- While the fog obscures more than just the air, Vic, Cliff, Jane, and Larry must relive their most shameful moments until a breakthrough occurs, and Rita begins to better understand Madame Rouge.
- Due to the Eternal Flagellation caused by the Sisterhood, the team and their subconsciousnesses swap places and each team members gets to face their own insecurities and subconscious issues until they make breakthroughs with their personal problems.—Gislef
- Dada birds perch on a telephone line near the manor, then all flutter off except one. It explodes in a burst of blue light.
Vic finds himself in a toy store that he and his father Silas visited when Vic was a child. Watching his younger self, Vic remembers the memory. The young Vic knocks action figures off the shelf looking for a particular one, and the manager comes over and grabs young Vic by the arm. Silas comes over and tells the manager to get his hands off his son, and the clerk points out that young Vic is damaging property. A security guard comes over, and Silas says that he'll pay for whatever the damage is. Young Vic says that he was looking for some black superhero toys, and the manager says that they don't carry black superhero toys because no one buys them.
Silas insists that young Vic meant no harm, and asks for a moment alone with his son. Young Vic tells Silas that he made a mistake, and Silas tells him that they don't get to make mistakes, and one mistake could cost young Vic his life. He picks out a black General Tony figure for young Vic, then tells his son to clean up the mess he made while Silas goes apologize. Vic watches his younger self, and a Dada bird appears. The figure says his transport is there, and Vic disappears.
An adult Kay is on the set of the puppet show with puppets of the personas. They're singing the alphabet song, and a puppet of Jane comes in and wonders what's going on. Kay and the puppets wave to Jane, They tell Jane that she's on Underground Avenue and notices a lamb puppet there, and asks who it is. Kay Jane says that it's Harry, who Jane rescued from the well. Harry explains that it's Kay's imaginary world, and she's all grown up now, and perfect.
The Hammerhead puppet leads Jane aside and tells her that they're in Kay's subconscious, Kay is in control, and they're all puppets, so Jane should go with it. Kay says that Jane is just in time for the lesson of the day, and talks about trauma. A Dada bird flies down and lands on Kay's shoulder, and they both disappear. The persona puppets ask Jane what they're going to do now, but she doesn't know.
Robotman arrives at Steele Racing warehouse and the human Cliff steps out. They both stare at each other in amazement, and touch the other to make sure they're real. Cliff tells Robotman that he's in a subconscious memory, and figures Robotman looks worse than he thought. Robotman says that Cliff looks great because of moisturizer, and asks why he's in that particular memory. Bump comes out and tells them to come in, and Cliff tells Robotman that it's time to face the music. A Dada bird lands on Cliff's shoulder and they both disappear. Bum[p asks Robotman if he's coming, Robotman plays along and goes inside.
Negative Man enters a church and goes into a back room, where Larry is waiting for his wedding service to start. Larry tells Negative Man that if he's there to change thing, the latter can't and it just repeats itself. A Dada bird lands on a nearby desk with letters of congratulation. Larry disappears, and Larry appears in a room where the other subconscious manifestation are waiting and greet him. A child newscaster is saying that monsters are all over the world, and Cliff introduces the other manifestations. Rita comes in and introduces herself, and she's worked with the Sisterhood to create the global phenomena. The Eternal Flagellation is the Sisterhood's artistic creation, and will bring the world to its knees.
Rita realizes that the "subs" are bewildered, and she explains that everyone in the world has swapped places with their subs. They each came out of their originals' deep, dark secret because no one will be able to hide who they really are. That will rid the world of evil, or so the Sisterhood believes. Their conscious selves are in their place, reliving their shame over and over unless they have a breakthrough. Rita insists that it's pretentious but not evil, and "evil" is Madame --Laura--and what she did to the Sisterhood. Cliff wonders if they're flagellating or getting revenge, and Rita says that the world will flagellate while she gets her revenge.
At the Brotherhood of Evil HQ in 1949, Rouge meets with Brain and Mallah. Rita watches from an air vent she's hiding in, and Rouge sees Rita in the vent and continues talking to Brain, saying that the Brotherhood's plans is to look for a human guinea pig to travel to 2021 in a time machine that Brain has reversed engineer, steal Niles' inventions, and bring them back to 1949 so Brain can invent them before Niles does. Brain is impressed by Rogue's evil accent, and they give her her new name of Madame Rouge. Rouge agrees to her new name and the plan.
Negative Man figures he doesn't have to go through the loop. As he walks out, his mother Debbie Trainor comes in and says that everyone is waiting for him, and he'll go through with it because she knows what's best for him. Negative Man tells Debbie that he's not the sub, and she says that Larry can't live in the past and he has to make a break from all the immoral things that he's done. Debbie repeats the loop, telling the non-present Larry that he has to show God that he can be a faithful husband devoted to a woman. Negative Man tells Debbie that it isn't the past and he's gay, and Debbie tells Larry that she's prayed that he'll change. When Negative Man asks if she can love him for who he is, Debbie breaks into tears and says that she knows Larry doesn't want to bring shame into her heart. She gives her wedding ring to negative Man and says that it' a gift for him and Cheryl, and tells him that he can carry on their tradition of righteousness and true salvation. Negative Man asks Debbie to see and listen to him, but he realizes that she can't.
On the show, the personas panic, and worry that Kay left them when she got better. Jane tells everyone to calm down and says that she can fix it. Harry tells her that none of them can fix it, and he's the only one who Kay tells her real feelings to. The personas pull Harry apart, then laugh in triumph.
In his bedroom, Vic throws away his toys and tells an action figure of Cyborg, who has taken General Tony's place, that he has to be strong like the figure said. The boy figures that it's time for him to grow up and be a disciplined warrior, and Cyborg tells him that it's okay to be a child. Vic doesn't believe him, and ignores Cyborg trying to get through to him.
Rita tells the subs that Rouge came to the future to destroy Niles' legacy, which is them. They have to stop her in order to protect themselves, and so Rita can get revenge on her. Cliff says that as a sub he creates messes, he doesn't clean them up, and Kay tells Rita that she's on her own. Rita tells them that the original are lazy and cruel, but at least they have spunk and protected the little guy. The subs aren't impressed, and Rita says that they can put their subconsciousnesses on display for everyone. Rather than face that, the subs go out along with Rita.
In 1949, Rouge goes to the now-empty salon. Rita is there and asks her if she's going on a trip. Rouge says that she's going to the future, and Rita asks her what happened to her. Rouge says that her duty was to decide who was a weapon and who wasn't, and she did that. Rita tells her that she betrayed every friend she ever had, and Rouge did it because she loved playing God with the people she sent off to war. She tells Rouge that she's lost every friend she ever had. Rouge says that art is bullshit, and real life just passes artists by, and invites Rita to kill her rather than play the pacifist. Rita grabs Rouge by the throat and Rouge shifts into Malcolm's form and tells Rita to kill her. When Rita can't and lets go of Rouge, Rouge tells Rita that she was one of the best friends she's ever known.
Rita leads the subs through the forest, and the bicycle pedals past them reciting gibberish. She tells the subs not to turn back because they're on a mission, and there's nothing behind them but more truth and self-loathing. The subs go anyway, and Rita continues on.
At the garage, Bump tells Robotman that he was the best friend he ever had. Bump and the crew have something special for Robotman, and they bring out a cake in the shape of a car. A stripper emerges from it and she comes over and leads Robotman away.
The subs go back to the manor, and General Tony makes a "fort" out of blankets for protection. Cliff gathers fast food supplies, and gives Kay one of his beers. Cliff and Kay go into the tent, and Tony see Larry looking out the window. Tony goes over, and Larry wonders if the Sisterhood is right that knowing will move them forward. He tells Tony that why he's staring out the window is none of Tony's business, and Tony leads him into the fort.
At the Bureau in 1949, Rita wears a mask to conceal her face and makes her way to the time machine. She takes the machine and regains her memories of her future life, and the shame that comes with them. She worries about losing her new memories of Malcolm, and believes it could never be extracted from her heart. Rita decided to first go to the resort to shove her past self back and make sure she died, ensuring that the loop wouldn't be broken.
In the fort, Kay wonders if they just wait for the Eternal Flagellation to end, and suggest that Larry talk it out. Larry agrees, figuring they have a duty to their conscious selves so they can live better lives. He tells Cliff that he has a duty to his daughter, but Cliff and Kay don't want to talk about it.
Robotman takes the stripper, Jenny, into a back room Jenny tells Robotman that there's a little girl alone outside in the backseat of Cliff's Camaro, He insists that it's not his problem, then walks out and says that he wants no part of his memories. A portal appears in mid-air like the one he saw in the ice cream truck earlier, and Robotman jumps into it.
Robotman finds Negative Man in the back room of the church, and another portal appears behind them. When Robotman jumps in, and Negative Man takes off Debbie's ring and follows his teammate.
Kay tells the other subs that she doesn't have a duty to anyone, and Tony says that duty is all that he is. He says that he saw Vic honor his father more than he did himself, and now he has questions. Cliff insists that they're going to all avoid their angst like they always have, and Larry points out that Cliff fucked up as a parent. When Cliff takes offense, Kay tells them to both grow up, and Cliff says that Kay is the useless one among everyone in her body. He tells Kay that they need the personas so they can escape, and says that he's dying. Cliff explains that people started treating him like he was special when he became a racecar driver, and he figures there's no turning back. He admits that he never felt like he deserved it, and breaks into tears at what he's become. Once he stops, Cliff says that the joke is on him because now he has Parkinson's and he's going to die slowly
Robotman and Negative Man come into Vic's bedroom and find Cyborg in the box. Cyborg gives negative Man one of his mother's rocks, and then trio jump through another portal. They smash into the TV studio, and Jane explains why they're there. Clint picks her up and they jump through a portal, and Harrison says that Jane will never leave them behind with a mess again.
The team drive through a psychedelic landscape with signs saying to Move Forward, in Clint's birthday cake. They arrive at the manor and confront their subs,. Larry and Negative Man talk, and Negative Man says that he changed the script with Debbie, and said the things he should have said the first time. Larry wonders if his counterpart is blaming him, and Negative Man tells him that he should have done something else. Negative Man explains that it was the day he started lying to himself, and Larry tells him he's from the day that Negative Man hid from love. Negative Man likes the bandages because they give him an excuse to keep people away, and he's afraid he doesn't know how to love. Larry tells Negative Man that he needs to learn to let love in, and he has a duty to himself. A Dada bird lands on Negative Man's shoulder, and the two men join hands.
Larry disappears, and Cliff tells everyone that every day he leaves his daughter in the car so he can do drugs and cozy up to a stripper. He admits that fatherhood doesn't make him feel special, and when he's done he looks his daughter in the eyes and feels nothing. Robotman complains that Clara interrupted his life, and Cliff tells him that some point the party has to stop. He says that Robotman has a second chance with Clara and Rory, but he's throwing it away to get high on anti-Parkinson drugs. Cliff asks Robotman if it's worth it, and they swear at each other. A Dada bird lands on Robotman's shoulder, and it and Cliff disappear.
Cyborg figures it's all crazy and walks out, and Tony goes after him. He asks Cyborg who protects them, and he saw Cyborg goes from being a child to a soldier, trying to please everyone and never making a mistake. Cyborg realizes that he lost his childhood, and Tony tells him that Cyborg can make his own choices, strong ones, even if they're wrong. Tony tells Cyborg to keep going, and have some fun, and then take back what was taken from him. Cyborg says that he didn't even want a soldier, and Tony disappears like the others.
In the fort, Kay tells Jane that everything Jane does brings her more pain, and it's time for her to grow up and be on her own. Kay wants to try surviving on her own, and says that she wishes Jane would die. The adult Kay disappears and Jane become her human self. She screams in frustration and tears the place up. Once she's done, Jane crawls out and joins the others. Vic wonders if it's over, and Larry points out that the fog is lifting. They all disappear, and Cliff finds himself back in Clara's garage. Clara says that it ain't working anymore, and Cliff agrees.
In the Underground, Jane finds Kay. Jane tells the girl that they're all going to work things out. Kay says that the other personas are gone.
Larry walks through the woods to where he put the larva, make sure it's still there, and cradles it in his arms. He then takes it back to the manor
Silas visits Vic in the transplant room, and Vic realizes that he's been restored to a normal appearance, his cybertech removed.
After arriving in the present, Rita walks through the woods. Rogue confronts her and the two glare at each other.
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