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Let’s Talk About ‘Evil Patrol’:
- Bindi, Shelley and Laura discuss the power of transformation, and how power is art when they were still friends in 1917.
- Rita accuses Madame Rouge of never caring about art, just her own influence.
- Larry is beginning to feel a psychic connection to his space parasite and he wonders if it is feeling the same thing.
- Silas visits Vic in the hospital after his operation, but it’s obvious he’s not happy with Victor’s transformation and desire to be the man he was born to be.
- Kay has no idea where the others are and doesn’t care, and she wonders if Jane understand her at all as she boards the train to go up top, leaving Jane alone — or not — in the Underground.
- Madame Rouge has tracked down the Brotherhood of Evil to a retirement community in Boca Raton, Florida.
- Everyone at Doom Manor questions Victor’s decision to abandon his Cyborg tech, while Larry decides to take a more laid back approach to life and fatherhood.
- The Brain is disappointed that Rouge failed her original mission and wants to send her on a new one if she wants to become a member of the Brotherhood of Evil/
- With everyone still unpacking the subconscious trauma, Rita has a plan to destroy Madame Rouge but the team isn’t what it once was.
- Rouge shapeshifts her way back into the manor and kidnaps Cliff.
There is a lot packed into this week’s Doom Patrol, the next to last of Season 3, so we’ll try to compact some of the side stories to focus on the main one.
Larry finds himself enjoying fatherhood as Cliff and Jane cheer him on, but his happiness turns to horror as they both turn on him, laughing in his face at the thought he could be a father to the space parasite after how badly he failed his own kids. But it turns out to be a dream, but was it one of his own making or something that came from the larva? The pair definitely have a connection, but as Larry tries to take a more relaxed attitude as a father this time around, when things become heated the larva zaps him with a bolt of electricity. Larry eventually comes to the conclusion that the behavior of the others are also affecting the larva which in turn affects him in a most painful way.
Silas pays a visit to Victor after the skin replacement operation, obviously not there to give his son a pep talk. Vic says he’s still mechanical below the surface, but Silas says all it cost him was his powers. Silas recounts the handful of times he’d been to the hospital to see Vic over the course of his life, focusing on the time Vic sprained his ankle during a football game that Silas missed. Vic thought he just didn’t care, but the reality of the situation was that Silas was detained, held down on the floor st STAR Labs by a new security guard who just assumed he was an intruder because of the color of his skin. The last time Victor was in the hospital, Silas made the choice to build him a suit of armor, something the world could not tear down, something that would allow him to walk in the world a free man. Vic says that might have been his answer, but it was not the solution, trading Vic’s humanity for a symbol, robbing him of the chance to find himself. Victor doesn’t care how people see him, and now his own father won’t look him in the eye. Victor wants to be the man he was born to be.
Jane finds Kay in the Underground and asks what happened to the others. Kay doesn’t know and doesn’t care because she wants to feel like she did when she was in the sweets shop in the fog. Jane liked that feeling too but it couldn’t last forever, things aren’t always as simple as they want them to be. But they can figure out what happened to the others together, prompting Kay to question whether Jane ever really understood her. After Kay boards a train to go up top, Jane is alone but hears what sounds like wailing from somewhere in the distance. She doesn’t think the Underground was meant to be empty.
The main story focused on the coming battle between Rita and Madame Rouge, picking up where they left off in the previous episode. Rita accuses Rouge of lying about everything in the past, but Rouge says they weren’t lies, they were truths that changed over time. Rita is tired of listening to her bullshit, and ROuge says she’ll just hop in her time machine and disappear forever. Except Rita has hidden it where Rouge will never find it and she’s ending this feud with Rouge once and for all now that she has nowhere to run to. Rouge says that isn’t really true because of Rita’s and the Sisterhood of Dada’s antics, they helped her get her memories back, and all she has to do is return to the Brotherhood of Evil which will welcome her back with open arms. Rita finds that amusing because Niles destroyed the Brotherhood after Laura DeMile left on his misguided mission. Well, Rouge will just bring it back then and tells Rita she can’t give her what she wants. Rita wants what was taken from her … by Laura, and she won’t stop until she’s ended Laura’s life. Rouge taunts Rita to just go ahead and take her shot, but as Rita grabs for her she transforms into a bird and flies away.
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Rouge ends up in Boca Raton, Florida where she’s tracked the two remaining members of the Brotherhood — a retirement facility. Buzzing in at the gate, Monsieru Mallah answers but pretends he doesn’t know who Rouge or the Brotherhood are. But The Brain overhears Rouge mention the Brotherhood and insists that Mallah lets her in. The Brain seems to be happy to see Rouge, but then he expresses his disappointment in her failure to carry out what he called a ‘milk run’ equivalent of time travel and she never came back. Rouge counters that he didn’t inform her that amnesia would be a side effect of time travel and he says that’s a convenient symptom. Rouge explains how she wanted to use her anonymity to investigate Niles Caulder’s creations, but they turned around and used her anonymity to undo her original mission, and now they’re plotting to kill her. Brain says that’s more a Rouge problem than a Brain problem. Rouge reminds him that she was an equal member of the Brotherhood, and Brain says that was for an afternoon. Rouge says that she needs to destroy them before they destroy her and Brain is the only one for the job, so is he in or out? Brain orders Mallah to get his ‘toy’, but an obviously annoyed Mallah keeps turning on a blender every time Brain speaks to prentend he can’t hear him.
Brain and Rouge are going through boxes of weapons and such, with Brain remembering he once had a death ray but he gave it to Garguax to kill that ‘leggy broad’. Rouge says that leggy broad survived so does he have anything a little more airtight? Brain is getting a bit fed up with her, reminding her that this is the Brotherhood of Evil, he’s The Brain, that’s Mallah and she’s a lady who hasn’t done jack shit. She can earn her spot with them … if she goes on one more mission.
Rita has assembled the ‘team’ to go over her plan to destroy Rouge and the Brotherhood. Except the only person in the room with her is Kay, and she has no powers. Rita inquires about the others, but Kay tells her they’re gone. Vic and Cliff arrive and Rita is stunned by Vic’s appearance but covers with insincere compliments. But now she has to cross off two of her options to fight the Brotherhood: nun with chainsaw and arm cannon. Cliff isn’t shy about his feelings about Vic’s new look and asks why he even came back. Vic lives there, that’s why, he’s not a sub or a zombie and this isn’t the afterlife, he’s still the same Vic but Cliff wants to arm wrestle to decide who gets to call themselves Cyborg now. Cliff also doesn’t hold back on Rita’s plan, reminding her that she was gone for thirty years and didn’t change anything while Vic goes for a three-day weekend and changes everything. Then Larry walks in wearing a Hawaiian shirt, coddling his larva, and Cliff notices Kay and wants to know how everyone else has suddenly fixed their shit. Did they all have the same Flagellation? Larry tells Vic he looks great. Rita says that now that they are not subs, they can work together as a team but Kay interjects that Jane has said they’re not a team. Rita says that Jane isn’t always right.
Larry wonders if Niles already destroyed the Brotherhood then what are they doing? Rita is sure they are coming back. Vic says he’s got Rita’s back and she condescendingly tells him she’s sure she’ll be able to find a role for him. Vic asks if he’s being demoted, and Rita says there are no small roles, only small actors … and stage crew. Kay says she wants to be stage crew with Vic. Cliff is pissed that Vic’s choice has screwed them and Larry tries to calm the situation but gets a big electrical shock from the larva. Seeing that, Rita adds ‘Weird Alien SLug’ to her list and quickly crosses it out. Cliff notes that the only one of them now capable of doing anything is the one with the brain disease. Larry has a baby, Vic is depowered and Kay’s head is empty. Rita says she is perfectly capable of handling this herself and Cliff pointedly asks her why then does she keep trying to recruit them? He quickly apologizes and says he’s trying to turn over a new leaf so he’s ready to roll and kick some ass. Then the doorbell rings. It’s Clara. Cliff runs off the greet her, leaving Rita to fume.
Clara brought Cliff’s meds back that he’d left in Florida and is concerned about the side effects, all of which he’s been displaying, so she wants to get him to see a real doctor. Kay has gone to the room where Niles interviewed all of her personalities and tells Vic she felt like no one ever wanted to speak to her. Vic says they all did but thought she didn’t want to speak to them. She says the others never let her come up, believing they were trying to keep all of this for themselves. She tells Vic that Jane is fine in the Underground, but now Kay feels like the person she was supposed to be. Vic can relate. Kay asks him if he’ll interview her like Niles used to do and he happily obliges.
Rita is packing to go after Rouge and Larry confronts her about this decision. First she wanted Laura’s approval and now she wants her dead. Rita says they have a history, what for him was a few days was for her a lifetime. Larry notes that the packing of the pink cardigan next to the one-piece means this is the same Rita they’ve always known. That Rita is gone, she says. Larry’s parasite glows red and a mirror cracks, startling both of them. He says change can be positive and she says he’s still the same Larry they all know and love. He asks how long she will be gone, but she doesn’t know. Madame Rouge is a shapeshifter and could be anywhere. But then she has a thought.
Rita pulls Cliff away from Clara as she’s trying to make an appointment with him (‘Yes, Cliff Steele is his real name’). Rita suspects Clara may be Rouge. Has Cliff considered that possibility? Cliff says he saw Rouge transform into an ottoman, so big whoop, but Rita questions Clara’s arrival at this moment in time. After everything that Cliff has done, does he really deserve another second chance? He asks Rita why he doesn’t deserve something good for once, why does everyone else get to be so special? And then he admits this does feel too good to be true. Rita asks him to go back with Clara while she gets the others just in case. When he goes back to the kitchen to ask Clara if she’s a shapeshifter there to fuck up his life, Clara is gone and baby Rory is in a carrier on the table. He picks up the baby and Clara comes down the stairs … with the baby. The baby in Cliff’s arms suddenly transforms into Rouge … well, the head does. The rest of the body is slower to develop. Cliff tells Clara to run, and the others enter as a crazy fight ensues with a weird CGI Rouge-baby-thing. Probably one of the most disturbing things the show has given us yet, and they’ve already given us were-butts. But she finally fully transforms and knocks Cliff down. Kay is cowering under a table next to them as Rouge tasers Cliff, rendering him unconscious. Kay blacks out and returns to the Underground, warning Jane that they are under attack. Jane hops on the train and wakes up under the table. Clara tries to fight Rouge, but is warned to not try anything because she has a real family to worry about. Clara backs down.
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As the others assemble again, Rouge activates something on her arm and she and Cliff vanish. Rita promises Clara they will bring Cliff back, and tells the others that they’ve all had time to hem and haw but now they have to act fast to save Cliff. She puts Victor in charge of locating the Brotherhood — and he is now forced to use a laptop — she asks Larry to start the bus, quickly, and asks Jane if she’s ready to destroy the Brotherhood. Jane says she isn’t sure because the others are gone and the Underground is falling apart. She heard something down there, and it sounded like it was in pain. Rita says every time something happens, Jane gets lost in her own head. Now is not the time to sleep through another crisis! Jane reminds Rita she has no powers so what is she supposed to do? She’s not the help Rita is looking for. Rita says none of them are, and the most capable person in the house now is Clara but she’s not like them. She says this isn’t about them anymore, this is about Cliff. Vic has located the Brotherhood in Florida, so if they drive all night they can make it there by tomorrow. Rita asks Jane again if she’s ready and Jane heads to the bus.
Cliff wakes up and sees The Brain, asking if Clara and Rory are okay. The Brain has no idea what he’s talking about and he doesn’t care. He welcomes Cliff to the Sunshine State and Cliff is not thrilled to be back in Florida. The Brain tells Cliff he’s a big fan, not of Robotman per se but of his design. (Cliff’s brain is now exposed.) Brain chides Cliff for having no appreciation of the miracle he is. Brain spent an entire life trying to design a body like his, and he was furious when Niles did something he could not. That’s why he bought the blueprints Cliff auctioned off to feed his gambling habit, and he discovered that Niles was never a brilliant scientist, he dabbled in science and magic. Cliff’s body is infused with magical properties, he’s a one of a kind and that simply isn’t fair. (Which could possibly mean that there is nothing wrong with Cliff’s brain.) A body like Cliff’s belongs to someone worthy, someone like The Brain, so he’s going to take it and exact his revenge. Cliff asks how that plan will work, and Rouge says that once they replace his brain with Brain, they’ll return to his foolish friends who will welcome him with open arms. Then disguised together, she and Brain will destroy his friends one by one, saving Rita for last, finishing her off once and for all. Cliff says Rouge really is evil and Brain says she doesn’t know the first thing about evil. He summons Mallah who injects her with something to knock her out and then appears to attack Cliff.
The bus trip is not going well as everyone argues and the larva keeps shocking Larry. Rita is appalled that he brought it with him and Vic takes Larry’s side, saying he’s just trying to be a good father. Rita says he’s sticking up for Larry because Larry is happy for him, and Larry says he never said he was happy, he’s not. Why does Vic’s fresh start look like that and his looks like a slug? The emotional toxicity is killing both the larva and him. Vic is now focused on the fact that no one appreciates his life choice, saying they’re all jealous. Jane tells them to chill because this is about Cliff. Larry says this isn’t about Cliff and tells Rita to admit the truth. Rita insists this is about Cliff, it’s about all of them. If they don’t stop Rouge, she won’t stop until they’re all dead. Larry says dead again. He reminds her she had a time machine and she could have stopped all of this but she chose to take it to the resort in Codsville to make sure everyone was dead. This is all news to Vic and Jane, and Larry says this was never about Cliff. Rita admits he’s right, but she had forgotten all of them, she escaped, found love, had friends, and had the perfect life until Rouge came along. She could have saved them and altered the timeline, but that would have risked erasing the life she’d had and she couldn’t do that. And now she’s back but it doesn’t feel like home anymore because they are strangers to her. But when they arrive in Florida, they can put all their bullshit aside and rescue Cliff, or they can sit on the bus and wallow for all she cares. All she wants is Rouge. Larry says she lied to them the entire time and Vic calls out Larry for lying to his face. Larry and Rita yell back, ‘Enough about your face, Vic.’
Rouge wakes up on a gurney, Cliff’s brain in a jar next to her. Brain is in Cliff’s body pushing the gurney through a parking garage. Rouge is unable to shapeshift due to a Meta Human Power Dampener Mallah injected into her. She says they had a deal, Brain says he changed his mind, the Brotherhood of Evil is all dudes. Evil is a complicated thing, he says. Seventy years ago he wanted to rule the world. After Caulder defeated him, he would have stopped at nothing to kill Niles and erase his legacy. Now all he wants is to take this metal body and live a life of indulgence in sunny Boca Raton. He says goodbye to her and injects her again, knocking her out.
Kay is in the Underground, drawn closer to the wails and screams. She looks into the darkness and suddenly dozens of red eyes open. She runs away. Brain returns to his apartment and puts on a record, ‘The Brotherhood Live’, and plays the French classic ‘Les Champs-Elysées’ (originally recorded by Joe Dassin, a song I remember fondly from my junior high French class). He takes a cane from the wall and begins to dance to the sounds of his own voice. While the song plays, Kay runs to her room and locks the door. Rita is now driving while Larry and Vic argue. Jane stares into space. Something is trying to get Kay’s door open. She lets out a scream, the sound waves causing part of a tunnel to crumble. Jane also lets out a scream which causes a major discharge from the larva, the bus windows exploding, the bus itself flipping forward into the air. Brain is now dancing with other seniors at the retirement village. Mallah removed the gurney from the back of the van, pushing Rouge and Cliff’s brain over a cliff. The bus comes to a rest on its side, and the episode ends leaving us with a literal Cliff-hanger.
New episodes of Doom Patrol drop Thursdays on HBO Max.
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