War of the Worlds (1988–1990): Season 2, Episode 4 - Terminal Rock - full transcript

♪♪

There's rioting breaking
out throughout the city.

Fires continue to
burn everywhere.

Troops are shooting people.

My God, I... I don't know why.

There's a woman dying in front
of me, and no one's helping her.

There are conflicting reports
about who or what started the chaos.

Will someone tell
me what's happening?

This is madness.

What is this world coming to?

♪♪



♪ I'm bored ♪

♪ I want a war ♪

♪ I wanna mutilate,
maim, and destroy ♪

♪ I wanna kill ♪

♪ Just for a thrill ♪

♪ Murder is the name
of my game, boy ♪

♪ Terminal! ♪

♪ Heads will roll ♪

♪ Check out the death toll ♪

♪ Terminal! ♪

♪ We are the future ♪

♪ We don't need no trial ♪

Get him out of here!

♪ Control! ♪



♪ We control our destiny ♪

♪ Control ♪

♪ We make the rules now ♪

♪ Don't obey rules of society ♪

Scavengers, you have to choose.

Go out into the streets

and take the streets.

- Get us out of here.
- They're all around us.

Get me back, sir.

Hurry.

I won't die here.

♪♪

Debi, turn it down, please.

Debi!

There's no point in
listening to it if it's not loud.

Okay, but I can't
hear myself think.

Just because you hate it.

I don't hate anything. I just
don't want it to make me deaf.

That's what all parents
say, Debi. Mine did.

Nobody understands.

Do you mind
shutting off that noise?

See? Everybody's on my case.

I was trying to get some sleep.

It's not fair. I can never
listen to what I want to.

Life's not fair.

Fine, I'll go in the tunnel
with the rats, like always.

She's only 13,

and she's trapped
200 feet underground.

You could at least try to
understand what it's like for her.

It's hard for me, too.

It's harder for Debi.

Yeah, but you're forgetting
one thing. This is my place.

I'm sorry if we're in the way,

but we didn't choose
to live like this.

Okay, we're having a
little bit of a problem here,

so let's talk about it, huh?

The problem is I
need my privacy.

I can't even turn
around in here.

I can't get a
decent night's sleep.

I have to watch what
I say and what I do.

Well, it's the
same for all of us.

You're not the only one
who's made compromises.

Yeah, well, I ain't cut
out for domestic bliss.

I need space.

Where are you going?

Somewhere I can breathe.

Maybe we have
taken a lot for granted.

What are his chances?

Reasonable. The
crisis has passed.

He nearly died.

They had no reason to do it.

Another setback like this, and we'll
be forced to leave this place, too.

You heard him. Ardix will live.

And what about the others
who weren't so lucky?

We've lost ten of our
best to these creatures.

We're trapped here.
Even the Eternal is at risk.

I want to find another base.

No. I won't run from humans.

Our mandate is to make this
planet safe for the Morthren race.

You selected this quadrant.

Now we're at risk every
time we step outside.

You made a mistake.
Why don't you just admit it?

Since we came here, our
numbers have been dwindling.

We've tried to reproduce,

but we have only one
offspring to show for our efforts.

Unless action is taken now,

we will not survive
another year.

All right. All right.

What do you suggest?

Exploit what we can.

We have to somehow gain
control of these animals.

They're so full
of hate and rage.

And that certainly is weakness.

Perhaps we can make
this weakness work for us.

You've been studying their
behavior, Sol. What do you think?

One thing unites them
and gives them power...

Their music.

I think that's the key to
any control we might exert.

Music.

This is a public
safety announcement.

Electrical services in Quadrant
7 have been interrupted.

I repeat. Electrical services
have been interrupted.

This is a public
safety announcement.

Electrical services in Quadrant
7 have been interrupted.

I repeat. Electrical services
have been interrupted.

Hello, sweet thing.

Hey, Johnny.

It's been a long time.

Yeah, it has.

You look good.

So do you.

I missed you.

You never call.

Yeah, well, I've
been kind of busy.

Gee, that's what your
brother always used to say.

Nothing ever changes, does it?

You're in the handyman
business now?

No.

Can't seem to get anyone
to come out here anymore.

This whole place
is like a war zone.

Scavengers control
the whole area.

People are really scared.

Last night they trashed old Snyder's
place just for a handful of change.

You ought to move out of here.

Yeah, well, I don't
have any choices, do I?

You want me to help you?

Thanks, but I look after myself.

It's a lot simpler that way.

Simpler, but not as much fun.

Nope, it's not as much fun.

You've gotten too serious, Rose.

It's good to see you.

Oh, well, I'm glad
to hear you say so.

Who invited you?

Please don't start, Larry.

Why don't you just hit the road?

You see, you're not
welcome around here.

Are you a lawyer?

No. No, I'm not a lawyer,

but I am the only
man around here now.

And we don't need you at all.

Larry.

Just leave us alone, Kincaid.

I'll only take so
much from you, Larry.

What are you doing here?

You want to make
something out of it or what?

- Maybe I better leave soon.
- No, don't leave.

Come on in.

♪♪

Call off your
friends, Mr. Ripper.

I've come on business.

What kind of business?

My name is Dennis Lawson.

I represent some people in the
business who are interested in your work.

I think you'll like
what I have to say.

Either you're pretty
gutsy, or you're stupid.

Which is it?

I know your
reputation, Mr. Ripper.

I've got a proposition
for you, that's all.

Talk.

As I said, I represent
a group of people

who are interested
in you and your music.

How interested?

We want to back
the Terminal Band.

We can give you the future
you want on your terms.

Talk, talk, talk. I've
heard it all before.

Oh, this is more
than talk, believe me.

We'll call this a retainer...

A gesture of our faith in you.

Okay, Dennis.

I'm a listener.

What's on your mind?

I'd like you to
meet my partners.

Okay, let's meet your partners.

That your partner?

We'll take you to them.

In what? Why didn't
you bring them here?

Scavengers!

Let me out of here!

He been giving you trouble?

Yeah, a little.

He's unreachable.
He won't talk to me.

I don't know where the hell
he got that bike or the clothes.

I just pray he isn't running
with the Scavengers.

He's just going
through a phase, Rose.

So how are you holding up?

I'm overworked.

I'm tired, I'm frustrated,

I'm broke...

and I'm lonely.

You should get
yourself a man, Rose.

Yeah, you're right.

Rose, I can't make any promises.

I'm not asking for any.

Explain this plan to me.

We know the Scavengers' music
already incites them to violence.

I've buried neural patterns
deep within the music.

They act as triggers.

I can increase their
aggressive tendencies...

Making them more violent.

How will that help us?

This amplifies the existing neural
pattern and allows us to control it.

We'll be able to
direct their aggression.

If you're wrong, we'll be in a
worse position than we were before.

And if I'm right, we can use this
technique on a much wider scale...

A younger army
under our command.

He's ready.

Show the people
some Scavenger truth.

♪♪

The music is an expression
of their decay and imbalance.

Make them love it.

Make them love you.

♪ In my world I... ♪

That's the music,
on the surface?

And there is the
signal we planted.

That tells me nothing.

You think they'll approve
this on speculation?

I won't risk any
more of our people

on an unproven theory.

Test it.

That can easily be arranged.

I wish it could
be different, John.

I know.

I feel like everything
is falling apart,

and I don't know how to
keep it together anymore.

It's going to be all right.

I'm all alone, John.

You've got Larry.

No. No, I don't have Larry.

We were tight once, you know,

but now I don't know
who he is or what he does.

I'm really afraid he's
headed for trouble.

Well, I'd like to help,

but I don't think he's
going to listen to me.

He hates me.

He hates everybody.

He's really starting
to scare me, John.

Well, I'll talk to him if
you think it'll do any good.

I wouldn't ask you.

It's just I don't really
know who else I can ask.

You can ask me anything.

Okay, where do I find him?

He hangs with the Scavengers
at the Scorched Earth Club.

I know it.

John, these aren't just
kids letting off steam.

Scavengers, I want you to meet
my new manager, Mr. Lawson.

He's got some
great plans for us.

You're going to love them.

The world's going to hear
about the Terminal Band.

I can promise you that.

We got something for you.

It's sonar technology,
gentlemen.

Intra-cortal,
perfect resolution.

Now you're going to be able to
hear our music the way you should.

They fit right in the ear.

Feel better?

Now you'll be able to go into
the streets with the message.

From now on, this quadrant
belongs to Scavengers.

Anyone who doesn't get it dies.

The first citizen you see,

kill them.

Aah!

Aah!

I'm barely getting a pulse.

He's got a hole in
him the size of my fist.

He shouldn't be alive.

It's like nothing I ever saw
before. They just kept coming.

I shot one of them three times.

Can you get this thing off him?

I don't know. It's
alien, and it's alive.

I don't know how it's
attached or what it does.

I'm afraid that if we try and
take it off, it'll kill him for sure.

Look, I got to go.

You're going to go
back out there again?

There's something
I've got to take care of.

This kid's a Scavenger.

That doesn't tell me why you're so
eager to go out there and be killed.

It's personal.

Besides, there's
nothing I can do here.

Look, if this a new alien move,

it affects us all.

The personal will have to wait.

A friend of mine's brother is
involved with the Scavengers.

She could be in real danger.

Look, if aliens are
involved in this gang,

you could be walking
right into another trap.

That's a chance we're
going to have to take.

I have to do this.

Go on. I'll be fine. Go.

What do you mean, you lost them?

We recovered all
the bodies but one.

He vanished.

And what am I
supposed to tell them?

That the music does its job.

Two dead, one missing.

Is this your army?

Their deaths are not important.

The point is the
programming worked perfectly.

We can now begin
to extend our control.

And what about the
one that's missing?

If he's alive, perhaps we
can locate him with this.

I wonder where
John got all this stuff.

I don't know, honey,

but let's just
hope it still works.

Brain damage.

From the bullet?

I don't think so. There's
no serious head wounds.

Must be from this thing.

Honey, go turn
on the sterilizer.

I'm going to try
and take it off.

What are you doing?

Worried about Suzanne.

Want to make
sure she's all right.

Yeah.

Let's check again, Suzanne.

Any results?

The EEG reads
almost no brain function.

Any response?

No, not yet.

Increase the levels.

If I increase the levels
much more, we'll lose him...

Increase the levels.

Then how has he
survived this long?

I'm sure that device
is keeping him alive,

but I don't know how it works.

You take a tissue sample
and get a culture of that thing.

Yeah, well, I'm going
to try to remove it.

- Be careful.
- Yeah, I will.

Bye.

Mom, what happened?

I don't know.

He's dead, isn't he?

Yes.

This is your idea.

You promised me an army
of obedient human youths,

you would provide us
with a secure quadrant,

and once again your dreams
have exceeded your ability to deliver.

You ordered this
random testing, not me,

and now a receiver is lost

and very likely in the
hands of some human.

You have no right to
question my decisions.

Then let me try my way.

What other options do you have?

Go on.

The transmitter can be installed
in the band's amplifiers at the club.

Mr. Ripper will
perform as usual.

The music will
unleash the Scavengers

into the quadrant
and cleanse the area.

♪♪

♪♪

What are you doing here?

Larry.

Get out.

Now.

So you are one of them.

Why?

Because they're my family, Rosa.

I'm your family.

I care about what
happens to you.

Oh, you do?

Well, what's been
happening to me, Rose,

is I've been
living in the sewer.

Look around.

What do you see?

This is your future.

Maybe it is,

but at least I don't go around
hurting innocent people

to prove I'm a big man.

You don't know
anything about nothing.

I know a lot.

You're a born victim,
Rose. You know that?

Not me.

Scavengers don't
take crap from anyone.

People don't hassle us.
You know what I mean?

When we walk down the street,
people move out of the way.

I like that.

Listen to yourself.

No, you listen to me.

First it was Max.

Now it's his stinking brother.

He's going to take what he needs

and vanish.

And you talk about me?

You're...

Don't you ever open your
filthy mouth to me like that again.

I'll be with my friends.

I'll kill him.

No, John.

So what do we know so far?

The boy died from the
wounds he received.

In fact, he should have
been dead long ago.

So something in this device
was keeping him alive somehow.

No, don't touch it.

We don't know
enough about it so far.

Can you take it apart?

I think so.

I'm going to need
some finer instruments.

Set down the
equipment right there.

We only have a few moments.

Don't worry.

Sure this will work?

There's only one way
to find out, isn't there?

What happened?

I don't know.

I just... He was dressed
like a Scavenger.

One minute we were
talking, and then the next...

Have any idea where he went?

Look, John, please,
please, don't hurt him.

He didn't mean it. He
doesn't know what he's doing.

I'll be back with Larry.

I promise.

What's happening?

Tell you on the way.

Hey, Larry, I see you made
it for the big, great event.

Yeah, I made it.

Why, are you surprised?

Not really.

I just wonder if you've
got what it takes.

What do you think?

Try me.

Scavengers look
out for Scavengers.

Any citizen that wanders
in goes down immediately.

And I live by it.

You're sister's a citizen.

What if she steps
through the wrong door?

Well, then we'll do
what has to be done.

Scavengers!

Terminal!

Scavengers!

You're all here!

♪♪

♪ Scavengers! ♪

♪♪

♪ Scavengers! ♪

Take the streets!

♪ Take the streets ♪

♪ Blood on the streets ♪

♪ Scavengers ♪

♪ We will take what's ours ♪

♪ We'll take what's ours ♪

♪ Scavengers ♪

That's not a good idea.

Down.

- Kincaid.
- I said down.

Down.

♪ Take the streets ♪

♪ Take the streets ♪

♪ Blood on the streets ♪

♪ Scavengers ♪

Kincaid, we've got to
find out the connection

between the aliens
and these kids.

I've got to get closer...

Kincaid. Kincaid.

♪ Burn the flags ♪

♪ Burn the streets ♪

Want to talk to you outside now.

I'll kill you.

Come on.

♪ Destroy ♪

♪ Do you want it? ♪

♪ Take it ♪

♪ Do you want it? ♪

Kincaid!

I'll kill you!

What's happening to me?

Don't want to hurt you.
Don't want to hurt you.

Well, you're going to have
to hurt me. Do you know why?

I'm going to kill you!

Music.

The music.

Kincaid!

Kincaid!

We're near the time, Mana.
The Scavengers are ready.

This is excellent.

Now let's see if our
army will perform for us.

Freeze on 54-0-2. Enhance.

We have a problem.

Kincaid, stop it!

You pig-headed idiot, stop it!

Stop it!

It's the music!

Listen, they
programmed in the music!

They programmed the music!

You've got to put your
mind to something else.

The multiplication
table, anything, anything.

Anything to jam
their conditioning.

Listen to me.

We've got to kill the music.

Debi?

Debi?

It's up there. It's
coming from up there.

I think we're in trouble.

Don't listen to the music,
Larry. Think of something else.

- They're using you, Larry.
- They want you to kill for them.

Be your own man.
You're a tool, Larry.

Give us the gun.

No!

Oh, my God.

Max loved you like his own kid.

He didn't want to leave you.

He had to.

Debi!

Your sister needs you, Larry.
Who will take care of her?

Thought you wanted
to be like Max.

Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!

At maximum.

Debi, can you hear me?

Debi. Debi.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!

Decide now.

No!

Scavengers!

The truth is here.

We can find it in the darkness.

Watch out!

Let's get him out, come on.

The programming was effective.

The reaction time
can be increased.

It can be corrected.

- We can repeat...
- It failed, Ardix.

It's over.

You allowed a couple
of humans to defeat you.

Their interference could
not have been foreseen.

You always
underestimate them, Mana,

and so we find ourselves
in the same situation.

We try it my way this time.

We exterminate them.

No, I... Look, I can help... Let
me get you something to drink.

- No, I don't want to...
- No...

Larry.

What I said in the
club, it was true.

What do you mean?

About how Max felt about you

and Rose.

Well, look, Kincaid,
just get to the point.

The point is there are a lot
of dangerous people out there.

Max knew that.

He didn't want
to risk your lives.

Neither do I.

Yeah, but he left,

so I guess he chose
to risk his life, right?

Yeah...

but he also chose
to protect you.

Sometimes when you start
something, it's hard to give it up.

Life's not simple.

You're going to have to make some
hard decisions on your own now.

And, Larry...

Those are real rock 'n' roll.

I'll keep trying, Larry.

John.

He'll be okay.

I wasn't thinking about Larry.

I can't.

Well, thank you...

for everything.