He shuts his eyes, and the trauma starts to get to him. David screams as loudly as he can, as if his soul were trying to burst from his body. He falls helplessly against the seats of the car, and sobs.
(Flashback) Young Silas, seven years into his reign, leads a team of soldiers through the Abedon compound. They stalk around hallways, search rooms, and exchange gunfire with Abedonâs men. Silas leans against a wall, Abner behind him. Silas, âShit, where the fuck is he?!â Abner, âThereâs still places we havenât looked, we-â heâs cut off by the sound of a woman screaming, âNo, no, no!â Silas, âThere!â They burst into a room. Silas, âPut your hands up, now!â Vesper, his back turned to Silas, raises his hands, a bloody knife still in one of them. Esperanza Abedon, full of stab wounds, falls to the floor.â Silas, âPut the knife down!â Vesper slowly turns around, revealing that heâs covered in blood. Silas, âPUT THE KNIFE DOWN!â Esperanza moans and moves slightly. Silas looks nervously from Vesper to Esperanza, âCome on, Vesper, just put the knife down, and we can help Esperanza.â Vesper sobs, âThereâs no helping her now.â Silas, calmly, âJust put the knife down.â Vesper drops the knife, but keeps his hands up. He slowly sinks to his knees, and a group of soldiers rush over to take him away. Silas speaks into his headpiece, âWe need a medic in here!â He goes over to Esperanza, and kneels beside her. She tries to cover her wounds with her hands, and blood pours between her fingers. Silas says in a soothing voice, âJust hold on, a medic will be here soon.â Abner comes up behind him. He looks down at Esperanza and says, âSheâs past saving, Silas.â Silas gently takes Esperanzaâs hand. She looks up at him, âMis hijosâŚâ Silas, âWhat?â Esperanza, slightly louder, âMis hijosâŚâ Her free hand flops in the direction of a closet door. Silas stands, and carefully opens the door. Behind it cower the Abedon children. The oldest girl, 11, cradles a baby in her arms, while the oldest boy, 9, stands protectively between his sisters and the door. Silas looks back down at Esperanza, who has died, and then back at the children. (end flashback)
David lays in a hospital bed, coldly staring up at the ceiling. The door opens, and Jack enters. He sits down on a seat next to the bed and sits quietly for a moment, âTell me what happened.â David: âI went to where I told to go. There was this guy standing there, he said his name was Alek Amal, said that society is falling apart. He threw this knife at the ground and told me I could either kill him or save lives. Thatâs when the first bomb went off. I went to save lives.â Jack: âI told you not to do anything stupid.â David: âI just went on instinct, I wasnât thinking.â Jack: âShay told me she kept telling you no, but you fucking got in the car and started driving. You got shot, and she had to pull you away! She fucking saved your life, David.â David: âI had to do it. I couldnât let innocent people die!â Jack: âDid you save anyone?â David shuts his eyes and breathes heavily, âI- I tried. I fucking tried. There was too much chaos.â Jack: âYou canât keep doing this! Sometimes, the only person you can save is yourself!â David, quietly: âDonât fucking tell me that.â Jack: âYou need to hear it. I- I told you not to do anything stupid and you didnât listen to me!â David snaps, âIâm sorry! I fucked up, all right?! You werenât there!â Jack: âWell, now youâre stuck with a bullet wound in your leg, so youâll have plenty of time to think about how youâre gonna do things differently.â David, âShut up! What the fuck do you want me to say? I fucked up! I did something stupid, and Iâm sorry!â Jack waits a beat before answering, âI try to keep myself safe, because I know you need me. Thereâs been so many moments when I wanted to run out, to go and do something big and heroic, something that will get me a big, dramatic picture that Dadâs gonna see on the news. And I donât. I stay safe, because I know that if I get hurt, itâll hurt you, too.â David: âYou arenât me.â Jack: âWho the fuck am I, then?â David looks over at Jack without saying anything. Jack goes on, âI know Iâm not as important as you.â David interrupts, âThatâs not true.â Jack interrupts him, tears in his eyes, âYou have to stop putting me through this!â David: âHow can I? I canât stop the attacks from happening.â Jack, weeping quietly: âI know! I know!â David looks back up at the ceiling. He stares hard for a moment, âAll that what doesnât kill you makes you stronger talk is bullshit. I donât understand how anyone can go it through this and come out anything but weakened.â He closes his eyes, and tears fall down his cheeks. Jack reaches over and puts a hand on his.
Abby speaks into a webcam. Her hair is messy, her eyes are swollen, and sheâs casually dressed. Sheâs flustered and emotional, not her usual no-nonsense self, âThis is Abigail Hatch of the Army of Free Gilboa. A terrorist group calling themselves the Amalekites are responsible for the attack on the Fistopia Music Festival. I know this because members of AFG leadership received direct credible intelligence that indicated a potential threat to the festival from this group. I tried to contact the Fistopia organizers, I told them in no uncertain terms that we at the AFG considered this message to be a threat, and I was ignored and denied repeatedly. Now, at least two hundred people are dead, and the number keeps increasing. The Amalekites are responsible for the attacks in Damascus and Shiloh. Their leader is a man calling himself Alek Amal, and as of right now, we know nothing about him. We donât know why heâs carrying out his attacks, or how heâs recruiting his followers. The AFG is dedicated to protecting the innocent, weâre reaching out to the other nations of North America and their monarchs, including King Silas. The Amalekites have proven to be non-discriminatory in who they kill, and because of that, there needs to be communication and cooperation among our militaries in order to properly stop this threat. The AFG is willing to hand over information regarding the Amalekites, and offer our protection to vulnerable citizens, if the other nations will agree to this.â
Silas watches Abbyâs message on a tablet. He tosses it to the side, âThis is bullshit. Of course Shepherdâs behind all this. Theyâre making up these Amalekites just to scare people.â Abner, âIâve gotten reports that Shepherd was seen there.â Frank glances at Reinhardt, who raises his chin as if to say follow my lead. Reinhardt, âIâve seen those reports, and theyâre somewhat conflicted. A number of witnesses claim to have seen Shepherd, but they say he was trying to help, and at one point, he may have been wounded. What we do have confirmed is a truck full of dead Amalekites. Whoever took them out must have been good because they appear to have all been shot while in motion.â Frank, âI personally trained Shay Mendoza in marksmanship. I believe she would be capable of doing something like that.â Silas, âThis is all straight out of Warnerâs playbook. Heâs been training Shepherd so he can get Carmel back. Iâm sure if the AFG can get some suicide bombers, they can get a few followers willing to die to make it look like another group.â Reinhardt, âWould Warner be willing to help Shepherd, given-?â Silas, sharply, âGiven what?!â Reinhardt, âGiven that the ranks of the AFG are ratherâŚ. diverse⌠in ways that arenât welcome in Ammon.â Silas, âYouâve never fought against Warner, not like I have. Warner loves to act pious but heâs still a king! Heâll shake hands with Satan himself it it will give him some kind of advantage. Probably get along with him, too. They have a lot in common.â
(flashback) in Silasâs office, Silas, Abner, and Samuels all conference call Warner. Warner, over the phone, âVesper will face justice here in Ammon, the country he betrayed! Heâs done nothing against Gilboa, you have nothing to charge him with.â Silas rolls his eyes, âExcept for a few war crimes. Carmelâs citizens are now Gilboans. Any act committed against them was committed against Gilboa.â Warner, âI am the one that Vesper betrayed, and I am the one who deserves to execute him!â Samuels, âDo not seek revenge, but leave room for Godâs wrath, for it is written: âVengeance is Mine, I will repay,â says the Lord.â Does it really matter who kills him, as long as heâs dead in the end?â Warner, furious, âI have earned this right! If Silas is going to take Carmel away from me, he can at least grant me the right of allowing me to execute the man who betrayed me!â Silas rolls his eyes and makes jack-off hands. Abner stifles his laughter. Warner, âVesper and I spent ten years fighting side by side as soldiers of Christ, and we vowed that we would die together!â Silas makes a face and mockingly imitates Warnerâs fury. He and Abner both laugh. Warner, âI deserve to be the one who kills him!â Silas, âListen, Warner, if you want Abedon, youâre gonna have to come to Shiloh and remove him from my palace yourself. As long as Carmel remains Gilboan territory, I will be the one who deals with him.â
Isaiah holds up a large picture of the suicide vest taken off of the second Damascus bomber, âI would be fuckinâ embarrassed to hand you a piece of shit like this. The construction is basic, and the work is shoddy. This is clearly someone who read ONE how-to manual on bomb-making and got to work. Iâd be surprised if it even went off.â Thereâs a knock at the door. David, âYeah?â The door opens and Monique enters, âJust so you know, there's pictures of you and Shay at Fistopia on OMGossip.â David, âShit. Well, I guess I shoulda expected that. Thanks for telling me.â Monique, âOMGossip is also saying that itâs not a coincidence that you were there.â David, âI was trying to save lives.â Monique, âTheyâre saying that youâre actually the one behind these attacks.â David, âWhat?! That's absurd! And I thought I clarified that after the attack on the palace! I got fucking shot! Why would I get shot at my own attack?!â Monique, âYou want me to say something?â David, âNo. Weâre not even going to dignify that suggestion.â Monique, âI mean about the fact that you were there and you got shot without doing any big heroics.â David, âOh.â He sinks down into his bed and thinks. Isaiah speaks up, âI donât know if this is useful, but I think the fact that their main method of attacks have been bombings and that they donât have a skilled bomb maker says something about how theyâre operating.â David, âHow is that?â Isaiah: âReverend Samuels recruited me for a reason. The fact that you just happened to end up with people like Abby, Asher, Shay, and Joel on your team, none of that is a coincidence. Samuels was looking for people who know what theyâre doing. He was looking for people he could build with. This Amal guy, heâs just looking for bodies. You should say something that thanks Shay for saving your life.â Monique, âNot a bad idea. Itâd help to tell people who Amal really is.â David, âYeah, okay, I can do that.â
Flashback, young Vesper, sporting several weeksâ worth of beard growth, sits huddled in the corner of a cell, illuminated only by light coming through a small window. The door creaks open, and Silas enters. They look at each other for a moment, and then Silas says, âYouâve been sentenced to death. Youâll be executed tomorrow.â Vesper looks up at him, and smiles, sadly, âThank you. I deserve nothing less than being sent to hell.â Silas, âYou can still get into heaven if you repent.â Vesper, darkly sarcastic, âIâm pretty sure mass-murdering madmen donât get allowed into heaven. Iâm going to hell, and I welcome it. Dante reserved the lowest circle of hell for traitors, in the circle of Judecca- eternally trapped in ice, canât hear, canât move, canât breathe, while above them, the three head of Satan chew on Brutus, Cassius, and Judas Isacariot. Perhaps heâll grow a new head for me.â Silas, âNo soul is beyond redemption.â Vesper smirks, âYou would be sent to Phlegethon, the river of boiling blood, reserved for the violent. Those who try to climb out get shot full of arrows by centaurs.â Silas, âThe Inferno is a work of fiction, written by one man. Itâs not scripture.â Vesper, âIâm still going to hell- Dante gives me something to think about.â He sits quietly for a moment, and his chin quivers ever so slightly. He looks back at Silas, âWhere are my children?â Silas, âSomewhere safe.â Vesper, âCan I see them one last time?â Silas, âNo.â Vesper nods sadly, accepting. He blinks, and tear fall out of his eyes, "Are they together?â Silas, âI'm not telling you anything.â Vesper weeps, âIâve ruined their lives- How can anyone live with the name Abedon, now? I- I ruined my revolution. I ruined my nation. I destroyed my family. I killed my wife. History will remember me as a vicious, inept tyrant, and theyâll be correct,â he looks at Silas, âWarner- Warner was the zealot. He was the brutal one. He had the charisma and iron will- I had the brains and the ideals. His ideas were too outlandish, I no longer wanted to be a part of his vision because it was so extreme. I wanted a nation based on Godâs word, and look at what I did. Power drives men mad, and Warner was mad to begin with. He understands his madness. Me⌠I told myself the violence was Godâs will. Never, ever, ever trust a man who says he understands Godâs will.â Silas, âYou will be executed tomorrow morning.â Vesper, âThank you, Silas. Thank you.â
Helen enters Silasâs office, âYou wanted to speak with me?â Silas, âCome sit.â Helen sits down, âWhat is this?â Silas: âYour name has come up several times in connection with David Shepherd.â Helen, enraged: âWhat?!â Silas: âI have to ask.â Helen, âAsk what?â Silas: âHave you been in contact with David Shepherd or the Army of Free Gilboa?â Helen: âNo! I only met him the one time! How could you even believe that I had something to do with him?â Silas: âItâs been brought up enough.â Helen interrupts, âBrought up? By whom?â Silas: âCertain influential individuals.â Realization dawns in Helenâs eyes, âRoseâs friends.â Silas: âAs queen, Rose maintains a great number of social connections.â Helen sniffs, âRose has been saying shit about me. I thought I made friends at the gala, but when I try to talk to people for a second time, they want nothing to do with me. Rose is trying to ruin my life, and sheâs succeeding.â She angrily wipes tears from her eyes, âYou and Seth are the only people who speak to me anymore. And now you think Iâm a terrorist. Whatâs Seth going to think?â Silas: âI was only asking. There was a horrific attack on a music festival yesterday, and Iâm afraid Shepherd had something to do with it.â Helen: âHe didnât.â Silas raises his eyebrows at Helen. Helen: âI only met him once, and just from that alone, I can tell you, he wouldnât carry out that kind of attack. Heâs too damn nice.â Silas: âIf it isnât Shepherd, itâs another terrorist group that hasnât been identified.â Helen, shaking her head in dismay, âI want to go back to the country! I want to take Seth back home!â Silas: âThatâs not possible!â Helen, âI canât stay here, Silas! Donât act like you donât think Rose will be happy to see me and Seth gone!â Silas: âBeing royalty means making sacrifices.â Helen, âYou can sacrifice your other children, Iâm not sacrificing Seth!â Silas: âSeth is going to be king!â Helen, âNo, he isnât! Jack ran away because he didnât want to be king, and Iâm saving Seth before that ever happens!â Silas, intimidatingly, âSo what are you going to do? Do you really think you can just take him back? That I wonât find him? That I wonât bring him back to his rightful place as heir to the kingdom of Gilboa?â Helen cries, âPlease donât threaten me, Silas!â Silas: âYouâre the one threatening me! You canât leave! Not, unless, of course, you really do have plans to go be Shepherdâs next concubine.â Helen: âHow dare you say that about me!â Silas: âYou canât leave, and you canât keep Seth away from me. Youâre dismissed.â Helen, âAre you just throwing me out now?â Silas: âYou are dismissed!â Helen stares at Silas, barely holding back her rage. She desperately wants to say something, but canât think of it. She gets up and leaves.
In Reinhardtâs office, Frank looks around nervously, âIs this place under surveillance?â Reinhardt, âI'm the one who orders that surveillance, so no.â Frank, âAre you positive?â Reinhardt, âI checked.â Frank, âWe need to look directly into identifying Alek Amal. Can we still do this under your plan?â Reinhardt sighs, âI can, but Iâd have to keep it very low-key. The MSS does enough low-level investigations, itâd blend right in. However, this guy is pretty good at hiding. Itâs going to take much more than a cursory look to track him down. Thatâs going to require time and resources. Itâll get noticed, and probably reported back to the king.â Frank, âCan you hide it from him?â Reinhardt, âSilas is pretty good at letting the MSS do its job, but a proper investigation would involve army resources, and Abner tells Silas everything.  In theory, I can keep it all within the MSS, but that would require a significant amount of risk on my behalf.â Frank, âWhat kind of risk?â Reinhardt, âSilas trusts me. If I get caught hiding things from him, that trust will be broken. I canât sacrifice that.â Frank, âYouâre just unwilling.â Reinhardt, âAnd Iâm unwilling! I told you Iâm not going to do anything stupid. Youâre going to have to be the one who takes the noble risks here. Do you have any ideas?â Frank thinks for a while. Frank, âAre you still gathering intelligence on the Amalekites?â Reinhardt, âYes.â Frank, âThat intelligence needs to make it to people who will actually use it.â Reinhardt, âIf I understand what youâre implying here, youâre suggesting we commit treason.â Frank, âTwo hundred innocent people are dead, Caesar. If Silas wonât stop that from happening again�� Someone has to. And right now thereâs only one group that may have the capabilities to do so.â Reinhardt thinks for a moment, showing the tiniest bit of conflict, âIâll give you the intel. But I had nothing to do with this, understand?â Frank, âYouâre doing the right thing.â
Helen walks Seth to the city park, security guys trailing behind them. Seth: âWeâve already been to the park once this week!â Helen: âI know, but I need to get out of the palace. You arenât complaining, are you?â Seth grins, âNo, Iâm not!â He coughs a little bit. Helen: âYou all right, sweetie?â Seth: âIâm okay.â Helen: âGood. Listen, your Aunt Rose hasnât said anything about me to you, has she?â Seth coughs some more, but says, âWhat? No.â Helen smiles, âGood.â Seth: âWhat has she said about you?â Helen: âDonât worry about it. I think she misses Jack and Michelle, and doesnât know how to handle it.â Seth coughs and gasps for air. Helen: âSeth?â Seth coughs, gasps, and collapses. Helen, âSeth!â The security guys run forward. Helen stays calm, âCall an ambulance!â
Silas hurries into the hospital waiting room where Helen talks to Sethâs doctor, Dr. Abramson. Silas: âWhat the fuck happened?â Helen: âSeth fainted on a walk to the park.â Silas: âYou took him to the park?â Helen: âI needed to get out, and I thought he did too!â Silas: âThatâs too much activity for him!â Helen: âHe used to run around every day when we lived in the country!â Silas: âIs he all right?â Abramson: âIt appears thereâs fluid backup in his lungs, weâre working on flushing it out.â Silas: âGood. He should be fine once that happens.â Abramson: âI want to perform an echocardiogram. I need to get a good look at his heart, and make sure that he isnât experiencing heart failure.â Helen nods grimly, âThank you, Dr. Abramson.â Silas removes his glasses and wipes his eyes, âThis⌠this is how it all started with Michelle.â Abramson: âIf he is experiencing heart failure, we have a number of treatment options.â Silas: âThatâs what they said with Michelle!â Helen: âHe doesnât need a transplant, Silas. Not yet.â Abramson: âI havenât yet fully diagnosed heart failure, but, if heâs up and walking around, heâs far from the end stage. However, if there is a family history, it may be wise for you to begin preparing Seth and yourselves for that possibility, even if itâs years away. Is it at all possible for him to speak with his sister?â Silas: âNo.â Abramson: âVery well. This could very well just be a minor episode, and heâll be back to his old self in no time. Would you like to go in and see Seth?â Silas eases himself into a chair, âGive me a moment. You can leave.â Abramson: âCertainly.â The doctor walks off. Silas rubs his eyes. Helen: âThere has to be some way that Michelle can speak to Seth.â Silas: âIf she comes to Shiloh, sheâll cut my heart out and give it to him.â Helen: âYouâre exaggerating.â Silas: âYou didnât see how angry she was when she last spoke to me.â Helen, âShe adored you.â Silas: âShe hates me, now. She calls me Silas, not Dad. Sheâs had combat training. Sheâs a lieutenant in an army. Sheâs won medals.â Helen: âSheâs still Sethâs sister.â Silas sighs heavily, âI have to get back to the palace. Iâm supposed to make an address on the terrorists that attacked the music festival.â Helen: âAre you even going to talk to Seth?â Silas: âIâll talk to him when he comes home. I have to go be king, now.â Helen: âSilas!â He gets up, and leaves.
(flashback) In the morning, Vesper, freshly groomed and prepared for execution, sits in a cell beside another prisoner. He holds his hands together and prays silently. Silas comes up to his cell, guards following behind him. Vesper opens his eyes and looks at Silas. Silas, âItâs time.â A guard unlocks the door. The others go in. Instead of grabbing Vesper, they grab the other prisoner, put duct tape over his mouth, and a hood over his head. The other prisoner struggles and fights, but the guards take him away. A couple of other guards enter the cell and gently guide Vesper up. Vesper stares incredulously as heâs led past Silas and down another hallway.
Outside, Silas stands between Samuels and ten-year-old Jack, a large group of politicians and dignitaries behind them. The prisoner slumps over at the stake, his body shaking with sobs. Samuels, âMay God have mercy on your soul.â Silas, âReady,â the executioners get into position, âAim,â the executioners look their their rifle scopes, âFire!" The crack of gunshots. Jack jumps but doesnât look away. The prisoner slumps over, full of bleeding bullet holes. Silas smirks. Samuels looks curiously from Silas, back to the jail, where a windowless van drives away. Samuels looks back at Silas, âYou motherfucker.â Silas, âDonât use that kind of language around Jack, Ephraim.â
At the palace, Vesper sits in his cell, looking around at his new digs. The door opens, and Silas enters. He opens a chess board on the desk, and begins arranging pieces, âDo you play chess?â (end flashback)
Silas sits with Vesper, silently playing chess. Vesper makes a move, and Silas grimaces, âGoddamnit.â Vesper, âYouâre preoccupied. Itâs affecting your game.â Silas, âIâd tell you, but you wonât believe me.â Vesper, âMore problems with Shepherd?â Silas, âThere was an attack on a music festival. Suicide bombers, gunfire, straight out of Warnerâs playbook. Shepherd is in Ammon, being protected by Warner. I know theyâre behind it.â Vesper thinks for a moment, âDo you know the motive for such an attack?â Silas, âTo kill as many people as possible.â Vesper makes a face, âWarner is a madman, but heâs not a fool. He only attacked targets with strategic importance. Silas, âIt was a music festival, a bastion of sin and idolatry. You loved to attack places like that.â Vesper, âI did, but Warner always yelled at me afterwards for wasting our resources.â Silas, âHeâs a king, now, he has a hell of a lot more resources than he used to!â Vesper, âSilas, you are just going to have to trust me when I say that I know Warner better than you do. Heâs a strategist. Everything he does, he does for a clear reason. HE has no patience for anything that doesnât bring him an immediate result. Why would he waste his time killing civilians at a music festival when he could send Shepherd directly into the palace to kill you?â Silas, âThen what the hell am I supposed to do? Admit that I have no idea who these people are? Admit that I canât keep my people safe?!â Vesper, âFight them! Show them that Silas Benjamin doesnât just lay down! You took an oath to defend your people, carry it out!â Silas doesnât say anything. He looks down at the chessboard and makes a move. Vesper, incredulously, âAre you actually getting tired of fighting?â Silas, quietly, âIâve been having dreams about Kathleen again. My sweet, darling little sister, and she only comes to me in times of unbearable darkness. Seth is sick, just like Michelle was, just like Kathleen. I canât make it better. I canât fix him. I suppose this is Godâs way of keeping me humble. I can start a war, I can conquer a country, but I canât make my little boy healthy again. Itâs what Ephraim would say, anyway. I just wish God would humble me without hurting Seth.â Vesper, sadly, âSeth will get better. I dream of my children every day.â Silas, âYou donât deserve your children. I will deal with Warner and Shepherd, just like I always do.â
David sits in his hospital bed with everyone else around him. Jack sits on his bed next to him. They all watch a TV, turned to a news channel anticipating an address by Silas. David looks over at Abby: âDo you have any idea what heâs gonna say?â Abby: âYour guess is as good as mine.â Jack: âBlah blah blah, this is all David Shepherdâs fault, blah blah blah, David Shepherd sucks, blah blah blah, death to the AFG.â David: âWeâve got statements ready, right? In cause he does blame this all on us?â Asher: âYeah, I got some stuff together. Weâve got plenty of evidence to show the Amalekites arenât us, and, honestly, I donât know why any rational person would believe that itâs us at this point.â David: âGood.â Joel: âWhat if he declares war on Ammon? Is Warner gonna do like Shaw and turn us over?â David: âWarner wants a war. Heâs told me he wonât turn us over.â On the TV: a commercial, images of proudly lined up Gilboan soldiers, with a voiceover, âGilboa needs real heroes.â Montage of patriotic images, with heroic military imagery. Close-up of a soldier, âBe a real hero. CrossGen.â The CrossGen logo. Everyone looks at each other, bewildered. Jack sighs, âIâm pretty sure Andrewâs behind that.â Monique, âYâall heard that heâs in control of OMGossip right now, right?â Shay, âThatâs a weird combination. celebrity gossip and weapon manufacturing.â Jack, âItâs deliberate. Andrew doesnât do anything without thinking about it five steps ahead.â Joel sneers, âI know weâre supposed to be about peace and justice and all, but I wouldnât mind seeing that little prick dead.â David, âWhatâd he ever do to you?â Joel thinks for a moment, but then Silas appears on the TV: âGood evening, Gilboa.â Joel, âWatch this.â Silas, âYesterday, under the guise of another terrorist group calling themselves the Amalekites, The Army of Free Gilboa attacked the Fistopia Music Festival.â Everyone reacts with dismay, âOh, come on! Dumbass!â Monique: âWe can really make this work for us. Silas is crazy, he doesnât care about his citizens, heâs just obsessed with David.â David: âShut up, I canât hear.â Silas: âThe nation of Ammon is harboring Shepherd and the AFG leadership. If they do not turn them over, I will have no choice but to declare war.â David sighs, âWeâve gotta start making plans again.â
Silas on a TV: âI remain dedicated as ever in my quest to destroy Shepherd and his so-called army. I will not be distracted or led elsewhere.â In a small break room, Amal watches the address, smirking. He wears a dress shirt, tie and name tag. Silas: âI will not rest until Shepherd is dead and order has been restored to Gilboa!â The door opens, and a harried-looking middle aged woman enters, âGreg! Your breakâs over! I need you back on the floor, now!â Amal quivers with hatred, âBe right there, Susan.â He scowls, turns the TV off, and heads out the door. He walks out into the ladyâs shoe section of a department store. He goes over to where two women sit down, wearing a customer service smile, âCan I help you ladies with anything?â One of the women hands him a shoe, âCan I have this in a size eight and a half please?â Amal, âOf course.â He turns around, and his pleasant smiles turns back into a cold scowl as he goes to find the right shoes.
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Devotee
âDevoteeâ Blank computer screen, (opening beats of âCloserâ by Nine Inch Nails). The cursor blinks in time. The word AMALEKITE is typed in. Amal sits at a desk across from the first suicide bomber, âHow devoted are you?â (Lyrics of â#1 Crush,â creating a mash-up that, combined with âCloser,â creates a dialogue between cult leader and cult follower). The first bomber walks through a crowd at the charity ball, opens his jacket, and blows himself up. Amal speaks to a group of followers, âSociety is falling apart. Kings have brutalized and oppressed the people they rule for too long, and now their reckoning is coming. That reckoning is not a handsome farm boy who fancies himself a leader. He wants to be king. I want to undo kings.â Amal builds bombs in a workshop. Amal speaks to a female recruit in person, whispering to her with his face an inch away from hers, âHow devoted are you?â Follower, âTo the death.â Amal gently places a hand on her cheek, âProve it.â The second bomber blows herself up outside of the palace of Aram. The third bomber walks towards the crowd running from the second bomb, but is confronted and shot by David. Amal speaks to his followers, âSociety has failed all of you. Endless war, the violent oppression of peaceful protest. Even those who claim to want peace and freedom create more war. It ends with us.â Amal straps bombs onto a line of four followers and whispers into the last oneâs ear, âYou have chosen to be here. You are the true chosen ones.â A female recruit stands in the middle of a crowd at Fistopia, a euphoric smile on her face. She raises her arms and blows up. (âI will burn for you, feel pain for you.â) A ways off, another, similarly smiling recruit blows himself up. Chaos spreads around them. David runs down the cliff path. Shay sees him, the driverâs seat door open behind her, âWeâre getting out of here!â David barrels past her and into the car, âWe have to help!â Shay, âDavid, no!â David turns the car on, and Shay dives into the back seat. David speeds toward the area where people are running from. Shay, âDavid, turn around!â David pulls to a stop in front of the fleeing attendees. He goes to the nearest wounded person, âIâm here to help! Where are you hurt?â He helps a woman to her feet as she clutches a bloody stomach. He begins to lead her away, but then, the sound of gunshots. The woman David is helping is riddled with bullets, and David dives to the ground. A pickup truck loaded with gleeful, laughing Amalekites firing off guns into the crowd speeds past. A third devotee blows up. Other trucks follow behind them, their occupants also whooping and firing off guns. David gets up to his feet, and goes toward the body of the woman. Shay runs up behind him and grabs him, âWeâre fucking getting out of here!â She struggles to pull David away, but a fourth Amalekite blows up, knocking them to the ground. David crawls around, trying not to be trampled in the chaos, but people still trip and fall painfully over him. Back on the cliff, Amal watches the scene with a satisfied little smile on his face. David manages to get to his feet. Another truck full of Amalekites drives past, and David is shot in the thigh. He screams and falls over. Shay crawls over to him. She grabs the gun from her waistband and shoots at the Amalekites in the truck, hitting them before they have a chance to hit her. She stands up and shoots the driver of the truck, which careens into the panic. She grabs David and pulls him up, âCome on!â David: âWe have to help!â Shay begins to run towards their car: âNo! Weâre not doing that!â David struggles against Shay, but with his wound, he canât, âIâm the fucking general! You have to do what I say!â Shay opens a back door of the car and throws David into it. David sits up and screams, âWe have to help! As your general, I order you to go back!â Shay gets into the driverâs seat, âYou can court martial me later, but right now Iâm saving your ass!â Â She turns the car on and speeds off. David: âTurn back!â David flings his head against the seat and screams.
At a location away from the chaos, Shay pulls Davidâs pants off to look at his wound. She wraps his belt around his thigh and makes a tourniquet. David moans loudly. Shay: âDoesnât look like any blood vessels were hit, the boneâs not broken, youâre not gonna die, but we gotta get you back to the base.â She goes over to the front passengerâs seat and pushes the seat all the way down. She goes back to David, and props his wounded leg up on the seat, âKeep this elevated.â She gets in the driverâs seat and speeds away. She gets onto a road. David puts a hand to his head, âWe have to go BACK!â Shay, sadly, âIâm sorry, David.â David looks up from his prone position, and sees through the window black power lines against a blue sky. He shuts his eyes, and images flash: The bomber he killed. Doug kneeling in front of him. Asherâs parents laughing at their final dinner. The bodies of six terrorists laid out in the palace of Moab. The soldier he strangled in the woods. Samuels, riddled with bullets. Spencer, smiling and laughing in a club. Eli. His father. David screams as loudly as he can, as if his soul were trying to burst from his body. He falls helplessly against the seats of the car, and sobs.
David lays in a hospital bed, coldly staring up at the ceiling. The door opens, and Jack enters. He sits down on a seat next to the bed and sits quietly for a moment, âTell me what happened.â David: âI went to where I told to go. There was this guy standing there, he said his name was Alek Amal, said that society is falling apart. He threw this knife at the ground and told me I could either kill him or save lives. Thatâs when the first bomb went off. I went to save lives.â Jack: âI told you not to do anything stupid.â David: âI just went on instinct, I wasnât thinking.â Jack: âShay told me she kept telling you no, but you fucking got in the car and started driving. You got shot, and she had to pull you away! She fucking saved your life, David.â David: âI had to do it. I couldnât let innocent people die!â Jack: âDid you save anyone?â David shuts his eyes and breathes heavily, âI- I tried. I fucking tried. There was too much chaos.â Jack: âYou canât keep doing this! Sometimes, the only person you can save is yourself!â David, quietly: âDonât fucking tell me that.â Jack: âYou need to hear it. I- I told you not to do anything stupid and you didnât listen to me!â David snaps, âIâm sorry! I fucked up, all right?! You werenât there!â Jack: âWell, now youâre stuck with a bullet wound in your leg, so youâll have plenty of time to think about how youâre gonna do things differently while you recover.â David, âShut up! What the fuck do you want me to say? I fucked up! I did something stupid, and Iâm sorry!â Jack waits a beat before answering, âI try to keep myself safe, because I know you need me. Thereâs been so many moments when I wanted to run out, to go and do something big and heroic, something that will get me a big, dramatic picture that my dadâs gonna see on the news. And I donât. I stay safe, because I know that if I get hurt, it���ll hurt you, too.â David: âYou arenât me.â Jack: âWho the fuck am I, then?â David looks over at Jack without saying anything. Jack goes on, âI know Iâm not as important as you, but, god, you have to stop putting me through this!â Jack chokes up. David: âHow can I? I canât stop the attacks from happening.â Jack, weeping quietly: âI know! I know!â David looks back up at the ceiling. He stares hard for a moment, âAll that what doesnât kill you makes you stronger talk is bullshit. I donât understand how anyone can go it through this and come out anything but weakened.â He closes his eyes, and tears fall down his cheeks. Jack reaches over and puts a hand on his.
Abby speaks into a webcam. Her hair is messy, her eyes are swollen, and sheâs casually dressed. Sheâs flustered and emotional, not her usual no-nonsense self, âThis is Abigail Hatch of the Army of Free Gilboa. A terrorist group calling themselves the Amalekites are responsible for the attack on the Fistopia Music Festival. I know this because David Shepherd was sent a message before the attack, telling him to be there to learn the secrets of the Amalekites. I tried to contact the Fistopia organizers, I told them in no uncertain terms that we at the AFG considered this message to be a threat, and I was ignored and denied repeatedly. Now, at least two hundred people are dead, and the number keeps increasing. Â The Amalekites are responsible for the attacks in Damascus and Shiloh. Their leader is a man calling himself Alek Amal, and as of right now, I know nothing about him. I donât know why heâs carrying out his attacks, or how heâs recruiting his followers. The AFG is dedicated to protecting the innocent, weâre reaching out to the other nations of North America and their monarchs, including King Silas. The Amalekites have proven to be non-discriminatory in who they kill, and because of that, there needs to be communication and cooperation among our militaries in order to properly stop this threat. The AFG is willing to hand over information regarding the Amalekites, and offer our protection to vulnerable citizens, if the other nations will agree to this.â
Silas watches Abbyâs message on a tablet. He tosses it to the side, âThis is bullshit. Of course Shepherdâs behind all this. Theyâre making up these Amalekites just to scare people.â An advisor: âSir, thatâs doesnât really make sense.â Silas: âWhat? They blamed me for the attack on Damascus. Did you see that picture of Shepherd they got? The whole thing was set up, I guarantee you.â Advisor: âMoab and Aram have both already vowed support. I believe Edom and Jericho will follow suit.â Silas: âAram? Aram supports me!â Advisor: âKing George supported you. King Anthony seems to have given his support to Shepherd.â Silas: âThen fuck King Anthony, if I have to go to war with Aram, too, I will!â advisor: âSir, 200 Gilboan citizens are dead. People are looking to you to protect them, and if you donât, more and more support will go to Shepherd.â Silas: âDraft a statement blaming the attack on Shepherd!â Abner: âSilas, this wasnât Shepherd, and if you try to blame Shepherd and the AFG, theyâll come forward with evidence that it wasnât them.â Silas: âWhat evidence? How can they possibly prove it wasnât them?!â
Isaiah holds up a large picture of the suicide vest taken off of the second Damascus bomber, âI would be fuckinâ embarrassed to hand you a piece of shit like this. The construction is basic, and the work is shoddy. This is clearly someone who read ONE how-to manual on bomb-making and got to work. Iâd be surprised if it even went off.â David, still laying in his hospital bed, rubs his face, âYeah, but all the other bombs still went off, and more probably will. Were you able to figure anything else out?â Isaiah shakes his head, âI donât know if this is useful, but I think the fact that their main method of attacks have been bombings and that they donât have a skilled bomb maker says something about how theyâre operating.â David, âHow is that?â Isaiah: âReverend Samuels recruited me for a reason. The fact that you just happened to end up with people like Abby, Asher, Shay, and Joel on your team, none of that is a coincidence. Samuels was looking for people who know what theyâre doing. He was looking for people he could build with. This Amal guy, heâs just looking for bodies.â David: âThatâs terrifying.â
Helen enters Silasâs office, âYou wanted to speak with me?â Silas, âCome sit.â Helen sits down, âWhat is this?â Silas: âYour name has come up several times in connection with David Shepherd.â Helen, enraged: âWhat?!â Silas: âI have to ask.â Helen, âAsk what?â Silas: âHave been in contact with David Shepherd or the Army of Free Gilboa?â Helen: âNo! I only met him the one time! How could you even believe that I had something to do with him?â Silas: âItâs been brought up enough.â Helen interrupts, âBrought up? By whom?â Silas: âCertain influential individuals.â Realization dawns in Helenâs eyes, âRoseâs friends.â Silas: âAs queen, Rose maintains a great number of social connections.â Helen sniffs, âRose has been saying shit about me. I thought I made friends at the gala, but when I try to talk to people for a second time, they want nothing to do with me. Rose is trying to ruin my life, and sheâs succeeding.â She angrily wipes tears from her eyes, âYou and Seth are the only people who speak to me anymore. And now you think Iâm a terrorist. Whatâs Seth going to think?â Silas: âI was only asking. There was a horrific attack on a music festival yesterday, and Iâm afraid Shepherd had something to do with it.â Helen: âHe didnât.â Silas raises his eyebrows at Helen. Helen: âI only met him once, and just from that alone, I can tell you, he wouldnât carry out that kind of attack. Heâs too damn nice.â Silas: âIf it isnât Shepherd, itâs another terrorist group that hasnât been identified.â Helen, shaking her head in dismay, âI want to go back to the country! I want to take Seth back home!â Silas: âThatâs not possible!â Helen, âI canât stay here, Silas! Donât act like you donât think Rose will be happy to see me and Seth gone!â Silas: âBeing royalty means making sacrifices.â Helen, âYou can sacrifice your other children, Iâm not sacrificing Seth!â Silas: âSeth is going to be king!â Helen, âNo, he isnât! Jack ran away because he didnât want to be king, and Iâm saving Seth before that ever happens!â Silas, intimidatingly, âSo what are you going to do? Do you really think you can just take him back? That I wonât find him? That I wonât bring him back to his rightful place as heir to the kingdom of Gilboa?â Helen cries, âPlease donât threaten me, Silas!â Silas: âYouâre the one threatening me! You canât leave! Not, unless, of course, you really do have plans to go be David Shepherdâs next concubine.â Helen: âHow dare you say that about me!â Silas: âYou canât leave, and you canât keep Seth away from me. You may leave.â Helen, âAre you just throwing me out now?â Silas: âYou may leave!â Helen stares at Silas, barely holding back her rage. She desperately wants to say something, but canât think of it. She gets up and leaves.
Warner video-conferences William. Warner: âDo you know who carries out the attack on the music festival?â William: âGod, I wish I did. Theyâre fucking good, whoever they are.â Warner: âDavid Shepherd told me itâs a group calling themselves the Amalekites. Heâs put out calls to other nations for aid in fighting them. Said he even is willing to work with Silas to stop them.â William: âDavidâs on his noble bullshit again, I see.â Warner: âIâm not sure what I should do. The Amalekites are clearly dangerous. They havenât attacked Ammon, but that doesnât mean they wonât.â William: âUgh, why are you asking me?â Warner: âYouâve been telling me to declare war on Gilboa ever since Shepherd showed up, and hereâs a chance to declare war on something else.â Â William: âNo. The terrorists are good for me. Anything that further destabilizes Silas is good for me.â Warner: âWhat if Silas decides to focus on fighting the Amalekites and abandons his plans for war against Ammon?â William: âThat would involve Silas making the right decision for his country. Itâs not going to happen.â Warner: âAnd if it does?â William: âThen you declare war on him!â
Helen walks Seth to the city park, security guys trailing behind them. Seth: âWeâve already been to the park once this week!â Helen: âI know, but I need to get out of the palace. You arenât complaining, are you?â Seth grins, âNo, Iâm not!â He coughs a little bit. Helen: âYou all right, sweetie?â Seth: âIâm okay.â Helen: âGood. Listen, your Aunt Rose hasnât said anything about me to you, has she?â Seth coughs some more, but says, âWhat? No.â Helen smiles, âGood.â Seth: âWhat has she said about you?â Helen: âDonât worry about it. I think she misses Jack and Michelle, and doesnât know how to handle it.â Seth coughs and gasps for air. Helen: âSeth?â Seth coughs, gasps, and collapses. Helen, âSeth!â The security guys run forward. Helen stays calm, âCall an ambulance!â
Silas hurries into the hospital waiting room where Helen talks to a doctor. Silas: âWhat the fuck happened?â Helen: âSeth fainted on a walk to the park.â Silas: âYou took him to the park?â Helen: âI needed to get out, and I thought he did too!â Silas: âThatâs too much activity for him!â Helen: âHe used to run around every day when we lived in the country!â Silas: âIs he all right?â Doctor: âIt appears thereâs fluid backup in his lungs, weâre working on flushing it out.â Silas: âGood. He should be fine once that happens.â Doctor: âI want to perform an EKG and have an MRI taken. I want to get a good look at his heart, and make sure that he isnât experiencing heart failure.â Helen nods grimly, âThank you, doctor.â Silas removes his glasses and wipes his eyes, âThis⌠this is how it all started with Michelle.â Doctor: âIf he is experiencing heart failure, we have a number of treatment options.â Silas: âThatâs what they said with Michelle!â Helen: âHe doesnât need a transplant, Silas. Not yet.â Doctor: âI havenât yet fully diagnosed heart failure. If heâs up and walking around, heâs far from the end stage. However, if there is a family history, it may be wise for you to begin preparing Seth and yourselves for that possibility, even if itâs years away. Is it at all possible for him to speak with his sister?â Silas: âNo.â Doctor: âVery well. This could very well just be a minor episode, and heâll be back to his old self in no time. Would you like to go in and see Seth?â Silas eases himself into a chair, âGive me a moment. You can leave.â Doctor: âCertainly.â The doctor walks off. Silas rubs his eyes. Helen: âThere has to be some way that Michelle can speak to Seth.â Silas: âIf she comes to Shiloh, sheâll cut my heart out and give it to Seth.â Helen: âYouâre exaggerating.â Silas: âYou didnât see how angry she was when she last spoke to me.â Helen, âShe adored you.â Silas: âShe hates me, now. She calls me Silas, not Dad. Now sheâs had combat training. Sheâs a major in an army. Sheâs won medals.â Helen: âSheâs still Sethâs sister.â Silas sighs heavily, âI have to get back to the palace. Iâm supposed to make an address on the terrorists that attacked the music festival.â Helen: âAre you even going to talk to Seth?â Silas: âIâll talk to him when he comes home. I have to go be king, now.â Helen: âSilas!â He gets up, and leaves.
David sits in his hospital bed with everyone else around him. Jack sits on his bed next to him. They all watch a TV, turned to a news channel anticipating an address by Silas. David looks over at Abby: âDo you have any idea what heâs gonna say?â Abby: âYour guess is as good as mine.â Jack: âBlah blah blah, this is all David Shepherdâs fault, blah blah blah, David Shepherd sucks, blah blah blah, death to the AFG.â David: âWeâve got statements ready, right? I cause he does blame this all on us?â Asher: âYeah, I got some stuff together. Weâve got plenty of evidence to show the Amalekites arenât us, and, honestly, I donât know why any rational person would believe that itâs us at this point.â David: âGood.â Joel: âWhat if he declares war on Ammon? Is Warner gonna do like Gerald and turn us over?â David: âWarner wants a war. Heâs told me he wonât turn us over.â Silas appears on the TV: âGood evening, Gilboa. Yesterday, under the guise of another terrorist group calling themselves the Amalekites, The Army of Free Gilboa attacked the Fistopia Music Festival.â Everyone reacts with dismay, âOh, come on! Dumbass!â Monique: âWe can really make this work for us. Silas is crazy, he doesnât care about his citizens, heâs just obsessed with David.â David: âShut up, I canât hear.â Silas: âThe nation of Ammon is harboring Shepherd and the AFG leadership. If they do not turn them over, I will have no choice but to declare war.â David sighs, âWeâve gotta start making plans again. Weâve gotta re-group, be an army again. I hate to admit it, but Laura was right. Heâs going to be a lot easier to take out with a war on two fronts.â
Silas on a TV: âI remain dedicated as ever in my quest to destroy Shepherd and his so-called army. I will not be distracted or led elsewhere.â In a small break room, Amal watches the address, smirking. He wears a dress shirt, tie and name tag. Silas: âI will not rest until Shepherd is dead and order has been restored to Gilboa!â The door opens, and a harried-looking middle aged woman enters, âGreg! Your breakâs over! I need you back on the floor, now!â Amal quivers with hatred, âBe right there, Susan.â He scowls, turns the TV off, and heads out the door. He walks out into the ladyâs shoe section of a department store. He goes over to where two women sit down, wearing a pleasant customer service smile âCan I help you ladies with anything?â One of the women hands him a shoe, âCan I have this in a size eight and a half please?â Amal, âOf course.â He turns around, and his pleasant smiles turns back into a cold scowl as he goes to find the right shoes.
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