Swamp Thing (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - Brilliant Disguise - full transcript

Previously on Swamp Thing...

Hello, Abby. God, I am so
relieved that you are okay.

- Don't.
- Oh, Abby, if this is about

Maria attacking you
like that...

You should be dead!

I honestly don't know
what got into her.

- I'm just sorry I wasn't there...
- Stop.

I took a man's
life to protect you.

Dubois,
he fuckin' saw you.

You took out Holland's boat.

What are you taking about?
You know me!



And I know Avery Sunderland.

Holland must've been
in his way,

which means
he needed him gone.

So he found somebody
he could trust,

somebody he knew would keep
their damn mouth shut.

Daniel Cassidy
regained consciousness.

And this happened
because you spun a magic potion

from the sample Abby took
out of the swamp.

I'm giving you a discovery
that could change the world.

A stranger
came to me in the swamp.

He wants me to look more deeply
into this green that surrounds me.

- What's that?
- I'm not sure.

Alec.

Abby?



Hi.

Hi.

I just...
I don't understand.

How is any of this possible?

I think the spore
you inhaled

had some hallucinogenic
property or something.

- You're not actually...
- No, no, I'm still...

Sorry.
It's suddenly so weird

to just be staring
in the eyes of...

The charming man
I used to be.

Yeah.

And how long will this
hallucination last?

A minute, a year.
I have no clue.

I mean, it's not like
I'm doing this consciously.

It's like this new world.
This green all around us.

It's like it reacts to my
thoughts and my feelings and...

I think it sensed how much I wanted
you to see me as myself again.

You know, how much I, uh,
longed for that connection.

- Uh...
- So, uh...

- Can I get you something?
- Um...

You know, now that
you mention it,

I haven't
actually eaten anything

since yesterday morning,
so I...

Oh, no, no, no, no,
that won't do.

Um...

There may be some crackers
over here.

- Alec?
- Hmm?

All right.

Well, looks like we got
some guava, plums,

- mango maybe.
- Uh, plum.

Plum.

What's the verdict?

It's so good!

Okay, so you can just make
this happen out of thin air?

I was just concerned about you
being hungry, and the green...

Well, tell the green
thank you very much.

This is, this is...
It's delicious.

You hear that?

Everything is starting
to wake up.

Duckweed, sawgrass,
phlox flower.

And all those kudzu,
noisy bastards. Jeez.

You can hear the plants waking up?

Plants are much more
sensitive than animals.

Their voices are
just a little quieter.

Hmm.

And they're trying
to tell me something.

About the "darkness"?

God, there's so much unimaginable
beauty out there, Abby.

So much death.

I've seen things, places where the
rot and decay have taken over

and destroyed all life, consuming
everything in its path.

Show me.

Whatever's gotten a hold you,
it was born in the swamp.

I need to understand
this darkness,

this, this "rot",
if I'm ever gonna cure you.

No, Abby!

Abby! Abby, wait up.

Damn it! Just wait a minute.
Wait. Stop. Listen.

Entering this area, where the rot
has taken over, is very dangerous.

Okay, and dangerous plants
can sometimes produce

- the most effective medicine.
- I understand that.

And believe me, no one wants that
medicine more than I do, trust me,

but not at the risk
of losing your life.

I am a CDC doctor.
This is what I do.

We're going.

Sherriff's department
run out of Folgers?

Just felt like
a change of scenery.

Transfer request.

That's more than moving
from the bar to a booth.

You're out of sugar.

All right.
None of my business.

So, the police scanner
placed you and a couple of detectives

deep in the swamp
last night,

looking for the bad boy
who attacked those hunters.

Any luck?

Maybe you should ask Abby.

I would, except I haven't
seen her this morning.

Don't suppose you happen
to know where she's at?

You don't have to
keep hiding it, Liz.

I'm sure
Abby already told you.

Told me...

- About Alec Holland.
- What about him?

Look, I've seen him, Liz.
I know everything.

You've seen him? And Abby?

Are they all right?

Don't worry. Last time I
saw them, they were fine.

But Abby's protecting him.
She still thinks she can...

I don't know,
bring him back.

Matt, how long
have I known you?

Third grade,
Mr. Perkin's class.

Long enough to know
this pensive thing isn't you.

What is it
you're not telling me?

I'm scared.

Abby keeps talking about
this darkness in Marais,

like there's this poison

coming off the swamp,
you know?

And you're thinking
she sounds crazy.

Worse.

I'm thinking she's right.

I don't understand it. I told
Woodrue to go easy on the numbers.

Well, you hired Dr. Woodrue
because he's the best.

Doesn't mean he's easy
to understand.

Yeah. No, honey, you didn't
have to do all this.

I would have been happy
bringing in a caterer.

A man like Mr. Ellery
is used to catered meals.

What he probably doesn't have
much of is home cooking.

Well, that could be.

Hey, that medication
he prescribed,

it really seems to be
lifting your spirits.

It's true.
I feel so... relaxed.

- Huh...
- Hmm.

So, what do you know about
this Mr. Nathan Ellery anyway?

Very little, which seems
to be the way he likes it.

I just know that he's senior
advisor for the Conclave Group.

Conclave Group.

Sounds like something
out of a spy novel.

All I know is they've given
hundreds of millions

to all kinds of start-ups.
Healthcare, pharmaceuticals,

weapons development,
aerospace.

Well, I asked Nadine to whip
up a pitcher of Sazerac,

which will pair nicely
with the canapes,

and then, we'll move on
to trout amandine,

pan fried farro
and mustard greens.

Look at you!

- Playing the Southern belle.
- Mmm-hmm.

Oh, that must be Floyd
with the orchids.

Mr. Sunderland, the Sheriff
would like a word.

- Oh.
- Mrs. Sunderland.

Sheriff Cable.
What a surprise.

I'm sorry to
interrupt y'all,

but I need to borrow you
for a minute, Avery.

- Police business.
- Oh.

You go on. I've got
a few things to sort out.

Well...

I've told you
a hundred times

never to come here
without calling.

You son of a bitch!

You wanted him dead, but you didn't
have the guts to do it yourself

so you blackmailed Matt? You dragged
my son into a fucking murder.

I should have known that mama's
boy couldn't keep his mouth shut.

I always knew that a part of you
was like a goddamn snake, Avery.

I never, ever thought that
snake was coming after me.

But the truth is, everything
you touch goes to hell,

this town, me, Matt.

And the worst part
about it is for 30 years,

I just stood by
and let it all happen.

Yeah, well, I don't
recall you complaining

when all my dirty business
was lining your pockets.

Fuck you, Avery.

I'll tell you what, when you
come off your high horse,

why don't you
come over here

and make yourself a drink
then show yourself out.

I got a meeting
to prepare for.

The hell you do.
This isn't finished.

What are you talking about?

Alec Holland is alive.

Bullshit!

No way he survived.

Matt saw him.

He says he's been deformed by some
offshoot of that plant disease,

but it's Holland all right.
And I'll tell you,

if he gets to town
and starts talking,

all three of us are going down
for murder and conspiracy.

I'll handle it.

Oh, no. You will not vomit out
your dirty work on this one.

Mmm-mmm.

We're gonna do this,
you and me, right now.

- You're out of your mind.
- No, I'm protecting my son.

And this is
not a negotiation.

This is me telling you
how it's gonna do down.

Holland. Alive...

Shit!

- Everything okay?
- Yeah, I'm sorry.

Something's come up,
and I gotta go out for a bit.

Lucilia needs me to smooth things
over with a certain judge...

Uh, our guests
shouldn't be until 7:00,

so I'll be back
in plenty of time.

Well, all right. Nadine and I will
make sure that everything's ready.

Okay.

I'll get him back home to you as
soon as I can, Mrs. Sunderland.

All right.

Okay.

I've spent my entire
childhood in Marais,

hours in this swamp,

and I don't think I've
seen it this lush before.

Plums appear,
flowers bloom.

How is any of this happening?

It's, uh... It's a
little hard to explain.

Only that it's not
connected to a world

that has anything
to do with logic.

Or science.

Well, science is real,
it's profound,

but now I know that there's
other parts of this world

that are just as profound,
just as natural.

Like the green.

It's more than that. There
are these unseen forces

that play all around us.

Forces of life and death.

In the best of times, they work against
each other in a, kind of, harmony.

Keeping a balance.

And then, there are
times and places

where the darker elements,
the death and the rot.

It takes over,
drowns out the green.

What was that?

It's trees.

They're in pain.

Oh, my God.

Chainsaws, toxins, the accelerant
someone's been dumping.

It's lashing out in anger.

What are you doing?

- I need to get a sample to take back to the lab.
- No.

If this is the source of the
biological anomalies affecting Marais,

- we need to understand it.
- You're not listening to me.

We're not going any further.
It's too dangerous.

- There could be a wealth of knowledge in there...
- Abby.

...that could lead us
towards a cure.

I'm not going back
without a specimen.

Abby.

- Mrs. Sunderland.
- Doctor.

We have to talk.

Well, if this is about
tonight's dress code,

Caroline assures me that
I'll be in proper attire.

Actually, I was hoping
we could talk about your work.

I've been going over
your report,

and I like to keep the conversation
moving at the dinner table.

I was having
a little trouble

understanding
your conclusions.

Uh, I don't write for a lay audience, Mrs.
Sunderland.

If your husband wants
complex biochemistry

distilled down into
something more digestible,

- then perhaps I could, uh...
- I'm sorry.

I should have
been more clear.

It wasn't the science
that I was confused by,

it was the part where
you deemed your testing

an unmitigated success.

The man you revived
from a coma

left here strapped to a
gurney, writhing in pain.

Side effects are always part of
the process, Mrs. Sunderland.

Perhaps if I had had a wider
patient pool to select from,

then we wouldn't be
having this conversation.

You don't have to be
defensive with me, Doctor.

I just wanna know.

If time and money
weren't an issue,

are you confident you could achieve
what you're promising here?

Why are we even having
this conversation? Hmm?

Where's Avery?

Avery isn't here right now.

Until he returns,
you'll be answering to me.

Yes or no?

Are you confident you can deliver
what you're promising here?

No doubt in my mind.

Dinner's at 7:00.

Don't be late.

Some heavy duty ammo
for a renegade scientist.

Holland walked away from a shotgun
and dynamite the last time.

I'm not taking any chances.

Jesus, Avery, why did you
have to go kill him?

That son of a bitch
made one mistake.

What was that?

Holland knew
what he was doing.

If he just stuck
to his job, you know?

Run his test,
filed his reports.

But he overstepped.

Stuck his nose
where it didn't belong.

Well, imagine if he knew

about all the years that you
were dumping and over-logging,

and dynamiting new channels,
imagine that.

The swamp still owes me
a lot for my father.

You know that.

Holland was about to destroy
everything that I spent

my entire life
trying to achieve,

all the prosperity
I've been working my ass off

to bring to this town,
to Marais.

You mean all the prosperity you've
been putting in your back pocket?

Mmm-hmm.
And all that fucking money

to all those people
who thought you were nothing.

Jesus, Avery, I've heard
this speech before.

You've got to get
new material.

All I'm saying is he didn't
leave me much choice.

So, you're just
another victim.

Well, if your conscience
is bothering you so much,

you better let me
handle this boy.

You've still got
your service weapon.

That's pretty good
for killing people, too,

judging by the late
Remy Dubois.

If you insist.

Lead on.

It's getting
even worse.

The rot's expanding faster.

It's like this with
everything it touches?

All life.

And this is what
it leaves behind.

It's all dead.

We can't stay here.

I just need to get
a sample.

Abby...

We gotta go right now.

The darkness,
it knows we're here.

- Let me look. Let me...
- There.

Go, go, go.

Go, go, go!

Here. Let me do that.

You realize Sunderland
should be running

this dog and pony show,
not you.

I wish that
you would reconsider

and go back
to the school with me.

The cure for your Alzheimer's rests in the
cells that I saw under that microscope.

I know it.

You have a long row to hoe

before your discovery
can be tailored

- to a condition like mine.
- No.

We've got time.

I won't accept
anything else.

It's getting late.
I gotta go back.

No, no, no, no.
Just a couple of more minutes.

This is the area
where Matt spotted him.

I'm guessing that he wouldn't
have wandered off far.

We gotta get this done,
Avery.

If Holland's
really out here,

we could come back
in the morning.

Wait.

Did you see that?

You see, there's something
moving right there.

- Avery.
- How stupid do you think I am?

Don't!

What are you waiting for?

What are you
waiting for, Luce?

You're waiting for your
partner to show up,

or maybe just looking for a
good place to dump my body?

No. Put the gun down.

You think I really believe that bullshit
about Holland still being alive?

- It's true.
- Even if it were,

it wouldn't make
any difference

'cause I know you.

You don't forget.

You don't forgive.

So, is that it?
You're just...

You're just gonna
shoot me?

You give me one good reason
why I shouldn't do that.

Because I'm the only person
left on earth who knows you.

Because I'm the only person
left on earth who sees you.

After everything
we've been through.

- I thought...
- What did you think?

I thought
that you loved me.

I do love you.

Please, Avery.

For a second, I thought
you'd changed your mind.

GPS crapped out.

- Let's finish this.
- No, no, no, no, not here.

Out on the water.

I don't wanna
take any chance

and leave any
blood evidence behind

or anybody finding
the body, okay?

So, you give me this.

Mr. Ellery, Maria Sunderland.
It's so nice to meet you.

Please.

My husband, Avery,
and I are so honored

that you came all the way
down here to see us.

- How was your trip?
- Long.

Your little town here is pretty
far off the beaten path.

Quaint, though, if you
like that sort of thing.

Well, it's Louisiana's
best kept secret.

Avery had to run an errand,

but I know he's so excited
to share his results with you.

Dinner isn't quite ready yet,
but why don't you join me

for a cocktail
and some crab maison.

Vodka martini.
Up with a twist.

Mmm.

It's okay. We'll
just get over here.

Alec?

Let me see it.

Take this off. Come on.

Stay right here.
Just relax right now, okay?

What was that thing
that bit me?

Some kind of tendril
coming from the rot.

What?

It's a wound. It's, uh...

It's a necrotizing fasciitis.

It is a flesh-eating bacteria.

Something like that, yeah.

The darkness.

Abby. Abby, we need to go
to a hospital right now.

I won't make it
to the hospital.

There are plants, Chinese lantern,
it's a powerful antiseptic.

They don't grow around here.
Listen to me.

But they grow somewhere.
They grow somewhere.

You can bring them.

Stay right here.
Stay right here.

Swallow these.
Swallow. Swallow.

Look at me. Look at me. Yes?
What's happening?

It's not working.
It's not working.

Rot's fighting back. Okay.

Rot's fighting back.

He's moving.

Well, I didn't think
you had the guts, boy.

Shut up.

This is as good a place
as any.

What the hell's
going on here?

Second fucking thoughts?

Oh, no,
this is gonna happen.

You turned my Matty into a murderer.
You crossed the line, Avery.

You sure you can
live with this, boy?

Live with what?

Getting rid
of a monster like you

before you drag me down
like the rest of this town?

No,
I'm just wondering

if you could live with
killing your own father.

- What the hell is he talking about?
- That's right.

What did you think? That I was
gonna take your word for it?

That he was
someone else's child?

I had a feeling
the minute I saw him.

Paid off some doctors.
They had Matt's samples.

- Is this true?
- Son of a bitch.

He's my son, too!

- All these years, you already knew.
- Give me the shotgun.

No, you fucking knew?
I wanna know the truth!

- Give me the shotgun!
- I wanna know the truth!

Forget about
the fucking gun right now!

God dammit!

Is he dead? Is he dead?
Is he dead?

Keep some pressure on this, okay?
We'll go get help.

Abby. I know, I know.

- What's happening to me?
- It's okay. Just relax.

It's a war inside of you

between the rot
and the green.

Hold on, hold on. There's 200
species of flora inside your body.

If I could coax them all
to grow and to heal...

Abby.

Abby.

Again, I'm so sorry
that Avery's been delayed.

But, in the meantime, you should
have a slice of my pecan pie.

The nuts are harvested from trees
right here on the property.

To be frank, I didn't
come for the cuisine.

I was promised data

regarding
a major breakthrough.

Your husband called in every favor
he had to get this meeting,

and now, he can't be
bothered to show?

I truly appreciate
the value of your time.

And after reviewing the work
of the Conclave Group,

and especially
your involvement

in the Mod Four project.

How do you know
about Mod Four?

Well, I may be
a small-town girl,

but I still have
a few friends in high places.

- Thank you.
- Mmm-hmm.

Since Avery is indisposed,
um, Nadine,

perhaps Dr. Woodrue would walk
us through the prospectus.

Yes.

Um, of course.

Uh...

If you go to page three,
you'll see that we began

with a naturally occurring
bio-organic compound

that's heavily comprised
of lignin and chlorophyll.

The patient,
our first test subject,

suffered a severe
brain injury,

and was diagnosed
level 7 comatose.

But after less than 12 hours of
dosing with Dr. Woodrue's formula,

he regained
complete consciousness

two days after his injury.

Interesting.

The material we're working
with is a living tissue

developed right here
in our laboratory,

and has the ability to mutate
thousands of times faster

than anything else known
to man or nature.

Mmm-hmm.

You made this yourself?

Local pecans,
that's the secret.

Now, if you would
please turn to page seven.

Abby.

Hey.

- Feeling better?
- Yeah.

Thank you.

Of course.

What? What is it?

Nothing.

Just the spores.

They're wearing off.

Yeah.

Well... it was fun
to be Alec for a day.

Come here.

We don't know
what's going to happen.

All we have
is right here, right now.

You just saved my life.

Yeah.

You should get some rest.

Well, we did it.

Full funding.

Proper lab equipment,
support staff.

It's all finally happening.

And you'll be
the first to benefit.

Did you enjoy dinner?

It was delicious.

I only ask because, uh...

you seemed so quiet.

I was having a lovely time.

But who was that other
couple at the table?

Um, that man was named
Nathan Ellery.

Oh.

And his wife?

Maria. Her name was Maria.

They seem very nice.

I'm very tired.

Of course.

Goodnight, sweetheart.

Hang in there, Matty.

God damn it, Mom. You lied
to me all these years.

I made a mistake, Matty.

- Why couldn't you just tell me, huh?
- I was ashamed.

I couldn't bear the idea
of Avery being in your life,

of you looking up to that
horrible man as your father.

You did it all for me, huh?

Over here.

- What the hell?
- We need to come in.

Jesus Christ,
you can't be here.

Maria, Matt is bleeding out.

- Let us in.
- Who the hell is this?

That's Doctor Fred. I
called him from the boat.

Look, you think
I wanna be here?

I can't exactly bring Matt to the
hospital with a knife wound.

Please.

All right, bring him
into the kitchen.

It's okay.

Drink it, Matty.

This was not
part of the plan.

Sorry for the inconvenience,

but I didn't expect
the bastard to stab my son.

Did you get them
to sign the paperwork?

Yes.

Woodrue did his part, and the
pecan pie sealed the deal.

Avery.

He's dead.

Cheer up, buttercup.
It worked.

The company is yours.

Forgive me if I don't gloat
over the death of my husband.

All the lies
and manipulation.

It's been a while.

Yeah, well, remember
to go by the station

and file a missing
person's report.

I should send someone out.

I don't wanna see you again.

We had a common goal,
Lucilia,

and now that it's done,
I want you out of my life.

You always did think
you were better than me.

Make sure you clean up
all this blood before you go.

I want my kitchen spotless
in the morning.

You should go.

I'll come back tomorrow.

I don't think
that's a good idea.

I've been thinking,
maybe there's a reason

I've become what I am, you know?
Like...

Like I'm the part
of some larger plan.

What, um...

What kind of plan
are we talking about?

I don't know, but it's...

It's bigger
than you and me.

That fight we saw
in your arm,

it's all around us.

Here, in this swamp.

And it's a fight
to the death.

Maybe I've been
turned into this thing

to be a warrior
in that battle.

Okay, but where does all that
leave Alec Holland?

Alec couldn't have
saved your life.

Only this thing
that I've become

could do that.

You've done
what you can, Abby.

Thank you.

But it's not your destiny,
it's mine.

And you have a life to live,
and you need to go live it.

If there is a battle to fight,
I wanna fight it with you.

No.

Alec.

It's too dangerous
for you out here.

This is my place.

I want you to go,
and don't come back here again.

Abby, where you been?

I've been saying goodbye
to a friend.

You mean Alec?

Yeah.

He's losing hope, Liz.

I, um...

I pulled a sample from the
swamp that I think might help,

but I'm gonna need the full resources
of the CDC to investigate.

Meaning?

I'm going back to Atlanta.

- Tonight.
- Atlanta?

Are you sure?

Well, I'm not sure
about anything anymore,

but I have to help him.

I know it.
I have to find a way.