Strange Angel (2018–…): Season 2, Episode 2 - The Magus - full transcript

I might have
another solution.

Why not move the Agape here?

What about your father-in-law?

The last time anyone saw you,

you nearly flew a plane
into Jack Parsons.

Do you still carry that same
animosity in your heart?

Jack Parsons
means nothing to me!

Why don't we put all
the prospects to a vote

and it has to be unanimous.

Meaning...

Jack can exclude
anyone he wants.



Jack's so busy with work,
I'd likely be voting on his behalf.

Ah,
you can just drop that there.

Let me put it another way.

Until you're ready, you won't
be able to participate.

Who gets to decide if I'm ready?

I assumed Marisol was something

that you just needed
to get out of your system.

Even your father dated
a Jewess once.

Who are you talking to?

No one. I'll fix
us up some drinks.

Mr. Parsons is reporting back

to an occultist
named Aleister Crowley.

- You're aware of that, correct?
- I don't know anything

about Aleister Crowley.



We need to know if
he's still in touch

with his pro-German
contacts

in the U.S. and if
they're planning anything.

I already told you,
I don't know.

And I rave and I rape,

and I rip and I rend.

Everlasting world without end.

Isn't everybody here already?

Long time no see, Jack.

"Memoria
hospitis unius diei praetereuntis..."

"Memoria hospitis unius
diei praetereuntis..."

I'd begun to think
I'd never see you again.

You've been gone from us
for over two years.

I never planned
on coming back.

Then why have you?

I know my true path, now.

I need you to help me
take the final steps.

And what steps are those?

You know.

You speak of
dangerous Magick.

Before I help you move forward
on your path,

I need to know
where you've been.

I've been everywhere
and nowhere.

Sit.

I'd hit a dead end in L.A.,

so I had to go traveling
the world in search of answers.

I looked for
the master in London,

but the city was under siege.

I even went to the room
in Cairo and sat

where the angel Aiwass
visited Crowley

and gave him
The Book of the Law.

And I heard of this...

paradise in Morocco...

Tangier.

An entire city

living under the same code
as the Agape.

Where love and
freedom reign.

And what happened there?

That's not important.

What's important is what
happened to me when I left.

In the deserts outside the city,

where my destiny was laid bare.

After a long journey,
Frater E.D. has returned

with an incredible revelation.

He seeks the guidance of his
Magus and shall receive it.

Not if I have anything
to say about it.

He tried to take my fucking
head off with a plane.

If I wanted you dead, you
wouldn't still be sitting there.

This is my house.

I shouldn't have to bend
to his will.

When you invited us
to move in...

this became our home.

Frater E.D. requires guidance
and rest.

He stays until he receives both.

"Love is the law."

Love under will.

Love under will.

I thought you'd be
on my side about this.

There are no "sides," Jack.

We need to trust
our Magus, otherwise,

what are we doing here?

Ernest nearly sabotaged
us once before,

and that was when we didn't
have anything to our name.

But now? Can you imagine?

I know the pressure you're under
is tremendous.

The need for all that secrecy
is bound to put anyone on edge.

One could argue he's the reason
we have all this.

And he could just as easily
be the reason it all goes away.

Does this belong to you?

Don't touch.

You could join
them if you want.

I thought I'd make
breakfast for everyone.

You don't have to.

I know.

I want to.

Since you seem intent

on turning this home of yours

into its own little Eden,

we should talk about
the serpent living amongst us.

I agree.

I was surprised
you let him stay so quickly.

No. I was referring
to your sister.

She's bound to see some
things she shouldn't,

especially with
the first mass coming up.

I've set ground rules.

She won't be a problem.

But what about Frater E.D.?

We carefully chose
everyone here,

trying to achieve a
certain harmony...

Are these your misgivings,
or your husband's?

We have talked
about this.

- It's not the same.
- It's exactly the same.

Our brother has journeyed

as far as a man's
faith can take him.

I need to assess the
truth of his claims,

and will not be limited
by another's fears.

The house should
still have a say

in whether or not
he's allowed to stay.

You've made
a bit of a mess.

We agreed.

So they shall.

When the time is right,
we'll put it to a vote.

You feel the need
to remain in control,

but you need to let go.

After all...

I am your Magus.

It's like I'm living back
with Virgil...

being given all these rules,

constantly being told
what to do.

I'm sure that's very
aggravating for you.

I knew you
would understand.

That's why I thought maybe you'd
be willing to talk to her.

What?

I've never seen
that car here before.

So? What do you think?

For the last time,

I'm not gonna go
against Susan on this.

You're her sister.

God, seems like all you do
is listen to other people.

Susan... your Magus.

She also seems to hang
on his every word.

I know what you're
trying to do.

What?

Getting dolled
up like that,

trying to make me jealous.

It's not gonna work.

Who says I did
all this for you?

It's for all the
new military boys.

I thought I'd make a
good first impression.

You know we're
at war, right?

Yeah, so?

So stockings
are rationed.

You're gonna offend
the very people

you're trying to impress.

Hello, ma'am.

My name is Richard Onsted.

I'm a friend of Marisol.

I'd like to speak
with her father, please.

- You want me to sit?
- Yes.

Okay. Uh, are you going
to go get him, or...?

Yes, yes...

There is... no grace.

There is... no guilt.

This is the law.

Do what thou wilt.

Tell me...

what preceded your vision?

I was standing on the edge
of the abyss.

There were only two roads open
to me.

I chose the more difficult.

And that is
when the angel appeared?

Three days and three nights,
nothing came.

The world was silent,

but my mind was as loud as ever.

And on the fourth?

An angel of
fire appeared to me.

Told me its name.

Filled me with its power.

And I knew peace
for the first time in my life.

And then what?

As quickly as it came,
it disappeared.

Left me engulfed
in an unquenchable rage.

I need to see it again.

I need you to help me.

- I am trying.
- Well, try harder.

I want you to go further back.

Before the working itself.

Why?

Sometimes...

...the revelations are more

than just through ritual,

but through the experiences
leading up to it.

Drawing blood

from the sigil...

...reactivates its power.

It's not working.

Keep focused.

Tell me what happened
to you in Tangier.

Stop!

I sense we are close.

I'm as far away
as I've ever been.

In a report
from our man on the scene,

Joseph Collins comes to us from
Crossville internment camp

near Knoxville, Tennessee.

He interviewed
Colonel James Allen.

Colonel Allen describes our
German and Italian POWs...

Psst.

This is for Mr. Parsons.

Apparently I'm no longer
authorized to go in there.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Thank you, Private.

Is Braxton here yet?

Tell me when he arrives.

- How?
- Use the intercom.

And what'd I tell you
about those stockings?

I'm sorry if I offended you.

Ugh. That's
his wife's sister.

Oh, that's okay.

I have a whole day of work
in front of me.

We're just coming off our shift.

Richard Onsted,
you were saying?

Yes, I-I was saying I'm sorry
for stopping by unannounced.

- You sure you don't want some?
- No.

Thank you. I wanted
to speak to you in person.

You say you're a
friend of Marisol's?

Yes, I-I thought

perhaps she would've told you
about me.

Well, in any case,

I've come here
to ask for your blessing.

My blessing?

For Marisol's hand in marriage.

I imagine
you may be a little wary.

I mean,
a stranger comes in here...

Well,

I can assure you,
I run a small...

well, midsize company

called Aerojet, and...

...we've had some
real success,

so rest assured, I-I will be

a good provider.

- Did she send you?
- Marisol?

No. No, that's-that's
not really how it works.

Unless it's different
where you come from.

You see,

i-if I had told her
that I was coming here

to ask for your blessing,

well, then,
the-the whole surprise

of the proposal would be ruined.

Tell you what.

How much is my blessing
worth to you?

Sir?

I wouldn't really feel right

- paying for such a thing.
- Why not?

You come into my home,
bragging about running

- a midsize company and all that.
- Sir,

I love your daughter very much.

I don't have a daughter.

Marisol is dead to me.

And you will be, too,

if you don't get out
of my house.

Hang on.

It's okay. This
clearly was a bad idea.

No, I need to ask a favor.

Could you give this
to Marisol for me

next time you see her?

I've enlisted, and I'll
be shipping out soon.

Ask her to pray for me.

Matias.

They're letting me stay.

Don't know how long for.

Seems Jack still bears a grudge.

And what of Patty?

Not a follower yet.

Thank goodness.

Susan is lost to me,
but Patty could still be saved.

She's young and impressionable.

I fear for what could happen.

I know it must be difficult

keeping up this lie,

but you must
somehow persevere.

On my urging,

the D.A. has held off
filing charges against you

so long as you prove
helpful to my cause.

H-How, exactly?

Well, you can start

by giving me the names
and personal details

of everyone living there.

The Church wields
a great deal of power

out in the world,

but inside the walls
of that house,

its powers are limited.
I need ammunition.

What if I'm caught?

Voted out of the house?

Well, you owe a debt
for your crimes.

Not just to me, but to society,

so if you cannot fulfill
the task that I have given you,

then prison is the only way
that debt can be paid.

You must do whatever
you can to win Jack

and the others over.

Based on the size of the missile

and the resulting explosion,

we've estimated the payload
to be about one ton.

But this footage is at
least six months old,

so who knows how close they are
to having a working prototype.

But now that we have this film,

you could produce your
own version of the V-2.

Hypothetically, we could build

a long-range missile
to match Von Braun's,

but with just
this film to go on,

one major issue remains.

We can't see what's
on the inside.

We have no idea
what fuel they're using,

the guidance system,

how they're controlling
the combustion.

- We'd need more time.
- No, we don't have it.

This war is gonna be
won on sheer firepower.

You come up short,
we come up short.

There is one thing
that'd help push us along.

Name it.

A meeting with the POW
who stole the footage.

A man who's been inside

Von Braun's operation
is bound to have seen things

that would be invaluable

- to our team.
- He's still being debriefed

by Army Intelligence.
I can pass along

- any information...
- With all due respect, General,

for what we need,
I doubt they'd even know

the right questions to ask.

- How's it going, Walter?
- Great.

Not only will this mass harness
the power of the group,

but we'll also harness
the power of the elements.

Air,

earth, fire and water.

Assuming we can get someone
to fix the fountain.

Can I help you with something?

What are you doing here?

Who are you?

What's going on?

I think someone's watching me.

Who?

Keep staring.

You're not gonna find
the answers.

That food's for the people

who live here.

You still don't get it, do you?

I was never gonna hurt you
with that plane.

I was trying
to help you wake up.

From what?

"Awake from a dream,
the truth is known:

"awake from waking.

The truth is: The Unknown."

Who are you?

Who are you?

I work with Jack.

I'll get him.

Good morning.

Morning.

Look at that. Look at that!

- Ready?
- Have you lost your mind?

What are they all
doing in there?

What I do in the privacy of
my own home is my business.

Your business?
What about our business?

We're gonna be
late. Come on.

Wonder who's
behind this?

I have an idea.

What's he saying?

He speaks of another POW

who killed himself
by drinking

rocket fuel.

Ask him if he died instantly.

Or if it was
more prolonged.

Come on,
it's important.

Did he foam at the
mouth or vomit?

What did the fuel
smell like?

- Was it colored or clear?
- You don't need

to antagonize
the poor guy.

He nearly died
getting us that film.

That's right.
And the Germans

have an entire compound
filled with slave labor

to build their rockets.

We just have the people
in this room.

Is that meant
to be inspiring?

We need to level
the playing field.

Now, ask him.

Okay.

That you, Richie?

Hope you worked up
an appetite.

We're all hot
for first ladies.

That's spare ribs and potatoes.

Got the recipe from Frank.

Don't worry, it's one
he cooks at home.

Awful quiet.

Work stuff got you down?

No, it's not that.

I have something for you.

Oh.

Your brother asked me
to give you this.

He's about
to ship off, and...

wanted you to pray for him.

Since you and he
aren't talking.

I don't understand.

How did he find you?

He didn't.

I found him.

You keep a family photo
in your vanity...

How dare you, Richard.

- Sneaking around my back, checking into me?
- I wasn't.

- When are you gonna start trusting me?
- I do.

I went there to ask your father
for his blessing.

We've been together
for two years.

And I'm ready
to take the next step,

but it seems wrong
without knowing anything

about your family.

I'm sorry. I-I had no idea
your father was so angry.

You never even talk
about him.

Why do you think that is?

- I don't know!
- If there's things about my past

I do not tell you,
maybe there's a reason.

But why?

I love you. I want to know
everything about you.

No. You don't.

What happened?
What did you do?

Why do you assume it
was something I did?

Look, I get it.
If I had grown up there,

I would have left, too.

I know how you feel.

I highly doubt that.

You feel powerless.

Alone and abandoned.

Afraid no one loves you
because you're not worth loving.

Where the hell did you
come up with that?

Wouldn't you like to know?

What we're doing
here is a threat to Jack's career.

For all his ambitions,

Frater J.P.
is held back by fear.

Fear of loss, abandonment,
failure, love.

But does his fear mean
you must limit yourself?

No, I suppose it doesn't.

But I don't think Jack
can handle sharing me.

Did you know he'd been
recording all this stuff?

So crazy.

Collecting everyone's
darkest secrets.

You're gonna want to
hear this one, too.

I'll go outside
and keep a lookout.

Jack was the
key to my liberation,

just like you said.

How?

By putting me in that
plane, he gave me my ticket out.

I never would have been able
to leave my old life.

I never would have seen
my angel without him.

I've come back, so he
could help me see it again.

What preceded your vision?

I was standing
on the edge of the abyss.

There were only
two roads across.

I chose the more difficult.

And I knew peace
for the first time in my life.

So? You gonna
tell everyone?

Yeah, I didn't tell you

till I'd listened
to them all, either.

That's why it's so silly

you and Susan keep trying
to exclude me.

I already know everything.

I should've known you'd be
the one who'd fix it.

Just trying to be
a good houseguest.

Hey, uh, what did you mean
the other night

when you were talking about...
waking up from waking?

Are you awake now?

Yeah.

No. You're not.

You used to be
the man who believed

- we could fly to the Moon.
- I still believe that.

- Eventually.
- Eventually?

Eh. I'm in the middle
of a war right now

- I'm not sure I can win.
- "The price of existence is eternal war.

Only those who fear
shall fail."

Maybe Crowley's words
aren't enough for you tonight.

Maybe... you need
stronger medicine.

One for me and one for you.

Is that what
I think it is?

Uh-huh. A bridge
to the divine.

It'll take away your pain,
your doubts, your fears.

Like water extinguishing
the fire inside of you.

Is it dangerous?

Since when do you
care about that?

Only if you take too much.

Now, you ready?

Ah!

You've strayed far
from the path, my brother.

I've missed you.

You're getting better.

Am I?

You need to practice more.

Here. Like this.

I want there to be
a house vote

on Frater E.D. tonight.

I finished my evaluation.

He's come back
even more broken than before.

There you go, doll.

You're not really here.

Beg your pardon?

Last time I did drugs with
Ernest, I walked on the Moon.

Now I'm seeing
Aleister Crowley.

Mm.

A brilliant mind
can conjure many things,

but I can assure you,
I am not one of them.

- Girl, more tea?
- Yes?

Are you following me?

You're a very difficult man
to find...

alone.

I don't understand.

I am not here in America

as the Great Beast.

Shh.

I am here

on behalf of king and country.

So it's true that you work
for British Intelligence?

Yes.

And... no.

This is the dawn
of a new aeon.

None of us can stand
on the sidelines,

especially those of us
with the power

to bend the world
to our will.

- So, um...
- Here you go.

Order up!

What exactly are you doing here?

I come with a warning.

My German contacts
have informed me

that the aeronautics industry

in Los Angeles
has been deeply compromised.

What?

Don't be a fucking dolt.

Surely you realize

that our enemies will stop
at nothing to win this war.

You must keep a watchful eye
on all those around you.

If you sense that anyone at all
is not who they seem,

I want you to contact me here.

Ask for M. Therion.

I should tell you

that people
in the military have asked me

to pass along any information

that I have
about your whereabouts.

My presence here requires
total secrecy,

for your... safety and mine.

They seemed very intent.

Well, then I suppose

you should ask yourself,

who do you truly serve?

Your government
or your master?

All right.

But I can't see why

the Nazis would be targeting me
or my team.

We have yet
to come up with something

even remotely worth stealing.

Modesty doesn't become you,
Frater J.P.

With the war machine
carrying out your will,

you are far more powerful

than you realize.

Read it.

"RAF carried out an attack

"on Peenemunde
in the middle of the night,

"laying to waste what
Allied intelligence believed

to be a secret
Nazi weapons facility"?

- This is huge.
- It's bigger than huge.

The Nazis have been pushed back,
which means now it's our moment

to make a giant leap forward.

That's the chemical the Nazis
have been experimenting with.

How do you know?

The POW said his compatriot died
stinking of rotten fish.

Guess what aniline
smells like.

Let's get to work.

I told you there was
nothing to worry about.

Moving the Agape

into my house
is paying off already.

Look what I just manifested.

You think
you made the bombing happen?

I think we
needed a level

playing field,
and now, as if by magic...

Are you really sure
we should even be celebrating?

If we did this to them, imagine
what they might do to us.

This meeting is called to order.

Hold on.

This is a house vote, right?

And I live here.

Patty.

Let her.

We can't claim to be a democracy
if some voices are ignored.

In fact,

I think she should be allowed

to participate
in everything we do.

It's clearly what she wants.

And who are we
to impede the will of another?

Back to the matter at hand.

All those in favor
of allowing Frater E.D. to stay?

As... Magus,

I wanted to believe

Frater E.D. had come back
to us a true prophet.

Yet, I fear the source

of his revelations
are not divine,

so much... as chemical.

Doesn't Master Crowley defend
the use of narcotics

to open one's mind?

Why should our brother
be chastised?

I'm not chastising him.

Frater E.D. is free
to do as he wishes,

as is everyone in this room.

It is simply
a question of truth.

Do we wish
to have a man living amongst us

who could keep
such a thing secret?

I don't think any of us
could claim to not have secrets.

Whatever that
boy's been through,

he's one of us.

And he's already pitching in.

He extended a hand

to me when I was lost.

Shouldn't we
do the same?

Welcome home.

However,
there are...

conditions.

You came to me seeking guidance.

But how can I help
if you continue

to hide from who you truly are?

The narcotic
numbs your pain.

But you must
confront it head-on.

Write down the truth
of what happened to you

and cure yourself
of this delusion.

I don't need to be cured.

I have attained the knowledge

in conversation
with my holy guardian angel.

I saw it with my own
fucking eyes!

There can be no room for doubt.

Your mind must be pure.

It's the only thing that
keeps my anger in check.

If you want to remain...

...this is
the requirement.

There are
rituals of the elements

and feasts of the times.

A feast for the Supreme Ritual,

and a feast
for the gods.

A feast for fire and
a feast for water,

a feast for life

and a greater feast for death.

A feast every day
in your hearts

for the joy of my rapture

and pleasure
of uttermost delight.

For all his ambitions,

Frater J.P. is held back
by fear.

Fear of loss,
abandonment, failure, love.

But does his fear mean
you must limit yourself?

No, I suppose it doesn't.

But I don't think
Jack can handle sharing me.

You ready to go inside?

I think we've limited ourselves
for long enough.

We can do it
together.

Is this the sort of
information you're looking for?

For now.