The Dead Lands (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - A Question of Identity - full transcript

The dead,

they sigh to me.

They tell me to
seek a warrior...

More monster than man.

And only he can help
me save my people.

What is it that I'm
to do for your tribe?

The dead took my father. Save
him, and I'll give you my blood.

Father.

Kill me.

Your uncle's a shaman
of great power.

He's hiding something.



Mehe, I loved father
as much as you,

but he did not have
Uncle's strength.

You call it strength.

Get away from them! He wants
to sacrifice our children.

You should have killed me.

There is a boy held captive
by three sisters -

powerful witches. Find this boy.

You see, he knows the name of
the one who broke the world.

I'll exorcise the
spirit from the boy.

You'll get your name.

What is your tribe?

Maiki! We are Maiki.

The Maiki are creatures
who serve Whiro.

So it's not just the dead
we fight, but a god too.



- Who broke the world?
- It was my father.

Te Kaiporangi Turoa.

Did you know that it was my
father who broke the world?

It's your destiny
to heal the world.

And cut that man's throat and
offer his blood to the gods

for what he did to me,
for what he did to us.

Stay... here with us.

I feel something in you
I've not felt before.

You know she has a gift,
she's your peer.

Yes, a student,
not a tohunga yet.

I'm not a shaman; You're right.

But since this has happened,
the spirits sigh to me.

We can go down there.

I'll warn you a final time.

Don't go to my father's pa. You
won't like what you find there.

You will go to the Great Pa
and confront your father.

And cut his throat.

No.

Be careful, Waka Nuku Rau.

You stand on the
edge of a precipice.

Not only you, but the girl.

Why is Mehe so important to you?

Not important to me.

But she'll be very
important to your father.

All of you,

listen to me.

Such...

mighty toa -

great warriors in the making.

But a strong arm is nothing...

compared to the world
of the spirit.

Taniwha hunt

these forests.

This is their place.

Tonight...

they'll hunt you.

Run.

Down. Down.

We'll build a stronghold -
defend it.

No. We've just trained in Karo -
how to evade the enemy.

- So?
- This is a test.

We need to make
ourselves harder to find.

- We need to evade.
- Evade my shit, Waka.

What do you know?
We fight together.

Together we're stronger.

I'm better off alone.

Let the bastard draw
the monsters away.

Look. There.

You're the sons of chiefs,

but even one of my lowly
bastards is better than you all.

I won. Didn't I, Father?

I'm not your father.

I just sired you, boy.

But Father...

Father.

So you think you can return
the world to the way it was?

- Seems impossible.
- So we should just give up

and leave the world like
this for the children?

And the only way is to
go north to this pa?

- Isn't it?
- No.

You're not going.

You were the one
that wanted me to go.

There's food here,
and most of the dead are gone.

Stay with your people.
Let me have some peace.

- And the world?
- Fuck the world.

- No.
- Do what I tell you.

Do what you should
do, and take me.

I'm not taking you to
that shit-eating pa.

Ha!

I've become soft
looking after you.

Never depend on others;

Always rely on the
strength of your own hand.

Now, are you ready to train...

and be ready for the dead?

Or are you happy
to fill their bellies?

Last chance before I go.

Karo.

You must learn to evade blows as
well as deliver them.

Lighter on your feet,
like I showed you.

- You've returned, haven't you?
- Where?

Where do you think?
The Afterlife.

If I have, are you jealous?

The dead told you something.
That's why you won't take me.

They said that you're
unimportant to me,

that you'll only
cause me trouble.

Liar.

You need to look after yourself.

- I'm not your father.
- Thank the gods,

and that someone like you never
had children in the first place.

You're hiding something.
Admit it!

I can feel your shit-eating
eyes on me.

I'm not taking her.

So leave me be.

- What do you want?
- The truth.

What are you talking about now?

- You've protected this girl...
- Mehe.

As if she was one of your own,

treated her better than you
treat me - your own mother.

And now you want to
leave her behind. Why?

- She's annoying.
- Liar.

What do you care?
You wanted me to cut her throat

or have you forgotten?

You're not planning something.
You never were very subtle.

But is it something foolish?
That's what I want to know.

I'm not the fool. You are.

She is...

thinking you could
put the world right.

You know my father
better than anyone

and what he's capable of.

And that's why,
the moment I see him,

I'm going to kill him.

First heal the world,

then kill. Not before.

Do you really think anyone
could convince that man

to undo anything,

to fix anything?

Make your heart cold, Mother...

like usual.

Forget about the
promise of glory.

Think about this -

think about what's within reach.

His blood.

I can almost taste it.

Every time he beat me...

every time he humiliated me...

and worse... to you.

Much worse.

This is our chance -

could be our only chance
to catch him unaware.

Because after that,

who knows what sorcery
or trickery he'll use?

Yes.

The world -
perhaps we'll find another way.

Do it. Kill the bastard
for what he did.

And when you drink his
blood, speak of me,

so that I can savour it too.

Your father?

Now you know.

And you never
thought to tell me?

What difference
would it have made -

you knowing that I was
sired by that man?

- It doesn't. I'm still coming.
- I'm not taking you.

- Why?
- He's a monster.

He'll eat you alive.

I can look after myself.

Once you said you took whatever
you wanted when you wanted it.

And that you were a bad
man. That's what you said.

And you said you
wanted to change.

Well, it's going
to take some time.

No.

Be the man that you want to be,

not the man that you used to be

or the man that you think you're
going to be in the future.

Be that man now.

- He'll kill me on sight.
- When did you last meet?

Your age.

- So he won't recognise you.
- What if he does?

Kill him. I'll help.

We'll be waiting for you.

I'm proud of you, my sister.

- Let me come with you.
- No.

You need to protect them for me.

Promise.

I don't trust you.

Do you understand me?

- I'm beginning to.
- Touch her,

and I will cut off your hands -

both of them.

What is it?

I won't see them again.

Probably true.

But if we are to die,

let us not walk; Let us fly.

That's it, isn't it?

Protection.

Promise me, don't kill anyone -
not until we know.

It has been an age since we
had something good to eat.

And I have...

a powerful hunger.

My name is Mehe Te Wehiwehi...

cousin of Te Hau.

Our whakapapa goes back
to the first canoes

that came to this place.
Our blood is one,

and we are connected through
the ancestors of this land.

So get your hand fuckin'
hands off me

before I have them cut off.

Pokotiwha.

Where's your father?

I am Hinengana,

mistress of this tribe.

We're distant cousins, I think.

We have news of your son.

Uri.

Is he well?

Is he coming back?

And Te Hau? And our warriors?

A war has begun...

with Whiro,
god of the underworld.

And what you have done here
has helped him in it.

Who are you to
accuse me of anything?

- He's not accusing you.
- Yes, I am.

For less,

I've slit men's throats
and feasted on their flesh.

You're not impressing me.
I've done far worse.

Waka, stop it.

And is this any way to
show us hospitality?

Tomorrow my husband,
the glorious Te Kaipo,

will talk with you...

of our son and other things.

Until then, we'll see.

What happened here?
Have you seen the world?

Our Earth is poisoned - the very
mother that gave us life -

and we've handed
it to our children.

It's Te Kaipo's fault.
Admit it. He's done this.

You shouldn't say such things
or it won't go well for you.

- There are things here.
- What things?

Dead things.

And only our lord Te Kaipo
holds them at bay,

but at great cost to himself.

It's dangerous at night.
Stay inside.

Tell me about your father.

He was a famed Tohunga Ruanuku

long before I was born.

Dark sorcery.

It's said that he could kill
a man just with his touch.

He used his skill to destroy
the tribes around him.

He was ambitious then.

One of those tribes
was my mother's.

He killed every
last one of them.

But her?

She became his slave...

and watched the rest of
her people become food

for his ovens.

She was beautiful then...

on the outside.

He took her to his bed...

and I was squatted
into the world.

Not a great beginning, I admit.

But I grew strong.

He allowed me to train in the
fight schools - parawhakawai.

He did you a favour, then.

It was not a favour.

He made me an example
for the others.

He would beat me until
my blood flowed...

to frighten the others,
to amuse them.

He did it every day.

- I'm sorry, Waka.
- I don't need your pity.

It's not pity.

Well, that's what it looks like.

It's aroha -

love, empathy.

You don't always have to have
a cold heart, you know?

Don't I?
It's served me well so far.

I don't think so.

What drivel are you talking now?

A man without a heart
is only half a man -

only lives half a life.

Well, let me tell you this.

My father, he hasn't got one -

a heart.

Not that I saw.

His cruelty always
has a purpose.

And tomorrow,

we'll find out what
he did here and why.

Whatever it is,
you won't like it.

None of us will.

Come any closer, and I'll
cut off your cock...

and feed it to him.

Father.

There you are.

- Do I know you?
- Not very likely.

She's always doing this. I find
her in some strange places.

It's a sign...

of the gift.

Those who sleep and walk
are close to the spirits.

And this place...

is very close to the spirits.

Well, we'll let the
spirits rest tonight.

Finally. You slept
like the dead.

- Do you remember any of it?
- Of what?

Going to the cave,
meeting my father.

I found you there with him.

Did he recognise you?

He's changed.

How?

He looks haunted.

Perhaps he finally feels guilty
for everything he's done.

We give him one chance.

That's all.

Agreed?

And if he won't help...

You don't know who I am? Hako!

Hako The Terrifying. Hako.

There he is! There.
What did I tell you?

The great Waka Nuku Rau. Whoa!

Hey. Don't believe
what you've heard.

He's a good fellow.

Aue. Swore I'd never
return to this place.

But out there?

You don't wanna be
out there any more.

None of us do.

Hey. Don't worry.

I won't say you killed Te Hau.

Unless it's my life.

Talk first.

- You talk first!
- Come, Father.

Let shit be your master and piss
be your slave.

You think that's gonna
stop me from beheading you?

Still a fool, I see.

I am going to cut you
out of my lineage...

once and for all.

Do it, and I'll kill you.

I killed my father, and I've
killed many other things,

- and I'll kill you too.
- What's this?

My husband, what are you doing?

Do you have so many warriors

that you would kill
one of the greatest?

- Who is he?
- Waka Nuku Rau.

And my bastard.

Don't you see?

He is the answer to our problem.

How could this thing help us?

He can go into the spirit place.

Clear it.

He'll have to fight
one first to see.

- Fight who?
- What...

is more the question.

Waka! Waka!

- Everything is all right.
- All right?

My head is pounding,

and it tastes like a tribe
pissed in my mouth.

- What happened?
- He was going to kill you,

but we made a bargain.

What have you done?

Aue. Sorry about that.

I didn't know he was
your father.

My advice -
tell them to eat dung.

Or offer your blood
to whichever god they want.

I promise I'll make
it quick, ne?

What are you talking
about, you idiot?

- He doesn't know.
- Know what?

Stop talking in riddles.

The cave. You've been
called to the cave.

- What fucking cave?
- Where the dead are -

all the dead of this place.

You're a good fighter -
you just have to show it.

He'll have to be more
than a good fighter

against those things,

believe me.

Waka Nuku Rau -

saviour of the people.

Who would have thought?

The monster becomes the hero.

Open it.

Tenei ka ingo

ki nga oha...

tupapaku.

- What is this?
- Ko toko ake...

He's calling one of our kin.

Kei whakarerea morehu.

Kei kaupapa tahuri.

Kei tuwhera ko taku riu.

Oho mai te tipua.

Ara mai te tuputupu.

Oi oi...

oioia mai te toki.

Oho mai te tipua.

Ara mai te tuputupu.

Oi oi...

oioia mai te toki.

He's hungry.

- They always are now.
- What am I to do with it?

Kill it.

Why?

Humour me.

Just him.

I'm better alone.

And...

no weapon. That was the bargain.

- Evade it. Use Karo.
- What do you think I'm doing?!

Pokokohua! Pokotiwha!

My brother.

I told you he could do it.

- What is this?
- You said if he fought for you,

that you would tell us
how to heal the world.

You need to clear
it of the dead.

Many of them were our
best warriors in life.

- Now in death...
- What's inside?

There's a tear in the Earth...

a Kapunipuni Wairua -

a gathering place
for the spirits.

This one I made.

But it connects the
world of the living

and the world of the dead.

Our deceased kin guard it.

Clear it, and I can begin
to finish my work.

- What work?
- If it can be done...

send the dead back.

We'll go.

- Will we?
- Why else are we here?

Accept it -

the bastard son...

here to fix the
father's failures.

It's destiny.

It's destiny.

You could stay...

- let him go alone.
- It's true.

You'll only slow me down.
I'm better off alone.

You'll slow me down, old man.

He needs me.

Why do these places always have
to smell like death and shit?

Stay close.

We're stronger together.

It's narrow.

We could use this -
draw them here.

Make a last stand?

Make a last stand?

- What is it?
- I don't know.

There it is.

I'll take the heads.

- Kia tu.
- Kia oho.

Kia mataara.

Come if you dare!

Hit the tunnel! It's narrow!

Open up!

All of them?

So now you can heal the world.

It's my hope,

but there's much
to do before that.

We need to prepare
for the ritual.

And you -

perhaps you were sent
here for a reason, boy.

Perhaps you were sent
here for a reason, boy.

You can hear well enough
when you want to.

Ka!

Come out!

Now!

I demand it! You did this.

Did what, Waka Nuku Rau?

You brought me to this
place from the start.

- It's not luck, is it?
- Could be destiny.

I don't believe in destiny.
Fuck destiny.

Ah!

You knew it was my father -
what he did. Even then.

- Yes.
- Why didn't you say something?

- Because you weren't ready.
- What shit are you talking now?

You would've run, like
the dog that you were.

Ha!

You were selfish.

You didn't care for
anyone or anything.

But now you do have someone
to care for and protect...

don't you, Waka Nuku Rau?

So you're saying I was dead -

that I died...

and you resurrected me
because of the girl...

because of Mehe?

Died?